Last Friday, South Korea’s Ministry of Trade, Industry, and Energy announced that Jeong In Kyo, Deputy Minister for Trade Negotiations, visited Tokyo, Japan, to meet with Matsuo Takehiko, Vice Minister for International Affairs at Japan’s Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry. The two discussed ways to achieve economic and cooperative outcomes between the two countries in response to changes in the global trade environment.
This meeting was the first since both sides agreed to hold shuttle meetings during the G20 Trade and Investment Ministers’ Meeting on October 24.
Both sides highly valued the progress in South Korea-Japan relations, noting that the countries have been strengthening their future-oriented ties. Multifaceted exchanges have become more active post-COVID-19. They also shared perspectives on the changing global trade environment.
The two countries agreed to communicate regularly on various trade issues and enhance their negotiation power on shared challenges by presenting joint opinions and pursuing collaborative strategies.
Additionally, South Korea and Japan agreed to collaborate to successfully host international events such as the Osaka-Kansai Expo (April to October 2025), the APEC Trade Ministers’ Meeting (tentatively scheduled for May 2025), and the APEC Leaders’ Summit (tentatively planned for November 2025).
Meanwhile, South Korea and Japan will celebrate the 60th anniversary of normalizing diplomatic relations in 2025.
