PM nominee stresses stronger Seoul-Tokyo ties in meeting with Japanese PM adviser

Prime Minister nominee Kim Min-seok on Monday expressed his hope for deepening relations between South Korea and Japan during a meeting with a high-ranking Japanese official.
"This year is particularly meaningful for both countries as it marks the 60th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations. I hope the horizon of South Korea-Japan cooperation expands even further," Kim said.
He made the remarks while meeting in Seoul with Akihisa Nagashima, special adviser to Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba, emphasizing that Japan is a key cooperation partner."
The two officials exchanged views on the future direction of bilateral cooperation and ways to strengthen it. They also affirmed their shared understanding of the importance of bolstering trilateral security cooperation among Seoul, Tokyo and Washington.

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Learn with AIFact CheckingText to SpeechAI Summary

Related Articles

Korea Herald

a day ago

• Korea Herald

President Lee to post social media messages in both Korean, foreign languages to 'show respect'

President Lee Jae Myung will post diplomatic messages on social media in both Korean and the language of his counterpart, his office said Saturday. Before traveling to Canada for the Group of Seven summit in Canada earlier this week, Lee had ordered his staff to write social media posts in both Korean and foreign languages to "show our diplomatic respect and willingness to communicate," according to the office. Lee had also told his staff that his messages must reach South Korean residents living abroad and local citizens of those counterpart countries, his office said. On Lee's X page, an update on his summit with Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba was written in both Korean and Japanese on Wednesday. On the same day, an X post detailing Lee's meeting with Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney was uploaded in Korean and English. And a summary of Lee's talks with Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum was provided in Korean and Spanish. The presidential office said Lee's social media posts will continue to be provided in multiple languages when detailing his overseas trips and meetings with other heads of state. "This will not be a temporary measure for only certain countries. It's part of the president's digital diplomatic strategy based on his philosophy on government administration," it said. "We hope his social media messages will help create a bond between peoples of different countries and serve as the starting point of diplomacy based on mutual respect." (Yonhap)

Korea Herald

a day ago

• Korea Herald

S. Korean, US diplomats agree on efforts for bilateral alliance, trilateral cooperation with Japan

Senior diplomats of South Korea and the United States agreed Friday to work together to strengthen their countries' alliance and trilateral cooperation with Japan during their talks in Washington, according to the South Korean Embassy in the US capital. South Korean Ambassador to the US Cho Hyun-dong met with new Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs Allison Hooker at the State Department to discuss the bilateral alliance and a range of regional and global issues, the embassy said. Confirmed by the Senate earlier this month, Hooker is noted for her longtime experience in diplomacy with North Korea, including preparations for US President Donald Trump's summits with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un during his first term. "Sharing the understanding on the importance of close cooperation between South Korea and the US over North Korean issues, and of comprehensive bilateral cooperation, the two sides agreed to continue efforts to strengthen the Seoul-Washington alliance and enhance trilateral cooperation with Japan," the embassy wrote on Facebook. Cho described Hooker as a longtime expert on issues related to the Korean Peninsula and the alliance. "(Cho) asked Under Secretary Hooker -- a longtime friend of South Korea and strong backer of the South Korea-US alliance -- to continue to support efforts for the development of bilateral relations," it said The two sides agreed to closely cooperate to respond effectively to an array of global challenges, as they discussed the Israel-Iran conflict and Ukrainian issues, as well as challenges in the Indo-Pacific. Hooker previously served as senior director for Asian affairs at the National Security Council. She was deeply involved in preparations for Trump's summits with Kim in Singapore in June 2018, Hanoi in February 2019 and the inter-Korean border village of Panmunjom in June 2019. From 2001-2014, Hooker served as a senior analyst for North Korea in the Department of State's Bureau of Intelligence and Research. She was also selected as the 2013-2014 Council on Foreign Relations International Affairs fellow in South Korea. (Yonhap)

