President Yoon Suk Yeol and Japan’s new Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba held their first meeting in Laos on Thursday and agreed to build on the positive momentum from improved relations between the two countries through close communication.
Yoon and Ishiba met on the sidelines of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations summit, just nine days after Ishiba took over as Japan’s leader amid improved bilateral relations since last year thanks in part to a close relationship between Yoon and Ishiba’s predecessor, Fumio Kishida.
“I hope to continue building and strengthening South Korea-Japan relations through active and close communication with you, including shuttle diplomacy, just as I did with your predecessor, Kishida,” Yoon said in his opening remarks.
President Yoon Suk Yeol (R) shakes hands with Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba during their first summit held at a hotel in Vientiane, Laos, on Oct. 10, 2024, on the sidelines of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations summit. (Yonhap)
President Yo
on Suk Yeol (R) shakes hands with Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba during their first summit held at a hotel in Vientiane, Laos, on Oct. 10, 2024, on the sidelines of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations summit. (Yonhap)
Bilateral ties have significantly improved after Yoon decided last year to resolve the long-running row over Japan’s wartime mobilization of Koreans for forced labor by compensating victims without asking Japanese firms for contributions.
Yoon and Kishida had since restored the long-suspended shuttle diplomacy of visiting each other whenever necessary and held 12 summits over the last two years.
Yoon pledged efforts to use the upcoming 60th anniversary of the normalization of Seoul-Tokyo ties as an opportunity to further advance bilateral relations.
“I look forward to working closely with you to present a hopeful vision for the future of our bilateral ties and to ensure that the people of both nations can feel the tangible progress in our relationship,” he said.
President Yoo
n Suk Yeol (4th from R) and Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba (2nd from L) hold their fist summit at a hotel in Vientiane, Laos, on Oct. 10, 2024, on the sidelines of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations summit. (Yonhap)
President Yoon Suk Yeol (4th from R) and Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba (2nd from L) hold their fist summit at a hotel in Vientiane, Laos, on Oct. 10, 2024, on the sidelines of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations summit. (Yonhap)
Ishiba also expressed his desire to build on the foundation laid by Kishida and collaborate closely with Yoon through shuttle diplomacy.
“In today’s strategic environment, close cooperation between Japan and South Korea is crucial for regional stability and peace,” Ishiba said.
He also emphasized the importance of sustainable people-to-people exchanges to strengthen the relationship, pledging diplomatic efforts to mark the upcoming anniversary.
Yoon and Ishiba held their first phone conversation a day after Ishiba’s inauguration last we
ek and shared the need for bilateral cooperation as well as trilateral cooperation with the United States to deal with North Korean threats.
Source: Yonhap News Agency