On the 17th (local time), President Lee Jae-myung met with Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba in Canada, where he attended the Group of Seven (G7) summit, and said, "Korea and Japan are like neighbors sharing a front yard, an inseparable relationship." Prime Minister Ishiba noted that he genuinely hopes for a relationship between the two countries that is more cooperative and beneficial to the world, reaffirming his commitment to the resumption of 'shuttle diplomacy.' This was the first meeting between the two leaders since President Lee took office.
◇President Lee: 'Expecting cooperation beyond differences.'
On this day, President Lee held his first summit with Prime Minister Ishiba at the venue for the G7 bilateral meeting, the Kananaskis Mountain Lodge in Alberta, Canada. The conversation between the leaders lasted about 30 minutes starting at 3:30 p.m. President Lee expressed that "in our country, the relationship between Japan and Korea is often described as 'close yet distant,'" illustrating the two nations as 'inseparable partners.'
In particular, he added, "There are small differences and differences in opinions, but I hope that Korea and Japan can cooperate in various ways beyond those differences and develop a relationship that is mutually beneficial." He continued, "The difficulties in the international trade environment and international relations are intensifying. I believe that if Korea and Japan, which share a close and complementary relationship, cooperate in many areas, it will greatly benefit both of us."
He then said, "While I have the opportunity to meet face-to-face with you, Prime Minister, I look forward to Korea and Japan developing into a more forward-looking relationship from today onward."
In response, Prime Minister Ishiba congratulated President Lee on his inauguration, saying, "While this is our first direct meeting, it doesn't feel like the first time since you appear on Japanese TV every day." He further mentioned the reception held in Seoul to commemorate the 60th anniversary of normalization of diplomatic relations between Korea and Japan, saying, "I heard that you could not attend that event due to your participation in this international meeting, but you provided a truly heartwarming message."
Prime Minister Ishiba remarked, "The international situation is becoming extremely severe. I recognize that there are common and various elements occurring in regions such as Ukraine, the Middle East, and Asia." He added, "I hope that exchanges between governments, corporations, and citizens will become more active on the occasion of the 60th anniversary and that cooperation and collaboration between our two countries will greatly benefit this region and the world."
He also pointed out, "The Kansai Expo is currently taking place, and many people from around the world are visiting Japan, but the largest number comes from Korea," adding, "While there are many people visiting Japan from various countries, the country with the most visitors among the Japanese is Korea."
On this day, the two leaders reaffirmed their commitment to resume 'shuttle diplomacy' and agreed to advance discussions between authorities. In particular, the presidential office stated that they would continue and develop trilateral cooperation among Korea, the United States, and Japan to respond to geopolitical crises, including the North Korean issue, and deepen cooperation between Korea and Japan. National Security Office Director Wi Sung-lak and Spokesperson Kang Yu-jeong attended the meeting, while on the Japanese side, Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretary Keichiro Tachibana and Director Masataka Okano of the National Security Bureau were present.
◇U.S.-Korea talks canceled due to Trump's early return.
This Korea-Japan summit was President Lee's first diplomatic stage and has drawn attention following the Korea-U.S. summit. Initially, President Lee was scheduled to meet with U.S. President Donald Trump and Prime Minister Ishiba on the same day. There were high expectations that the meeting could lay the groundwork for resolving economic and trade issues like tariff negotiations. However, the summit was inevitably canceled as President Trump returned early due to military conflict between Israel and Iran. The presidential office stated they would renegotiate the schedule for future U.S.-Korea summits, including the NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organization) summit. However, the attendance of President Lee at the NATO summit has not been confirmed yet, according to a presidential office official.
On the second day of the G7 summit, President Lee attended an expanded session and working lunch for all G7 member countries and invited countries. President Lee will make two statements during the expanded session on the topics of 'diversifying energy supply chains' and 'linking AI to energy.' President Trump returned early the previous day due to issues in the Middle East and did not participate in the expanded session.