Lee travels 22,929 km at home, circles globe 3.8 times in summit diplomacy in first year

President Lee Jae-myung has traveled approximately 22,929 kilometers within South Korea alone — more than half the circumference of the Earth — engaging with citizens on the ground since taking office on June 4 last year, while logging roughly 3.8 times the Earth's circumference in summit diplomacy across 14 countries.

Cheong Wa Dae released the figures Sunday to mark the first anniversary of the People's Sovereignty Government.

"Having launched his administration without a presidential transition committee, President Lee has over the past year carried out 250 domestic events, 178 regional events and overseas tours spanning 14 countries at a relentless pace," Cheong Wa Dae said. Domestic events centered on public participation and national unity — including nationwide town hall meetings and public appointment ceremonies — in keeping with the government's guiding principles. On the diplomatic front, the administration pursued pragmatic, national-interest-driven diplomacy, highlighted by bilateral summit talks with key partners and the successful hosting of the 2025 Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit in Gyeongju.

Lee also crisscrossed the country to foster national unity and stay connected with citizens on the ground. Twelve town hall meetings were held live across 14 cities and provinces, drawing more than 3,500 residents. Cheong Wa Dae said the forums have become a model for "discussing and shaping policy from within the community," with policy proposals distributed at each session, public feedback collected, reviewed by relevant ministries and then communicated directly back to participants.

Beyond the town halls, Lee actively engaged with citizens through on-site forums, visits to industrial sites, meetings with artists and cultural figures, and impromptu market visits tied to regional events.

Lee showed a particular affinity for traditional markets over the past year, visiting them 24 times in total — roughly once every two weeks. The frequency reflects his focus on revitalizing small neighborhood commerce and staying close to everyday economic concerns.

Summit diplomacy also moved at a rapid clip as Lee worked to dispel international concerns that had mounted following the Dec. 3 martial law declaration. Over the past year he toured 14 countries, held 39 phone calls with foreign leaders and received 26 foreign government and business delegations. Cheong Wa Dae described it as the most active first-year summit diplomacy of any president in South Korean history.

Through participation in major multilateral forums — including the G7, UN, ASEAN and G20 — Lee signaled South Korea's return to the international stage, Cheong Wa Dae said. The presidential office also noted that South Korea successfully hosted APEC 2025 as chair, despite the administrative disruption caused by the martial law declaration.

Lee held two summits each with the leaders of the United States and China, and restored shuttle diplomacy with Japan through four reciprocal visits. In an unusual move for a first year in office, he also conducted tours and hosted visits involving key Global South partners, including South Africa, India, Egypt and Brazil.

Economic events and overseas Korean community forums were also substantive. Business roundtables and forums — including the Korea-US Business Roundtable and the Korea-China Business Forum — were held eight times across seven countries, building a cooperative network. Community forums for overseas Koreans were held 14 times across 12 countries, including two each in the United States and Japan, with approximately 3,380 members of the diaspora attending.

Cheong Wa Dae chief spokesperson Kang Yu-jung said Lee had used his domestic engagements and overseas tours to restore South Korea to normalcy after the standstill caused by the martial law declaration and to signal the country's confident return to the international community. "Through more active engagement than any previous president, he has also ensured that voices from the field are reflected in policy and has led the way in national unity," she said.