President Lee Jae Myung concluded his three-day attendance at the G20 summit in Johannesburg, South Africa, on Sunday, emphasizing international cooperation on AI and critical minerals supply chains. He pledged to host the 2028 G20 with a profound sense of responsibility. Following the summit, he departed for Turkey to complete his four-nation tour.
President Lee Jae Myung, during the G20 summit's third session themed 'A Fair and Just Future for All,' urged the establishment of universal frameworks for equitable access to AI benefits and stable supply chains for critical minerals. He stated, "The advancement of AI must provide fair opportunities for all nations and all peoples," pledging to advance South Korea's vision for inclusive AI with the international community. He also introduced the AI initiative adopted at APEC to promote it globally and highlighted cooperation programs to enhance digital capabilities for women and youth in Africa.
In the critical minerals sector, he welcomed the G20's adoption of the Critical Minerals Framework, emphasizing South Korea's chairmanship of the Minerals Security Partnership and the launch of the Korea-Africa Critical Minerals Cooperation Initiative. "We must establish a stable and mutually beneficial supply chain for critical minerals, where mineral-rich and mineral-importing countries share the benefits," he said, addressing uncertainties from U.S.-China trade tensions over rare earths.
In prior bilateral meetings on the sidelines, he reaffirmed with Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi the importance of stable bilateral relations and future-oriented cooperation. With Chinese Premier Li Qiang, he shared that the APEC summit with President Xi Jinping had fully restored ties, proposing cooperation to support livelihoods in both nations. In an interview with Turkey's Anadolu Agency ahead of his visit, Lee stated that reunification with North Korea remains South Korea's ultimate goal and constitutional duty, to be pursued through dialogue rather than unilateral action, and pledged to consider electronic voting to improve overseas Koreans' voting rights.
Lee's G20 attendance capped his multilateral diplomacy for the year, following the G7 in Canada, UN General Assembly in New York, and hosting APEC. South Korea was confirmed to assume the G20 presidency in 2028, following the U.S. in 2026 and Britain in 2027. He met with Korean residents in South Africa to emphasize support for overseas communities before departing for Turkey.
