South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol and outgoing Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida stressed the vital importance of sustaining the momentum in bilateral cooperation and exchanges -- an effort driven by their leader-to-leader diplomacy -- during Kishida's farewell visit to Seoul on Friday.

Seoul and Tokyo signed a formal agreement to strengthen cooperation in protecting their nationals abroad and pledged to boost people-to-people exchanges by streamlining immigration procedures ahead of next year’s 60th anniversary of normalized diplomatic relations.

During the talks, Yoon praised Kishida's visit to Seoul before the end of his term, saying it "clearly demonstrates his strong commitment to advancing Korea-Japan relations."

Yoon emphasized that the "improvement in Korea-Japan relations has become a crucial foundation for structuring and deepening trilateral cooperation between South Korea, the US and Japan," as demonstrated by the Camp David Summit, the first standalone trilateral summit held in August 2023.

"To further enhance cooperation between Korea and Japan, as well as between Korea, the US and Japan, it is essential to maintain the positive momentum that Prime Minister Kishida and I have cultivated in our bilateral relationship," Yoon said.

"Challenges persist in Korea-Japan relations, but I hope both sides will continue to work together with a forward-looking attitude so that we can keep moving toward a brighter future," Yoon added.

Kishida echoed this sentiment, highlighting the need for a future-oriented approach in bilateral relations, while acknowledging the challenges posed by historical disputes and unresolved issues.

"While historical and ongoing issues persist between Japan and Korea, it is vital to build on the efforts of those who came before us, who navigated past challenges, and to move forward in cooperation with Korea toward a brighter future."

Kishida clarified, "I stated in Seoul that I personally felt deeply saddened that so many people endured such difficult and painful experiences under harsh conditions at the time," referring to his remarks during a joint press conference with Yoon following their summit in May last year.

"I have also made it clear that I fully uphold the positions of previous Cabinets regarding historical awareness, including the 1998 Joint Declaration between Japan and Korea," Kishida reiterated.

60th anniversary

Kishida said his talks with Yoon were focused on reaffirming their shared commitment to deepening cooperation and exchanges between Japan and South Korea as the two nations prepare to celebrate the 60th anniversary of normalized diplomatic ties next year.

"It is crucial that the people of both countries tangibly experience the benefits of our greatly strengthened bilateral relationship," Kishida emphasized.

In a separate press release following the summit, Yoon's office announced that the two leaders agreed to step up efforts, led by the task force preparing the 60th anniversary, to "identify and expand tangible areas of cooperation."

"The two leaders agreed that with people-to-people exchanges between the two countries expected to exceed 10 million this year -- an all-time high -- it is necessary to explore institutional measures, such as simplifying immigration procedures, to further enhance convenience for their citizens," the statement read.

Yoon's office also stated that Kishida would continue his efforts to strengthen bilateral relations even after stepping down as prime minister.

"President Yoon specifically requested that Prime Minister Kishida play a role in ensuring that his successor continues the positive momentum in advancing Korea-Japan relations, and Kishida readily agreed to do so."

Joint expat evacuations and more

On the occasion of Kishida's visit, the foreign ministries of South Korea and Japan signed a memorandum of cooperation to establish an institutional framework to ensure the safety of South Korean and Japanese nationals residing in third countries, Seoul’s principal deputy national security adviser Kim Tae-hyo said in a press briefing.

Kim said the memorandum outlines eight key areas of cooperation, including coordination between the two nations for evacuation operations of their nationals in third countries during emergencies.

The Foreign Ministry in Seoul explained that the memorandum aims to further strengthen bilateral cooperation in protecting nationals abroad in the case of future crises, building on successful efforts to evacuate citizens during the Sudan coup in April last year, the Israel-Hamas conflict in October and repatriations during the COVID-19 pandemic.

"The memorandum is expected to significantly contribute to ensuring the protection and safety of our nationals during potential crises in remote areas such as the Middle East and Africa," the Foreign Ministry said.

In accordance with the memorandum, the two countries will, when necessary, share best practices and information on crisis management procedures, training and drills; exchange details on evacuation plans during emergencies in third countries; and consult on mutual support for evacuating nationals from these regions.

"The Korea-Japan agreement to jointly evacuate citizens abroad formalizes what has so far been ad hoc cooperation during emergency situations in third countries," said Leif-Eric Easley, a professor of international studies at Ewha Womans University in Seoul. "This demonstrates a high level of trust and coordination between the two governments in responding to geopolitical risks."

Kishida’s visit to Seoul comes ahead of his departure from office, as he is to step down from the leadership of Japan's ruling Liberal Democratic Party on Sept. 27, when the party will select the next prime minister.

Yoon and Kishida have held 12 bilateral summits since their first meeting on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York in September 2022.

They have revitalized bilateral relations, notably by restoring "shuttle diplomacy" -- a practice suspended since 2011 -- where the two leaders alternately visit each other’s countries for summit talks.

"The fact that Yoon and Kishida have met a dozen times during their leadership tenures is a significant achievement. It took political courage from both sides to remove historical obstacles to shuttle diplomacy," Easley said. "Frequent summits not only facilitate policy coordination, but also signal a healthy will to cooperate to working-level officials who manage functional issues, from customs and immigration to climate change."