South Korean President with 28% Approval Rating - Breaks Promises to China if Seeking Relations with Japan - Country that Breaks Promises to Japan if China
2022-08-23
Category:South Korea
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South Korea's new president with low approval rating
President Yoon Seok-yeol's approval rating is 28% (according to Gallup Korea survey), and he has been facing a tough fight since he took office. Since the administration began as a lame duck in the first place, there is no change in the situation where the government cannot move unless the power of the people wins the 2024 general election.
It will be advantageous if you don't make achievements
Looking ahead to 2024, the Democratic Party of Korea, which is the enemy, will be at a disadvantage if President Yoon produces results and achievements. There is no mistake in going on the offensive of not letting the president do anything.
Anti-Japanese Appeal on the Takeshima Issue
Although President Yoon Seok-yue has appealed for the improvement of Japan-South Korea relations, he is willing to make concessions on the Takeshima issue, such as by conducting marine surveys around Takeshima. Even at this stage, he is ridiculed as a pro-Japanese president or a betrayal president. In any case, from a Japanese point of view, it can only be seen as a double standard.
China just waits and sees
As for China, as was the case with Moon Jae-in, it seems that they are just watching the future of this administration.
The deployment of THAAD under the Park Geun-hye administration cooled relations between China and South Korea, but under the Moon Jae-in administration, they exchanged promises with China about the three non-compliances, and the current president has declared that he does not know about the three non-compliances.
Right-wing and left-wing South Korea have a unique structure of pro-U.S./pro-Japan and pro-China conflicts, and they seem to understand well that a change in government can lead to a major change in diplomatic policy.
The change of government will change things
In the first place, isn't there a question in South Korea about where the national ideology of South Korea, which goes back and forth between liberal democracy and socialist dictatorship, lies? On the contrary, they are constantly intimidatingly questioning each other about meaningless alternatives, whether they are pro-Japanese or anti-Japanese.
POINT South Korea, where anti-Japan precedes the national ideology of democracy or socialism. Any problem can be dwarfed by anti-Japan fire, making it a very easy tool to use politically.
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Representative Yuko Obuchi appeared at the Japan - Korea summit meeting *A wedge telling South Korea not to forget what she said. A meeting and dinner was held between Prime Minister Kishida and President Yun Seok-Yeol, and a press conference was held without a joint statement.
What has been decided is the resumption of shuttle diplomacy and the lifting of restrictions on three strategic items. In reality, the matter falls under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry, but the actual content is that the leaders met together to confirm the matter.
Regarding the lifting of restrictions on strategic substances, in reality there will be no major changes in distribution from Japan, and the 2019 restrictions will not reduce or stop exports, so nothing will actually change.
In particular, President Yun Seok-Yeol raised the issue of North Korea and showed South Korea's cooperative attitude toward Japan, but this has only confirmed that this is back on track. This is natural since the North Korea issue is being dealt with through the Japan-U.S. Security Treaty and the U.S.-South Korea Security Treaty.
At the very least, future shuttle diplomacy should ask what South Korea can do for Japan, rather than the diplomatic relations that have been the case in the past, where Japan did something unilaterally.
That's what makes for healthy diplomatic relations. I can't think of anything specific that South Korea has done for Japan. No one is looking for diplomatic relations that involve chatting at the table and asking for wads of money under the table.
The next day, the Japanese media focused on the meeting between Suga, president-elect of the Japan-Korea Parliamentary Federation, and President Yun Seok-yeoul, but what I wanted to draw attention to was the woman in the very edge of the photo.
She is Yuko Obuchi, a lawmaker, and the daughter of former Prime Minister Keizo Obuchi. The reason I wondered why she was in this seat was because I remember her not holding any government-related positions.
What really struck me was the 1998 Japan-Korea Joint Declaration. President Yun Seok-Yeol insists that Japan-Korea relations should return to the Japan-Korea Joint Declaration, but the question is how to return. And Japan complies with all of the Japan-Korea Joint Declaration. Returning would be a problem only for the Korean side.
The points of the 1998 Japan-Korea Joint Declaration are as follows.
Japan-Korea Joint DeclarationHolding of the 2002 FIFA World Cup
Promoting Japan-Korea economic cooperation
Opening of Japanese culture in Korea
Fisheries agreement around Takeshima in accordance with the new United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea
Response to North Korea issue
The holding of the Japan-Korea World Cup and the influx of Korean Wave content all stemmed from this joint declaration.
