South Korean President Lee Jae-myung and Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba hold phone call

South Korean President Lee Jae-myung and Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba hold phone call

In a significant move towards strengthening bilateral ties, South Korean President Lee Jae-myung and Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba held their first phone conversation on Monday, June 9, 2025. The call, which took place just days after Lee's inauguration, marks an important step in the ongoing efforts to improve relations between South Korea and Japan.

The leaders discussed the importance of bilateral ties and explored the possibility of a future face-to-face meeting. This comes amidst ongoing efforts to address long-standing historical issues stemming from Japan's colonial rule of the Korean Peninsula from 1910 to 1945. Despite these historical difficulties, ties between Tokyo and Seoul have shown marked improvement under the previous administration of Yoon Suk Yeol.

Prime Minister Ishiba is expected to attend the upcoming Group of Seven (G7) summit in Canada, scheduled for June 15-17. South Korean President Lee Jae-myung has been invited to participate in the multilateral gathering, which will be his first international diplomatic event since taking office. This invitation underscores the growing importance of South Korea's role in global affairs.

The phone call between Lee and Ishiba is part of a broader strategy to foster pragmatic diplomacy and strengthen regional partnerships. Lee has emphasized the importance of the South Korea-US alliance, which remains a cornerstone of Seoul's foreign policy. The leaders also discussed potential tariff negotiations, with a focus on addressing issues related to defense cost-sharing and strategic export controls.

The call between Lee and Ishiba is a positive development in the context of regional geopolitical tensions, particularly given the ongoing uncertainties in the region. It is expected to contribute to a more stable and cooperative relationship between South Korea and Japan.

References:
[1] https://english.kyodonews.net/news/2025/06/9e684e417205-urgent-japan-pm-ishiba-speaks-by-phone-with-new-s-korean-leader-lee.html
[2] https://mainichi.jp/english/articles/20250609/p2g/00m/0na/019000c
[3] https://www.tradingview.com/news/reuters.com,2025:newsml_P8N3QW01W:0-south-korea-president-lee-japan-pm-ishiba-hold-phone-call-kyodo-reports/
[4] https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2025/06/07/japan/politics/lee-ishiba-g7-meeting/
[5] https://www.kedglobal.com/business-politics/newsView/ked202506080001
[6] https://koreajoongangdaily.joins.com/news/2025-06-06/national/politics/Lee-Jaemyung-Trump-agree-to-work-on-tariff-negotiations-in-first-phone-call/2324563