The Korea Times
amn_close.png
amn_bl.png
National
  • Politics
  • Foreign Affairs
  • Multicultural Community
  • Defense
  • Environment & Animals
  • Law & Crime
  • Society
  • Health & Science
amn_bl.png
Business
  • Tech
  • Bio
  • Companies
amn_bl.png
Finance
  • Companies
  • Economy
  • Markets
  • Cryptocurrency
amn_bl.png
Opinion
  • Editorial
  • Columns
  • Thoughts of the Times
  • Cartoon
  • Today in History
  • Blogs
  • Tribune Service
  • Blondie & Garfield
  • Letter to President
  • Letter to the Editor
amn_bl.png
Lifestyle
  • Travel & Food
  • Trends
  • People & Events
  • Books
  • Around Town
  • Fortune Telling
amn_bl.png
Entertainment & Arts
  • K-pop
  • Films
  • Shows & Dramas
  • Music
  • Theater & Others
amn_bl.png
Sports
amn_bl.png
World
  • SCMP
  • Asia
amn_bl.png
Video
  • Korean Storytellers
  • POPKORN
  • Culture
  • People
  • News
amn_bl.png
Photos
  • Photo News
  • Darkroom
amn_NK.png amn_DR.png amn_LK.png amn_LE.png
  • bt_fb_on_2022.svgbt_fb_over_2022.svg
  • bt_twitter_on_2022.svgbt_twitter_over_2022.svg
  • bt_youtube_on_2022.svgbt_youtube_over_2022.svg
  • bt_instagram_on_2022.svgbt_instagram_over_2022.svg
The Korea Times
amn_close.png
amn_bl.png
National
  • Politics
  • Foreign Affairs
  • Multicultural Community
  • Defense
  • Environment & Animals
  • Law & Crime
  • Society
  • Health & Science
amn_bl.png
Business
  • Tech
  • Bio
  • Companies
amn_bl.png
Finance
  • Companies
  • Economy
  • Markets
  • Cryptocurrency
amn_bl.png
Opinion
  • Editorial
  • Columns
  • Thoughts of the Times
  • Cartoon
  • Today in History
  • Blogs
  • Tribune Service
  • Blondie & Garfield
  • Letter to President
  • Letter to the Editor
amn_bl.png
Lifestyle
  • Travel & Food
  • Trends
  • People & Events
  • Books
  • Around Town
  • Fortune Telling
amn_bl.png
Entertainment & Arts
  • K-pop
  • Films
  • Shows & Dramas
  • Music
  • Theater & Others
amn_bl.png
Sports
amn_bl.png
World
  • SCMP
  • Asia
amn_bl.png
Video
  • Korean Storytellers
  • POPKORN
  • Culture
  • People
  • News
amn_bl.png
Photos
  • Photo News
  • Darkroom
amn_NK.png amn_DR.png amn_LK.png amn_LE.png
  • bt_fb_on_2022.svgbt_fb_over_2022.svg
  • bt_twitter_on_2022.svgbt_twitter_over_2022.svg
  • bt_youtube_on_2022.svgbt_youtube_over_2022.svg
  • bt_instagram_on_2022.svgbt_instagram_over_2022.svg
  • Login
  • Register
  • Login
  • Register
  • The Korea Times
  • search
  • all menu
  • Login
  • Subscribe
  • Photos
  • Video
  • World
  • Sports
  • Opinion
  • Entertainment & Art
  • Lifestyle
  • Finance
  • Business
  • National
  • North Korea
  • 1

    Actor Yoo Ah-in appears for questioning over alleged drug use

  • 3

    ANALYSISTesla, BYD's price cuts unnerve LGES, Samsung, SK

  • 5

    Yoo Ah-in appears before police over alleged use of illegal drugs

  • 7

    US aircraft carrier to visit Busan amid NK provocations

  • 9

    Dreams come true: TXT mesmerizes 21,000 fans at KSPO Dome

  • 11

    Chun Doo-hwan's grandson apprehended at Incheon Int'l Airport over drug use

  • 13

    Clock ticks for China's massive repatriation of N. Korean defectors

  • 15

    Families of foreign construction workers can receive retirement pay: court

  • 17

    N. Korea fires 2 SRBMs toward East Sea; US aircraft carrier due in S. Korea for joint training

  • 19

    Local bank stocks hit by shockwaves from SVB, CS collapses

  • 2

    SK chief's estranged wife sues his new partner for compensation

  • 4

    4 young Nigerian siblings killed in house fire in Ansan

  • 6

    One of two Kazakhstanis who fled Incheon Int'l Airport nabbed

  • 8

    Revised Japanese textbooks distort wartime forced labor, catching Korea off guard

