Abe statement fails sincerity test
Korean citizens are gathered at Seoul Station to watch Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe delivering a speech to mark the end of World War II, Friday. / Yonhap
By Yi Whan-woo
Cheong Wa Dae showed caution in responding to Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe’s speech Friday on the anniversary of the end of the World War II and the liberation of the Korean Peninsula after decades of Japanese colonial rule.
While the local and international media mostly questioned the sincerity of Abe’s national address, some local experts focused on how President Park Geun-hye will react in her own address to the nation today.
Park is not likely to condemn the Japanese Prime Minister, although he failed to offer a direct apology for Japan’s atrocities during World War II, according to analysts.
Cheong Wa Dae is now finalizing Park’s speech to mark the 70th anniversary of Korea’s liberation from Japanese colonial rule.
“I would not rate Abe’s statement below 50 on a scale of 1 to 100 although I understand it was not fully satisfactory,” said Yeoul-soo, a professor of international political science at Sungshin Women’s University.
“It’s regretful that he did not issue his own apology over Japan’s wartime past. But I don’t think Park will slam Abe for falling short of what we hoped to hear.”
Lee Myeon-woo, a senior researcher at Sejong Institute, agreed.
“Abe included all four terms that we deemed essential ― colonial occupation, invasion, regret and apology ― in his statement but it was uncertain whether he was being sincere in his remarks,” he said.
“However, Park is likely to assess Abe’s controversial statement in a positive way and capitalize on the speech to improve the relationship between East Asian countries and strengthen Seoul-Tokyo ties.”
Kim speculated that Park will seek to hold a trilateral meeting with Abe and Chinese President Xi Jinping in October before or after her scheduled visit to Washington on Oct. 16. He also said she might be eyeing a Seoul-Japan summit on the sidelines of the three-way meeting.
South Korea has claimed Japan has not properly atoned for its wartime past, including its sexual enslavement of Korean women, while Japan has argued the matter of compensation for wartime issues has already been settled.
The strain in relations has complicated efforts to boost security cooperation between Japan and South Korea, two of the United States’ main Asian allies, as the region copes with an unpredictable North Korea and an assertive China.
Park Geun-hye and Abe have not held bilateral talks since taking office.