SEOUL: South Korean President Lee Jae-myung will hold a summit with Japanese Prime Minister ISHIBA Shigeru on the sidelines of the G7 summit on Tuesday in Canada, according to Lee’s office.

Lee, who was sworn into office earlier this month after winning the June 3 snap presidential election, is visiting Canada on his first trip abroad for the Group of Seven summit.

It became “difficult” to hold a meeting between Lee and U.S. President Donald Trump as planned after Trump was leaving the summit early, National Security Adviser Wi Sung-lac told a briefing.

Washington had asked for Seoul’s understanding, Wi said.

Lee held talks with Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and South African President Cyril Ramaphosa on Monday, his office said.

Seoul and Washington are holding working-level tariff talks, as the two side try to agree on a deal seen as crucial for South Korea’s export-oriented economy. South Korea’s key sectors ranging from chips to vehicles and shipbuilding are heavily exposed to global trade.

Lee, a left-leaning leader, has said pragmatism was key to his diplomacy and he would continue with security cooperation between South Korea, Japan and the United States. 

Reuters