South Korea, Japan Resume 'Shuttle Diplomacy' With Busan Summit
South Korean President Lee Jae Myung and Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba have met in Busan, marking the resumption of 'shuttle diplomacy' between the two nations. The summit, held amid high expectations, saw the leaders agree to collaborate on shared societal challenges and pay respect to historical figures, signaling a thaw in relations.
The meeting, which took place on Friday, was the first such high-level gathering in years. It came as Prime Minister Ishiba announced his intention to resign, with a successor from Japan's ruling Liberal Democratic Party set to take over on Saturday. During the summit, the leaders agreed to work together on issues such as aging populations, urban concentration, and suicide prevention. They also pledged to regularly coordinate on demographic issues, balanced economic growth, agricultural self-sufficiency, and emergency prevention.
In a sign of improved relations, Ishiba paid respect at the tomb of Lee Soo-hyun, a Korean student who rescued a Japanese man in 2001. This gesture was warmly received by President Lee Jae Myung, who agreed with Ishiba's stance on confronting the past and moving towards a brighter future. Both leaders expressed hope for closer ties between their countries in various fields, including societal, economic, and security issues.
The Busan summit has set a positive tone for South Korea-Japan relations, with both leaders committing to work together on shared challenges. As Ishiba steps down, the new Japanese prime minister will inherit a relationship that, while still fragile, shows signs of improvement. The regular coordination pledged by relevant authorities from both countries offers a pathway to further strengthen ties.
Read also:
- United States tariffs pose a threat to India, necessitating the recruitment of adept negotiators or strategists, similar to those who had influenced Trump's decisions.
- Weekly happenings in the German Federal Parliament (Bundestag)
- Southwest region's most popular posts, accompanied by an inquiry:
- Discussion between Putin and Trump in Alaska could potentially overshadow Ukraine's concerns
