Yoon also held a summit with Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, during which he urged careful management of the dispute surrounding the popular messaging app Line to prevent it from becoming “an unnecessary pending issue” between the two countries.

The bilateral meetings came a day before the three leaders sit down for their first trilateral summit in four years and five months.

The trilateral summit has been widely accepted as a test bed for gauging if the Northeast Asian neighbors can normalize and restore their cooperative framework. As a prelude to the summit, the leaders engaged in bilateral meetings to narrow their differences in key areas of interest.

President Yoon Suk Yeol speaks during a meeting with Chinese Premier Li Qiang, second from right, during their meeting at the former’s office in central Seoul’s Yongsan District, Sunday. Joint Press Corps

According to South Korean First Deputy Director of National Security Kim Tae-hyo, Yoon and Li agreed to set up a Korea-China security and diplomatic dialogue, with the first session planned for next month.

As a two-plus-two discussion body, the dialogue will involve Seoul’s vice foreign minister, a director-level official from the defense ministry and their Chinese counterparts.

“President Yoon stressed that the two countries should maintain close communications under all circumstances, which will enable them to respect each other, pursue common interests and shape regional peace and prosperity,” Kim said, adding the leaders agreed to resume a string of bilateral dialogues involving both governments and private sectors.

During his opening remarks, Yoon said “South Korea and China should cooperate closely for not only our bilateral relations, but also for the peace and prosperity of the global community” and he hopes “the two countries will continue strengthening their exchanges and cooperation, respecting each other and pursuing mutual interests.”

This was Li’s first visit to Korea after he became premier in March last year. The previous meeting between Yoon and Li was in September last year on the sidelines of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations summit in Jakarta, Indonesia.

The meeting bears significance as the two countries have been working to improve their bilateral relations, which have been facing difficulties in the wake of the escalating rivalry between the United States and China, South Korea’s growing inclination toward the U.S. and North Korea’s increasing belligerence.

Regarding North Korea, Yoon stressed that China should play its role in containing the regime’s growing missile and nuclear threats.

“Yoon asked China, as a permanent member of the United Nations Security Council, to play its role as the bastion of peace, amid the North’s repeated provocations and military cooperation with Russia,” a senior presidential official said.

First Deputy Director of National Security Kim Tae-hyo speaks during a press briefing on President Yoon Suk Yeol’s bilateral meetings with the leaders of China and Japan at the presidential office in Seoul, Sunday. Yonhap

On the economic front, Yoon and Li agreed to promote bilateral trade and economic partnerships, by resuming the second phase of their free trade agreement (FTA) negotiations.

The South Korea-China FTA will mark its 10th anniversary next year, but its effectiveness has been questioned due to the relatively narrow range of products subjected to tariff benefits compared to South Korea’s other free trade pacts.

To this end, the two sides’ representatives will meet early next month to resuscitate the stalled negotiations. The second phase will cover a broader range of exchanges between the two countries in the fields of culture, tourism and legal services.

To further promote exchanges, the two sides also agreed to resume the South Korea-China Investment Cooperation Committee, which has been inactive since 2011.

“During the past three decades of diplomatic relations between the two countries, the bilateral relations promptly achieved abundant progress, especially in the fields of economy and trade, bringing huge benefits to the people of both countries,” Li said during his opening remarks. “China wishes to work together with South Korea so that the two countries can become reliable and good neighbors and partners who support each other’s success.”

President Yoon Suk Yeol shakes hands with Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida before their summit at the former’s office in Yongsan District, Seoul, Sunday. Yonhap

Hours later, Yoon sat down with Kishida and exchanged cordial remarks over their efforts to mend the two countries’ soured relations last year. They also explored ideas on enhancing bilateral partnerships in practical areas before the two countries celebrate the 60th anniversary of normalizing their diplomatic ties next year.

It was the first Yoon-Kishida summit this year, after they had seven summits last year alone as part of the two countries’ efforts to normalize their diplomatic relations.

During the summit, the leaders also exchanged their opinions on the controversy surrounding the Japanese administrative guidance issued to LY Corp., the operator of the popular messaging app Line, which is controlled by a 50-50 joint venture between South Korea’s Naver and Japan’s SoftBank.

The guidance, issued in March and again in April, urged LY Corp. to review its capital relationship with Naver following a massive data leak of user information last November, triggering controversies and criticisms in South Korea that the Japanese government is seeking to take Line away from Naver.

