[South Korea-Japan Summit] Yoon: "Japan, Partner Sharing Universal Values"... Kishida: "Korea-Japan, A New Chapter"

Yoon and Kishida United on Restoring Shuttle Diplomacy
Before Summit, Yoon and Kishida Review Japanese Honor Guard

On North Korean Missile Provocations
Yoon: "A Major Threat to the International Community"
Kishida: "A Clear Act of Provocation"

President Yoon Suk-yeol said on the 16th, "Japan, which shares universal values of freedom, human rights, and the rule of law with Korea, is a partner that should cooperate on global security and economic agendas." In particular, President Yoon and Prime Minister Kishida Fumio shared a positive stance on the resumption of shuttle diplomacy between the two heads of state.

At around 4:40 p.m. that day, during the expanded Korea-Japan summit meeting held at the Japanese Prime Minister's Official Residence in Tokyo, President Yoon said, "It has a special meaning to inform the people of both countries that Korea-Japan relations, which have faced difficulties due to various issues, are starting anew."

President Yoon and Prime Minister Kishida concluded a 23-minute small-group meeting and immediately proceeded to the expanded summit meeting.

President Yoon expressed concern, saying, "The need for cooperation between the two countries is growing as the values of liberal democracy, which have been the foundation of peace and prosperity in the international community, face serious challenges. As seen in North Korea's launch of a long-range ballistic missile before departing for Tokyo this morning, the increasingly sophisticated nuclear and missile threats from North Korea pose a great threat not only to East Asia but also to the peace and stability of the international community."

He added, "Korea and Japan must closely cooperate and unite to wisely respond to these illegal threats and international challenges. I believe that the talks will lead to beneficial discussions that can transform the stagnant Korea-Japan relationship into one of cooperation and mutual development."

Regarding the 'shuttle diplomacy' between the two leaders, he said, "I actively welcome it," and added, "I hope we can work together closely to open a new era in Korea-Japan relations."

[Image source=Yonhap News]

Prime Minister Kishida also expressed his gratitude in his opening remarks, saying, "This week in Tokyo, the flowers have bloomed. I am very pleased that at the beginning of the full-fledged spring, President Yoon and I have the opportunity to open a new chapter in Korea-Japan relations for the future."

He continued, "In the small-group meeting held a little while ago, the Korea-Japan leaders agreed to resume shuttle diplomacy with frequent visits regardless of reality. In this plenary meeting, I hope we can exchange views on strengthening intergovernmental communication in various fields such as politics, economy, and culture to promote cooperation beneficial to both countries."

Regarding North Korea's intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) launch that day, he said, "It is a clear provocative act and absolutely unacceptable," and added, "Under today's severe strategic environment, I hope we can also discuss further promoting Korea-Japan-U.S. cooperation."

Before the summit, when President Yoon arrived at the Prime Minister's Official Residence, Prime Minister Kishida Fumio personally welcomed him. Afterwards, the two leaders attended a welcoming ceremony where the Japan Self-Defense Forces honor guard was reviewed, followed by handshakes with ministers from both countries in turn.

[Image source=Yonhap News]

The two leaders are expected to discuss current issues such as compensation for forced labor victims during the Japanese colonial period, Korea-Japan economic cooperation, and the unstable General Security of Military Information Agreement (GSOMIA).

However, since the participation of the defendant companies (Mitsubishi, Nippon Steel) is uncertain, it is anticipated that President Yoon and Prime Minister Kishida will also bring this issue to the negotiation table.

President Yoon is also expected to urge prompt consultations as the removal of Korea from Japan's whitelist has not been resolved due to legal procedures in both countries. In particular, joint responses to global supply chain instability and the intensifying U.S.-China conflict are also expected to be discussed.

Just before the summit, Korea and Japan agreed to lift export restrictions on three major semiconductor-related items: hydrogen fluoride, fluorinated polyimide, and photoresist. The Korean government also agreed to withdraw its World Trade Organization (WTO) complaint against Japan's measures on these three items simultaneously with changes to Japan's export control regulations for the same items.

The Federation of Korean Industries and Keidanren (Japan Business Federation) held a joint press conference at the Keidanren Hall in Tokyo that afternoon, declaring the establishment of the 'Korea-Japan Future Partnership Fund' (by the Federation of Korean Industries) and the 'Japan-Korea Future Partnership Fund' (by Keidanren) as part of joint projects. The fund size is planned to start at 200 million yen (approximately 2 billion KRW), with each organization contributing 100 million yen (approximately 1 billion KRW).

Masakazu Tokura, Chairman of Keidanren, introduced the initiative by saying, "It is in the spirit of returning to the Korea-Japan Partnership Joint Declaration announced by President Kim Dae-jung and Prime Minister Obuchi Keizo in 1998."