During the G7 summit in Canada, UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer found himself in an awkward moment when he mistakenly extended a handshake to South Korea’s presidential interpreter, thinking he was greeting President Lee Jae-myung. The real President arrived seconds later, observing the mix-up with a brief smile before the situation was corrected.
As the South Korean delegation arrived, Starmer confidently approached and shook hands with the wrong individual, only realizing the error when staff and photographers quickly redirected attention. He promptly acknowledged President Lee and moved forward with the scheduled meeting and photo opportunity.
Though a minor diplomatic misstep, the incident briefly drew attention as Starmer’s team quickly labeled it a harmless misunderstanding amid a fast-paced environment filled with high-level officials and tight schedules.
The meeting itself was focused and productive, with discussions centered on deepening UK–South Korea relations, including economic cooperation, defense strategies, and modernizing trade agreements.
This wasn’t the only moment that drew notice for the new Prime Minister at the summit—earlier, he had helped retrieve documents dropped by former U.S. President Donald Trump, adding to a string of public but relatively light-hearted moments.
While the handshake error was quickly forgotten, it highlighted how even small gestures carry weight during international summits. With global issues like the Ukraine war and Middle East tensions dominating the agenda, such slip-ups, though minor, can momentarily shift the spotlight.
In the end, the summit continued without disruption, and the incident served as a humorous footnote rather than a diplomatic setback.