South Korea’s government on Monday announced a new plan to resolve a long-running historical division with Japan and end a complex and emotive spat on wartime forced labor that drove bilateral relations to all-time lows in 2018.
The rift between the two East Asian nations, rooted in history, culture and law, has complicated bilateral ties for decades and long frustrated U.S. policymakers seeking to forge a united front with its key regional allies to the threats posed by North Korea and China.
With tensions with North Korea and China both on the rise in recent months, the Biden administration was quick to welcome the news of a deal. But it was clearly not a done deal in South Korea, where powerful groups have long contended Japan has not done enough to atone for the abuses its officials and forces committed, in particular the recruitment of South Koreans as “comfort women” for Japanese troops during World War II.
Japanese say no compensation or apologies are sufficient to satisfy Koreans, who continue to move the goalposts by blocking compensation and reneging on previous deals that were meant to put the conflict to rest. In 1965, Japan transferred to Korea some $800 million in grants and soft loans, the result of years of negotiations on how much was owed to the laborers. The Seoul government of the day took the Japanese cash but did not pay it out, instead using it as development capital to build up the economy.
Just hours after the proposal was revealed Monday, South Korean and Japanese trade officials simultaneously announced plans for talks to restore their trade relations. South Korea’s Trade Ministry said it decided to suspend its case before the World Trade Organization over the Japanese trade curbs, the Associated Press reported.
“Moon and Abe really screwed things up,” said Haruko Satoh, who teaches Japan’s relations with Asia at the Osaka School of Public Policy. “Now people on both sides think the other side is being unreasonable, and getting them to bring down their fists won’t be easy.”
México Últimas Noticias, México Titulares
Similar News:También puedes leer noticias similares a ésta que hemos recopilado de otras fuentes de noticias.
Japan, South Korea Near Deal on Forced Labor DisputeThe countries are close to an agreement to resolve a major sticking point in their relations, boosting U.S. efforts to foster cooperation between its allies to counter China and North Korea.
Leer más »
South Korea to compensate victims of Japan’s wartime forced laborSouth Korea said it will compensate laborers who were forced to work for Japanese companies during colonization in the first half of the 20th century, a landmark move toward resolving a longtime dispute between the U.S. allies.
Leer más »
US allies South Korea and Japan make deal to ease strains over wartime labor dispute | CNNSouth Korea on Monday announced a deal to compensate victims of forced labor by Japan during its occupation of Korea as the two United States allies try to smooth relations in the face of an increasingly turbulent Indo-Pacific security situation.
Leer más »
U.S. allies South Korea and Japan move closer to resolve forced labor feudSouth Korea announced on Monday a plan to compensate victims of forced labor under Japan's colonization through a government foundation with funds from South Korean companies.
Leer más »