Korea calls Japan 'neighbor,' not 'partner'

The Ministry of National Defense in central Seoul / Korea Times file

By Lee Hyo-jin

Korea referred to Japan as its “neighboring country” in its newly published defense white paper, instead of the term “partner,” which it used in the last policy publication in 2018.

The biennial white paper released by the Ministry of National Defense on Tuesday described Korea and Japan as, “Neighboring countries that need to work together not only for bilateral relations but also for peace and prosperity in Northeast Asia and the world.”

In 2018, it had stated, "Korea and Japan are geographically and culturally close neighbors and partners that need to work together for world peace and prosperity.

The change in tone reflects the strained ties between Seoul and Tokyo amidst a series of disputes over historical issues in recent years. The paper stated that Japanese political leaders' territorial claims to the Dokdo islets, as well as Japan's export restrictions imposed in July 2019, have hindered the development of a future-oriented relationship.

In addition, a January court ruling that ordered the Japanese government to compensate Korean victims of wartime sexual slavery, has weakened relations between the two sides.

“We will continue to respond with stern measures to Japan's distortion of history, unreasonable sovereignty claims to the Dokdo islets, and their unilateral and arbitrary actions regarding pending issues. Meanwhile, we will consistently cooperate on bilateral security issues for peace and stability in Northeast Asia,” the paper read.

In this year's white paper, the military reiterated its 2018 stance on North Korea as a non-enemy state. The defense ministry defines an “enemy” in general as “forces threatening South Korea's sovereignty, territory, people and property.”

Despite not labelling the North Korean regime as an “enemy,” the paper did state that Pyongyang's weapons of mass destruction (WMDs) are a threat to the stability of the Korean Peninsula.

The defense ministry publishes the white paper every two years to outline Korea's security threats and provide information on the country's military policies.

The latest policy book, which consists of a total of 362 pages, will be distributed to governmental agencies and libraries this month. Summarized versions in English, Japanese, Russian, and Chinese will be published within the first half of the year.