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November 2009

History of Bilateral Relations

(a) December 18, 1965: Normalization of diplomatic ties between Japan and the Republic of Korea
(b) Number of Japanese in the Republic of Korea: 15,217 persons (as of October 1 1999; 14,648 long-term residents, 569 permanent residents)
(c) Number of Koreans in Japan: 636,000 persons (as of December 1 1999; includes North Koreans in Japan)

Economic Relations

(a) Republic of Korea's trade with Japan
Trade figures (1999 Korean customs base)
*Exports: $15.86 billion (textile products, electric machinery, metal products, oil products, machinery)
*Imports: $24.14 billion (electric machinery, machinery, metal products, precesion machinery, chemical products, light industry products)
(b) Direct investment from Japan: $175 million (1999)

Personal and Cultural Exchange

Exchanges between Japan and the Republic of Korea have been active both on governmental and non governmental levels for some time, and in addition to that, the new governmental programs for exchanges based on the "Action Plan", announced by the two leaders in October 1998, has been promoted actively (e.g. programs for junior and senior high school students, accepting undergraduate students of the departments of science and engineering).
Furthermore, the year 2002, also the year of Soccer World Cup co-hosted by Japan and the ROK, was agreed as "The Year of Japan-ROK National Exchange" in which various exchanges would be held, and governmental working group was established for that. Also, "Japan-Korea Cultural Exchange Council", which consists of leaders from many fields in the non government sector, was founded to discuss plans to enhance cultural and artistic exchange between the two countries.
President Kim Dae Jung has been promoting the liberalization of Japanese culture in the ROK after the long period of restrictions by the government. As a result of his policy, Japanese movies were virtually liberalized, and live performances of Japanese pop songs have met a drastic deregulation.

VIP Visits

From Japan to Republic of Korea
Year Name
1997 Foreign Minister Ikeda,
Defense Agency Director General Kyuma,
Foreign Minister Obuchi
1998 Foreign Minister Obuchi
1999 Prime Minister Obuchi,
Foreign Minister Koumura,
Foreign Minister Kono
2000 Foreign Minister Kono,
Prime Minister Mori
2001 Prime Minister Koizumi
2002 Prime Minister Koizumi
Foreign Minister Kawaguchi
2003 Foreign Minister Kawaguchi,
Foreign Minister Machimura
2004 Foreign Minister Kawaguchi
Prime Minister Koizumi
Foreign Minister Machimura
2005 Prime Minister Koizumi
Foreign Minister Machimura
From Republic of Korea to Japan
Year Name
1997 President Kim Young Sam,
Foreign Minister Yoo Chong Ha
1997 Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina
1998 President Kim Dae Jung,
Prime Minister Kim Jong Pil,
Foreign and Trade Minister Park Chung Soo,
Foreign and Trade Minister Hong Soon Young,
Defense Minister Cheon Young Taek
1999 Prime Minister Kim Jong Pil,
Foreign and Trade Minister Hong Soon Young
2000 President Kim Dae Jung,
Foreign and Trade Minister Lee Jun Bin,
Defense Minister Cho Seong Tae
2002 President Kim Dae-jung
2003 President ROH, Moo Hyun

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Press Secretary's Press Conference on the Republic of Korea

Year Month Date
2009 June 25
February 12
January 8
2008 December 11
November 6
June 3
April 1
March 11
2007 October 26
June 1
May 11
March 30
2006 December 15
November 24
October 3
September 1, 5, 8
July 4
April 11, 28
February 28
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