On April 13, Cheong Wa Dae (CWD) announced that President Lee Jae Myung held a summit with Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk at Cheong Wa Dae on the same day. They engaged in in-depth discussions on ways to elevate bilateral relations and expand practical cooperation, as well as major regional and international issues. Marking the first bilateral visit by a Polish Prime Minister in 27 years and Prime Minister Tusk’s first tour of the Asian region since taking office, the two leaders agreed to elevate bilateral relations to a “Comprehensive Strategic Partnership” based on the deep trust and fri
President Lee Jae-myung convened a Senior Secretaries and Advisers Meeting at Cheong Wa Dae (CWD) on April 9, directing government officials to prepare for all possible scenarios following the recent U.S.–Iran ceasefire agreement, which he said has opened a new phase in the Middle Eastern conflict but warrants no complacency. Lee issued an urgent directive to mobilize all available diplomatic channels and networks to secure the safe return of Korean crew members and vessels currently stranded in the Strait of Hormuz. He further ordered accelerated efforts to secure additional crude oil and cri
President Lee Jae-myung held a summit with French President Emmanuel Macron at Cheong Wa Dae (CWD) on April 3, marking the 140th anniversary of Korea-France diplomatic relations and the elevation of bilateral ties to the level of "Global Strategic Partnership." The meeting was Macron's first visit to Korea since taking office, and the first state visit by a European leader since Korea's new government was inaugurated. The two leaders discussed the ongoing Middle East conflict and its global economic repercussions, agreeing that regional stability must be restored as quickly as possible. They e
On Friday, April 3, Cheong Wa Dae (CWD) resleased the following statement on French President Emmanuel Macron and his wife's ongoing state visit to Korea as they continue their second day of scheduled activities, which began this morning with an official welcome ceremony. On the occasion of this visit, Korea and France will upgrade their relationship from the "Comprehensive Partnership for the 21st Century" established in 2004 to a "Global Strategic Partnership" — an elevation that comes 22 years later. Through this upgrade, President Lee plans to strengthen strategic communication with France
On Thursday, April 2, a bipartisan U.S. Senate delegation, including Senator Jeanne Shaheen, Ranking Member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee held back-to-back meetings in Seoul: first, a luncheon meeting with Foreign Minister Cho Hyun and then a closed-door meeting with President Lee Jae-myung at Cheong Wa Dae (CWD). In a statement, released the same day, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) emphasized that Foreign Minister Cho highlighted the Joint Fact Sheet [JFS] adopted at the October 2024 Gyeongju summit, expressing hope that its faithful and swift implementation would maximize
The Ministry of Unification convened the first Inter-Korean Relations Development Committee meeting of 2026 on March 19, chaired by Unification Minister Chung Dong Young. Participants deliberated on a draft five-year blueprint for inter-Korean relations. Formally designated the 5th Basic Plan for Inter-Korean Relations Development (2026–2030), the draft represents the Lee Jae Myung administration's most comprehensive policy framework yet for managing and advancing relations with Pyongyang. The 5th Basic Plan is framed as a medium-to-long-term master plan for implementing President Lee's signat
President Lee Jae Myung and First Lady Kim Hye Kyung hosted a luncheon at Cheong Wa Dae on March 20 to welcome and honor the national Paralympic team, whose outstanding performances at the 2026 Milan–Cortina Winter Paralympics brought pride to the Republic of Korea. The luncheon was arranged to recognize the dedication and perseverance of athletes who moved the nation with their indomitable spirit, and was attended by the full roster of competitors who participated in the Games. Among those present were Kim Yun-ji, who set an all-time record for the most individual medals won by a Korean athle
President Lee Jae Myung made back-to-back visits to traditional markets in two Korean cities on March 13 and 15, Cheong Wa Dae (CWD) announced over the weekend. The President reportedly stopped to check on consumer prices, hear from local merchants, and connect directly with citizens on the ground. On the afternoon of March 13, President Lee visited Sachang Market in Cheongju, North Chungcheong Province — a market with deep historical roots, its name tracing back to the Joseon-era granaries once kept on the site. Having taken on the character of a modern comprehensive market in the 1980s, Sach
On March 13, Cheong Wa Dae (CWD) released two separate press releases announcing President Lee Jae Myung will welcome the presidents of Indonesia and France in rapid succession at the end of March and beginning of April, with the two visits briefly overlapping on April 2. Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto will arrive first, making a state visit from March 31 to April 2 at the invitation of President Lee. This will be President Prabowo's second visit to Korea in five months, following his attendance at the Gyeongju APEC Summit last October, where he held a bilateral summit with President Le
Yang Ki-dae, a preliminary candidate for Gyeonggi Province Governor representing the Democratic Party of Korea (DPK), strongly urged party leadership on the 9th to introduce policy debates among primary candidates along with a citizen jury system. At a press conference held March 9 at the Gyeonggi Provincial Assembly, Yang stated, "This primary election makes it difficult to find intense policy competition or forward-looking visions, and there is insufficient verification of which candidate has the capability to resolve Gyeonggi Province's most pressing challenges," adding, "This is precisely
President Lee Jae Myung and First Lady Kim Hye Kyung attended a state banquet hosted by Philippine President Ferdinand Romualdez Marcos Jr. at Malacañang Palace in Manila on the evening of March 3, as part of President Lee's ongoing state visit to the Philippines. In his dinner remarks, President Marcos noted that the two leaders had agreed to fully realize the potential of the Korea-Philippines Free Trade Agreement for the benefit of both peoples. He also highlighted areas of cooperation including investment in the Philippines' military modernization, coast guard capacity building, and shipbu
In light of the increasingly serious international situation, the Korean government ordered all staff assigned to the Office of the President at Cheong Wa Dae to report for regular duty on March 2, even though Monday was a designated holiday in Korea—the March 1st Movement anniversary falling on the previous Sunday. The stated purpose was to maintain an emergency response posture and ensure full preparedness. The directive was issued on Sunday evening, March 1, by Chief of Staff Kang Hoon-sik while President Lee Jae Myung was en route to his state visit to Singapore. Accordingly, Chief of Staf
Diplomacy Journal David Kendall 기자 | On March 2, the second day of his four-day trip to Singapore and the Philippines, President Lee Jae Myung held summit talks with Singaporean Prime Minister Lawrence Wong and attended the AI Connect Summit. Artificial intelligence cooperation was a central theme at both events. According to Cheong Wa Dae, the summit began just after 10 a.m. Singapore time and ran 80 minutes—20 minutes over schedule—reflecting the depth of the discussions. One joint declaration and five MOUs were signed immediately afterward to formalize the agreed cooperation items. The two