President Lee Jae-myung will hold summit meetings with the presidents of Indonesia and France, who will make consecutive state visits starting March 31.
Presidential spokesperson Kang Yu-jeong announced in a written briefing on March 13 that "Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto will make a state visit from March 31 to April 2 at the invitation of President Lee." President Prabowo is returning to Korea approximately five months after his bilateral meeting with President Lee during the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit in Gyeongju last October.
The two leaders will attend an official welcoming ceremony, summit talks, MOU signing ceremony, and state luncheon on April 1. Spokesperson Kang stated, "The leaders plan to hold extensive discussions on practical cooperation measures in new growth areas including trade and investment, defense and defense industry cooperation, artificial intelligence, infrastructure, shipbuilding, nuclear power, energy transition, and cultural creative industries to elevate the Korea-Indonesia special strategic partnership to the next level."
French President Emmanuel Macron will make a state visit from April 2 to 3. President Macron is the first European leader to make a state visit since the Lee Jae-myung administration took office. This marks his first visit to Korea since taking office in 2017 and the first visit by a French president in 11 years.
The two leaders will hold an official welcoming ceremony, summit talks, treaty and MOU signing ceremony, and state luncheon on April 3. Spokesperson Kang explained, "The two leaders plan to discuss extensively ways to strengthen cooperation in various fields including trade and investment, advanced industries such as AI, quantum, space and nuclear energy, science and technology, education and culture, and people-to-people exchanges to elevate bilateral relations to a strategic level. They also plan to hold in-depth discussions on the situation on the Korean Peninsula and other regional issues, as well as responses to global challenges, with France as a permanent member of the UN Security Council."
President Lee previously held a summit with Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, who made a state visit last month. Ghanaian President John Dramani Mahama visited Korea on March 11.
