Latest news with #SouthKorea-Japan
Yomiuri Shimbun
6 hours ago
- Business
- Yomiuri Shimbun
S. Korea's Lee Calls for Stronger Ties with Japan, U.S.; Aims to Improve ‘Deteriorated' Relations with China
Ichiro Ohara / Yomiuri Shimbun Correspondent Supporters of Lee Jae-myung react to reports that he is projected to win the presidential election, in Seoul on Tuesday. SEOUL — South Korea's new President Lee Jae-myung has positioned Japan as an important, cooperative partner and also called for enhanced trilateral relations between the two countries and the United States. It is believed that Lee has attempted to provide a sense of security both domestically and internationally by showing that he would not turn away from former President Yoon Suk Yeol's decision to work toward improving Japan-South Korea relations. Lee pledged during his campaign that he would engage in pragmatic diplomacy. Regarding relations with Japan, he also claimed that he would deal with social, cultural and economic issues in a future-oriented manner. Through positioning Japan as an important partner, Lee said he would lay a foundation for a consistent and stable bilateral relationship. Wi Sung-lac, Lee's diplomatic brain and a member of the National Assembly, said at a press conference on May 28 that Lee would, within a broad framework, maintain Yoon's policies, including his solution to the issue of lawsuits regarding former wartime requisitioned workers from the Korean Peninsula. In the past, Lee made a series of harsh comments about Japan and criticized Yoon's efforts to improve the South Korea-Japan relationship, calling it 'humiliating diplomacy toward Japan.' During the election campaign, Lee's remarks toward Japan became more conciliatory, as momentum has grown for a cooperative response to issues such as U.S. President Donald Trump's tariff policy and the deteriorating security environment in Northeast Asia. Lee has pledged that he would 'deal with issues related to history and territory in a principled manner.' However, should there be a dispute with Japan, some have voiced concerns over his ability to handle the situation in a cool-headed manner. Among Lee's campaign pledges was a policy to strengthen cooperation among Japan, South Korea and the United States, which stressed that a strong alliance with the United States is the foundation of diplomacy. The pledges also indicated that the diversification of diplomatic relations would also be sought, saying the relationship with China, which 'reached its lowest level under the previous administration, would be managed in a stable manner.' Concerning the North Korean nuclear issue, Lee claimed that he would establish a framework of cooperating with the United States and the international community in order to make substantial progress on a solution. He said he would aim to relieve tension with North Korea by reopening hotlines and other communication channels. He added that he would be involved in efforts to improve the human rights situation in North Korea.
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
South Korea faces high-stakes election; fears over China, North Korea and US ties shape voter concerns
Early South Korean voters reportedly turned out in record numbers this week as the nation awaits the June 3 presidential election in what has been described as a pivotal race amid ongoing threats posed by China and recent rocky relations with the U.S. due to President Donald Trump's tariffs. The leader of the progressive Democratic Party of South Korea, Lee Jae-myung, is reported to be leading the race as the frontrunner, but he has raised some eyebrows after he vowed to take a "pragmatic" approach to geopolitics, chiefly by easing previously hawkish positions on China and lessening dependence on the U.S. "The alliance with the U.S. is the foundation of South Korea's diplomacy," Lee said during a debate earlier this month, Bloomberg reported. Kim Jong Un Left Fuming After North Korea's New Destroyer Damaged In Failed Launch Lee said the U.S.-South Korea-Japan partnership should be expanded, but he also said Seoul can't be "unilaterally bound" to relations with Washington, particularly when it comes to U.S. geopolitical rivalries. "We should not neglect ties with China or Russia. We need to manage them appropriately, and there's no need to have an unnecessarily hostile approach like now," Lee also said during the debate, the South China Morning Post reported. Read On The Fox News App Former California GOP Congresswoman Michelle Steel, who was born in South Korea, explained that China's "bullying" behavior in the region leaves much for the global community to be concerned about. "China [poses] the biggest threat, and they already told the whole world that they're going to take over Taiwan," she told Fox News Digital. "When they take over, where are they going to go [to] next? South Korea or Japan? The Philippines? "China has been always fighting to expand." Foreign policy has taken center stage in the presidential race after conservative former President Yoon Suk Yeol threw the nation into political chaos after his December 2024 impeachment. Yoon was ardently aligned with the U.S. when it came to opposing Chinese aggression in the Yellow Sea and East China Sea, where Beijing has been accused of expanding, militarizing and blocking freedom of navigation in contested territorial zones. Lee's chief challenger, Kim Moon-soo of the conservative People Power Party (PPP), a former labor minister under Yoon, pushed back on the democratic challenger's position when it comes to China and the U.S. But Lee has rejected the idea he is not prioritizing the U.S. alliance and reportedly said during this month's debate, "There's no need to worry. The South Korea-U.S. alliance is important and should continue to grow and strengthen." North Korea Launches Short-range Ballistic Missiles Into Sea, South Korea Says Though he did caution that certain steps taken by the Trump administration, including the 25% tariffs announced earlier