Posts mislead on South Korean president's status at G7 summit

Published on June 17, 2025 at 07:51
3 min read
By SHIM Kyu-Seok, AFP South Korea

President Lee Jae-myung is attending the Group of Seven summit in Canada as the leader of an invited country, not as an "observer" as claimed in social media posts. The South Korean government announced that Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney extended the invitation on June 7, and South Korea is among the countries whose leaders will participate in discussions at the summit in the Rockies resort of Kananaskis.

"[Lee is attending the G7 summit] not as a member country or invited country, but as an observer," reads part of a Korean-language Facebook post shared on June 13, 2025.

"If you really want to go then do it on your own dime, and don't come back."

The yearly G7 summit kicked off in the Canadian Rockies resort of Kananaskis on June 15 (archived link).

The post includes a screenshot from a video posted on the YouTube channel of right-wing South Korean newspaper Jayu Ilbo, which lists Lee as an "observer" at the summit rather than the head of an invited country such as Australia, Brazil, India, Mexico, South Africa or Ukraine.

Screenshot of the false Facebook post, captured June 16, 2025

In addition to leaders from the seven major industrial democracies -- Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom, and the United States -- key partner nations are traditionally invited to attend and join discussions on global challenges at the G7 summit (archived link).

This year's agenda includes international security, climate action, economic resilience, and cooperation on artificial intelligence and critical technologies.

Former South Korean presidents Moon Jae-in and Yoon Suk Yeol were invited to attend the G7 summits in 2021 and 2023 respectively (archived here and here).

Similar posts claiming Lee was attending as an "observer" were also shared by Facebook users and in groups supporting right-wing politicians.

"Unlike President Yoon, who was recognised for his leadership by the entire world, this traitor Lee is attending without even being invited," read a comment on one of the posts.

Another said: "What an embarrassment, this shows the world doesn't regard Lee as a legitimate leader."

But South Korea has been invited to attend the summit, and Lee is attending as its newly elected president.

Invitation from Canada

A spokesperson for South Korea's foreign ministry told AFP on June 16 that the "G7 does not confer any status of 'observer'" on non-member participants, and that Lee is "attending as the head of an invited country" in line with past precedent.

South Korea's presidential office announced during a press briefing on June 7 that Lee was invited to the summit by Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney (archived link).

Lee's National Security Adviser Wi Sung-lac also confirmed the invitation had been extended before Lee's departure to Canada on June 15 (archived link).

"This visit began with Canada extending an invitation to South Korea," Wi said.

"It reflects the G7's high expectations for the newly inaugurated administration and acknowledges South Korea as a resilient democracy and major economic power."

The G7's own public relations bureau also told AFP on June 16 that Carney "will welcome the leaders of the following countries" to the summit, listing the heads of Australia, Brazil, India, Mexico, Ukraine and South Korea among the guests.

Its website says discussions with these countries will focus on "the future of energy security" (archived link).

Is there content that you would like AFP to fact-check? Get in touch.

E-mail