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South Korean President Lee Jae-myung delivers a keynote address at the NATO Defense Industry Forum held at the Ankara Convention Center in Turkey on July 7 (local time). / Courtesy of Yonhap News

President Lee Jae-myung has departed for a three-day state visit to Mongolia from July 9 to 11, following the conclusion of his itinerary at the NATO summit.

According to the Blue House on July 9, President Lee departed Ankara, Turkey, on July 8 (local time) and headed toward Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia.

The trip comes as a state visit at the invitation of Mongolian President Ukhnaagiin Khürelsükh. This marks the first state visit by a South Korean president to Mongolia in 15 years, since then-President Lee Myung-bak's visit in 2011.

President Lee will attend an official welcoming ceremony at the Mongolian Government Palace before holding a bilateral summit with President Khürelsükh. The two leaders are scheduled to announce the outcomes of their talks through a signing ceremony for agreements and memorandums of understanding (MOUs), followed by a joint press announcement.

The summit is expected to focus heavily on practical cooperation in areas such as critical minerals, food security, yellow dust mitigation, healthcare, and science and technology. As a resource-rich nation possessing vast reserves of critical minerals, Mongolia is a key partner for South Korea as Seoul seeks to stabilize its supply chains and expand its New Northern policy cooperation.

Peace on the Korean Peninsula will also be on the agenda. Given Mongolia's traditionally friendly relations with North Korea, the Blue House plans to utilize the visit to explore feasible avenues for easing regional tensions, building trust, and resuming dialogue with Pyongyang.

During his stay, President Lee will also attend the Korea-Mongolia Business Forum, visit the Dr. Lee Tae-joon Memorial Hall, host a luncheon meeting with Korean compatriots, and attend a state dinner. On the final day of his visit, he will attend the opening ceremony of the Naadam Festival—Mongolia's largest national holiday—as the guest of honor alongside President Khürelsükh.

Furthermore, the Blue House plans to issue a joint declaration titled "The Golden Age of Korea-Mongolia Relations," which will outline a future vision for bilateral ties.

Following his defense and economic diplomacy on the NATO stage, a key follow-up task for President Lee will be how concretely he can synergize supply chain cooperation and Korean Peninsula diplomacy through this visit to Mongolia.

"As the second country to establish diplomatic ties with North Korea after the Soviet Union, Mongolia maintains traditional friendly relations with Pyongyang, meaning it possesses valuable diplomatic assets that can contribute to advancing the situation on the Korean Peninsula," National Security Advisor Wi Sung-lac said during a briefing. "With this visit as a momentum, the two leaders plan to discuss ways to ensure peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula, ease regional tensions, and build trust, while seeking a realistic path toward resuming dialogue with North Korea."

                                                                                                        Park Young-hoon