Japan, South Korea deepen energy cooperation

South Korea and Japan used a May 19 summit in Andong to put energy security at the center of their latest push to stabilize ties. President Lee Jae Myung and Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi said they would expand cooperation on liquefied natural gas and crude-oil supply as conflict in the Middle East raised concern about fuel disruptions. (thestar.com.my) Reuters reported the two governments also agreed to discuss stockpiling and petroleum-product swap arrangements. The meeting was Takaichi’s May 19-20 visit to South Korea, according to Japan’s foreign ministry. ### Why did energy move to the top of the agenda? Andong, South Korea, hosted the summit as both countries faced what Reuters and South Korean media described as rising concern over supply chains and energy markets after the Iran war and wider Middle East instability. (meti.go.jp) Lee said after the meeting that Seoul and Tokyo agreed to strengthen cooperation in securing crude oil and LNG supplies, Yonhap reported. Japan and South Korea are both major fuel importers, which makes disruptions in seaborne energy trade an immediate policy issue for both governments. January 13, 2026, was the date of the leaders’ previous summit in Japan, where Takaichi and Lee agreed to deepen discussion among relevant ministries on economic security and supply chains, according to the Japanese prime minister’s office. (thestar.com.my) The Andong meeting built on that framework with more specific energy items. ### What did Lee and Takaichi actually agree to do? Reuters reported that the two leaders agreed to expand cooperation on LNG and crude-oil supply, including stockpiling and petroleum-product swap arrangements. Yonhap said Lee described LNG and crude oil as key energy sources for both countries and said the two sides would further strengthen cooperation in those sectors. Korea JoongAng Daily reported the governments also discussed managing unstable supply chains and energy markets by securing those supplies. (thestar.com.my) May 19 also produced a ministerial follow-up. Japan’s Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry said Economy Minister Ryosei Akazawa and South Korean Trade, Industry and Energy Minister Kim Jung-kwan held an online meeting and issued a joint press release as an outcome of the summit. (japan.kantei.go.jp) METI said the ministers discussed cooperation on energy security and supply-chain resilience, identifying those as key summit agenda items. ### Was this only about energy? The Japanese prime minister’s office said the two leaders also discussed strategic coordination, security cooperation, economic security and North Korea. Reuters reported they agreed to strengthen security ties as well as energy cooperation. AP described the Andong meeting as their fourth in about six months, part of an effort to keep “shuttle diplomacy” between the neighbors in place. (thestar.com.my) May 19 was also presented by both governments as part of a broader effort to keep bilateral channels active. Japan’s foreign ministry page on relations with South Korea lists Takaichi’s May 19-20 visit to South Korea after earlier summit and foreign-minister contacts this year. (meti.go.jp) ### What should readers watch next? Japan’s METI said the May 19 ministerial joint press release was one direct follow-up to the summit, and further work will run through the two countries’ economic and industry ministries. Japan’s prime minister’s office said in January that relevant ministries would deepen discussions on economic security and supply chains, a process the Andong agreements now extend into LNG, crude oil, stockpiling and swap arrangements. (japan.kantei.go.jp) May 20 was the date a Japanese-language YouTube clip highlighted the summit’s energy-security theme, but the operative next steps are the government-level ministry talks and any formal documents released by Seoul and Tokyo from the Andong follow-up. (meti.go.jp) (mofa.go.jp)