New Japanese Prime Minister Hopes to Improve South Korean Ties

SEOUL, KOMPAS.com – New Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga expressed hopes of improved relations with South Korea in a letter addressed to President Moon Jae-in.

The two countries have long encountered strained ties over history and trade.

Feuds dating back to Japan's 1910-45 colonial rule of Korea continue to dog bilateral relations, including the issues of Korean laborers forced to work at Japanese firms and women at military brothels during World War II.

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The ties further soured after South Korea's Supreme Court ordered a Japanese steelmaker to pay compensation for forced labor in 2018, which prompted Tokyo to impose export curbs on some key high-tech materials.

In a letter delivered to Moon on Saturday, Suga underscored the need for cooperation between the two neighbors, Moon's spokesman Kang Min-seok said.

"Prime Minister Suga, in particular, said he hoped the two countries overcome difficult issues and build a forward-looking relationship," Kang told a briefing.

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Moon also sent a congratulatory letter to Suga last week, saying he was willing to sit down anytime to improve relations and foster diplomatic, economic, and people-to-people exchanges.

(Writer: Hyonhee Shin | Editor: Tomasz Janowski)

Source: https://www.reuters.com/article/uk-southkorea-japan/japans-suga-hopes-for-forward-looking-ties-in-letter-to-south-koreas-moon-idUKKCN26C0V4