The Korea Times reported that the improvement of South Korea-Japan relations will promote trilateral cooperation with the United States.
Before his visit to the United States, Lee Seung-wook emphasized the strategic significance of the Seoul-Tokyo summit.
Lee Seung-wook, the top security advisor at the South Korean presidential office, said on Sunday that the improvement in South Korea-Japan relations would help strengthen the trilateral cooperation between the United States, Japan, and South Korea.
Lee Seung-wook emphasized that the summit between President Yoon Suk Yeol and Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba on Saturday had strategic significance, saying it could have a positive impact before Yoon's bilateral meeting with U.S. President Donald Trump in Washington on Monday local time.
"Linking the visit to Japan with the visit to the United States effectively demonstrates the progress of the trilateral cooperation among South Korea, the United States, and Japan," Lee said at a press conference held at a hotel in Tokyo. "In the past, when South Korea-Japan relations were tense, it was often Washington that tried to take the lead in trilateral cooperation."
Our policy is that if Japan succeeds, South Korea will also succeed, and so will the United States.
Despite the challenges that remain, our efforts in Japan aim to create a virtuous cycle driven by positive momentum, generating the energy needed to address more difficult issues, and ultimately achieving a win-win outcome for all parties involved.
Lee noted that the two leaders talked for three and a half hours and added that the initial 20-minute group meeting was extended to nearly an hour.
Lee said: "Especially during the group meeting, the president and the prime minister spent a considerable amount of time discussing the relationship with the United States and the tariff negotiations with the United States." He emphasized that the two leaders acknowledged that in the rapidly changing situation, the two countries may have many tasks to tackle together.
Lee said that Ishiba shared his experience of meeting with Trump and emphasized that the summit reflected the personality of each leader, so another country's experience cannot be directly copied, although it can serve as a useful reference.
Lee detailed: "There are many issues related to tariffs with the United States, and the Japanese side mainly shared their experiences and impressions in the form of suggestions. Our president also raised follow-up questions, and since he is about to go to the United States, this will be very helpful. We expressed our gratitude to the Japanese side."
About the upcoming summit between Yoon and Trump on Monday, Lee pointed out that the three main topics of the meeting would be stabilizing the economic and trade field, modernizing the alliance, and exploring new areas of cooperation. He said, "These three topics are still under discussion, and coordination of the agenda is ongoing."
Yoon left Tokyo on Sunday afternoon and arrived in Washington later that day (local time). On Monday morning, the two leaders will hold their first summit, followed by a working lunch together.
Original: www.toutiao.com/article/1841382564294656/
Statement: This article represents the views of the author himself.