President Lee Jae-myung of South Korea used a high-profile Seoul meeting with ex-Japanese PM Taro Aso to champion upgraded ties between Seoul and Tokyo, focusing on reciprocal advantages amid a fluid Asia-Pacific landscape. The exchange on Friday spotlights a diplomatic push post-Lee’s Japan sojourn.
Describing the duo as courtyard-sharing neighbors, Lee called for scouting collaboration opportunities to build win-win frameworks, Yonhap reported. This aligns with his recent Nara powwow with PM Sanae Takaichi – his sophomore Japan trip and fifth such engagement since June’s oath-taking, following an initial Gyeongju meet in October.
Tuesday’s summit locked in shuttle diplomacy commitments, with leaders vowing routine cross-visits to nurture future-centric partnerships. Lee highlighted how the prompt Aso meeting telegraphs to Koreans a surge in bilateral warmth.
Aso hailed the rapid-fire second summit as vital, noting international shifts demand Japan-South Korea synergy. Lee’s two-day Japan visit, ending January 14, recommitted both to Peninsula denuclearization and urged Seoul-Tokyo-Beijing alignment for regional peace.
Talks touched thorny matters like Japan’s seafood import curbs, complicated by South Korea’s CPTPP entry bid under Japanese stewardship. Officials greenlit working-group discussions to navigate these, paving pathways for robust economic and security bonds in turbulent times.