Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba visits the grave of Lee Soo-hyun. Yonhap News.

On the 30th, ahead of the Korea-Japan summit, Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba visited the grave of Lee Soo-hyun, a "righteous person" who serves as a symbol of friendship between the two nations, to offer flowers and pay his respects.

Prime Minister Ishiba visited Lee’s grave at Youngnak Park in Geumjeong-gu, Busan, around 3:00 PM that day.

After offering flowers and observing a moment of silence, Prime Minister Ishiba met with Lee’s mother, Shin Yoon-chan, the honorary chair of the LSH Asia Scholarship Foundation.

Chairwoman Shin remarked to Prime Minister Ishiba, "I hope that our two countries will become close neighbors for the young generations of the future."

According to Chairwoman Shin, Prime Minister Ishiba responded, "I also hope our two countries become closer," and added, "I am grateful for the work you do with the scholarship foundation."

In an interview with Yonhap News, Honorary Chairwoman Shin said, "I believe it is significant for Japan's Prime Minister to visit my son's grave in this year, which marks the 60th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Korea and Japan," adding, "I hope this event serves as an opportunity for our two countries to foster an even more friendly relationship in the future."

This marks the first time a sitting Japanese Prime Minister has visited and paid respects at Lee's grave.

In 2010, then-Japanese Foreign Minister Katsuya Okada visited the grave, and in 2018, former Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama visited and knelt before the grave to pay his respects.

Flowers laid by Prime Minister Ishiba at Lee Soo-hyun's grave. Yonhap News. 

Lee Soo-hyun lost his life in January 2001 while attempting to save a Japanese citizen who had fallen onto the tracks at Shin-Okubo Station while Lee was studying in Japan.

When news of his actions spread, the Japanese public and media were deeply moved by his courage. Since then, Lee has become a symbolic figure of Korea-Japan friendship.

His righteous actions also had a positive impact on easing the antipathy that had formed between the two peoples due to unresolved historical issues.

Whenever Korea-Japan relations have deteriorated since then, Lee’s story has served as a bridge between the two countries.

In Japan, a memorial service is held every year on January 26, the anniversary of Lee's passing, at Shin-Okubo Station.

Shin-Okubo Station has only one exit, and a bronze plaque honoring Lee's devotion is installed on an interior wall.

The railway operator, JR East, wrote on the plaque in both Korean and Japanese: "Korean exchange student Lee Soo-hyun and cameraman Shiro Sekine sacrificed their noble lives while trying to save another. We leave this message here to forever honor their noble spirits and courageous actions."

In Japan, a documentary film titled "Kakehashi" (Bridge) was also produced based on Lee's life.

The film was produced under the theme of "What Lee Soo-hyun left in our hearts" and has been screened across Japan since 2017. "Kakehashi" means "bridge" in Korean.

Lee's parents have also been acting as a bridge connecting Korea-Japan relations for over 20 years.

They established the LSH Asia Scholarship Foundation using funds donated by people from all walks of life in Japan. They have supported over 1,000 Asian students studying in Japan.

Honorary Chairwoman Shin also served as the chief envoy (Jungsah) among the three envoys in the reenactment of the Joseon Tongsinsa procession held this year to mark the 60th anniversary of diplomatic ties.

Yonhap News