By DAISUKE SHIMIZU/ Correspondent
August 23, 2025 at 15:59 JST
South Korean President Lee Jae Myung addresses a ceremony in Seoul on Aug. 15 marking the 80th anniversary of Korea’s liberation from Japanese colonial rule. (AP Photo)
South Korean President Lee Jae-myung expressed his eagerness to issue a new joint declaration with Japan to pivot bilateral relations on a future-oriented trajectory.
Lee was responding in writing to questions submitted by The Asahi Shimbun and three other newspapers ahead of his visit on Aug. 23 to meet with Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba.
Lee indicated that his administration would stand by agreements reached by his predecessors regarding sensitive historical issues.
“It will not be possible to simply overturn national policy already agreed to or that has been implemented,” Lee wrote.
His predecessor, Yoon Suk-yeol, in 2023 came up with a solution to compensation demands made by wartime Korean laborers exploited by Japanese companies.
In 2015, South Korean President Park Geun-hye reached an agreement with Prime Minister Shinzo Abe on the thorny “comfort women” issue which was described as a “final and irreversible resolution.”
“Trust and policy consistency are extremely important for any relationship between nations,” Lee said in regard to such measures.
But he also touched upon the sensitive and painful nature of historical issues, saying, “There will be a need to seriously consider the perspectives of the victims and bereaved family members.”
Turning to his meeting with Ishiba later on Aug. 23, Lee said, “While constructing trust and a bond, I want to together establish a path for co-existence and cooperation that is future-oriented.”
He said he intended to discuss various policy issues, citing national security, economics and dealing with common concerns such as an aging population and a falling birth rate.
He expressed the hope that mutual visits would spur exchanges at the civic level to strengthen cooperation in other areas as well.
Lee also touched upon the Joint Declaration announced by Prime Minister Keizo Obuchi and South Korean President Kim Dae-jung in 1998.
He said he wanted to issue a new declaration that called for future-oriented cooperation while squarely facing past issues between the two nations.
Lee said he wanted to create a truly new bilateral relationship that was both “further developed and future-oriented.”
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