President Lee Jae-myung departs for trip to the United States and Mexico

President Lee Jae-myung set off on a seven-day, five-night trip to the United States and Mexico on the 21st to attend the UN General Assembly and pay a state visit to Mexico. Among those seeing him off at Seoul Airport were Presidential Chief Secretary Kang Hoon-sik, Senior Presidential Secretary for Political Affairs Hong Ik-pyo, Democratic Party of Korea Chairman Kim Min-seok and floor leader Han Byung-do, and Minister of the Interior and Safety Yun Ho-jung. After exchanging farewell greetings, President Lee was seen laughing as he spoke with Chief Secretary Kang for about 10 seconds before boarding the presidential plane.

Chief Secretary Kang offered his resignation to the president on the morning of the same day, saying he would take overall responsibility for the recent state of affairs. President Lee said at a meeting of senior aides that he had not yet decided whether to accept Kang's resignation.

At a briefing on the day, National Security Adviser Wi Sung-lac said, "President Lee is expected to have various forms of separate meetings with leaders of major countries, including the United States and Australia."

President Lee is scheduled to arrive in Mexico City on the evening of the 23rd, and on the 24th he will begin his schedule by laying a wreath at the Monument to Heroic Patriots before attending an official welcoming ceremony at the presidential palace. He will then hold a one-on-one summit with President Sheinbaum, followed by an expanded summit, an exchange of memorandums of understanding (MOUs), a luncheon, and a joint press conference. On the 25th, he will attend a business forum and visit the K-Expo venue before departing for home on the 26th.