Indo-Pacific Strategy and Korea-Japan cooperation

Changsoo Jin

jincs@sejong.org

Director of Center for Japanese Studies

The Sejong Institute​ 

■ Current changes in Korea-Japan relations

1. Improvements in Korea-Japan Relations

❍ Exchanges between Korea and Japan are becoming more active. As distrust between the two governments has decreased, the atmosphere between Korea and Japan has changed significantly.

2. Direction of Improvement in Korea-Japan Relations

1) Korea's Discontent

❍ When will they fill the half portion of a cup?

❍ Need to expand content and scale for the future

3) Japan's unrest

❍ No doubts about President Yoon's willingness to improve relations between Korea and Japan, but will take a wait-and-see

❍ Distrust in the legal dispute of the third-party repayment proposal

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■ Linkage between Policy toward Japan and Indo-Pacific Strategy

1. South Korea's Diplomatic and Security Strategy

❍ Strategic clarity

❍ Diversified substantive cooperation

❍ Conflict management

2. President Yoon's policy toward Japan

❍ Cooperative partners who share common values

❍ Leading/progressive solution to the forced labor issues

❍ Focus on practical cooperation

3. Korea-Japan Linkage to Indo-Pacific Strategy

❍ The Indo-Pacific strategy between Korea and Japan requires maritime security, economic security, and support and cooperation for the Global South. Japan has focused its focus on maritime security to economic security, and support strategies for the Global South. Although South Korea's awareness of maritime security and economic security is strengthening, support and cooperation for the Global South are not specific.

■ The achievements and challenges of the Camp David Trilateral Summit

1. Its Significance

❍ It can fill the strategic void of the liberal alliance in the Indo-Pacific and provide an opportunity for the transition of the security system from bilateral to multilateral in Northeast Asia.

❍ Korea can expand its role as a country with responsibility in the Indo-Pacific region beyond the Korean Peninsula to match its changed status in the international community.

2. Achievement: From conception to action

❍ Expansion and deepening of security cooperation between South Korea, the U.S. and Japan

❍ First, joint drills will be conducted regularly to respond to North Korea's nuclear missile threats

❍ Second, concrete principles and commitments are suggested for stabilizing supply chains and practical cooperation in core and emerging technologies

3. Challenges of Security Cooperation between Korea, the U.S. and Japan

❍ Institutionalization of the core partnership in the Indo-Pacific era

■ Direction of the policy toward Japan

1. Actual results of the relationship between Korea and Japan that people can see

❍ Simplification of immigration procedures

❍ Japan's Support for the Busan EXPO

❍ A breakthrough in interaction

2. Institutionalization of Camp David Trilateral Statement between Korea, U.S, and Japan

❍ A step-by-step approach to security cooperation between South Korea, the U.S

❍ Diversification of international cooperation, including Korea-Japan-China cooperation

3. Korea-Japan Cooperation in Economic Security

❍ Cooperation in future industries

❍ Digital phones and Korean firms enter the Japanese market

❍ Joint research and development of next-generation energy technologies and hydrogen cooperation

4. From sensible to rational

❍ Change of perception between Korea and Japan

❍ Active persuasion on the issue of forced labor

❍ The future cooperation will accelerate and expand the scope​