South Koreans perplexed after President Yoon Suk-yeol's trip to Tokyo

South Korean President Yoon Suk-Yeol, and Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida at Rengatei Restaurant in Tokyo's famed Ginza neighborhood, Thursday, March 16, 2023. AP

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South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol and Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida met in Tokyo on Thursday (March 16th). The aim of the summit is to renew ties and detail the compensation, through a fund, of Korean victims of forced labour during the occupation. But the results of this meeting are difficult to convince the South Koreans.

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With our correspondent in Seoul, Célio Fioretti

They didn't expect anything, but they are still disappointed. For South Koreans, the summit between Yoon and Kishida leaves the impression that Japan emerges victorious. The Japanese prime minister has not apologized for forced labor during the occupation. Nor did he mention how Japanese companies would participate in the victims' compensation fund.

There is, however, one positive point that emerges from this summit. The lifting of Japanese restrictions on the export of raw materials for semiconductors, a key part of the South Korean economy. Thanks to this agreement, Seoul intends to get out of dependence on Chinese materials, at the risk of angering Beijing.

For its part, North Korea has not remained silent. Pyongyang launched an intercontinental missile on Thursday to "frighten its enemies" according to North Korean media. In addition to the joint maneuvers with the United States, Yoon and Kishida announced more cooperation against Kim Jong-un.

In any case, Yoon Suk-yeol is still satisfied with the meeting with his Japanese counterpart, but he still has to convince the South Koreans.

► Read also: South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol in Tokyo for a historic visit

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  • South Korea
  • Japan
  • Yoon Suk-yeol
  • Diplomacy
  • History
  • Economy