“Yoon said that he understands the guidance does not mean that Naver should sell down its stake, and the South Korean government perceives this issue separately from the diplomatic relations between the two countries,” the senior official said.

“The president thus said that the two countries should manage this issue carefully to prevent it from becoming an unnecessary pending issue.”

Kishida replied that the guidance is understood in line with the Japanese government’s stance to promote foreign companies’ investments into Japan, and it is aimed at guiding the company to review its “security governance related to the data leak,” according to the official.

During the summit, the leaders also agreed to establish a bilateral dialogue on the hydrogen economy within next month, to capitalize on the two countries’ respective expertise in hydrogen energy. The dialogue will explore bilateral cooperation for setting up hydrogen energy standards and policies.

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The decision, expected to be announced in the next couple of weeks, places the president in a major political dilemma.

Public perception of Yoon’s job performance is deteriorating, while there is strong support for the special prosecutor probe bill. Therefore, a potential veto of the bill could further damage his approval ratings.

The political environment in the National Assembly is also challenging for the president. The worst-case scenario for Yoon, where his veto is overridden during a revote in the Assembly, will send a clear signal of his weakening leadership within the governing party.

The main opposition-controlled Assembly railroaded the special counsel bill during a plenary session, Thursday, despite fierce protests from the ruling People Power Party (PPP). The bill, pushed by the main opposition Democratic Party of Korea (DPK), targets the government’s alleged interference in the military’s investigation into the death of Marine Cpl. Chae Su-geun during a flood rescue operation in July 2023.

The bill aims to launch a sweeping investigation into officials at the presidential office, the Ministry of National Defense and Marine Corps, to look into whether they have exerted influence in the military’s internal probe to omit allegations of criminal activity of individuals involved.

Yoon’s office has opposed the bill, saying that the ongoing probe by the Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials (CIO) into Chae’s death should take priority before considering the special counsel investigation.

Following the bill’s passage, his aides have hinted at the possibility of a presidential veto.

“If (the president) accepts the bill, it would leave a bad precedent and even be considered as a dereliction of duty,” Senior Presidential Secretary for Political Affairs Hong Chul-ho said during a radio interview, Friday.

Hong labeled the passage of the bill as a legislative frenzy by the opposition bloc that violates judicial procedures.

While a veto may shield the Yoon administration from a sweeping investigation, it would immediately invite criticism from the opposition parties. Two years into office, the president has already exercised his veto power nine times to reject 12 bills, which the opposition has condemned as an abuse of power.

Rejecting the special probe bill would also signal the start of larger battles with the opposition parties for Yoon, who faces an opposition-dominated Assembly for the remaining three years of his term.

The veto decision may also hamper the president’s ongoing efforts to listen to the voices of the public and collaborate with the opposition bloc, an approach adopted in the aftermath of the ruling party’s crushing defeat in the April 10 elections, where the PPP managed to win only 108 seats in the 300-member Assembly.

Yoon’s approval ratings have plummeted to below 30 percent, according to the latest polls. A survey conducted by Embrain Public from April 29 to May 1 found that 67 percent of 1,000 respondents agreed that launching a special counsel probe into Chae’s case should be enacted.

Making matters more complicated for the president is the possibility that his veto may not prevail, as an Assembly revote could overturn it. The DPK plans to table the bill on a revote during a plenary session in the last week of May, if the president vetoes it.

A bill returned to the Assembly for a revote requires the attendance of a majority of present members and approval from more than two-thirds of attending members to pass.

With a total of 296 present members in the current Assembly, the bill can be approved with 198 in favor. The opposition bloc holds 180 seats, including the DPK and its satellite party’s 155 seats. This means that at least 18 votes from ruling party lawmakers favoring the bill would ensure its passage.

In the past, the PPP effectively blocked attempts to override presidential vetoes by consistently voting together against these bills during revotes.

But this time, it remains uncertain how many of the PPP members will maintain loyalty to the party, as the parliament is set to dissolve at the end of May. In particular, those who lost in the April 10 general elections may be less willing to show a “one team” spirit, or even attend the plenary session which will be the last one in the incumbent Assembly.

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Political analysts warn such inconsistency is likely to breed public distrust in the government.

The latest incident occurred during Tuesday’s Cabinet meeting, where Yoon delivered approximately 12 minutes of remarks that were broadcast nationwide.

