President Lee Jae-myung will visit Japan early next month for a summit with Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi. As working-level officials from both countries coordinate the schedule, Lee's trip is likely to be a one-night, two-day visit starting on the 13th. Choosing China and Japan in tandem for his first diplomatic itinerary of the new year appears to be a strategy to strengthen a trilateral cooperation framework among Korea, China and Japan on "peace on the Korean Peninsula," including North Korea's denuclearization.
Earlier, Office of National Security Deputy Minister Wi Sung-lac's visit to Japan on the 22nd was also aimed at coordinating summit agendas. At the time, Wi met with senior Japanese government officials, including Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi, to seek cooperation on the "Korean Peninsula peace coexistence process" and review key agenda items between the two countries. Nara Prefecture, Prime Minister Takaichi's hometown, is a strong candidate to host the Korea-Japan summit.
The Blue House said in a briefing the previous day that Lee will visit China on Feb. 4 for a summit and state dinner with Chinese President Xi Jinping. From the 4th to the 6th, Lee will meet Xi and other senior figures in China's political circles in Beijing, then visit Shanghai from the 6th to the 7th. The meeting between the two leaders will be the first in about two months since the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit in Gyeongju at the end of last month.