Tokyo: Having strong relations with Japan is key to South Korea's management of ties with the United States and China, as well as trilateral Seoul-Washington-Tokyo cooperation, South Korea's new ambassador to Japan stated. Ambassador Lee Hyuk made these remarks during his first press conference with Korean correspondents in Tokyo since taking office as the first top envoy to Japan under the Lee Jae Myung administration.

According to Yonhap News Agency, Lee emphasized the president's diplomatic vision, which prioritizes strong ties with Japan as the "first step" toward successful diplomacy. "South Korea-Japan relations are where the Lee Jae Myung government's national interest-focused, 'pragmatic' diplomacy can be best realized," the ambassador said. He further explained that a good start in South Korea-Japan ties would create leverage in managing South Korea's relations with China and help promote stable South Korea-China relations.

President Lee Jae Myung visited Japan in August to hold a summit with Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba, marking his first foreign visit since taking office in June. This choice was unusual for a South Korean president, given the unresolved diplomatic issues stemming from Japan's 1910-45 colonial rule. The new envoy acknowledged the difficulty of this decision for President Lee, highlighting the importance of advancing Seoul-Tokyo ties in a way that contributes to the national interest.

President Lee and Prime Minister Ishiba are scheduled to hold their final summit in South Korea's southeastern port city of Busan on Tuesday, during the outgoing prime minister's two-day visit. Ambassador Lee stated, "Whoever becomes the next (Japanese) prime minister, I will make various efforts to further advance South Korea-Japan relations, building on this good atmosphere."