[South Korea-Japan Summit] US "Continuous Progress... Expect Strengthening of South Korea-US-Japan Relations" (Comprehensive)

On the 16th (local time), the White House in the United States expressed support regarding the summit between President Yoon Suk-yeol and Japanese Prime Minister Kishida Fumio, stating that "the new mutual understanding is being converted into continuous progress." It also emphasized the importance of trilateral relations among South Korea, the United States, and Japan.

According to the White House, John Kirby, Coordinator for Strategic Communications at the National Security Council (NSC), said during a briefing that day, "President Yoon and Prime Minister Kishida held a summit in Tokyo for the first time in 12 years." The South Korean and Japanese leaders agreed to restore shuttle diplomacy and to quickly resolve existing conflicts such as export controls and GSOMIA (General Security of Military Information Agreement) during the summit held at the Tokyo residence. This was the first time since December 2011 that the South Korean president visited Tokyo solely for a summit with the Japanese prime minister.

President Yoon Suk-yeol, who visited Japan, and Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida shake hands while taking a commemorative photo before the expanded Korea-Japan summit held at the Prime Minister's Official Residence in Tokyo on the afternoon of the 16th.
[Image source=Yonhap News]

Coordinator Kirby said, "Ahead of this summit, South Korea and Japan made a truly historic announcement on the 6th to open a new chapter of cooperation and a cooperative partnership between the two countries," adding, "The United States will continue to support South Korea and Japan as they take steps to convert this new mutual understanding into continuous progress."

He also mentioned that the Biden administration has continued efforts to strengthen defense and security alliances in the Indo-Pacific region. He emphasized the importance of trilateral relations by stating, "The United States has supported increased cooperation between the two countries to substantially strengthen trilateral relations among South Korea, the United States, and Japan." He added, "We believe that advancing a shared vision for a safer, more stable, and prosperous Indo-Pacific is at the core of this partnership."

Regarding North Korea's launch of an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) ahead of the South Korea-Japan summit, Coordinator Kirby stated, "The United States' defense commitments to South Korea and Japan are absolutely steadfast, and we will continue to strengthen trilateral relations." He emphasized, "We will continue to maintain the appropriate military capabilities necessary to defend our national security in the region."

U.S. media also welcomed the South Korea-Japan leaders' willingness to improve bilateral relations, describing it as a "diplomatic thaw between the two allies." Analysts noted that for the United States, which is competing for hegemony with China, improving South Korea-Japan relations is inevitably important. Major media outlets interpreted the summit as part of a thaw in relations aimed at forming a joint front to respond to regional threats such as North Korea and China.

The Washington Post (WP) described the summit as "a cautious step to restore years of difficult bilateral relations," stating, "It shows that the two countries want to cooperate more closely with each other and with the United States in the face of geopolitical threats such as China's economic and military rise and North Korea's nuclear ambitions."

The outlet also reported remarks such as "A big step toward normalizing South Korea-Japan relations (Prime Minister Kishida)" and "We must quickly restore and develop South Korea-Japan relations (President Yoon)," noting that the two leaders ate omurice, one of President Yoon's favorite Japanese dishes. Additionally, citing the U.S. ambassador to Japan, it reported, "Since President Joe Biden has emphasized the role of the two allies in Indo-Pacific security, this summit is also important for the United States," and "The United States has held dozens of meetings with South Korea and Japan since last year to help resume dialogue between the two countries."

The New York Times (NYT) also evaluated the summit as "a visible step toward thawing South Korea-Japan relations." The NYT emphasized that "the long-standing relationship between two neighboring Asian countries is thawing," and that the two countries, which have had conflicts over historical and territorial issues, are now showing a strong signal of willingness to cooperate against threats from North Korea's advancing nuclear program and China's increasing military ambitions in the region. It added, "The leaders' steps toward reconciliation are important not only for South Korea and Japan but also for the alliance with the United States," and mentioned, "The United States needs its two strongest allies in Asia to counter China's geopolitical ambitions."

AP News reported, "This summit could change the strategic landscape of Northeast Asia," and stated, "For the United States, friction between the two countries over historical issues weakens its momentum to strengthen alliances in Asia, so it welcomes the improvement of relations between the two countries." The Wall Street Journal (WSJ) also reported, "The measures to reduce tensions and the photo of the South Korea and Japan leaders shaking hands with smiles show that the tone of South Korea-Japan relations has shifted."

However, there were also repeated remarks pointing out that many remaining challenges lie ahead in the process of improving relations, mentioning Japan's long colonial rule. It is also expected to be a kind of test for President Yoon and Prime Minister Kishida.

The NYT evaluated, "90% of South Korea-Japan relations are domestic politics," and said, "It will be a testing ground to see how well domestic (opposition) public opinion can be calmed." The outlet mentioned a public opinion poll released in South Korea where more than half of the people evaluated President Yoon's forced labor solution as "humiliating diplomacy," adding, "For the time being, the political risk is greater for President Yoon." The WP also noted, "Whether they can overcome issues stemming from Japan's colonial rule of the Korean Peninsula remains to be seen," mentioning past cases where attempts to improve politically and historically entangled relations failed.

Along with the news of the summit, U.S. media also paid attention to the fact that North Korea launched a long-range missile just hours before President Yoon's arrival in Tokyo. AP evaluated, "North Korea's missile launch was intended to send a message not only about joint military exercises but also about the summit." U.S. political media such as The Hill and Fox News also reported that North Korea launched a projectile presumed to be a ballistic missile ahead of the South Korea-Japan summit, along with the White House statement condemning North Korea's provocation.

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