TCS

On September 3, 2025, TCS Secretary-General LEE Hee-sup, Deputy Secretary-General ZUSHI Shuji and Deputy Secretary-General YAN Liang (collectively as the 7th “Consultative Board”) paid a courtesy call on H.E. CHO Hyun, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Korea.Minister CHO welcomed the TCS delegation and commended the TCS for its meaningful contributions in advancing trilateral cooperation. Reflecting on his own participation in the Future Leaders Forum in 2002, he expressed his continued interest in trilateral cooperation, emphasizing the importance of fostering next-generation exchange and people-to-people exchange. He acknowledged TCS’s efforts to promote practical cooperation among the three countries and affirmed the ROK government’s continued support.SG LEE expressed his deep gratitude for the Minister’s warm welcome and the ROK government’s unwavering support for trilateral cooperation and the TCS. He also appreciated Korea’s proactive leadership as the chair of the most recent Trilateral Summit, which played a key role in revitalizing the trilateral process. SG LEE highlighted that the TCS has been prioritizing future-oriented cooperation and expressed hope for continued support from the three foreign ministries to jointly realize these initiatives. DSG ZUSHI and YAN also expressed appreciation for the ROK’s support, emphasizing the importance of the three countries moving forward together to achieve lasting progress.▲Group Photo▲Meeting in progress

Secretary-General LEE Hee-sup participated the 4th Northeast Asia Cooperation Roundtable 2025.08.26 On August 26, 2025, the 4th Northeast Asia Cooperation Roundtable was held in Changchun, China. Secretary-General of the Trilateral Cooperation Secretariat (TCS), LEE Hee-sup, delivered a speech at the event. The Roundtable was co-hosted by the Foreign Affairs Office of Jilin Province, the Department of Commerce of Jilin Province, and the Association of North East Asia Regional Governments (NEAR).The Roundtable brought together leaders from international organizations and local governments of the five Northeast Asian countries for in-depth discussions under the theme: “Promoting High-Quality Exchanges and Cooperation for a Better Future in Northeast Asia.”Distinguished participants included LIU Kai, Vice Governor of Jilin Province; LU Xiangdong, Vice President of the Chinese People’s Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries; LIM Byung-jin, Secretary-General of NEAR; RYU Joong-hyeop, Administrative Vice Governor of Gangwon Special Self-Governing Province, Republic of Korea; HAMADA Takashi, Consul-General of Japan in Shenyang; MA Jong-swae, Consul-General of North Korea in Shenyang; Le Tumurchudel, Governor of Central Province, Mongolia; and Ravil Ahmad Shen, Deputy Prime Minister of the Republic of Tatarstan, Russian Federation.In his speech, LEE Hee-sup underscored the strategic importance of regional cooperation in Northeast Asia, noting that the region holds tremendous potential for economic growth and collaborative development. He emphasized the crucial role of local governments in sustaining and advancing cooperation and reaffirmed the TCS’s commitment to strengthening engagement with local governments across the six countries and advancing the “Trilateral Plus X” cooperation framework.The Northeast Asia Cooperation Roundtable is a major international initiative launched by Jilin Province in accordance with its regional cooperation responsibilities. The inaugural Roundtable was held in 2019, followed by the second and third editions in 2021 and 2023, respectively. The event is held biennially as part of the China–Northeast Asia Expo.▲Secretary-General LEE Hee-sup delivering Speech▲Group Photo▲Secretary-General LEE Hee-sup meets with HU Yuting, Governor of Jilin Province, prior to the 4th Northeast Asia Cooperation Roundtable▲Secretary-General LEE Hee-sup in conversation with LIM Byung-jin, Secretary-General of NEAR, and J. Sainchogt, ViceGovernor of Selenge Province, Mongolia▲Secretary-General LEE Hee-sup in conversation with HAMADA Takashi, Consul-General of Japan in Shenyang▲Secretary-General LEE Hee-sup in conversation MA Jong-swae, Consul-General of North Korea in Shenyang

On August 22, 2025, TCS Secretary-General LEE Hee-sup paid a visit to the Japan Patent Office (JPO). SG LEE expressed his sincere appreciation to JPO for its continued efforts in advancing trilateral cooperation on intellectual property (IP). He emphasized that the Trilateral Intellectual Property Offices (TRIPO) Heads Meeting is one of the most institutionalized and mature mechanisms under the framework of trilateral cooperation, reflecting the strong commitment of the three countries to collaboration in the IP field. SG LEE noted that the 25th TRIPO Heads Meeting, scheduled to take place in Japan this December, will serve as another important step forward. He reaffirmed TCS’s readiness to provide support to ensure the success of this year’s meeting. The JPO representative warmly welcomed SG LEE’s visit and commended TCS for its role in facilitating dialogue among the three countries. He highlighted the vital contribution of the TRIPO mechanism in deepening IP cooperation and fostering an environment that supports innovation and fair competition. The representative further expressed JPO’s strong commitment to working closely with China, the ROK, and TCS to deliver a successful and productive TRIPO meeting.▲Meeting in progress

On August 22, 2025, the 12th CJK Cooperation Dialogue was held in Tokyo, Japan. The event was hosted by Japan Economic Foundation (JEF), East Asia Foundation (EAF) of the ROK, and China Institute of Reform and Development (CIRD) with support from the TCS. TCS Secretary-General LEE Hee-sup delivered remarks during the Opening Ceremony. SG LEE stressed the importance of strengthening trilateral cooperation amid rising geopolitical tensions and global uncertainties. He highlighted that despite historical and structural challenges, the three countries have achieved significant progress, driven by strong economic interdependence. SG LEE emphasized the need to accelerate negotiations on a CJK FTA, upgrade RCEP, and leverage upcoming APEC Economic Leaders’ Meeting to promote resilient, inclusive growth. He also called for deeper collaboration in emerging industries such as AI, clean energy, and biotechnology, underscoring that trilateral cooperation remains essential for regional stability and sustainable development. This year’s Dialogue convened experts and stakeholders from the three countries under the theme “Enhancing Trilateral Cooperation amid Shared Economic Challenges”. The program featured three thematic sessions: “Strengthening Rules-Based Free Trade in East Asia: Implications of U.S. Policy”, “Trilateral Collaboration on Climate Change and Energy Technologies”, and a youth-focused session on “Exploring Opportunities for Trilateral Cooperation in Tourism Development”. The next CJK Cooperation Dialogue will be held in the ROK in 2026.▲SG LEE delivering remarks▲Group photo