Korea and Japan in Final Tug-of-War over 'Bangil Seonggwa' Results

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Ji-eun] Regarding President Moon Jae-in's plan to visit Japan, a senior Blue House official stated on the 12th, "We are willing to hold a Korea-Japan summit, but the meeting itself is not the goal; there must be tangible outcomes," urging the Japanese government once again to adopt a more progressive attitude. The official also expressed concern, saying, "Recent reports in the Japanese media give the impression that they are trying to use this politically, so we are watching closely."

With the Tokyo Olympics opening just two weeks away, the governments of both countries are engaged in a final power struggle over President Moon's attendance at the opening ceremony and the possibility of holding a Korea-Japan summit. While the tension itself can be seen as a sign that negotiations are progressing, it remains difficult to achieve results as neither government is willing to concede on key issues such as forced labor, comfort women, and the designation of Dokdo.

Earlier, Japanese media reported that the Korean government requested a summit if President Moon attended the Tokyo Olympics opening ceremony, and that Japan had conveyed its willingness to accept this. Although the formal conditions for a Korea-Japan summit have thus been met, the Korean government views the leaking of details from behind-the-scenes diplomatic negotiations through media reports as problematic. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs also issued an official statement on the 11th, saying, "It is true that the possibility of holding a Korea-Japan summit was considered on the premise that momentum for resolving issues is created and appropriate formalities are observed," and formally protested, expressing "strong regret over the unilateral leak of discussions between the diplomatic authorities of both countries to the media."

Even if the summit takes place, there are concerns it may be merely a formality. Kyodo News, citing sources at the Japanese Prime Minister's Office, reported that the summit between Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga and President Moon could last only 15 minutes. Our side is reportedly insisting on at least one hour. Experts point out that under such circumstances, it would be difficult to achieve meaningful outcomes on sensitive issues such as comfort women and forced labor. If Japan insists on the current format for the summit, President Moon may reconsider his plan to visit Japan altogether. Lee Myeon-woo, Deputy Director of the Sejong Institute, said, "For meaningful results, it is now time for one of the two leaders to make a decisive decision."

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