Will new South Korean President Lee Jae Myung make fresh efforts to solve the long continuing dispute between Seoul and Tokyo over the issue of compensation to former Korean forced laborers?

Observers say indications are positive. President Lee is well focused on boosting his nation’s defense deterrence against the threat the growing nuclear missile armament program of North Korea poses to it. He seems to be convinced that Japan can be South Korea’s best defense against any such threat. There is no point expecting peace from the North. After South Korean President Moon Jae-in came to power in 2017, he adopted a policy to promote an ever-increasing exchange with North Korea so that the latter would see the benefits in denuclearizing itself and seek a closer relationship with the economically advanced South. But this did not work.

President Lee seems inclined to not keeping his nation’s relations with Japan strained over the divergent interpretations of Japanese history during its rule over the Korean peninsula – (1592-98 and 1910-45). He is likely to renew the efforts some of the........

© Blitz