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yesterday

South Korea-Japan Business Leaders Endorse Expanded AI, Chip Ties and CPTPP Bid

Participants highlighted risks from U.S. protectionism, calling on Korea’s incoming administration to deepen Tokyo ties through economic reforms.

South Korean and Japanese business leaders join a group photo session during the opening ceremony of the 57th South Korea-Japan Business Conference at a hotel in Seoul on May 27, 2025. (Yonhap)
Kim Yoon (L), co-chairman of the Korea-Japan Economic Association and chairman of Samyang Holdings, and Yutaka Aso, vice chairman of the Japan-Korea Economic Association and chairman of Aso Cement Co., pose for a photo during a press conference at a hotel in Seoul on May 28, 2025, about a joint statement that South Korean and Japanese business leaders adopted following the 57th South Korea-Japan Business Conference. (Yonhap)

Overview

  • At the two-day conference in Seoul, roughly 300 business and economic representatives adopted a joint statement to expand cooperation across AI, semiconductors, carbon neutrality, hydrogen, bio and health care.
  • The joint statement endorsed preliminary measures to support Seoul’s bid to join the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership, a bloc of 12 Indo-Pacific economies accounting for over 15% of global trade.
  • Both sides voiced concern over growing U.S. protectionist policies and the escalating U.S.-China rivalry, framing stronger bilateral ties as a strategic response to external economic pressures.
  • Yutaka Aso, vice chairman of the Japan-Korea Economic Association, urged South Korea’s incoming administration to prioritize bilateral relations and implement necessary reforms to sustain cooperation momentum.
  • Marking the 60th anniversary of normalized diplomatic ties, the 57th South Korea-Japan Business Conference reaffirmed trust and set a roadmap for future joint initiatives.