[ANALYSIS] Too early to hail success of Korea-Japan summit

The Korea Times

The Korea Times

National

Thu, December 7, 2023 | 23:22

Foreign Affairs

ANALYSISToo early to hail success of Korea-Japan summit

Posted : 2023-03-17 16:31

Updated : 2023-03-18 08:13

President Yoon Suk Yeol shakes hands with Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida during a summit held at the latter's official residence in Tokyo, Thursday. Yonhap

Unresolved historical disputes may hinder 'new era' of ties: experts

By Lee Hyo-jin

A milestone summit between President Yoon Suk Yeol and Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida on Thursday ended on an upbeat tone. According to diplomatic observers, it has inarguably opened a new chapter in bilateral ties between Korea and Japan.

But analysts viewed the summit as lacking concrete plans from Japan on the compensation of Korean forced labor victims, leaving room for related disputes to resurface in the future.

"The summit has succeeded in putting bilateral relations back on track, and that's a notable achievement. Previous administrations of both countries had failed to hold a summit due to negative public sentiment on each other's leaders," said Yang Ki-ho, a professor of Japanese studies at Sungkonghoe University.

Thursday's summit was the first such event in 12 years. Mutual visits by Korean and Japanese leaders to each other's countries had been suspended since 2011 relations soured over an array of historical, territorial disputes dating back to Imperial Japan's 1910-45 occupation of Korea.

On the surface, the summit seems to be a win-win for both countries.

Major outcomes were achieved. Tokyo decided to lift trade restrictions imposed on Seoul against the backdrop of historical disputes. The Korean government decided to fully restore an intelligence-sharing pact known as the General Security of Military Information Agreement (GSOMIA) that the previous administration had threatened to suspend.

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"But in terms of talks on historical issues, Korea had nothing to gain from the meeting," Yang said. "From Korea's perspective, Japan backpedaled on sensitive issues such as the forced labor issue. In that sense, it's difficult to hail the summit as a success for Seoul."

The summit took place less than two weeks after Seoul announced a compensation plan for South Korean victims of Japan's wartime forced labor by using a government fund to compensate them without direct payments from Japan. Korea had been hoping for Japan to show a "meaningful response" to its diplomatic concession.

In a joint conference held after the summit, Kishida reiterated his administration's stance that it "upholds the historical position held by its past administrations, including the 1998 joint declaration." In the statement, announced by then Korean President Kim Dae-jung and Japanese Prime Minister Keizo Obuchi, the latter expressed deep remorse and apologized for the "tremendous damage and suffering" to the Korean people during the 35-year occupation.

Members of the main opposition Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) hold a rally at Gwanghwamun Square in central Seoul, Friday, condemning the summit between the leaders of Korea and Japan, which they called the "most humiliating moment" in the country's diplomatic history. Yonhap

In response to criticisms about the absence of a straightforward apology from Kishida, a senior official at the Korean presidential office said the Japanese leader's remarks inheriting the past government's views on history seem "sufficient" at this point.

"With the absence of a sincere apology or meaningful reactions from Japan, it will be difficult for Korea to maintain its diplomatic leverage in discussions on other pending issues such as Fukushima nuclear water and the Sado mines," Yang said. "And when the two governments begin to discuss the matters in earnest, Yoon's diplomatic capability will be put to the test."

Lee Won-deog, a professor of Japanese studies at Kookmin University, described the summit as a "normalization of bilateral ties that had been abnormal for years."

"Now that the two leaders have managed to rebuild mutual trust, the two countries will be able to actively discuss bolstering ties in the economy and security sector as well as people-to-people exchanges."

However, he also pointed out that the summit has failed to address the "elephant in the room."

"Korea's compensation plan for forced labor victims will not be completed without support or a response from Japan's side. The ball is in Tokyo's court," Lee said, expressing regret that Kishida did not make a direct statement on the issue, nor issue a fresh apology.

But Lee was quite optimistic that the two countries may be able to advance talks on sensitive issues. "The summit was only the beginning of restoring ties. Small steps on resuming talks will lead to better relations on historical matters as well," he said.

lhj@koreatimes.co.kr