Analysis with experts on Pres. Lee's first global diplomatic attendance at the G7 Summit

Welcome to Within The Frame, where we bring the most pressing issues across the globe into focus. I'm Kim Mok-yeon.

South Korean President Lee Jae Myung has returned from his two-day visit to Canada, where he attended the G7 Summit as a guest — marking not only his first overseas trip since taking office but also his official debut on the global diplomatic stage.

The visit, grounded in what Lee has called "national-interest-based pragmatic diplomacy," included back-to-back summits with leaders from nine countries and a brief meeting with the UN secretary-general.

Most notably, Lee sat down with Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba for the first Korea-Japan summit under his leadership — just in time for the 60th anniversary of the normalization of ties between the two countries.

However, the much-anticipated summit with U.S. President Donald Trump was postponed due to Trump's emergency return to Washington.

All eyes are now on what comes next for Korea's summit diplomacy.

To delve deeper into this, we connect to Hannah Kim, associate professor at Sogang University GSIS.

And also with Daniel Connolly, associate professor of international relations at Hankuk University of Foreign Studies.

1. (Kim) Let's start with President Lee Jae Myung's debut on the global stage. He's now returned from his first-ever appearance at the G7 Summit.

The presidential office called it a restart of high-level diplomacy that had long been stalled.

From a pragmatic diplomacy standpoint, how do you assess the significance of his presence at the summit?

2. (Connolly) One of the notable outcomes from the G7 was President Lee's meeting with Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba.

It was the first Korea-Japan summit under the Lee administration, and remarkably, one of the earliest such meetings by any incoming Korean president.

How do you view the significance of this bilateral encounter?

3. (Kim) Adding to that, the presidential office emphasized that this meeting may help create a pathway for resolving historical disputes more smoothly. From here on forward, what kind of approach should the Lee administration take in steering Korea-Japan relations?

4. (Connolly) Switching focus to the U.S., a highly anticipated meeting with President Donald Trump didn't materialize. Some had hoped it could open the door to new trade talks. Realistically, when do you think we might see that first summit between President Lee and President Trump?

5. (Connolly) Though the delay in the Korea-U.S. summit is disappointing, some argue that President Trump's focus on broader global priorities might ultimately benefit Korea. What diplomatic impact do you see from the postponed summit?

6. (Kim) Turning to the broader strategic landscape — over the past few years, the G7 has taken a consistent stance on curbing China's influence. As President Lee continues to emphasize pragmatic diplomacy, how should Korea position itself between the competing interests of the U.S. and China?

7. (Connolly) Even though Korea is not a formal G7 member, President Lee attended this year's summit as an invited participant. He even proposed the idea of a potential "G7 Plus." Do you believe this visit effectively communicated Korea's readiness to engage and contribute to the G7's global agenda?

8. (Kim) President Lee spoke twice during the G7's expanded sessions — focusing first on energy security and critical mineral supply chains, then on the link between AI and energy demand. He outlined Korea's plans to lead in both areas, including through the Mineral Security Partnership and AI semiconductor development. Do you think these proposals will translate into real cooperation with other nations?

9. (Connolly) Meanwhile, the presidential office has said that such summit-level diplomacy could play a role in Korea's economic recovery. In your view, how impactful could the G7 Summit be in resolving trade challenges and supporting the broader economy?

10. (Kim) And looking ahead, attention is turning to The Hague, where the NATO Summit will be held on June 24th and 25th. President Lee is reportedly leaning toward attending. If he does, what should we be paying attention to from the standpoint of pragmatic diplomacy?