S. Korean PM Hoping to Visit Japan Early Next Year

Seoul, Nov. 25 (Jiji Press)–South Korean Prime Minister Kim Min-seok is hoping to visit Japan in January or February next year, South Korean government officials said Tuesday. Kim conveyed his wish to visit Japan in a meeting in Seoul on Monday with Japanese officials including former Foreign Minister Hirofumi Nakasone, who serves as acting chairman of the Japan-South Korea cooperation committee on the Japanese side. If Kim’s visit to Japan is realized, it would be his first since taking office. Through the visit, South Korea aims to strengthen communication with Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s administration, in addition to the leaders’ so-called shuttle diplomacy, thereby stabilizing bilateral relations. The South Korean side is expected to work on arranging meetings for Kim with key Japanese political and business figures, including Takaichi. The visit would mark the first by a South Korean prime minister to Japan since the one by Han Duck-soo in September 2022 under then President Yoon Suk-yeol’s administration. According to an announcement by the South Korean government, Kim mentioned during Monday’s meeting that Nakasone served as chief of Takaichi’s campaign headquarters for the Japanese ruling Liberal Democratic Party’s leadership election last month and asked Nakasone to play a role in promoting smooth communication and cooperation between the South Korean government and the Takaichi administration. Referring to his late father, former Prime Minister Yasuhiro Nakasone, who attached importance to Japan-South Korea relations and visited South Korea on his first overseas trip after taking office, the former foreign minister said that he too has made efforts to maintain channels of dialogue even during difficult periods in bilateral relations. He added that he hopes to contribute to the development of friendly cooperation between Japan and South Korea. END [Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]