Yoon: "Please Promote Interdepartmental Cooperation Projects for a Future-Oriented Korea-Japan Relationship"

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Despite Opposition and Public Criticism... Yoon Continues to Push Forward Head-On

President Yoon Suk-yeol on the 13th urged, "For future-oriented Korea-Japan relations, I ask each government ministry to identify and promote cooperation projects in various fields."

As President Yoon is visiting Japan for the first time in 12 years and seeking to improve Korea-Japan relations with Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, the government intends to swiftly present sector-specific solutions.

On the morning of the same day, during a regular meeting with Prime Minister Han Duck-soo at the Yongsan Presidential Office, President Yoon requested efforts to find ways to develop Korea-Japan relations, presidential spokesperson Lee Do-woon conveyed in a briefing.

In response, Prime Minister Han reported, "We will work on discovering and concretizing exchange and cooperation projects in various fields to develop a new Korea-Japan relationship."

[Image source=Yonhap News]

President Yoon will visit Japan for a one-night, two-day trip on June 16-17 at the invitation of the Japanese government and hold a summit with Prime Minister Fumio Kishida. Through this summit, there is speculation that President Yoon and Prime Minister Kishida will announce a new Korea-Japan cooperation joint declaration focusing on ending hostility and establishing an economic and security strategic partnership.

Additionally, amid escalating nuclear and missile threats from North Korea, it is expected that the normalization of the General Security of Military Information Agreement (GSOMIA) will be agreed upon.

When reporters asked whether the Korean and Japanese governments have effectively agreed on the participation of Japanese defendant companies (Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Nippon Steel) in the so-called Future Youth Fund, a key presidential office official replied, "Negotiations are ongoing in that direction, and we hope for such an outcome."

The official added, "As I have said several times, President Yoon’s goal is clear. He wants to build Korea-Japan relations as a future-oriented relationship," and said, "However, that does not mean neglecting past issues. The 'door to the past' remains open, and the March 1st Independence Movement Day commemorative speech sufficiently mentioned memories of the past."

He continued, "While keeping the door to the past open and striving to resolve those issues, we also want to open the door to the future and discuss ways to newly develop Korea-Japan relations going forward," adding, "Although the door to the past may seem larger at this point, if cooperation between Korea and Japan strengthens, the door to the future can grow bigger someday, and I believe both Korean and Japanese people hope for that direction."

When asked about the presidential office’s stance on Japanese Foreign Minister Hayashi’s remark that forced labor cannot be considered as such, the official said, "Prime Minister Kishida clearly stated that he inherits the historical awareness including the Kim Dae-jung?Obuchi declaration," and added, "We hope this will be reaffirmed at the summit."

Regarding how to persuade victims who rejected the third-party compensation proposal, the official said, "The government, including the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, will continue a sincere and proactive communication process both before and after the summit."

As criticism of the forced labor compensation plan intensifies, President Yoon and the presidential office appear to be taking a direct approach day after day.

The presidential office clearly stated through a YouTube Shorts video the urgent need to promptly resolve the forced labor issue and revitalize security, economic, and cultural exchanges in Korea-Japan relations. The video showed President Yoon mentioning, "We will inherit the spirit of the Kim Dae-jung?Obuchi declaration and cooperate in a future-oriented manner."

This remark was made at the closing of the Cabinet meeting chaired by President Yoon on the 7th, and it is unusual for the presidential office to release a video of the president’s closing remarks at a Cabinet meeting. Usually, press coverage is allowed only up to the opening remarks, and closing remarks are conveyed through briefings by spokespersons.

The Presidential Office released President Yoon Suk-yeol's remarks from the Cabinet meeting on the 7th through a YouTube Shorts video on the 12th.
[Photo by the Presidential Office]

This direct response is seen as a reaction to criticism from opposition parties and others labeling the presidential office’s forced labor issue solution as a "secret agreement," as well as concerns that public opinion polls show a majority opposing the solution, which could diminish the achievements and significance of this Japan visit.

The presidential office especially emphasized President Yoon’s responsible decision to resolve the strained Korea-Japan relations of the past five years by prominently featuring a sign on his desk that reads "The Buck Stops Here" in the Shorts video.