[South Korea-Japan Summit] US Media: "Diplomatic Thaw Between Allies Also Important for the US"

When President Yoon Suk-yeol and Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida held a Korea-Japan summit on the 16th and showed their willingness to improve bilateral relations, U.S. media welcomed it as a "diplomatic thaw between the two allied countries." Analysts noted that for the U.S., which is competing for hegemony with China, improving Korea-Japan relations is inevitably important. However, there were also repeated remarks pointing out that difficulties remain due to Japan's long colonial rule.

[Image source=Yonhap News]

The Washington Post (WP) reported the summit news on the day, saying, "The leaders of South Korea and Japan, America's two most important allies in Asia, met in Tokyo." At the summit held at the Tokyo residence, the two leaders agreed to restore shuttle diplomacy and decided to quickly resolve existing conflicts such as export controls and GSOMIA (General Security of Military Information Agreement). It was the first time since December 2011 that the South Korean president visited Tokyo solely for a bilateral summit rather than attending an international conference.

WP evaluated the summit as "a cautious step to restore the difficult bilateral relationship over the years," adding, "It was to show that the two countries want to cooperate more closely with each other and with the U.S. in the face of geopolitical threats such as China's economic and military rise and North Korea's nuclear ambitions." The summit was analyzed as a diplomatic thaw aimed at forming a joint front to respond to regional threats such as North Korea and China.

The outlet also reported remarks such as "A big step toward normalizing Korea-Japan relations (Prime Minister Kishida)" and "We must quickly restore and develop Korea-Japan relations (President Yoon)," noting that the two leaders ate omurice, one of President Yoon's favorite Japanese dishes. Furthermore, citing the U.S. ambassador to Japan, it reported, "Since President Joe Biden has emphasized the role of the two allies in Indo-Pacific security, this summit is also important for the U.S.," and "The U.S. has held dozens of meetings with Korea and Japan since last year to help restart dialogue between the two countries."

The New York Times (NYT) also evaluated the summit as "a visible step toward thawing Korea-Japan relations." The NYT emphasized that "the long-standing relationship between the two neighboring countries in Asia is thawing," and that the two countries, which have had conflicts over historical and territorial issues, are now showing a strong signal of willingness to cooperate against threats from North Korea's nuclear program advancement and China's increasing military ambitions in the region. It added, "The leaders' steps toward reconciliation are important not only for Korea and Japan but also for the alliance with the U.S.," and mentioned, "The U.S. needs its two strongest allies in Asia to counter China's geopolitical ambitions."

AP News stated, "This summit could change the strategic landscape of Northeast Asia," and said, "From the U.S. perspective, friction between the two countries over historical issues weakens its momentum to strengthen alliances in Asia, so it welcomes the improvement of bilateral relations."

However, there were also many remarks pointing out that difficulties remain in the process of improving relations. It was analyzed that this would be a kind of test for both President Yoon and Prime Minister Kishida. The NYT conveyed experts' diagnoses that "90% of Korea-Japan relations are domestic politics. No one knows what will happen," and evaluated that "it will be a testing ground to see how well domestic (opposition) public opinion can be calmed." The outlet also mentioned a public opinion poll released in Korea, where more than half of the people evaluated President Yoon's forced labor solution as "humiliating diplomacy," adding, "For the time being, the political risk is greater for President Yoon."

WP also stated, "Whether they can overcome issues stemming from Japan's colonial rule of the Korean Peninsula remains to be seen," mentioning that there have been past cases where attempts to improve politically and historically entangled relations failed.

Along with the summit news, U.S. media also paid attention to the fact that North Korea launched a long-range missile just hours before President Yoon's arrival in Tokyo. AP evaluated, "North Korea's missile launch was intended to send a message not only about joint military exercises but also about the summit." U.S. political media such as The Hill and Fox News also reported that North Korea launched a projectile presumed to be a ballistic missile ahead of the Korea-Japan summit and covered the White House statement condemning North Korea's provocation.