South Korea and Japan will hold high-level economic talks on Thursday for the first time in eight years, Seoul’s foreign ministry said, in a further sign of improving ties as the countries are drawn closer by shared geopolitical concerns.
The talks, which first began in 1999, had been stalled since 2016 as relations between the two North Asian U.S. allies took a hit over historical disputes stemming from Japan’s 1910-1945 occupation of Korea.
But South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol has made it a priority to mend ties with Tokyo since taking office in 2022.
The South Korean side will be represented by Kang Jae-kwon, deputy foreign minister for economic affairs, who will assess bilateral economic cooperation and discuss economic security policy with his Japanese counterpart Keiichi Ono, senior deputy foreign minister, Seoul’s foreign ministry said.
