President Lee tells foreign envoys Korea will practice 'pragmatic' diplomacy abroad, embrace diversity at home
Published: 15 Aug. 2025, 21:27
Updated: 17 Aug. 2025, 19:57
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- MICHAEL LEE
- [email protected]
Audio report: written by reporters, read by AI
![President Lee Jae Myung speaks at an evening banquet for the foreign diplomatic corps at the Blue House on Aug. 15. [JOINT PRESS CORPS]](https://koreaseafood.online/data/photo/2025/08/17/b1aec00f-8aa6-48cc-93ff-be19ce89a6c4.jpg)
President Lee Jae Myung speaks at an evening banquet for the foreign diplomatic corps at the Blue House on Aug. 15. [JOINT PRESS CORPS]
President Lee Jae Myung pledged a foreign policy 'grounded in pragmatism' and domestic vision embracing diversity during an evening banquet for the foreign diplomatic corps at the Blue House on Friday to mark the 80th anniversary of Korea's liberation from Japanese colonial rule.
The gathering, which took place in the State Guest House’s ornate Banquet Hall, drew about 170 guests, including more than 80 ambassadors, heads of international organizations and senior officials from across the Korean government. It came on the heels of a daylong schedule for the president that began with the country’s Liberation Day ceremony.
The evening’s menu featured scallops with maesil (Korean plum) jelly, abalone, snow crab salad, braised beef short ribs with lotus leaves and traditional desserts, served alongside Korean wines and spirits.
Lee thanked the assembled diplomats for attending “despite the summer heat and holiday season.” He also acknowledged that political upheaval following last year’s martial law had disrupted their work and said he was grateful for their “steadfast trust in the resilience of Korean democracy and the strength of our people.”
Lee, who has been in office just over two months, said the rush to launch his administration had forced him to forgo inviting envoys to his inauguration in June — a missed occasion he sought to make up for with Friday’s events.
![President Lee Jae Myung, center, raises a toast to foreign diplomats at an evening banquet at the Blue House on Aug. 15. [JOINT PRESS CORPS]](https://koreaseafood.online/data/photo/2025/08/17/e9be86ea-0c4c-44fd-bdf1-1a483813b80a.jpg)
President Lee Jae Myung, center, raises a toast to foreign diplomats at an evening banquet at the Blue House on Aug. 15. [JOINT PRESS CORPS]
The president spoke at length about the value of personal connections in international affairs. “When we meet with open minds, we often discover common ground and build friendships that can last a lifetime,” he said, adding that he planned to meet as many world leaders as possible at the United Nations General Assembly in September, the Asean summit in October, the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit in Gyeongju, North Gyeongsang, and the Group of 20 summit in November.
He described his foreign policy as “practical diplomacy centered on the national interest,” a strategy that would preserve strong ties while adapting to a rapidly shifting geopolitical landscape. Cooperation and solidarity, he said, must ultimately improve the livelihoods of ordinary people, adding that Korea would contribute its share to address global challenges.
Lee also tied the country’s international reputation to how it treats immigrants and foreign residents. “A society free from prejudice and discrimination begins with changing how we see the migrant workers living alongside us,” he said. Respect for diversity, he argued, “is the soil in which a society grows.”
Lee promised firm action against xenophobia, discrimination and human rights violations to protect the rights of 2.65 million foreigners who live in Korea and asked foreign governments to look after the rights and safety of the roughly seven million Koreans living abroad.
He pointed to cultural exchange as another pillar of diplomacy, noting the rebound in tourism after the pandemic, the record number of foreign students in Korea last year and the global reach of Korean pop culture. “Culture transcends geography and language,” he said. “At its heart lies recognition of difference and the value of coexistence.”
In his closing remarks, Lee likened international relations to personal relationships. “When challenges arise, we must work together to solve them; when we feel distant, we should move closer; and when we are already close, we should walk further together,” he said.
BY MICHAEL LEE [[email protected]]
with the Korea JoongAng Daily
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