The Japan-Korea Joint Declaration was signed by President Kim Dae-jung, but the Japan-Korea World Cup was said to be the worst tournament in FIFA history, and it became unclear whether it was an anti-Japan movement or a soccer tournament.
Less than two years later, the South Korean National Assembly passed a resolution to invalidate this joint declaration. Japanese people must not forget that the area around Takeshima was subsequently filled with Korean fishing boats again, resulting in the current state of Takeshima.
The Japanese representative who concluded this agreement was former Prime Minister Keizo Obuchi. South Korea has completely torn up not only the 1965 Agreement, but also the 1988 Agreement.
Was Representative Yuko Obuchi invited to this meeting as a symbolic icon? In other words, this seems to have driven a wedge that returning to the Japan-South Korea Joint Declaration is the goal of the talks. It's about not forgetting what I said. Does the Korean side actually understand the meaning of this? I don't think they understand.
In conclusion, returning to the Japan-Korea Joint Declaration would be a very high hurdle. This joint declaration was scrapped because of the Takeshima issue. Perhaps the Korean side only understands this declaration as a resumption of cultural exchange.
Lee Jae - myung, a South Korean presidential candidate, is frightened by the prosecution.An investigation battle that began before the election.
Meanwhile, Democratic Party presidential candidate Lee Jae-myung said yesterday, "If I lose this time, I will be sentenced to prison for making a crime."Lee said in a speech on the side road of Seokchon Lake in Songpa-gu, "The prosecution republic will be held.The fear of the prosecution republic is not just the sound of the wind, but the sound of the wind coming before us.It's really scary."
Lee's eldest son (29) is suspected of gambling and buying money.Lee was found guilty of violating the public election law for making false statements about his brother's forced hospitalization after the 2018 governorial election.Despite the crisis of losing his job, the Supreme Court reversed his decision.The Supreme Court justice, who acquitted at the time, was found to have been an advisor to a company involved in the Daejang-dong scandal after retirement, raising suspicions that he had an affair with an actress and a criminal record of drunk driving.
Under the Moon Jae In administration, a public investigation office was set up to separate the investigation of high-ranking government officials from the prosecution, but Moon Jae In was criticized for protecting itself by establishment this organization.Yoon criticized the prosecution for investigating Lee Jae-myung's rival, Yoon Seok-yeol, and even investigating his phone records.
Lee Jae-myung said he would be sent to prison if he lost the election, but the left-wing government wants to arrest Yoon Seok-yeol by using the Public Prosecutors' Office.
He seems to be frightened by the fear that what he is trying to do will eventually come to himself.In Korean politics, retaliation using prosecution power is common.
[Korea] A major failure in the nuclear phase - out policy highlighted by the rise in electricity prices - Passing the blame on to the people and giving them cold water.
South Korea will raise electricity prices
Korea Electric Power fell into a large deficit
Moon Jae-in's obvious mismanagement
Is the Fukushima prefecture product a commotion to distract people?
Countries with anti-Japanese spinal reflexes
The day you regain your composure
The South Korean government has decided to raise household electricity rates by 5 won per kWh starting in July. This year's additional measures are expected to raise prices by about 15%.
KEPCO posted an operating deficit of 5.86 trillion won last year, the largest in its history. The deficit in the first quarter of this year was already 7.8 trillion won, and unless the tariffs are raised, the annual deficit is expected to reach 20 trillion to 30 trillion won. Therefore, the idea is to transfer that deficit to the people as usage fees.
The Moon Jae-in government is being held responsible for its policy of ``phasing out nuclear power without increasing electricity rates.'' KEPCO, which had a surplus of several trillion won, became a loss-making company under the Moon government. During the five years of the Moon administration, KEPCO's debt increased by 41 trillion won. There are reports that if we phase out nuclear power, electricity costs will have to rise by 2.6% every year, and by 40% by 2030.
Korea Electric Power is South Korea's public power company. Japan's ban on importing seafood from Fukushima, the release of treated water into the ocean, and the controversy surrounding athletes' meals at the Tokyo Olympics are all efforts to cover up the failures of energy policy under the Moon Jae-in administration and distract the public. It looks like it was a festival.
They completely ignore scientific evidence, create sensationalism, and link it to anti-Japanese sentiment. When this happens, the Korean people lose their cool and become overheated. This is the result of anti-Japanese education, and is like an anti-Japanese switch that the South Korean government often uses.
