South Korean president calls for deeper ties with Japan in Liberation Day address
President Lee Jae-myung pledged to "broaden the scope of cooperation for mutual benefit and work together to address shared challenges."
On the 81st anniversary of Korea's liberation from Japanese colonial rule, South Korean President Lee Jae-myung emphasized the importance of strengthening ties with Japan in his address. He highlighted the progress made in bilateral cooperation, stating that active shuttle diplomacy and trust-building efforts have laid a foundation for a forward-looking relationship between the two nations.
Lee noted that despite recurring tensions over unresolved issues stemming from Japan's colonial rule, relations have shown signs of improvement under his administration. However, he stressed that these gains would not endure without the establishment of firm trust between the peoples of both countries. The South Korean leader outlined several areas of expanded cooperation, including supply chains, energy, and advanced industries, and pledged to work together to address shared challenges.
He acknowledged the ongoing impact of the past on victims and bereaved families, expressing the need for steadfast trust between the nations to ensure the continuity of achievements. While the government has taken domestic legal steps to strengthen accountability for colonial-era collaboration, including the promulgation of legislation authorizing the recovery of assets acquired through pro-Japanese collaboration, Tokyo maintains that the compensation issue was settled under the 1965 agreement and has rejected South Korean claims.
Written by urgent.news from Japan Times's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
