SEOUL, South Korea — South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol mentioned Tuesday his authorities will transfer to revive Japan’s preferential commerce standing as he pushes to resolve historical past and commerce disputes with Japan regardless of home opposition.
In prolonged, televised feedback throughout a Cupboard Council assembly, Yoon defended his strikes, saying that leaving ties with Japan as fraught as they’re can be neglecting his responsibility as a result of better bilateral cooperation is important to resolve various challenges dealing with Seoul.
“I assumed it might be like neglecting my responsibility as president if I had additionally incited hostile nationalism and anti-Japan sentiments to make use of them for home politics whereas abandoning the present, grave worldwide political scenario,” Yoon mentioned.
He mentioned the necessity to enhance ties with Japan has grown due to North Korea’s advancing nuclear program, the intensifying U.S.-China strategic rivalry and international provide chain challenges.
South Korea and Japan have deep financial and cultural ties and are each key U.S. allies that collectively host about 80,000 U.S. troops. However their relations have usually fluctuated primarily resulting from points stemming from Japan’s 1910-45 colonial rule of the Korean Peninsula.
On the heart of the current deadlock was the 2018 South Korean courtroom rulings that ordered two Japanese corporations to compensate a few of their former Korean workers for pressured labor throughout Japan’s colonial rule of the Korean Peninsula. Japan refused to just accept the rulings, saying all compensation points had already been settled when the 2 international locations normalized ties in 1965.
The historical past disputes spilled over to different points, with the 2 international locations downgrading one another’s commerce standing. Japan additionally tightened controls on exports to South Korea, whereas Seoul threatened to terminate a navy intelligence-sharing pact.
After months of negotiations with Japan, Yoon’s authorities earlier this month introduced it might use native funds to compensate the pressured laborer victims concerned within the 2018 lawsuits with out requiring contributions from the Japanese corporations.
Final week, Yoon traveled to Tokyo for a summit with Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, throughout which they agreed to renew common visits and financial safety talks.
Forward of the summit, the South Korean authorities mentioned Japan had agreed to raise export controls on South Korea, and that South Korea would additionally withdraw its grievance to the World Commerce Group as soon as the curbs are eliminated. They mentioned the 2 international locations would proceed talks on restoring one another’s commerce standing as effectively.
Yoon’s push has triggered protests from among the pressured labor victims, their supporters and opposition political events who’ve demanded direct compensation from the Japanese corporations and a direct apology from Tokyo over the pressured labor. A public survey urged about 60% of Koreans opposed Yoon’s measures to resolve the pressured labor subject.
In his Cupboard Council remarks, Yoon mentioned he’ll order his commerce minister to start taking authorized steps wanted to reinclude Japan in a “whitelist” of countries receiving preferential commerce standing.
He mentioned each South Korea and Japan should take away obstacles that hinder the development of bilateral ties. “If South Korea preemptively eliminates obstacles, Japan will certainly reciprocate,” he mentioned.