Yoon Policy Coordination Team Meets Japanese Prime Minister... No Invitation to Inauguration Ceremony (Comprehensive)

Published 26 Apr.2022 14:05(KST)

Updated 26 Apr.2022 14:10(KST)

"Agreed to Strive for the Development of Korea-Japan Relations"

Jung Jin-seok, Deputy Speaker of the National Assembly and head of the Korea-Japan Policy Consultation Delegation, is delivering a letter from President-elect Yoon to Prime Minister Fumio Kishida at the Japanese Prime Minister's Office on the 26th.
[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Cho Hyun-ui] The Korea-Japan policy consultation delegation dispatched by President-elect Yoon Seok-yeol and Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida held a meeting on the 26th and agreed to work towards the development of Korea-Japan relations.

The delegation led by National Assembly Deputy Speaker Chung Jin-seok entered the Japanese Prime Minister's Official Residence at around 10:36 a.m. for the meeting with Prime Minister Kishida. The meeting took place from 10:40 a.m. and lasted about 25 minutes.

After the meeting, Deputy Speaker Chung told reporters, "Both Korea and Japan, standing at a new starting line, agreed on the need to strive for future-oriented relationship development and mutual benefits."

The delegation delivered a letter from President-elect Yoon to Prime Minister Kishida. Deputy Speaker Chung said, "Prime Minister Kishida asked me to convey his thanks to President-elect Yoon."

The letter reportedly included content urging to face historical issues honestly while building a future-oriented relationship, continuing the spirit of the 1988 Kim Dae-jung-Obuchi Declaration. Deputy Speaker Chung said, "Prime Minister Kishida also expressed agreement on inheriting and developing the spirit of the Kim Dae-jung-Obuchi Declaration."

The delegation did not directly request Prime Minister Kishida to attend President-elect Yoon's inauguration ceremony on the 10th of next month. Deputy Speaker Chung said, "Attendance at the inauguration by the head of state is a matter for Japan to decide according to precedent," adding, "If Japan expresses its intention to attend, we are prepared to welcome them sincerely."

During the meeting, there was also an exchange of opinions at a fundamental level regarding historical issues between the two countries, such as the Japanese military comfort women issue and forced labor during the Japanese colonial period. The Mainichi Shimbun reported, "It appears that Prime Minister Kishida and the delegation exchanged views on the cooled Korea-Japan relations due to issues such as forced laborers during the Japanese colonial period and the Japanese military comfort women."

Regarding this, Deputy Speaker Chung said, "Japan has a very serious awareness of the issue of cashing in forced labor assets, and we shared this understanding," adding, "We said we will make diplomatic efforts to find a solution acceptable to all parties involved."

Regarding the Japanese military comfort women issue, he said, "We agreed to make diplomatic efforts to find a solution between the two countries in accordance with the spirit of the 2015 comfort women agreement, which aims to restore the honor and dignity of the victims and heal their wounds."