The administration of President Lee Jae-myung is attempting to improve relations with Japan by announcing the restoration of shuttle diplomacy, but challenges related to historical awareness remain unresolved.
Recently, political circles have revisited Lee's past criticisms of the Yoon Suk-yeol administration's diplomacy toward Japan during his tenure as leader of the Democratic Party, raising concerns about his inconsistent stance.
According to reports from Yonhap News and Kyodo News on September 14, a booklet celebrating the 75th anniversary of Japan's UNESCO membership has been published and is being sold nationwide. However, the booklet introduces sites related to the 'Meiji Industrial Revolution Heritage' (registered in 2015) and 'Sado Mine' (registered in 2024), which include forced labor sites involving Koreans, without mentioning any historical issues.
The Japanese government had officially promised to explain the forced mobilization of Koreans during the colonial period surrounding the World Heritage registration of the 'Meiji Industrial Revolution Heritage,' which includes Hashima Island, but has failed to fulfill this commitment. In response, the South Korean government has held separate memorial services for victims for three consecutive years following the registration of Sado Mine.
In a Liberation Day speech on August 15, President Lee stated, "Over the past year, South Korea and Japan have engaged in active shuttle diplomacy, building trust and a foundation for cooperation in supply chains, energy, and advanced industries, while steadily expanding exchanges between future generations." He emphasized that for these achievements to continue, strong trust between the two nations' citizens is essential, stating, "Trust comes from understanding each other's pain and genuine empathy."
He also acknowledged, "There are still victims and bereaved families living with the scars and pain of the past," and highlighted that while there have been conflicts in the history of Korea-Japan relations, there have also been efforts to face the past with courage and sincerity, as seen in the 1998 Kim Dae-jung-Obuchi Joint Declaration.
This statement is interpreted as a message to Japan to confront historical issues. Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi has been seen making offerings at the Yasukuni Shrine, and recently, local media captured her performing a 'remote worship' from a parking lot 500 meters away, sparking controversy.
Despite these historical issues, President Lee maintains that cooperation with Japan is necessary. The government has committed to a pragmatic diplomatic approach, emphasizing the need for continued economic and security collaboration.
In recent political discussions, some have criticized President Lee's past statements, accusing him of exhibiting a double standard in his approach to Japan.
On October 10, Kim Seok-ki, a member of the People Power Party, questioned Prime Minister Han Seung-soo during a National Assembly session, stating, "The worst Korea-Japan relations occurred during the previous Moon Jae-in administration. The Yoon Suk-yeol administration has significantly improved relations and established shuttle diplomacy, which the Lee Jae-myung administration is now following." He further challenged, "Why did you label the Yoon administration's diplomacy as 'humiliating diplomacy' and accuse it of selling out the country?"
In this context, Choi Eun-mi, a senior researcher at the Asan Institute for Policy Studies, stated in a conversation with Aju Economy that "a phased plan is needed to be realized during the Lee Jae-myung administration," adding that while it is important to establish good relations with Japan, the government's efforts should ultimately aim to elicit a change in Japan's attitude to uphold South Korea's national interests.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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