South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol will visit Japan on Thursday for a long-awaited summit with Prime Minister Fumio Kishida as the two leaders look to finalize a solution to the wartime labor issue and jump-start their stalled relationship.
After half a decade of chilly ties, momentum is growing for a significant thaw in the relationship on several fronts, including diplomacy, security and economic cooperation.
Last week’s announcement by South Korea of a plan for resolving its long-festering dispute with Japan over the wartime labor issue paved the way for Yoon’s two-day visit, freeing up Kishida to extend the summit invitation.