By Choi Sung-jin
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In a way, there is nothing strange about it, given the progressive leader's slogan is to "clean up old evils." Of course, the elimination of accumulated evils mainly concerns domestic politics. If one applies the same catchphrase to foreign policy, however, no other bilateral relationship is more problematic than that between Seoul and Tokyo.
Histories of the two East Asian nations show Japan had been the unilateral assailant, and Korea the one-sided victim, since at least the 16th century.
Ancient Korea delivered Chinese culture to Japan but what this peninsula got in return from the archipelago to its east has been ceaseless pillage and invasion. Japan even colonized Korea in 1910 and occupied it through 1945. Seventy-four years have passed since then, but most Koreans still regard ― with sufficient reason ― their Japanese counterparts as least likable people in the world.
Koreans easily ― perhaps too easily ― forget and forgive foreigners' wrongdoing if only the latter "genuinely" regret and apologize. Japan has only reaffirmed it is unwilling ― or unable ― to do this many times.
Take the case of "comfort women" for example. Japan and the previous Park Geun-hye administration settled the decades-old issue, at least ostensibly, in 2015. Tokyo put forth 1 billion yen ($9 million) not as compensation but as "humanitarian support" and made an apology "not from legal but from moral" obligation.
In exchange for this superficial move, Tokyo managed to make the accord "final and irreversible" and called for relocating the girl statue ― an embodiment of sex slavery for Japanese troops during World War II ― far away from the Japanese Embassy in Seoul.
Yes, the Park administration might be more to blame for the outrageous accord that completely betrayed not only the hopes of dozens of former "comfort women" alive but those of most other Koreans.
Like father, like daughter, however. Her father, Park Chung-hee, a former officer in the Japanese Imperial Army who took power through a coup, hurriedly normalized bilateral relations in 1965 in large part to rehabilitate the economy and make up for his lack of legitimacy.
Japan gave Korea $300 million as compensation plus $200 million in a low-interest loan on condition that South Koreans not make any more claims for compensation. So Tokyo could get away with 35 years of brutal colonial rule with just $500 million in total (about $4 billion in today's money), making the most of the anxiety of an illegitimate ruler in Seoul.
The father and daughter committed unpardonable historical sins, inflicting enormous pains on former sex slaves and, more recently, thousands of surviving forced laborers. Despite the Korean Supreme Court's ruling, the Japanese government and WWII defense contractors refuse to pay compensation for forced laborers, citing the 1965 agreement.
Most international legal experts, even some Japanese, say accords between governments cannot eliminate individual victims' rights to claim. This is only natural, given the protection of human rights should go ahead of time-worn statism of the 20th century.
Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe is pushing hard to make Japan a "normal" country, i.e., a country that can wage war, by revising the country's peace constitution. It's up to the Japanese people whether or not to follow their leader.
Two things, however, are worrying Koreans: Unlike Germany, Japan is trying to restore its military power without fully reflecting on its shameful past, or justifying what it did, at heart. Second, Tokyo is using Korea for its ambition, as seen by the recent diplomatic dispute over the alleged radar lock-on incident involving a Japanese patrol plane and a Korean destroyer in the East Sea.
How should Koreans deal with their unrepentant neighbor?
Some of the so-called Japan experts here propose Koreans not demand more apologies, saying it would only estrange the Japanese people further. These experts say the Japanese put "promises," including those between countries, above all else, and will regard Koreans who appear to pursue justice under any circumstances as "unreliable" counterparts.
Others say Japanese people are "realistic" and Koreans are "moralistic" so the two people should recognize they are different and respect each other, instead of forcing one's viewpoint on the other.
They may be right or maybe not. One thing is certain, however, ― this is time to re-examine the bilateral relationship and start from the ground up. Korea cannot allow itself to be duped twice by the same trick.
This year marks the centenary of the March 1, 1919, Independence Movement. A hundred years ago, Japanese occupiers killed at least 7,000 mostly unarmed, non-violent Koreans who rose to restore their nation's independence, and injured 10 times more people.
Throughout this year, the entire nation will underscore the movement's historical significance ― which led to the establishment of the government in exile and the origination of the Republic of Korea ― as well as the need to get over the unfortunate past, much to the chagrin of Japan.
Former U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon recently said Korea and Japan would not be able to attain anything if they bring history to the forefront. President Moon and Prime Minister Abe also agreed to shape a future-oriented relationship instead of dwelling in the past. These leaders are right. It is also true, however, the past is the mirror that shows the future.
The world eerily resembles that of a century ago: Japan is allying with Britain again while the U.S. is isolating itself from the rest of the world. All Koreans, including those in North Korea, must not let history repeat itself in this part of the world, through reconciliation and eventual reunification.
Choi Sung-jin is a Korea Times columnist. Contact him at choisj1955@naver.com.
