Lee Jae-myung's debut at G7 summit shows ‘South Korea is back in the game'
South Korean President
Lee Jae-myung 's attendance at the Group of Seven summit signals that the country is 'back in the game', according to analysts, as the move allows Seoul to press ahead with its long-term goal of becoming a member of an expanded G7.
Sworn in as his country's new president last Wednesday, Lee would attend the three-day
G7 summit to be held in
Canada from Sunday, the presidential office said on Saturday.
This would mark his first overseas trip since he took office and his debut on the global diplomatic stage, following his election earlier this month, brought on by the impeachment of former president
Yoon Suk-yeol
Yoon was impeached by the National Assembly after declaring
martial law in December. The constitutional court upheld the verdict in a unanimous decision in April, removing him from office.
South Korea is not a G7 member state but had been invited to the expanded G7 sessions in 2021 and 2023, when Britain and Japan were the respective hosts.
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