Lee meets Mongolian PM, joins state dinner with 40-member business delegation

President Lee Jae Myung, on a state visit to Mongolia, met with Prime Minister Nyam-Osor Oyunerdene on Friday afternoon (local time) and said he hoped the two governments would work together to ensure that agreements reached at the summit translate into tangible cooperation that citizens of both countries can feel.

Cheong Wa Dae Chief Spokesperson Kang Yu-jung briefed reporters at a press center in Ulaanbaatar on the significance of the second day of the president's visit.

Lee met with Mongolian National Assembly Speaker Sandagdorj Byambatsogt on Friday, following a summit with President Ukhna Khurelsukh on Thursday, then sat down with Prime Minister Oyunerdene — the third-highest-ranking official in Mongolia after the president and the National Assembly speaker. Lee asked both officials for their close attention and support.

Oyunerdene said he would ensure cabinet ministries follow through on the matters discussed between the two leaders. Kang said the prime minister also stressed that the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement, which reached an agreement in principle on Thursday, along with cooperation on critical minerals, would represent a major opportunity for bilateral relations.

Lee is also set to attend a state dinner hosted by President Khurelsukh on Friday evening. He arranged gifts tailored to the personal tastes of both leaders and their spouses — a traditional Korean archery set, a smartwatch and an ornate lacquered box with butterfly and vine motifs.

Kang said the Korean archery set was crafted using a traditional technique that layers water buffalo horn, bamboo and other materials. Archery is a shared tradition of both nations and one of the three main events of the Naadam festival, which Lee and his wife are scheduled to attend on Saturday.

Also joining the state dinner are business figures who accompanied the president as part of an economic delegation — about 40 people in all, including LS Group Chairman Koo Ja-eun, SK Group Vice Chairman Lee Hyung-hee and KOTRA President Kang Kyung-sung.

Kang said she hoped the business leaders' participation in the state dinner would serve as an opportunity to strengthen economic cooperation between the two countries.