South Korean PM to Attend Japan Emperor’s Enthronement Ceremony

(Bloomberg) -- South Korea’s Prime Minister Lee Nak-yon will travel to Japan next week for the Emperor’s enthronement ceremony, the first high-level visit by a Korean official after a history and trade dispute re-emerged in recent months.

Lee will attend two banquets hosted by Emperor Naruhito and Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, and meet with key Japanese politicians and businessmen during his trip, his office said in a statement Sunday. He will be in Japan for three days from Oct. 22.

The relationship between the two sides soured again in recent months after Japan restricted exports of strategic materials to South Korea. That was in response to the Korean Supreme Court’s ruling last year in favor of individuals seeking compensation from Japanese firms for forced labor during the 1910-1945 colonial era.

South Korea later terminated a U.S.-endorsed intelligence-sharing pact with Japan, while a citizen-driven “Don’t Go, Don’t Buy” campaign against Japan intensified.

To contact the reporter on this story: Kanga Kong in Seoul at kkong50@bloomberg.net

To contact the editors responsible for this story: Shamim Adam at sadam2@bloomberg.net, Jeff Sutherland

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