Japan and South Korea seek to confront threats from North Korea to rising concerns about China
The President of South Korea – Yoon Suk Yeol met the Prime Minister of Japan – Fumio Kishida on Thursday, March 16, 2023, for a fence-mending Summit as the 2 neighbors seek to confront threats from North Korea to rising concerns about China.
This is the first such visit of a South Korean leader to Japan in 12 years. It comes hours after North Korea fired a long-range ballistic missile into the waters off the East coast of the Korean Peninsula. This is the 4th intercontinental ballistic missile launch in less than one year. Japan condemned the latest launch, calling it a reckless act that threatens the peace and security of our country, the region, and the international community.
Besides, China’s increasingly aggressive military posturing and tensions across the Taiwan Strait, an area both Japan and South Korea say is vital to their respective security, is a cause of concern.
Prior to leaving for Japan, Yoon said, “There is an increasing need for Korea and Japan to cooperate in this time of a polycrisis. We cannot afford to waste time while leaving strained Korea-Japan relations unattended.”
The meeting is seen as an important milestone in the development of bilateral relations. The 2 East Asian neighbors have a long history of acrimony, dating back to Japan’s colonial occupation of the Korean Peninsula a century ago. They normalized relations in 1965, but unresolved historical disputes have continued to fester, in particular over colonial Japan’s use of forced labor. In recent years the often-fraught relations have undermined efforts by the United States (U.S.) to present a united front against North Korea and the growing assertiveness of China.
Last week, South Korea announced it would compensate victims of forced labor under Japan’s occupation from 1910 to 1945 through a public foundation funded by private Korean companies instead of asking Japanese firms to contribute to the reparations. The move was welcomed by Japan and hailed by the White House.
In the latest sign of goodwill before the Summit, Japan and South Korea agreed to drop a trade dispute that has strained relations for years. Japan will lift export controls on high-tech materials used for semiconductors and display panels to South Korea, while South Korea will withdraw its complaint over those restrictions to the World Trade Organization (WTO). Japan imposed these curbs in 2019 amid rising tensions with South Korea over a decades-old row over wartime forced labor. Last week, South Korea made headway in resolving that dispute by announcing a compensation plan that doesn’t require the direct involvement of Japan.
The commencement of talks between Japan and South Korea are welcome news for the U.S., who has been pushing the detente. The U.S., Japan and South Korea held over 40 trilateral meetings at different levels over the past year.
Under Yoon’s Predecessor – Moon Jae-in, South Korea’s relationship with Japan was openly combative. Yoon has been striving to improve relations even if it means pushing back against domestic public pressure on contentious, highly emotional issues like the compensation plan. Since taking office, the two leaders have embarked on a flurry of diplomatic activities toward mending bilateral ties and deepening their joint cooperation with Washington.
