Prime Minister Takaichi Arrives at Andong Summit Venue... President Lee Says, "I've Been Waiting Since Last Night"

President Lee personally welcomes Prime Minister Takaichi... Four months since the summit in Nara Prefecture

"It must have been exhausting to come all the way to this rural small city"

Discussions expected on energy security cooperation foll

Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi arrived at the summit venue in Andong, North Gyeongsang Province, on May 19, where the Korea-Japan summit is being held. President Lee Jaemyung personally welcomed Prime Minister Takaichi at the entrance of a hotel in downtown Andong, where the summit is taking place.

Yonhap News Agency

Prime Minister Takaichi arrived at Daegu International Airport earlier in the morning, reviewed the honor guard, and traveled to Andong by official motorcade. Arriving at the summit venue at 1:35 p.m., President Lee greeted Prime Minister Takaichi in person with a hug and a handshake, saying, "You must have had a hard time coming all the way to this rural small city," and "I have been waiting for you since last night." Prime Minister Takaichi was received with formalities equivalent to a state visit, such as the deployment of 12 flag bearers on either side of the hotel entrance.

This marks the third meeting between the two leaders, about four months after their previous summit in Nara Prefecture, Japan—Prime Minister Takaichi's hometown—on January 13. President Lee and Prime Minister Takaichi are expected to hold extensive discussions on measures to address the energy crisis triggered by the war in Iran, among other topics.

Japanese media, including the Yomiuri Shimbun and Nihon Keizai Shimbun, reported that President Lee and Prime Minister Takaichi would discuss cooperation on energy security, such as lending crude oil and petroleum products to each other in response to energy challenges. According to the reports, the core of the discussion is a plan for the two countries to lend each other crude oil and petroleum products if either faces an energy supply crisis. For petroleum products, jet fuel is reportedly being considered as a target item.

It is also reported that the two sides are in the final stages of coordination to issue a joint document on energy security cooperation based on their talks. The document is expected to include a plan to promote public-private dialogue for the smooth lending of crude oil and petroleum products in emergencies and to establish new industrial and trade policy talks to specify cooperation measures. If the policy talks are held, Korea's Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy and Japan's Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry are expected to participate.

Additionally, local media reported that topics such as curbing export restrictions on petroleum products, cooperation in crude oil procurement and transport, strengthening the LNG supply chain, and mutual flexibility in LNG supplies were on the agenda. Korea reportedly supplies 10% of its exported fuel oil to Japan, and considering that Japan and Korea are ranked as the second and third largest LNG importers in the world, these measures are expected to significantly contribute to energy stability for both countries.

The two leaders are also expected to discuss security-related issues. The Asahi Shimbun, citing multiple Japanese government officials, reported that the Republic of Korea Navy and Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force plan to resume joint search and rescue exercises (SAREX) in early June. The last SAREX was held in 2017, marking a resumption of the exercises after nine years.

Meanwhile, President Lee will present Prime Minister Takaichi with a wooden frame featuring Hahoetal masks from Andong. The frame, which includes nine types of Hahoetal masks, symbolizes harmony and contains wishes for the development of friendly relations between the two countries. Drawing inspiration from hanji (traditional Korean paper) and ginseng, which were symbolic items exchanged by diplomatic missions during the Joseon period, President Lee also prepared a hanji leather bag and red ginseng as gifts. These gifts are intended to reaffirm the longstanding ties between the two countries and express hope for their continuation. In addition, a white porcelain frame featuring a moon jar was prepared as a symbol of friendship between Korea and Japan.

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