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President Lee Jae-myung poses for a group photo with leaders of MIKTA during their meeting at the G20 venue in the Nasrec Expo Centre in Johannesburg, South Africa, on November 22. / Source: Yonhap News

South Korean President Lee Jae-myung met with leaders of MIKTA on Friday on the sidelines of the G20 Summit in South Africa, reaffirming the group’s commitment to strengthening multilateralism and advancing international cooperation.

According to the presidential office, the leaders adopted a joint press statement, calling the moment “an important time to reflect on and reaffirm MIKTA’s identity and role as a cross-regional and innovative partnership.” They reiterated shared core values such as promoting multilateralism, advancing international cooperation and upholding democracy and international law.

The leaders added that the principles of the UN Charter must serve as a guide for collective action to promote peace, security, human rights and sustainable development.

They also agreed to further enhance MIKTA’s role as a bridge-builder on key global issues. The joint statement said the members would “continue close coordination among member states and strengthen MIKTA’s constructive role in building a safer, fairer, more equitable and more sustainable international order.”

On gender equality, the leaders committed to “continuously prioritizing the full, safe, equal and meaningful participation and leadership of all women.”

The leaders also expressed continued support for the three priority areas set by Korea as this year’s chair: peacebuilding, youth and accelerated implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

The MIKTA summit was chaired by President Lee as Korea holds the rotating chairmanship this year. Participants included Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, Indonesian Vice President Gibran Rakabuming Raka and Mexico’s Finance Minister Edgar Amador Zamora. Australia will assume the MIKTA chairmanship in 2026.