Bo-eun leads the digital content team. She has covered foreign affairs, North Korea, tech, economy and gender issues at The Korea Times. She did a short stint at the South China Morning Post in Hong Kong, where she obtained a new perspective on news production and life. Small sources of joy for her are lounging in the sun, having a good latte and swimming.
US mediating to resolve radar spat
U.S. Ambassador to South Korea Harry Harris exits the defense ministry building in Seoul after meeting with Minister Jeong Kyeong-doo, Monday. Yonhap
By Kim Bo-eun
By Kim Bo-eun
The U.S. is apparently mediating a military dispute between South Korea and Japan that is straining bilateral ties.
Washington's role comes amid concerns over a possible crack in the security alliance in Northeast Asia among the three countries, a scenario which may be welcomed by regional powers China and Russia.
Earlier this week, U.S. Ambassador to South Korea Harry Harris visited the defense and foreign ministries for meetings with Ministers Jeong Kyeong-doo and Kang Kyung-wha, in what appeared to be an attempt to discuss the radar issue at the heart of the matter.
The defense ministry also mentioned the possibility of U.S. mediation.
Meanwhile, a foreign ministry official in charge of North American affairs is in Japan on a two-day visit arranged by the United Nations Command (UNC), which is led by the U.S.
The UNC is known to have invited Kim Tae-jin, director general of the ministry's North American affairs bureau, to Japan after the radar row developed in late December.
The trip includes visits to the U.N.-flagged Yokota air and Yokosuka naval bases. The official is also set to meet with his Japanese counterpart. Trilateral talks including the U.S. could also take place. Foreign ministry officials declined to disclose the schedule of the meeting.
Speculations are that the officials could discuss the radar issue. Japan claims a South Korean warship targeted one of its patrol aircraft with a fire control radar, Dec. 20. Seoul denies the allegation, stating that it was conducting a humanitarian operation to rescue a North Korean vessel, and that the issue at hand is the threateningly low-level flyby by the Japanese patrol plane at the time. The low-altitude buzzing of navy ships by Japan continued in the following weeks, escalating the dispute. The situation is affecting military exchanges between the countries.
Seoul and Tokyo have stopped bilateral talks on the matter through military channels.
Relations between South Korea and Japan are further deteriorating amid conflict over historical issues. Tokyo has denounced Seoul over rulings by its top court last year that ordered Japanese companies to compensate Korean victims of forced labor under Japan's 1910-1945 colonial rule. It has requested “diplomatic discussions” based on a 1965 bilateral treaty. The foreign ministry's stance is that it is reviewing the matter.
In his annual policy address, Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe omitted a passage on ties with South Korea, unlike in his previous speeches. The Asahi Shimbun, citing sources close to Abe, reported this was because of the perception that “Korea is not future-oriented” when it comes to bilateral relations.
The remark is seen to reflect the current situation, where the governments are at odds over historical issues. The two countries had sought “future-oriented” relations, while dealing with issues of the past.