林外相、尹大統領と会談　日韓関係改善を確認

　【ソウル時事】林芳正外相は１０日、韓国の尹錫悦新大統領とソウルで会談し、岸田文雄首相の親書を手渡した。元徴用工、慰安婦問題などで冷え切った日韓関係の改善に向け、対話を重ねる方針を確認。林氏は「関係発展には元徴用工問題など日韓間の懸案解決が必要だ」と伝達した。
　林氏は「ルールに基づく国際秩序が脅かされている現下の国際情勢で、日韓関係の改善は待ったなしだ」と指摘。核・ミサイル開発を続ける北朝鮮などを念頭に「日韓、日韓米の戦略的連携がこれほど必要な時はない」と強調した。
　尹氏は「日韓関係を重視しており、関係改善に向け共に協力したい」と表明。その上で「早く岸田首相に会えることを期待する」と述べた。（2022/05/10-17:55）

Japanese Foreign Minister Yoshimasa Hayashi and new South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol agreed Tuesday to continue dialogue to improve frayed relations between the two East Asian countries.
   At their meeting in Seoul, Hayashi, on a visit to South Korea as a special envoy of Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, told Yoon that outstanding bilateral issues, including the one regarding Koreans requisitioned to work for Japanese companies during World War II, need to be resolved.
   Yoon replied that he is ready to work with Japan to mend fence.
   Hayashi handed a personal letter from Kishida to the new South Korean president. Yoon was sworn in at the day's inauguration ceremony, which Hayashi attended with other guests from abroad.
   The Japan-South Korea relationship has been tense over the wartime labor issue as well as the issue of so-called Korean comfort women, who served as prostitutes for Japanese troops before and during the war, including those forced to do so against their will.