Press Releases
Korea, Japan agree to boost communication, cooperation for Inter-Korean, N.K.-U.S. Summits
Apr 11,2018Policy Briefing ｜2018.4.11
Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-hwa on April 11 held talks in Seoul with Japanese counterpart Taro Kono on bilateral relations focusing on North Korea and its nuclear program, as well as other matters of mutual concern.
The Foreign Ministry in Seoul said that noting the discussion held in the bilateral summit Feb. 9 just before the opening of the PyeongChang Olympic Games, the two ministers reaffirmed their stance on joint efforts for future-oriented development of two-way ties, on the occasion of this year marking the 20th anniversary of the so-called Joint Declaration for New Korea-Japan Partnership for the 21st Century.
They also agreed to begin director-general level consultations to strengthen communication between their diplomatic corps and devise a new blueprint for relations.
In addition, both sides decided to maintain close cooperation for the success of the proposed tripartite summit involving South Korea, Japan and China; the meeting would be held in Tokyo next month if it proceeds. They also agreed to upgrade cooperation in mutually beneficial areas such as economy, culture and people exchanges. “In the field of economy, we need to expand the employment of Korean youths in Japan, and in the field of human exchange, we should strengthen cooperation to promote youth exchanges, help people enter and depart each country and support their stays,” Minister Kang said. She said her ministry is considering setting up a task force to invigorate bilateral cultural and human exchanges.
Minister Kang also urged Tokyo to quickly resume stalled economic consultations with Seoul, demanding a forward-looking approach on negotiations over the rights to enter fishing zones in accordance with a bilateral fisheries agreement. Minister Kono responded that he hopes such matters will be reviewed at working-level talks in the coming days.
The two ministers agreed to proceed with working-level discussions on historical matters in which both countries could cooperate, including the repatriation of the remains of Korean forced laborers in Japan who died in Sakhalin and support for ethnic Koreans there.
Minister Kono expressed his government’s position on the bilateral agreement on Korean women forced into sexual slavery by the Japanese military in World War II and the territorial dispute over the islets of Dokdo.
Minister Kang then explained her administration’s stance on the sexual slavery issue and reiterated that Japan’s claims to Dokdo “will never be accepted.”
On the upcoming inter-Korean and North Korea-U.S. summits, the two officials cited the importance of both meetings in achieving the denuclearization of and formation of a permanent peace on the Korean Peninsula. They agreed to reinforce close bilateral communication and cooperation and with the U.S., the Foreign Ministry in Seoul said.
Minister Kang said Japan has recently sent positive messages for the success of the inter-Korean and North Korea-U.S. summits, and asked Tokyo “to further play a constructive role in the process of pursuing peaceful resolution of the North Korean nuclear problem.”
Minister Kono commended Korea for taking the lead in working to make the summits happen, saying, Japan “has high hopes that the success of the two summits will bring forth tangible progress in resolving the North Korean nuclear issue.”
A Foreign Ministry official in Seoul said the ministers’ talks were part of the vigorous communication both sides had maintained since the launch of the incumbent government in May last year. “Especially through the mutual visits of and communication between the two foreign ministers, the meeting might’ve seen constructive consultation that bolstered the bilateral relationship based on trust. It was an opportunity to reaffirm the commitment of both sides to the resolution of the nuclear and other North Korean issues and the development of a future-oriented Korea-Japan relationship,” he said.
Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-hwa on April 11 held talks in Seoul with Japanese counterpart Taro Kono on bilateral relations focusing on North Korea and its nuclear program, as well as other matters of mutual concern.
The Foreign Ministry in Seoul said that noting the discussion held in the bilateral summit Feb. 9 just before the opening of the PyeongChang Olympic Games, the two ministers reaffirmed their stance on joint efforts for future-oriented development of two-way ties, on the occasion of this year marking the 20th anniversary of the so-called Joint Declaration for New Korea-Japan Partnership for the 21st Century.
They also agreed to begin director-general level consultations to strengthen communication between their diplomatic corps and devise a new blueprint for relations.
In addition, both sides decided to maintain close cooperation for the success of the proposed tripartite summit involving South Korea, Japan and China; the meeting would be held in Tokyo next month if it proceeds. They also agreed to upgrade cooperation in mutually beneficial areas such as economy, culture and people exchanges. “In the field of economy, we need to expand the employment of Korean youths in Japan, and in the field of human exchange, we should strengthen cooperation to promote youth exchanges, help people enter and depart each country and support their stays,” Minister Kang said. She said her ministry is considering setting up a task force to invigorate bilateral cultural and human exchanges.
Minister Kang also urged Tokyo to quickly resume stalled economic consultations with Seoul, demanding a forward-looking approach on negotiations over the rights to enter fishing zones in accordance with a bilateral fisheries agreement. Minister Kono responded that he hopes such matters will be reviewed at working-level talks in the coming days.
The two ministers agreed to proceed with working-level discussions on historical matters in which both countries could cooperate, including the repatriation of the remains of Korean forced laborers in Japan who died in Sakhalin and support for ethnic Koreans there.
Minister Kono expressed his government’s position on the bilateral agreement on Korean women forced into sexual slavery by the Japanese military in World War II and the territorial dispute over the islets of Dokdo.
Minister Kang then explained her administration’s stance on the sexual slavery issue and reiterated that Japan’s claims to Dokdo “will never be accepted.”
On the upcoming inter-Korean and North Korea-U.S. summits, the two officials cited the importance of both meetings in achieving the denuclearization of and formation of a permanent peace on the Korean Peninsula. They agreed to reinforce close bilateral communication and cooperation and with the U.S., the Foreign Ministry in Seoul said.
Minister Kang said Japan has recently sent positive messages for the success of the inter-Korean and North Korea-U.S. summits, and asked Tokyo “to further play a constructive role in the process of pursuing peaceful resolution of the North Korean nuclear problem.”
Minister Kono commended Korea for taking the lead in working to make the summits happen, saying, Japan “has high hopes that the success of the two summits will bring forth tangible progress in resolving the North Korean nuclear issue.”
A Foreign Ministry official in Seoul said the ministers’ talks were part of the vigorous communication both sides had maintained since the launch of the incumbent government in May last year. “Especially through the mutual visits of and communication between the two foreign ministers, the meeting might’ve seen constructive consultation that bolstered the bilateral relationship based on trust. It was an opportunity to reaffirm the commitment of both sides to the resolution of the nuclear and other North Korean issues and the development of a future-oriented Korea-Japan relationship,” he said.