In his address, Yoon conveyed his humble acceptance of the public sentiment reflected in the ruling People Power Party’s (PPP) crushing defeat in last week’s general elections. However, he staunchly asserted that he has been steering the country in the right direction.

However, four hours later, a senior secretary said that during the latter part of the meeting, which was not televised, Yoon expressed remorse to Cabinet members, admitting that he was “sorry” for failing to fully acknowledge the public’s sentiment.

The main opposition Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) condemned Yoon’s approach to delivering his message, asserting that he should have offered his apology directly to the public during the televised statement, rather than doing so behind closed doors.

“Four hours after President Yoon’s televised statement, the presidential office revealed his remarks made behind closed doors, saying that he is sorry to the public … Is this a monologue after a play ended and the audience is gone?” DPK Supreme Council member Rep. Jung Chung-rae said during the party’s Supreme Council meeting, Wednesday.

Minor liberal Rebuilding Korea Party Chairman Cho Kuk also said Yoon’s rhetoric was absurd.

“I also served as a presidential secretary, and the president’s statements should have started and ended by apologizing to the public,” Cho said during a YouTube appearance, Wednesday .

Cho also claimed that Yoon’s apology, quoted by the presidential office, “seems to be a lie” because “there is a strong chance that one of his aides sought approval to allude to the president’s apology, because Yoon did not say he is sorry during his speech.”

A ruling bloc official, who asked not to be named, also admitted to feeling “confused,” noting that the initial impression from Yoon’s televised message suggested confidence in his political philosophy, despite acknowledging some shortcomings in its implementation.

This is not the first time that Yoon has conveyed a hardline message in a televised setting, only to have his secretaries attempt to soften the president’s rhetoric with conflicting interpretations afterward.

During a 51-minute address to the nation on April 1, Yoon underscored his steadfast commitment to increasing the admissions quota of the country’s medical schools by 2,000 slots from next year. This announcement sparked a nationwide walkout by trainee doctors, lasting nearly two months.

As the address backfired among doctors, presidential aides, including Director of National Policy Sung Tae-yoon, emphasized that the highlight of Yoon’s message was his brief remark stating that “the government may engage in discussions with doctors regarding the slots, provided they present more rational and valid ideas.”

Experts said the main problem is a lack of coherence in the government’s communication.

“The biggest problem stemming from the difference between the president’s remarks and his aides’ interpretations is the inconsistency in the government’s message,” said Shin Yul, a professor of political science at Myongji University.

“If the government’s message is inconsistent, the public will lose trust in the government, and the government cannot carry out its policies,” Shin said.

The professor also said that Yoon fails to grasp the essence of politics, which revolves around presenting oneself as a politician rather than simply urging the public to understand his true beliefs.

“It seems like the president was speaking that way because when he looks at the facts alone, he doesn’t think he made any policy mistakes. So he just spoke that way. However, politics is about shaping perceptions among people. It seems like he does not care about how the public perceives him.”

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With almost all votes counted, the DPK won 161 out of 254 directly contested seats, while the PPP won only 90 seats. Including proportional seats, the DPK and its satellite party were expected to win 176 seats and the PPP and its satellite party 109 seats in the 300-member National Assembly.

The wider opposition bloc, including the Rebuilding Korea Party led by scandal-tainted former Justice Minister Cho Kuk, is expected to win more than 180 seats combined, as Cho’s party is expected to secure 12-14 proportional seats.

The New Future Party (Saemirae), formed by former Prime Minister Lee Nak-yon, and the New Reform Party led by ousted former PPP leader Lee Jun-seok are expected to secure one and three seats, respectively.

The results illustrated the seriously soured public sentiment toward the Yoon administration just two years after he came into office, with the PPP barely managing to prevent the broader opposition bloc from taking a two-thirds majority.

In the previous elections four year ago, the then ruling DPK also clinched a landslide victory by securing a combined 180 seats with its satellite party while the United Future Party, the PPP’s former name, and its sister party got 103 seats.

Of the votes cast for the 46 proportional seats, more than 93 percent have been counted.

In the proportional race, the PPP’s sister People Future Party was leading with 37 percent, followed by the DPK’s sister Democratic United Party with 27 percent and Cho’s Rebuilding Korea Party with 24 percent.

This year’s vote carried extra weight for the PPP as a failure to regain a majority could potentially render the Yoon administration a lame duck for the remaining three years of his single five-year term, ending in 2027.

