Despite differences in the views expressed in the recent meeting of Japanese, U.S. and South Korean defense ministers over North Korea's denuclearization, Seoul still needs continued support from Washington for its efforts to advance relations with the North.
The administration of South Korean President Moon Jae-in is making painful efforts to secure U.S. support for that task, which constitutes a high-profile policy he has pursued. This can be shown by the fact that South Korea attaches importance to security cooperation among Japan, the United States and South Korea, while also looking for ways to mend strained relations with Japan.
All this reflects his administration's consideration to the U.S. position.
The joint statement, issued at Sunday's meeting of the defense ministers, stated that the three nations will seek to achieve North Korea's denuclearization "in a verifiable and irreversible manner." This came after such a policy had not been stated in a document released at working-level talks in Seoul in May due to objections from South Korea. The latest statement implies that Seoul has made concessions to Tokyo and Washington, with a view to cooperating with them.
To begin with, the Moon administration wants to avert a situation in which the Japan-U.S.-South Korea cooperation will exert greater pressure on North Korea. This is also evident in South Korea's stance on a free and open Indo-Pacific strategy that Japan and the United States have employed in securing the freedom of navigation. South Korea keeps a distance from the Japan-U.S. strategy, over concerns that if it adopts a favorable stance, China could be antagonized.
Nonetheless, South Korea has no choice but to act in concert with Japan and the United States, as Washington holds the say, in effect, over matters related to the sanctions imposed on the North.
According to several sources familiar with the Japan-U.S.-South Korea relationship, U.S. President Donald Trump urged Moon to improve ties with Japan during summit talks between the United States and South Korea in April.
On Saturday, Seoul managed to hold informal talks between the Japanese and South Korean defense ministers prior to the latest tripartite meeting of top defense officials. This was because the United States had given Moon a warning about his stance on Japan and urged him to improve relations with Tokyo.
South Korea wants to realize talks between Abe and Moon during a summit meeting of the Group of 20 major economies in Osaka in late June.
However, it is not yet clear whether and when Japan and South Korea will be able to resolve their pending problems. The Moon administration has emphasized that it respects a ruling given by the South Korean Supreme Court in October, ordering Japanese corporations to pay compensation for former requisitioned workers. It has also not accepted a Japanese request to set up an arbitration committee based on the bilateral agreement on property and claims-related problems and economic cooperation.
Some have expressed skepticism about how serious South Korea is about improving bilateral relations in consideration of its refusal to take measures aimed at solving these issues, despite calling for bilateral dialogue.
Read more from The Japan News at https://japannews.yomiuri.co.jp/
