16.2 C
London
Monday, October 2, 2023
HomeWorld NewsSouth Korea’s Yoon says cooperation with Japan vital amid concerns on North...

South Korea’s Yoon says cooperation with Japan vital amid concerns on North Korea, supply chains

Date:

Related stories

Macro Briefing: 29 August 2023

* US and China agree to take steps...

Global Markets Rally, Posting First Weekly Gain In A Month

After three straight weekly declines, the Global Market...

Macro Briefing: 28 August 2023

* Inflation “remains too high,” says Fed Chairman...

In search of a new economic playbook

Chinese corporate earnings reports this week are forecast...

FirstFT: Western companies sound alarm over China’s sluggish recovery

Receive free Global Economy updatesWe’ll send you a...
spot_imgspot_img



 – South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol said on Wednesday that cooperation with Japan is vital in confronting North Korea’s growing threats and protecting global supply chains, calling on both countries to not snarl relations in domestic politics.

Mr. Yoon made the remarks in a written interview with international media, including Reuters, as he prepares to depart for Tokyo on Thursday for a meeting with Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, the first such visit in 12 years.

The planned trip comes after South Korea announced last week its companies would compensate victims of forced labor under Japan‘s colonial rule from 1910-1945, seeking to end a dispute that has undermined US-led efforts to present a unified front against China and North Korea.

“There is an increasing need for Korea and Japan to cooperate in this time of a polycrisis, with North Korean nuclear and missile threats escalating and global supply chains being disrupted,” Yoon said. “We cannot afford to waste time while leaving strained KoreaJapan relations unattended.”

Some of the victims who were forced to work under Japanese colonial rule have rejected the government’s compensation plan, potentially complicating Seoul’s efforts to end the diplomatic spat.

But Mr. Yoon said it was time for the people of the two countries to move forward “rather than confront over the past”, adding that Japan has expressed “deep remorse and heartfelt apology in regard to its past colonial rule through the position of its previous governments”.

“What matters is to ensure that such positions and behavior continue unwaveringly,” Mr. Yoon said, urging both countries to “guard against bilateral relations being exploited for domestic politics”.

Yoon‘s visit comes after North Korea fired two short-range ballistic missiles into the sea off its east coast on Tuesday, the latest in a series of weapons tests after leader Kim Jong Un ordered the military to step up drills.

“To deter North Korea’s ever-more sophisticated nuclear and missile threats, we have to further strengthen ROK-US-Japan security cooperation,” Yoon said, adding he expected an intelligence-sharing pact with Japan, known as GSOMIA, to be invigorated as two countries restore trust. – Reuters



Source link

Subscribe

- Never miss a story with notifications

- Gain full access to our premium content

- Browse free from up to 5 devices at once

Latest stories

spot_img

LEAVE A REPLY

Please enter your comment!
Please enter your name here