President Lee Jae-myung arrived in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia, Wednesday to begin a state visit. It marks the first time in 15 years that a South Korean president has visited Mongolia as a state guest.
Lee will first hold a summit with President Ukhnaagiin Khurelsukh, followed by an exchange of agreements and memorandums of understanding and a joint press announcement on the outcomes of the talks. The two leaders also plan to issue a joint declaration on a "Golden Era of Korea-Mongolia Relations," outlining a future vision for bilateral ties.
"Mongolia is a resource-rich country with abundant critical minerals," National Security Adviser Wi Sung-lac said in a pre-trip briefing, stressing that the summit could serve as an opportunity to strengthen supply chain cooperation in rare earths and other resources.
Discussions on peace on the Korean Peninsula are also expected. "Mongolia was the second country to establish diplomatic relations with North Korea, after the Soviet Union, and maintains traditionally friendly ties with the North," Wi said. "We can also expect achievements in building a partnership for realizing peace on the Korean Peninsula."
Later in the day, Lee is scheduled to deliver a keynote speech at the Korea-Mongolia Business Forum, where government and business figures from both countries will discuss ways to expand economic cooperation. On Thursday, he will visit the memorial hall of Lee Tae-jun, a Korean patriot who practiced medicine in Mongolia while supporting the independence movement, before holding a luncheon with Korean residents in Mongolia.
On Friday, Lee will attend the opening ceremony of Naadam, Mongolia's largest national festival, as guest of honor alongside Khurelsukh.
