South Korea's First Vice Foreign Minister Park Yoon-joo said on Monday that shuttle diplomacy between South Korea and Japan is developing steadily, and the two countries agreed to continue their cooperation for the denuclearisation of the Korean Peninsula, according to South Korea's foreign ministry, as reported by Aju Press.
Source: Aju Press
Park attended the 17th South Korea-Japan vice-ministerial strategic dialogue in Karuizawa, in Japan's Nagano prefecture, with his Japanese counterpart Takehiro Funakoshi. The dialogue, established in 2005, is the platform where the two countries' diplomatic authorities discuss regional and global issues.
Source: Aju Press
Summits, supply chains and a humanitarian file
The two vice ministers assessed that relations are developing steadily on the basis of shuttle diplomacy, including the summit meetings held in Nara, Japan, in January and in Andong, South Korea, in May. They said the two sides should actively identify cooperation projects citizens of both countries can feel — in energy, supply chains and people-to-people exchanges. Park also raised cooperation in the DNA identification of remains from the Joseon dynasty era and called for closer communication on humanitarian issues, including the repatriation of remains.
Source: Aju Press
On the Korean Peninsula, the two sides exchanged views on the situation and agreed to maintain close cooperation towards the common goals of denuclearisation and peace and stability. They also discussed regional and global issues, including US-China relations and the situation in the Middle East, and agreed to strengthen strategic communication amid a rapidly changing international situation.
Source: Aju Press
Follows the Atlanta trilateral line
The Karuizawa meeting followed last week's trilateral foreign ministers' meeting in Atlanta, on the sidelines of the G20, where South Korean Foreign Minister Cho Hyun, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Japanese Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi "reaffirmed their resolute commitment to the complete denuclearization" of North Korea and the full implementation of UN Security Council resolutions, according to the US State Department, Yonhap reported. The three also agreed to maintain a robust deterrence posture and pursue peace through dialogue and diplomacy.
Source: Yonhap via Korean-Vibe
Ahead of Monday's session, the agenda had also been expected to cover economic-security cooperation — including small modular reactors, supply chains and Arctic-related issues — and coordination of the timing and venue of the next summit between President Lee Jae Myung and Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, Yonhap reported.
Source: Yonhap via Korean-Vibe