President Lee Jae-myung met Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi on the 13th and said, "If we discover and build on the good points, and manage the inconvenient or bad points well to minimize them, and move forward hand in hand, I believe we can surely create a better future." While discussing sensitive pending issues such as historical matters, the comment signals the need to strengthen cooperation, including peace coordination on the Korean Peninsula. In fact, this summit will take up specific issues such as the "excavation of remains of Koreans from the Josei coal mine," as well as denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula, dialogue with North Korea, and easing of the ban on imports of Fukushima seafood.
On this day, Lee visited Nara Prefecture, the hometown of Prime Minister Takaichi, to attend the Korea-Japan summit. The two leaders are meeting for the third time, following last year's Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit in Gyeongju and the Group of 20 (G20) summit in South Africa.
At the meeting, Lee said, "Because exchanges and cooperation between Korea and Japan are more important now than ever, it is truly meaningful that we are holding talks here in Nara with the prime minister," adding, "We once shared painful experiences from the past, but it has been 60 years since the normalization of diplomatic relations between Korea and Japan, and we are beginning another new 60 years."
He also said, "After the war, Korea and Japan achieved remarkable growth and development, and it is an undeniable fact that, in that process, Korea was a great support to Japan, and Japan was a great support to Korea," adding, "Amid a complex and turbulent international order, because we must move toward a better situation, the Korea-Japan cooperative relationship is more important than ever and more important than anything else."
Takaichi said, "Under a shared recognition of the strategic importance of Korea-Japan relations with President Lee, we were able to have in-depth discussions," adding, "Together with President Lee, we reaffirmed our determination to advance Korea-Japan relations and for our two countries to play a coordinating role for regional stability."
She went on to note that the two countries marked the 60th anniversary of normalized relations last year, saying, "I am very pleased that we have been able to continuously demonstrate the strength of Korea-Japan relations," and added, "Starting with President Lee's visit to Japan, we want to make this a year that elevates Korea-Japan relations to a higher level."
◇Impact of China's export controls, easing the seafood import ban also on the table
According to Cheong Wa Dae, this summit is part of "shuttle diplomacy," and the two leaders are expected to exchange views on sensitive issues, including humanitarian cooperation measures regarding historical matters and the international situation. In particular, attention is on whether the two countries will take steps such as jointly conducting excavation of remains and DNA testing related to the deaths of 136 Koreans who drowned in 1942 at the Josei undersea coal mine.
As China has implemented "export controls on rare earths to Japan," the potential impact on Korea as well as broader China-Japan tensions could become topics of discussion. Wi Sung-lac, director of the Office of National Security, said at a briefing at Chunchu-gwan on the 9th, "Export controls can affect each other," and added, "In our case as well, it will not be irrelevant." Asked whether this issue could be discussed at the summit with Japan, he said, "There is that possibility."
Easing the ban on imports of Fukushima seafood is also a key pending issue. In an interview with Japan's public broadcaster NHK before the trip, Lee said that to join the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP), Korea could discuss easing or lifting the "ban on imports of seafood from eight neighboring prefectures" implemented after the Fukushima nuclear plant accident.
On the first day of the summit, Lee will hold a one-on-one meeting with only a few aides present, followed by an expanded meeting. The results will be jointly announced by Lee and Prime Minister Takaichi. On the morning of the 14th, as part of the leaders' friendship schedule, they will visit Horyuji, a famous ancient Buddhist temple located in Nara Prefecture. Horyuji's Western Precinct is known as the oldest surviving wooden structure. On the same afternoon, Lee will hold a meeting with ethnic Koreans in the Kansai region and then return home.