Lee Jae-myung's Whirlwind Diplomacy | Biography Flash cover art

Lee Jae-myung's Whirlwind Diplomacy | Biography Flash

Lee Jae-myung's Whirlwind Diplomacy | Biography Flash

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 Lee Jae-myung Biography Flash a weekly Biography.

President Lee Jae-myung’s last few days have been a whirlwind of diplomacy, debate, and a dash of drama right as he prepares for the world stage. On Sunday, just hours before departing for his United Nations debut in New York, Lee ignited intense debate on Facebook by criticizing what he called a "submissive mindset" among South Koreans who believe the nation cannot defend itself without U.S. troops. He argued that wars are no longer won by numbers alone and touted South Korea’s economic and military strength, calling for smarter, more self-reliant defense and less dependence on foreign troops. This post, which quickly spread across Korean and international social platforms, has drawn both support and sharp rebuke from critics who see it as needlessly antagonizing traditional allies. According to Korea JoongAng Daily, this social media maneuver underscores his confidence but also the risks he’s willing to take as he seeks to remake South Korea’s defense posture.

Tomorrow, President Lee begins his high-stakes U.S. trip, where he will make his UN General Assembly debut and preside over a Security Council debate on the role of AI in global peace. His agenda is jam-packed: meetings with BlackRock’s Larry Fink on AI and investment, bipartisan sessions with members of the U.S. Congress, sit-downs with several European leaders, and a headline dinner with UN Secretary General António Guterres. The Korea JoongAng Daily reports that Lee aims to highlight South Korea’s transformation from postwar aid recipient to donor, while repositioning his country as a major player in tech, peace, and multilateralism.

Notably, a much-hyped second summit with Donald Trump is off the table for this trip, despite recent progress on tariffs—but all eyes are on the APEC summit in Gyeongju later this fall, where Trump, Xi Jinping, and Lee are expected to cross paths in what the Korea Economic Daily says could shape the tone for regional high-level diplomacy.

Behind the scenes, Lee’s style is shaking up official communications too. Chosun Ilbo notes that he’s using social media, particularly X, for real-time directives and policy announcements—some see it as refreshingly transparent, others as unsettlingly impulsive.

In a troubling twist, police questioned a teenager this weekend over an online threat against President Lee, as reported by the Inquirer, though officials stress there’s no evidence of a broader conspiracy.

What ties it all together is Lee’s rapid pursuit of his vision—a super innovation economy with South Korea as an AI superpower, according to his only Western media interview with TIME. He promises investments topping seventy billion dollars in high-tech, labor reforms, housing market interventions, and cash handouts to ease persistent unemployment.

With his approval ratings rebounding after last month’s high-profile courtship of Trump in Washington, Lee’s moves now—on defense, diplomacy, and economic renewal—will set the tone for his presidency’s legacy.

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