South Korea has been invited to the summit as a partner country, making it Lee's second consecutive attendance at the summit of major economies following last year's gathering in Canada.
The summit is expected to address a range of pressing global challenges including Russia's prolonged war in Ukraine, the lingering conflict in the Middle East, the rapid rise of artificial intelligence (AI) and emerging digital technologies, growing global financial instability, deepening economic imbalances, and widening disparities in international development.
To address these complex issues, France has invited several non-G7 countries including Brazil, Egypt, India, Kenya, and South Korea, to participate as partner countries, enabling broader discussions and fostering coordinated responses to shared global challenges.
Lee is expected to hold talks with a number of global leaders in attendance, but it remains uncertain whether he will be able to meet with U.S. President Donald Trump, who is also scheduled to attend the summit.
Should the two leaders find time to sit down, issues related to North Korea are expected to be discussed, as Trump abruptly shared a photo last weekend recalling his past photo-op with the reclusive leader in Singapore in 2018.
According to Cheong Wa Dae, the American-born pope expressed his willingness to "play a role" in mending inter-Korean relations and promoting peace on the Korean Peninsula, raising expectations that he may also visit North Korea during his trip next summer.
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