Recent announcements of cooperation between the Republic of Korea (ROK) and Japan in an effort to ease longstanding tensions between the two countries are being hailed as "groundbreaking" by President Joe Biden, the White House announced March 5.
"Today’s announcements between the Republic of Korea and Japan mark a groundbreaking new chapter of cooperation and partnership between two of the United States’ closest allies," President Biden said in the statement. "With two historic foreign ministerial statements, President Yoon and Prime Minister Kishida are taking a critical step to forge a future for the Korean and Japanese people that is safer, more secure, and more prosperous."
Secretary of State Antony Blinken also praised the ROK and Japan for their bilateral talks to mend relations.
“We welcome today’s historic announcements by the Republic of Korea and Japanese governments regarding the conclusion of their bilateral discussions. The ROK and Japan are two of our most important allies, and we are inspired by their work,” Blinken said in a tweet.
South Korea has proposed a compensation plan for its citizens forced to work in Japanese factories during World War II to resolve a colonial grievance that has long hindered international relations, BBC News reported. The deal has been hailed as a breakthrough by officials on both sides, but victims and opponents in South Korea have criticized the agreement, saying it does not hold Japan accountable. The plan proposes that South Korean companies pay into a public fund for victims, which will see $3 million distributed among the families of 15 original plaintiffs.
South Korea and Japan have a complex and strained relationship due to historical and territorial disputes, including Japan’s colonization of Korea from 1910 to 1945, the use of Korean forced labor during World War II, and Japan’s handling of wartime so-called “comfort women,” the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace reports.
In recent years, there have been issues related to trade, military intelligence-sharing, and Japan’s export restrictions on critical materials used by South Korea's tech industry, AP News and Kyodo News report. However, the two countries have also cooperated on issues such as regional security and North Korea's nuclear program.
