After the summit, the 1st banquet with a married couple moved to central Tokyo, and the 2nd private dinner “Building trust and discussing the future in a place other than the official residence”
President Yoon Seok-yeol shakes hands with Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida at a Korea-Japan summit held at a hotel in Phnom Penh, Cambodia on the 13th (local time). (Provided by the President’s Office) 2022.11.14/News 1
It is known that President Yoon Seok-yeol, who is visiting Japan on the 16th, will have two dinners following the summit meeting with Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida. The intention is to highlight future-oriented Korea-Japan relations with the international community by referencing a symbolic scene where the two leaders found a solution to the issue of compensation for victims of forced labor during the Japanese occupation. It is unusual for heads of state to move from place to place during the same night and have dinner twice a day.
According to presidential office officials on the 13th, President Yoon will visit Japan for two days and one night to attend a meeting with compatriots and then meet with Prime Minister Kishida for a summit. A joint press conference will then be held. There is also a possibility that the leaders of both countries will come out with new Korea-Japan cooperation or future statements.
It is known that the dinner on this day was first coordinated by the two countries so that President Yoon and his wife, Kim Gun-hee, and Prime Minister Kishida and his wife, Yuko, with each other. It is known that the two leaders will move on later and have a frank talk between President Yun and Prime Minister Kishida in central Tokyo. The event is expected to be a private dinner with very few attendees, with the wives of the leaders of the two countries not attending.
In particular, a diplomatic source said that it is known that the exclusive lunch schedule between the leaders of the two countries is a place that the Japanese side has carefully considered in line with President Yoon’s visit to Japan. Japan is said to have noted a place that President Yoon had visited once before and chose it as the venue for the second dinner. An official from the presidential office said, “Japan chooses the location of the dinner carefully when visiting foreign heads of state.”
During a weekly meeting with Prime Minister Han Deok-soo that day, President Yoon ordered, “For future-oriented Korea-Japan relations, all government departments should discover and promote cooperation projects in all areas,” said Presidential Office Spokesman Lee Do-woon . In response, Prime Minister Han said, “We will promote the discovery and realization of exchange and cooperation projects in all fields for the development of a new relationship between Korea and Japan.” It is a measure to build a general partnership between the two countries with the Korea-Japan summit as an opportunity. As President Yoon ordered the discovery of exchange and cooperation projects in all fields, there are comments that could be expanded to general cooperation projects such as industry, culture and education.
An official from the President’s Office said on the same day, “We are holding consultations in the direction of participating in the ‘Future Youth Fund’ (promoted by the Korean and Japanese business world) by the Japanese company , which is to accuse him of the forced labor award.” It is known that major business figures such as Samsung Electronics Chairman Lee Jae-yong, SK Group Chairman Chey Tae-won, Hyundai Motor Group Chairman Chung Eui-sun, and Chief LG executive Koo Kwang-mo accompanies President Yoon on his visit to Japan.
Reporter Jang-Seok Jang jks@donga.com
