hankyoreh

By Park Byong-su, staff reporter

On Mar. 1, South Korean President Park Geun-hye defined Korea-Japan relations as an aggressor-victim relationship due to the events of the past and called for Japan to take responsibility for its actions. Compared to Mar. 1 Independence Movement memorial addresses made by past presidents during their first year in office, Park's address took a harder, principled line, many observers say.

During her address at the Mar. 1 memorial service held at the Sejong Center for the Performing Arts in Seoul, Park said, "The historical perspective of aggressor and victim cannot be changed, even though a thousand years pass by."

"It is incumbent on Japan to have a correct understanding of history and take on an attitude of responsibility in order to partner with us in playing a leading role in East Asia in the 21st century," Park said.

The comments draw attention to the fact that it will be difficult to improve relations between Seoul and Tokyo if Japan fails to address the issues of the comfort women and Dokdo.

In the Mar. 1 memorial address made by former president Lee Myung-bak during his first year in office, Lee emphasized a future-oriented relationship, saying, "We cannot forever forsake the relationships of the future because of an obsession with the past." Prior to this, former presidents Roh Moo-hyun and Kim Dae-jung had not sent any direct message to Japan.

Park's words for Japan seem to have been affected by the recent conflict between the two countries over historical issues. This is also not unrelated to the growing rightward shift in Japan, evidenced by Shinzo Abe’s inauguration as prime minister in Dec. 2012. Abe has long denied Japan’s guilt in the forcible mobilization of comfort women during the Second World War.

Disregarding the objections of South Korea, Abe's cabinet sent a vice-minister level official to the Takeshima Day event on Feb. 22 (Takeshima is the Japanese name for Dokdo). In this situation, it would have been difficult for Park to remain silent or to send a conciliatory message to Japan.

Asked about Park's message, Japanese Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida was evasive, saying, "While there are various difficult issues facing South Korea and Japan, we are planning to make efforts to build a multi-faceted relationship by focusing on the future."

Others are suggesting that Park took a firmer stance on Japan because of the controversy about her father, former president Park Chung-hee, having been a supporter of Japan. "When Abe was in the US some time ago, he said that his grandfather [former prime minister Nobusuke Kishi] had been on intimate terms with Park's father," observed a Seoul correspondent with a Japanese media organization. "Many Japanese have no idea that, in terms of the feelings of Koreans, this kind of comment was unhelpful for Park Geun-hye."

This stance toward Japan contrasts with the comparatively amicable signals that Park has been giving China as of late. This gives rise to speculation that the new government may be trying to readjust its strategic relationships with neighboring countries. In Jan. 2013, China was the first country to which Park sent a special envoy as president-elect. In addition, during her inaugural address on Feb. 25, she mentioned China before Japan when talking about neighboring countries.

In the written response that Yun Byung-se, Park's nominee for foreign minister, submitted in the National Assembly confirmation hearing, he plainly stated that the order of priority in foreign policy was the US, China, Japan, and Russia.

This is a vast difference from the past, when the priority was placed on relations with Japan. The move appears to take into account the fact that a rapidly rising China is wielding a greater influence on the state of affairs on the Korean peninsula and that relations with China deteriorated significantly during the Lee Myung-bak administration.

Still, it is too early to draw any definite conclusions about the new government's attitude toward Japanese policy. One reason for this is that it would be problematic both for South Korea and for Japan for strained relations between the two countries to be extended into the long-term.

"The fact that Park did not refer to any specific incidents such as the comfort women or Dokdo even while emphasizing that Japan must take responsibility for its past deeds suggests that she is trying to approach the issue carefully while keeping an eye on Japan's attitude," said Jin Chang-su, director of the Sejong Institute’s Center for Japanese Studies. "The outcome of the meeting of the Japanese and South Korean heads of government, which is expected to take place in May 2013, and the results of the election for Japan's House of Councilors in July 2013 could create a new mood."

When it comes to North Korea, Park called for change, repeating her demand that the country give up its nuclear program. "North Korea must make the right choices," said Park. "It can achieve nothing through nuclear development and provocative behavior."

She also emphasized the trust process for the Korean peninsula, saying, "If North Korea makes the right choice and decides to walk down the road of change, we will take a more flexible approach."

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