President Lee to take first weeklong summer vacation starting Monday

President Lee Jae Myung has lunch with his key presidential aides at a restaurant near the presidential office in Yongsan, Seoul, Thursday. Courtesy of the presidential office

President Lee Jae Myung will take his first summer vacation since assuming office, with a five-day break starting Monday, the presidential office announced Friday.

The announcement comes shortly after a significant breakthrough in the South Korea-U.S. tariff negotiations, one of the administration's key diplomatic priorities.

The agreement was finalized early Thursday, just before the Aug. 1 deadline, which enabled Lee to confirm his vacation plans.

While the president had long been considering the first week of August for his break, delays in the tariff talks had postponed the scheduling. With the tariff issue now resolved, Lee intends to use the vacation both as an opportunity to recharge and to prepare for the next phase of his domestic and foreign policy agenda.

The presidential office explained that Lee is scheduled to stay at the presidential retreat on Jeo Island near Geoje, South Gyeongsang Province, starting Saturday.

During the break, he plans to relax by reading, watching films and taking time for personal rest, but will remain engaged with key state matters. The presidential office has established a system to ensure that urgent issues are addressed promptly, should they arise.

With a high likelihood of a Seoul-Washington summit later this month, Lee is also expected to focus on strategic planning for discussions with U.S. President Donald Trump during the break.

While the broader tariff agreement has been resolved, many details are likely to be finalized during the upcoming summit. Key security topics, including the defense cost-sharing agreement and the role of U.S. forces in Korea, were not part of the recent negotiations and are expected to be key points of discussion at the summit.

Trump has indicated the summit could take place within the next two weeks, though the exact timing is still being coordinated between the two governments.