Key facts
- President Lee Jae Myung departed for Turkey on July 7, 2026, to attend the NATO summit.
- He will meet with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte and leaders from Japan, Australia, and New Zealand.
- Lee will also deliver a keynote speech at a defense industry forum.
- Following the summit, he will undertake a state visit to Mongolia.
- This marks the first presidential visit to Mongolia in 15 years.
President Lee Jae Myung departed Seoul on Tuesday, July 7, 2026, for Turkey to attend the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) summit, the first leg of a two-nation trip that will also include a visit to Mongolia.
The presidential aircraft carrying Lee took off from Seoul Air Base in Seongnam, heading to Ankara, where leaders of NATO's 32 member countries, including U.S. President Donald Trump, will convene. Lee's attendance at the summit was at the invitation of NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte, whom he is scheduled to meet shortly after arrival.
During the summit, Lee will also hold meetings with representatives from Japan, Australia, and New Zealand, forming NATO's Indo-Pacific Four (IP4) with South Korea. He is slated to deliver a keynote speech at a defense industry forum titled "Shared Values, Stronger Industrial Base." The summit takes place amid heightened global security concerns, including the Russia-Ukraine war and the Middle East conflict.
Following the NATO summit, Lee will travel to Mongolia for a state visit from Thursday to Saturday, at the invitation of President Ukhnaagiin Khurelsukh. The leaders plan to declare a "golden era of South Korea-Mongolia relations" and explore economic cooperation at a business forum. Lee will also attend the Naadam Festival, Mongolia's largest cultural celebration. This visit to Mongolia will be the first by a South Korean president in 15 years.