Lee, Ishiba vow to strengthen regional security ties

South Korean President Lee Jae-myung and Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba held their first summit on June 17, pledging to deepen bilateral cooperation and reinforce trilateral security ties with the United States. The meeting comes amid growing regional tensions, following reports that North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has dispatched troops to support Russian forces in Ukraine for a third time.

The 30-minute summit was held on the sidelines of the G7 Summit in Kananaskis and marked a key diplomatic moment in President Lee’s first overseas engagement since taking office. It also coincided with the 60th anniversary of normalized diplomatic relations between Seoul and Tokyo.

“South Korea and Japan are like neighbors sharing a front yard. Our relationship is indivisible,” Lee said. “We look forward to advancing our ties in a mutually beneficial and cooperative manner.”

Prime Minister Ishiba echoed the sentiment, adding, “With global tensions rising, I sincerely hope our exchanges will strengthen in a way that contributes to regional and global stability.”

According to South Korea’s presidential office, the two leaders agreed on the strategic importance of their trilateral alliance with Washington and reaffirmed a commitment to resume shuttle diplomacy, including regular reciprocal visits to mark the 60th anniversary.

“There was a general consensus on the importance of managing historical issues with care while focusing on future-oriented cooperation,” a South Korean official told reporters.

Lee concluded his three-day visit to the G7 Summit on Wednesday.


Hoon-Sang Park tigermask@donga.com