Seoul: President Lee Jae Myung hosted a significant dinner with members of the diplomatic corps, aiming to garner their support ahead of South Korea's hosting of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit and other forthcoming diplomatic engagements.

According to Yonhap News Agency, the dinner took place at the historic presidential compound of Cheong Wa Dae, bringing together approximately 170 participants, including ambassadors, representatives of international organizations, and military officials. President Lee emphasized his administration's commitment to collaborating with the international community to tackle shared global challenges and expressed his intention to engage closely with foreign leaders through various means, including letters and phone calls, when in-person meetings are not feasible.

The event was held amidst President Lee's busy schedule on the 80th anniversary of Liberation Day and precedes an array of diplomatic events later this year, including the APEC summit in Gyeongju on October 31 and November 1. Other upcoming diplomatic engagements mentioned by President Lee include the U.N. General Assembly in September, Association of Southeast Asian Nations-related summits in October, and the Group of 20 summit in November.

During the gathering, President Lee conveyed his gratitude for the diplomatic corps' support during South Korea's recent political turmoil following former President Yoon Suk Yeol's unsuccessful martial law bid in December. He reassured attendees of his commitment to addressing discrimination, violence, and human rights violations against foreigners and migrant workers, and sought their assistance in ensuring the safety of over 7 million Korean nationals abroad.

Notable attendees included Joseph Yun, the acting U.S. ambassador to South Korea, Chinese Ambassador Dai Bing, Japanese Ambassador Mizushima Koichi, U.S. Forces Korea Commander Gen. Xavier Brunson, and U.N. Command Deputy Commander Lt. Gen. Derek Macaulay.