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On March 18, 2022 National Assembly Research Service (Chief Kim Man-heum) held “Discussion Forum for Developing New Relationship between the Republic of Korea and Japan” in the National Assembly seminar room. This forum was held to identify and discuss major controversies currently plaguing the relationship between Korea and Japan and to elicit practical ways to form a new relationship, as relations have drastically worsened since the Korean supreme court verdict of October 2018.
Kim Jin-pyo (President of Korea-Japan Parliamentarians’ Union), Kim Han-jung (member of the National Assembly, Democratic Party of Korea), Jo Myung-hee (member of the National Assembly, People Power Party), Nam Ki-jeong (professor of Seoul National University), Kim Min-chul (professor of Kyung Hee University), Cho Yong-rea (secretary general of Korea-Japan Parliamentarians’ Union), So I-dong (deputy director of Kyunghyang Shinmun), among others, participated in the forum as panelists.
In his opening remarks, Kim Man-heum, Chief of the National Assembly Research Service, explained that improvement of the Korea-Japan relationship would become the diplomatic task of the new administration, which is to be launched on May, and emphasized that only with efforts of the new administration could the relationship be recovered. Therefore, opinions of parliamentarians, academics, journalists, and so forth all need to be taken into consideration through this forum, as these can provide precious data for Korea’s diplomatic policy toward Japan.
Kim Jin-pyo, the President of Korea-Japan Parliamentarians’ Union, pointed out one problem being the phenomenon of how conflicts between the two countries are amplified and prolonged rather than mitigated through cooperation and solidarity even though there exist plenty of global issues in which both countries can cooperate. Also, he emphasized that both countries should resume dialogue under the new administrations and try hard to cast a light on current tasks.
In this forum, resolution of historical problems—such as victims of forced mobilization and sexual slavery by the Japanese imperial army, inter alia—were discussed. Specifically, it was suggested that, as a way to protect Korea’s dignity, Korea could in some instances consider preemptively giving up its request for certain material compensation and instead have Japan apologize.
Meanwhile, there was opinion that both countries stand to gain from improvement of the relationship, that enhancement of the relationship between Korea and Japan is needed. In regard to the new administration, with the suggestion that both countries endeavor to develop diverse communities such as by Generation MZ, gender, etc., there was an opinion that the two countries should set up a special envoy composed of experts in Japan and then strive to specifically grasp current controversies.
People participating in the forum virtually (via ZOOM) also questioned the journalistic conduct of both countries and whether the controversies in the relationship are being used for political purposes or not.
Kim Jin-pyo (President of Korea-Japan Parliamentarians’ Union), Kim Han-jung (member of the National Assembly, Democratic Party of Korea), Jo Myung-hee (member of the National Assembly, People Power Party), Nam Ki-jeong (professor of Seoul National University), Kim Min-chul (professor of Kyung Hee University), Cho Yong-rea (secretary general of Korea-Japan Parliamentarians’ Union), So I-dong (deputy director of Kyunghyang Shinmun), among others, participated in the forum as panelists.
In his opening remarks, Kim Man-heum, Chief of the National Assembly Research Service, explained that improvement of the Korea-Japan relationship would become the diplomatic task of the new administration, which is to be launched on May, and emphasized that only with efforts of the new administration could the relationship be recovered. Therefore, opinions of parliamentarians, academics, journalists, and so forth all need to be taken into consideration through this forum, as these can provide precious data for Korea’s diplomatic policy toward Japan.
Kim Jin-pyo, the President of Korea-Japan Parliamentarians’ Union, pointed out one problem being the phenomenon of how conflicts between the two countries are amplified and prolonged rather than mitigated through cooperation and solidarity even though there exist plenty of global issues in which both countries can cooperate. Also, he emphasized that both countries should resume dialogue under the new administrations and try hard to cast a light on current tasks.
In this forum, resolution of historical problems—such as victims of forced mobilization and sexual slavery by the Japanese imperial army, inter alia—were discussed. Specifically, it was suggested that, as a way to protect Korea’s dignity, Korea could in some instances consider preemptively giving up its request for certain material compensation and instead have Japan apologize.
Meanwhile, there was opinion that both countries stand to gain from improvement of the relationship, that enhancement of the relationship between Korea and Japan is needed. In regard to the new administration, with the suggestion that both countries endeavor to develop diverse communities such as by Generation MZ, gender, etc., there was an opinion that the two countries should set up a special envoy composed of experts in Japan and then strive to specifically grasp current controversies.
People participating in the forum virtually (via ZOOM) also questioned the journalistic conduct of both countries and whether the controversies in the relationship are being used for political purposes or not.
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