Lee, Ishiba to hold summit in Busan, reviving bilateral diplomacy

President Lee Jae Myung and Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba are set to meet in the southern port city of Busan on Tuesday, just a month after Lee’s trip to Tokyo in late August. The meeting marks an attempt to reinvigorate and institutionalize “shuttle diplomacy” — which in Korean refers to bilateral state visits — initiated in 2004 by then-President Roh Moo-hyun with his Japanese counterpart Junichiro Koizumi. After a decade-plus freeze prompted by historical disputes, the practice was revived in 2023 under then-President Yoon Suk Yeol. His administration, prioritizing a united front on security and economic issues over historical grievances, took decisive steps to restart high-level dialogue with Japan. The presidential office said Monday that the Busan summit was arranged at Lee’s invitation, with the Japanese prime minister nearing the end of his term. The meeting is expected to focus on broadening Korea-Japan cooperation and strengthening ties with the United States in a trilateral framework. “This will be the first time in 21 years that a Japanese prime ministeWeiter zum vollständigen Artikel bei Korea Times Weiter zum vollständigen Artikel bei Korea Times