1. On October 18, Vice Foreign Minister Lim Sung-nam held the first ROK-Japan Vice Foreign Ministers’ meeting since the inauguration of the Moon Jae-in government with Japanese Vice Minister for Foreign Affairs Shinsuke Sugiyama, who is on a visit to the ROK to attend the 7th ROK-US-Japan vice foreign ministerial meeting. The two sides exchanged views on issues of mutual interest, with a focus on the ROK-Japan relations.

2. Vice Minister Lim stressed that as demonstrated by the two summit meetings between the ROK and Japan since the inauguration of the Moon Jae-in government, it is the firm principle of the ROK government that it will handle history issues between the two countries in a stable manner, and develop the bilateral relations into a future-oriented and mature partnership, while maintaining close communications with Japan.

o Vice Minister Lim expressed hope that the Japanese Prime Minister will visit the ROK to attend the 2018 PyeongChang Olympic Winter Games, and the Japanese Foreign Minister will also visit the ROK as early as possible.

o The two Vice Ministers agreed to continue to work together to hold the ROK-Japan-China summit meeting, to be held in Japan, as soon as possible.

3. Vice Minister Lim offered to maintain positive momentum in the ROK-Japan relations through such close communications and exchanges between the two countries, and continue to work together to make sure that the 20th anniversary of the “Joint Declaration on a New ROK-Japan Partnership for the 21st Century” next year will serve as an opportunity to further advance the bilateral relations.

4. The two Vice Ministers shared the view that strengthening substantive cooperation, including economic and people-to-people exchanges, is important for building future-oriented relations between the ROK and Japan.

o Vice Minister Lim offered to facilitate various channels for economic consultation to respond to issues of common concern, including low birth rate and an aging population, and preparations for the Fourth Industrial Revolution. He also offered to accelerate working-level consultations to increase youth exchanges and people-to-people exchanges by utilizing the 2018 PyeongChang Olympic Winter Games and the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Summer Games.

o Vice Minister Sugiyama offered to expedite working-level consultations between the two countries to discuss concrete ways for substantive cooperation, including economic and people-to-people exchanges.

5. The two Vice Ministers agreed to continue close cooperation between the ROK and Japan and among the ROK, the US and Japan on the North Korean nuclear issue in the current grave security environment on the Korean Peninsula.

6. The Vice Foreign Ministers’ meeting, held for the first time since the inauguration of the Moon Jae-in government, is seen to serve as an opportunity for the ROK and Japan to share their commitment to devise more concrete ways to build future-oriented relations between the two countries, and to reaffirm close cooperation among the ROK, the US and Japan and between the ROK and Japan to manage the situation on the Korean Peninsula in a stable manner in the current grave security environment on the Peninsula.


* unofficial translation