Yoon, Kishida exchange political pleasantries in Madrid

President Yoon Suk-yeol and Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida made first contact at a dinner in Madrid Tuesday evening, exchanging wishes for better relations.

Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol, Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida and other world leaders pose for a photo at a dinner hosted by King Felipe VI and Queen Letizia of Spain at the royal palace in Madrid on Tuesday evening. [JOINT PRESS CORPS]

MADRID, Spain — President Yoon Suk-yeol and Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida made first contact at a dinner in Madrid Tuesday evening, exchanging wishes for better relations.

The encounter between Yoon and Kishida lasted three to four minutes at a banquet hosted by Spain's King Felipe VI for some 40 world leaders on the eve of a NATO Summit.

Kishida came over and offered greetings to Yoon and congratulated him on his inauguration last month and the victory of his People's Power Party in the June 1 local elections, said the presidential office. Yoon replied that he hoped Kishida's ruling Liberal Democratic Party saw "good results" in elections for Japan's upper house of parliament next month.

Kishida expressed thanks and was quoted as saying by the presidential office, "I know that President Yoon is working hard for Korea-Japan relations. Let's make efforts to develop the Korea-Japan relationship into a healthier one."

Their first face-to-face encounter came after the two sides failed to arrange a formal bilateral summit in Madrid, largely because of Japan's upcoming elections. Korea's presidential officials left open the possibility of casual encounters that could take place without advance notice.

Seoul and Tokyo's relations are poor over historical issues stemming from Japan's 1910-45 colonial rule over Korea and a trade spat from 2019.

Yoon was inaugurated on May 10, while Kishida took office last October. New leaders have been seen as an opportunity to improve relations.

At the dinner, the two leaders agreed to continue their conversation at a trilateral summit with U.S. President Joe Biden Wednesday afternoon, the first of its kind in nearly five years. Those talks were expected to focus on North Korea's nuclear threat.

The last trilateral summit took place in September 2017 on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly in New York.

A quadrilateral meeting of the leaders of NATO's four Asia-Pacific partners — Korea, Japan Australia and New Zealand — on Wednesday was another opportunity for Yoon and Kishida to talk.

Yoon is on a five-day trip to Madrid Monday to attend the NATO Summit on Wednesday and Thursday, his first overseas trip since he took office. He is the first Korean president to be invited by NATO.

At a session of the 30 members of the NATO military alliance and partner countries, Yoon was expected to give a speech explaining his position on North Korea and other issues. South Korean participation in the NATO Summit is drawing flak from both Beijing and Pyongyang.

In a statement on Sunday, North Korea's Foreign Ministry accused the United States of "making a full-fledged move to establish an Asia-style NATO" by holding joint military exercises with South Korea and Japan.

Chinese experts said relations with South Korea may become complicated as the Yoon administration "gradually loses its diplomatic independence" by relying on the United States, reported the Global Times Tuesday.

U.S. National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan said in a press briefing Monday that the trilateral meeting with Seoul and Tokyo will be "mainly focused on the continuing threat from the DPRK [Democratic People's Republic of Korea], particularly after an extended period of intense testing and other provocative activities."

Sullivan said Biden will talk with his Indo-Pacific partners and the NATO alliance about the "China challenge and the ways in which it increasingly is a relevant factor."

Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol, right, shakes hands with Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese in a hotel in Madrid on Tuesday. [YONHAP]

On the sidelines of the NATO gathering, Yoon kicked off a series of bilateral talks starting with Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese Tuesday afternoon.

The two leaders said they will cooperate closely based on democratic values, human rights and market economics, said the presidential office.

They also promised to expand cooperation on energy, climate change and North Korean denuclearization.

Albanese said Australia intends to actively and strictly implement economic sanctions imposed on North Korea in the future, said Yoon's presidential office.

Albanese also said Australia and Korea should strengthen cooperation with the 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations.

Yoon asked for Australia's support for South Korea's bid to host the 2030 World Expo in Busan, and Albanese replied he would make "appropriate considerations."

Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol, right, poses for a photo with Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte in a hotel in Madrid on Wednesday on the sidelines of the NATO Summit. [JOINT PRESS CORPS]

On Wednesday, Yoon met Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte and discussed cooperation in high-tech industries, namely semiconductors.

Yoon said he expects that Dutch semiconductor companies' investment in Korea, such as chip equipment maker ASML, will contribute to the establishment of a stable supply chain, according to the presidential office. He requested a stable supply of chip equipment for Korean semiconductor companies, while Rutte said he appreciated complementary cooperation between the two countries in the semiconductor field.

Yoon noted that the Netherlands is pursuing a policy to increase nuclear power plants, and said he hoped that "Korean companies could contribute with its world-class safety and price competitiveness." The two leaders agreed to advance consultations on cooperation in the nuclear power field.

Yoon also explained the current situation on the Korean Peninsula, including concerns about the possibility of North Korea holding a seventh nuclear weapons test.

Yoon was expected to focus on economic cooperation and explain South Korea's position on North Korea in meetings with leaders from Britain, Denmark, Poland, Canada, France, the Czech Republic and Romania.

A scheduled meeting with NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg on Tuesday was canceled because of scheduling conflicts and rescheduled for Thursday afternoon.

BY SARAH KIM [kim.sarah@joongang.co.kr]