Improving ties with Japan

Korea-Japan relations are showing no signs of improving after months of conflict following a Supreme Court ruling late last year for Japanese firms to compensate Korean victims of forced labor during the 1910-45 Japanese occupation.

The Japanese firms have refused to comply with the ruling, causing a diplomatic row between the two countries. The victims are seeking the seizure of assets of the relevant Japanese firms.

Concerns are mountion that Tokyo may take retaliatory antion against Korea. Such concerns were raised particularly after Japanese Finance Minister Taro Aso made remarks last week about considering punitive economic measures, including tariffs, should Korean plaintiffs who were forced into labor during World War II take further legal actions.

Against such a background, a meeting of business leaders of the two countries was supposed be held in May, but it has been delayed until September.

Last week, directors-general of the two countries' foreign ministries met in Seoul, but only reaffirmed their differences on urgent bilateral issues.

Korea and Japan are indispensable economic and cultural partners for each other. If Tokyo takes retaliatory measures against Korean firms and visitors, the strong partnership of the two countries will be hampered in various areas. Seoul should figure out what Tokyo plans to do and prepare corresponding measures.

The countries must cooperate to ensure that historical issues do not get in the way of maintaining healthy bilateral relations.