A Study on the Resolution of Conflict Korea-Japan Relations 

Myonwoo Lee

mwlee@sejong.org

Senior Research Fellow

The Sejong Institute​ 

   Though Korea-Japan relations are showing signs of improvement followed by President Yoon's willingness to improve with the inauguration of the Yoon administration, it is yet to overcome the unprecedented stagnation up until November 2022. Above all, it is thought to disprove the difficulties to solve relations between Korea and Japan due to various factors. To examine solutions to the problem of forced labor, the biggest key issue in Korea-Japan relations, this paper examines the direction of the solution while tracking the origin and process of the problem and the positions of the officials.

Victims of forced labor refer to the ones who were mobilized and suffered from the 1938 "National Mobilization Act" which has been enacted and promulgated to solve the shortage of labor to produce military supplies during the Pacific War with “Guidelines for the Relocation of Korean Residents to the Mainland" in 1942, so the problem of victims of forced mobilization can be said to have emerged in the process of resolving the injustice they experienced. This has been recognized since early after liberation, and it has also emerged as one of the main issues in the discussion process of the "Treaty on Basic Relations between Japan and Korea" signed in 1965.

As of 2022, this issue of victims of forced labor has drawn attention as a major issue in Korea-Japan relations, above all, it can raise the politicization of issues promoted after the democratization. As mentioned earlier, the issue of victims of forced labor was recognized since the liberation, and accordingly, not only was it discussed during the claim agreement, but the government of Korea also took action to compensate after reviewing it twice in the early 1970s and mid-2005. Nevertheless, the reason why this issue has been politicized is that, first, complaints have continued due to insufficient compensation despite the government's efforts, and second, the center of the damage compensation movement moved from victims to victims' support groups around the 1990s. Third, there was a difference in basic understanding and interpretation of the colonization of Korea between Korea and Japan. From the aspect of the Supreme Court's ruling in 2018 in Korean perspective is interpreted as a rightful compensation is appropriate against the colonization of Korea.

To solve current conflicts, 3 solutions are suggested. The first is to recognize the differences between Korea and Japan and leave the judgment to third-party institutions such as the International Court of Justice. Second, it is argued that the current problem of cashing is been exaggerated, and implementation of cashing will not damage Korea-Japan relations. The third solution is to raise funds to promote compensation to victims. Among these three solutions, the third solution is discussed in both Korea's Yoon Administration and political fields. For its reason is due to the uncertainty of the first and second solution's results. Hence the third solution allows various parties to discuss the issue of victims of forced labor to participate in finding a compromise.

However, the third solution also is not an easy task. The Korean government; the party to find a solution needs to face not only the victims and victim support groups, but also various actors such as the Japanese government, Korean and Japanese companies, and public opinion. Accordingly, this research paper proposed prioritizing efforts to reach a compromise through communication and consultation with victims and their support groups. Improving public opinion and Japan's attitude is necessary and needs to be combined, but improving public opinion and compromise with the Japanese government will be easier when clear efforts and compromises with victims and their support groups are made.

In particular, the will of leadership to communicate was emphasized in these efforts, considering two following aspects. First, the will of leadership to create reasonable solutions to solve Japan's distrust toward Korea, and secondly, public support is required if agreements with victims and their support groups do not show progress and the will of leadership will play a critical in such a situation. As mentioned above, the issue regarding forced labor is an old 'historical' task between Korea and Japan. Therefore, various actors are involved, and such efforts are required for leadership.