Image: Reuters Berita 24 English - Despite worries that the passing of former Japanese premier Shinzo Abe could thwart efforts to improve re...
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| Image: Reuters |
Berita 24 English - Despite worries that the passing of former Japanese premier Shinzo Abe could thwart efforts to improve relations, South Korea believes a high-level visit to Tokyo next week would spark negotiations aiming at a breakthrough in historical disagreements, Seoul officials said.
Since Japan's colonisation of Korea from 1910 to 1945, relations between the two North Asian U.S. allies have been strained over disagreements. In light of the North Korean nuclear danger and the growing power of China, Washington has been pushing Tokyo and Seoul to repair their differences.
Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida's recent election victory may provide him greater room to promote his policy programme for another three years, according to officials in the government of South Korea's new President Yoon Suk-yeol, who took office in May promising to strengthen ties with Japan.
The travel of Foreign Minister Park Jin to Tokyo, which is scheduled for as early as next week, is intended to "turn on the tap" for meaningful negotiations on issues connected to forced labour, which halted under Yoon's predecessor.
On Thursday, NHK, Japan's state broadcaster, announced that Park would be visiting Tokyo on July 18. The report was not immediately confirmed by South Korea.
When Japan hosts a public mourning service for Abe, who was shot and murdered last week while out campaigning, another official said Yoon would send a high-level delegation headed by the prime minister.
The official said that Yoon would probably use his Liberation Day address on August 15 to send a conciliatory message to Tokyo. Liberation Day commemorates Korea's independence from Japan.
The senior official stated, "What we're attempting to do is open the door for meaningful negotiations."
The death of Abe, a pivotal player in Japanese politics and a contentious one in Korea, has cast additional uncertainty on the prospects for relations with South Korea, where sour memories of the Korean War are still very much alive.
According to some observers, Korea may be put on the back burner as Kishida works to fulfil Abe's unfulfilled goals, including constitutional revision that would enable Japanese forces to engage in combat abroad.
However, some Korean officials believe that Japan is more receptive to dialogue now, with pressure from the administration of U.S. President Joe Biden perhaps playing a part as well.
Stronger trilateral partnerships have "huge promise," according to Derek Chollet, Counselor at the U.S. State Department, who spoke to Reuters last week.
Yoon and Kishida had their first trilateral talks with Biden outside of the most recent NATO summit, and Chollet stated that Washington is prepared to help foster close connections between its two partners.
The Yoon government is soliciting opinions domestically through a recently established public-private panel, which held its second hearing on Thursday.
A South Korean court order to seize the assets of Japanese corporations accused of underpaying some of their workers from colonial times is at issue. Tokyo has threatened severe consequences if the directives are carried out.
According to the first representative, the Yoon administration is looking for a "practical, feasible plan" that will get the support of both the victims and the Japanese government.
The compensation problem should be tackled alongside trade and other disputes, according to a third official, who was more cautious and warned that doing so may make reaching a deal more challenging.
Any agreement, according to Yuko Nakano, a fellow at the Center for Strategic and International Studies in the United States, would necessitate perseverance and dedication on the parts of Yoon and Kishida.
High-level trips and gatherings frequently draw attention, but it's also critical to keep advancing initiatives that are taking place behind the scenes, she said.
