S. Korea’s Lee Calls for Stronger Ties with Japan, U.S.; Aims to Improve ‘Deteriorated’ Relations with China

By Takashi Nakagawa / Yomiuri Shimbun Correspondent

20:00 JST, June 4, 2025

SEOUL — South Korea’s new President Lee Jae-myung has positioned Japan as an important, cooperative partner and also called for enhanced trilateral relations between the two countries and the United States.

It is believed that Lee has attempted to provide a sense of security both domestically and internationally by showing that he would not turn away from former President Yoon Suk Yeol’s decision to work toward improving Japan-South Korea relations.

Lee pledged during his campaign that he would engage in pragmatic diplomacy. Regarding relations with Japan, he also claimed that he would deal with social, cultural and economic issues in a future-oriented manner. Through positioning Japan as an important partner, Lee said he would lay a foundation for a consistent and stable bilateral relationship.

Wi Sung-lac, Lee’s diplomatic brain and a member of the National Assembly, said at a press conference on May 28 that Lee would, within a broad framework, maintain Yoon’s policies, including his solution to the issue of lawsuits regarding former wartime requisitioned workers from the Korean Peninsula.

In the past, Lee made a series of harsh comments about Japan and criticized Yoon’s efforts to improve the South Korea-Japan relationship, calling it “humiliating diplomacy toward Japan.”

During the election campaign, Lee’s remarks toward Japan became more conciliatory, as momentum has grown for a cooperative response to issues such as U.S. President Donald Trump’s tariff policy and the deteriorating security environment in Northeast Asia.

Lee has pledged that he would “deal with issues related to history and territory in a principled manner.” However, should there be a dispute with Japan, some have voiced concerns over his ability to handle the situation in a cool-headed manner.

Among Lee’s campaign pledges was a policy to strengthen cooperation among Japan, South Korea and the United States, which stressed that a strong alliance with the United States is the foundation of diplomacy. The pledges also indicated that the diversification of diplomatic relations would also be sought, saying the relationship with China, which “reached its lowest level under the previous administration, would be managed in a stable manner.”

Concerning the North Korean nuclear issue, Lee claimed that he would establish a framework of cooperating with the United States and the international community in order to make substantial progress on a solution. He said he would aim to relieve tension with North Korea by reopening hotlines and other communication channels. He added that he would be involved in efforts to improve the human rights situation in North Korea.