President Lee Jae-myung has arrived in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia, to begin a three-day state visit.

Following his attendance at the NATO summit, this visit was arranged at the invitation of Mongolian President Ukhnaa Khurelsukh.

This marks the first time in 15 years that a South Korean president has visited Mongolia on a state visit.

President Lee and First Lady Kim Hye-kyung arrived at Chinggis Khaan International Airport on the morning of the 9th (local time). They were greeted by Mongolian officials, including Foreign Minister Batmunkh Battsetseg, Mongolian Ambassador to South Korea Enkhbold Dashdeleg, and Gankhuyag, Director of the Asia-Pacific Department at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, as well as South Korean Ambassador to Mongolia Choi Jin-won.

President Lee will first hold a summit with President Khurelsukh, followed by a ceremony for the exchange of agreements and memorandums of understanding (MOU), and a joint press conference to announce the outcomes of the summit.

In particular, the two leaders are scheduled to issue a joint declaration on the Golden Age of Korea-Mongolia Relations, which outlines a future vision for bilateral ties.

Wi Sung-lac, Director of the National Security Office, emphasized in a prior briefing that Mongolia is a resource-rich nation with abundant core minerals, noting that this summit could serve as an opportunity to strengthen supply chain cooperation for materials such as rare earth elements.

Discussions on peace on the Korean Peninsula are also expected to take place.

Director Wi explained, Mongolia is the second country to establish diplomatic ties with North Korea after the former Soviet Union and maintains traditional friendly relations with the North, adding that we can also expect results in building a partnership for the realization of peace on the Korean Peninsula.

President Lee is scheduled to deliver a keynote speech at the Korea-Mongolia Business Forum, where government and business representatives from both countries will discuss ways to enhance economic cooperation.

On the second day of the state visit, July 10, President Lee will visit the memorial hall for patriot Lee Tae-joon, who provided medical care and supported the independence movement in Mongolia, before holding a luncheon with Korean residents in the country.

Finally, on the third day (July 11), he will attend the opening ceremony of the Naadam Festival, Mongolia's largest holiday, as a guest of honor alongside President Khurelsukh.

The Naadam Festival is a national event that commemorates Mongolia's spirit of freedom and independence, and this is the first time a South Korean leader has been invited as a guest of honor.

(Photo: Yonhap News)