Presidential Office Targets Opposition: "Forces Trying to Gain Reflexive Benefits from Anti-Japanese Sentiment"

Presidential Office Official Rebuts Criticism of March 1st Anniversary Speech
"Emphasized Korea-Japan Cooperation to Overcome Security and Economic Crises"

On the 2nd, the Presidential Office rebutted criticism from the opposition accusing President Yoon Suk-yeol's March 1st Independence Movement Day commemorative speech of being pro-Japanese and colonialist, stating that "there are forces trying to gain political benefits through anti-Japanese sentiment."

A key official from the Presidential Office told reporters at the Yongsan Presidential Office on the same day, "It seems there are two forces regarding Korea-Japan relations," and made the remarks.

[Image source=Yonhap News]

He continued, "On one side, there are forces that want to overcome the past and move toward the future at all costs, and on the other side, there are forces trying to gain political benefits by exploiting anti-Japanese and anti-Korean sentiments," adding, "Which side do you think truly considers the national interest and the future generations? I ask the public to carefully consider this."

The official explained the core of the March 1st speech from the previous day, saying, "It emphasized that Korea-Japan cooperation is very important to overcome security and economic crises," and added, "There are always many concerns about Korea-Japan relations. There is the past, the present, and the future. Everything is intertwined, and it seems that both peoples think it is desirable to look toward the future rather than the past."

In his March 1st speech the day before, President Yoon stated, "A century after the March 1st Movement, Japan has transformed from a militaristic aggressor of the past into a partner that shares universal values with us and cooperates on security, economy, and global agendas."

He also emphasized, "Today, 104 years later, we must reflect on our past when we lost our sovereignty and suffered because we were unprepared for changes in world history," and added, "We need to think about how to overcome the current global complex crises, the severe security situation including the North Korean nuclear threat, and the crises of social division and polarization in our society."

In response, the opposition fiercely criticized the speech as adopting a perpetrator's logic and a colonialist perspective. Park Hong-geun, floor leader of the Democratic Party of Korea, said at the party's policy coordination meeting that day, "The President's March 1st commemorative speech is truly shocking," and pointed out, "I cannot understand the difference between the words of traitor Lee Wan-yong and President Yoon."