President Moon Jae-in on Nov. 10 speaks on the phone from Cheong Wa Dae with British Prime Minister Boris Johnson. (Cheong Wa Dae's Facebook account)

By Kim Minji and Lee Jihae

President Moon Jae-in has been officially invited to attend next year's Group of Seven (G7) Summit in the U.K. by British Prime Minister Boris Johnson.

Cheong Wa Dae Spokesperson Kang Min-seok on Nov. 11 said the British leader requested a phone call with the president to officially invite him to the event since the U.K. will chair the 2021 summit.

In the 30-minute talk, the president said he is "willing to actively cooperate with the United Kingdom and contribute so that the G7 Summit will be a success."

President Moon also asked the prime minister to attend the second Partnering for Green Growth and the Global Goals 2030 (P4G) Summit in Seoul in late May next year, saying he hopes for close bilateral cooperation to respond to climate change.

The British leader congratulated President Moon on making his 2050 carbon neutrality pledge, saying he would wait for the official invitation to the P4G summit. He also called Korea a good model for the world given its exemplary response to COVID-19.

The spokesperson noted how U.S. President Donald Trump on June 2 had invited President Moon to next year's G7 summit, and now Prime Minister Johnson, saying it confirms Korea's standing in the international community.

He noted if Korea participates in the G7 Summit next year in the U.K., it will have a very positive effect on Korea's participation in upcoming discussions on expanding and reforming the G7.