CANADA – A planned bilateral meeting between South Korean President Lee Jae‑myung and U.S. President Donald Trump on the sidelines of the G7 summit in Kananaskis was abruptly cancelled after Trump left the summit early.
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The announcement came shortly after Trump departed Monday evening, citing escalating tensions in the Middle East. His departure disrupted several scheduled meetings, including the high-profile dialogue with President Lee and a follow-up session with South Korea’s trade minister Kim Yeo, intended to address trade tariff concerns. President Lee described the talks as crucial to prevent South Korea from falling behind vis-à-vis competitors like Japan and China.
President Lee, who took office following a snap June 3 election, had hoped to use the summit as a platform to secure a U.S. waiver on new tariffs impacting Korean chip, battery, and automotive exports. Lee’s press team confirmed the meeting was formally “called off” as Trump “cut short his G7 visit and headed back to Washington” due to Middle East developments.
The abrupt cancellation underscores the ripple effects of global crises on diplomatic agendas, with early G7 departures derailing sensitive discussions on trade and strategic partnerships. South Korea’s trade minister now plans to intensify working-level negotiations in the weeks ahead.
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As Lee’s administration seeks to safeguard export-led growth and signal grounds for deeper economic dialogue, anxiety is growing in Seoul over being sidelined in global trade policymaking.
