South Korean President Lee Jae Myung departed Italy on Tuesday, 16 June, flying out of Leonardo da Vinci International Airport en route to Geneva, from where he will travel overland to Evian-les-Bains, France, to attend the Group of Seven (G7) summit. The departure marks the conclusion of his Italian leg and the final stretch of a week-long European tour — his first since assuming the presidency.

Key Developments on the European Tour

Lee has been in Europe since the previous Tuesday, visiting Belgium first before arriving in Italy as the second stop. In Rome, he held separate bilateral talks with Italian President Sergio Mattarella and Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, with both sides agreeing to elevate ties to a special strategic partnership. The two governments also agreed to explore cooperation in semiconductors, artificial intelligence (AI), and other strategic sectors.

Lee's Meeting with Pope Leo XIV

A significant diplomatic moment came when President Lee met Pope Leo XIV at the Vatican. During the meeting, Lee briefed the Pope on South Korea's peace-building initiative on the Korean Peninsula, and the Vatican reaffirmed its unwavering support for facilitating peace there. Notably, Lee formally invited Pope Leo XIV to visit South Korea in 2027, on the occasion of the country's hosting of World Youth Day 2027.

National security adviser Wi Sung-lac confirmed the invitation at a press briefing, stating that the two leaders agreed to cooperate closely to ensure a successful hosting of the event. A separate senior South Korean official indicated the meeting also covered inter-Korean issues, with both sides sharing the view that cross-border dialogue and cooperation should be pursued despite prevailing political difficulties. This comes amid a long-standing Vatican interest in the Korean Peninsula — the late Pope Francis had repeatedly expressed willingness to visit North Korea.

South Korea at the G7: Second Consecutive Invitation

In Evian-les-Bains, Lee is scheduled to attend the G7 summit on Tuesday and Wednesday as the leader of an invited partner country. This marks the second consecutive year South Korea has received a G7 invitation, underlining Seoul's growing role in multilateral diplomacy and its strategic importance to the G7 bloc on issues ranging from technology supply chains to regional security.

What This Visit Signals

The European tour — spanning Belgium, Italy, the Vatican, and now France — reflects a deliberate effort by the Lee administration to deepen South Korea's diplomatic footprint beyond its immediate neighbourhood. The agreements on semiconductors and AI with Italy, combined with the Vatican outreach on Korean Peninsula peace, suggest a multi-track foreign policy approach that blends economic statecraft with security diplomacy. All eyes now turn to what emerges from Lee's G7 engagements in Evian.