{"id":2200302,"date":"2023-03-02T08:00:44","date_gmt":"2023-03-01T23:00:44","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/koreapro.org\/?p=2200302"},"modified":"2023-04-05T16:09:35","modified_gmt":"2023-04-05T07:09:35","slug":"yoon-calls-japan-partner-in-tackling-security-and-economic-challenges","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/koreapro.org\/2023\/03\/yoon-calls-japan-partner-in-tackling-security-and-economic-challenges\/","title":{"rendered":"Yoon calls Japan partner in tackling security and economic challenges"},"content":{"rendered":"
President Yoon Suk-yeol on Wednesday <\/span>called<\/span><\/a> Japan a partner in tackling security and economic challenges during an address to mark the 104th anniversary of the 1919 independence movement against Japanese colonial rule. \u201cNow, a century after the March First Independence Movement, Japan has transformed from a militaristic aggressor of the past into a partner that shares the same universal values with us,\u201d Yoon said. \u201cToday, Korea and Japan cooperate on issues of security and economy. We also work together to cope with global challenges.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n Yoon\u2019s remark comes as Seoul and Tokyo are negotiating a solution to the issue of compensation for Korean victims of Japanese forced labor during World War II. The issue has long been a source of friction between the two countries.<\/span><\/p>\n Why It Matters<\/b><\/p>\n Yoon\u2019s remarks will likely be welcomed in Tokyo as the two countries seek to improve relations. However, it is unlikely to alter Tokyo\u2019s cautious approach to the Yoon administration, as Tokyo is waiting to see how Seoul resolves the forced labor issue. Tokyo insists that all reparation issues were resolved by the <\/span>1965 treaty<\/span><\/a> that normalized relations between the two countries.<\/span><\/p>\n However, the speech has received backlash domestically. Main opposition Democratic Party (DP) leader Lee Jae-myung <\/span>criticized<\/span><\/a> Yoon for trying to mend relations with Japan without Japan \u201c[taking] historical responsibility and [making] legitimate legal compensation\u201d for its colonial rule of the Korean Peninsula from 1910 to 1945. By delivering a conciliatory message toward Japan during his March First address, Yoon might have inadvertently strengthened the opposition to his Japan policy.<\/span><\/p>\n