The anti-Japanese mood seems to have eased somewhat with the arrival of the Yun Seok-Yeong administration, but will the public bear the burden of the Moon Jae-in administration's failures in energy policy, which will further dampen the anti-Japanese fervor? Regarding the causal relationship between cause and effect, in Korean society the problem shifts to Japan. Japan has nothing to do with the failure of energy policy. Even if people say things have calmed down, I feel like it's already too late.
South Korean delegation insists on 'efforts from both countries' - Japan is fulfilling all its promises - South Korea is the one who is not making enough efforts
South Korea says efforts from both Japan and South Korea are necessary
Intentions of both countries passing each other
What is the destination that Korea envisions?
If we misunderstand the Korean issue, the government will tilt
Japan has already apologized many times
Japan fulfills all commitments
What does the effort of both countries mean?
While the recent South Korean delegation's visit to Japan has been reported as if the two countries have once again returned to the direction of improving Japan-Korea relations, the response of the Japanese government, including the prime minister, has been criticized. The South Korean side is keen to improve Japan-Korea relations, and as a result, interviews with the current prime minister, former prime minister, and other ministers were held. The most important point is that a gap that cannot be filled has been identified.
The rift is that while Japan is demanding that South Korea "fulfill its commitments," South Korea has consistently stated that "efforts from both sides are needed." This means that South Korea will not make unilateral concessions. More specifically, before the presidential election, President-elect Yoon Seok-Yeol met with Lee Yong-soo, a self-proclaimed representative of former comfort women, and said, ``We must demand an apology from Japan.'' has promised that he will receive it. That's probably what he's saying.
What kind of efforts does South Korea want from Japan? For example, is the Japanese Prime Minister going to South Korea, meeting with former comfort women, apologizing, and reporting the moving scene as an attempt to settle the matter? However, if South Korea's next government does not understand that this is an unlikely future, improving relations seems a long way off.
If Prime Minister Kishida were to do something like that, the Kishida administration would surely collapse, and even in this meeting with the parliamentary group, there are voices calling for Kishida to be removed from the position of prime minister. There are even voices saying that they will not vote for the Liberal Democratic Party in the next House of Councilors election. Reasons for this include the forced labor judgment and the abrogation of the Japan-Korea comfort women agreement.
Regarding the South Korean delegation's visit to Japan, since it was a group of parliamentarians before the inauguration of the new South Korean government, there were many opinions that Japan should also conduct the visit within the framework of parliamentary exchanges and that the government should not deal with it.
The comfort women agreement states, ``This is an issue that has deeply damaged the honor and dignity of many women, and from this perspective, the Japanese government is acutely aware of its responsibility.'' I would like to express my heartfelt apologies and remorse to the people of... Yun Seok-Yeol seems to think that since he has expressed his apology, it would be okay to apologize face-to-face. However, the agreement states, ``As the Japanese government declares the above and steadily implements the measures in (2) above (establishment of a foundation), this announcement will ensure that this issue will be finalized and irreversible.'' to make sure it is resolved."
The 1965 Claims Agreement, including the issue of forced labor, was already resolved. Japan is simply asking South Korea to faithfully implement these agreements. Japan has fulfilled all of its responsibilities, so all that remains is for South Korea to fulfill its own responsibilities. In other words, it is no longer an issue for both countries to make efforts.
Jeong Jin-seok, head of the South Korean delegation, claps his hands together and says that only by joining hands like this can relations be improved. Hearing these words, I can't help but think that South Korea's next new government may not even understand what the current situation is. This is because the efforts of these two countries resulted in the Claims Agreement in 1965, the Japan-South Korea Joint Declaration in 1998, and the Comfort Women Agreement in 2015, which is exactly the kind of hand-to-hand situation that Chung described. It is South Korea that unilaterally abolished these . Japan must not take a step back from this line.
If we look at Japan-South Korea relations after the restoration of diplomatic relations, South Korea has completely torn up all previous agreements. Is the next agreement really necessary?
Korea Real Estate Bubble This is the KOSPI chart.Why does it go up when investment from Japan has decreased by 50% and investment from the United States and the EU has decreased?You'd better imagine who's buying stocks.One is Chinese money. This is exactly what the current administration wants.Another is stock investment, which is secured by soaring real estate prices.Another is private investment by ordinary people who cannot buy real estate, even if they borrow money from rising stocks.In other words, it is a bubble.The IMF warned that Korea's household debt is above the danger level.Judging that this is a temporary phenomenon, it is better to stop borrowing money and investing in real estate and stocks to increase assets.