Seoul: President Lee Jae-myung and Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba have reached an agreement to address geopolitical crises through trilateral cooperation with the United States during their first telephone conversation, the presidential office has announced.
According to Yonhap News Agency, the 25-minute discussion also highlighted the significance of maintaining strong bilateral relations between South Korea and Japan. Both leaders expressed their intentions to meet in person at the earliest opportunity, as conveyed by presidential spokesperson Kang Yu-jung. Lee emphasized the necessity for the two nations to collaborate on mutually advantageous strategies to tackle future challenges, focusing on their shared national interests.
Lee, known for his "pragmatic" diplomatic approach, and Ishiba agreed on the importance of fostering a "solid and mature" bilateral relationship founded on "mutual respect, trust, and a responsible attitude," according to Kang. In light of the upcoming 60th anniversary of the normalization of diplomatic relations between the two countries, the leaders committed to enhancing people-to-people exchanges and improving communication between their governments.
The Group of Seven summit in Canada, set for June 15-17, where Lee has been invited as a guest, is being considered as a potential venue for their first face-to-face meeting.