Moon, Abe should meet during G20 summit in June
Korea and Japan are pursuing bilateral talks with the aim of improving stagnant relations caused by various thorny issues in diplomacy and security, in addition to a lingering conflict over their shared histories.
The two countries' top diplomats are scheduled to meet during the May 22 to 23 OECD meeting in Paris. Their defense ministers may also meet later this month at an ASEAN security meeting in Singapore.
The back-to-back meetings among top officials from the two countries come amid growing concerns over their relations, which have deteriorated considerably since President Moon Jae-in took office in May 2017.
They have been at odds over a foundation set up during the previous Park Geun-hye administration for the so-called "comfort women" or sex slaves for the Japanese Army before and during World War II. The two have also had conflicts over rulings regarding compensation for forced laborers during the Japanese occupation.
President Moon has shown an eagerness to take steps to improve relations with Japan despite the lingering conflicts, given that the two countries are indispensable to each other in various areas, such as trade and regional security.
During a recent meeting with retired officials who served in previous administrations, Moon said it was important to establish good relations with Japan, echoing his emphasis on building future-oriented relations with the country during his New Year press conference.
It is a positive sign that the Japanese side has also expressed hope recently to mend bilateral ties. During a recent meeting, Japanese Defense Minister Takeshi Iwaya reportedly said he wanted to restore relations with Korea and meet with his Korean counterpart despite a myriad of problems.
If the talks proceed smoothly, they could serve as the impetus to fix bilateral relations. The immediate aim, in particular for the meeting between Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha and her Japanese counterpart Taro Kono, should be to arrange a summit between Moon and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe during the G20 summit in late June in Osaka, Japan. Amid the mounting difficulties, the leaders of the two countries have not had the chance to meet in a long time.
After the accession of the new emperor in Japan, there are renewed hopes among the peoples of the two countries that relations could improve. The new Japanese monarch Naruhito has been known to have a friendly stance toward Korea. He previously played chamber music together with the Korean pianist and conductor Chung Myung-whun during a friendship concert in 2007. President Moon sent a message to congratulate the new Japanese emperor on his accession to the throne on May 1.
Moon and Abe should make the best of the positive mood and work toward restoring bilateral relations with the onset of the Reiwa era.
Korea and Japan are pursuing bilateral talks with the aim of improving stagnant relations caused by various thorny issues in diplomacy and security, in addition to a lingering conflict over their shared histories.
The two countries' top diplomats are scheduled to meet during the May 22 to 23 OECD meeting in Paris. Their defense ministers may also meet later this month at an ASEAN security meeting in Singapore.
The back-to-back meetings among top officials from the two countries come amid growing concerns over their relations, which have deteriorated considerably since President Moon Jae-in took office in May 2017.
They have been at odds over a foundation set up during the previous Park Geun-hye administration for the so-called "comfort women" or sex slaves for the Japanese Army before and during World War II. The two have also had conflicts over rulings regarding compensation for forced laborers during the Japanese occupation.
President Moon has shown an eagerness to take steps to improve relations with Japan despite the lingering conflicts, given that the two countries are indispensable to each other in various areas, such as trade and regional security.
During a recent meeting with retired officials who served in previous administrations, Moon said it was important to establish good relations with Japan, echoing his emphasis on building future-oriented relations with the country during his New Year press conference.
It is a positive sign that the Japanese side has also expressed hope recently to mend bilateral ties. During a recent meeting, Japanese Defense Minister Takeshi Iwaya reportedly said he wanted to restore relations with Korea and meet with his Korean counterpart despite a myriad of problems.
If the talks proceed smoothly, they could serve as the impetus to fix bilateral relations. The immediate aim, in particular for the meeting between Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha and her Japanese counterpart Taro Kono, should be to arrange a summit between Moon and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe during the G20 summit in late June in Osaka, Japan. Amid the mounting difficulties, the leaders of the two countries have not had the chance to meet in a long time.
After the accession of the new emperor in Japan, there are renewed hopes among the peoples of the two countries that relations could improve. The new Japanese monarch Naruhito has been known to have a friendly stance toward Korea. He previously played chamber music together with the Korean pianist and conductor Chung Myung-whun during a friendship concert in 2007. President Moon sent a message to congratulate the new Japanese emperor on his accession to the throne on May 1.
Moon and Abe should make the best of the positive mood and work toward restoring bilateral relations with the onset of the Reiwa era.
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