Suga’s visits Seoul and Ishiba’s possible resignation, where are Korea-Japan relations headed?

Welcome to Within The Frame, where we bring the most pressing issues across the globe into focus. I'm Kim Mok-yeon.

Japan is entering political uncertainty, and South Korea is moving quickly to maintain ties.

With Prime Minister Ishiba under pressure after election losses, former PM Yoshihide Suga's visit to Seoul has reignited hopes for restoring shuttle diplomacy.

As Korea and Japan mark 60 years since normalization, President Lee's meeting with the latest Japanese delegation signals significant intent — but deeper challenges still remain.

With trilateral dynamics with the U.S. shifting and unresolved issues still on the table, what's next for Korea-Japan relations?

To break down these, we have Choi Hyun Jin, professor of political science at Kyung Hee University. Welcome.

And Dr. John Nilsson-Wright, head of the Japan and Koreas program at the University of Cambridge. Good to see you.

1. (CHOI) Starting with today's meeting — President Lee Jae-myung officially received former Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga and members of the Japan-Korea Parliamentary Union at the presidential office in Yongsan. Suga is known to have delivered a personal message from Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba.

Could this be seen as the symbolic start of shuttle diplomacy? And at this point, what is the significance of Suga's visit?

2. (Nilsson-Wright) Just a day before Suga's visit, on July 29th, Korea's Foreign Minister Cho Hyun visited Japan. Traditionally, South Korean foreign ministers make their first overseas visit to the U.S., but this time, Japan was chosen.

Does this suggest a shift in diplomatic priorities? How should we interpret this departure from convention?

3. (Nilsson-Wright) Building on that — today, Minister Cho paid a courtesy visit to Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba.

With both sides recognizing the 60th anniversary of diplomatic normalization and the need for concrete cooperation outcomes, could a Korea-Japan summit come before a Korea-U.S. summit, given the current gridlock in Washington?

4. (CHOI) So Foreign Minister Cho's visit to Japan comes just prior to his scheduled meeting with U.S. Secretary of State Rubio on the 31st.

What kind of strategic calculations could be behind visiting Japan ahead of the U.S.? Could it involve sharing trade negotiating know-how?

5. (Nilsson-Wright) And looking at the wider picture, Cho's stop in Japan, followed by a direct trip to Washington, is being seen as a positive sign for Korea-U.S.-Japan trilateral cooperation.

What message does this send about the current state of that trilateral alliance? Could it be seen as the Lee administration's willingness to improve Korea-Japan ties and deepen three-way cooperation?

6. (CHOI) Let's turn to what came out of the foreign ministers' talks. In the recent talks, Seoul reportedly emphasized a "two-track" approach — separating historical issues from practical cooperation.

Do you think this approach could realistically lead to future-oriented progress in the bilateral relationship?

7. (CHOI) Meanwhile, within Japan's ruling LDP, calls are growing for Prime Minister Ishiba to step down following the upper house election.

Ishiba had earlier pledged to resume shuttle diplomacy and reinforce Korea-U.S.-Japan cooperation.

How might the political fallout from the LDP's defeat affect the trajectory of Korea-Japan relations?

8. (Nilsson-Wright) Let's shift to South Korea's diplomatic approach. President Lee's administration has already sent special envoys to 14 countries, beginning with the EU, yet still hasn't finalized a delegation for Japan.

Is this delay a sign of more cautious handling, given the sensitive nature of issues like historical grievances, security, and economic ties?

9. (CHOI) And finally, with Japan's internal uncertainty growing, some analysts say South Korea's role in bilateral relations is now larger than ever.

For pragmatic diplomacy to succeed, what kind of approach should the Lee Jae Myung administration take toward Japan moving forward?