President Lee Jae Myung (right) and first lady Kim Hea Kyung greet officials and well-wishers from aboard the presidential aircraft at Seoul Air Base in Seongnam, Gyeonggi Province, on Tuesday before departing for a European tour, during which Lee will attend the Group of Seven summit and hold a series of bilateral meetings. (Yonhap) The president's Belgium stop comes as the two countries celebrate 125 years of ties, with BTS adding cultural spotlightPresident Lee Jae Myung departed for Europe on Tuesday for a 10-day diplomatic tour, with stops in Belgium, Italy and the Vatican before joining world leaders at the Group of Seven summit in France.South Korea and the European Union are seeking closer coordination on shared security challenges, including North Korea's deepening military cooperation with Russia, growing concerns over supply chain resilience and critical minerals, and mounting uncertainty stemming from geopolitical conflicts in the Middle East and the Indo-Pacific.The visit is expected to provide an opportunity for the two sides to discuss strengthening defense cooperation and coordinate responses to broader issues such as energy security, economic coercion and the preservation of a rules-based international order."I am embarking on my first visit to Europe since taking office," Lee wrote in a post on X Tuesday morning, adding that "the journey will be an opportunity to broaden the horizons of our cooperation and strengthen the foundations of Korea’s economy and diplomacy."Lee's attendance at the G7 summit, scheduled for next Monday through Wednesday in Evian, France, comes at the invitation of the group and marks South Korea's second consecutive participation as an invited partner.The first leg of the trip will take Lee and first lady Kim Hea Kyung to Brussels, where he is set to hold summit talks with Belgian Prime Minister Bart De Wever and later meet King Philippe of Belgium on Tuesday local time. Lee will hold separate meetings with European Council President Antonio Costa and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen before attending a South Korea-EU agreement signing ceremony.In his X post, Lee highlighted Belgium's economic strengths, saying it is "a country that has cultivated a rich history and culture while embracing diversity.""A key logistics hub in Europe and home to a dynamic and innovative SME ecosystem, Belgium will be a trusted partner in expanding the presence of Korean businesses in Europe and creating new growth opportunities," he wrote.Lee also highlighted the potential for greater cultural and people-to-people exchanges, noting that K-pop supergroup BTS is set to hold its first stand-alone concert in Belgium early in July. "I believe it will further deepen the bonds between the younger generations of our two countries," he wrote.Noting that this year marks the 125th anniversary of diplomatic relations between South Korea and Belgium, Lee added that he hopes his first meeting with De Wever "will serve as a stepping stone toward advancing our bilateral partnership and opening a new chapter of future cooperation."The presidential office said the anniversary provides an opportunity to elevate bilateral cooperation, expand collaboration between small and medium-sized enterprises and strengthen the foundation for Korean companies' stable expansion into the European market. Lee's official schedule in Belgium will begin with a dinner meeting with members of the Korean community.The meeting with EU leaders will mark the first bilateral visit by a South Korean president to the European Union in eight years. Cheong Wa Dae said the summit with the EU — South Korea's third-largest trading partner — is expected to formally launch the Lee administration's European policy.Director of national security Wi Sung-lac said the visit is expected to strengthen economic diplomacy aimed at supporting Korean companies' market access and protecting their interests while expanding cooperation in the security sector.He added that, amid growing global uncertainty driven by geopolitical conflicts and the weakening of multilateralism, the two sides will discuss regional developments, including the situations on the Korean Peninsula and in the Middle East. They will also explore cooperation on energy security, supply chain stability and critical minerals.Following his visit to Belgium, Lee will head to Italy for a state visit and hold separate talks with President Sergio Mattarella and Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni on issues ranging from bilateral cooperation to global affairs. He will subsequently travel to the Vatican for an audience with Pope Leo XIV before heading to France for the G7 summit.