Yoon refutes criticism of fence-mending summit with Japan

President Yoon Suk Yeol speaks during a Cabinet meeting at the presidential office in Seoul, Tuesday. Yonhap

Tokyo's claims on Dokdo, sexual slavery major drag on restoring ties

By Nam Hyun-woo

President Yoon Suk Yeol on Tuesday refuted domestic criticism against his efforts to mend ties with Japan despite Tokyo's reluctance to issue an additional apology for its past wartime wrongdoings, saying that neglecting the frayed relationship with the neighboring country for political interest is tantamount to dereliction of the president's duty.

"The previous government left the troubled relationship between South Korea and Japan untouched and this resulted in the people of both countries and ethnic South Koreans living in Japan suffering, and the security and economies of both countries falling into a deep abyss," Yoon said during his 25-minute opening speech at a Cabinet meeting.

"I also could have chosen an easy path for immediate political gains and left the worst-ever South Korea-Japan relations unaddressed. However, I believed that neglecting grave international circumstances and exploiting the hostile nationalism and anti-Japan sentiment for domestic politics are nothing more than abandoning my duties as the president."

Yoon's unscheduled speech came amid his faltering job approval ratings after last week's summit with Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida.

Fueling anti-Japan sentiment among South Koreans is the main opposition Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) that has been harshly criticizing the president for having "paid tribute to Japan" with his "abysmal summit."

Earlier this month, the South Korean government announced an alternative plan to compensate victims of forced labor by Japanese companies during World War II through a fund created by Korean companies, without the direct involvement of the Japanese firms.

After announcing the plan, Yoon visited Tokyo last week and had a summit with Kishida, where the two leaders decided to revoke measures that the two countries imposed on each other when their relations were at the lowest ebb, and agreed to improve bilateral ties. This, however, triggered a backlash in his home country and the DPK, as Japan did not issue an additional apology for forcing Koreans to labor at its factories during World War II, while Japanese newspapers alleged that their government made further demands related to historical issues.

"In our society, there are groups which are seeking political gains by evoking exclusive nationalism and anti-Japan sentiment," Yoon said, referring to the DPK's criticism. "Japan has expressed its remorse and apologies over the history issue tens of times."

Yoon cited past apologies released by the Japanese government, including the 1998 joint declaration announced by then South Korean President Kim Dae-jung and Japanese Prime Minister Keizo Obuchi. In the declaration, Obuchi expressed his deep remorse and apology for the "tremendous damage and suffering" the South Korean people experienced during Japan's 1910-45 colonial occupation.

During his remarks, Yoon stressed the necessity of improving ties with Japan, citing the challenges the nation faces.

"Amid comprehensive crises, including the escalating strategic competition between the United States and China, global supply chain disruptions and North Korea's increasing nuclear threats, the necessity of cooperation between Seoul and Tokyo is ever increasing," Yoon said.

"Historically, and culturally, the two countries are the closest neighbors. Germany and France have sacrificed numerous lives as enemies during World War II, but quickly reconciled and became the closest neighbors cooperating with each other."

Yoon said a number of advantages are expected as Seoul and Tokyo mend ties, citing a stable chip industry supply chain, joint efforts for carbon neutrality and joint entry into third markets as examples.

Main opposition Democratic Party of Korea floor leader Park Hong-keun, center, speaks during a party meeting at the National Assembly in Yeouido, Seoul, Tuesday. Yonhap

While Yoon painted a rosy outlook of bilateral ties, the main opposition party threatened to launch an investigation into the recent developments, calling Yoon, Director of National Security Kim Sung-han, First Deputy Director of National Security Kim Tae-hyo and other key aides as "traitors."

The DPK has criticized Yoon's outreach to Tokyo as "submissive diplomacy" and raised suspicions that the president made unannounced concessions to Japan, citing Japanese news reports that Kishida made claims on Korea's easternmost islets of Dokdo and demanded Seoul abide by a 2015 agreement on wartime sexual slavery, while lifting its import ban on fisheries products from Japan's Fukushima region, which was hit by a tsunami that crippled nuclear reactors in 2011.

"Including the questionable compensation plan for forced labor victims, we will question the truth behind the summit, including the issues of Dokdo, sexual slavery agreement, Fukushima fisheries products, and correct this submissive diplomacy," DPK floor leader Park Hong-keun said.

A day earlier, South Korea's presidential office expressed regret to Japan over a series of "distorted" reports alleging that the two leaders had discussed those issues. The office has been reiterating that the issues of former sex slaves and Dokdo were never discussed during the summit, while the import ban was brought up by Japanese lawmakers during a separate meeting they had with Yoon.