Lee to pay state visit to Mexico after attending UN General Assembly this week

President Lee Jae Myung will pay a state visit to Mexico after attending the UN General Assembly’s week for high-level leaders in the US through Sunday, the Blue House national security director told the press on Monday. 

 Lee will participate in the UN General Assembly on Tuesday, where he will give a speech proposing UN reform to tackle global issues, outline Korea’s contributions, and offer a blueprint for his vision for seeking peace on the peninsula, according to Wi Sung-lac, the Blue House national security adviser. 

 That will be followed up with a meeting with UN Secretary-General António Guterres, in which he will call for the UN’s cooperation and investment in the maintenance of peace on the Korean Peninsula.

 “We will propose a blueprint outlining the path toward peaceful coexistence on the Korean Peninsula at the UN General Assembly, the only universal international organization, to generate international momentum for peace on the peninsula,” Wi said. 

“We will engage in various forms of discussions with leaders of major countries attending this General Assembly to discuss practical cooperation in energy, semiconductors, and science and technology. We will also explore cooperation methods to advance bilateral relations,” the security adviser said. 

 Many are interested to see if Lee will meet with US President Donald Trump on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly.

 “We plan to hold separate meetings in various formats with the leaders of major countries, such as the US and Australia,” Wi said. “We aim to discuss close cooperation on matters of national interest in related meetings.”

 Whether a bilateral US-Korea summit will take place remains subject to change depending on the circumstances. 

Also on Lee’s schedule is the Korea Investment Summit 2026 on Wednesday, which will gather economic and financial leaders from Korea and the US. Lee will likely promote Korea’s AI policies and visions for the future, as well as capital market reforms, to global investors.

 The president is then scheduled to make a state visit to Mexico at the invitation of Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum. This is the first time in 16 years that a Korean president will pay a state visit to Mexico.

 After arriving in Mexico’s capital, Mexico City, on Wednesday evening, Lee will lay a wreath at the Monumento a los Niños Héroes in Chapultepec Park before attending an official welcoming ceremony.

 Lee will then hold a series of events with Sheinbaum, including a one-on-one meeting, an expanded meeting, a memorandum of understanding (MOU) signing ceremony, a luncheon, and a joint press conference.

 On Thursday, he will visit a business forum and the K-Expo event held at the World Trade Center Mexico City before returning to Korea on Friday.

 “Mexico is a massive market with a population of 230 million and a GDP of US$1.8 trillion. It serves as a key gateway to the North American market. We will actively cooperate with Mexico, which possesses ample resources such as crude oil, on energy supply chains,” said Wi.

 “We will build a foundation for cooperation with Mexico, a promising market for future cutting-edge industries, in AI, aviation, and defense. As Mexico is currently pursuing military modernization projects, we also plan to discuss Korea’s potential contribution to its national defense,” Wi stated.