'Japan is our partner': Yoon vows to improve Seoul-Tokyo ties

President Yoon Suk-yeol speaks during a ceremony celebrating the 77th anniversary of Korea's Liberation Day from Japan's colonial rule, on the lawn of the presidential office in Seoul, Monday. Yonhap

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By Jung Min-ho

President Yoon Suk-yeol vowed to improve relations with Japan, calling the country a partner that South Korea should work with to defend important shared values, in a speech on Monday marking the 77th anniversary of liberation from Japan's 1910-45 colonial rule.

Yoon reiterated that he aims to inherit the spirit of the 1998 joint declaration between former President Kim Dae-jung ― a revered figure among liberal voters ― and former Japanese Prime Minister Keizo Obuchi, underscoring the shift of perception toward Japan from an old enemy to a new friend.

"In the past, we had to unshackle ourselves from the political control imposed upon us by imperial Japan so that we could regain and defend our freedom. Today, Japan is our partner as we face common threats that challenge the freedom of global citizens," Yoon said during Monday's Liberation Day speech on the lawn of the presidential office.

"When [South] Korea-Japan relations move toward a common future and when the mission of our times align, based on our shared universal values, it will also help us solve the historical problems that exist between our two countries."

President Yoon Suk-yeol and first lady Kim Keon-hee pay a silent tribute during a ceremony to mark the 77th anniversary of Korea's Liberation Day from Japan's colonial rule, on the lawn of the presidential office in Seoul, Monday. AP-Yonhap

Freedom and human rights were among the shared values he mentioned, adding that South Korea and Japan, along with many others, should cooperate to achieve peace and prosperity in the world.

"The governments and peoples of both countries, based on mutual respect, must contribute to the peace and prosperity of the international community through extensive cooperation in various areas, ranging from economic and security cooperation to social and cultural exchanges," he said.

FULL TEXTAddress by President Yoon Suk-yeol on Korea's 77th Liberation Day

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His calls for reconciliation come as the South Korean Supreme Court is set to deliver its ruling on whether to liquidate the assets of Japanese companies in Korea to compensate South Korean victims of Japan's wartime forced labor. Along with Japan's wartime sexual slavery, it is one of the major pending issues blocking the path to that goal. Yoon took office in May, with a promise to improve Seoul-Tokyo ties, which hit the lowest point since the Kim-Obuchi agreement under the Moon Jae-in administration.

People pay their respects before the statues of late North Korean leaders Kim Il-sung and Kim Jong-il at Mansu Hill in Pyongyang, North Korea, Monday, as North Korea celebrates its 77th National Liberation Day. AFP-Yonhap

In his speech, Yoon honored those who fought for the country's independence. They made the sacrifice to build a democratic nation, "not a totalitarian one where freedom and human rights are ignored," he said in an apparent reference to North Korea, which also celebrates the day for nation founder Kim Il-sung's "victory" over Japan.

Yoon revealed more details of his "audacious plan" for the North, urging Pyongyang to give up its nuclear weapons.

If the North abandons its nuclear ambition, he said, South Korea will offer technology, food and other aid deemed necessary to significantly develop its economy and the lives of ordinary North Koreans.

In the last part of the speech, Yoon said his administration will step up efforts to rebuild financial stability in South Korea ― shifting from the debt-driven economy of the COVID-19 pandemic ― while strengthening the social safety net for the most vulnerable.

"The recent flood caused much damage and suffering to our people. When disaster strikes, low-income families and the socially disadvantaged are exposed to greater risks. The government will offer thorough and deliberate assistance to these people," Yoon said. "We will alleviate the financial burden of small business owners who face difficulties due to COVID-19 and also due to natural disasters such as the recent flood … Deepening polarization and the social divide are urgent challenges that we must overcome."

The main opposition liberal Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) denounced Yoon for limiting the meaning of the country's independence only to fighting for freedom and failing to offer concrete solutions for soured Seoul-Tokyo relations.

"The people will not agree with the policy to improve Korea-Japan relations, with Japan's past wrongdoings left unresolved," Rep. Jo O-seop, the party's spokesman, said. "Freedom is an important constitutional value. But we regret that he used it as grounds for his policy, interpreting the meaning of the independence movement in a limited way … The value of freedom Yoon emphasized in his speech rings hollow."

No solution would satisfy everyone, but the Japanese government has recently shown its willingness to unravel complicated issues involving South Korea, signaling that there may be a breakthrough, an official at the presidential office told reporters.

"The Japanese government's attitude, language and tone have changed recently. Previously, Japanese authorities refused to meet their South Korean counterparts … Now, they try to listen, talk and negotiate. The atmosphere is different," the official said.