President Lee Visits Belgium as First Stop of European Tour
President Lee: “Establishing National Prestige is the Greatest Support”
“Please Utilize Overseas Diplomatic Missions Actively… Ambassadors Should Care Like Local Community Leaders”
Local Residents: “First Belgian Community Meeting Ever”… President Lee: “It’s Surprising It’s the First”
President Lee Jae-myung, currently visiting Belgium, held a dinner meeting with local Korean residents at a hotel in downtown Brussels on the 9th (local time).
At the event attended by about 50 compatriots, President Lee said, “You must have been worried watching the rapidly changing situation in Korea,” but assured them, “It is recovering quickly.” He added, “We will show you a much better Korea in the future,” which was interpreted as a reference to the martial law in December 2024 and the subsequent change of government.
President Lee stated, “They say you become more patriotic when you are abroad,” adding, “You inevitably become more interested in domestic issues and naturally compare with other countries, and thus you’ve likely experienced how treatment varies depending on your home country’s status and international credibility, especially in the past 2-3 years.”
He also emphasized, “I believe the biggest support is elevating Korea’s national status,” and remarked, “Creating a proud Korea is the path that ultimately benefits you.”
President Lee commented to the compatriots, “You are great unofficial diplomats who have settled in this unfamiliar land called Belgium without losing your Korean identity,” and noted, “The impression of Korea can completely change depending on each of your actions.”
He promised that the Korean government would actively communicate with the expatriate community and offer support, urging them to “make active use of overseas diplomatic missions.” He further asserted, “We will strive to ensure that these offices serve not just for official diplomatic relations but as platforms that convey the voices of compatriots.”
President Lee advised Ambassador Lee Byung-doo, to Belgium and the European Union (EU), “Think of our ambassador as similar to a community center leader,” and added, “I believe the ambassador should frequently meet with compatriots and be well-informed about who the Koreans living in Belgium are and what they do.”
In closing remarks, President Lee noted, “I understand that the Belgian Korean community has a significantly high proportion of adoptees,” and instructed the head of the Overseas Koreans Agency to ensure that there are no shortcomings in helping adoptees reconnect with their past connections.
Belgian Korean residents expressed gratitude, saying, “This is the first time a sitting president has held a community meeting here,” and President Lee responded, “It’s surprising that this is the first.”