Source: Government of the Republic of Korea
On behalf of the Korean people and myself, I sincerely welcome Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi and the Japanese delegation to the Republic of Korea.
Four months after my visit to Nara, the Prime Minister’s hometown, in January, Prime Minister Takaichi has paid a visit to Andong, my hometown.
This marks the first time for Korean and Japanese leaders to have visited each other’s hometowns, a rare occurrence anywhere in the world.
The fact that such meaningful and historic exchanges took place in the span of just four months speaks to the depth and strength of the friendship and bonds that Korea and Japan now share.
Also highly significant is the growing scope of our shuttle diplomacy. The location of such visits had previously been limited to Seoul and Tokyo, but now they have expanded to include various regional cities such as Busan, Gyeongju, Nara and Andong.
Annual people-to-people exchanges between Korea and Japan have reached 13 million, and young people in both countries are actively visiting the regional cities of their neighboring country in search of their hidden charms.
Korean-Japanese relations are now widening beyond the capitals to reach every corner of our respective countries, opening new horizons for our partnership.
At today’s summit, building on the trust developed through our shuttle diplomacy to date, Prime Minister Takaichi and I had candid discussions on a broad range of issues as strategic partners in jointly responding to the rapidly changing international environment.
In particular, we agreed that close bilateral cooperation is needed more than ever amid the instability in supply chains and energy markets arising from the recent situation in the Middle East.
We also concurred that peace and stability in the Middle East should be promptly restored.
Based on this shared understanding, our two countries assessed the achievements of the Korea-Japan Supply Chain Partnership Arrangement concluded last March and resolved to further expanding our bilateral supply chain cooperation.
Prime Minister Takaichi also proposed that our two countries work closely together to deepen cooperation on resource supply chains with other Asian nations facing supply disruptions.
I welcomed the initiative and conveyed my commitment to actively participating in it. In addition, our two countries agreed to further strengthen cooperation in the sectors of LNG and crude oil, which are key energy sources.
Building on a memorandum of understanding concerning the optimization of LNG operations signed by Korea Gas Corporation (KOGAS) and JERA in March, we agreed to expand bilateral LNG cooperation while further strengthening channels for information sharing and communication regarding crude oil supply and stockpiling.
Amid the rapidly changing international landscape we reaffirmed the importance of bilateral cooperation between our two countries, as well as trilateral cooperation among Korea, the United States and Japan, in the interest of regional peace and stability.
In this context, we viewed the recent Republic of Korea-Japan Security Policy Consultative Meeting – convened for the first time at the vice-ministerial level – as a highly significant development.
I also emphasized that, as countries in Northeast Asia are closely interconnected across various fronts, including the economy and security, it is essential for Korea, China and Japan to respect one another, cooperate and pursue shared interests in order to achieve genuine peace and stability in the region.
We also held in-depth discussions on the Korean Peninsula situation.
I outlined our government’s vision of building a peaceful Korean Peninsula where the two Koreas can coexist peacefully and grow together – one where there is no need to fight.
Our two sides noted how active communication and exchanges at all levels has enabled steady progress on the various substantive initiatives for cooperation discussed during our January summit. We agreed to further expand our forward-looking cooperation.
I emphasized that by leveraging each other’s respective strengths to bolster the foundation for mutually beneficial and strategic cooperation in artificial intelligence, the companies and people of both nations will be at the forefront of efforts to establish a “Global AI Universal Basic Society.”
Moreover, we held in-depth discussions on bilateral cooperation in such advanced technology fields as space exploration and biohealth.
Our two countries resolved to bolster cooperation on protecting the lives and safety of our citizens.
Importantly, the Memorandum of Cooperation on Police Cooperation for Joint Response to Transnational Scam Centers, signed between the police agencies of both countries, will serve as a solid foundation for protecting the citizens of both nations from criminal threats by significantly improving the speed and efficiency of investigations.
Furthermore, we concurred on the need to discuss cooperation on personal data protection to ensure the safety and rights of citizens in the AI era.
DNA analysis of the remains excavated from the Chosei Coal Mine in Japan will also begin soon.
We have agreed on the specific procedures and methods for DNA analysis through close working-level consultations between diplomatic authorities of the two countries.
This will be a small but meaningful first step for both countries in cooperating on historical issues, starting with humanitarian matters.
Going forward, the possibilities for Korea-Japan partnership are limitless.
I look forward to continuously developing new avenues for cooperation that can drive shared prosperity in both countries and deliver tangible benefits to the people of both nations.
Including today’s meeting, Prime Minister Takaichi and I have met in person four times over the past seven months.
This signifies that shuttle diplomacy – where the leaders of both nations meet and communicate whenever necessary without the constraints of formalities – has fully taken root.
Marking the 60th anniversary of normalized Korea-Japan relations, I look forward to further expanding future-oriented cooperation that tangibly benefits the people of both our nations.
Once again, I extend a sincere welcome to Prime Minister Takaichi to Korea. I look forward to meeting Prime Minister Takaichi again soon in another beautiful region of Japan to continue our candid communication.
Thank you.