South Korea, Japan Agree to Deepen Security and Economic Ties

South Korean President Lee Jae Myung and Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi agreed to significantly strengthen cooperation across security, economic and diplomatic fronts, signaling a fresh push to stabilize relations between the two neighbors at a time of rising regional uncertainty.

The agreement came during a summit held in the historic Japanese city of Nara, where the two leaders held talks on economic security, defense cooperation, advanced technology, and the sensitive issue of identifying the remains of Korean forced laborers from World War II.

Both countries are key allies of the United States, but their relationship has often been strained by unresolved disputes linked to Japan’s colonial rule of Korea between 1910 and 1945. Despite this difficult history, the tone of the meeting was forward-looking, with both sides stressing the need to work together in a rapidly changing global environment.

“I believe cooperation between Korea and Japan is now more important than ever,” President Lee said at the start of the talks. “We must continue moving forward toward a better future in this complex and unstable international order.”

After the meeting, the two leaders announced a broad agreement to expand cooperation in several strategic areas, including supply chain resilience, artificial intelligence, and joint efforts to fight transnational crime. They also confirmed plans to work together on DNA analysis of human remains believed to belong to Korean forced laborers found last year at a former Japanese undersea mining site.

Prime Minister Takaichi said she was determined to further improve relations with South Korea, stressing that closer ties between the two countries are essential for regional stability. “I believe Japan and South Korea should cooperate and contribute together for the peace and stability of the region,” she said.

The summit also carries domestic political importance for Takaichi, who took office less than three months ago. While she currently enjoys strong approval ratings, her party does not control both houses of parliament, and there is growing speculation that she may consider calling a snap election to strengthen her political position.

The choice of Nara as the venue was rich in symbolism. The ancient city, known for its historic temples and cultural heritage, was once a center of cultural exchange between the Korean Peninsula and Japan. Lee said the location reflected the deep historical and cultural links between the two countries and underlined the importance of rebuilding trust.

During the visit, Takaichi is set to take Lee to Horyu Temple, home to some of the world’s oldest surviving wooden structures, which illustrate how Buddhism reached Japan via the Korean Peninsula. Lee is also scheduled to meet members of the South Korean community in Japan before returning home.

Beyond bilateral ties, regional security dominated the discussions. Both leaders agreed to deepen cooperation on economic security, science and technology, and to work closely together in addressing the threat posed by North Korea’s nuclear and missile programs. They reaffirmed their shared commitment to the goal of the North’s complete denuclearization.

The talks also took place against the backdrop of rising tensions between Japan and China, particularly over Taiwan. Takaichi recently angered Beijing by suggesting that potential Chinese military action against Taiwan could justify Japanese intervention. Lee, who met Chinese President Xi Jinping in Beijing last week, said he had stressed the importance of maintaining three-way cooperation among South Korea, Japan and China, even as relations between Tokyo and Beijing remain strained.

While the two leaders largely avoided reopening old historical disputes, they did confirm cooperation on the sensitive issue of wartime labor. The remains in question were found at the Chosei Mine in Japan’s Yamaguchi prefecture, where about 180 workers, most of them Korean forced laborers, were killed in a 1942 accident. Civil society groups have been working to recover and identify the remains, and both governments have now agreed to support DNA testing.

“It is a small but meaningful step,” Lee said, describing the agreement as a modest yet important sign of progress on historical issues that have long weighed on relations between the two countries.

In recent years, ties between Seoul and Tokyo have gradually improved as both face shared challenges, including growing U.S.-China rivalry and North Korea’s advancing weapons programs. Despite differences in political background and past concerns about their ability to work together, Lee and Takaichi appear determined to prioritize practical cooperation and regional stability over old divisions.

The Nara summit, while not solving all outstanding issues, marks another step toward a more stable and pragmatic partnership between two of Asia’s most important economies.