Lee arrives in Ankara to attend NATO summit
President Lee Jae Myung and first lady Kim Hea Kyung arrive at Ankara Esenboga Airport in the Turkish captial to attend the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) summit, Tuesday (local time). Yonhap
ANKARA — President Lee Jae Myung arrived Tuesday in Ankara, Turkey, to attend this year's North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) summit.
The presidential aircraft carrying Lee landed at Ankara Esenboga Airport in the Turkish capital, where the leaders of the NATO's 32 member countries, including U.S. President Donald Trump, will gather for the two-day summit beginning Tuesday.
Lee is attending the NATO summit as the leader of a NATO partner country at the invitation of the alliance's Secretary General Mark Rutte.
The South Korean president was scheduled to meet with Rutte later in the day, before holding talks with representatives of Japan, Australia and New Zealand -- the three countries that, together with Korea, make up NATO's Indo-Pacific Four (IP4) partners.
Later Tuesday, Lee is scheduled to deliver a keynote speech at a defense industry forum on the sidelines of the NATO summit, joining a session titled "Shared Values, Stronger Industrial Base."
On Wednesday, Lee is expected to hold a series of bilateral meetings with participating leaders, as Korea seeks to expand its presence in the world's biggest defense market.
This year's NATO summit comes as member nations are moving to ramp up defense spending amid growing global security instability, including the Russia-Ukraine war and the Middle East conflict.
From Thursday to Saturday, Lee will pay a state visit to Mongolia at the invitation of President Ukhnaagiin Khurelsukh, beginning with a summit with the Mongolian leader on the first day.
The two leaders plan to declare a "golden era of Korea-Mongolia relations," outlining a shared vision for the future of bilateral ties, according to Cheong Wa Dae.
Also on Thursday, the Korean president will attend a Korea-Mongolia business forum aimed at exploring economic cooperation between the two countries.
On Saturday, Lee will attend the opening ceremony of this year's Naadam Festival, Mongolia's largest and most significant cultural celebration, as a special guest before heading home.
Lee's scheduled visit to Mongolia will mark the first visit by a Korean president to the country in 15 years.