During a press briefing in Seoul, National Security Adviser Wi Sung-lac outlined Lee's four-day itinerary, which aims to strengthen ties with regional partners and address shared economic and security challenges.
Lee will begin his trip in Manila on Nov. 16, where he will attend a summit between South Korea and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). He is expected to review progress in implementing the vision for the South Korea-ASEAN Comprehensive Strategic Partnership presented last year and discuss ways to expand cooperation.
He will then attend a summit with Mekong countries, focusing on cooperation in critical minerals and joint responses to transnational crimes.
Lee will participate in the ASEAN Plus Three summit the following day, bringing together ASEAN members and South Korea, China and Japan, to discuss the future direction of regional cooperation.
Later that day, he will attend the East Asia Summit for the first time since taking office, where he is expected to address regional challenges, including online scams, and present Seoul's vision for peaceful coexistence on the Korean Peninsula.
Lee will travel to Shenzhen, China on Nov. 18 to attend events associated with the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit, including the APEC CEO Summit and a welcoming dinner hosted by Chinese President Xi Jinping and his wife.
On Nov. 19, Lee will participate in the APEC leaders' meeting, where discussions will focus on building an Asia-Pacific community that prospers together through openness, innovation and cooperation.
Wi said the trip would provide an opportunity for Seoul to reaffirm regional support for its efforts to establish lasting peace on the Korean Peninsula.
"We will seek continued support and constructive contributions from countries in the region for the resumption of inter-Korean and North Korea-U.S. dialogue and the establishment of lasting peace on the Korean Peninsula," Wi said.
He added that the government would seek practical cooperation on energy supply chains, transnational crime and food security while pursuing diplomatic initiatives that deliver tangible benefits to Korean citizens and businesses.
The Shenzhen summit, scheduled for Nov. 18 and 19, will bring together leaders from APEC's 21 member economies at a time of growing economic uncertainty, trade tensions and rapid technological change.
China, hosting APEC for the third time after 2001 and 2014, has adopted "Building an Asia-Pacific Community to Prosper Together" as its theme for 2026, with openness, innovation and cooperation identified as its three principal priorities.
According to the APEC Secretariat, artificial intelligence is expected to feature prominently in the discussions, alongside digital transformation, regional economic integration, supply chain resilience and energy security.
In a briefing on Nov. 3, the secretariat said member economies had made progress throughout the year in exploring cooperation on AI governance, trade digitalization and the adoption of emerging technologies.
The agenda builds on the outcomes of last year's APEC summit in Gyeongju, South Korea, which Lee chaired. The 2025 meeting concluded with the Gyeongju Declaration, in which leaders reaffirmed their commitment to economic cooperation and endorsed initiatives addressing artificial intelligence and demographic changes.
Foreign and trade ministers from APEC economies, meeting virtually on Nov. 4, called for stronger regional integration, more resilient supply chains and greater cooperation on emerging technologies ahead of the Shenzhen gathering.
The upcoming summit is drawing further diplomatic attention amid expectations of high-level discussions involving the United States, China and Russia.
U.S. President Donald Trump said earlier this month that he expected to meet Xi and Russian President Vladimir Putin during the summit, potentially opening discussions on nuclear arms control and other international security issues. However, arrangements for a possible trilateral meeting have not been finalized.
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