Yoon on the Eve of Japan Visit: "Normalization of Korea-Japan Relations... No Rekindling of Forced Labor Issue"

President Yoon's Interview with Yomiuri Shimbun
"Visit to Japan Itself Is a Major Advancement in Bilateral Relations"
"Improving Relations Is Absolutely Necessary for Security"

President Yoon Suk-yeol, ahead of the Korea-Japan summit, stated, "I expect it to not only align with the common interests of the two countries but also send a very positive signal to the international community." In particular, President Yoon expressed strong determination regarding the resolution of the forced labor issue through the 'third-party compensation' method and emphasized strengthening security cooperation among Korea, the United States, and Japan.

In an interview with the Yomiuri Shimbun published on the 15th, President Yoon said, "The very fact that I am visiting Japan is a significant advancement in (bilateral relations)." The Yomiuri Shimbun featured an exclusive interview with President Yoon on its front page and extensively covered it over eight pages.

In this interview, President Yoon stressed the need to normalize the strained Korea-Japan relationship. He clearly stated that even before running for president, he believed the 'third-party compensation' method through a foundation under the Korean government was a reasonable approach to the issue of compensation for forced labor victims during the Japanese colonial period, which has greatly affected Korea-Japan relations. President Yoon mentioned, "It is the government's role and the responsibility of political leaders to harmonize, even if there are contradictions, by comprehensively considering the normative interpretation of the 1965 Korea-Japan Claims Agreement, how both governments have interpreted the agreement, and the 2018 Korean Supreme Court ruling." The Yomiuri reported that President Yoon revealed his perception of a 'contradiction' between the 2018 Korean Supreme Court ruling ordering Japanese defendant companies to compensate forced labor victims and the 1965 Korea-Japan Claims Agreement. In particular, President Yoon said, "We have proposed a solution that would not lead to subsequent subrogation claims."

He also strongly emphasized that improving Korea-Japan relations is essential from a security perspective. With North Korea's nuclear and missile threats escalating and the United States and Japan falling within the range of these threats, the issue should be viewed not just as a Korean Peninsula problem but as a Northeast Asian problem. He pointed out the necessity of resuming 'shuttle diplomacy,' where the Korea and Japan leaders regularly visit each other, and highlighted the importance of Korea-US-Japan security cooperation amid North Korea's nuclear and missile threats. He clearly expressed the intention that Korea and Japan should actively pursue immediate sharing of radar information tracking North Korean missiles.

Regarding the Japanese government's decision to establish a policy to possess 'counterattack capabilities,' President Yoon expressed understanding, stating, "North Korea's intermediate-range ballistic missiles (IRBMs) are passing over the Japanese archipelago." He also reiterated that Korea's fundamental principle in relations with China is to strengthen cooperation based on reciprocal respect. President Yoon said, "My principle is to abide by international norms and maintain and develop mutual cooperation and amicable relations with countries that do not engage in hostile acts against us." He added, "I believe that the scope and breadth of exchanges between Korea and China are broad, not only in economic and trade fields but also in culture. I see that communication among the leaders of Korea, China, and Japan can play a very important role in regional stability and global peace and prosperity," emphasizing the need to promote Korea-China-Japan summits and related dialogues.

President Yoon will visit Japan for two days starting on the 16th to hold a Korea-Japan summit with Prime Minister Kishida Fumio. This is the first such summit in 12 years since then-Japanese Prime Minister Noda Yoshihiko's visit to Korea in October 2011 and then-President Lee Myung-bak's visit to Japan in December of the same year. Upon arriving in Tokyo on the morning of the 16th, President Yoon will hold a luncheon meeting with local Korean residents. In the afternoon, he will have a summit meeting with Prime Minister Kishida Fumio, followed by dinners at two restaurants in Ginza.

During the summit, President Yoon and Prime Minister Kishida are expected to discuss current issues including compensation for forced labor victims during the Japanese colonial period, Japan's export restrictions against Korea, and the unstable General Security of Military Information Agreement (GSOMIA). They are also likely to address the resumption of 'shuttle diplomacy,' where the leaders regularly visit each other, and ways to revitalize exchanges. Kim Sung-hwan, Director of the National Security Office, stated, "This will be an important opportunity to break the vicious cycle and fundamentally reorganize the conditions for exchanges."