SEOUL, June 09 (AJP) - President Lee Jae-myung has agreed Monday with Japanese Prime Minister Ishiba Shigeru through their first-ever phone call that it is important for South Korea and Japan to strengthen bilateral ties and accelerate cooperation.
The 25-minute call, held around noon, marks the two leaders’ first official conversation since Lee’s inauguration five days earlier. The Presidential Office’s spokesperson Kang Yoo-jung said that Lee thanked Ishiba for his congratulations and emphasized the growing strategic weight of the bilateral relationship.
Lee expressed hope that the two countries can “respond to future challenges together and seek a path toward mutual prosperity, based on shared national interests.” The two leaders agreed to build what Kang described as a “more mature and resilient relationship,” grounded in mutual respect, trust, and responsibility.
According to the spokesperson, Lee and Ishiba also recognized the significance of this year, which marks 60 years since the normalization of diplomatic relations, and agreed to further expand exchanges between citizens of South Korea and Japan, as well as to strengthen communication between governments.
A discussion on regional security also took place during their phone call. Lee and Ishiba acknowledged the progress made under the trilateral cooperation framework with the United States and agreed to continue working together within that structure to address various geopolitical challenges.
The conversation ended with both leaders pledging to meet in person and further extend their discussions on bilateral issues and shared interests, Kang said. The call with Ishiba came three days after Lee’s first leader-level phone conversation with U.S. President Donald Trump on Jun. 6.
reporter
Park Sae-jin
swatchsjp@ajunews.com
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