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| ▲ President Lee Jae Myung (L) shakes hands with Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi ahead of their summit in Nara, Japan, on Jan. 13, 2026. (Yonhap) |
Lee-return
Lee returns home from Japan trip focused on deepening ties
By Kim Eun-jung
SEOUL, Jan. 14 (Yonhap) -- President Lee Jae Myung returned home Wednesday after a two-day trip to Japan, during which he held talks with Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi on ways to broaden and deepen bilateral cooperation amid tensions between Beijing and Tokyo.
Lee met Takaichi in her hometown of Nara, marking his second visit to Japan and his fifth summit with a Japanese prime minister since taking office in June last year. It was their second summit following their first meeting in South Korea's Gyeongju in late October.
During Tuesday's talks, the two leaders agreed to advance "future-oriented cooperation" through reciprocal leader-level visits, dubbed "shuttle diplomacy."
They reaffirmed their commitment to the complete denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula, while Lee also emphasized the need for Seoul, Tokyo and Beijing to find common ground for cooperation in Northeast Asia.
Sensitive issues, including South Korea's ban on Japanese seafood imports, were raised as Seoul seeks to join the 12-member Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership, which is led by Japan.
While South Korea reiterated its bid to join the pact, Japan explained its position on food safety, National Security Adviser Wi Sung-lac said, adding that further working-level consultations are needed.
The summit also addressed historical issues that have long weighed on bilateral ties. Seoul and Tokyo agreed to conduct DNA analysis to identify remains discovered last August at the Chosei undersea coal mine in Japan's Yamaguchi Prefecture, where a flood in 1942 killed 183 people, including 136 Korean forced laborers.
Lee's visit also provided opportunities for the two leaders to build personal rapport through lighthearted moments, including an impromptu drum session, exchanging gifts and touring Horyu-ji Temple, a UNESCO World Heritage site known to have been influenced by the ancient Korean kingdom of Baekje.
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