Neighbors urged to seize momentum

Seoul should move to renew trilateral meeting with Beijing, Tokyo, group says

The time has come for China, Japan and South Korea to improve their trilateral relationship, a South Korean organization urged on Wednesday, saying that Seoul should work toward renewing a meeting among the three neighbors.

The International Multilateral Diplomacy Council made the appeal in a statement during a news conference in front of the Yongsan Presidential Office in Seoul.

It came on the heels of the meetings held by Wang Yi, a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and China's foreign minister, with South Korean Foreign Minister Park Jin and Japanese Foreign Minister Yoshimasa Hayashi in Jakarta last month.

If the friendly atmosphere can continue and lead to an actual meeting among the three countries, "it will be especially meaningful because South Korea will chair the trilateral meeting for the first time in four years", the council said.

The three-way talk involving the Asian neighbors was first held in Japan in 2008.

However, such meetings have been put on hold since 2019 due to the COVID-19 pandemic and strained relations between South Korea and Japan over a wartime labor dispute.

Noting that the holding of the trilateral meeting can be an important turning point in improving South Korea-China relations, the council said the South Korean government should actively work to restore relations with China as well as Japan.

In a resolution adopted during the news conference, the council said South Korea and China should make efforts to achieve a more mature bilateral relationship.

It also said that the three regional neighbors, which account for 25 percent of the world's GDP, should hold discussions on nonsensitive economic areas since the people are among the most vulnerable during international conflicts.

A strategic approach to a new level of trilateral relationship is also required to rationally address the security issue on the Korean Peninsula, the council said.

"The trilateral meeting among South Korea, China and Japan should be held at the earliest opportunity to 'uphold the initial focus and mission' of trilateral cooperation," the council said.

It added that the three countries should further strengthen their cooperation and safeguard global peace and prosperity.

Noting the meeting has been suspended since 2019, the council said it would be very meaningful for the leaders, who share great responsibility for peace and prosperity of the Northeast Asian region, to discuss the direction of cooperation and specific modes of cooperation, as well as various challenges in the region.

Strong call

"We once again strongly call for the immediate restart of the trilateral dialogue process, including at the ministerial level as well as the leaders of the three countries," the council said.

The news conference was moderated by Kim Moon-jun, a professor from Kongju National University. Lee Chang-ho, chairman of the council; Kim Pil-yong, president of the Korea Journalists Association; Seon Jong-bok, former head of Seoul North District Office of Education; Roh Ji-hoon, president of the Association for the Promotion of International Culture; and Park Hyunsoo, central committee member of the council, participated in the event.

China has said repeatedly that it wishes to enhance communication and exchanges with South Korea and Japan through trilateral meetings.

In early July, Wang said trilateral cooperation among the three neighbors needs to repack its gear and start again.

Addressing the 2023 International Forum for Trilateral Cooperation in Qingdao, East China's Shandong province, Wang said China will vigorously promote opening up at a higher level, and welcomes Japan and South Korea to get on board the express train of China's high-quality development, to jointly create a bright future for the three countries and Asia at large.