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

South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol, second left, talks with Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, second right, during their meeting at the presidential office in Seoul Sunday, May 7, 2023. The leaders of South Korea and Japan met Sunday for their second summit in less than two months, as they push to mend long-running historical grievances and boost ties in the face of North Korea’s nuclear program and other regional challenges. - AP

SEOUL, May 7 (Bloomberg): 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.