Korea-Japan relations at crossroads

• Published date: 05 March 2023
• Publication title: The Korea Times

What a difference an administration makes. Japan has transformed from a "perpetrator" of "crimes against humanity" under the former Moon Jae-in administration into a "partner that shares universal values with us" under the current Yoon Suk Yeol administration, at least according to March 1 Independence Movement Day speeches. The contrast is sharp and shows quite clearly the difficulty Japan faces in relations with South Korea.

The current administration's latest attempt to end the dispute with Japan regarding forced labor during World War II has garnered much debate and criticism. To get past the deadlock in relations, the latest proposal introduces a rather novel idea to end the spat: third-party compensation paid primarily by Korean companies that benefitted from grants and loans provided by the 1965 "Agreement on the Settlement of Problems Concerning Property and Claims and on Economic Co-operation between Japan and the Republic of Korea."

Even if this plan is implemented it will fail to gain acceptance among the South Korean public. This is because opponents of the plan ? South Korean victims, civil activists, and many politicians ? seemingly will get neither restitution from Japanese companies nor an apology from the government of Japan for the forced labor policies of the past.

The hard truth is that the forced labor issue is simply one tree in a deep forest of mistrust. In conflict resolution terms, we would refer to the bundle of historical grievances between Korea and Japan as an intractable issue that is not ripe for resolution. This means the issue is difficult or impossible to solve (e.g. intractable) and that it has not reached a point where participants are prepared to accept a resolution (e.g. ripe for resolution). The truth is that the people and governments of both countries feel like victims, and they have for a long time.

Just over 20 years ago, I witnessed a verbal argument of recriminations and accusations nearly turn physically violent. Ironically, the argument took place in my graduate school seminar class on conflict resolution. The participants in this particular exchange were a Korean student and a Japanese student, two young women on very friendly terms until a class discussion that day. Both women felt as though their nation was the victim of decades of mistreatment by the other and their raw emotions poured out for all to see.

The old cliche is that it takes two to tango, but Japan and South Korea are dancing to different beats...