People wave South Korean flags during celebrations of the 99th Independence Movement Day against the 1910-1945 Japanese colonial rule in Seoul on March 1, 2018. (JUNG YEON-JE / AFP)
SEOUL – South Korea hopes a high-level visit to Tokyo next week will kickstart talks aimed at a breakthrough in historical disputes despite concerns the death of former Japanese premier Shinzo Abe could disrupt efforts to mend ties, Seoul officials said.
Relations between the two North Asian US allies have been strained over disputes dating to Japan's 1910-1945 occupation of Korea. Washington has been pressing Tokyo and Seoul to mend fences.
South Korean Foreign Minister Park Jin will visit Tokyo as early as next week, a trip which a senior official handling Japan policy said is aimed at "turning on the tap" for serious negotiations on issues relating to forced labor, which stalled under President Yoon Suk-yeol's predecessor
Officials in the administration of new South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol, who took office in May vowing to improve ties with Japan, told Reuters they feel emboldened by Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida's recent election victory which could give him more scope to advance his policy agenda for another three years.
Foreign Minister Park Jin will visit Tokyo as early as next week, a trip which a senior official handling Japan policy said is aimed at "turning on the tap" for serious negotiations on issues relating to forced labor, which stalled under Yoon's predecessor.
Park will visit Tokyo on July 18, Japan's public broadcaster NHK reported on Thursday. South Korea did not immediately confirm the report.
ALSO READ: Kyodo: Japan, South Korea agree to talks to improve relations
Another official said Yoon would send a high-level delegation led by the prime minister when Japan holds a public memorial service for Abe, who was shot and killed last week while on the campaign trail.
Yoon would also likely use his Aug 15 Liberation Day speech marking Korea's independence from Japan as a chance to send a reconciliatory message to Tokyo, the official added.
"What we're trying to do is to open the door for real talks," the senior official said.
The assassination of Abe, who was a defining leader in Japanese politics and a divisive figure in Korea, has raised new doubts about the outlook for relations with South Korea, where bitter wartime memories run deep.
Some analysts say South Korea might be put on the back burner while Japanese Prime Minister Kishida presses to achieve former PM Shinzo Abe's unrealized dreams, including constitutional reform aimed at allowing Japanese troops to fight overseas
Some analysts say Korea might be put on the back burner while Kishida presses to achieve Abe's unrealized dreams, including constitutional reform aimed at allowing Japanese troops to fight overseas.
But some Korean officials see Japan as more willing to talk now, with pressure by US President Joe Biden's administration also playing a potential role.
ALSO READ: Japan and South Korea meet, restate positions in dispute
"We see great potential in stronger trilateral relationships," Derek Chollet, Counsellor of the US State Department, told Reuters this week.
Cooperation 'inevitable'
Japan's Chief Cabinet Secretary Hirokazu Matsuno said on Friday that cooperation with Seoul and Washington is "inevitable" for responding to regional issues.
"Although relations between Japan and South Korea are in a very severe state … we don't think it can be left as it is," he told a news conference, adding Tokyo would work together to resolve history issues and restore ties.
President Joe Biden (center) meets with South Korea's President Yoon Suk-yeol (left) and Japan's Prime Minister Fumio Kishida (right) during the NATO summit in Madrid, June 29, 2022. (SUSAN WALSH / FILE / AP)
Yoon and Kishida met Biden on the sidelines of the recent NATO summit for their first trilateral talks, and Chollet said Washington stands ready to facilitate strong ties between its two allies.
At home, the Yoon government is gathering opinions from victims of forced labor, lawyers and experts via a newly launched public-private panel, which held its second hearing on Thursday.
Japan's Chief Cabinet Secretary Hirokazu Matsuno said on Friday that cooperation with Seoul and Washington is "inevitable" for responding to regional issues
At stake are South Korean court orders for a seizure of assets of Japanese companies accused of not compensating some of their colonial-era laborers. Tokyo has warned of serious repercussions if the orders are enforced.
The first official said the Yoon administration was seeking a "realistic, feasible proposal" that can win consent from both victims and the Japanese government.
A third official was more cautious, saying the compensation issue should be resolved alongside trade and other rows, which could make a compromise more difficult.
READ MORE: S. Korea protests against Japan's renewed claims to disputed islets
Yuko Nakano, a fellow at the US-based Center for Strategic and International Studies, said any compromise would require patience and commitment from both Yoon and Kishida.
"High-level visits and meetings often attract attention, but equally important is to continue building on efforts that are happening below the surface," she said.