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

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

This is the seventh South 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 to have strengthened the trust between our two countries and to have continued the flow of South Korea-Japan relations very positively through seven summit meetings with the Prime Minister this year.”

He continued, “This year, exchanges at all levels, including the summit, have been activated, and government consultation bodies have been restored, deepening cooperation between the two countries,” and emphasized, “With the resumption of the Deputy Minister-level Strategic Dialogue last month following the Security Policy Consultation and Economic Security Dialogue in the first half of the year, all government consultation bodies agreed upon by the two countries in March have now been 100% restored.”

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

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

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

He also said, “The world is at a historic turning point, and there is a strong will to lead the world not in division and conflict, but in cooperation. In this respect, Japan and South 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 place.

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

Upon meeting, President Yoon and Prime Minister Kishida hugged lightly, showing their friendliness. President Yoon also guided Prime Minister Kishida to his seat while shaking hands.

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

The Japanese side was attended by Minister of Defense Murai, Director of the National Security Bureau Akiba, Chief Cabinet Secretary Shimada, Chief Cabinet Secretary Otsuru, among others.

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

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

President Yoon is expected to exchange various opinions with Prime Minister Kishida on the topic of ‘South Korea-Japan and South Korea-US-Japan advanced technology cooperation’ at this panel discussion.

The South Korean and Japanese leaders are expected to announce a ‘hydrogen·ammonia global value chain’ plan at this panel discussion, according to Japan’s Nihon Keizai Shimbun (Nikkei) reported on the 10th.

It is expected that specific discussions will be held on measures to expand economic security cooperation, such as building a joint supply network for hydrogen and ammonia, which are decarbonized fuels, and newly cooperating in the field of quantum technology, as both countries have a high dependence on energy imports.

airan@yna.co.kr