Anchor: The relationship between South Korea and Japan continued to move forward over the weekend as the leaders of the two nations made a monumental visit to a memorial park to honor the Korean victims of the 1945 Hiroshima atomic bombing. In Japan to attend the Group of Seven Summit as a guest, President Yoon Suk Yeol also held his second meeting with Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida in as many weeks before they were joined by their U.S. counterpart for a three-way summit.
Choi You Sun reports.

Report: President Yoon Suk Yeol and Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida both laid flowers in front of a cenotaph commemorating over 30-thousand Koreans who lost their lives in the 1945 Hiroshima atomic bombing during World War Two.

Some of the surviving victims and descendants were invited to the historic event at Hiroshima's Peace Memorial Park on Sunday as the two countries' leaders jointly paid tribute for the first time.

Yoon and Kishida then sat down for their third summit meeting in two months on the margins of the Group of Seven(G7) Summit in the Japanese city, reflecting on the improving relations between the two sides.

The leaders exchanged remarks on the significance of their shared memorial visit and renewed communication.

[President Yoon Suk Yeol (Korean/English Translation)]
"This was the first time the leaders of the two countries paid tribute together (to Korean victims of 1945 atomic bombing) and this is also the first time a South Korean president visited the monument. Our visit together is not only about paying tribute but it will also be remembered as a courageous act by Prime Minister Kishida to prepare for a peaceful future."

[Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida (Japanese/English Translation)]
"This is the third meeting in two months with you, President Yoon. I feel that this is a clear indication of the progress in Japan-South Korea relations under our leadership."
"Earlier I was able to offer my prayers with you and your wife to the Korean Atomic Bomb Victims Memorial Monument together. I feel that this was very important in terms of the relationship between Japan and South Korea and in praying for world peace."

During their 35-minute conversation, the leaders reaffirmed the need for Seoul, Washington and Tokyo to coordinate policies against Pyongyang's missile threats, agreeing to continue "shuttle diplomacy" bringing the two heads of state together through reciprocal visits between countries.

There was no particular mention, however, of colonial-era issues or a South Korean expert team conducting an inspection this week of Tokyo's ongoing preparation to release radioactive water from the crippled Fukushima nuclear power plant.

The leaders also held a three-way meeting with U.S. President Joe Biden, where they agreed to further advance trilateral security coordination to include supply chains and other global issues and to enhance their security cooperation to reinforce deterrence.

U.S. media reported that Biden also invited Yoon and Kishida to Washington for another trilateral meeting.
Choi You Sun, KBS World Radio News.