Korean media: Hopes for the continuous development of South Korea-Japan relations with national interests preceding the sentiments of supporters

On the 23rd, South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol held a summit with Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba and issued a joint statement emphasizing enhanced cooperation between the two countries. This is the first time in 17 years that South Korea and Japan have issued a joint statement on their relationship.

In the joint statement, the leaders of both countries stated: "Both sides agree that as partners, South Korea and Japan should cooperate on various international issues," and "Considering the changes in regional environments, including the Indo-Pacific region, and new trade orders, both sides have decided to strengthen communication." The article also pointed out: "It is crucial to promote a solid South Korea-Japan and South Korea-US-Japan cooperation in the face of rapidly changing international developments," and "both sides have decided to continuously promote the development of South Korea-Japan relations, thereby driving a virtuous cycle of strengthening South Korea-US-Japan cooperation." Regarding the North Korean nuclear issue, the two leaders emphasized: "Cooperate with the international community based on the South Korea-US-Japan cooperation." Both countries also decided to enhance cooperation in future industries such as hydrogen energy and AI, and to establish an agreement body to address low birth rates and disaster safety issues. This approach is similar to that of the previous Yoon Suk-yeol government's emphasis on South Korea-Japan and South Korea-US-Japan cooperation.

The scene of the recent South Korea-Japan summit contrasts sharply with the Democratic Party's previous "anti-Japanese" tendencies, making it quite rare. In 2018, after the South Korean Supreme Court made a ruling on the compensation for forced labor under Japanese imperialism, relations between South Korea and Japan deteriorated rapidly. The Moon Jae-in administration not only failed to resolve the issue but also sang the song "Bamboo Gun" to provoke public anti-Japanese sentiment. At that time, the South Korea-Japan relationship was evaluated as the worst since the end of the war. Yoon Suk-yeol's past stance was no different from the Democratic Party's actions. Therefore, there are concerns that relations between South Korea and Japan may regress to the past after Yoon Suk-yeol takes office.

In 1998, former South Korean President Kim Dae-jung visited Japan and met with then-Japanese Prime Minister Obuchi Yoshiro, reaching a consensus on "overcoming the unfortunate history between the two countries and developing bilateral relations for the future." This declaration was the traditional route pursued by the Democratic Party regarding South Korea-Japan relations. In this meeting, Prime Minister Ishiba also stated his position, saying that he would fully inherit the historical perspectives of previous cabinets, including the "Kim Dae-jung-Obuchi Declaration."

When visiting Japan, Yoon Suk-yeol mentioned the comfort women agreement of the Park Geun-hye administration and the forced labor compensation resolution of the Yoon Suk-yeol administration, stating: "These are commitments at the national level, and overturning them is inappropriate." The Japanese side welcomed Yoon Suk-yeol's pragmatic approach over ideology, saying: "The relationship between the two countries is expected to be strengthened." It is hoped that Yoon Suk-yeol's diplomatic choices, which prioritize national interests over the sentiments of his supporters, will continue in the future.

Source: Chosun Ilbo

Original: www.toutiao.com/article/1841398610154699/

Statement: This article represents the views of the author.