South Korea’s Lee to Take Steps for Better Ties with Japan

Jiji Press

16:52 JST, March 1, 2026

SEOUL (Jiji Press) — South Korean President Lee Jae-myung said Sunday that he will take measures allowing citizens of his country and Japan to feel more strongly the benefits of improving the bilateral ties.

In a speech to mark the 107th anniversary of the 1919 independence movement against Japanese colonial rule of the Korean Peninsula, Lee said he will achieve that through reciprocal visits by the two countries’ leaders.

He highlighted the importance of cooperation with Japan and stopped short of criticizing the neighboring country or mentioning thorny issues of history. This was his first speech at the annual ceremony since he took office in June last year.

Through the remarks, he apparently wanted to show his intention to implement concrete measures to vitalize economic cooperation and people-to-people exchanges further as he recognizes that the trend of improving bilateral relations has already been fully established.

Cooperation between Japan and South Korea is crucial especially at a time when international norms established after World War II are seriously threatened by the logic of force, Lee said.

He also expressed hope that the two countries will move forward toward the future while facing up to history.

Trilateral cooperation among Japan, China and South Korea will contribute to world peace at a time when China-Japan relations are deteriorating, he also stated.

On North Korea, Lee showed his intention to continue efforts to regain trust from the country and encourage it to accept resumption of dialogue with the United States. He did not mention North Korea’s nuclear development program while calling for a “peaceful Korean Peninsula.”