President Lee Jae-myung will travel to Manila and Shenzhen from November 16 to 19 to attend ASEAN and APEC summits, focusing on artificial intelligence, critical supply chains, and transnational crime prevention.
The diplomatic tour aims to operationalize cooperation frameworks established last year while securing international backing for the administration’s peaceful coexistence policies on the Korean Peninsula.
- November 16: Attends the ASEAN-Republic of Korea Summit in Manila to review Comprehensive Strategic Partnership (CSP) progress, followed by the Mekong-ROK Summit addressing mineral supply chains.
- November 17: Participates in the ASEAN Plus Three and East Asia Summits to discuss energy security and regional stability.
- November 18-19: Travels to Shenzhen for the APEC CEO Summit, a welcome banquet hosted by Chinese President Xi Jinping, and the main APEC plenary sessions.
Discussions will center on expanding cooperation in artificial intelligence and the cultural creative industries.
The agenda also targets law enforcement coordination.
Later that day, the Mekong-ROK Summit will tackle the security of critical mineral supply chains. On November 17, Lee will address food and energy crises at the ASEAN Plus Three meeting before attending his first East Asia Summit.
On November 18, Lee moves to Shenzhen to attend the APEC CEO Summit and join a welcome banquet hosted by Chinese President Xi Jinping and his spouse, according to addnewsin.com. The following day, he will participate in APEC plenary discussions centered on openness, innovation, and cooperation.
The President intends to advance regional initiatives originating from the Gyeongju APEC summit last year, specifically focusing on artificial intelligence frameworks and demographic transition responses. Wi said that the administration will simultaneously brief member states on its policy direction for resuming inter-Korean and North-North dialogue, seeking broad diplomatic support.
| Date (2026) | Location | Key Meeting | Primary Agenda |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nov 16 | Manila, Philippines | ASEAN-ROK & Mekong-ROK | CSP implementation, AI, mineral supply chains |
| Nov 17 | Manila, Philippines | ASEAN Plus Three & EAS | Food security, energy crises, regional stability |
| Nov 18 | Shenzhen, China | APEC CEO Summit | Business roundtable, bilateral engagements |
| Nov 19 | Shenzhen, China | APEC Plenary | AI governance, demographics, energy supply chains |
The upcoming meetings follow the 30th ASEAN-ROK Dialogue held in Seoul last July, which reviewed sectoral progress under the 2026–2030 Action Plan. China’s current APEC chairmanship has similarly prioritized open trade, AI development, and supply chain resilience.
Disclaimer: The information provided in this article is for educational and informational purposes only and does not constitute financial advice.
