Yoon Quoting Churchill: "Korea-Japan Relations Should Not Be Held Back by the Past" (Update)

Live Broadcast of State Council Opening Remarks
President Yoon Emphasizes the Need for Korea-Japan Relations Amid Complex Crises
Work Hours Reform Plan "Working Over 60 Hours a Week Is Excessive"

President Yoon Suk-yeol emphasized the need to improve Korea-Japan relations on the 21st, regarding last week’s Korea-Japan summit, stating, "We must face and remember the past. However, we must not be held back by the past."

In his opening remarks at the Cabinet meeting held at the Yongsan Presidential Office that morning, President Yoon quoted the late British Prime Minister Winston Churchill, who led the Allies to victory in World War II: "If we pit the present against the past, we will surely miss the future." The president’s remarks, which lasted about 20 minutes, were broadcast live.

First, he addressed the deteriorated Korea-Japan relations point by point, including the suspension of shuttle diplomacy, the dissolution of the Foundation for Reconciliation and Healing, semiconductor export regulations and exclusion from the whitelist following the 2018 Supreme Court forced labor ruling, and the General Security of Military Information Agreement (GSOMIA).

President Yoon said, "However, we could not just stand by and watch. Amid the increasingly fierce US-China strategic competition, the global supply chain crisis, and the heightened nuclear threat from North Korea, the need for Korea-Japan cooperation has grown even more."

He referred to past administrations that fostered a reconciliation atmosphere between Korea and Japan, such as the 1965 normalization of diplomatic relations agreement and the 1998 Kim Dae-jung?Obuchi declaration, calling them "the driving force behind the remarkable development of the Korean economy" and "the cornerstone for pioneering a shared future of peace and prosperity," respectively.

He claimed that the current compensation plan, which centers on third-party payment, satisfies the 1965 normalization of diplomatic relations agreement and the individual claims of forced labor victims recognized by the 2018 Supreme Court plenary session.

[Image source=Yonhap News]

President Yoon stated, "The 1965 Korea-Japan Basic Treaty and Korea-Japan Claims Agreement were based on the principle that the Korean government would collectively represent the personal claims of its citizens and receive support funds from Japan. Under this premise, successive governments have strived to heal the pain of forced labor victims and ensure appropriate compensation," mentioning the 9.2 billion won from the 1974 claims fund and the government’s 650 billion won payment in 2007.

He also clearly stated that Korea-Japan relations must move beyond the past, citing the improvement of relations between France, an Allied power during World War II, and Germany, which was part of the Axis powers. President Yoon urged, "Even if disagreements arise at times, Korea and Japan must meet frequently, communicate, resolve issues, and seek cooperation."

He referenced the 1972 Beijing Joint Communiqu? on normalization of diplomatic relations announced by Chinese Premier Zhou Enlai and Japan, which stated, "War responsibility lies with certain militarist forces, so they must be distinguished from the general public," and mentioned the case of waiving war damage compensation such as for the Nanjing Massacre, emphasizing, "We must face Japan confidently and proudly."

Following this summit, the two countries are expected to use this opportunity to promote their joint interests and strengthen cooperation on key issues such as technology and energy-related economic security, export recovery, and the establishment of economic security dialogues at the level of their respective National Security Councils (NSC), as well as cooperation on core technologies and supply chains.

President Yoon said, "I will proactively instruct the Minister of Trade, Industry and Energy today to initiate the necessary legal procedures to restore Korea’s whitelist status toward Japan." He also mentioned that through cooperation between the economic sectors of both countries, they have an opportunity to jointly enter the global market with the world’s best competitiveness by creating a cutting-edge semiconductor innovation hub, as well as in construction, energy infrastructure, and smart city projects.

Regarding GSOMIA, he said, "I judged that perfect information sharing between Korea and Japan on North Korean nuclear and missile threats is urgent, so at the Korea-Japan summit, I declared the complete normalization of GSOMIA proactively without any preconditions," adding, "The Ministry of National Defense and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs have also implemented the necessary legal measures."

On the controversial labor hours reform plan, which sparked debate over a maximum 69-hour workweek, President Yoon stated, "There must be no doubts or anxieties regarding workers’ health rights, rest rights, and fair compensation through prevention of abuse of the comprehensive wage system." He added, "There has been some controversy recently about the maximum weekly working hours. My view that working more than 60 hours per week is excessive from a health protection perspective remains unchanged," signaling a review of existing policies and a reiteration of the upper limit on working hours.