South Korea and Japan to hold meeting on sidelines of G-7 summit

SEOUL – South Korean President Lee Jae Myung will hold a summit with Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba on the sidelines of the Group of Seven (G-7) summit on June 17 in Canada, according to Mr Lee’s office.

Mr Lee, who was sworn into office after

winning the June 3 snap presidential election

, is visiting Canada on his first trip abroad for the G-7 summit.

It became “difficult” to hold a meeting between Mr Lee and US President Donald Trump as planned after Mr Trump was leaving the summit early, National Security Adviser Wi Sung-lac told a briefing.

Washington had asked for Seoul’s understanding, Mr Wi said.

Mr Lee held talks with Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and South African President Cyril Ramaphosa on June 16, his office said.

Seoul and Washington are holding

working-level tariff talks

, as the two sides try to agree on a deal seen as crucial for South Korea’s export-oriented economy. South Korea’s key sectors, ranging from chips to vehicles and shipbuilding, are heavily exposed to global trade.

Mr Lee, a left-leaning leader, has said pragmatism is key to his diplomacy and he would continue with security cooperation between South Korea, Japan and the US. REUTERS