VIENTIANE, Laos — Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol and Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba held a summit on the sidelines of the ASEAN Plus Three (APT) Summit in Vientiane, Laos, where they pledged to continue strengthening their cooperative bilateral relationship, the presidential office announced Thursday.
The summit marked the first in-person meeting between the two leaders since Ishiba took office earlier this month. The Laotian city is hosting the 44th installment of the ASEAN Summit.
During their afternoon summit at a hotel in downtown Vientiane, Yoon extended his hand first to Ishiba upon entering the meeting venue. The Japanese leader warmly greeted the Korean president, clasping his hands in return.
In his opening remarks, Yoon said, “It’s a pleasure to meet you for the first time today, and once again, congratulations on your appointment. Since my visit to Japan in March of last year, Korea-Japan relations have made significant positive progress. I believe this change has been made possible by the unwavering trust between the leaders of both countries.”
The Korean president emphasized his desire to strengthen bilateral relations through active and close communication, including shuttle diplomacy.
“Particularly, the upcoming year 2025 marks the 60th anniversary of the normalization of diplomatic relations between Korea and Japan. I hope to 한국을 work closely with you, Prime Minister Ishiba, to present a hopeful vision for the future of our bilateral relations, so that the people of both countries can truly feel the progress in our relationship,” Yoon said.
The Japanese prime minister concurred with Yoon’s remarks, emphasizing that close cooperation between Japan and Korea is essential for regional peace and stability.
“I intend to build on the greatly improved bilateral relations achieved by President Yoon and former Prime Minister Kishida, and further develop them. I also hope to work closely with you, Mr. President, utilizing shuttle diplomacy as you mentioned,” Ishiba said, adding that his government aims to create a favorable environment for active exchanges and mutual understanding between the people of both countries