Japan and South Korea move closer on security and chips at rare summit in Seoul

May 07 (The Star) - The leaders of South Korea and Japan struck a chord of unity at a rare summit where the US allies agreed to cooperate on North Korea and implement a deal meant to heal a rift stemming from their troubled histories.

South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol told Fumio Kishida that cooperation with the US was important to tackle security challenges posed by the likes of Pyongyang. The Japanese premier expressed sadness for the pain caused by his country’s 1910-1945 colonial rule over the peninsula and said he sees talks with Seoul progressing in a dynamic manner.

Yoon and Kishida agreed to cooperate on chips, without elaborating on what the partnership would entail.

The South Korean leader has been a supporter of Washington’s Asia strategy, including President Joe Biden’s initiative to restructure global supply chains to reduce dependence on China. Japan in March said it will expand restrictions on exports of 23 types of leading-edge chipmaking technology, even as its trade officials repeatedly said it was not targeted at China. ...continue reading

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