SOUTH KOREA-Kishida, Yoon Look To Establish New Era Of Positive Relations

More comments emerging from Japanese PM Fumio Kishida at his meeting with South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol. Kishida: '[We] agreed that improvement of Japan-South Korea relations is urgent given regional situation.' Says that Japan will restart security dialogue w/South Korea as soon as possible, and that a new dialogue regarding economic security will be established. The language used by both leaders is the most positive heard between the countries in years, and if sustained could result in a much closer political and economic relationship.

• Kishida: '[We] remain open to dialogue with North Korea.' Reaffirms importance of trilateral Japanese-South Korean-US cooperation. Yoon says he agrees with Kishida, that North Korea's nuclear and missile development is a threat to regional and international peace, and on trilateral cooperation.
• Yoon: 'South Korea and Japan agreed to accelerate talks to vitalise exchanges...South Korea and Japan are closest partners, sharing mutual values like freedom and human rights.'
• Kishida also speaks on historical issues relating to Japanese occupation of Korean peninsula in the first half of the 20th C. that have hindered closer relations: '[I] believe the South Korean plan to compensate former labourers is one that returns relations to a healthy one...We confirmed that the current Japanese gov't has inherited the historical understanding of past gov'ts.' Yoon says the forced labour proposal 'laid the groundwork for future oriented relations with Japan.'