2023-04-26 11:56:50
Prime Minister Han Deok-soo is reported to have said on the 26th that President Yoon Seok-yeol’s remarks in an interview with the Washington Post (WP) regarding the normalization of Korea-Japan relations were “exactly in line with the former president’s perception of history.”
An official from the Prime Minister’s Office reported on the 26th that Prime Minister Han said to his staff that day, “I read the WP interview article all the way.” Prime Minister Han supported President Han Yoon’s position that “European countries get along well with warring countries,” and said, “President Yoon’s remarks are domestic and international, saying that ‘Korea-Japan relations can do nothing until Japan kneels.’ Some perceptions are unacceptable,” he explained.
Referring to former President Park Chung-hee’s remarks at the time of the normalization of diplomatic relations in 1965, remarks made at the time of the Kim Dae-jung Obuchi Joint Declaration in 1998, and former President Roh Moo-hyun’s remarks during his lifetime, he emphasized that “President Yoon’s perception of history is not at all different from these.” Prime Minister Han, who has been in public office since the former Park administration, has personally experienced the history of Korea-Japan relations through successive administrations, such as serving as Prime Minister during the Roh Moo-hyun administration.
Earlier, in an interview with the WP ahead of his state visit to the United States, President Yoon said, “I think that there are things that can never be done because of what happened 100 years ago, or that Japan must kneel (for forgiveness) because of its history 100 years ago. I can’t accept it,” he said, causing controversy.
In response to this remark, criticism was raised in the opposition camp, saying, “By what authority do you grant indulgence to Japan’s aggression and colonial rule?” Some point out that President Yoon’s remarks are very different from former President Kim’s emphasis on ‘an attitude of facing the past’ when he announced the Kim Dae-jung-Obuchi Declaration.
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Han watched the Republic of Korea Navy Patriotic Concert held at Jangchung Gymnasium in Seoul that day with the families of the bereaved from the Battle of Yeonpyeong and the warship Cheonan. In commemoration of the 70th anniversary of the ROK-US alliance, this performance was jointly performed by the ROK Navy and the 8th US Army military band.
Reporter Yumi Seo
1682528937
#Prime #Minister #Han #Remarks #KoreaJapan #relations #presidents #perception #history
