"Refrain from criticizing Japan and prioritize cooperation"… Remarks on history, such as"facing the past," also draw attention.
(Tokyo = Yonhap News) Correspondent Park Sang-hyun = Japanese media evaluated that President Lee Jae-myung emphasized the importance of Korea-Japan cooperation in his first Liberation Day speech and expressed his enthusiasm for developing relations between the two countries.
Kyodo News noted that the president stated that"Japan is an important partner that cannot be considered separately in economic development" and that he would seek a path toward future-oriented, mutually beneficial cooperation with Japan through"shuttle diplomacy."
The report explained that while the president was known to have taken a hard-line stance toward Japan in the past, he expressed renewed interest in strengthening relations with Japan in this congratulatory address.
He continued,"This president is prioritizing trilateral cooperation among South Korea, the United States, and Japan by advocating a 'pragmatic' diplomatic policy that prioritizes national interests over ideology," adding,"After the 23rd, during his visits to Japan and the United States, he will meet with Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba and U.S. President Donald Trump to discuss ways to develop relations."
The Nihon Keizai Shimbun (Nikkei) also analyzed,"Although a progressive government has come to power after three years, it has maintained the policy of improving relations with Japan pursued by former conservative President Yoon Seok-yeol, demonstrating an attitude of prioritizing relations with Japan."
The Mainichi Shimbun also pointed out that "in his speech, he refrained from criticizing Japan and showed an attitude that prioritized cooperation with Japan in areas such as the economy."
Japanese media also paid attention to the president's remarks on history.
Mainichi reported that the president said,"There are many people suffering from issues related to the past, and there are conflicts of differing positions," but did not mention specific issues such as forced laborers and comfort women during the Japanese colonial period.
The Yomiuri Shimbun commented that the president demanded that the Japanese government face up to its past and make efforts to prevent the loss of trust, saying,"It seems that he was mindful of the strong voices in South Korea demanding an apology from Japan regarding historical issues."
The newspaper added that the president mentioned that "there are people suffering from the past," taking comfort women victims and others into consideration.
Japanese media reported that the president devoted a large portion of his Liberation Day speech to inter-Korean relations.
The Asahi Shimbun commented that"President Lee mentioned that he has been taking steps to ease tensions with North Korea and expressed his intention to continue taking actions to restore trust."
