이낙연 총리, 오늘 오전 11시 아베 만나 문 대통령 친서 전달<br />Amid frayed relations between Seoul and Tokyo over trade and historical issues,... South Korean Prime Minister Lee Nak-yon met with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe in the past hour.<br />Lee is also known to have delivered a letter from President Moon Jae-in.<br />For more, we have our Kim Mok-yeon on the line for us.<br />Mok-yeon, how did the meeting go?<br />Hi Ji-yoon, the meeting started at 11:12 AM at the Prime Minister's official residence in Tokyo.<br />The meeting had been delayed for 10 minutes from the original schedule, and the talks lasted for about 20 minutes.<br />Although the details haven't been revealed yet, inside sources say South Korean Prime Minister Lee Nak-yon likely expressed Seoul's willingness to mend ties with Tokyo.<br />He is expected to have offered his congratulations over Emperor Naruhito's enthronement as well as expressed concern over the damage from the latest series of typhoons that hit Japan.<br />Lee also delivered a personal letter written by President Moon Jae-in to his Japanese counterpart.<br />Though its contents have not been disclosed,... the letter likely details Moon's commitment to improve Seoul-Tokyo relations.<br />Prime Minister Lee will wrap up his three-day stay in Tokyo after a luncheon with representatives of Japan's economic groups, where he is expected to exchange ideas on economic cooperation.<br />So Mok-yeon, why is today's meeting garnering so much attention?<br />Well, there are hopes that the meeting will bring some positive news amid the continuing tensions between the two countries, and perhaps provide an opportunity for a Moon-Abe summit before the end of the year.<br />The meeting is actually the first of its kind in over a year, since a ruling by the South Korean Supreme Court called for Japanese companies to compensate Korean victims of Tokyo's forced labor during its colonial rule of the Korean Peninsula.<br />From July, bilateral ties slumped to a low NOT seen in decades, after Tokyo imposed export curbs against Seoul and removed South Korea from its "white-list" of countries with favorable trade conditions the following month.<br />And in late August, tensions continued to escalate following South Korea's announcement to terminate its military intelligence-sharing pact with Japan, known as GSOMIA.<br />So now that the meeting is over, we still have to wait and see whether it will pave the way for thaw in tensions between the two countries.<br />That's all from me for now, back to you Ji-yoon.<br />
