By Kim Tae-gyu
Why does Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe keep trying to meet President Park Geun-hye despite her repeated refusals to do so because of his controversial remarks and activities?
A Cheong Wa Dae official said Friday that the Japanese ultra-rightist politician may be seeking to take advantage of his summit proposals to gain the upper hand against Park diplomatically.
"Abe may use the request to meet Park as a kind of public relations event to make other countries believe that Seoul is responsible for any conflict with Tokyo," said the source who asked not to be named.
"In other words, they may think that Park does not want to meet Abe although he is working very hard to meet her."
The source said, however, that Abe's requests may not be all about such maneuvers and to some extent, he may really want to talk with Park.
Yet in either case, Abe has nothing to lose — if Park accepts the offer, he can have a summit. If not, third-party members will believe that he is attempting to deal with the bilateral standoff while she isn't.
Abe, who returned to power late last year, has continued to court Park, inaugurated this February, for a summit to no avail. Earlier this month, he expressed his wish to meet Park this year to Korean lawmakers visiting Tokyo.
But Park has not responded positively. In a recent interview with a U.K. broadcaster, she elaborated on why she cannot meet Abe and the root cause lies on his side, not on hers.
"I look to Japan as a very important partner with whom we have a lot to work on together and I hope we can look forward to improved relations. But sadly, the fact is there are certain issues that complicate that from happening," Park said.
In particular, she took issue with sexual slavery victims forcibly dispatched to Japan's front lines during World War II, a misdeeds that Abe does not admit to, claiming that there is no evidence.
"And none of these cases have been resolved or addressed, as the Japanese have not changed their position with regard to the issue. So let's assume that our leaders were to meet at the table," she said.
"If Japan continues to stick to the same historical perceptions and repeat its past comments, then what purpose would a summit serve? Perhaps it would be better not to have one."
On top of the sexual slavery issues, Abe has refused to acknowledge Japan's other past wrongdoings and renewed its claim on Korea's easternmost islets of Dokdo, angering Koreans.
Asked whether or not the two leaders can meet this year if Abe changes his rightist stance on history and expresses regret, the source said that this was not a wild scheme.
"If Seoul and Tokyo reach an agreement soon, it is possible to have a summit this year in consideration of the two nations' geographical proximity and the expected short period of the visit," the source said.
"In the past, our presidents stayed only a couple of days in Japan in most cases. Former President Lee Myung-bak just a single-day trip to Japan back in 2009."
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Shinzo Abe |
A Cheong Wa Dae official said Friday that the Japanese ultra-rightist politician may be seeking to take advantage of his summit proposals to gain the upper hand against Park diplomatically.
"Abe may use the request to meet Park as a kind of public relations event to make other countries believe that Seoul is responsible for any conflict with Tokyo," said the source who asked not to be named.
"In other words, they may think that Park does not want to meet Abe although he is working very hard to meet her."
The source said, however, that Abe's requests may not be all about such maneuvers and to some extent, he may really want to talk with Park.
Yet in either case, Abe has nothing to lose — if Park accepts the offer, he can have a summit. If not, third-party members will believe that he is attempting to deal with the bilateral standoff while she isn't.
Abe, who returned to power late last year, has continued to court Park, inaugurated this February, for a summit to no avail. Earlier this month, he expressed his wish to meet Park this year to Korean lawmakers visiting Tokyo.
But Park has not responded positively. In a recent interview with a U.K. broadcaster, she elaborated on why she cannot meet Abe and the root cause lies on his side, not on hers.
"I look to Japan as a very important partner with whom we have a lot to work on together and I hope we can look forward to improved relations. But sadly, the fact is there are certain issues that complicate that from happening," Park said.
In particular, she took issue with sexual slavery victims forcibly dispatched to Japan's front lines during World War II, a misdeeds that Abe does not admit to, claiming that there is no evidence.
"And none of these cases have been resolved or addressed, as the Japanese have not changed their position with regard to the issue. So let's assume that our leaders were to meet at the table," she said.
"If Japan continues to stick to the same historical perceptions and repeat its past comments, then what purpose would a summit serve? Perhaps it would be better not to have one."
On top of the sexual slavery issues, Abe has refused to acknowledge Japan's other past wrongdoings and renewed its claim on Korea's easternmost islets of Dokdo, angering Koreans.
Asked whether or not the two leaders can meet this year if Abe changes his rightist stance on history and expresses regret, the source said that this was not a wild scheme.
"If Seoul and Tokyo reach an agreement soon, it is possible to have a summit this year in consideration of the two nations' geographical proximity and the expected short period of the visit," the source said.
"In the past, our presidents stayed only a couple of days in Japan in most cases. Former President Lee Myung-bak just a single-day trip to Japan back in 2009."
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