South Korea strategizes Ahead of First Lee-Takaichi Summit at APEC
South Korean President Lee Jae Myung is preparing for his first bilateral meeting with Japan’s newly inaugurated Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit. While the APEC forum presents limitations for in-depth negotiations,Seoul views it as a crucial opportunity to establish the future direction of South Korea-Japan relations.
The meeting takes place against a backdrop of evolving Japanese leadership and sensitivities surrounding past issues.Notably, Takaichi refrained from visiting the Yasukuni Shrine in Tokyo during Japan’s fall festival in October, a departure from her previous practice of visiting the shrine during both spring and fall festivals, and also on the anniversary of Japan’s surrender in World War II, even while holding ministerial positions. The Yasukuni shrine, which honors Japan’s war dead including convicted war criminals, remains a point of contention with South Korea and other regional neighbors.
experts suggest several strategies for president Lee to pursue during the summit. Troy Stangarone believes South Korea “can use APEC as an opportunity to lay out its preferred agenda to shape future discussions on deepening trilateral cooperation.” Patrick Cronin of the Hudson Institute emphasized the need for both leaders to prioritize economic growth alongside military strengthening. he suggested Lee focus on “finding new ways to cooperate economically with Japan, while underscoring trilateral security cooperation and reaffirming basic cooperation on regional security challenges.”
Ellen Kim, director of academic affairs at the Korea Economic Institute of America, advocated for Lee to emphasize the importance of continued “shuttle diplomacy” – reciprocal leader visits - to maintain close communication and coordination between the two governments. She also stressed the need to secure Takaichi’s support for the trilateral partnership with the United states.
However, Kim also noted a potential strategic consideration for Seoul: a intentional downplaying of the US-ROK-Japan trilateral partnership during APEC. This approach stems from the Lee governance’s priority of improving relations with China, as Chinese President Xi Jinping is scheduled to visit South Korea this week for the APEC summit – his first trip to the country sence 2014 – amidst existing strains in Seoul-Beijing relations. Publicly emphasizing the trilateral security cooperation coudl be perceived as antagonistic towards China, possibly hindering efforts to mend those ties.
The Republic of Korea (ROK),South Korea’s formal name,aims to leverage the APEC summit to navigate complex regional dynamics and establish a productive path forward in its relationship with Japan.
