Outgoing South Korean Ambassador to Japan Yun Duk-min underlined in a recent interview with Jiji Press the need for Japan to reaffirm its respect of history in a possible joint declaration with South Korea next year.
Ambassador Yun said he thinks a healthy and friendly relationship between the two countries depends on addressing past problems. He underlined the need for realizing previous mistakes and guaranteeing correct recognition and interpretation of historical events. Ambassador Yun said that doing this will build confidence and help a mutually beneficial alliance grow.
“The joint declaration should give a clear and sincere recognition of history, including Japan’s colonial rule and war aggression,” Ambassador Yun said. He also emphasized the need for both Japan and South Korea, considering their particular obligations to guarantee a strong basis for friendship and cooperation.
Given long-standing historical conflicts between Japan and South Korea, especially over Japan’s colonialism of Korea from 1910 to 1945 and the use of forced labor during World War II, Ambassador Yun’s remarks fit quite well. These problems have sour ties between the two nations and have grown to be roadblocks to increasing collaboration on several angles.
Ambassador Yun advised that the joint proclamation should be founded on honest and objective historical facts backed by historical study in order to solve these historical grievances. To foster a better knowledge of history and create a common narrative that can help to bring about peace, he underlined the importance of honest communication and intellectual interactions.
Reacting to Ambassador Yun’s comments, Nihon University’s international politics professor Hiroaki Sato underlined the need for changing historical impressions. Professor Sato underlined that Japan and South Korea’s future depends on historical acknowledgement if they are to have a mutually beneficial partnership. He also underlined the need to see historical events from several angles in order to increase understanding and help to heal conflicts.
Efforts aimed at resolving past conflicts between Japan and South Korea have lately been undertaken. Still, progress has been glacial; the unsolved historical problems have sometimes hampered diplomatic relations. The suggested joint declaration offers chances for both nations to face their history and create a strong framework for upcoming collaboration.
Ambassador Yun’s words emphasize the importance of historical awareness as a tool for achieving deeper and more cooperative relationships by overcoming historical conflicts. Japan and South Korea may build a closer relationship based on trust and understanding by realizing past mistakes and guaranteeing a real respect of history.
