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By Kang Seung-woo
Despite the Korean government's efforts to resolve the issue of compensating Korean victims of Japan's wartime forced labor as soon as possible, it appears that discussions on the matter may last longer than expected, with the two countries still struggling to find a solution that meets the expectations of both sides.
Seoul and Tokyo have held a series of talks on the forced labor issue and the latest meeting took place in the United States, Monday (local time) when First Vice Foreign Minister Cho Hyun-dong sat down with Japanese Vice Foreign Minister Takeo Mori.
"We are still trying to find common ground," Cho said after the 150-minute meeting, which took longer than scheduled.
"The fact the meeting lasted longer than scheduled is not a bad thing, but that our discussions lasted longer may also mean we were unable to reach a conclusion, so I believe we will need to continue our consultations."
Choi Eun-mi, a researcher at the Asan Institute for Policy Studies, said it seems unclear whether the two sides will reach a deal on the issue soon.
"It is significant that the two sides elevated their talks to a vice-ministerial level from a working-level conversation to discuss the forced labor issue. However, the vice-ministerial meeting lasted for over two hours, but as far as I know, they did not share the entire time on the forced labor issue, which I think means they could not hold a deep conversation on the matter," Choi said.
"There has been growing speculation that Foreign Minister Park Jin will hold a meeting with Japanese Foreign Minister Yoshimasa Hayashi in Munich, Germany later this week and after the meeting, there would be an announcement on a solution to the issue by the end of February. But given that representatives of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs are now meeting with families of the victims of forced labor, it is unlikely for both countries to strike an agreement on the issue by February."
The Korean foreign minister will attend the Munich Security Conference, scheduled from Friday to Sunday, during which he is seeking to hold a Korea-Japan foreign minister's meeting.
The biggest sticking point is whether Japanese companies ― Nippon Steel Corp. and Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, which are accused of using forced labor during the 1910-45 Japanese colonial rule era over Korea, have been ordered by Korea's Supreme Court to compensate Korean victims ― will pay damages to the victims.
Last month, the Korean government unveiled a plan to compensate the victims through a public foundation fund rather than pursuing payments from the named Japanese firms, but victims and their families insist that Nippon Steel Corp. and Mitsubishi Heavy Industries comply with the top court's ruling.
From Japan's point of view, the Japanese government claims that all issues resulting from its 35-year occupation of Korea, including wartime sex slavery, were settled under a 1965 treaty that normalized bilateral relations and provided loans and grants to Korea.
"The Japanese side also knows that those companies have to do something regarding the issue, but agonizing over what level and how to participate, is an issue that seems difficult to negotiate between Korea and Japan," Choi said.
"Japan is expected to stress that even if those Japanese firms participate in the compensation, they have nothing to do with the Supreme Court rulings, but the Korean government seeks to show their participation is linked to the decision. That is a hot potato."
Amid a possible stalemate, the political calendar is not on Korea's side.
Japan is scheduled on Feb. 22, to observe Takeshima Day, which claims sovereignty over Dokdo, an annual event that sees the Korean foreign ministry call in Japanese diplomats in Seoul to protest the absurd assertion.
Dokdo is Korea's easternmost islets, which Japan has repeatedly claimed as being part of its territory.
In addition, spring rites at the Yasukuni Shrine are slated for April, another event that irritates Koreans as Japanese government officials send a ritual offering. The shrine houses the remains of 14 Class A war criminals from World War II, so visits or offerings by Japanese government officials often become a source of tension between Japan and neighboring countries, including Korea and China who view such activities as a symbol of Japan's past imperialism.
Furthermore, the release of contaminated water at the Fukushima nuclear reactor is scheduled for the first half of the year. Korea has urged Japan to have in-depth discussions with neighboring countries before pushing ahead with the plan and has been working to garner international support for alternatives.
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