SEOUL (Reuters) – The foreign ministers of South Korea and Japan are scheduled to meet in the South Korean capital on Monday as the two key U.S. allies aim to emphasize improved relations and shared security concerns amidst an unprecedented political crisis in Seoul.
The meeting between South Korea’s Cho Tae-yul and Japan’s Takeshi Iwaya represents a significant diplomatic development, marking the first high-level talks between the two countries since President Yoon Suk Yeol’s brief imposition of martial law last month, a move that took many South Koreans by surprise. President Yoon, who has been residing in seclusion at his hillside villa in Seoul since being impeached and suspended by parliament last month, faces the looming threat of arrest by investigators following a failed apprehension attempt earlier this month.
Japanese Foreign Minister Iwaya is also set to hold discussions with Acting South Korean President Choi Sang-mok, according to a statement from the Japanese government.
As the incoming administration of U.S. President-elect Donald Trump is poised to take office on January 20, it is worth noting that none of the original leaders involved in establishing a trilateral security cooperation agreement between the U.S., South Korea, and Japan in 2023 – namely U.S. President Joe Biden, President Yoon, and former Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida – will retain power.
During the tenures of President Yoon and Prime Minister Kishida, relations between Seoul and Tokyo experienced a notable upturn after reaching a nadir amid contentious diplomatic and trade disputes stemming from Japan’s occupation of the Korean Peninsula from 1910 to 1945. President Yoon made enhancing ties with Tokyo and bolstering security cooperation, particularly in addressing North Korea’s military provocations, a focal point of his diplomatic efforts.
In a recent visit to South Korea, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken expressed confidence in the country’s democratic processes while acknowledging Washington’s “serious concerns” regarding certain actions taken by President Yoon in the context of his martial law declaration.
Despite public opinion polls indicating widespread disapproval of President Yoon’s implementation of martial law and broad support for his impeachment, his ruling People Power Party (PPP) has seen a surge in popularity. The PPP’s support currently stands at 40.8% according to the latest Realmeter poll released on Monday, with the main opposition Democratic Party holding a slight lead at 42.2%, a margin within the poll’s margin of error and a decrease from the previous week’s 10.8% difference.
(Reporting by Hyunsu Yim in Seoul and Tim Kelly in Tokyo; Editing by Ed Davies)
