Kim Boo-kyum "Expecting North Korea's Participation in Beijing Olympics... Starting Negotiations with CPTPP Member Countries"

▲Kim Boo-kyum, Prime Minister

[Asia Economy Reporter Kwon Jae-hee] Prime Minister Kim Boo-kyum stated in an interview with Japan's Nihon Keizai Shimbun that he "expects North Korea to participate in the Beijing Winter Olympics" and will actively express this intention to the International Olympic Committee (IOC). He also expressed a strong willingness to participate in the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP).

According to Nihon Keizai Shimbun on the 1st, this was revealed during an interview with Prime Minister Kim held the previous day at the Seoul Government Complex. Regarding the IOC's suspension of North Korea's participation rights until 2022 due to its absence from the Tokyo Olympics, Kim said, "I hope for a lenient measure from the IOC," adding, "If that happens, senior officials from both Koreas could naturally meet in Beijing." He also mentioned that if necessary, he would actively express this intention to the IOC.

Concerning the CPTPP, which China and Taiwan have recently applied to join, Kim expressed his intention to participate actively. He said, "We have already started consultations with related countries," and "We are also working on legal and institutional arrangements." However, regarding the timing, he stated, "It is difficult to specify an exact time due to domestic legal procedures and parliamentary approval."

Prime Minister Kim also expressed his intention to resume the 'Korea-Japan Business Track,' which was suspended due to the spread of COVID-19. The governments of Korea and Japan had allowed special entry exemptions for short-term business travelers since 2020, but this was suspended from January 2021 due to the pandemic. Kim said, "An atmosphere where citizens of both countries can freely travel should be created," and added, "Since Japan has succeeded in reducing COVID-19 cases, I would like to actively consider this." He further mentioned that he would discuss this issue with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and quarantine authorities.

Regarding the new cabinet led by Fumio Kishida, who was elected as the new president of Japan's ruling Liberal Democratic Party, Kim expressed optimism. He congratulated, saying, "(New President Kishida) is expected to play a significant role in the development of bilateral relations." He also evaluated, "As Foreign Minister during the 2015 Korea-Japan comfort women agreement negotiations, Kishida is a politician who understands both the essence of the issue and the limitations of the solutions."

On the issue of compensation lawsuits by forced labor victims, including the liquidation of Japanese companies' assets in Korea, Kim refrained from mentioning specific solutions, stating, "There are differing opinions even among judges," and asked to "observe the judicial process a bit more."

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