President Lee: "Korea and Japan Are Important Partners... Hope for Stable and Future-Oriented Development"

President Lee Jaemyung referred to Korea-Japan relations as an "important partnership" on the 16th, stating, "Let us join hands and move forward together toward a better future."

A video congratulatory message from President Lee Jae Myung is being shown at the event commemorating the 60th anniversary of Korea-Japan normalization held on the 6th at Lotte Hotel in Jung-gu, Seoul. Photo by Yonhap News

In a video message delivered at the event celebrating the 60th anniversary of the normalization of diplomatic relations between Korea and Japan held in Seoul on this day, President Lee said, "Based on the achievements and progress made so far, I hope that Korea-Japan relations will continue to develop in a stable and future-oriented manner."

President Lee delivered his message via video as he departed on this day to attend the Group of Seven (G7) Summit in Canada.

President Lee emphasized, "During my phone call with Prime Minister Ishiba Shigeru last week, I expressed my desire to build a future-oriented Korea-Japan relationship that meets the demands of a new era. Starting with the upcoming G7 Summit, I look forward to building trust and friendship with the Prime Minister." He added, "I believe that today's reception will serve as a milestone that opens a new era in Korea-Japan relations."

Additionally, President Lee noted, "On June 22, 1965, with the signing of the Korea-Japan Basic Treaty and its supplementary agreements, a new era of cooperation began between our two countries. Over the past 60 years, Korea and Japan have achieved remarkable progress together in various fields, including the economy, culture, and people-to-people exchanges."

He continued, "In 1965, the trade volume between our countries was about 200 million dollars, but by 2024, it has surpassed 70 billion dollars?an increase of approximately 350 times. Annual people-to-people exchanges, which stood at around 10,000, have now exceeded 12 million. The 2002 World Cup united the people of both nations, and cultural exchanges have also deepened significantly."