this year and the potential withdrawal of troops has "eroded" the relationship. "If the U.S. continues this way — eroding its soft power and the trust of other nations — it won't be sustainable. At some point, brakes will be applied," Lee said. "Until then, endurance is key." Steel argued the "South Korean people understand the importance of a strong relationship with the United States." "Whatever the outcome of the election, South Korean leaders should embrace President Trump and look to make an incredible trade deal that will benefit everyone," she added. But Lee has not convinced all who are weary of his view on U.S. relations, including David Eunkoo Kim, founder and president of the Truth Forum, a conservative youth organization founded at Seoul National University. "This election is widely seen as a pivotal moment for South Korea because the stakes — both domestically and geopolitically — are extraordinarily high," Kim said. "Throughout his political career, (Lee) has consistently aligned himself with both pro-North Korean and pro-Chinese agendas. He has been implicated in sending funds to North Korea in violation of U.N. sanctions, and his deference to China has been nothing short of submissive," Kim said. Kim was referring to Lee's indictment for an illegal cash transfer scheme to North Korea, though Lee denies the accusations and has argued they are politically motivated. During this month's debate, Lee's opponents claimed Lee is also a "North Korea risk" as concerns about Pyongyang's military movements continue to escalate, Radio Free Asia reported. Lee maintains he wants to ease tensions with North Korea by engaging in peaceful diplomacy. But David Eunkoo Kim told Fox News Digital Lee's legal troubles are another geopolitical vulnerability. "With multiple criminal investigations looming, he has every incentive to cling to power at all costs — even if that means aligning South Korea more closely with Beijing," he said. "And this concern is not theoretical. "China is already aggressively asserting influence in the region."Original article source: South Korea faces high-stakes election; fears over China, North Korea and US ties shape voter concerns
United News of India
22-04-2025
- Politics
- United News of India
SKorea expresses deep regret over Japanese PM's offering to war-linked shrine
Seoul, Apr 22 (UNI) South Korea on Tuesday expressed deep regret over Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba's ritual offering to the notorious war-linked Yasukuni Shrine on the occasion of its annual spring festival. The South Korean foreign ministry said in a statement that the government expresses deep disappointment and regret over the fact that Japan's responsible leaders once again sent offerings to and paid respects at the Yasukuni Shrine which glorifies Japan's war of aggression and enshrines war criminals. South Korea urges the Japanese leaders to squarely face history and demonstrate through action their humble reflection and sincere remorse for Japan's history, said the statement, stressing that these would be an important foundation for the future-oriented development of South Korea-Japan relations based on mutual trust. On Monday, Ishiba sent the ritual tree, called "masakaki," on the first day of the three-day ceremony at the war-linked shrine. The Yasukuni Shrine in central Tokyo honors 14 convicted Class-A Japanese war criminals from World War II, including Hideki Tojo. It has long been a source of diplomatic friction for Japan and its neighbors. For a long time, some Japanese politicians and members of parliament have insisted on visiting the shrine, which has been strongly opposed by many peace-loving people at home and abroad. UNI XINHUA GNK
Korea Herald
08-04-2025
- Politics
- Korea Herald
Seoul protests Japan's Dokdo claim in latest policy paper, urges immediate withdrawal
The foreign ministry on Tuesday expressed "strong protest" against Japan's territorial claim to South Korea's easternmost islets of Dokdo in its latest foreign policy paper, calling for an immediate withdrawal. Releasing this year's Diplomatic Bluebook earlier in the day, the Japanese government once again renewed its claim to the South Korea-controlled islets, as it did the previous year. "We strongly protest against the repetition of the unjust territorial claim to Dokdo, which is clearly our territory based on history, geography and international law," the foreign ministry said in a statement. "We urged (Japan) to immediately withdraw this," it said. The government also vowed to respond sternly to "any kinds of provocations by Japan" regarding Dokdo. The ministry subsequently called in Taisuke Mibae, minister at the Japanese Embassy in Seoul, to lodge a formal protest with Japan. A stern-faced Mibae entered the foreign ministry's headquarters in central Seoul without responding to a flurry of questions from reporters about the territorial claim's impact on South Korea-Japan relations, among other issues. (Yonhap)
Japan Times
16-02-2025
- Politics
- Japan Times
Tokyo and Seoul towers light up to mark anniversary of ties
Tokyo/Seoul – Tokyo Tower and N Seoul Tower were lit up simultaneously on Saturday night in an event organized by the Japanese and South Korean governments to commemorate the 60th anniversary this year of the normalization of the two countries' diplomatic ties. Tokyo Tower was lit in white, red and blue, which are the colors of the South Korean national flag, while a logo of the 60th anniversary was projected on N Seoul Tower. Ambassadors from Japan and South Korea respectively attended the lighting ceremonies in the two countries. Speaking in Seoul, Japanese Ambassador to South Korea Koichi Mizushima said, "We want to continue to light the fires of friendship and trust between Japan and South Korea so that we can move toward a better future." South Korean Ambassador to Japan Park Cheol-hee said in Tokyo, "The development of South Korea-Japan relations is the result of the efforts of many people and overcoming many difficulties."
