After Visiting China, Japan Visit Next Week... Korea-Japan "Shuttle Diplomacy" Continues

President Lee to Visit Nara, Japan on January 13-14
Presides Over "2026 Economic Growth Strategy" National Briefing on January 9
Luncheon with Gwangju and Jeonnam Lawmakers and Local Leaders... Discussing Regional Integration

President Lee Jaemyung will visit Japan on January 13 at the invitation of Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi. This time, the 'shuttle diplomacy' between South Korea and Japan will continue not in the capital Tokyo, but in the small regional city of Nara. Prior to this, President Lee is also accelerating his efforts on livelihood and economic issues.

Yonhap News Agency

On January 9, President Lee will personally preside over the "2026 Economic Growth Strategy" national briefing at the Blue House, where he plans to announce the government's economic policy direction aimed at "rebounding potential growth rates" and "achieving balanced national growth and overcoming polarization."

The Blue House announced to the media in the morning that President Lee will visit Nara, Japan, for a two-day, one-night trip. This is President Lee's second visit to Japan and his sixth meeting with the Japanese Prime Minister since taking office. President Lee will arrive in Nara on January 13 and hold a summit meeting and dinner with Prime Minister Takaichi.

President Lee is expected to discuss practical measures to strengthen cooperation in a wide range of areas directly related to people's livelihoods, including regional and global issues, as well as economic, social, and cultural matters. On the following day, January 14, he will attend a friendship event between the leaders, hold a meeting with Korean residents, and then return to Korea.

The decision to visit a regional city in Japan instead of Tokyo reflects President Lee's own intentions. During the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Summit in Gyeongju, President Lee expressed his desire to visit Nara Prefecture to Prime Minister Takaichi.

Nara City in Nara Prefecture is Prime Minister Takaichi's constituency. In this regard, Blue House spokesperson Kang Yujeong explained on the YouTube channel that "the focus is on revitalizing local economies and local governments." The previous Japanese Prime Minister, Shigeru Ishiba, also visited Busan for two days and one night on September 30 last year.

Before visiting Japan, President Lee will preside over the "2026 Economic Growth Strategy" national briefing at the main building of the Blue House in the afternoon. Declaring this year as "the first year of a great economic leap," President Lee will receive a direct report on next year's economic growth strategy from the Ministry of Economy and Finance, with Blue House aides and ministers and vice ministers from each ministry in attendance.

The economic growth strategy will include the government's assessment of the current economic situation, projections for economic growth rates, and forecasts for consumer price inflation. It will also cover four major areas, 15 key tasks, and 50 detailed action items, including active macroeconomic management.

President Lee will then lead a discussion on "rebounding potential growth rates" and "achieving balanced national growth and overcoming polarization," and is expected to listen to the opinions of business leaders. The event will be attended by representatives of leading small and medium-sized enterprises, including Rebellion, Korea's first artificial intelligence (AI) unicorn (a privately held startup valued at over 1 trillion won), as well as distribution companies such as Samyang Foods and CJ Olive Young. It is unusual for small and medium-sized enterprises to participate in an economic growth strategy announcement presided over by the president. A Blue House official emphasized, "This shows how much President Lee is supporting innovative small businesses."

On the same day, Kim Yongbeom, Chief Presidential Secretary for Policy, and Ha Junkyung, Senior Presidential Secretary for Economic Growth, will meet with the presidents of the top 10 business groups at the Blue House. They are expected to review each company's investment and employment plans for the new year and discuss plans for balanced national development. Executives from Samsung, SK, Hyundai Motor, LG, Lotte, POSCO, Hanwha, HD Hyundai, GS, and Hanjin are scheduled to attend. The Blue House is expected to request that each company expand investment and employment this year.

Meanwhile, President Lee will invite Democratic Party lawmakers from the Gwangju and Jeonnam regions to the Blue House for a luncheon meeting. The luncheon will be attended by members of the National Assembly from Gwangju (8) and Jeonnam (10), as well as Gwangju Mayor Kang Gijeong and Jeonnam Governor Kim Youngrok.

This move is interpreted as President Lee strengthening integration efforts in Gwangju and Jeonnam, following similar moves in Daejeon and Chungnam. There is speculation inside and outside the Blue House that President Lee aims to complete the administrative integration process as much as possible ahead of the June 3 local elections.

The discussion on integrating Gwangju and Jeonnam has gained momentum since Mayor Kang and Governor Kim announced a "Joint Declaration for Grand Integration" on January 2. On the same day, President Lee posted on X (formerly Twitter) under the title "After Daejeon and Chungnam, now Gwangju and Jeonnam?" stating, "It seems that public opinion is converging on the need to overcome the dominance of the Seoul metropolitan area and open a new path for 'region-led growth.'"

On January 5, the Gwangju and Jeonnam governments launched the Gwangju-Jeonnam Administrative Integration Promotion Task Force and began practical preparations. Since the deadline for the National Assembly to process the "Gwangju-Jeonnam Integration Special Act" is February 28, the plan is to make a decision through a process of public deliberation in the region before then.