  • 10

    Will April releases revive Korean cinema? Films to look out for in April

  • 12

    Korean crypto investors want Do Kwon punished in US

  • 14

    TEMPLE ADVENTURESHaedong Yonggung Temple prospers on Busan's coast

  • 16

    Gimpo-China flights recover to pre-pandemic levels

  • 18

    Actor Yoo Ah-in once again apologizes for alleged drug use

  • 20

    Nongshim plans to build plant in eastern US region

Close scrollclosebutton

Close for 24 hours

Open
  • The Korea Times
  • search
  • all menu
  • Login
  • Subscribe
  • Photos
  • Video
  • World
  • Sports
  • Opinion
  • Entertainment & Art
  • Lifestyle
  • Finance
  • Business
  • National
  • North Korea
National
  • Politics
  • Foreign Affairs
  • Multicultural Community
  • Defense
  • Environment & Animals
  • Law & Crime
  • Society
  • Health & Science
Wed, March 29, 2023 | 19:18
Politics
Seoul reaching out to Tokyo
Posted : 2020-11-09 17:27
Updated : 2020-11-10 09:43
Print PreviewPrint Preview
Font Size UpFont Size Up
Font Size DownFont Size Down
  • facebook
  • twitter
  • kakaolink
  • whatsapp
  • reddit
  • mailto
  • link
National Intelligence Service chief Park Jie-won is seen during a session of the National Assembly at the NIS headquarters, Nov. 3. Yonhap
National Intelligence Service chief Park Jie-won is seen during a session of the National Assembly at the NIS headquarters, Nov. 3. Yonhap

By Do Je-hae

National Intelligence Service (NIS) chief Park Jie-won headed for Tokyo, Sunday, according to the spy agency, becoming the first high-level Korean official to visit Japan since the change of leaders in the neighboring country in September.

Park is expected to meet with members of Japan's power elite, including Toshihiro Nikai, secretary-general of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party who played a key role in the succession of power to Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga from Shinzo Abe; and Hiroaki Takizawa, the director of the Cabinet Intelligence Committee.

The visit is seen as part of Seoul's latest efforts to lower the temperature between the two countries amid a lingering historical dispute over the Korean Supreme Court's October 2018 ruling on compensation for surviving South Korean victims of wartime forced labor by Japanese companies during Japan's 1910-45 colonial rule of Korea. Park also visited Tokyo in August 2019 as a special envoy of then-National Assembly Speaker Moon Hee-sang at the height of the Korea-Japan trade row.

Several members of the Korea-Japan Parliamentarians' Union, including chairman of the Korean side Rep. Kim Jin-pyo of the ruling Democratic Party of Korea, will also be in Japan from Nov. 12 to 14.

The need for bilateral talks has been highlighted due to the heightened tension caused by Suga's remarks about boycotting the planned Korea-Japan-China meeting in Seoul later this year unless Korea offers a solution to the forced labor issue. The remarks have prompted concerns in the diplomatic community here about Suga's continuation of the rigid position toward Seoul of his predecessor Abe.

It remains to be seen whether these visits will result in a breakthrough in bilateral relations and set the right mood for the leaders of the two countries to get together soon.

Some say these visits from the Korean side may not be able to turn things around in the near future. "New developments, including the visit, will not make an impression in Japan nor change the bilateral dynamic," Brad Glosserman, senior adviser of the Pacific Forum, told The Korea Times. "There are other issues which continue to inflame feelings here and the refusal of the Seoul government to intervene confirms Japan's mistrust. The change of administration in Tokyo does not change that foundation."

Other analysts say it is necessary to persuade Japan to take a more "constructive" approach through continued dialogue.

"I think that high-level visits are necessary to break the current impasse in Korea-Japan relations," Ramon Pacheco Pardo, associate professor in International Relations at the Department of European and International Studies of King's College London, told The Korea Times. "Suga adopted a harsh approach toward relations with Korea upon taking office, which is counterproductive because he had been extended an olive branch by the South Korean government upon his selection as Japanese leader. In my view, threatening to boycott regional initiatives such as the Korea-China-Japan dialogue due to an unrelated issue isn't a statesmanlike choice. Thus, it makes sense for Seoul to show that it wants cooperation with Japan on as many matters as possible, and to extend an olive branch with high-level visits to persuade Tokyo to take a more constructive approach."