Korea Herald

2 days ago

• Korea Herald

[Lee Byung-jong] President Lee's pragmatic diplomacy

Less than two weeks into office, President Lee Jae Myung is already busy shaping a new course for South Korea's foreign policy — one he describes as 'pragmatic diplomacy.' His packed diplomatic calendar signals both urgency and ambition. Earlier this week, he attended the G7 summit in Canada at the invitation of the host, marking South Korea's return to global diplomacy after six months of absence during the country's turbulent leadership transition. Later this month, he is scheduled to travel to the Netherlands to participate in the NATO summit as a representative of the alliance's Indo-Pacific partners. Despite criticism over the rushed pace and pending domestic challenges, Lee is determined to reestablish South Korea as a central player on the global stage. 'Democratic Korea is back,' declared national security adviser Wi Sung-lac. Still, many are asking: What does 'pragmatic diplomacy' actually mean in practice? Lee's approach marks a distinct departure from the 'values-based diplomacy' of his predecessor, Yoon Suk Yeol, who prioritized alliances with countries sharing democratic values. In contrast, Lee's strategy is rooted in flexibility and realpolitik — prioritizing economic interests and strategic outcomes over ideological alignment. In today's volatile geopolitical environment, with mounting tensions among global powers, Lee seems to be betting that ideological rigidity is a liability, not an asset. While the full contours of Lee's diplomatic doctrine are still emerging, his initial moves offer important clues. The order of his phone calls to world leaders in his first days in office has been particularly telling. As expected, his first call was to US President Donald Trump — a nod to the enduring importance of the South Korea-US alliance, especially on issues of trade and security. The 20-minute call reaffirmed the long-standing priority Korean presidents place on their alliance with Washington. More surprising was his second phone call — to Japanese Prime Minister Ishiba Shigeru. Coming from a liberal background, Lee had been expected by some to reach out to China's Xi Jinping next, following the pattern of previous liberal leaders like President Moon Jae-in. Lee has, in the past, been critical of Japan's stance on historical issues, leading many to doubt whether he would prioritize Tokyo early on. However, this decision was widely interpreted as a signal of Lee's practical mindset and willingness to improve ties with Japan despite lingering historical grievances. Lee's third call to Xi Jinping was hardly unexpected, given that China remains South Korea's largest trading partner. But his fourth and fifth calls did raise eyebrows: He spoke with the leaders of the Czech Republic and Vietnam, countries often overlooked in the early stages of diplomatic outreach by past presidents. His rationale, again, was pragmatic. The Czech Republic recently awarded a 26 trillion-won nuclear power plant construction deal to a South Korean bid — a hard-won contract that edged out fierce competition from France. Lee's outreach aims to solidify that economic relationship and possibly expand it. Vietnam, meanwhile, is South Korea's third-largest trading partner and the leading destination for Korean foreign investment, making it a natural choice for early engagement. The sequence of these conversations echoes one of Lee's key refrains: 'The economy is security, and security is the economy.' His decision to attend the G7 and NATO summits underscores this philosophy. At the G7, discussions focused heavily on global trade friction — particularly the fallout from President Trump's protectionist tariffs. With trade accounting for 80 percent of South Korea's GDP, these are matters Seoul cannot afford to ignore. His participation in the NATO summit is more delicate. Lee had previously expressed reservations about Korea getting too involved in European security matters, especially the war in Ukraine. However, Europe is now a growing market for South Korean defense exports. From that angle, attending the NATO meeting is less about ideology and more about ensuring access to new economic opportunities. But Lee's pragmatic diplomacy will soon face its toughest challenge: North Korea. A purely practical foreign policy could falter if Lee reverts to the liberal camp's traditional approach of engagement with Pyongyang at the expense of alignment with key allies. President Moon Jae-in, for example, pursued such a strategy, which strained Seoul's trilateral coordination with Washington and Tokyo. That fragile alliance, revitalized under President Yoon, President Biden, and former Japanese Prime Minister Kishida in the 2023 Camp David summit, could be tested once more — especially now that all three leaders have exited the political stage. Despite his calls for pragmatic diplomacy, Lee may find himself pulled back toward a more ideological, nationalistic foreign policy. Personnel choices offer early signs of this tension. National security adviser Wi Sung-lac is widely viewed as an advocate of strong alliances, particularly with the US and other democratic partners. But Lee's pick for National Intelligence Service chief, Lee Jong-seok — a former Unification Minister — is a well-known proponent of an independent foreign policy that places inter-Korean relations above external alliances. These two key advisers, representing opposing schools of thought, could end up pulling President Lee in divergent directions, risking confusion and inconsistency in policy execution. In short, President Lee's diplomatic approach shows promise in its economic focus and global engagement. His outreach to non-traditional partners and participation in key summits signal an intent to broaden South Korea's international standing. But this pragmatic posture will only succeed if it can maintain consistency and resist being derailed by ideological pulls — especially when it comes to North Korea. The balancing act between idealism and realism, between national pride and global cooperation, will define the credibility and effectiveness of Lee's foreign policy in the years to come.