Koreans would feel US siding with Japan, experts say
By Kim Tae-gyu, Chung Min-uck
Washington may end up giving the wrong signal to the world if President Barack Obama visits Japan while skipping Korea during his trip to Asia in April, political pundits here said Wednesday.
On his first trip to Asia in his second term, Obama is widely expected to land in Tokyo, but it remains to be seen whether Seoul will also be included on his itinerary at a time when Korea and Japan are at odds over historical and territorial issues.
The two have been mired in a diplomatic standoff since late last year when Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe visited the Yasukuni Shrine, which houses the remains of 14 Class-A war criminals.
"Should Obama fail to visit Seoul despite the latter's request, it is feared that it will send the wrong signal that the U.S. condones Tokyo's hard-line stance of denying its past misdeeds," said journalist-turned-commentator Lee Kang-yun.
"Hence, Obama needs to visit Seoul to have a summit with President Park Geun-hye. That would prevent Japan from misunderstanding the intentions of the U.S. now and in the future."
Lee worried that Obama might worsen the already bad situation in Northeast Asia.
"If Obama just visits Japan, it would be a mistake," Lee said.
Since Abe returned to power in late 2012, the relationship between Seoul and Tokyo has hit rock bottom because of his provocative acts and remarks, which have angered victims of Japan's wartime atrocities such as Korea and China.
The escalated history related tension culminated in December when Abe made the unexpected visit to the shrine, something even the U.S. criticized, saying it was "disappointed."
Despite what some political observers are saying, presidential secretary for foreign affairs Kim Hyung-zhin said if Obama does skip Seoul during his April visit to Asia, it would not embolden Japan at Korea's expense.
He insinuated Obama would still be able to pay a visit to Korea later this year, and it does not matter in what order he visits the neighboring countries.
"Obama plans to head to Asia twice this year, in April and November. He might spread the destinations over the two trips," Kim said. "We are talking with our U.S. counterparts, but it seems that the country has yet to fix the itinerary."
He also pointed out that since his inauguration in early 2009, Obama has visited Seoul three times while stopping in Tokyo only twice.
The government is remaining tight-lipped about any efforts underway to have U.S. President Barack Obama visit Korea during the first Asian trip of his second term slated for April.
Presidential secretary for foreign affairs Kim Hyoung-zhin said Wednesday that Seoul is currently in talks with Washington with regard to Obama's itinerary, which is expected to include Japan.
"The U.S. has yet to decide an exact schedule. Discussions are currently underway with Washington," Kim said. It is widely believed that a failure to visit Korea could adversely affect public opinion here on ROK-U.S. relations.
"We are actively requesting the U.S. to include Seoul on their president's upcoming trip," said a foreign ministry official, Wednesday.
"At the moment, it is hard to say whether our efforts will materialize results because the ball's in Washington's court.
"All we can say is that we are closely communicating with the U.S. on the matter," the official added.
The U.S. has yet to officially announce the countries that Obama will visit, but Malaysia and the Philippines are regarded as certainties because the envisioned trip will compensate for previously cancelled visits to those countries due to the U.S. government shutdown last year.
Meanwhile, Japanese Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida will meet U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry in Washington this Friday.
Obama's schedule will reportedly be announced later this month.
By Kim Tae-gyu, Chung Min-uck
 |
| U.S. President Barack Obama |
On his first trip to Asia in his second term, Obama is widely expected to land in Tokyo, but it remains to be seen whether Seoul will also be included on his itinerary at a time when Korea and Japan are at odds over historical and territorial issues.
The two have been mired in a diplomatic standoff since late last year when Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe visited the Yasukuni Shrine, which houses the remains of 14 Class-A war criminals.
"Should Obama fail to visit Seoul despite the latter's request, it is feared that it will send the wrong signal that the U.S. condones Tokyo's hard-line stance of denying its past misdeeds," said journalist-turned-commentator Lee Kang-yun.
"Hence, Obama needs to visit Seoul to have a summit with President Park Geun-hye. That would prevent Japan from misunderstanding the intentions of the U.S. now and in the future."
Lee worried that Obama might worsen the already bad situation in Northeast Asia.
"If Obama just visits Japan, it would be a mistake," Lee said.
Since Abe returned to power in late 2012, the relationship between Seoul and Tokyo has hit rock bottom because of his provocative acts and remarks, which have angered victims of Japan's wartime atrocities such as Korea and China.
The escalated history related tension culminated in December when Abe made the unexpected visit to the shrine, something even the U.S. criticized, saying it was "disappointed."
Despite what some political observers are saying, presidential secretary for foreign affairs Kim Hyung-zhin said if Obama does skip Seoul during his April visit to Asia, it would not embolden Japan at Korea's expense.
He insinuated Obama would still be able to pay a visit to Korea later this year, and it does not matter in what order he visits the neighboring countries.
"Obama plans to head to Asia twice this year, in April and November. He might spread the destinations over the two trips," Kim said. "We are talking with our U.S. counterparts, but it seems that the country has yet to fix the itinerary."
He also pointed out that since his inauguration in early 2009, Obama has visited Seoul three times while stopping in Tokyo only twice.
The government is remaining tight-lipped about any efforts underway to have U.S. President Barack Obama visit Korea during the first Asian trip of his second term slated for April.
Presidential secretary for foreign affairs Kim Hyoung-zhin said Wednesday that Seoul is currently in talks with Washington with regard to Obama's itinerary, which is expected to include Japan.
"The U.S. has yet to decide an exact schedule. Discussions are currently underway with Washington," Kim said. It is widely believed that a failure to visit Korea could adversely affect public opinion here on ROK-U.S. relations.
"We are actively requesting the U.S. to include Seoul on their president's upcoming trip," said a foreign ministry official, Wednesday.
"At the moment, it is hard to say whether our efforts will materialize results because the ball's in Washington's court.
"All we can say is that we are closely communicating with the U.S. on the matter," the official added.
The U.S. has yet to officially announce the countries that Obama will visit, but Malaysia and the Philippines are regarded as certainties because the envisioned trip will compensate for previously cancelled visits to those countries due to the U.S. government shutdown last year.
Meanwhile, Japanese Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida will meet U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry in Washington this Friday.
Obama's schedule will reportedly be announced later this month.
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