The World Briefly

March 17, 2023

Letting Go

JapanSouth Korea

Listen to Today's Edition

Japan and South Korea pledged to improve military and economic ties after a Thursday summit as they aim to mend relations strained by long-running historical disputes in order to shore up a united front against North Korea and China, the Wall Street Journal reported.

South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol met Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida at the summit in Tokyo, the first between both countries since 2011.

The leaders agreed to resume regular visits, which have been on hold for more than a decade, the Associated Press added. Yoon and Kishida also said they would increase the direct sharing of intelligence on North Korean threats, as well as boost their economic security through cooperation in supply chains and other areas.

Relations between the two US allies have been tense for years over a number of territorial and historical issues, including Japan’s colonization of the Korean Peninsula from 1910 to 1945.

The recent rapprochement came a week after the South Korean government proposed a plan to resolve the dispute over payments for Koreans forced to work for Japanese companies during World War II. The proposal has been facing fierce resistance from former laborers and opposition parties in South Korea because it does not require Japanese companies to contribute to settlements.

Instead, funds would be provided by a South Korean fund to which South Korean businesses will contribute.

Analysts noted that the warming ties come as the two nations are seeking to form a united front over concerns about North Korea’s nuclear program and China’s growing influence in the region.

This story originally appeared in the March 17, 2023 newsletter, The Democracy Two-Step.