President Lee holds first summit with Japanese PM Ishiba on sidelines of G7

Also in Canada.

President Lee Jae-myung sat down with his Japanese counterpart Shigeru Ishiba on the sidelines on the G7 summit.

Our correspondent Song Yoo-jin covers these talks and the president's other bilateral engagements.

It was a packed day of diplomacy for South Korean President Lee Jae Myung on his final day at the G7 Summit in Canada.

There, President Lee held his first summit with Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba.

"I truly hope that, marking the 60th anniversary of normalized diplomatic ties, exchanges will grow not just between our two governments and businesses, but also between our people. I look forward to Korea and Japan working together in a way that contributes more to the region and to the world."

During the 30-minute meeting, the leaders reaffirmed their commitment to regular summit-level meetings while agreeing to strengthen trilateral coordination with the United States, particularly in responding to regional geopolitical challenges, including North Korea.

President Lee also held bilateral talks with other G7 members, the United Kingdom, and Canada.

"The leaders of South Korea and the UK agreed to move forward on updating their post-Brexit FTA. They also discussed working together on Korean Peninsula peace and security."

In his summit with Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, Lee emphasized defense cooperation, mentioning the participation of Korean companies in Canada's submarine acquisition program, with contracts expected to be finalized by 2028.

Economic cooperation was high on the agenda in talks with the leaders of Brazil, Mexico, India, and the European Union.

"The Lee Jae Myung administration will continue to pursue pragmatic diplomacy based on active international cooperation, with national interest as the top priority."

However, the most anticipated meeting, between President Lee and U.S. President Donald Trump, was canceled after Trump cut his trip short due to the escalating crisis in the Middle East.

The two sides have key issues still unresolved, including the Trump administration's looming July deadline on reciprocal tariffs and defense cost-sharing.

Song Yoo-jin, Arirang News.