The PPP has pleaded for voter support, imploring that the Yoon administration has been unable to push its reform agenda properly forward for the past two years due to the uncooperative parliament under opposition control.

The DPK, on the other hand, has urged voters to pass stern judgment on what it calls the “incompetent” Yoon administration, accusing it of causing the economy and the livelihoods of the people to worsen seriously and mishandling a series of controversial issues for the past two years.

Following the release of exit poll results Wednesday, PPP leader Han Dong-hoon expressed disappointment.

“The PPP did its best to do politics that uphold the will of the people, but the exit poll results are disappointing,” Han said after watching the results at the National Assembly with party members. “We will watch the results of vote counting until the end.”

Han is set to make an announcement regarding the election outcome later, probably after the final outcome, contrary to the tradition of the party leader making the announcement amid the voting count.

Following the announcement of his victory against former Land Minister Won Hee-ryong of the PPP in Incheon’s Gyeyang-B district early Thursday, DPK Chairman Lee emphasized that he will stop the regression of the country’s state affairs and make it move toward the future once again.

Cho, the former justice minister, also hailed the exit poll results as a victory for the people.

“The people have won,” Cho said after watching the exit polls Wednesday. “The people have made their intent clear that it is a verdict handed down to the Yoon Suk Yeol government.”

Cho said the results showed that the people can “no longer put up with the regression” of the government, urging Yoon to humbly accept the election outcome.

In the wider Seoul area, considered the primary battleground that ultimately shapes the election outcome, the DPK swept 102 out of 122 constituencies.

The DPK also grabbed 53 seats in Gyeonggi Province with 60 seats at stake. The region is traditionally considered a stronghold for the party.

In contrast, some PPP candidates emerged victorious in some districts in the region after closely contested races.

In Seoul’s Dongjak-B district, Na Kyung-won of the PPP secured a victory against DPK candidate Ryu Sam-young.

In a surprise outcome, Lee Jun-seok, an ousted former leader of the PPP, also secured his first-ever parliamentary seat in the Hwaseong-B district in Gyeonggi Province.

Voter turnout recorded the highest in 32 years.

A total of 14,259 polling stations across the nation closed at 6 p.m. Wednesday, after some 29.66 million, or 67 percent, of the total 44.28 million eligible voters had cast their ballots for 12 hours, according to the National Election Commission. The results were tentative.

The turnout was 0.8 percentage point higher than the 2020 tally of 66.2 percent, marking the highest turnout for general elections since 1992, when the turnout came in at 71.9 percent. (Yonhap)

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The junior doctors, who have resigned en masse in protest of the government plan to increase the number of medical students, remain suspicious of Yoon’s sincerity about talks, considering his resolute determination expressed in previous speeches.

On Wednesday, the presidential office reaffirmed Yoon’s stance announced the previous evening that he wants to discuss the issue with the junior doctors, who are directly engaged in the collective action, and hear what they have to say. The office said it is waiting for the Korean Intern Resident Association (KIRA) to answer Yoon’s invitation. An official said that the talks can take place at any time, about any topics that trainee doctors want.

This came after a spokesperson of the Medical Professors Association of Korea asked KIRA head Park Dan to meet Yoon without any conditions, during an online press briefing on Tuesday. Prime Minister Han Duck-soo also said on the day during a TV appearance, “Yoon has a very strong intention for candid talks with them with no limits on subjects.”

Yoon brought up holding a discussion about the 2,000 new slots to be added to the current quota of 3,058 came on Monday during a 51-minute televised address to the nation, urging doctors to propose a unified and rational plan.

While the presidential office stressed his speech was intended to show that the government is open to backing down on the existing plan, the message ended up drawing negative responses from doctors because Yoon devoted most of his speech to rattling off research results on the anticipated shortage of medical doctors in the country and criticizing doctors for the prolonged walkout.

The KMA said in a press briefing on Wednesday that it welcomed Yoon’s approach to meet junior doctors, but stated that it is “difficult to verify the intention” behind the government’s suggestion for talks, and added that “the most viable way of guaranteeing the sincerity of the talks is suspending the expansion in next year’s medical school quota.”

While various medical associations are voicing their own opinions, KIRA, which holds the key to ending the walkout, has not responded to the government.

Since March 29, KIRA has not been releasing any statements on the issue, with its head Park refusing to respond to media inquiries on Yoon’s invitation.

Skepticism is growing that a meeting between Yoon and Park would not likely bring an immediate resolution to the medical standoff.

