South Korean President Lee Jae Myung landed back in Seoul on Friday after a busy trip to New York, where he rolled out a fresh peace plan for the Korean Peninsula at the United Nations General Assembly.
In his debut speech at the UN since stepping into office in June, Lee highlighted South Korea’s strong comeback on the world stage. This comes after months of political drama sparked by former President Yoon Suk Yeol’s botched attempt to declare martial law. According to Yonhap News Agency, Lee emphasized the “END” initiative, pushing for more exchange, normalization, and denuclearization to build lasting peace on the divided peninsula.
Lee also sat down with U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent to talk trade. He voiced optimism for breakthroughs in negotiations with Washington, guided by “commercial rationality.” Still, the two sides haven’t nailed down details on South Korea’s massive $350 billion investment commitment to the U.S.
On Thursday, Lee turned heads by hosting the Korea Investment Summit at the New York Stock Exchange. The event aimed to draw in new investors and give a boost to the Korean stock market.
Earlier in the week, he met BlackRock CEO Larry Fink to explore partnerships in artificial intelligence (AI) and renewable energy. Their chat led to a key agreement: building AI data centers in South Korea as part of its goal to become Asia’s top AI hub.
Midweek, Lee held his first face-to-face with Polish President Karol Nawrocki on the UN sidelines. They focused on ramping up defence industry ties, especially in tanks and beyond. Poland has emerged as a major buyer of South Korean defence exports since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
“The leaders agreed to deepen cooperation so both countries’ companies can reap mutual benefits,” Lee’s office stated. Lee specifically pushed for teamwork on Poland’s submarine program. South Korea’s Hanwha Group is eyeing the Orka project, which could involve selling three to four 3,000-ton submarines for over 3 trillion won—about $2.25 billion.
The duo also swapped thoughts on hot security topics, from the Korean Peninsula to the war in Ukraine.
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