SEOUL: Ahead of the second anniversary of his inauguration on Friday, South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol said Thursday that his country and Japan should cooperate for the future.

Yoon also vowed to strengthen security cooperation between Japan, South Korea, and the United States and expand economic opportunities under trilateral cooperation.

Following his ruling party’s defeat in last month’s general election, meanwhile, the president said that his administration will focus on communicating with the people of his country.

Yoon was speaking at his first solo press conference since August 2022.

On Japan-South Korea relations, the president acknowledged that there are clear differences in the positions of the peoples of the two countries on past history and some pending issues, but stressed that the two neighbors should cooperate in dealing with North Korea and on the economic front.

Yoon noted that he and Japanese Prime Minister KISHIDA Fumio have mutual trust, and that each knows that the other has a strong desire to develop bilateral relations.

The South Korean leader has worked to improve Japan-South Korea relations and strengthen Japan-U.S.-South Korea ties, including by deciding on a solution to the wartime labor issue between the Asian nations.

However, his administration now faces tougher challenges as the remaining three years of his tenure will see the opposition camp continue to hold a parliamentary majority as a result of the recent general election.

At the press conference, Yoon apologized that his administration had lacked ability and effort to improve people’s daily lives, and promised to spend the next three years listening to their voices and paying close attention to their livelihoods.

He also announced a plan to create a new ministry to address his country’s declining birthrate.

JIJI Press