“It is still confusing whether the government has the intention of stepping back from the 2,000 (added) slots,” a medical professor based in Seoul said on condition of anonymity.

“With Yoon stressing the importance of the 2,000 slots throughout his speech, how could anyone believe that the government will compromise on its plan? To enable talks, the government should start by suspending the current policy. Otherwise, the dialogue, even if it takes place, will end up being used for political grandstanding before the general elections.”

Even if Yoon meets the KIRA head, chances are slim for an immediate rollback in the policy, because the government has already finished distributing the increased slots to medical schools across the country, and universities are now setting up requirements for next year’s admissions, with their deadline set for April 30.

Since any abrupt changes would cause confusion in college admissions and a backlash from students and parents, a presidential official told reporters that any big changes from the 2,000 slots would be difficult, and doctors should consider this when they come up with their unified plan.

Difficulties in unifying doctors are also raising skepticism.

Though the KMA is the biggest doctors’ association, KIRA, the professors’ association, the Korean Medical Student Association and other doctors’ groups hold slightly different positions on how to counter the government’s push, with doctors saying the KMA does not represent all of them.

A KMA spokesperson told reporters Wednesday that it is communicating with trainee doctors, but was unavailable to share details on the proposed talks, citing that it is a matter between the presidential office and trainee doctors.

Adding to this, many trainee doctors are now refraining from engaging in collective actions after the government threatened to suspend their licenses and take other legal actions in response to their walkout.

“Trainee doctors are now scattered to avoid the government’s threats, and it is hard to say there is an entity that can play a pivotal role for drawing a unified doctors’ proposal,” the Seoul-based professor said.

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The synchronized approach toward the April 10 elections introduces an element of uncertainty. This stance contrasts with Yoon’s prior commitment not to concede to the strike and to advance his medical reform agenda by expanding the enrollment quota for medical students.

According to the presidential office, Yoon ordered his administration on Sunday evening to devise “flexible measures” regarding the license suspensions that striking trainee doctors faced. This directive came promptly after the president received a request from Han.

During a meeting with Prime Minister Han Duck-soo on Monday, Yoon reiterated that the government “should have candid conversations with medical and other social groups.”

The order came after the prime minister held a 50-minute closed-door meeting with representatives of the Medical Professors Association of Korea about the month-long standoff between the government and doctors over the president’s drive to expand the enrollment quota for medical schools across the country.

The swift cooperation between Yoon and the PPP chief is perceived as both leaders seeking breakthroughs in the current situation. The administration faces mounting pressure due to the prolonged strike, while the ruling party is noticing a decline in support with just over two weeks remaining until the elections.

The Yoon government has unilaterally decided to increase the total annual enrollment quota for medical schools by 2,000 slots — a move that has been met with opposition from over 90 percent of the nation’s 13,000 trainee doctors, who have been on strike in the form of mass resignations since February. Until Sunday afternoon, the government had vowed to commence suspending the medical licenses of trainee doctors starting Tuesday.

Although surveys show that the majority of voters still approve Yoon’s quota increase, fears have been growing within the ruling bloc that the public’s patience will be drained over the president’s steadfast stance, as the standoff drags on and continues to disrupt the country’s medical system and public access to treatment.

The PPP was also in need of a chance to reverse a drop in public support, as the main opposition Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) pulled itself together after some internal conflicts were resolved.

The PPP chief proposed a compromise to the president, styling himself as one capable of bringing a resolution to the standoff. This also provided Yoon with a pretext to take a step back from his hardline stance against doctors.

“I will serve my political role as an arbitrator for constructive conversation and a mediator who can address this problem,” Han told reporters Monday.

Political analysts suggest that the public display of alignment between Yoon and Han is an attempt by the ruling bloc to appeal to the public ahead of the elections.

“With approximately two weeks left before the general elections, public sentiment toward the ruling bloc is not that good, and their (Yoon and Han) actions show that they were observing an alarming signal and there is no other effective option to choose in the current political situation,” said Cho Jin-man, a politics professor at Duksung Women’s University.

Cho suggested, however, that their actions might not necessarily lead to a win-win situation for the ruling bloc. This is because the compromising gestures could raise public doubts about why Yoon initially pushed the medical reform so forcefully if he could compromise his determination on medical reform with a single request from the ruling party leader.

