Kim Minseok Meets Ishiba's Close Aide, Calls for Further Expansion of Korea-Japan Cooperation

Prime Minister nominee Kim Minseok met with Akihisa Nagashima, National Security Advisor to the Japanese Prime Minister, on the 16th and stated, "Japan is an important cooperation partner for us." He added, "This year marks the 60th anniversary of the normalization of diplomatic relations between Korea and Japan, making it a meaningful year for both countries. I hope that the horizon of Korea-Japan cooperation will be further expanded."

Prime Minister nominee Kim Minseok (right) is meeting with Akihisa Nagashima, National Security Advisor to the Japanese Prime Minister, who is visiting Korea on the 16th, and taking a commemorative photo. Office for Government Policy Coordination

According to the Office for Government Policy Coordination, nominee Kim made these remarks during a meeting with Advisor Nagashima at the Financial Supervisory Service Training Institute in Jongno-gu, Seoul, in the afternoon of the same day. Advisor Nagashima, a close aide to Japanese Prime Minister Ishiba, visited Korea to attend the "60th Anniversary Reception for the Normalization of Korea-Japan Diplomatic Relations" hosted by the Japanese Embassy in Korea.

Nominee Kim also acknowledged Advisor Nagashima's active support for parliamentary diplomacy between the two countries as the Secretary-General of the Japan-Korea Parliamentarians' Union. He requested that, on the occasion of the 60th anniversary of diplomatic normalization, the union pay special attention to further strengthening bilateral relations.

Both sides agreed on the need to build a more mature Korea-Japan relationship based on mutual respect, trust, and a responsible attitude. In particular, they shared the view that, amid the rapidly changing security environment under the new government led by Lee Jaemyung, the trilateral cooperation system among Korea, the United States, and Japan should continue to be maintained and developed.

Meanwhile, Advisor Nagashima gave a special lecture hosted by the Korea Diplomatic Association and the Choi Jonghyun Academy on the same day. Regarding historical issues between Korea and Japan, he said, "We must not be bound by short-term interests and losses, and we must not forget our long-term strategic interests." He also emphasized the need to respect past agreements between the two governments and to persuade the peoples of both countries not to backtrack from these agreements.