Prime Minister Kim Min-seok expresses condolences on the death of former Japanese House of Representatives Speaker Yohei Kono.

Prime Minister Kim Min-seok said on the 11th about the passing of former Japanese House of Representatives Speaker Yohei Kono, "I express my deepest condolences and hope for the healthy development of Korea-Japan relations."

Prime Minister Kim mentioned this in a post posted on his

He introduced former Chairman Kono as "a rare Japanese politician who recognized and apologized for the forced mobilization of comfort women and presented the principle of 'acknowledging history and moving on to the future'" and "he was also close to my political mentor, President Kim Dae-jung."

He continued, "My son, former Foreign Minister Taro Kono, is my old friend. We have maintained a friendship for over 20 years, saying, 'There are difficult issues between Korea and Japan, so even if we have different political positions, let's not hide our true feelings and talk about each other's thoughts.'"

Prime Minister Kim repeatedly emphasized, "President Lee Jae-myung has expanded the horizon of Korea-Japan diplomacy, and business leaders such as Chairman Chey Tae-won emphasize the need for Korea-Japan economic solidarity." He added, "Korea-Japan relations are more important than we think and must develop beyond the current level."