Issue Building balanced, long-term youth exchange as the foundation of future Korea-Japan relations

Summary

In drawing up its 2050 vision the report pays particular attention to the young people of both countries, because they will lead Korea-Japan relations in the future. The current one-sided pattern of exchange could limit how far the two peoples come to understand each other. It therefore recommends resolving the imbalance and developing medium- to long-term exchange programs with high practical value. Goodwill built through exchanges among young people, who will become the protagonists of the future, is seen as brightening the outlook for the relationship, and their sense of closeness raises that potential further. Young people increasingly regard each other as partners for cooperation in more fields and at greater depth, which the report treats as a basis for expecting stronger Korea-Japan cooperation. Balanced youth exchange thus becomes a structural task for the long-term vision rather than a matter of goodwill alone.