Korea Summit

According to the Japan Times, Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida announced that he plans to visit South Korea on May 7 and 8 and will meet with President Yoon Suk-yeol. The trip is expected to promote the resumption of “shuttle diplomacy ” between the two leaders, in the context of the two countries promoting efforts to mend bilateral relations.

“This will be a good opportunity to exchange candid opinions on the development of Japan-South Korea relations and the rapidly changing international situation,” Kishida was quoted as saying in Accra, the capital of Ghana, during a visit to Africa earlier this month, the Japan Times reported.

South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol (left) and Prime Minister Fumio Kishida (right) at a meeting in Tokyo (Japan), March 16.

Meanwhile, Yonhap quoted South Korean presidential spokesman Lee Do-woon as emphasizing that Prime Minister Kishida's visit is significant in marking the comprehensive restoration of shuttle diplomacy between the two countries' leaders. The two leaders are expected to hold talks on May 7 before holding a joint press conference. Topics of discussion will include national security, high-tech industries, science and technology, and cooperation in the fields of culture and youth. Later that day, the South Korean President and his wife will host the Japanese Prime Minister and his wife.

"The summit is a good opportunity to exchange candid opinions on the development of Japan-South Korea relations and the rapidly changing international situation," Japan Times quoted Mr. Kishida as saying in Accra, the capital of Ghana, during a visit to Africa on May 1.

According to AP, this will be the second summit between the leaders of South Korea and Japan since March. In recent times, Seoul and Tokyo have made efforts to mend ties and strengthen security cooperation to deal with security challenges in the region. At this summit, the two sides are expected to discuss topics including national security, high-tech industries, science and technology, and cooperation in the fields of culture and youth.

The two leaders are also expected to review progress made in mending bilateral ties since the South Korean president’s landmark visit to Tokyo in March, where both sides agreed to work toward improving bilateral ties.

Notably, the visit here is also Prime Minister Kishida's first official visit to South Korea since he took office in October 2021.

According to KBS, South Korea will arrange the strictest level of security for the Japanese Prime Minister, even though he was not previously subject to high-level protection.

Earlier, South Korean National Security Adviser Cho Tae-yong and his Japanese counterpart Takeo Akiba held talks to prepare for the Japanese Prime Minister's visit to South Korea. At the event, the two sides focused on trilateral security cooperation with the Washington administration, strengthening relations and coordinating responses to nuclear and missile threats in the region. In addition, the two sides also discussed facilitating economic and cultural exchanges as well as adjusting broader strategies in the Indo-Pacific region.

Last week, Japan's trade ministry said it had begun procedures to put South Korea back on its "white list" of countries that enjoy preferential trade treatment, days after Seoul made a similar move against Tokyo.

South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol shakes hands with Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida at a meeting in Tokyo, Japan, March 16.

In March, Japan also eased export controls on three key semiconductor materials to South Korea, after Seoul withdrew its complaint to the World Trade Organization (WTO) over the controls.

On the security front, South Korea also officially initiated the process of normalizing the General Security of Military Information Agreement (GSOMIA) with Japan, after the leaders of the two countries reached a consensus on this issue.

The Japanese leader also invited his South Korean counterpart to attend the G7 summit in Hiroshima from May 19 to 21. The two sides are expected to hold bilateral talks on the sidelines of the event, as well as a trilateral meeting with US President Joe Biden, focusing mainly on strengthening security ties.

“Japan and South Korea are important neighbors that must cooperate to address various challenges surrounding the global economy, as well as in the regional and international community,” Japanese Finance Minister Suzuki Shunichi said at a meeting with his South Korean counterpart Choo Kyung-ho.

MINH ANH (according to Japan Times, Yonhap, AP)

Source