“I think Sunday’s actions were a political mistake,” Cho said. “With the elections coming in two weeks, the president compromised his stance on a single word of the ruling party after paying all those social costs that arose through the standoff. This can be interpreted as if the president is admitting that he pushed it too hard, and provide a chance to the opposition to mount offensives.”

In line with Cho’s comments, main opposition Democratic Party of Korea floor leader Rep. Hong Ihk-pyo said in a radio interview with broadcaster BBS that Han’s mediation was “choreographed for the general elections.”

“I knew this would happen,” Hong said. “I think the government used the medical school admissions quota issue more for political gain than to genuinely improve the country’s health care system … I believe this was all part of the scenario in which the government is creating an impression that it is actually working for the people by criticizing doctors, and eventually allowing the PPP to emerge and patch up the feud by making concessions to medical associations.”

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Yoon made the remark during a speech in front of some 2,000 students at King Saud University, which came as the president was on a four-day state visit to the Arab kingdom.

“The Republic of Korea government will provide active support so that more Saudi Arabian youths can visit South Korea to learn the Korean language and experience Korean culture, and take part in education and research in various areas,” he said.

“We will also expand the government’s scholarship assistance for Saudi students who wish to study at South Korean universities,” he added.

King Saud University is the oldest university in Saudi Arabia, and Yoon was the first foreign leader to speak there, according to his office.

Yoon said the history between South Korea and Saudi Arabia goes back more than 1,000 years, and that the special partnership forged through infrastructure cooperation, including South Korea’s construction of highways in Saudi Arabia in the 1970s, served as an important stepping stone for South Korea’s economic development.

“South Korea and Saudi Arabia must be born again into first movers that develop and lead new areas,” Yoon said, claiming all countries that achieved remarkable growth through innovation respected creativity and diversity while cultivating talented people.

“The driving force that creates and practices change and innovation is all of you, the young people who are the future generation,” he added, noting Saudi Arabia is a young nation where 63 percent of the population is 30 years old or younger.

Yoon pledged to develop study abroad programs in South Korea tailored to the interests of Saudi students, citing research in the bio, medical and renewable energy sectors, and the strengthening of women’s leadership.

“Going forward, the friendly and cooperative relations between South Korea and Saudi Arabia can further deepen when the two countries’ students and experts actively carry out exchanges and jointly conduct research,” he said. (Yonhap)

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The new agency, headquartered in Incheon and under the wing of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, will replace the Overseas Koreans Foundation based on Jeju Island.

Staffed with 151 employees, the Overseas Koreans Agency will provide integrated services for Koreans overseas regarding visas, military service, taxes and pension entitlements, offering more assistance than the previous organization that focused more on cultural exchanges.

The opening ceremony was held in Songdo, Incheon, where the main gateway to the country, Incheon International Airport, is located. The participants included Yoon, Lee Key-cheol, the inaugural head of the agency, Foreign Minister Park Jin, Incheon Mayor Yoo Jeong-bok, as well as members of various overseas Korean communities. Some 600 Koreans living abroad joined the event online.

“Incheon, where the ship carrying the first immigrants heading to Hawaii departed 120 years ago, is the historical root of overseas Koreans. It feels overwhelming to announce the launch of the Overseas Koreans Agency here in Incheon. The establishment of the agency will serve as an opportunity for Incheon to leap forward as a global city,” Yoon said in his commemorative speech.

He noted that the launch of the agency aligns with his campaign promise to better support Koreans living abroad and enhance relations with their homeland.

The president stressed that helping Koreans in foreign countries will be one of the top priorities of the agency, adding that there are plans to invite to Seoul in the near future Korean victims of the atomic bombing of Hiroshima in 1945. During his recent visit to Hiroshima in May, Yoon met a group of victims of the bombing, where he offered apologies as the head of state.

“We should also pay more attention to second and third generations of overseas Koreans who were not born here. For them, we will offer quality Korean language education programs and opportunities to visit Korea,” he said.

Park, for his part, vowed that his ministry will make every effort to better protect the rights of overseas Koreans.

“Through the launch of the Overseas Koreans Agency, we will be able to strengthen policies for overseas Koreans based on their needs,” he said.

The minister also explained that the port city of Incheon was selected as the agency’s headquarters based on convenience, accessibility to overseas Koreans, as well as balanced regional development and consistency in the administrative structure. He noted that a service assistance center also opened in Gwanghwamun, central Seoul.

