Trudeau to visit South Korea, attend G7 leaders' summit in Japan next week

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau responds to a question during the closing news conference at the G7 Summit in Schloss Elmau on Tuesday, June 28, 2022. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Paul Chiasson

OTTAWA — Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is expected to travel to Asia next week for an official visit to South Korea and the G7 leaders' summit in Japan.

Trudeau is set to visit Seoul between May 16 and 18 and meet with South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol to advance shared priorities, including economic and energy security, the path to net-zero emissions and human rights, a Wednesday news release said.

It will be the prime minister's first official visit to the country, according to his office.

Yoon visited Canada in September on his first official trip abroad after being elected in March 2022. The agenda focused on trade.

While in South Korea, Trudeau is also expected to promote the Indo-Pacific strategy that the Canadian government released last fall.

The strategy aims to advance ties in the region and promises nearly $2.3 billion in new spending over five years, including for trade and military projects intended to counterbalance a rising China.

Following the visit to South Korea, Trudeau is slated attend the G7 summit taking place in Hiroshima, Japan, from May 19 to 21.

The Prime Minister's Office says his priorities at the meeting will include collaborating with G7 partners to support Ukraine and advance the transition to cleaner economies.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 10, 2023.