South Korea: Lee, Japan's Ishiba set for summit talks in Busan

Seoul, Sep 30 South Korean President Lee Jae Myung is set to hold summit talks with outgoing Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba in the southeastern city of Busan on Tuesday, in what would be the first visit by a Japanese leader to a location other than Seoul in more than two decades.

Ishiba will make a two-day visit as a reciprocal trip following Lee's visit to Japan last month, in a move marking the restoration of "shuttle diplomacy" between the two nations.

It will be their third meeting after talks on the sidelines of the Group of Seven summit in Canada in June and Lee's visit to Tokyo in August.

During the last summit, Lee suggested holding their next meeting in South Korea outside of Seoul, Yonhap news agency reported.

Ishiba's trip will be his first to South Korea since taking office in October last year and the first visit by a Japanese prime minister to a South Korean city other than Seoul in 21 years.

The agenda will include shared challenges, such as demographic changes and regional revitalisation, along with future-oriented cooperation in areas like artificial intelligence and hydrogen energy, National Security Adviser Wi Sung-lac said Monday.

Although trade is not on the official agenda, the leaders are expected to exchange views as Japan has recently signed a trade deal with the United States, while South Korea is negotiating details of its own framework agreement reached in July.

The summit is expected to serve to reaffirm that Ishiba will continue to play an active role as a senior lawmaker in Japan in promoting the development and growth of bilateral relations even after leaving office, Wi added.

Japan and South Korea share many cultural, economic, and military ties. Their economies are respectively the second and fourth largest in Asia, and they are both military allies of the United States.

The year 2025 marks the 60th anniversary of the normalisation of diplomatic relations between Japan and South Korea, a significant milestone in the history of both nations. Despite the long-standing tensions and complex history between the two countries, this anniversary provides a significant opportunity to reflect on the progress made and to reaffirm the potential for future collaboration.

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