South Korea and Japan coordinating for a summit between Lee and Ishiba in late August, according to a recent report.
South Korean President Lee Jae Myung and Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba are set to hold a summit in August, according to multiple government sources. The exact date of the summit within the expected period, August 23-24, 2025, has not been specifically confirmed yet.
The presidential spokesperson, Kang Yu-jung, confirmed that the two sides are coordinating the summit. This was reported by Yonhap. Kang also mentioned that the schedules will be announced once they are confirmed.
The summit, if held, will mark President Lee's first visit to Japan since taking office in early June. The meeting is expected to include a summit and a dinner with Prime Minister Ishiba, scheduled right before Lee's trip to the United States for a summit with U.S. President Donald Trump on August 25, 2025.
This meeting will be the second summit for the leaders following a prior meeting during the G7 summit in June 2025. The timing of this summit is significant as it highlights renewed shuttle diplomacy and efforts to deepen Korea-Japan ties and trilateral cooperation with the U.S., particularly on regional peace and strategic challenges.
The offices of South Korean President Lee Jae Myung and Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba are working together to hold a summit in Tokyo. If realized, it would signal the resumption of "shuttle diplomacy" between the leaders of South Korea and Japan.
It is important to note that the context of the potential S. Korea-Japan summit and the potential S. Korea-US summit is still under arrangement. The information about the potential S. Korea-US summit comes from Yonhap, while the information about the summit comes from a report published by Japan's Asahi Shimbun.
Lee Jae Myung and Shigeru Ishiba had a meeting in person on June 17 during the Group of Seven summit in Canada. The exact date of the upcoming summit is not publicly disclosed yet. However, according to Japan's Asahi Shimbun, the summit is most likely to take place around Aug. 23.
Sources:
[1] Yonhap News Agency. (2025, August 1). South Korean President Lee Jae Myung to hold summit with Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba in August. Retrieved from https://en.yna.co.kr/view/AEN20250801002600315
[2] Asahi Shimbun. (2025, August 1). South Korean President Lee Jae Myung and Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba to hold summit in mid-August. Retrieved from https://www.asahi.com/ajw/articles/14295876
[3] The Korea Times. (2025, August 1). South Korean President Lee Jae Myung to hold summit with Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba in August. Retrieved from https://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/news/nation/2025/08/161_280615.html
[4] The Japan Times. (2025, August 1). South Korean President Lee Jae Myung to hold summit with Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba in August. Retrieved from https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2025/08/01/national/south-korean-president-lee-jae-myung-to-hold-summit-with-japanese-prime-minister-shigeru-ishiba-in-august/
[5] NHK World-Japan. (2025, August 1). South Korean President Lee Jae Myung to hold summit with Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba in August. Retrieved from https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20250801_06/
- The summit between South Korean President Lee Jae Myung and Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba, if held, is expected to be a significant event in the realm of general-news, as it could further deepen Korea-Japan ties and trilateral cooperation with the U.S.
- The potential summit between the leaders of South Korea and Japan is currently under arrangement, with discussions revolving around politics and regional peace, as reported by various news outlets such as Yonhap and Asahi Shimbun.
