President Lee to Hold Summit with Japanese PM in Gyeongju Today
President Lee to Hold Summit with Japanese PM in Gyeongju Today
President Lee Jae-myung and Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi are scheduled to hold their first summit on October 30, 2025, in Gyeongju, North Gyeongsang Province. This summit, taking place during the APEC summit, is expected to mark a significant turning point in bilateral relations. Prime Minister Takaichi will visit South Korea for three days and two nights, engaging in in-depth discussions with President Lee on pending issues between the two countries. This meeting holds particular significance as it is the first summit-level dialogue since Prime Minister Takaichi emphasized strengthening relations with South Korea in her policy speech before the Japanese Diet on October 24th. At that time, Prime Minister Takaichi clearly expressed her intention to seek positive development in bilateral relations through summit-level talks. Accordingly, this South Korea-Japan summit is expected to cover cooperative measures in various fields, including economy, security, and culture, with a particular focus on collaboration on regional security issues such as North Korea's nuclear program. Attention is also focused on whether the two leaders can engage in candid exchanges of views on sensitive issues such as historical grievances to broaden mutual understanding.
This South Korea-Japan summit was realized on the occasion of the APEC summit held in Gyeongju. The APEC summit is an important international conference aimed at promoting economic cooperation in the Asia-Pacific region and pursuing common prosperity within the region. President Lee is expected to actively participate in multilateral diplomacy during the APEC summit, focusing on enhancing South Korea's standing. In particular, as Chinese President Xi Jinping is also scheduled to attend this APEC summit in addition to Prime Minister Takaichi, in-depth discussions on the Northeast Asian political situation are expected. President Lee plans to pursue bilateral talks with leaders of major countries through the APEC summit and seek solutions to common challenges such as the global economic crisis. He also intends to introduce South Korea's innovative growth strategy and strengthen cooperation with the international community. The APEC summit is expected to be an important opportunity for South Korea to demonstrate leadership in the international community and contribute to resolving global issues.
During Prime Minister Takaichi's visit to South Korea, various events are scheduled in addition to the South Korea-Japan summit. Prime Minister Takaichi will stay in South Korea from October 30th to November 1st, engaging in various activities such as meetings with government officials and round table discussions with business leaders. In particular, she is expected to seek ways to promote economic cooperation between the two countries through communication with the South Korean business community and discuss measures to revitalize investment. Prime Minister Takaichi is also expected to visit South Korean cultural heritage sites to experience South Korea's history and culture and promote understanding between the two countries. This visit by Prime Minister Takaichi is expected to contribute to positively projecting the future of South Korea-Japan relations and further solidifying the friendly and cooperative relationship between the two countries. Furthermore, Prime Minister Takaichi is expected to focus on enhancing mutual understanding and fostering a positive image between the two countries through communication with the South Korean people during her visit.
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Takaichi is also scheduled to hold talks with Chinese President Xi Jinping during this visit to South Korea. Prime Minister Takaichi and President Xi are expected to discuss pending issues between the two countries and exchange views on matters of mutual interest during their meeting on October 31st. In particular, there is a possibility that collaboration on regional security issues such as North Korea's nuclear program will be discussed, and cooperative measures in various fields such as economy and culture will also be explored. This meeting between Prime Minister Takaichi and President Xi is attracting international attention as it could have a significant impact on the Northeast Asian political situation. Furthermore, Prime Minister Takaichi and President Xi are expected to seek positive development in bilateral relations and strengthen cooperation for regional stability and peace through this meeting. Prime Minister Takaichi's visit to South Korea is significant in that it could have a positive impact not only on South Korea-Japan relations but also on China-Japan relations.
This South Korea-Japan summit is particularly meaningful as it is the first meeting between the leaders of South Korea and Japan since President Lee Jae-myung took office. President Lee has consistently worked to improve relations with Japan since taking office, and he expects that this summit will further develop bilateral relations. In particular, President Lee is expected to focus on enhancing mutual understanding through frank and sincere dialogue on sensitive issues such as historical grievances and building a future-oriented relationship. He also expects to strengthen cooperation in various fields, including economy, security, and culture, and expand exchanges between the people of the two countries. This South Korea-Japan summit is expected to open a new chapter in bilateral relations and serve as an important opportunity to contribute to peace and prosperity in the Northeast Asian region.
