ID :
80081
Tue, 09/15/2009 - 20:32
Auther :
Shortlink :
https://www.oananews.org//node/80081
The shortlink copeid
(News Focus) Lee hoping to build 'complete trust' with new Japanese gov't
By Tony Chang
SEOUL, Sept. 15 (Yonhap) -- South Korean President Lee Myung-bak expressed hope
for a dramatic push in relations with Japan under its incoming leadership to
build "complete trust," topped off by a visit with the Japanese emperor in a
vision that breaks away from contentious bilateral relations due to Tokyo's past
war crimes.
The Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ) last month shattered the over half-century
stronghold of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party by wining the general election
in a landslide.
DPJ chief Yukio Hatoyama will be sworn in as the country's new prime minister
Wednesday, and Japan will witness the first transfer of power in the country,
which has been ruled by the Liberal Democrats since 1955, with the exception of a
brief period of less than a year in 1993-1994.
Unlike outgoing Japanese Prime Minister Taro Aso and his conservative
predecessors, who focused on a strong alliance with the U.S., Hatoyama has sought
a better relationship with South Korea, China and even North Korea, calling for
an East Asian Community modeled after the European Union.
Hatoyama publicly said that if he takes power, he will not visit the Yasukuni
Shrine, which honors convicted World War II criminals. South Koreans view the
shrine visits by Japanese leaders as proof that Tokyo is not remorseful about its
past atrocities in spite of its apology in 1995 by then Prime Minister Tomiichi
Murayama, commonly referred to as the Murayama Statement.
Japan colonized the Korean Peninsula from 1910-1945, a dark period marked by
wartime atrocities including forced labor and sexual slavery. Seoul and Tokyo
normalized ties in 1965.
President Lee said bilateral relations need to move forward, and that he has such
expectations with the Hatoyama government.
"The Korea-Japan relationship has steadily developed over the years, and there is
hope it will develop to a higher level at which they completely trust each
other," Lee said in a joint interview with Yonhap News Agency and Japan's Kyodo
News on Tuesday.
South Korea and Japan are often referred to as neighbors geographically close but
politically and emotionally distant, with tensions recurring from Japan's
repeated claims to the South Korean islets of Dokdo in the East Sea and what
Seoul sees as Japanese attempts to whitewash its crimes of the colonial years.
Many Koreans say Tokyo has yet to sincerely atone for its past atrocities against
Korea.
As a means to permanently eliminate such "distance," Lee said he was hoping the
Japanese emperor would visit South Korea next year.
"I have the expectation that his visit would be meaningful, produce positive
results, and be a visit permanently removing the distance between the two
countries," he said. "If the visit can be actualized, even next year, I believe
we can find a great meaning in bilateral ties."
Lee, while underscoring the need to understand historical context in building
relations, also stressed that the two countries should not be bound by past
experiences but proceed to strengthen regional cooperation, using Germany and
Europe as an example.
"After viewing the political and economic consolidation of the EU, I think (the
relation within) Asia too should evolve into a new dimension of cooperation,
especially between South Korea and Japan," Lee said.
The president also noted that many South Koreans are interested in the new
Japanese government and its foreign policy, suggesting that the Hatoyama
administration could lay the groundwork for an upgrade in bilateral ties.
"From Korea's perspective, I have the expectation that bilateral relations,
following the incoming of the Hatoyama regime, could be raised based on mutual
trust," Lee said.
Experts believe that the two-way ties are bound to improve, given Hatoyama's
promise to become a leader "who can see history correctly." The real question is
how much political will can the incoming prime minister mobilize without
alienating conservatives within Japan, they say.
"As a Korean, it (Hatoyama's inauguration) is to be welcomed, given his reformist
views regarding history. The relationship between South Korea and Japan has
already come a long way, but what should be asked is how much more forward could
the relation move under Hatoyama's leadership?" said Chin Chang-soo, a senior
researcher of Japanese studies at the Sejong Institute, an independent think tank
in Seoul.
Nam Ki-jeong, a professor of Japanese studies at Seoul National University, also
said that the future relationship "will most likely improve" in comparison to the
past, but urged against pressing for immediate policy changes by Tokyo on
sensitive issues, such as suffrage for ethnic Koreans in Japan and compensation
for Korean victims of atomic bombings.
