President Lee Jae-myung and first lady Kim Hye-kyung greet locals during a visit to the Boca district of Buenos Aires on Nov. 1 local time. Reporter Kwon Wook
President Lee Jae-myung and first lady Kim Hye-kyung wave from Air Force One before departing for Germany at Ezeiza International Airport in Buenos Aires, Argentina, on Nov. 1 local time, after concluding an official visit to Argentina. Reporter Kwon Wook
President Lee Jae-myung wrapped up his tour of three South American countries on the 1st and departed for Frankfurt, Germany.
Air Force One, carrying President Lee, his wife Kim Hye-kyung and the accompanying delegation, took off from Ezeiza International Airport in Buenos Aires that afternoon. Lee met with heads of state and business leaders to seek stronger cooperation in Brasilia and Sao Paulo, Brazil, from the 26th to the 29th of last month, and in Santiago, Chile, from the 29th to the 30th.
On the 31st, Lee held a summit with Argentine President Javier Milei and discussed cooperation on critical minerals and energy. At the meeting, the two leaders agreed to begin imports of Argentine crude oil starting next year and signed a “memorandum of understanding on critical minerals cooperation” to pursue joint projects across the value chain, including lithium exploration and mining.
Ahead of his departure, Lee visited the Boca district, known as the birthplace of tango, and spent time engaging with local residents. Residents asked Lee for photographs, and some greeted him with “thank you” in Korean. President Lee and his wife responded with high-fives, continuing the exchange, Presidential Office Deputy Spokesperson Ahn Gwi-ryeong said in a written briefing.
Lee also viewed works by street painters and watched a performance by a player of the bandoneon, a traditional Argentine instrument. Afterward, Lee had lunch at a nearby restaurant, experiencing local food culture with “asado,” a traditional Argentine barbecue.
Having concluded his tour of the three key South American countries, Lee is scheduled to meet with the Korean community and hold a discussion in Frankfurt on the 2nd, before returning to Korea on the 3rd.