'Uncertain President Moon's Visit to Japan' Strong Measures... Blue House Aiming to Seize Initiative in Korea-Japan Summit

Japanese Government Mentions Soma Construction 'Acceptable Measures'... Every Step in the Korea-Japan Summit Is a Delicate Balancing Act

[Asia Economy Reporters Jungmin Ryu, Inho Yoo, Jieun Lee] The Blue House's use of the term "uncertain" on the 19th regarding the possibility of a Korea-Japan summit is read as a strong indication that it intends to accumulate justification for a visit to Japan while simultaneously taking a tough stance against Japan to lead the talks.

In the announcement on the same day, the Blue House mentioned "obstacles to the summit" and "no satisfactory measures," which, although not explicitly stated, are generally analyzed as referring to the inappropriate remarks made by Hirohisa Soma, the Charg? d'Affaires at the Japanese Embassy in Korea, and the Japanese government's official statements or expressions of regret in response.

The controversy intensified after it became known that Charg? d'Affaires Soma used the term "masturbation" targeting President Moon Jae-in during a conversation with Korean media. The Blue House did not hide its discomfort, and there were even predictions that this would become a last-minute stumbling block for the Korea-Japan summit.

[Image source=Yonhap News]

If the Japanese government takes official disciplinary action against Charg? d'Affaires Soma, the Korea-Japan summit could gain momentum. If the Japanese government shows sincere action, President Moon could gain political justification for his visit to Japan.

Basically, the Blue House does not intend to take a passive stance in diplomatic decisions due to negative domestic public opinion about the visit to Japan. Park Soo-hyun, the Blue House Senior Secretary for Public Communication, stated in a media interview on the 19th, "Following the negative public opinion about the visit is an easy choice, but as president, one must also consider taking another lonely path," reflecting this context.

This attitude of the Blue House is because the first face-to-face summit between President Moon and Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga holds special political significance. The Korea-Japan leaders need to discuss various issues, including resolving the forced labor victim issue, related economic sanctions, and the Korean Peninsula peace process. The problem lies in the political timing.

In diplomatic circles, if the Korea-Japan summit fails, it is predicted that improving relations within the Moon administration's term will be difficult, as both countries face major elections. This means that once both countries enter the election season, they will inevitably be passive in resolving politically sensitive Korea-Japan issues. Japan plans to hold a general election this fall, and South Korea faces a presidential election in March next year.

The Korea-Japan summit itself is an important political event. If meaningful outcomes are produced for both countries, it could be a positive factor in domestic politics. President Moon can use the easing of tensions with Japan as a catalyst for economic improvement as well as inter-Korean relations. Prime Minister Suga can create an opportunity to alleviate negative public opinion within Japan regarding the Tokyo Olympics proceeding as planned.

However, every step from the realization of the Korea-Japan summit to reaching an agreement must be handled cautiously. If either side gets caught up in media manipulation or diplomatic missteps that harm national interests, it could lead to unnecessary troubles.

Lee Myeon-woo, Deputy Director of the Sejong Institute, commented on the background of the power struggle between Korea and Japan, saying, "Both Korea and Japan have accumulated mutual distrust," and added, "(Since the U.S. also wants to improve Korea-Japan relations,) it seems like both countries are trying to find a way out in a presentable manner."

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