Korea-Japan Director-General Level Diplomatic Meeting Held After 5 Months... Will Early Foreign Ministers' Talks Take Place?

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Ji-eun] The foreign ministries of South Korea and Japan held a bureau-level face-to-face meeting in Tokyo, Japan, for the first time in five months to discuss current issues, including the holding of a foreign ministers' meeting between the two countries.

According to diplomatic sources on the 1st, Lee Sang-ryeol, Director-General of the Asia-Pacific Bureau of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and Takehiro Funakoshi, Director-General of the Asia and Oceania Bureau of Japan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, began a closed-door meeting at an undisclosed location in Tokyo in the morning.

The meeting discussed current issues related to conflicts between the two countries, such as forced labor, the comfort women issue, Japan's export restrictions, and the discharge of contaminated water from Fukushima.

Although the forced labor and comfort women issues are highly contentious between the two countries, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs' policy is that if Japan actively responds, these issues can be resolved through dialogue.

High-level exchanges, including the early holding of a South Korea-Japan foreign ministers' meeting, are also expected to be discussed. Although Foreign Minister Chung Eui-yong has been in office for almost two months, the bilateral relationship has deteriorated, and he has yet to even have a phone call with Japanese Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi.

Accordingly, the need for an early holding of a South Korea-Japan foreign ministers' meeting to ease the strained bilateral relations is being raised. Our side is in favor of holding the meeting in any form.

At a press conference on the 31st of last month, Minister Chung said, "Personally, I hope for an early holding of the (South Korea-Japan) foreign ministers' meeting," adding, "I am willing to meet in any form." He also emphasized, "Whether it is a bilateral meeting, a South Korea-U.S.-Japan foreign ministers' meeting like the South Korea-U.S.-Japan security chiefs' meeting, whether the Japanese foreign minister visits Korea, I visit Japan, or we meet in a third location, I am willing at any time."

[Image source=Yonhap News]

Since it is customary to hold bilateral meetings when a trilateral meeting among South Korea, the U.S., and Japan takes place, there is also a possibility that a South Korea-Japan foreign ministers' meeting will be held on the occasion of the South Korea-U.S.-Japan foreign ministers' meeting.

However, the Japanese side insists that South Korea should first propose solutions to past issues such as forced labor and comfort women, so it is uncertain whether the gap between the two countries' positions will narrow.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.