Lee and Takaichi Hold Hometown Summit on Energy Security

Lee Jae Myung hosted Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi for a two-day summit in his hometown of Andong, South Korea, marking the first reciprocal hometown visit between sitting leaders of the two nations. The summit, held May 19-20, reciprocated Lee's January visit to Takaichi's home region of Nara Prefecture and was intended to establish a pattern of shuttle diplomacy to foster closer bilateral cooperation and exchanges.

While the itinerary emphasized personal ties — including a small-group meeting, a joint press conference, and a banquet in Hahoe Village featuring traditional performances — the talks were driven by urgent strategic needs. Disruptions to energy shipments through the Strait of Hormuz caused by the Iran war have pressured both import-dependent nations to secure supply chains for crude oil, petroleum products, and liquefied natural gas.

The leaders agreed to strengthen bilateral cooperation on supply chain resilience and energy security. They were expected to announce measures for the emergency sharing of crude oil and petroleum products and to establish a new Industrial and Trade Policy Dialogue. Takaichi departed from Daegu on Wednesday following the conclusion of the summit.

The visit demonstrated how geopolitical crises are pushing South Korea and Japan toward practical economic cooperation even as historical tensions continue to shape the broader bilateral relationship.