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President Yoon Seok-yeol, who is visiting Japan tomorrow (16 May), gave an interview to Japanese media and revealed his thoughts on the significance of the summit. He said that visiting Japan is a big step forward in itself, and that the solution to the forced mobilization problem that the government recently proposed was a reasonable one that he thought was reasonable even before he ran for president.

Today's first news will be delivered by reporter Han Sang-woo.

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A day before President
Yoon Seok-yeol's visit, Japan's Yomiuri Shimbun newspaper focused on the news with a front-page headline.

"Visiting Japan is a great step forward and achievement in itself," President Yun said in an interview, emphasizing that "normalizing bilateral relations is not only in the common interests of the two countries, but will also be a positive signal for the international community."

Regarding the solution of forced mobilization of third-party reimbursement, he said, "I thought it was a reasonable solution even before I started playing politics," and when asked if it would be overturned again if the regime changed, he said, "I think we should not worry about that because we have come to a conclusion about a solution that would not exercise the right of initiative later."

He also emphasized security cooperation, saying of Japan's policy of possessing "counter-offensive capabilities," "I understand the situation in which North Korea's intermediate-range missiles pass through Japan."

[President Yoon Seok-yeol/Concluding Remarks at the Work Report of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Defense (1 January): Hasn't Japan decided to put the so-called counterattack concept into its defense plan? Who would say that? Missiles flying overhead and nukes may come....]



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The leaders of the two countries will hold a joint press conference and dinner following the summit tomorrow afternoon.

A senior official in the presidential office said there was no joint declaration, saying, "There is not enough time to summarize the positions of the two countries and refine them into refined wording."

In the economic field, the talks will restore the channels of ministerial cooperation between the two countries.

The government hopes that the talks will be a new breakthrough in normalizing relations between South Korea and Japan.

To this end, Japan's sincere response to our forced mobilization solution and Prime Minister Kishida's sincere response are essential.

(Video Interview: Joo Bum and Kim Yong-woo, Video Editing: Lee Jae-sung)