Seoul issues warning against Tokyo over media reports on Moon-Suga summit

By Nam Hyun-woo

The Korean government has issued a warning against continued reports from Japanese media outlets about President Moon Jae-in's possible visit to Tokyo on the occasion of the Summer Olympics later this month, saying Korea's foreign affairs ministry may not be able to continue consultations with its Japanese counterpart over a summit between Moon and Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement on Sunday that it expressed “strong regrets over leaks of the two sides' consultations through media reports describing Japan's unilateral perspective citing Japanese government officials,” claiming “it may be difficult for the two governments to continue consultations over a summit. We urge Tokyo's prudent responses.”

The warning came hours after the Nihon Keizai Shimbun (Nikkei) reported that the Japanese government informed Korea recently that it would agree to hold a Moon-Suga summit, adding the Korean government has been calling for a meeting of the two leaders if Moon visits the opening ceremony of the Tokyo Olympics on July 23.

A slew of Japanese news outlets have been reporting that Moon has been seeking a summit with Suga to improve the soured bilateral relations, but the governments have been denying the reports. Cheong Wa Dae has been saying that nothing has been decided on Moon visiting Tokyo, and it will only consider such a visit if the presidential office can expect proper outcomes through a potential summit.

“The Korean government has been maintaining its stance that Japan should lift its export restrictions against Korea and the two countries should resolve historic issues through talks,” the ministry said.

“Through diplomatic channels, the two countries have been in consultation about using the Tokyo Games as a vehicle to address pending bilateral issues, and it is true that we have studied the feasibility of a summit in case there is any momentum for resolving those issues and proper formality is provided.”

As reports continue to imply that Korea is more desperate for the summit, the Korean government has been expressing its regrets indirectly, and the foreign affairs ministry officially announced its regrets, while the consultation process is trapped in a deadlock.

It is said the two sides have yet to narrow their differences on the type of summit. While Korea is seeking a formal meeting that lasts about one hour, Japan is insisting on a 15-minute casual meeting, such as a pull-aside meeting. Citing an official at Japan's Prime Minister's office, Kyodo News Agency reported that Suga may meet leaders visiting the opening ceremony for about 15 minutes each.

Even if the summit is organized, the chances are slim that the two countries will resolve their disputes in a grand bargain. Japan has been insisting that Korea come up with solutions to resolve soured bilateral ties following a 2018 Korean Supreme Court ruling that ordered Japanese firms to compensate surviving South Korean victims of Japan's wartime forced labor, which is difficult for the Korean government to accept.