South Korea and Japan reaffirm commitment to strengthening
cooperation on Korean Peninsula issues
Minister Kim Yung Ho visits Japan for high-level international
dialogue on unification (April 9-11)
Minister of Unification Kim Yung Ho visited Tokyo, Japan from April
9 to 11, 2025, to attend a high-level international dialogue on unification.
During this visit, the Republic of Korea and Japan reaffirmed their
commitment to reinforcing mutual understanding and cooperation on
matters pertaining to the Korean Peninsula.
On April 9, Minister Kim held meetings with Secretary-General of the
Japan-Korea Parliamentarians’ Union* Nagashima Akihisa and Vice Chair
of the Union’s Security and Foreign Affairs Committee Shigetoku Kazuhiko.
Japanese parliamentarians expressed a shared sense of urgency
regarding the escalating uncertainties in the international landscape
and highlighted the need to strengthen bilateral cooperation in
information sharing and in addressing human rights concerns, including
the abduction of Japanese nationals. They conveyed their firm
commitment to supporting these efforts within the parliamentary framework.
*Japan-Korea Parliamentarians’ Union: The Japanese counterpart to
the Korea-Japan Parliamentarians’ Union
Subsequently, Minister Kim participated in the Korea-Japan Expert
Forum, which was attended by members of the Unification Future
Planning Committee of the Ministry of Unification. The forum served as
a platform for exploring ways for future-oriented trilateral
cooperation among the Republic of Korea, the United States, and Japan
amid changing international dynamics, including the launch of a new
U.S. administration. He also held an in-depth discussion on ways to
enhance cooperation on unification and North Korea policies between
the ROK and Japan.
On April 10, Minister Kim met with Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshimasa
Hayashi, and both sides reaffirmed the need need promptly resolve the
issues of abductions and detentions. They also discussed ways to
enhance Korea-Japan cooperation to improve the human rights situation
in North Korea.
In a subsequent meeting with Minister for Foreign Affairs Takeshi
Iwaya, Minister Kim exchanged views on the North Korean situation. He
stated that this year marks the 60th anniversary of the normalization
of diplomatic relations between the Republic of Korea and Japan,
emphasizing that resolving historical issues and building a
future-oriented relationship is of vital importance.
Minister Kim also delivered a briefing at the Foreign
Correspondents’ Club of Japan, where he outlined South Korea’s
unification and North Korea policies. He stated that the most powerful
means of curbing North Korea’s provocations and threats lies in the
international community’s unified goal and stance of zero tolerance
for North Korea’s nuclear program. He also welcomed Japan’s active and
constructive role in supporting the peaceful unification of the Korean Peninsula.
Furthermore, during a luncheon meeting with members of the Peaceful
Unification Advisory Council, the Unification Education Council, and
Korean residents in Japan, Minister Kim listened to participants’
views on unification and North Korea policies and asked for their
continued support and cooperation in advancing Korea-Japan relations.
