1. During his visit to Honolulu on the occasion of the ROK-U.S.-Japan Trilateral Ministerial Meeting, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Korea Chung Eui-yong had a meeting with Minister for Foreign Affairs of Japan Yoshimasa Hayashi on the afternoon of February 12 (local time).

2. This marked the first Foreign Ministers’ meeting between the two countries since Minister Hayashi took office. The two ministers exchanged views on key bilateral issues and matters of mutual interest.

o Minister Chung stressed that Korea and Japan are the closest neighbors that need to work closely together to achieve peace and prosperity in Northeast Asia and beyond, and that the correct understanding of history is the basis for the future-oriented development of Korea-Japan relations. Minister Chung also pointed out that such understanding of history has been shared in major previous talks, statements and declarations between the two countries. In this regard, he reiterated the Korean government’s position on the pending issues including the Supreme Court’s ruling on the victims of forced labor and the issue of “comfort women” victims, and suggested speeding up consultations between the diplomatic authorities of the two countries in order to seek a solution which is acceptable to the victims.

o Minister Chung again reiterated deep regrets and protest over the decision of the Japanese government to nominate the “Sado Island Gold Mines” for inscription on the UNESCO World Heritage List. He urged the Japanese government to first fully implement the follow-up measures that it pledged when the “Sites of Japan’s Meiji Industrial Revolution” were inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List in 2015.

o Minister Chung also emphasized that the export restrictions imposed by Japan should be withdrawn as soon as possible. He pointed out in particular that such measures, which are targeted at certain industries of Korea, are logically inconsistent with the ongoing discussions among Korea, the United States and Japan on strengthening the stability of the global supply chain.

o Minister Chung also expressed hope that the people of Korea and Japan overcome the difficulties posed by COVID-19 together and the exchanges between the two countries recover to the level before the COVID-19 era as soon as possible, and asked for the Japanese government’s cooperation in this regard.

o Minister Hayashi conveyed the Japanese government’s position.

3. The two ministers reaffirmed the need for dialogue and engagement with the DPRK and the importance of cooperation between the two countries as well as the trilateral cooperation among the ROK, the U.S. and Japan for the early resumption of the Korean Peninsula peace process, and agreed to continue close cooperation to this end.

4. The two ministers agreed to continue close diplomatic communication for the future-oriented development of the Korea-Japan relations.