Johannesburg: President Lee Jae Myung was set to present South Korea's plan for international cooperation on artificial intelligence (AI) on Sunday, as the world is racing to embrace a new evolution in computing. Lee is scheduled to speak during the Group of 20 summit's third session, held under the theme "A Fair and Just Future for All: Critical Minerals, Decent Work, Artificial Intelligence."

According to Yonhap News Agency, Lee will underscore the need to establish a universal framework that enables broader and more equitable access to the benefits of AI and ensure a stable supply chain for critical minerals, the presidential office said in a release. He will also introduce various cooperation projects aimed at enhancing digital capabilities in Africa, it added.

At the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit earlier this month, he urged member economies to view the rapid transformations driven by AI as opportunities to foster inclusive economic growth. During the first two sessions Saturday, Lee pledged South Korea's active role in promoting inclusive economic growth and revitalizing the World Trade Organization and addressing climate change and the global food crisis.

The presidential office said Lee's attendance at the G20 broadened the scope of his "pragmatic" diplomacy centered on national interests into the Global South, a term broadly referring to developing economies located in Africa, Latin America, and the Caribbean. "Considering this year's gathering marks the first G20 summit held in Africa, President Lee demonstrated his commitment to solidarity and cooperation with Africa," third deputy national security adviser Oh Hyun-joo said in a briefing in Johannesburg. "He also stressed the need to revive the World Trade Organization's multilateral trade system."

In a joint declaration adopted Saturday, South Korea was confirmed to assume the rotating G20 presidency in 2028, following the United States in 2026 and Britain in 2027. This means Lee would host the G20 summit within his current five-year term, which ends in 2030, following South Korea's chairmanship of the U.N. Security Council and the APEC summit earlier this year.

Later in the day, Lee will meet Korean residents in South Africa. He will then depart for Turkey, the final stop on his four-nation Middle East and Africa tour, which included visits to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Egypt. In Ankara, Lee is scheduled to hold summit talks with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, with discussions expected to take place on the defense and nuclear energy industries.