Lee takes note of importance of policy coherence in relations with Japan

President Lee Jae-myung said Wednesday that he would take note of the importance of policy coherence in relations with Japan.

Lee, who was sworn into office earlier in the day, made the remarks when asked whether he would uphold the previous government’s approach on the wartime forced labor compensation issue, which thawed the strained ties between Seoul and Tokyo under former President Yoon Suk Yeol.

“Policy coherence is especially important in managing relations between nations,” Lee told reporters at the presidential office, without elaborating further.

Bilateral relations have significantly warmed after Yoon’s 2023 decision to compensate Korean victims of Japan’s wartime forced labor without direct contributions from responsible Japanese companies.

He acknowledged the long-standing disputes over historical issues and Japan’s territorial claims to South Korea’s easternmost islets of Dokdo, but underscored the importance of practical cooperation.

“We can identify mutually beneficial areas in the economy, security, technology and cultural exchanges. Through this, we can pursue friendly relations and shared prosperity,” Lee said.

“I hope the two countries will collaborate where possible and address differences as needed, without mixing up current issues,” he added.

In his inaugural address earlier in the day, Lee pledged to strengthen the trilateral partnership with the United States and Japan, a shift from his previously critical stance toward Tokyo while he was the liberal opposition leader.