Korea, Japan agree to form consultative body to address common challenges in summit

President Lee Jae Myung, left, and Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba shake hands after their joint press briefing on the results of their bilateral summit at the prime minister’s official residence in Tokyo on Aug. 23. [JOINT PRESS CORPS]

 
TOKYO — President Lee Jae Myung and Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba agreed to strengthen cooperation between South Korea and Japan on shared challenges amid the shifting global trade order through a bilateral summit in Tokyo on Saturday.
 
The Korean and Japanese leaders further agreed to launch an intergovernmental consultative body to jointly address common challenges, share policy experiences and jointly seek solutions, Lee said in a joint press briefing with Ishiba after their summit at the prime minister’s official residence in Tokyo. This includes shared social issues like low birthrates, aging populations, regional revitalization, agriculture and disaster management.  
 
Lee’s call to strengthen bilateral cooperation in economic and security matters comes as the two countries are working toward a joint response to the U.S.-led restructuring of the global trade order, both facing similar tariff blows and trade deal negotiation experiences.  
 
South Korea and Japan reaffirmed their “commitment to the complete denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula and the establishment of lasting peace,” Lee said in the briefing. He said they also agreed to continue close coordination on North Korea policy.”
 
Earlier this week, Lee revealed in an interview with Japan’s Yomiuri Shimbun a three-stage road map for a phased denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula, comprising a freeze, reduction and dismantlement of North Korea’s nuclear and missile weapons program.
 
Lee and Ishiba also confirmed that steadfast bilateral cooperation between Seoul and Tokyo and trilateral coordination with Washington are essential amid global uncertainty.  
 
Describing Korea and Japan as “inseparable partners who share the same front yard that must work closely together for peace and prosperity,” Lee stressed that the two countries are “optimal partners for mutually beneficial cooperation across various fields.”  
 
Ishiba likewise highlighted that he and Lee agreed to strengthen strategic communication under the current complex geopolitical environment.  
 

President Lee Jae Myung, center left, and Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba hold a bilateral summit in Tokyo on Aug. 23. [JOINT PRESS CORPS]

Through the summit, the two leaders agreed to advance the two countries’ relations in a future-oriented manner through strengthening economic and personnel exchanges.  
 
The two leaders discussed cooperation strategies in future industries such as hydrogen and artificial intelligence (AI).  
 
Lee also announced that the two countries had agreed to increase the number of times individuals can participate in their working holiday program to expand youth exchanges.  
 
In the press briefing, Lee highlighted the significance of choosing Japan as the destination of his first bilateral visit, noting it is the first for a Korean president since the normalization of diplomatic relations in 1965.  
 
“This carries significant meaning as it shows how seriously we regard South Korea-Japan relations,” Lee said.  
 

President Lee Jae Myung, left, and Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba chat as they head into the prime minister’s official residence for their bilateral summit in Tokyo on Aug. 23. [JOINT PRESS CORPS]

Earlier Saturday, Lee was received by Ishiba at the prime minister’s residence in Tokyo at around 5 p.m. and the two leaders held bilateral talks that lasted 30 minutes longer than anticipated.  
 
“The global order is currently in turmoil due to recent trade and security issues,” Lee said during his opening remarks in extended discussions with Ishiba. “Korea and Japan, which share similar values, systems and ideologies, must strengthen their cooperative relationship more than ever.”
 
Lee stressed that “this is a time when cooperation can yield more benefits than ever before.”
 
During the summit, Lee said Ishiba “feels like a friend” in a nod to the trust built between the two leaders through their recent exchanges.  
 
Lee then invited Ishiba to visit Korea as a continuation of shuttle diplomacy, specifically to a location outside of Seoul, likely referring to the APEC summit scheduled for late October in Gyeongju, North Gyeongsang.
 
“A desirable relationship between neighboring countries is one where we respect each other’s strengths, correct what’s unnecessary and cooperate to gain what’s needed,” Lee said during their talks.  
 
Lee called to take “sufficient time” to approach more difficult issues, while urging to “work together for areas where cooperation is possible.” He said it is the “responsibility of the political leadership of both countries to ensure better lives for our people.”  
 

President Lee Jae Myung, left, and Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba speak at a joint press briefing after their bilateral summit at the prime minister’s official residence in Tokyo on Aug. 23. [JOINT PRESS CORPS]

After their summit, the two leaders issued a joint statement, the first of its kind in 17 years.
 
The two leaders agreed in the statement to jointly respond to North Korea’s illegal cyber activities and its deepening military ties with Russia, while underscoring the importance of addressing the North’s nuclear and missile programs through dialogue and diplomacy. They also confirmed the need to work with the international community to ensure the faithful implementation of UN Security Council sanctions on North Korea.  
 
Ishiba further reaffirmed a landmark joint declaration issued by Korean President Kim Dae-jung and Japanese Prime Minister Keizo Obuchi in 1998, which acknowledged the “tremendous damage and suffering to the people of the Republic of Korea through its colonial rule” and expressed “deep remorse and heartfelt apology.”  
 
Ishiba, through a joint press release, said that he inherits the positions of previous Japanese cabinets regarding historical awareness, including the Kim-Obuchi declaration.
 
On the other hand, sensitive issues such as historical disputes stemming from Japan’s 1910-45 colonial rule over Korea, Tokyo’s requests for Seoul to lift its ban on the import of Japanese seafoods and the Fukushima wastewater discharge were not prominently addressed during the summit.  
 
The bilateral summit comes just 67 days after Lee and Ishiba held their first in-person talks on the margins of the Group of 7, or G7, summit in Canada on June 17, marking the resumption of shuttle diplomacy between the two countries.
 
Lee, accompanied by first lady Kim Hea Kyung, began a six-day trip Saturday for a two-country trip that will later take him to the United States for a first summit with U.S. President Donald Trump.
 
Lee and Ishiba later took part in a dinner event after their bilateral summit, joined by their spouses.  
 

BY SARAH KIM [[email protected]]