South Korea, Japan leaders begin diplomacy in Nara

South Korea President Lee Jae-myung will visit Nara Prefecture, the hometown and electoral district of Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, for a two-day trip on Jan. 13 and 14, the Blue House said on Jan. 9. The visit comes just six days after Lee’s state visit to China and reflects a pragmatic diplomatic approach amid rising tensions between China and Japan. The South Korean government aims to advance cooperation on China’s export controls, South Korea’s bid to join the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership, and historical issues through shuttle diplomacy between Lee and Takaichi.

Lee will arrive in Nara on Jan. 13 and hold both bilateral and expanded talks with Takaichi, followed by a joint news conference and a dinner meeting. On Jan. 14, the two leaders will visit Horyu-ji Temple, a historic cultural site.

Wi Seong-rak, director of the National Security Office, said at a briefing that although the trip lasts only two days, the leaders are scheduled to meet five times and are expected to hold candid discussions on key South Korea-Japan issues. Because the meetings are taking place in a regional setting, local cooperation and public livelihood concerns are expected to feature prominently on the agenda. During a meeting in August last year with then Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba, Lee agreed to establish a working group to address shared challenges such as regional revitalization, low birth rates, and population aging.

Wi said the visit is also expected to open avenues for humanitarian cooperation on historical issues, including the Josei coal mine incident. The disaster occurred in 1942, when an underground seawater leak flooded the mine, killing 136 Koreans and 47 Japanese. South Korea and Japan are negotiating to accelerate the excavation of Korean remains and the identification of victims through DNA analysis. The trip could yield the first tangible progress on historical issues since the Lee administration took office.

Japan sees cooperation with South Korea amid China-Japan tensions as a key focus of the talks. The Blue House said the two leaders are expected to exchange views on related issues while avoiding any explicit alignment in the China-Japan dispute. Asked whether China’s recent export controls on rare earths to Japan might be discussed, Wi said it was possible, noting that such controls also affect South Korea and can have reciprocal consequences.

South Korea is also seeking membership in the Japan-led Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership, which took effect in 2018. Wi said further discussions on CPTPP accession could take place during the visit.

Meanwhile, the Blue House said Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni will visit South Korea from Jan. 17 to 19 for a two-night, three-day trip, with talks scheduled with President Lee on Jan. 19. It will be the first bilateral visit by an Italian prime minister in 19 years.


Kyu-Jin Shin newjin@donga.com