[2025 Audit] Ambassador Lee Hyuk to Japan: "It Is Almost Certain That Takaichi Will Be Elected Prime Minister"

On October 18, Lee Hyuk, South Korean Ambassador to Japan, commented on the possibility of Sanae Takaichi, the newly appointed president of the Liberal Democratic Party, being elected as the next prime minister to succeed Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba. He stated, "It is almost certain that she will be elected as prime minister."

Sanae Takaichi, the newly appointed president of the Liberal Democratic Party. Photo by Yonhap News

Ambassador Lee made this remark in response to a question about the likelihood of President Takaichi becoming prime minister during the National Assembly Foreign Affairs and Unification Committee's audit held at the South Korean Embassy in Tokyo on the same day.

President Takaichi's path to becoming prime minister appeared uncertain after the Komeito Party, the coalition partner, announced its withdrawal from the coalition on October 10. However, her prospects have become strong again as policy consultations began for forming a new coalition between the Liberal Democratic Party and the Japan Innovation Party, the second-largest opposition party. The two parties stated after their policy discussions the previous day that they had made "significant progress."

Regarding bilateral relations, Ambassador Lee said, "Based on the current positive diplomatic ties, I believe that cooperation and exchanges should be pursued in many areas that benefit the national interests of both countries." He added, "Strengthening security and defense cooperation among South Korea, the United States, and Japan has become the trend of the times."

Addressing concerns that Japanese companies responsible for wartime forced labor have not participated in the third-party reimbursement solution promoted by the Yoon Suk-yeol administration, Ambassador Lee explained, "We are exploring various ways to encourage voluntary donations."