Promotion of Korea-Japan and Korea-China-Japan Foreign Ministers' Meetings in Early Next Year

It has been reported through various channels that the Korea-Japan and Korea-China-Japan foreign ministers' meetings are being promoted for early next year.

According to diplomatic sources on the 28th, Japan's Foreign Minister Takeshi Iwaya is reportedly planning to visit Korea around mid-next month to hold talks with Korea's Foreign Minister Choe Tae-yeol.

Foreign Minister Cho Tae-yeol (left) and Wang Yi, Director of the Central Foreign Affairs Office of the Communist Party of China and Foreign Minister, are conversing at the Korea-China bilateral meeting held at the National Convention Center in Vientiane, Laos. Photo by Yonhap News

Both sides are expected to reaffirm their commitment to continuously develop bilateral relations even under Korea's acting authority system during this meeting, and discuss cooperation measures to promote various projects commemorating the 60th anniversary of diplomatic relations next year.

They are also likely to reaffirm the importance of Korea-Japan and Korea-US-Japan cooperation in responding to North Korean issues and agree to maintain close communication going forward.

Separately, it is known that Japan is leading efforts to hold a Korea-China-Japan foreign ministers' meeting in Japan in February next year.

The Mainichi Shimbun reported the day before that Japan has begun coordinating to hold the Korea-China-Japan foreign ministers' meeting in early February next year in Japan, and that both countries have shown positive attitudes toward this.

The media outlet stated that the meeting is a preparatory step for the Korea-China-Japan summit scheduled for sometime next year, and that Japan initially aimed for the summit to be held in spring next year, but the political situation in Korea has made predictions difficult.