Minister Kang Kyung-wha Attending the Munich Security Conference: Will She Find a Breakthrough on Defense Costs and GSOMIA Issues?

Korea-Japan and Korea-US-Japan Foreign Ministers' Meetings to be Held on the 15th
Gap Remains Over Perception Differences Between Korea and the US... USFK Notifies Korean Workers of Possible Temporary Unpaid Leave in April
Forced Labor and Export Controls Keep Korea-Japan Relations Parallel... Some Call for Tough Stance on GSOMIA Termination

[Asia Economy Reporter Lim Cheol-young] Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha is drawing attention as she meets with U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and Japanese Foreign Minister Motegi Toshimitsu at the Munich Security Conference (MSC), held over three days starting on the 14th (local time) in Munich, Germany, to seek breakthroughs in bilateral issues stuck in deadlock, including the Special Measures Agreement (SMA) negotiations on U.S.-South Korea defense cost-sharing, Japan's export restrictions against South Korea, and the termination of the General Security of Military Information Agreement (GSOMIA) between South Korea and Japan.

Foreign Minister Kang and Foreign Minister Motegi will hold a South Korea-Japan foreign ministers' meeting on the 15th (local time) in Munich, Germany. On the 14th, a Foreign Ministry official said, "Taking advantage of the attendance of the South Korean and Japanese foreign ministers at the Munich Security Conference, a South Korea-Japan foreign ministers' meeting and a trilateral South Korea-U.S.-Japan foreign ministers' meeting are scheduled to be held."

Minister Kang plans to focus on discussing bilateral issues, including the Korean Peninsula situation, where differences in positions with the U.S. and Japan have not been narrowed. Before departing for Germany on the 13th to attend the MSC meeting, Minister Kang told reporters at Incheon International Airport, "If there is an opportunity (with Secretary Pompeo), there is much to discuss regarding the status of SMA negotiations and the situation on the Korean Peninsula."

In consultations with Japanese Foreign Minister Motegi, the focus is expected to be on related issues such as export restrictions and GSOMIA. Minister Kang stated, "We have a basic position regarding GSOMIA," adding, "What we demand from the Japanese side is that export restrictions should return to the status before July last year, and we are continuing consultations based on that principle."

The issues Minister Kang must resolve in meetings with the U.S. and Japanese foreign ministers are complexly intertwined and stuck in deadlock. In particular, the urgently needed SMA negotiations face significant differences between South Korea and the U.S. The livelihoods of Korean workers employed by the U.S. Forces Korea are directly affected, leaving little time. At the end of last month, the U.S. Forces Korea Command notified workers that due to delays in SMA negotiations, tentative unpaid leave could be implemented starting April 1.

Nevertheless, the prevailing view is that it will be difficult to reach a comprehensive agreement. The U.S. still demands a substantial increase by adding a new "readiness" item, while South Korea insists on a modest increase at a reasonable level within the existing SMA framework. Minister Kang recently stated at a New Year's press conference that both sides share the perception that time is tight, but significant differences in positions remain.

The GSOMIA termination issue, a bilateral matter between South Korea and Japan, is also multilayered and difficult to resolve quickly. Although a foreign minister-level consultation was held on the 6th after three months, it reportedly showed little progress. South Korea is urging Japan to lift export restrictions, judging Japan's efforts insufficient, while Japan maintains that South Korea must propose a solution regarding the South Korean Supreme Court's forced labor ruling, which Japan claims violates the 1965 Claims Agreement. There are many stages to go through before resolving the GSOMIA issue.

Moreover, with the timing of the forced execution (cash seizure) of Japanese companies' assets approaching following the South Korean Supreme Court ruling, the outlook is that meaningful progress in South Korea-Japan relations will be difficult. Amid growing hardline voices within the Blue House, it is known that the South Korean government is already preparing a diplomatic strategy that will change based on the forced execution against Japanese companies. In this context, Yoo Ui-dong, the responsible representative of the New Conservative Party, emphasized the day before, "I hope it is not true that calls for GSOMIA termination are resurfacing within the Blue House," adding, "We must ask repeatedly what the way to save the country is, shedding ignorance and foolishness."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.