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President Lee Jae-myung, currently on a European tour, will attend the "Korea-Italy Business Roundtable" on the afternoon of the 12th (local time), emphasizing the importance of economic cooperation between the two nations while linking summit diplomacy to expanded economic ties.
The presidential office said in a statement that day, "President Lee will attend the Korea-Italy Business Roundtable held this afternoon at a hotel in downtown Rome." The event is hosted by the Federation of Korean Industries and the General Confederation of Italian Industry. President Lee has been on a state visit to Italy since the 10th. It marks the first state visit to Italy by a South Korean head of state in 26 years, and major business leaders accompanied President Lee on this trip.
According to the presidential office, President Lee will use his keynote remarks to emphasize the importance of economic cooperation between Korea and Italy amid growing uncertainty in the international order driven by the artificial intelligence (AI) revolution and supply chain realignment. In particular, he is expected to convey a message that the two countries should broaden cooperation in advanced technology, energy, and future industries based on their shared status as manufacturing powerhouses.
The event will be attended by major domestic business leaders, including Ryu Jin, chairman of the Federation of Korean Industries; Lee Jae-yong, chairman of Samsung Electronics; Koo Ja-eun, chairman of LS Group; Cho Hyun-joon, chairman of Hyosung Group; Choi Soo-yeon, CEO of Naver; Kim Jung-soo, chairman of Samyang Foods; Sung Kim, president of Hyundai Motor; Kim Dong-chun, president of LG Chem; and Moon Jae-young, president of HD Construction Equipment. From the Italian side, participants will include Emanuele Orsini, president of the General Confederation of Italian Industry, along with officials from leading companies such as Fincantieri, Ferrari, Eni Live, and Kiko Milano.
At the roundtable, business leaders from both countries will share cooperation cases and discuss practical ways to expand collaboration around themes including strategic and advanced industries, energy and infrastructure, and promising future industries. Samsung Electronics and Naver are expected to explore cooperation opportunities in AI, semiconductors, and digital fields, while LS Group will pursue energy infrastructure projects such as power grids and submarine cables. Hyundai Motor is expected to discuss future mobility; Hyosung and LG Chem, eco-friendly materials and energy transition industries; Samyang Foods, the expansion of K-food distribution networks; and HD Construction Equipment, plans to expand entry into the European infrastructure market.
