Is South Korea Ready to Move Forward with Japan?
June 22 marked the 60th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Japan and the Republic of Korea (South Korea).
Days before, Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba and newly inaugurated South Korean President Lee Jae-myung held their first face-to-face meeting in Canada. There, the two leaders agreed to work together toward building a future-oriented Japan-Korea relationship.
Japan's cooperation helped to make South Korea's economic growth possible. Meanwhile, South Korea became an advanced democratic nation through its own efforts. However, South Korea has often berated Japan regarding historical issues, and relations between the two neighbors have frequently cooled. Friendly relations between Japan and South Korea are essential for peace and stability in the region. Furthermore, both nations uphold freedom and democracy and are allied with the United States.
We urge President Lee to keep that point firmly in mind. Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba and South Korean President Lee Jae-myung meet each other in person on the sidelines of the G7 Summit in Kananaskis, Canada. (©Prime Minister's Office)
First, firmly reorienting our two nations towards the future cannot be achieved through words alone. We therefore hope that appropriate actions and policies will be sustained.
After all, former President Lee Myung-bak (2008-2013) advocated a future-oriented Japan-Korea relationship when he took office. However, later, when his approval rating dropped, he illegally landed on Takeshima Island (part of Okinoshima Town, Shimane Prefecture). He also committed the rude act of demanding an apology from the reigning Emperor Akihito over historical issues.
Then the Park Geun-hye administration concluded an agreement with Japan concerning the comfort women issue. It even declared the issue to be "finally and irreversibly resolved." Nevertheless, the Moon Jae In administration that followed subsequently discarded the agreement.
Furthermore, before becoming a presidential candidate, Lee Jae-myung himself called Japan an "enemy nation." He has managed to put aside his anti-Japanese stance since the presidential election. But will he really stick to this new position?
In addition, while advocating unity among Japan, the United States, and South Korea, Lee Jae-myung also advocates "pragmatic diplomacy" that emphasizes relations with China and North Korea. He would do well to remember the lesson from Aesop's fable about the self-serving bat, namely, "He that is neither one thing nor the other has no friends." South Korean, US, and Japanese patrol vessels (top to bottom) sail in formation during their first joint training exercise off the coast of Maizuru, Kyoto, June 2024. (© Japan Coast Guard)
Previous South Korean presidents have attempted to balance their relations with the US and China, but they have never achieved success. Moreover, autocratic nations such as China, North Korea, and Russia have been adopting increasingly hardline stances.
And Lee Jae-myung himself has said, "Whatever happens in the Taiwan Strait is none of our business." If South Korea decides to take an opportunistic stance in the event of a Taiwan crisis, both Japan-South Korea relations and the US-South Korea alliance will be doomed.
Instead, we would definitely like to see Seoul cooperate with Japan and the US and play a role in deterring China.
In the event of a Korean Peninsula emergency, cooperation from Japan and the US would be indispensable for South Korea's security. Prime Minister Ishiba should explain this basic truth to President Lee.
"Historical issues" that South Korea has raised in the past, such as comfort women and wartime labor, have involved claims that distort historical facts. If such manufactured controversies are brought up again and precipitate conflict with Japan, it will only delight North Korea and China.
Claims against Japan have long been resolved. This is evidenced by the Treaty on Basic Relations and the Settlement of Claims between Japan and the Republic of Korea, which were signed 60 years ago.
(Read the editorial in Japanese .)
Author: Editorial Board, The Sankei Shimbun
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