By Yi Whan-woo
South Korea should deal separately with Japan on economic and security matters and history-related issues if it wants to join the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP), analysts said Wednesday.
This is because it is crucial for Seoul to win support from Japan in order to join the TPP, which will be the world's largest multinational free trade bloc if it takes effect.
Led by the United States and Japan, 12 countries struck a deal, Monday, to create the TPP that accounts for more than 40 percent of the global gross domestic product.
Korea said it will find ways to join the TPP amid speculation that Japan may oppose it because the two nations compete closely on exports, such as cars, electronics, steels and auto components.
"Japan will try to maximize benefits from the TPP agreement by boosting related industries and spurring its economy," said Kwak Jin-o, a senior researcher at the Northeast Asian History Foundation.
"It will carefully consider how Korea will influence its international trade if Seoul joins the TPP. That's why the government should try to hold economic dialogue with Japan as often as possible and convince Tokyo that it would be a win-win for both," he added.
Kwak also stressed the importance of Seoul's two-track diplomatic strategy, saying "We need to make sure the historical and economic issues are dealt with separately in order not to spoil our efforts to become the next TPP member."
Japan's wartime atrocities, including the sexual enslavement of Korean women during World War II, have been stumbling blocks to improving bilateral ties.
Lee Myeon-woo, a researcher at the Seojong Institute, agreed with Kwak.
"It's so evident we're trying to maintain our export competitiveness against Japan by joining the TPP and there's a chance that Tokyo may find historical disputes as an excuse to discourage us from becoming a new member," he said.
He also claimed that the TPP trade deal signifies Japan's effort to becoming an "indispensable partner" with the U.S. in the latter's goal to containing an emerging China.
The TPP is seen as the linchpin of Washington's Asia rebalancing strategy in addition to the revision of the U.S.-Japan defense guidelines in April. The bilateral agreement allows Tokyo to defend its allies, mainly the U.S., overseas in the event of a war.
Meanwhile, Korea has been walking a fine line between bolstering its security alliance with the U.S. and enhancing its economic cooperation with China, Seoul's largest trading partner.
Kwak said Seoul and Washington should ways to convince Tokyo over Korea becoming a part of the TPP at a bilateral summit on Oct. 16. President Park Geun-hye is scheduled to hold talks with U.S. President Barack Obama during Park's visit to the Washington D.C. next week.
South Korea should deal separately with Japan on economic and security matters and history-related issues if it wants to join the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP), analysts said Wednesday.
This is because it is crucial for Seoul to win support from Japan in order to join the TPP, which will be the world's largest multinational free trade bloc if it takes effect.
Led by the United States and Japan, 12 countries struck a deal, Monday, to create the TPP that accounts for more than 40 percent of the global gross domestic product.
Korea said it will find ways to join the TPP amid speculation that Japan may oppose it because the two nations compete closely on exports, such as cars, electronics, steels and auto components.
"Japan will try to maximize benefits from the TPP agreement by boosting related industries and spurring its economy," said Kwak Jin-o, a senior researcher at the Northeast Asian History Foundation.
"It will carefully consider how Korea will influence its international trade if Seoul joins the TPP. That's why the government should try to hold economic dialogue with Japan as often as possible and convince Tokyo that it would be a win-win for both," he added.
Kwak also stressed the importance of Seoul's two-track diplomatic strategy, saying "We need to make sure the historical and economic issues are dealt with separately in order not to spoil our efforts to become the next TPP member."
Japan's wartime atrocities, including the sexual enslavement of Korean women during World War II, have been stumbling blocks to improving bilateral ties.
Lee Myeon-woo, a researcher at the Seojong Institute, agreed with Kwak.
"It's so evident we're trying to maintain our export competitiveness against Japan by joining the TPP and there's a chance that Tokyo may find historical disputes as an excuse to discourage us from becoming a new member," he said.
He also claimed that the TPP trade deal signifies Japan's effort to becoming an "indispensable partner" with the U.S. in the latter's goal to containing an emerging China.
The TPP is seen as the linchpin of Washington's Asia rebalancing strategy in addition to the revision of the U.S.-Japan defense guidelines in April. The bilateral agreement allows Tokyo to defend its allies, mainly the U.S., overseas in the event of a war.
Meanwhile, Korea has been walking a fine line between bolstering its security alliance with the U.S. and enhancing its economic cooperation with China, Seoul's largest trading partner.
Kwak said Seoul and Washington should ways to convince Tokyo over Korea becoming a part of the TPP at a bilateral summit on Oct. 16. President Park Geun-hye is scheduled to hold talks with U.S. President Barack Obama during Park's visit to the Washington D.C. next week.
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