尹 “100% restoration of Japan-Korea government council” Kishida “hope to advance cooperation” (synthesis).

(San Francisco= Yonhap News) Reporters Ahn Yong-soo and Jeong Ah-ran = President Yoon Seok-yeol, who is visiting San Francisco, USA to attend the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit, had a summit with Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida on the 16th (local time).

This is the seventh Korea-Japan summit this year, just two months after the meeting at the G20 summit in New Delhi, India.

In his opening remarks at the meeting held at a downtown hotel, President Yoon said, “I am pleased that we have solidified mutual trust and have been very positively continuing the flow of Korea-Japan relations through already seven summits with the Prime Minister this year.”

He added, “This year, exchanges at all levels, including the summit, have been revitalized and the government consultation bodies have been restored, deepening cooperation between the two countries.” He emphasized, “With the resumption of the Strategic Dialogue between Deputy Foreign Ministers last month, all government consultation bodies agreed between the two countries in March have now been restored 100%.”

He also added, “I will continue to work with Prime Minister Kishida to ensure that the two countries can communicate closely in various fields, including the convening of a high-level economic council.”

Prime Minister Kishida also said, “Today, just two months after our meeting in India, we are having our seventh meeting this year. The situation in the Middle East and the world is moving fast. In this context, it is very reassuring that there has been close cooperation between Japan and Korea in relation to the departure of our nationals from Israel.”

Prime Minister Kishida said, “We have been promoting cooperation in various fields such as politics, security, economy, and culture together with President Yoon,” and emphasized, “I hope to advance this step further.”

He also argued, “There is a strong will to lead the world to cooperation, not division and conflict, at a historic turning point in the world. In this regard, Japan and Korea can cooperate as partners.”

The meeting was reported to have started about 20 minutes later than scheduled.

Prime Minister Kishida, who arrived late at the meeting place due to local traffic conditions, said, “I’m sorry to have kept you waiting” as he entered the meeting room.

When President Yoon said, “It’s okay,” Prime Minister Kishida explained again, “I walked because I thought I might be late.”

As soon as they met, President Yoon and Prime Minister Kishida hugged lightly, showing their friendliness. President Yoon also guided Prime Minister Kishida to his seat while shaking hands.

Foreign Minister Park Jin, National Security Office Chief Cho Tae-yong, First Deputy Chief of the National Security Office Kim Tae-hyo, Public Relations Senior Secretary Kim Eun-hye, Economic Senior Secretary Choi Sang-mok, and Diplomatic Secretary Lee Chung-myeon attended the meeting.

From Japan, Defense Minister Nobuo Kishi, Director of the National Security Bureau Akiba, Chief Cabinet Secretary Shimada, and Chief Cabinet Secretary Otsuru were present.

The two leaders met again at the APEC summit group photo session at the Moscone Center.

The meeting on this day is separate from the roundtable to be held at Stanford University on the 17th.

At this roundtable, President Yoon will exchange various opinions with Prime Minister Kishida on the theme of ‘Korea-Japan and Korea-US-Japan Advanced Technology Cooperation’.

The leaders of Korea and Japan are expected to announce the ‘Hydrogen·Ammonia Global Value Chain’ concept at this roundtable, according to a report by Japan’s Nihon Keizai Shimbun (Nikkei) on the 10th.

It is expected that concrete discussions will be held on expanding economic security cooperation, such as building a joint supply network for hydrogen and ammonia, which are decarbonized fuels, in the two countries with high energy import dependence, and newly cooperating in the field of quantum technology.

airan@yna.co.kr