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After Months of Tense Relations, South Korea and Japan Agree to Summit After Months of Tense Relations, South Korea and Japan Agree to Talk
(about 1 hour later)
SEOUL, South Korea — President Park Geun-hye of South Korea and Prime Minister Shinzo Abe of Japan will talk next week after months of tense relations that had blocked them from meeting each other, South Korea’s Foreign Ministry said on Friday. SEOUL, South Korea — President Park Geun-hye of South Korea and Prime Minister Shinzo Abe of Japan will talk next week after months of tense relations that had blocked them from meeting each other, South Korea’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said on Friday.
Ms. Park and Mr. Abe, the leaders of Washington’s two key allies in northeast Asia, will join President Obama in a trilateral meeting on the sidelines of the Nuclear Security Summit early next week in the Netherlands, the ministry said in a brief statement. Ms. Park and Mr. Abe, the leaders of Washington’s two key allies in northeast Asia, will join President Obama in a trilateral meeting brokered by the United States on the sidelines of a nuclear security summit meetin early next week in the Netherlands, the ministry said in a brief statement. In Tokyo, the Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued a similar statement.
The three leaders will discuss North Korea’s nuclear threats, as well as nuclear nonproliferation efforts, it said. The three leaders will discuss North Korea’s nuclear threats, as well as nuclear nonproliferation efforts, the South Korean statement said.
Even though both have been in office for more than a year, the leaders of the United States’ two main Asian allies have yet to do more than shake hands, despite American urgings that they work together against threats like North Korea’s nuclear program.
Thorny historical issues that have divided Seoul and Tokyo are not included in the agenda. But South Korea said it was in separate talks with Japan to arrange a senior-level dialogue about Korean and other Asian women who were forced into sexual slavery for Japanese soldiers during World War II.Thorny historical issues that have divided Seoul and Tokyo are not included in the agenda. But South Korea said it was in separate talks with Japan to arrange a senior-level dialogue about Korean and other Asian women who were forced into sexual slavery for Japanese soldiers during World War II.
For years, South Korea has asked Japan to offer compensation to the women. Japan says that the issue was settled by the 1965 treaty that normalized diplomatic ties between Tokyo and Seoul. For years, South Korea has asked Japan to offer compensation to the women. Japan says the issue was settled by the 1965 treaty that normalized diplomatic ties between Tokyo and Seoul.
Japan’s tense relations with South Korea have been further strained in recent years as some nationalist politicians in Japan have made comments denying state responsibility in the women being forced into sexual slavery. Japan’s tense relations with South Korea have been further strained in recent years as some nationalist politicians in Japan have made comments denying state responsibility for the women’s being forced into sexual slavery.
Ms. Park has accused Mr. Abe of stoking or pandering to right-wing politicians in Japan who South Korea suspects of glorifying its history of aggression in the 20th century. Mr. Abe’s visit last December to the Yasukuni Shrine in Tokyo, which honors Japan’s war dead, including Class A war criminals from the World War II era, deepened Korean suspicions.Ms. Park has accused Mr. Abe of stoking or pandering to right-wing politicians in Japan who South Korea suspects of glorifying its history of aggression in the 20th century. Mr. Abe’s visit last December to the Yasukuni Shrine in Tokyo, which honors Japan’s war dead, including Class A war criminals from the World War II era, deepened Korean suspicions.
Washington has repeatedly appealed to Seoul and Tokyo to cooperate more closely in dealing with the North Korean nuclear threat and China’s rising military power. But Ms. Park has refused to meet Mr. Abe, calling him untrustworthy.Washington has repeatedly appealed to Seoul and Tokyo to cooperate more closely in dealing with the North Korean nuclear threat and China’s rising military power. But Ms. Park has refused to meet Mr. Abe, calling him untrustworthy.
A breakthrough came on March 14 when Mr. Abe said he would not try to revise a 1993 statement in which his country offered a landmark apology for the sex slavery. Japanese nationalist politicians have called for scrapping the so-called Kono Statement, arguing that there was not enough evidence that the women had been coerced. A breakthrough came on March 14 when Mr. Abe said he would not try to revise a 1993 statement in which his country offered a landmark apology for the sex slavery. Japanese nationalist politicians have called for scrapping the so-called Kono Statement, arguing that there is not enough evidence that the women had been coerced.
Last Saturday, Ms. Park welcomed Mr. Abe’s decision, raising hopes for the meeting in the Netherlands.Last Saturday, Ms. Park welcomed Mr. Abe’s decision, raising hopes for the meeting in the Netherlands.
The trilateral summit meeting would be the first face-to-face discussions for the leaders of Japan and South Korea in 22 months. The trilateral summit meeting will be the first face-to-face discussions for the leaders of Japan and South Korea in 22 months.