S. Korean, Japanese PMs likely to meet next week amid strained ties

South Korea’s PM Lee Nak-yon is expected to meet Japanese PM Shinzo Abe next Thursday in what would be the highest-level talks between the two countries since Tokyo imposed export curbs in a trade and diplomatic spat, Reuters cited Seoul officials as saying on Friday.

Lee is scheduled to visit Tokyo for October 22-24 to attend Japanese Emperor Naruhito’s enthronement ceremony on behalf of President Moon Jae-in.

Both sides are trying to finalize a meeting between Lee and Abe on October 24 following a banquet hosted by Abe the day before, Lee’s office said in a statement.

Relations between the neighbors are arguably at their lowest ebb since they normalized ties in 1965, after South Korea’s Supreme Court last year ordered two Japanese companies to compensate some wartime laborers.