President Lee Jae Myung (left) and King Philippe of Belgium pause for a photo during their meeting in Brussels on Wednesday. (Yonhap) President Lee Jae Myung held talks with Belgium's Prime Minister Bart De Wever and King Philippe during his visit to the European country on Wednesday.During the talks in Brussels, Lee and De Wever vowed to support the expansion of their economic cooperation in the field of strategic industries, riding on the increased investment between the two countries in the field of battery material and energy, according to Kang Yu-jung, chief spokesperson of South Korea’s presidential office.Lee was accompanied by Wi Sung-lac, national security adviser, Kim Yong-beom, presidential chief policy secretary, and Foreign Minister Cho Hyun.On the occasion of the summit, the two countries signed a document to nurture bilateral cooperation for the growth of startups and small- and mid-sized companies of both countries.Also during the meeting, the Korea Foundation and Leuven University reached an agreement to add a position for a professor of Korean Studies in Leuven.Lee held a separate meeting with King Philippe, where the two were to exchange views on "matters related to foreign affairs," Kang said. President Lee Jae Myung (left) and Belgium's Prime Minister Bart De Wever shake hands during their summit in Brussels on Wednesday. (Yonhap) Meanwhile, in a post on X, Lee expressed his anticipation regarding his scheduled meeting later in the day with European Council President Antonio Costa and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen.In the post, Lee mentioned that Costa is a passionate football fan, and said that there "may be more similarities" between football and diplomacy, given that "success depends on strong teamwork."Lee also referenced his meeting with von der Leyen, noting her passion for horseback riding and jogging, adding her "tireless work ethic" comes from stamina, which is an "essential quality of leadership." A screen grab of President Lee Jae Myung's X post Belgium is the first stop on Lee's trip to the European continent and it is his first visit since his inauguration in June 2025.During his 10-day trip, Lee will also visit Italy and France, where he is set to attend the Group of Seven summit. This will be Lee's second appearance at the G7 following his attendance at the summit in Canada in June 2025, although South Korea is not a permanent member of the G7.