On June 9, 2025 (Monday), the newly elected President of South Korea had a phone conversation with the Prime Minister of Japan, during which they pledged to strengthen bilateral relations and engage in trilateral cooperation with their common ally, the United States.
In a press release from President Lee Jae-myung’s office on Monday, it was revealed that Lee Jae-myung and Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba had a phone conversation lasting about 25 minutes. During the call, they agreed to work towards building a more “mature” bilateral relationship based on “mutual respect and trust”.
This marked the second time President Lee Jae-myung had spoken with world leaders since taking office last Wednesday. Last Friday, in a call with U.S. President Donald Trump, they discussed issues such as U.S. tariffs on South Korean goods and the defense alliance between the two countries.
Regarding the tariff issue, President Lee’s office stated that both sides agreed to “quickly achieve an agreement satisfactory to both parties,” emphasizing the bilateral alliance as the “foundation of South Korea’s foreign policy.” President Lee stressed that pragmatism is key to his diplomatic policy and that he will continue to promote security cooperation among South Korea, Japan, and the U.S.
President Lee’s spokesperson, Kang Yoo-jung, told reporters that President Lee expressed his desire to address geopolitical crises within the framework of trilateral cooperation with Tokyo and Washington.
Kang Yoo-jung added that both leaders reiterated the importance of bilateral relations and agreed to meet in person to further develop the relationship.
The Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued a statement in which Prime Minister Ishiba informed President Lee that he hopes to “further advance bilateral relations through joint efforts, building on the foundation established by both governments to date.”