Former Minister Kang Kyung-hwa: "Conceded on Japan Forced Labor Compensation and Got Nothing in Return"

"Decisions related to Japan's military use of force must be made considering the vivid collective memory of Koreans regarding Japan's brutal colonial invasion. Any talk of an alliance with Japan that ignores this public sentiment is naive and irresponsible."

"President Yoon Suk-yeol will emphasize various forms of trust during his first state visit to Asia since the Biden administration took office, which will cause the U.S. eavesdropping incident on our country to be forgotten (papered over)."

Former Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha (Chair Professor, Graduate School of International Studies, Ewha Womans University) criticized the Yoon administration's trilateral diplomacy with the U.S. and Japan in a column for The Economist on the 26th (local time).

[Image source=Yonhap News]

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First, former Minister Kang began by saying, "'Trust' is a word often used in diplomatic speeches." However, "even among friendly countries and close allies, questioning their true intentions is the frontline of diplomacy."

She then addressed the recent leak of classified U.S. Department of Defense documents involving allegations of U.S. eavesdropping, noting that although the government stated "trust in the U.S. remains," "the opposition accurately points out that the U.S. spying constitutes a serious 'breach of trust,' and considering the decline in support for the government, their claims carry weight." However, former Minister Kang predicted, "During President Yoon's state visit, various pledges of 'trust' regarding bilateral security will be emphasized, and ultimately, the eavesdropping incident will be forgotten."

Former Minister Kang viewed emphasizing trust to secure a strong alliance with the U.S. as not the best approach. She noted that our democracy is much more vibrant than that of Japan or the U.S., with an active civil society and unchecked freedom of expression that keeps the government constantly on edge. This social system has also brought about a global cultural storm like 'K-pop,' instilling confidence in the younger generation to challenge new things. By leveraging this "soft power and confidence exemplified by K-pop," she said, "we can create a path to solidify the alliance with the U.S." Furthermore, she judged that "South Korea can become a more proactive force for peace and human dignity in an unstable world."

[Image source=Yonhap News]

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Former Minister Kang also sharply criticized the trust between South Korea and Japan. She said, "Most Koreans still support the alliance with the U.S., but when Japan is included, it provokes anger," adding, "While North Korea is intensifying provocations and recent trilateral security cooperation among the U.S., South Korea, and Japan is necessary, decisions related to Japan's military use of force must be made considering the vivid collective memory of Koreans regarding Japan's brutal colonial invasion." She further stated, "Any talk of an alliance with Japan that ignores this public sentiment is naive and irresponsible."

In particular, former Minister Kang said, "Japan is systematically erasing traces of its atrocities against Korea, deepening the suffering of victims and the grievances of Koreans," and predicted, "As long as this situation continues, trust between South Korea and Japan will inevitably remain fragile." She pointed out, "The recent South Korean government's moves to hollow out the Supreme Court ruling also stem from this pattern." She explained, "The government caused controversy by deciding to abandon key elements of the Supreme Court ruling that ordered individual compensation to Korean forced labor victims during the Japanese colonial period in March," adding, "The government, having conceded this issue to Japan and received nothing in return, is under severe pressure to strengthen public trust on the diplomatic front."

Finally, former Minister Kang expressed regret over the Yoon administration's trilateral diplomacy, saying, "It is regrettable," and stated, "When Japan fully and honestly accepts its past, the potential of both countries can be freed from the weight of history." She emphasized that this "will provide substantial and lasting strength to the trust between the two countries and the entire Asian region, and will also contribute to peace and prosperity in the U.S. and this region."

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