Japan–South Korea Lawmakers’ Groups Pledge to Elevate Bilateral Cooperation at Seoul Meeting

Seoul, The Gulf Observer: Japanese and South Korean nonpartisan parliamentary groups dedicated to strengthening bilateral friendship agreed on Sunday to expand cooperation across politics, the economy, society, and culture, during a joint plenary meeting held in the South Korean capital.

In a joint statement adopted at the session, the two groups also strongly condemned North Korea’s continued nuclear and missile development, calling for close coordination between Tokyo and Seoul to achieve the complete denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula.

The statement further emphasized the need for “sincere dialogue” on unresolved bilateral issues, including matters related to wartime Korean laborers at Japan’s Sado Island gold mines, a site recently inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage list.

The meeting was attended by Akihisa Nagashima, a senior member of the Japanese parliamentary group, and Joo Ho-young, head of the South Korean counterpart.

“There are various issues between the two countries, but I hope our groups will be able to solve them one by one,” Nagashima said following the discussions.

In a congratulatory message to the meeting, Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi underscored the importance of the bilateral relationship, describing South Korea as an essential neighbor with which Japan must cooperate to address global challenges. She added that the significance of Japan–South Korea ties, as well as trilateral cooperation with the United States, is growing amid the current strategic environment.

Sunday’s session marked the first joint meeting between the two groups since their gathering in Tokyo in September 2023. A planned meeting last December was canceled due to disruptions following then–President Yoon Suk Yeol’s declaration of emergency martial law.

The two sides agreed that next year’s joint plenary session will be convened in Tokyo.