President Yoon reaffirms trilateral ties with Korea, Japan, and the U.S., and proposes solutions to global crisis at APEC.

(San Francisco= Yonhap News) Reporters An Yong-su and Jeong Ah-ran = President Yoon Seok-youl will return home on the 17th (local time) after completing a three-day APEC summit diplomacy schedule.

In his first participation in the 30th APEC Summit after taking office, President Yoon focused on demonstrating South Korea’s leadership in the midst of global complex crises such as abnormal climate, supply chain collapse, and more.

He made efforts to strengthen economic cooperation and secure support for the 2030 Busan World Expo (Busan Expo) by contacting leaders of various countries during the summit.

In particular, he demonstrated a strong alliance with the United States and Japan, following the Camp David Summit last August.

However, the summit with Chinese President Xi Jinping, which could have been a symbolic scene for the recovery of Korea-China relations, did not take place.

◇ Reconfirming Korea-U.S.-Japan Alliance… Seventh Summit with Kishida

A separate Korea-U.S.-Japan summit was held at APEC.

It is interpreted as an effort to continue the momentum of cooperation between the three countries, just three months after the Camp David Summit.

U.S. President Joe Biden said during a private meeting that lasted about 10 minutes after the commemorative photo shoot, “I was able to lighten my burden in performing my duties as U.S. President thanks to President Yoon Seok-youl and Prime Minister Fumio Kishida,” according to Kim Tae-hyo, the first deputy director of the National Security Office.

Despite the busy APEC schedule, they made time for a commemorative photo shoot and private conversation, showcasing the alliance of the three countries both domestically and internationally.

The leaders of Korea, the U.S., and Japan also attended the second summit of the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework (IPEF), a U.S.-led economic cooperation body, held on the occasion of APEC, and discussed supply chain cooperation strategies.

During APEC, President Yoon met with Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida several times, revealing the trust between the two leaders.

President Yoon and Prime Minister Kishida agreed to make more efforts to feel the achievements of Korea-Japan relations in various fields at the Korea-Japan Summit, which was held for the seventh time this year.

They also attended a roundtable at Stanford University separately from APEC and discussed ways to cooperate in advanced technology between Korea and Japan, and between Korea, the U.S., and Japan.

The meeting between President Yoon and Chinese President Xi Jinping, which has been continuously coordinated under the surface, did not take place.

The leaders of Korea and China met face-to-face for the first time in a year at the G20 Summit in Bali, Indonesia last November, but they only shook hands and chatted for about three minutes before the start of the first APEC session.

Both leaders had tight schedules, and it was reported that it was difficult to coordinate the schedule of President Xi, who visited the U.S. for the first time in six years.

However, some argue that it shows that the Korea-China relations, which had been desired, are still not smooth in the midst of the close ties between Korea, the U.S., and Japan.

The strategy to improve Korea-China relations by leveraging the solid Korea-U.S.-Japan alliance was difficult to achieve this time.

President Xi had meetings with President Biden and Prime Minister Kishida during his four-day visit to the U.S.

◇ Presenting Korean Leadership in the Midst of Global Complex Crises… Bilateral Diplomatic Battle

President Yoon proposed the direction APEC should seek in the midst of overlapping challenges such as the Ukraine war, the Israel-Hamas armed conflict, supply chain instability, and climate crisis at the summit with the theme of ‘Creating a Resilient and Sustainable Future for All.’

In Session 1 with the climate crisis as the agenda, he explained South Korea’s role and contribution in three aspects: the use of carbon-free energy, the transition to eco-friendly transportation, and the resolution of climate gaps.

In Session 2, he emphasized the need to strengthen norm-based order and declared that South Korea would play a leading role in the international community’s cooperation to build a ‘resilient supply chain.’

Taking advantage of his visit to San Francisco, represented by Silicon Valley, President Yoon also focused on economic diplomacy, such as the APEC CEO Summit and a meeting with Apple CEO Tim Cook.

At the CEO Summit attended by leaders and CEOs of big tech companies from various countries, including about 1,200 people, he proposed to push for strengthening supply chain resilience as APEC’s top priority cooperation task, emphasizing ‘global economic connectivity.’

Before attending the CEO Summit, President Yoon also met with GM Vice President Amin and Visa Chairman Alfred Kelly. Vice President Amin promised, “I have gained confidence in corporate activities due to the bold regulatory reform and system improvement in line with global standards by the Korean government. I will continue to increase production in Korea.”

The first meeting between President Yoon and CEO Cook was also a hot topic.

When CEO Cook said, “Apple could not have risen to its current position without the help of Korea. We will continue to cooperate and invest so that capable Korean companies can grow in the future,” President Yoon expressed his intention to actively support the Korean government.

During APEC, President Yoon also met with various national leaders, including Chile, Peru, Vietnam, Canada, and Mexico.

President Yoon mentioned the need for cooperation against North Korea-Russia military cooperation and also made efforts to appeal for support for Busan, which is ahead of the final vote for the Expo venue, according to the presidential office.

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airan@yna.co.kr