Interview with Jiwon Park and Prime Minister Suga for 25 minutes … “I agree with the need to resolve the compensation for compulsory military service between Korea and Japan”

The head of the National Intelligence Service, Park Ji-won, interviewed Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga on the 10th and discussed issues between Korea and Japan, including compensation for compulsory military service. It is reported that executives from the Korea-Japan Congress League visiting Japan will also meet with Prime Minister Suga on the 12th.

As Prime Minister Suga meets with high-ranking Korean officials one after another and shows his willingness to resolve the current problems between Korea and Japan, expectations are rising for improving relations between the two countries. However, on the issue of hiring, which is a key issue, the difference of opinion has not been reduced on whether or not Japanese companies will compensate.

○ Discuss the solution to the problem of forced recruitment

Park, who is visiting Japan, met Prime Minister Suga at the Tokyo Prime Minister’s residence at 3:40 p.m. the same day and was interviewed for 25 minutes. This is the first time that Prime Minister Suga has been in a direct interview with high-ranking Korean officials since taking office on September 16. After the interview, Director Park told reporters, “I conveyed the warmest greetings from President Moon Jae-in and the desire to normalize relations between Korea and Japan.” Regarding the issue of the draft, he said: “I have spoken enough already and agree with the need for both the leaders of Korea and Japan to solve it in some way, and if we continue to talk, it will work well.” Director Park added, “We talked about the Korea-China-Japan summit, North Korea’s problems, and North Korea’s kidnapping problems,” adding, “Suga’s response during the interview was good.” However, in the Japanese ad, there is a temperature difference with Park’s comments. The Foreign Ministry said: “The South Korean side again requested to create an opportunity for Prime Minister Suga to restore Japan-Korea relations to a healthy relationship.” In this report, a Jung-jin member of the Liberal Democratic Party said: “Suga is positive about the solution of the former Speaker of the National Assembly, Moon Hee-sang. I know that I was talking to Director Park with ‘Moon Hee-sang’ in mind. “Moon Hee-sang’s proposal is to provide alimony to forced labor victims with voluntary donations from Korean and Japanese companies and individuals. The law was abolished due to the expiration of the mandate in the XX National Assembly, but in June, the independent legislator Yoon Sang-hyun republished it. However, the Korean part is negative about ‘Moon Hee-sang’ since it is not clear the responsibility of the Japanese company that was ordered to compensate.

In June last year, the Korean government officially proposed a proposal to make voluntary contributions from companies from both countries, including Japanese companies, which are the parties to the lawsuit, and in addition to that, it has devised a series of informal proposals. However, the Japanese side has made no progress, arguing that “a Japanese company ordered to pay compensation will never be able to pay it.”

○ Korean and Japanese lawmakers initiated diplomacy

As solutions between governments are blocked, political circles in both countries are on the move. Un Jung-jin, who is counted as an assistant to Prime Minister Suga, said: “We have decided to meet with the party, including President Kim Jin-pyo of the Korea-Japan Congress Federation, where Prime Minister Suga will visit Japan on the day. 12. We are adjusting the date of the interview from the 13th ”. He explained: “It will be an ‘important point’ for relations between South Korea and Japan for Prime Minister Suga to meet with President Park and President Kim,” he said. “It is a sign that Japan wants to improve relations between Korea and Japan.”

Since July last year, the Japanese prime minister has met with top Korean officials in Japan in October last year, with only one prime minister Lee Nak-yeon (currently a representative of the Democratic Party of Korea).

Japanese lawmakers are devising a plan to ‘see a simultaneous solution to the problem of recruitment and export restrictions → Prime Minister Suga’s visit to Korea → announce a solution to recruitment in Korea and Japan and declare a forward-looking vision’ . In fact, Takeo Kawamura, secretary of the Japan-Korea Congress Union, is known to have visited Korea on the 17th of last month and conceived the idea. However, as a solution to the recruitment problem, Kawamura’s general secretary suggested ‘Moon Hee-sang’, and the Korean side showed a negative reaction and the dialogue did not advance any further.

There are views that Japanese diplomats may also consider a plan to freeze the current situation regarding the issue of conscription. A senior Japanese government official said: “Even if the Korean side is not a recruitment solution, it is of great importance to take steps to prevent the sale of the assets of Japanese companies. In that case, we will freeze the recruitment problem. and we will improve relations between Korea and Japan in other areas. I can do it. ”

Tokyo = Park Hyung-jun [email protected] · Kim Bum-seok, correspondent