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| A delegation of President-elect Yoon Suk-yeol, led by Rep. Chung Jin-suk, third from right, of the People Power Party, speaks to reporters at Incheon International Airport, Sunday, before leaving for Japan for policy consultations. Yonhap |
President-elect Yoon's delegation carries letter to Japan
By Kang Seung-woo
President-elect Yoon Suk-yeol's delegation for policy consultations with Japan flew to Tokyo, Sunday, to invite Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida to his May 10 inauguration ceremony.
It is the second instance of the incoming president sending delegates to Korea's allies and partners after the United States earlier this month, a sign that the new Korean government will focus on thawing frosty ties with Japan over wartime history such as sexual slavery and forced labor. During the campaign, Yoon called for a future-oriented approach to thorny issues between the two sides.
However, it remains to be seen if his fence-mending efforts will prompt the Japanese prime minister to attend the event despite objections from his ruling party, which insists on Seoul taking conciliatory measures first for better bilateral relations, according to diplomatic observers, Sunday.
The seven-member delegation, led by Vice National Assembly Speaker Rep. Chung Jin-suk, is likely to sit down with Kishida, although the two sides are still coordinating the meeting. If arranged, the delegation will deliver Yoon's personal letter to the prime minister and eventually ask him to be present at the inauguration ceremony.
Yoon's chief of staff Rep. Chang Je-won discussed the issue with former Chief Cabinet Secretary Takeo Kawamura in Seoul earlier this month, who delivered the message to Kishida, Tuesday. Kawamura visited Seoul, April 11, on a three-day trip in the capacity of the head of the Korea-Japan Parliamentarians' Union.
The Japanese prime minister reportedly plans to use the envisaged meeting as an opportunity to hear how the Yoon administration will make efforts to improve the frayed ties between the two countries.
"I think Kishida's visit would build great momentum for an improvement in Korea-Japan ties, but considering Japan's internal situation, his attendance is highly unlikely," said Lee Won-deog, a professor of Japanese studies at Kookmin University.
Amid the worsening ties, Japan's ruling Liberal Democratic Party claims that the Korean government must do its "homework" to get the relationship back on track because they believe the two issues have already been resolved by bilateral agreements decades ago.
"Many members of the ruling party think if Kishida accepts the invitation, it would send the 'wrong' signal to the Korean government. In that situation, it would not be easy for Kishida to attend the inauguration ceremony by putting aside the pending bilateral issues," Lee said.
In the wake of the news, lawmakers in the Japanese ruling party were divided over whether Kishida should go ahead with meeting the delegation, according to Japan's Kyodo News, Friday.
Since former Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda last attended former President Lee Myung-bak's inauguration ceremony in February 2008, no Japanese leaders have been present at the event due to diplomatic friction.
While in Japan, the delegation is also expected to hold a series of meetings with former and current government officials, including former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and Foreign Minister Yoshimasa Hayashi.
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