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Building a Future-Oriented Relationship between Korea and Japan

s a follow-up to the Korea-Japan summit meeting in 1993, the Korea-Japan Forum was established to promote friendship and cooperation, based on a future-oriented relationship between the two countries. Now in its 15th year of operation, the 2007 session was held in Busan, Korea (August 28-30). With the attendance of leading representatives from the political, academic, journalism, and business sectors of both countries, the forum served as a meaningful venue for in-depth discussion of the political and social situations in Korea and Japan, as well as the efforts to assure the security and peace of Northeast Asia.


Indispensable Dialogue Channel
This year’s 15th Korea-Japan Forum session, co-sponsored by the Korea Foundation and the Japan Center for International Exchange, was held at the Paradise Hotel in Busan. Over the years, this forum has attracted growing attention as a result of its substantive contributions to enhancing Korea-Japan bilateral relations, as evidenced by such outcomes as the successful co-hosting of the 2002 FIFA World Cup, simplifying the visa requirements for visitors, and liberalizing the culture and art markets.
As a reflection of the keen interest in the forum proceedings, the recent session was attended by about 40 leading figures from the two countries, including Gong Ro-myung, Korea-Japan Forum President; Chun Gu-jong, donga.com President; Professor Park Cheol-hee, Seoul National University Graduate School of International Studies; Bae In-jun, Dong-A Ilbo editorial writer; and Kwon O-kie, former Deputy Prime Minister and Unification Minister, for the Korean side, along with Mogi Yujaburo, Japan-Korea Forum President; Takemi Keizo, former member of parliament; Yamamoto Tadashi, Japan Center for International Exchange President; and Professor Okonogi Masao, Keio University; from the Japanese side.
The participants engaged in free and frank discussion about the domestic political and social situation of the two countries, recent developments of Korea-Japan relations, cooperation for Northeast Asian security and peace, and promotion of the Asia-Pacific regional economy and Korea-Japan economic cooperation. At this year’s forum, much attention was focused on examining the reasons why political and diplomatic conflicts, between Korea and Japan, continued to flare up from time to time, despite such an active exchange of people (the number of annual visitors to each country is expected to reach 5 million this year) and culture, and discussing ways to overcome this phenomenon.
Dong-A Ilbo Editorial Writer Bae In-jun shared his views about Korea’s upcoming presidential election in December this year, and Korea-Japan relations after the Roh Moo-hyun administration. He stated that a key issue involved efforts to revive the Korea-Japan partnership, which seems to have lost its momentum since the mid-term of the Roh administration, regardless of whatever party might prevail in the December election. He also anticipated that the Grand National Party, if victorious, would likely be inclined to make efforts to strengthen the Korea-U.S. alliance and boost friendly relations between Korea and Japan, based on a practical approach to Japan.
As for the political environment surrounding the Korean Peninsula, he noted that Korea will need to balance the priority of its diplomatic policy toward Japan in response to developments related to the advancement of a peace system and multi-party security arrangement in the region. He also called on Japan to assume a portion of the burden of providing assistance to North Korea, and to play an active role in pushing for a Northeast Asian security regime, by upgrading the Six-Party Talks format.


Meanwhile, Seoul National University Professor Park Cheol-hee pointed out the need to develop a rational strategy for promoting bilateral reconciliation and integration, which can overcome the emotional sentiments of civic groups in Korea and Japan, so that Korea-Japan relations can be enhanced in a systematic manner. He expressed his view that building a broad-based public consensus would be necessary in order to sideline extremist elements in both countries and smoothly move forward with more cooperative relations.
Professor Kohari Susumu of Japan’s University of Shizuoka called for efforts to promote cultural and personnel exchanges between Japan and Korea, which could be undertaken beyond the political and diplomatic spheres. He noted that relations between Korea and Japan have already reached a considerably more mature level than in the past. ‘Win-Win’ Strategy Over the years, the Korea-Japan Forum has gained growing recognition, from the political, business, cultural, and media sectors, for playing such an effective bridge role in contributing to an enhancement of bilateral relations. Since its inaugural session, in Seoul in December 1993, the forum has been held annually, with each country serving as host in alternate years.
The third forum session, held on Jeju Island in 1995 on the occasion of the 30th anniversary of the normalization of diplomatic relations between Korea and Japan, resulted in the “Jeju Statement,” in which the Korean and Japanese representatives endorsed proposals for a co-hosting of the 2002 FIFA World Cup, establishing a joint committee for history research, and promoting youth exchange, that the two governments subsequently accepted and implemented. In addition, at the fifth forum in 1997, after assessing the five-year performance of this event, the participants adopted the “Seoul Statement,” which included policy recommendations in support of efforts to encourage youth exchange and study-abroad programs, promote exchanges at the provincial and NGO levels, simplify visa-entry requirements, and further open the art and culture markets, in both countries. The Korea-Japan Forum also produced the “Joint Declaration of the New ROK-Japan Partnership for the 21st Century,” which was signed during the Korea-Japan summit meeting in October 1998.
Thanks to these initiatives, the value of this forum has been appreciating with each session. The forum has thus far contributed significantly to the realization of more friendly and cooperative relations between Korea and Japan, as a highly-acclaimed dialogue channel and venue for intellectual exchange.

Interview
Professor Okonogi Masao
Professor Okonogi Masao Keio University

Q: How would you describe the significance of the Korea-Japan Forum?
A: When the Korea-Japan Forum was launched, I was worried about whether it could be effective because of our difference of opinions on various matters related to politics and history. As the years went by, however, a mutual understanding developed among the representatives from Korea and Japan, and the forum was able to play the role of a cornerstone in building new cooperation and more productive relations between the two countries, through open and
frank exchange of opinions and in-depth discussions.

Q: What were the key issues discussed at this year’s forum?
A: The recent forum also served as an occasion to discuss political, cultural, and social issues of mutual concern. In particular, it was an opportunity to review and discuss ways to overcome the phenomenon, in which political and diplomatic incidents continue to emerge between our two countries, in spite of the active and diverse exchange of culture and people. This year, the number of Korean and Japanese visitors to each other’s country is expected to reach 5 million. In addition, various opinions were expressed regarding the conclusion of a free trade agreement between Korea and Japan. We will be submitting a list of practical policy proposals, based on the discussions
at this year’s forum, to our two governments.

Q: What are your thoughts about the future direction of the Korea-Japan Forum?
A: Over the 15 sessions of this forum, there have been a number of notable results in regard to both sides. The most representative examples thus far are probably the “Jeju Statement” and the “Seoul Statement.” However, I hope that these efforts to promote closers relations between Korea and Japan are not restricted to my generation, but expanded to include participation of the younger generation, in their teens and twenties, at the Korea-Japan Forum. Through the implementation of youth exchange, we can discover new areas for the improvement of Korea-Japan relations that we did not think of before. The forum is currently led by seniors, but it could be a more significant gathering if juniors, the leaders of the next generation, are invited to make contributions as well.

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