Lee’s ‘pragmatic diplomacy’ faces major test at Gyeongju APEC summit

With the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit in Gyeongju, North Gyeongsang Province, just over a week away, global attention is increasingly focused on President Lee Jae Myung. How he navigates the complex diplomatic landscape could redefine Korea’s international standing and test his administration’s “pragmatic, national-interest-driven” approach to foreign policy. The upcoming summit is set to be a pivotal moment for Seoul, with high-stakes developments converging, such as a much-awaited U.S.–China summit and even a potential U.S.–North Korea meeting. Lee himself is also preparing for a series of critical bilateral meetings. These include a Korea–U.S. summit and ongoing tariff talks with U.S. President Donald Trump, and a meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping, who will visit Korea for the first time in 11 years, to navigate cooperation on the North Korean nuclear issue. Lee also faces the significant task of maintaining momentum in relations with Tokyo, through his first meeting with Japan’s new Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi. Against this backdrop, expeWeiter zum vollständigen Artikel bei Korea Times Weiter zum vollständigen Artikel bei Korea Times