Seoul: President Lee Jae Myung met Wednesday with former Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga to discuss ways to further develop bilateral relations between the two nations, the presidential office said. Suga headed a delegation from the Japan-South Korea Parliamentarians' Association, marking the highest-level Japanese political figure's first visit to Seoul since Lee took office in early June.
According to Yonhap News Agency, the meeting underscored the recent increase in exchanges between the peoples of Korea and Japan. President Lee highlighted the significance of mutual respect and favorability, stating that improved people-to-people exchanges could foster better relations between the governments and lawmakers of both countries, ultimately benefiting bilateral ties.
Lee expressed his hope for strengthened relations between the two nations, referring to them as neighbors sharing the same backyard. Suga echoed this sentiment, committing to work together with Seoul to deepen ties in various areas.
The leaders also explored the possibility of resuming "shuttle diplomacy," involving regular exchanges between leaders to further advance bilateral relations, as noted by presidential spokesperson Kang Yu-jung.
The meeting coincided with the visit of South Korean Foreign Minister Cho Hyun to Tokyo, where he engaged in talks with Japanese Foreign Minister Takeshi Iwaya. This was Cho's first overseas trip since taking office last week. Earlier that day, Cho met with Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba, who reaffirmed his commitment to maintaining and developing good relations with Seoul.