President Lee Jae Myung attended the G20 summit in Johannesburg, South Africa, on November 22 to discuss key global issues including inclusive growth and climate change. The summit, themed 'Solidarity, Equality, Sustainability,' runs through Sunday and gathers leaders of major economies except U.S. President Donald Trump. Lee is expected to pledge South Korea's active role in addressing these challenges.
President Lee Jae Myung attended the first session on inclusive and sustainable economic growth at the G20 summit, where he plans to introduce South Korea's fiscal policy initiatives and propose measures such as reducing debt burdens on developing countries, restoring the multilateral trading system, and enhancing the effectiveness of development cooperation. In the second session on global resilience, he will emphasize joint efforts to tackle the climate crisis, strengthen disaster-response capacity, and address global food insecurity, while outlining Seoul's initiatives in climate change and contributions to disaster relief in developing nations. National Security Adviser Wi Sung-lac said Lee will participate in three sessions to highlight initiatives on artificial intelligence, inclusive growth, and economic policy.
The summit's theme is 'Solidarity, Equality, Sustainability,' and the G20 comprises 19 advanced and developing economies along with the European Union and African Union, representing 85 percent of global GDP and two-thirds of the world's population. Ahead of the summit, Lee was welcomed by South African President Cyril Ramaphosa, the host of this year's gathering.
On the sidelines, Lee plans to meet with leaders from MIKTA—a group of five middle-power countries including South Korea, Mexico, Indonesia, Turkey, and Australia—to discuss strengthening multilateral cooperation on global issues. He is also scheduled to hold separate talks with French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz on bilateral relations. On Sunday, he will attend the third session and meet with Korean residents in South Africa before flying to Turkey on Monday, the final stop of his four-nation tour that included the United Arab Emirates and Egypt.