Japan South Korea pledge closer ties after Ishiba Lee meeting on sidelines of G 7 summit

KANANASKIS, Alberta - South Korean President Lee Jae Myung and Japan’s Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba agreed to step up cooperation in their first in-person talks, in an early indication of the direction of future relations between the two countries after Mr Lee took office.

The two leaders met on the sidelines of the Group of Seven (G-7) summit in the Canadian Rockies on June 17, just days before the 60th anniversary of the normalisation of diplomatic ties between South Korea and Japan.

“We are inseparable, like neighbours sharing a front yard. We may have small differences and disagreements, but I hope that we can overcome them and develop a more cooperative and mutually beneficial relationship in many ways,” Mr Lee said to Mr Ishiba, a televised broadcast showed.

The meeting builds on a dialogue that began with a phone call about a week ago. Left-leaning Lee, who has been critical of Japan in the past, became president after winning a June 3 vote triggered by the ouster of his conservative predecessor.

The two leaders agreed to beef up trilateral cooperation with the US to respond to geopolitical risks including North Korean issues, and reaffirmed their commitment to shuttle diplomacy between the neighbours, a statement from the South Korean president’s office said.

“The two leaders affirmed that they will continue to work closely together, as well as within the trilateral framework with the US, on responding to North Korea on issues that include nuclear, missiles, and abductees,” according to a separate statement from the Japanese government.

Mr Lee had also planned to meet with President Donald Trump on the sidelines of the G-7 summit, but the talks were cancelled after Mr Trump cut short his trip amid the Israel-Iran conflict. The possibility of a three-way meeting among the leaders