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South Korean Prime Minister Lee Nak-yeon holds a press meeting aboard the Republic of Korea Air Force One regarding his meeting with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe on Oct. 24. (Yonhap News)

During a meeting with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, South Korean Prime Minister Lee Nak-yeon reported expressing hopes that the two countries’ relations would approve enough to allow them to hold a summit.

Lee made the comments during a press conference aboard the Republic of Korea Air Force One while flying back to South Korea from Japan on Oct. 24.

“There was only so much I could say about a summit,” Lee said in regard to his meeting with Abe. Lee added that “even when the surface of a river is frozen, water still flows underneath.”

When reporters pressed to know whether Lee had proposed holding a summit, Lee said, “I casually expressed my hope that a summit would be held, rather than [making a proposal] about a time and place.”

Abe reportedly just listened to Lee’s remark without making a specific response.

Lee went on to address Japanese media reports claiming that the letter from South Korean President Moon Jae-in that Lee delivered during the meeting contained a proposal for a South Korea-Japan summit during a multilateral meeting in November. “I didn’t see any numbers in the first draft [of the letter]. The Japanese media seems to have jumped the gun in those reports,” Lee said.

“The personal letter and the conversation with Abe in the meeting represent separate domains,” said a high-ranking official in the South Korean government. The official added that Seoul’s goal was not to make a specific offer in the letter but to express the hope for a bilateral summit during Lee and Abe’s meeting.

“I’m feeling a little more hopeful than when I was on the plane two days ago,” Lee said when asked about the outcome of his visit to Japan.

“Japanese government officials said their piece, and the fact they said we can’t leave things as they are, we need to continue intergovernmental dialogue, and we need communication in several areas strikes me as some degree of change.”

By Lee Wan, staff reporter

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