Korea-Japan relationship in 50th anniversary of diplomatic tie formalization

Korea-Japan relationship in 50th anniversary of diplomatic tie formalization. May. 25, 2015 07:07. .

Korea`s Finance Minister Choi Kyung-hwan and his Japanese counterpart Taro Aso agreed to strengthen economic and financial cooperation while separating political issues from the economic ties at the Korea-Japan finance ministers meeting in Tokyo on May 23. The finance ministers meeting was resumed after hiatus of 2 years and 6 months since November in 2012. This is the first time for a Korea official higher than the level of Deputy Prime Minister to visit Japan. It is applaudable that Korea’s acting Prime Minister Choi and Japan’s Deputy Prime Minister Aso, the No.2 official in the Shinzo Abe administration, agreed on the two track principle to separate politics from economy and initiated talks between the two governments. On the same day, Korea-Japan trade ministers` meeting was held in the Philippines, and defense ministers meeting between the two countries is slated to be held in Singapore on May 30.

It is fair to say that the Korea-Japan relationship, which will mark the 50th anniversary of the formalization of diplomatic ties on June 22, is at its lowest point. Diplomatic row between the two nations has been affecting the economic relations, resulting in Korea-Japan trade volume dropped to USD 85.9 billion, fallen by USD 22.1 billion (20.5%) from 2011. Japan’s investment to Korea and the number of Japanese tourists to Korea are also on the decline. The tripartite diplomatic and security collaboration among Korea, Japan and the U.S. is also going awry.

It is true that Japan holds more responsibility for worsening the bilateral relations between Korea and Japan because the Abe administration has refused to show sincerity toward the matter of history since it`s established. Former Japanese Prime Minister Murayama Tomiich called for the government’s sincere efforts in that regard by using an adage of ‘One who has tied knot must untie it’ during his recent visit to Korea. Abe administration must admit Japan’s wartime atrocities in the past and refrain itself from making comments or taking actions that may rub salt in the wound of Koreans in the 50th anniversary of the establishment of Korea-Japan diplomatic ties.

Park Geun-hye administration also needs to face the aftermath of Korea’s hard-line diplomacy to Japan and take more flexible stance. Especially, it is not desirable for the President, not a spokesperson from the Blue House or the foreign ministry, to criticize Japan on sensitive issues. Although it is easy to be outraged and raise voice to criticize, the best way to gain the high ground over Japan is to grow Korea’s national power.

At the meeting with the Japanese delegation for culture and tourism exchange visiting Beijing in China on May 23, Chinese President Xi Jinping expressed commitment to improve the frosty ties between China and Japan, even though he criticized Japan’s wartime atrocities by militarists including invasion to China. With China’s subtle change in its stance, concerns are growing that Korea may be left alone. Korean and Japanese governments must collaborate together to expand the efforts for improvement of the bilateral ties starting from the economic sector to diplomatic and security fields, ultimately to bear the fruit called the Korea-Japan summit.