1. Minister of Foreign Affairs Kang, Kyung-wha met with Minister for Foreign Affairs of Japan Toshimitsu Motegi on the morning of December 24 on the occasion of the ROK-Japan-China Trilateral Summit, and exchanged views on issues of mutual interest, including the ROK-Japan summit scheduled for the afternoon of the same day, Japan’s export-restrictive measures, and the forced labor issue.

2. The two Ministers shared the view that the ROK-Japan summit, the first in about 15 months, should be held successfully, and exchanged views on key agendas for the summit.

3. Minister Kang noted that the Korean and Japanese export control authorities held a dialogue recently, and Japan’s bulk license for one product, though limited, is a progress in a sense as Japan’s voluntary measure, but stressed repeatedly that the dialogue between the export control authorities should ultimately lead to the Japanese side’s prompt withdrawal of its export-restrictive measures.

4. Regarding the ruling on the victims of forced labor, Minister Motegi reiterated Japan’s previous claims, and Minister Kang strongly refuted them, explaining the ROK’s position.

o The two Ministers agreed to continue communication and consultation between the diplomatic authorities of the two countries to resolve the issue of the ruling on the victims of forced labor.

5. In addition, the two Ministers agreed on the need to continue to strengthen collaboration and communication between the ROK and Japan and among the ROK, the U.S. and Japan to make progress in achieving complete denuclearization and establishing lasting peace on the Korean Peninsula through an early resumption of U.S.-DPRK dialogue.