President Yoon to hold first meeting with Prime Minister Ishiba in Laos next week - South Korean media

Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba and President Yoon Seok-yeol will hold their first meeting in Laos next week. The key point is how well the two leaders will fare with the 60th anniversary of the normalization of diplomatic relations between Japan and South Korea approaching next year.
On the 3rd, a presidential office official said regarding the possibility of a meeting between the leaders of Japan and South Korea at the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) summit to be held in Vientiane, Laos next week,
"We are currently discussing holding a bilateral meeting between Japan and South Korea, with the assumption that he will visit Ossu," he said. If the meeting is realized, it will be the first Japan-South Korea summit since Prime Minister Ishiba was elected on the 1st.
Regarding the agenda for the Japan-South Korea summit, the official said, "The most significant thing between Japan and South Korea is that the leaders of both countries will meet face-to-face for the first time, and that they will continue their shuttle diplomacy."
"We will further develop the agreement and pool our wisdom to hold serious discussions on how to develop Japan-Korea relations in the future," he said.
As this year marks the 60th anniversary of the establishment of the Korea-Japan Friendship Treaty, the roles of the two leaders in advancing Japan-Korea relations are more important than ever. In a telephone conversation with Prime Minister Ishiba on the 2nd, President Yoon said, "Japan and South Korea share values and interests.
"Japan is an important neighbor and partner with many important assets, and the two leaders will continue to work closely together in the future," he said. Prime Minister Ishiba also said, "I hope to maintain close contact and solidarity in the future."
Prime Minister Ishiba is known in Japanese political circles as a pro-Korea figure. When the Japan-Korea General Security of Military Information Agreement (GSOMIA) was signed in 2019 after friction between the two countries, he said, "After Japan lost the war,
"This is a problem that arose because we did not face up to our war responsibility," he said. Regarding the comfort women issue, he said, "We must apologize until South Korea is satisfied."
Former Prime Minister Kishida, who worked with President Yoon to improve Japan-Korea relations, also continues to have a strong presence. Prime Minister Ishiba is expected to win the LDP presidential election, which is a hurdle to being selected as prime minister.
In the final round of the election, she defeated the hardline conservative Takaichi, former Minister of Economic Security, but this was largely due to the behind-the-scenes support of former Prime Minister Kishida. Former Prime Minister Kishida had warned that if Takaichi had become prime minister, Japan-Korea relations would improve.
It was feared that his own achievements, such as those of Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, would decline. In this situation, it is highly likely that Prime Minister Ishiba will continue the diplomatic policy of his predecessor, Prime Minister Kishida.
It will be interesting to see how much personal rapport the two will develop during their first meeting.
He is also known to be a gourmet, which is a good match for President Yoon, who is also a wine lover and gourmet. When President Yoon first met former Prime Minister Kishida, he also gave him Korean soju "Chamisul" and Japanese soju.
The two deepen their friendship by drinking "Someku," a drink made with Yebisu beer.