PM Kim urges stronger S.Korea–Japan cooperation in meeting with Japanese lawmakers
Nakasone vows continued contribution to bilateral friendship as both sides highlight people-to-people and youth exchanges
South Korean Prime Minister Kim Min-seok met with a delegation from the Korea-Japan and Japan-Korea Cooperation Committee on November 24 to discuss ways to advance bilateral relations, the Prime Minister’s Office said.
Prime Minister Kim welcomed the Japanese delegation—led by Acting Chair Hirofumi Nakasone—at the Government Complex Seoul and congratulated them on the successful hosting of the 58th joint general meeting, which took place on Jeju Island on the 22nd. He noted that holding the meeting outside the two capitals for the first time marked “a meaningful shift, expanding cooperation into local regions.”
Kim also pointed to the continued summit diplomacy between the two countries following the launch of the new administration, saying he viewed positively that “Korea and Japan, as close neighbors, have agreed to strengthen future-oriented cooperation.” He stressed that cooperation must extend beyond intergovernmental channels to political and private-sector exchanges, calling on the committee to “continue gathering wisdom for the development of bilateral relations.”
Nakasone, who previously served as campaign chair for Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, said he hoped to play a role in facilitating smooth communication between the Korean government and the Takaichi Cabinet. Recalling the legacy of his father, former Prime Minister Yasuhiro Nakasone, he noted that he “worked to maintain communication channels between Korea and Japan even during difficult times” and vowed to keep contributing to bilateral friendship and cooperation.
Nakasone added that strengthened Korea–Japan and trilateral Korea–U.S.–Japan cooperation is essential to overcoming shared challenges such as geopolitical instability and global economic shifts. He welcomed the fact that congratulatory messages from both leaders were delivered at the Jeju meeting and that “productive discussions took place.”
Prime Minister Kim also underscored the importance of expanding youth exchanges, while Japanese participants expressed strong expectations for deeper cultural exchange, particularly driven by K-pop.