Lee Jae-Myung‘s Unexpected Shift: South Korea’s Pragmatic Turn Towards Japan
Seoul, South Korea – In a surprising departure from previous rhetoric, South Korean President Lee Jae-Myung appears too be forging a new, pragmatic relationship with Japan, prioritizing cooperation despite historical tensions. This shift, signaled during his first summit with Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba on June 17th, has caught many observers off guard [[1]].
Lee, who previously criticized the Yoon administration’s foreign policy as “Japan-centric” and led an impeachment motion citing concerns over a perceived pro-Japan stance, has now pledged to pursue a “stable and future-oriented development of Korea-Japan relations.” This commitment was initially expressed in a video message commemorating the 60th anniversary of diplomatic ties between the two nations on June 16th [[2]] and reinforced during his meeting with Ishiba.
The two leaders agreed to resume shuttle diplomacy and focus on managing historical disputes while building a forward-looking partnership. This strategic alignment extends to trilateral cooperation with the United States, evidenced by a joint aerial military drill involving South Korea, the U.S., and Japan on June 18th – the first such exercise under Lee’s administration.
This move, though, has not gone unnoticed by North Korea, which responded with artillery rocket launches the following day, demonstrating its displeasure. Lee’s evolution on Japan policy is especially striking given his past condemnations of efforts to appease Japan, such as the compensation plan for wartime forced labor victims, and his vocal opposition to the Fukushima wastewater release [[3]].
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