President Lee: "Seeking Mutual Prosperity from the Perspective of National Interests"
Prime Minister Ishiba: "Will Further Advance Korea-Japan Relations... Cooperate on North Korea Response"
Korea-Japan Leaders: "Efforts to Address Various Geopolitical Crises"
President Lee Jaemyung held his first phone conversation with Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba on June 9, speaking for 25 minutes starting at noon. During the call, President Lee expressed his gratitude for Prime Minister Ishiba's congratulations on his inauguration and emphasized that the importance of Korea-Japan relations is increasing within the current strategic environment. President Lee stated, "I hope that Korea and Japan will seek ways to address future challenges together and pursue mutual prosperity from the perspective of our respective national interests."
The two leaders also agreed on the need to build a mature relationship between Korea and Japan. Presidential spokesperson Kang Yujeong explained, "The two leaders agreed to develop a more solid and mature Korea-Japan relationship based on mutual respect, trust, and a responsible attitude," adding, "With this year marking the 60th anniversary of the normalization of diplomatic relations between Korea and Japan, they noted the active flow of exchanges between the peoples of both countries and agreed to further strengthen communication between the authorities."
She continued, "The two leaders evaluated the achievements of Korea-US-Japan cooperation so far and agreed to make further efforts to respond to various geopolitical crises within the framework of Korea-US-Japan cooperation." The leaders also agreed to meet in person in the future to have in-depth discussions on the direction of Korea-Japan relations and other matters of mutual interest.
After the call, President Lee posted on his social media, "Prime Minister Ishiba personally sent me a congratulatory message in Korean after my inauguration. He is someone who believes that both countries must work to build a relationship of genuine trust." He emphasized, "This year marks the 60th anniversary of the normalization of Korea-Japan relations and the 80th anniversary of liberation, making it a significant year. We will work to establish a future-oriented Korea-Japan relationship that meets the demands of a new era."
The Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs also announced immediately after the call that Prime Minister Ishiba expressed his intention to further advance Korea-Japan relations based on the foundation built by the Korean and Japanese governments thus far. Prime Minister Ishiba added that he intends to work closely with Korea in responding to North Korea-related issues, including the issue of Japanese nationals abducted by North Korea.
In a press release, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated, "The leaders of both countries shared the view on the importance of Korea-Japan relations and Korea-US-Japan cooperation, especially as the strategic environment becomes increasingly severe," adding, "They confirmed their commitment to developing Korea-Japan relations in a stable manner."
The ministry also reported that the two leaders agreed to meet in person at an early date. It emphasized, "The importance of close communication between the governments of both countries, including at the leaders' level, was reaffirmed."
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