Some experts underlined that working toward a resolution of the forced labor compensation issue ― the biggest impediment in bilateral relations at the moment ― requires efforts from both sides. "Suga should recognize that reconciliation is an ongoing process requiring emotional commitment, it is not something final and irreversible that can be won with legalese," Leif-Eric Easley, associate professor of international studies at Ewha Womans University in Seoul, told The Korea Times. "Moon should recognize that South Korea is losing international credibility for moving the goalposts and breaking agreements. It is his government's responsibility to close the gap between domestic court rulings and the 1965 treaty."

Pardo said, "Rebuilding bilateral trust between the leaders of Korea and Japan will take time. Above all, no Korean president can interfere in a court's decision. This seems to be misunderstood by some Japanese leaders. So I think that Seoul will need to keep reiterating this point to Tokyo. In addition, I think that it would make sense for Prime Minister Suga to accept President Moon Jae-in's offer to discuss the slave labor issue at the highest level."


Emailjhdo@koreatimes.co.kr Article ListMore articles by this reporter
 
Top 10 Stories
1Revised Japanese textbooks distort wartime forced labor, catching Korea off guardRevised Japanese textbooks distort wartime forced labor, catching Korea off guard
2Clock ticks for China's massive repatriation of N. Korean defectors Clock ticks for China's massive repatriation of N. Korean defectors
3Gold price nears all-time high amid financial jitters Gold price nears all-time high amid financial jitters
4Ramsar wetland in Han River cleaned up for protected birdlife Ramsar wetland in Han River cleaned up for protected birdlife
5BMW launches new XM BMW launches new XM
6Civic groups in Gwangju await meeting with Chun Doo-hwan's grandson Civic groups in Gwangju await meeting with Chun Doo-hwan's grandson
7CJ CheilJedang sees chicken as next big seller after frozen dumplingCJ CheilJedang sees chicken as next big seller after frozen dumpling
8North Korea unveils tactical nuclear warheads North Korea unveils tactical nuclear warheads
92024 budget to focus on tackling low birthrate 2024 budget to focus on tackling low birthrate
10Over 1,000 financially vulnerable Koreans apply for new emergency gov't loans Over 1,000 financially vulnerable Koreans apply for new emergency gov't loans
Top 5 Entertainment News
1Dreams come true: TXT mesmerizes 21,000 fans at KSPO Dome Dreams come true: TXT mesmerizes 21,000 fans at KSPO Dome
2Will April releases revive Korean cinema? Films to look out for in April Will April releases revive Korean cinema? Films to look out for in April
3'My ID is Gangnam Beauty' to be adapted into live action series in Thailand 'My ID is Gangnam Beauty' to be adapted into live action series in Thailand
4[INTERVIEW] Choi Min-sik, Lee Dong-hwi on creating Korean-style noir with 'Big Bet' INTERVIEWChoi Min-sik, Lee Dong-hwi on creating Korean-style noir with 'Big Bet'
5Ra Mi-ran, Lee Re to lead fantasy drama 'The Mysterious Candy Store' Ra Mi-ran, Lee Re to lead fantasy drama 'The Mysterious Candy Store'
DARKROOM
  • Turkey-Syria earthquake

    Turkey-Syria earthquake

  • Nepal plane crash

    Nepal plane crash

  • Brazil capital uprising

    Brazil capital uprising

  • Happy New Year 2023

    Happy New Year 2023

  • World Cup 2022 Final - Argentina vs France

    World Cup 2022 Final - Argentina vs France

CEO & Publisher : Oh Young-jin
Digital News Email : webmaster@koreatimes.co.kr
Tel : 02-724-2114
Online newspaper registration No : 서울,아52844
Date of registration : 2020.02.05
Masthead : The Korea Times
Copyright © koreatimes.co.kr. All rights reserved.
  • About Us
  • Introduction
  • History
  • Contact Us
  • Products & Services
  • Subscribe
  • E-paper
  • RSS Service
  • Content Sales
  • Site Map
  • Policy
  • Code of Ethics
  • Ombudsman
  • Privacy Statement
  • Terms of Service
  • Copyright Policy
  • Family Site
  • Hankook Ilbo
  • Dongwha Group