politics

U.S. says Japan, S Korea 'soul searching' needed

16 Comments
By David Brunnstrom

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16 Comments
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   "Japan and Korea each suffer consequences when their bilateral ties worsen and we believe that each bears responsibility for improvement for their relations.

Which basically means figure this out among yourselves

   Calm confident words from national leaders

Is he really talking about Moon and Abe?

   Diplomatic tensions intensified after a South Korean court last year ordered Japanese companies to.....

So I guess S. Korean started it first

   On July 4, in apparent retaliation, Japan restricted exports of high-tech materials to South Korea, sparking a boycott by South Korean consumers of Japanese products and services.

...and the SK is angry for putting Japan in a position to retaliate

   This month, South Korean President Moon Jae-in vowed that South Korea would not be "defeated again"

I don't think he knows what he is talking about and the things he says makes the NK leadership look rational and logical

3 ( +6 / -3 )

Indeed.., senior offical or not he is not familiar with or knows and understands the long historical relationship and the post war relationship that Japan and Korea has when "soul searching" is used. Also this is not a matter of rhetoric and talk.., it is "actions" that each party takes that can make a major difference in the outcome. Instead of dreamy and spiritualistic idealism, if he knows better, suggest a meaningful dialog environment or a a positive action each party may take.

5 ( +5 / -0 )

What a farce

4 ( +6 / -2 )

The problem is SK's hysteria and It is so wrong US to see and treat two countries equally.

On July 4, in apparent retaliation, Japan restricted exports of high-tech materials to South Korea, sparking a boycott by South Korean consumers of Japanese products and services.

Amazing just media defines this so apparent? SK has kept ignoring Japan's requests to cooperatively inform more on it's export admin for longer than 3 years. In order not to be criticized as apparent retaliation just because timing was not good, Japan should have kept silent shutting it's mouth and waited only to find no response, taking the risks of illegal transfers of weaponizable materials?

Ridiculous.

5 ( +8 / -3 )

What kind of shared challenges are from China ? I don't get it, Koreans don't get it, Japanese don't get it, Chinese don't get it, all northeast Asians don't get it.

-9 ( +0 / -9 )

The US is not a country that should be lecturing other countries about "soul searching".

6 ( +7 / -1 )

The US should not be speaking about Japan and South Korea when they themselves are causing a different trade war with China

3 ( +4 / -1 )

What a useless and pointless comment from the United States. So much for our "pivot" to Asia.

4 ( +5 / -1 )

One country starts, the other continues. If Japan has known for a while that SK has been illegally transferring products to other nations then why didn’t Japan speak up? Why wait for now? One’s as guilty as the other. It looks like Japan is retaliating for bad business products but with poor timing. Let’s forget finger pointing and clear the table.

-4 ( +1 / -5 )

Same story in the Korea Herald with extra info:

http://www.koreaherald.com/view.php?ud=20190808000680

During the discussion that followed, Scott Snyder, a senior fellow for Korean studies at the Council on Foreign Relations, criticized the Moon Jae-in administration for “not taking the political leadership necessary to protect the relationship with Japan from domestic political spillover, which is arguably in Japan’s longer-term strategic interest.”

“The Moon administration has yet to realize an optimal balance between domestic and foreign affairs,” Snyder said, adding that he would like to see the South Korean government paying compensation domestically to the victims of wartime forced labor while trying to pursue a dialogue with Japan.

3 ( +4 / -1 )

Seoul has also said it will review whether to maintain a military information sharing pact with Tokyo, which has been important in ensuring a coordinated approach to dealing with the crisis over North Korea's nuclear weapons.

The only important part of this article.

3 ( +3 / -0 )

During the discussion that followed, Scott Snyder, a senior fellow for Korean studies at the Council on Foreign Relations, criticized the Moon Jae-in administration for “not taking the political leadership necessary to protect the relationship with Japan from domestic political spillover, which is arguably in Japan’s longer-term strategic interest.”

“The Moon administration has yet to realize an optimal balance between domestic and foreign affairs,” Snyder said, adding that he would like to see the South Korean government paying compensation domestically to the victims of wartime forced labor while trying to pursue a dialogue with Japan.

1 ( +2 / -1 )

During the discussion that followed, Scott Snyder, a senior fellow for Korean studies at the Council on Foreign Relations, criticized the Moon Jae-in administration for “not taking the political leadership necessary to protect the relationship with Japan from domestic political spillover, which is arguably in Japan’s longer-term strategic interest.”

“The Moon administration has yet to realize an optimal balance between domestic and foreign affairs,” Snyder said, adding that he would like to see the South Korean government paying compensation domestically to the victims of wartime forced labor while trying to pursue a dialogue with Japan.

This is essentially what I've been saying for years now - the whole mess is the result of inept Korean leadership. It's absolutely pathetic.

3 ( +4 / -1 )

Didn't he say "Seoul searching"?

As in looking for the paper trail for the illegal transferred technology?

Alternatively, it really was soul searching, who do we need to call? Oprah or Jerry Springer?

Next up, Mike Pompeo offers astrologically based relationship advice.

1 ( +2 / -1 )

USA should do some soul searching over appointing the deputy assistant secretary.

1 ( +2 / -1 )

Forgiving builds strength.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

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