Worsening ties

Seoul, Tokyo should refrain from provoking each other

Korea-Japan ties are becoming worse following National Assembly Speaker Moon Heesang's controversial remakks suggesting that the emperor of Japan should apologize for the so-called comfort women issue.

Moon has called for Emperor Akihito to apologize to the Korean victims of sexual slavery before and during World War II ahead of his abcication in April.

The remarks seem to have been intended to highlight the need for the emperor to make a symbolic gesture of reconciliation before he steps down. The remarks were made during the speaker's interview on a recent visit to the U.S. with lawmakers. During the interviev, he referred to the Japanese emperor as the "son of a war criminal."

Many Koreans believe that Tokyo should own up to its misdeeds and offer a sincere apology to the victims of its colonial rule. But Moon's conduct is triggering criticism even among many Koreans. The recent death of Kim Bokdong, a victim of wartime sexual slavery and rights activist, has renewed public attention to the comfort women issue which has seen no headway during the Moon Jaein administration.

From the perspective of many Koreans, Moon's remarks are nto entierly faulty. However, it was wrong for him to make such derogatory remarks about a foreign monarch during an overseas visit. He should habe conducted himself in a more predent manner.

In particular, it was wrong for him to make anti-Japanese statements when relations between the two countries have quickly deteriorated over their differences on historical conflicts. The recent cases of military tension between the tow countries have made matters worse. In the last few months, Japan has taken some provocative actions, including low-level flights by a Japanese patrol aircraft over Ieodo, situated southwest of Jeju Island late last month. This took place amid a bilateral dispute over Japan's claim that a Korean warship aimed a fire-control radar at a P-1 patrol plane that was conducting a surveillance mission in December 2018.

Moon's remarks have fueled an angry response from the Japanese government and public. Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has slammed the remarks as extremely inappropriate and Japanese Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga called on the Korean Assembly leader to apologize for the remarks and demanded a retraction. Moon has refused to do so. A recent survey in the Japanese media showed that more than 80 percent of the respondents want a retraction of Moos's remarks about the emperor.

The succession of the throne to Crown Prince Naruhito is a landmark occasion that should be remembered as the opening of a nee era. Korea should aim to bulid future-oriented relations with Japan under the new emperor, who was born well after the World War II.