"The groundwork for solving such issues would likely be established, but Seoul
should not push for hasty solutions, given the possible backlash among
conservatives in Japan," Nam said.
odissy@yna.co.kr
(END)
SEOUL, Sept. 15 (Yonhap) -- South Korean President Lee Myung-bak expressed hope
for a dramatic push in relations with Japan under its incoming leadership to
build "complete trust," topped off by a visit with the Japanese emperor in a
vision that breaks away from contentious bilateral relations due to Tokyo's past
war crimes.
The Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ) last month shattered the over half-century
stronghold of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party by wining the general election
in a landslide.
DPJ chief Yukio Hatoyama will be sworn in as the country's new prime minister
Wednesday, and Japan will witness the first transfer of power in the country,
which has been ruled by the Liberal Democrats since 1955, with the exception of a
brief period of less than a year in 1993-1994.
Unlike outgoing Japanese Prime Minister Taro Aso and his conservative
predecessors, who focused on a strong alliance with the U.S., Hatoyama has sought
a better relationship with South Korea, China and even North Korea, calling for
an East Asian Community modeled after the European Union.
Hatoyama publicly said that if he takes power, he will not visit the Yasukuni
Shrine, which honors convicted World War II criminals. South Koreans view the
shrine visits by Japanese leaders as proof that Tokyo is not remorseful about its
past atrocities in spite of its apology in 1995 by then Prime Minister Tomiichi
Murayama, commonly referred to as the Murayama Statement.
Japan colonized the Korean Peninsula from 1910-1945, a dark period marked by
wartime atrocities including forced labor and sexual slavery. Seoul and Tokyo
normalized ties in 1965.
President Lee said bilateral relations need to move forward, and that he has such
expectations with the Hatoyama government.
"The Korea-Japan relationship has steadily developed over the years, and there is
hope it will develop to a higher level at which they completely trust each
other," Lee said in a joint interview with Yonhap News Agency and Japan's Kyodo
News on Tuesday.
South Korea and Japan are often referred to as neighbors geographically close but
politically and emotionally distant, with tensions recurring from Japan's
repeated claims to the South Korean islets of Dokdo in the East Sea and what
Seoul sees as Japanese attempts to whitewash its crimes of the colonial years.
Many Koreans say Tokyo has yet to sincerely atone for its past atrocities against
Korea.
As a means to permanently eliminate such "distance," Lee said he was hoping the
Japanese emperor would visit South Korea next year.
"I have the expectation that his visit would be meaningful, produce positive
results, and be a visit permanently removing the distance between the two
countries," he said. "If the visit can be actualized, even next year, I believe
we can find a great meaning in bilateral ties."
Lee, while underscoring the need to understand historical context in building
relations, also stressed that the two countries should not be bound by past
experiences but proceed to strengthen regional cooperation, using Germany and
Europe as an example.
"After viewing the political and economic consolidation of the EU, I think (the
relation within) Asia too should evolve into a new dimension of cooperation,
especially between South Korea and Japan," Lee said.
The president also noted that many South Koreans are interested in the new
Japanese government and its foreign policy, suggesting that the Hatoyama
administration could lay the groundwork for an upgrade in bilateral ties.
"From Korea's perspective, I have the expectation that bilateral relations,
following the incoming of the Hatoyama regime, could be raised based on mutual
trust," Lee said.
Experts believe that the two-way ties are bound to improve, given Hatoyama's
promise to become a leader "who can see history correctly." The real question is
how much political will can the incoming prime minister mobilize without
alienating conservatives within Japan, they say.
"As a Korean, it (Hatoyama's inauguration) is to be welcomed, given his reformist
views regarding history. The relationship between South Korea and Japan has
already come a long way, but what should be asked is how much more forward could
the relation move under Hatoyama's leadership?" said Chin Chang-soo, a senior
researcher of Japanese studies at the Sejong Institute, an independent think tank
in Seoul.
Nam Ki-jeong, a professor of Japanese studies at Seoul National University, also
said that the future relationship "will most likely improve" in comparison to the
past, but urged against pressing for immediate policy changes by Tokyo on
sensitive issues, such as suffrage for ethnic Koreans in Japan and compensation
for Korean victims of atomic bombings.
"The groundwork for solving such issues would likely be established, but Seoul
should not push for hasty solutions, given the possible backlash among
conservatives in Japan," Nam said.
odissy@yna.co.kr
(END)
