<Commentary W> The leaders of Japan and South Korea have finally managed to hold a “meeting/summary meeting”

Prime Minister Fumio Kishida and South Korean President Yoon Seo-gyul met in New York on the 21st (22nd Japan time) for about 30 minutes. The two leaders shared the need to resolve pending issues, including the issue of former forced laborers, and restore healthy Japan-South Korea relations. It was the first time in about six months that the two leaders had spoken face-to-face since they briefly exchanged words in Spain in June this year when they visited to attend the NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organization) Summit. It is also the first time in two years and nine months since the December 2019 talks between then-Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and South Korean President Moon Jae-in that the leaders of the two countries spent a certain amount of time discussing the issue.

By the time this round of talks took place, there was a difference in interest between Japan and South Korea. The South Korean presidential office announced on the 15th of this month that it had agreed with the Japanese side to hold a Japan-South Korea summit with Prime Minister Kishida in conjunction with President Yoon's attendance at the United Nations General Assembly in New York. In response to this announcement, the Korean media reported all at once that it was decided that the talks would be held. On the other hand, the Japanese media reported that such an announcement came from the president's office.

At a press conference on June 15th, Chief Cabinet Secretary Hirokazu Matsuno declined to say, "Nothing has been decided at this point." In addition, the Japanese government seemed unable to hide their confusion over the South Korean side's announcement. After that, a high-ranking official of the presidential office, who is accompanying Yoon on a tour of three countries, the United Kingdom, the United States, and Canada, responded to questions from reporters in London on the 18th, saying, "Officially no comment on the Korea-Japan summit" changing his remarks to a cautious stance.

In the end, the two leaders met in the form of a "meeting" on the 21st. South Korean media reported using the expression "informal talks."

The two leaders confirmed that Japan and the ROK are important neighboring countries that should cooperate with each other, and confirmed the importance of promoting trilateral cooperation with the United States in addition to the two countries. In addition, they agreed to further cooperate in responding to North Korea, and Mr. Yoon indicated his intention to support Japan's position on the abduction issue. Furthermore, bearing in mind the biggest pending issue between Japan and the ROK, including the issue of former forced laborers, the two leaders shared the need to resolve outstanding issues between the two countries and restore a sound relationship between Japan and the ROK, and to develop the relationship in a future-oriented manner.

Yoon, who is eager to improve relations between Japan and South Korea, has requested that the two sides hold talks as soon as possible. However, the Japanese side did not respond, judging that the Korean side had not presented a solution to the issue of former forced laborers, and that the environment was not in place. Some lawmakers of the Liberal Democratic Party, who take a tough stance toward South Korea, said, "South Korea has a history of not keeping its promises, and Japan will not lean forward."

While the South Korean side described the meeting as an informal meeting, the Japanese side announced that it was a "conversation." Although there is no such thing as a meeting, the two leaders tried to have contact for a short period of time without deciding on any issues on the occasion of the United Nations General Assembly, and the Japanese side called it a "conversation" or "standing talk." I am aware that those who have been in South Korea call it a 'summary meeting,' and the meaning is not different." Im Soo-seok, a spokesperson for South Korea's Ministry of Foreign Affairs (the equivalent of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs), said, "The fact that the two leaders met is more important than the formalities."

In South Korea, opinions about this meeting are divided. The Korean Chamber of Commerce and Industry released a commentary on Jan. 22nd, saying, “We welcome the holding of a summit meeting that will serve as a cornerstone for the normalization of South Korea-Japan relations." On the other hand, Kim Eui-gyeom, a spokesperson for the main opposition Democratic Party, criticized saying, "When I saw the news, I heard that [Yoon] went all the way to where Prime Minister Kishida was to have a discussion." Also, this time, it was held without prior announcement of the date and place of the event, and as a result, only the Japanese media reported the scene where Kishida was in the place where Yoon was. For this reason, the Hankyoreh Shimbun sarcastically reported that the leaders of Japan and South Korea met in a place where only Japanese reporters were present.