South Korean PM meets Japan's Abe, seeks mended fences
Frank Smith
Press TV, Seoul
Japanese President Abe Shinzo met South Korean Prime Minister Lee Nak-yeon in the first high-level diplomatic engagement between the two states since a recent trade spat saw Seoul –Tokyo relations plummet.
In July Japan implemented export restrictions on three key high-tech materials bound for South Korea. South Korea then downgraded Japan’s trade status and withdrew from a military intelligence-sharing agreement.
The meeting between Lee and Abe may help pave the way for future talks and a summit. However, the two sides appear to remain dug in on historical issues at the heart of their current trade dispute.
In late 2018, South Korea’s Supreme Court awarded compensation to forced laborers from Japan’s colonial enterprises. Following Tokyo’s subsequent trade measures, South Koreans responded with protests and boycotts.
South Korean activist leaders argue that Japan needs to develop a new perspective, given Tokyo’s position as a member of the UN Human Rights Council.
Japan’s Abe administration holds that outstanding historical issues were resolved with a 1965 state to state agreement. Many South Koreans do not accept that deal, with South Korean courts recognizing the legal human rights of individuals allegedly harmed by Japan’s colonial abuses.
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