By Jun Ji-hye
Will President Park Geun-hye attend the June 22 event in Seoul to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the normalization of bilateral ties between Korea and Japan?
The question surfaced after the Japanese media reported that Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe would participate in the same event in Tokyo if Park does so in Seoul.
The event will be hosted by Japanese Embassy in Seoul and the Korean Embassy in Tokyo.
Kyodo News quoted Japanese government sources as saying, “Abe will make a final decision after Park makes hers.”
Nihon Geizai Shimbun also reported that the Korean government unofficially delivered its position that Park would attend the event in Seoul, if Abe does the same in Tokyo.
The newspaper added that the both governments sent invitations to each leader.
The possible participation of both leaders in the event might bring a warm breeze to the two countries’ frozen relations over historical issues and Tokyo’s consistent territorial claim on Korea’s easternmost islets of Dokdo.
On the 40th anniversary of Korea-Japan relations in 2005, late President Roh Moo-hyun and then Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi attended the events hosted by each embassy.
Cheong Wa Dae and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs both said that no decision has been made as of yet.
The presidential office added that who will attend the event has not been decided, either.
However, a negative outlook on the leaders’ participation is also emerging, given that Park has suggested resolving historical issues as a precondition to improving Seoul-Tokyo relations.
During her speech on the 60th anniversary of Memorial Day on June 6, Park said, “Korea and Japan have failed to take a step forward in improving bilateral relations due to territorial disputes and historical issues, such as Tokyo’s sexual enslavement of Korean women during World War II.”
Park added, “We will meet every obstacle undauntedly and resolve these problems.”
Diplomatic sources, meanwhile, noted that Foreign Minister Yun Byung-se could possibly be dispatched to the event in Tokyo.
In this case, Yun could play a role as a messenger between Park and Abe in delivering each other’s message, they said.
Yun’s possible visit to Japan also could lead to a meeting with his Japanese counterpart Fumio Kishida, which would be a good sign for bilateral ties.
Foreign Ministry spokesman Noh Kwang-il refused to elaborate, saying, “Yun’s visit has not been decided, either.”
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