President to host dinner for diplomatic corps next Tuesday

Aerial view of Cheong Wa Dae in Seoul / Yonhap

President Lee Jae Myung will host a dinner reception next Tuesday for heads of diplomatic missions and representatives of international organizations in Korea, the presidential office said Thursday.

The reception, to be held at Cheong Wa Dae, will bring together ambassadors representing all 118 resident diplomatic missions in Korea and delegates from 30 international organizations, presidential spokesperson Kang Yu-jung said in a written briefing.

Among the guests will be Chafik Rachadi, Morocco's ambassador to Korea, who serves as dean of the diplomatic corps.

Since 1998, Korea has regularly held presidential receptions for the diplomatic corps at Cheong Wa Dae to demonstrate its commitment to strengthening ties with foreign governments and to seek support and cooperation for major policy initiatives.

This year's gathering will take place in Nokjiwon, a garden within the Cheong Wa Dae compound, for the first time since 2019.

The presidential office returned from Yongsan District in central Seoul last year.

Kang said the upcoming gathering reflects efforts to restore regular communication with foreign diplomats in Seoul and maintain close exchanges.

At the dinner, Lee is set to brief diplomats on the results of his first European tour since taking office in June 2025, and share other diplomatic achievements of his administration.

The president is expected to outline key directions for advancing his administration's "pragmatic diplomacy" agenda in its second year and enhancing collaboration with foreign governments.

"The Lee administration will continue to maintain close communication with the diplomatic corps in Korea and strengthen cooperation and solidarity with the international community," Kang said.

Lee returned to Korea Thursday, after a 10-day trip to Europe that included stops in Belgium, Italy and the Vatican, followed by attendance at the G7 summit in Evian-les-Bains, France.