[South Korea-Japan Summit] Kim Seong-han Chief Confirms Future Development Directions of Both Countries (Update)

Korea-Japan Summit Agrees to "Further Deepen Cooperation in Diplomacy and Security"

Kim Seong-han, Director of the National Security Office, on the 16th gave an overall assessment of the Korea-Japan summit, stating that "both countries confirmed their will to promptly restore overall bilateral relations and aim for a future-oriented cooperative relationship, and agreed to expand this to various fields." Director Kim made these remarks during a briefing at the Tokyo Press Center in Japan, saying, "We addressed current issues in bilateral relations and confirmed the direction for future development."

In particular, Director Kim emphasized, "We have laid the groundwork to seek joint efforts to prepare for crises and the future in the fields of science and technology and financial cooperation." He added, "By establishing a new economic security dialogue between the National Security Councils (NSC) of both countries and resuming strategic talks between diplomatic authorities, we have decided to further deepen the breadth and depth of cooperation in diplomacy and security."

[Image source=Yonhap News]

He also pointed to the lifting of Japan's export restrictions on three semiconductor materials and South Korea's withdrawal of its World Trade Organization (WTO) complaint as one of the major achievements of this summit. Regarding the restoration of the whitelist status, he further explained, "We will work to resolve this promptly through future discussions between the two countries."

Meanwhile, a senior official from the Presidential Office responded to reporters' criticism that "there was no direct apology from Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida" by stating, "The successive Japanese governments, including the Emperor and Prime Ministers, have apologized more than 50 times." The official explained, "Both Prime Minister Kishida and Foreign Minister Hayashi have said they inherit the statements on historical awareness from previous administrations," adding, "Within that, there is the meaning of an apology."

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