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President Lee holds talks with Vietnamese and Australian leaders in diplomatic push

Published: 13 Jun. 2025, 09:41

President Lee Jae-myung speaks on the phone with Vietnamese President Luong Cuong at the presidential office in Yongsan District, central Seoul, on June 12. [PRESIDENTIAL OFFICE]

President Lee Jae-myung spoke with Vietnamese President Luong Cuong and Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese respectively on Thursday, marking his fifth and sixth phone calls with foreign leaders since taking office.

The back-to-back calls with two key economic partners — following earlier conversations with the leaders of the United States, Japan, China and the Czech Republic — signaled what is being described as a shift toward "pragmatic diplomacy," after laying the groundwork with major powers.

Lee spoke with Cuong at 9:30 a.m. for approximately 25 minutes, according to presidential spokesperson Kang Yu-jung. During the call, Lee emphasized the history of bilateral ties since diplomatic relations were established in 1992, particularly in trade, investment and people-to-people exchanges.

"I hope we can work closely to further advance the comprehensive strategic partnership between South Korea and Vietnam," Lee said.

The two leaders agreed to deepen strategic cooperation in areas such as high-speed rail and nuclear energy. Lee also asked for the Vietnamese government’s support to ensure smooth operations for South Korean companies active in the country. Cuong extended an invitation for Lee to visit Vietnam.

Later in the day, Lee spoke with Albanese for about 15 minutes starting at 5 p.m., during which the two agreed to strengthen cooperation on supply chains related to defense, clean energy and critical minerals.

“South Korea and Australia, as comprehensive strategic partners, have long cooperated for the stability and prosperity of the region and the international community,” Lee said. The two leaders also agreed to enhance communication and cooperation on peace on the Korean Peninsula and the North Korean nuclear issue.

President Lee Jae-myung speaks on the phone with Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese at the presidential office in Yongsan District, central Seoul, on June 12. [PRESIDENTIAL OFFICE]

Lee has repeatedly highlighted economic cooperation in his recent diplomacy. South Korea is Vietnam’s largest source of foreign direct investment and Australia’s fourth-largest trading partner. On Tuesday, he spoke with Czech Prime Minister Petr Fiala, days after South Korea won a 26 trillion won ($19.17 billion) nuclear power plant project in the country, pledging to deepen bilateral economic ties.

Lee’s first call as president was with U.S. President Donald Trump on June 6, followed by calls with Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba on June 9 and Chinese President Xi Jinping on June 10. These talks reaffirmed the South Korea-U.S. alliance and trilateral cooperation with the United States and Japan, while also mending ties with China, which had grown tense during the previous Yoon Suk Yeol administration.

Compared to his predecessors, Lee is seen as pursuing a more balanced foreign policy. Yoon, after being elected in March 2022, first spoke with the leaders of the United States, Japan, the United Kingdom, Australia and India — an alignment interpreted as a tilt toward the U.S.-led Quad security framework.

In contrast, former President Moon Jae-in called the Chinese leader second after the U.S. president in 2017, emphasizing closer ties with Beijing.

Attention is now on whether Lee will speak with Russian President Vladimir Putin, the last of South Korea’s traditional “four major powers.” However, such a call appears unlikely for now due to international sanctions against Moscow over its war in Ukraine and growing concerns about deepening military ties between North Korea and Russia. A senior presidential official said Thursday that there are “no plans” yet for a call with Putin.

Translated from the JoongAng Ilbo using generative AI and edited by Korea JoongAng Daily staff.
BY KIM GYU-TAE [[email protected]]