(LEAD) Lee arrives in France for G7 summit

(ATTN: RECASTS headline, lead; UPDATES throughout with new info, photo; CHANGES dateline) EVIAN-LES-BAINS, France, June 16 (Yonhap) -- President Lee Jae Myung arrived in Evian-les-Bains, France, on Tuesday to attend a Group of Seven (G7) summit as a partner country. The president was received by French officials in front of Hotel Royal in Evian, the summit venue. He earlier arrived at Geneva Airport before traveling to the French resort town by land. France is the final leg of Lee's Europe trip that earlier took him to Belgium and Italy. This marks the second consecutive year South Korea has been invited to the G7 summit. The G7 consists of France, Germany, the U. S., Canada, Italy, Japan and Britain. "Being invited to the G7 Summit for the second consecutive year is a deeply meaningful testament to the trust and expectations that the international community places in the Republic of Korea," Lee wrote on his X account, referring to South Korea by its official name. "I will engage in in-depth discussions with the leaders of the G7 members and invited countries on the defining issues of our time, including international partnerships and solidarity, more balanced economic growth, and the future of AI and emerging technologies," he added. Later Tuesday, Lee was set to join the event's first expanded session, under the theme of "forging new partnerships and rebuilding international solidarity." The leaders are expected to discuss joint efforts to address the decline in international development aid flows, according to the presidential office. The summit will also address a range of other issues, including the wars in Ukraine and Iran, global financial instability and the emergence of artificial intelligence (AI). "Building on the strength of the Republic of Korea made possible by our great people, I will firmly safeguard our national interests and faithfully fulfill our responsible role in contributing to global peace and prosperity," Lee said in his X post. Lee will again attend G7 summit sessions on Wednesday before heading for Seoul later in the day, wrapping up his 10-day Europe trip. President Lee Jae Myung (C) and first lady Kim Hea Kyung (L) arrive in Evian-les-Bains, France, on June 16, 2026, to attend a Group of Seven summit. (Yonhap) pbr@yna.co.kr(END)