S. Korea, Japan agree to maintain positive momentum in bilateral ties

President Yoon Suk Yeol and Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida on Friday agreed to maintain the “positive momentum” from improved bilateral ties by overcoming lingering historical issues regardless of leadership change in Japan.

In their summit in Seoul, Yoon and Kishida committed to strengthening coordination between the two nations as well as with the United States in response to growing security threats from North Korea, particularly in light of its increasing military ties with Russia.

“It is important to maintain the positive momentum of bilateral cooperation that Prime Minister Kishida and I have built to advance bilateral cooperation, as well as cooperation between Korea, the U.S. and Japan,” Yoon said in his opening remarks.

Yoon said the two countries should take a “forward-looking attitude” to address challenging issues, amid lingering historical disputes.

“If we combine our efforts, we can create a turning point next year, marking the 60th anniversary of the normalization of diplomatic relations, and elevate Korea-Japan relations to a new level,” Yoon said.

It was their 12th and last summit as Kishida has given up on reelection as prime minister and leader of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party after three years on the job.

Kishida underscored the importance of maintaining close coordination and called for efforts to further advance the bilateral ties, reiterating his government upholds the positions of previous administrations, including the 1998 Korea-Japan Joint Declaration.

The declaration, adopted by former President Kim Dae-jung and former Japanese Prime Minister Keizo Obuchi, includes expressions of remorse for the historical suffering caused by Japan’s colonial rule.

“I expressed my heartfelt sorrow for the immense hardships and sorrow so many people endured in the difficult circumstances of the past,” Kishida said, without going into detail.

Kishida also expressed his support for Yoon’s new unification doctrine that pursues peaceful unification with North Korea based on liberal values.

“At the Camp David summit last year, we expressed our support for the free and peaceful reunification of the Korean Peninsula,” he said, referring to the trilateral summit with U.S. President Joe Biden. “I understand that President Yoon’s doctrine also reflects interest in this goal.”

During an expanded meeting, a memorandum of understanding (MOU) on cooperation for emergencies in third countries was signed to facilitate joint efforts in evacuating citizens from conflict zones and information sharing between the two nations.

“Amid ongoing global instability, the MOU is expected to serve as an institutional framework to ensure the safety of the citizens of both countries,” Kim Tae-hyo, principal deputy national security adviser said, in a briefing.

They also discussed ways to facilitate more convenient travel between their countries, such as simplifying immigration procedures.

Consultations have been underway about adopting a pre-entry inspection system, which would involve sending immigration officials to the other country and setting up a biometric information system to facilitate a streamlined entry process to be completed before departure, a senior presidential official said.

Before Kishida’s visit, Japan provided South Korea with part of the passenger list related to the controversial 1945 sinking of the Ukishima Maru, a Japanese vessel that resulted in the deaths of thousands of Koreans, seen as a reconciliatory gesture to address historical issues.

Earlier in the day, first lady Kim Keon Hee and Yuko Kishida, the wife of the Japanese premier, visited an entertainment agency to meet and encourage idol trainees as part of their spouse program.

On Saturday, Kishida will meet Japanese students studying at Seoul National University before returning home, according to officials.

Yoon and Kishida have developed close bonds after Yoon decided last year to resolve the long-running row over Japan’s wartime mobilization of Koreans for forced labor by compensating victims without asking Japanese firms for contributions.

The two leaders have since restored the long-suspended “shuttle diplomacy” of visiting each other whenever necessary and held a series of meetings on the sidelines of international conferences.

The restored ties have also significantly bolstered trilateral security cooperation with the U.S. in response to North Korea’s nuclear and missile threats.

In August 2023, U.S. President Joe Biden invited Yoon and Kishida to Camp David for a standalone summit, where the three leaders committed to strengthen joint responses to North Korea’s threats and other regional security challenges.