South Korean President, Suga discuss stronger ties

Seoul

South Korean President Lee Jae Myung met with former Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga on Wednesday to discuss ways to improve South Korea-Japan relations, according to the presidential office.

Suga, who led a delegation from the Japan-South Korea Parliamentarians' Association, is the highest-level Japanese official to visit Seoul since Lee took office in early June.

President Lee expressed hope for better relations through increased people-to-people exchanges, saying they help foster mutual respect and improve cooperation between the two governments. “As neighbors sharing the same backyard, I hope our countries will continue to grow closer,” Lee said.

Suga agreed and promised to support efforts to deepen ties between Tokyo and Seoul across various sectors, Yonhap news agency reported.

Both leaders also discussed resuming “shuttle diplomacy”, which involves regular leadership visits between the two countries. This is seen as a step toward stronger bilateral cooperation.

Meanwhile, South Korean Foreign Minister Cho Hyun visited Tokyo for his first overseas trip since taking office. He met with his Japanese counterpart Takeshi Iwaya, and later with Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba, who expressed commitment to maintaining friendly ties with Seoul.

Ishiba emphasized the importance of continued cooperation among South Korea, Japan, and the United States, especially in dealing with regional and international challenges.

Japanese Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi noted that close communication has continued between the two nations since President Lee took office, calling South Korea and Japan “important partners” in global affairs.