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Lee calls on S. Korea, Japan to join hands for future ahead of 60th anniv. of ties
President Lee Jae-myung on Monday called for South Korea and Japan to join hands for a better future, casting the two neighbors as important partners bound to work together amid a rapidly changing global environment.
Lee made the remark in a congratulatory video message at the start of an event hosted by the Japanese Embassy in Seoul to mark the 60th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations, which falls on this Sunday.
"South Korea and Japan are key partners who must cooperate closely in responding to a rapidly changing global landscape. Let's join hands and move toward a better future," Lee said.
The phrase "join hands and move toward a better future" is the official slogan for the 60th anniversary of the normalization of the ties. Korea was under Japan's colonial rule from 1910-45.
"Building on the achievements and progress we have made so far, I sincerely hope that Korea and Japan will continue to develop a stable and future-oriented relationship," he said.
Lee did not attend Monday's ceremony, as he had departed for Canada to take part in an expanded meeting of the Group of Seven (G7) summit.
Attention is being drawn to whether Lee will meet bilaterally with Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba on the margins of the G7 gathering.
"As we look ahead to the upcoming G7 summit and beyond, I hope to build a strong foundation of trust and friendship with the prime minister," Lee added.
Lee has signaled a departure from his hard-line stance on the Asian neighbor to maintain the positive momentum in bilateral relations that dramatically improved under the previous conservative government.
Lee has pledged to take a "two-track" approach, separating efforts for forward-looking cooperation from historical disputes rooted in the colonial period.
Among those attending Monday's ceremony were Second Vice Foreign Minister Kim Ji-na and Akihisa Nagashima, special adviser to Ishiba, along with government officials, business leaders, academics, and other key stakeholders from both countries.
In a congratulatory remark, Nagashima pointed out that close communication between Seoul and Tokyo is "indispensable" given the current challenging international environment.
"It's not a problem of choice ... This cooperation will encompass various fields, including security, economy, energy, technology and culture," he said.
Japanese Ambassador to Seoul Koichi Mizushima highlighted the progress in bilateral exchanges for the past six decades, including trade, tourism and culture, saying the Seoul-Tokyo relations are "standing at a new starting point."
"The deepening and development of Japan-South Korea relations is undeniable fact," he said in his speech. "We must strive to achieve further leaps in Japan-South Korea relations in the next 60 years and beyond by supporting the next generation who will shape the future of both countries."
A variety of performances were held ahead of the ceremony, including those by a student choir from the Seoul Japan School and Korean pianist Lee Kyung-mi.
On one side of the stage, an old folding screen was on display, originally used at the treaty ratification ceremony in Seoul on Dec. 18, 1965.
The screen is the left panel of a pair, with the right panel held at the South Korean Embassy in Japan. This marks its second public showing, following its display at the 50th anniversary celebration.
Inscribed on the screen is an excerpt from a classical poem by 16th-century Korean poet and politician Jeong Cheol, also known by his pen name, Songgang.
The latter part of the event was to feature Mizushima conferring awards on individuals and groups in recognition of their contributions to promoting bilateral relations and cultural exchange.
