South Korea, Japan leaders reaffirm U.S.-backed cooperation

South Korean President Lee Jae-myung and Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba held their first phone call on Monday, agreeing to pursue a stronger, more mature relationship based on mutual respect, trust and responsibility, according to the presidential office.

The two leaders agreed to strengthen cooperation as this year marks the 60th anniversary of the normalization of diplomatic ties between South Korea and Japan.

"In today’s strategic environment, the importance of the South Korea-Japan relationship is growing,” Lee said during the call, according to presidential spokesperson Kang Yoo-jung. "President Lee hopes both countries will find ways to address future challenges and pursue mutual prosperity based on shared national interests."

The 25-minute call began at noon, five days after Lee’s inauguration. The two leaders also stressed the importance of trilateral cooperation with the United States. “They reviewed progress in South Korea-U.S.-Japan cooperation and agreed to keep strengthening joint efforts to address various geopolitical challenges within that framework,” the presidential office said.

Some observers had voiced concern that trilateral cooperation could weaken under Lee’s administration compared with that of his predecessor, Yoon Suk-yeol. However, Lee made clear during the call that he intends to maintain close ties with both Japan and the United States.

Lee and Ishiba agreed to hold an in-person meeting in the future to discuss bilateral ties and other shared interests in greater depth. Observers noted that a South Korea-Japan summit could be held on the sidelines of the upcoming Group of Seven summit in Canada.

The leaders also acknowledged growing exchanges between citizens in this anniversary year and agreed to enhance communication between their respective governments, the presidential office said.

“Prime Minister Ishiba personally sent me a congratulatory message in Korean after my inauguration. He firmly believes in building a relationship based on genuine trust between our countries,” Lee wrote on social media after the call. “This year is especially meaningful as it marks the 60th anniversary of normalized ties and the 80th anniversary of Korea’s liberation. We will work toward a forward-looking bilateral relationship that meets the needs of a new era.”

Japan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs also released a statement quoting Ishiba as saying he intends to further advance the bilateral relationship based on the foundation built by both governments over the years. The Japanese ministry said Ishiba also expressed his intention to closely coordinate with Lee on North Korea policy, including the issue of Japanese citizens abducted by the North.


Hoon-Sang Park tigermask@donga.com