Meanwhile, on the same day, the Ministry of Patriots and Veterans Affairs was upgraded from a sub-ministry status to a full-fledged ministry, in line with Yoon’s campaign pledges. The current head of the ministry, Park Min-shik, was reappointed to continue his leadership role in the upgraded organization.

“Marking the first year of the establishment of a full-fledged Ministry of Patriots and Veterans Affairs, we will restart with a new determination to ensure that Korea is a country where people who made sacrifices for the nation are respected,” Park said during the inauguration ceremony held at the ministry in Government Complex Sejong.

He renewed his pledges to create a new park in Seoul’s Yongsan District honoring fallen heroes, similar to the National Mall in Washington, D.C. while improving welfare services for veterans and their families.

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Yoon held the summit with European Council President Charles Michel and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen in Seoul, a day after they participated in the Group of Seven Summit in Hiroshima, Japan.

The summit took place to mark the 60th anniversary of the establishment of bilateral diplomatic relations this year. It was the first in-person summit between the South Korean and EU leaders in five years and it was the first time in 11 years that the two EU presidents visited Seoul at the same time.

During the summit, they agreed to establish a strategic dialogue at the foreign ministerial level to enhance cooperation in global peace and security.

“By establishing the strategic dialogue, we will strengthen comprehensive security cooperation in various fields,” Yoon said during a joint press conference after the summit.

“Since the respective Indo-Pacific strategies of South Korea and the EU state each other as a key partner and share core prospects in common, we decided to strengthen our partnership for the freedom, peace and prosperity of the Indo-Pacific region.”

The European Council president also said cooperation between the EU and South Korea became “vital for the safety” in the wake of Russia’s continued large-scale attacks on Ukraine.

Michel expressed his gratitude for Yoon’s recent condemnation of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and stressed that the security of Europe and the Pacific region are closely connected.

The European Commission president likened the EU’s condemnation of Russia to Seoul’s response to North Korea’s nuclear and missile programs.

“The EU will never accept the DPRK’s possession of nuclear weapons,” von der Leyen said, referring to North Korea by its official name, the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea. “Just like we do not accept Russia’s military aggression against Ukraine, we condemn the DPRK’s constant nuclear saber-rattling. We stand firmly by the ROK” or Republic of Korea (South Korea).

Yoon added, “We shared our recognition that North Korea’s nuclear and missile programs are a serious threat to global security and agreed to closely coordinate for the international society’s unified responses against North Korea’s provocations.”

During the summit, the leaders launched two new South Korea-EU partnerships in the green and health sectors to better tackle climate change and ensure health emergency preparedness.

They also agreed to develop the existing South Korea-EU Digital Trade Principles to address issues relevant to digital trade, an open digital economy and the emergence of unjustified barriers to digital trade.

To improve supply chain resilience, they agreed to expand the existing Industrial Policy Dialogue to a Supply Chain and Industrial Policy Dialogue (SCIPD), with the aim of holding the first SCIPD session within this year.

At the same time, the leaders said they will continue consultations on the EU Chips Act, aimed at doubling the EU’s global semiconductor market share to at least 20 percent by 2030.

President Yoon Suk Yeol holds hands with European Council President Charles Michel, left, and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen during their summit at the presidential office in Seoul, Monday. Yonhap

The EU summit was part of a flurry of diplomatic events the South Korean leader attended this month, during which he delivered strong messages that the South is strengthening its coupling with Western democracies.

A day earlier in Japan, Yoon had a brief meeting with U.S. President Joe Biden and Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida on the sidelines of the G7 Summit. Although the content of their talks was not revealed, the three countries each released statements saying they will strengthen trilateral security cooperation, which was viewed as a warning not only to North Korea but also to China.

Yoon also held summits with the leaders of the U.K., Germany, Canada, India, Australia and Ukraine at the G7 Summit and issued strong messages against “attempts to change the status quo by force,” which were viewed as condemnations of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and China’s claim to Taiwan.

As concerns rise over South Korea’s strong coupling with Western democracies, Kim Tae-hyo, first deputy director of national security, said during an interview with broadcaster YTN that the South is “seeking to start a strategic dialogue with China and the two sides are exchanging plans.”

Regarding Russia, which has responded angrily to Seoul’s condemnation of its invasion of Ukraine, Kim said, “(Seoul’s) support of Ukraine is mostly about reconstruction or humanitarian aid, so I don’t think Russia needs to make political complaints about that.”

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