Seoul hopes Tokyo visit will kick-start talks on resolving old feuds

SEOUL • South Korea hopes a high-level visit to Tokyo this week will kick-start talks aimed at a breakthrough in historical disputes, despite concerns that the death of former Japanese premier Shinzo Abe could change Japan's policy priorities, Seoul officials said.

Relations between the two North Asian US allies have been strained over disputes dating to Japan's 1910 to 1945 occupation of Korea. Washington has been pressing Tokyo and Seoul to mend fences in the face of the North Korean nuclear threat and the rising influence of China.

Officials in the administration of South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol, who took office in May vowing to improve ties with Japan, said they feel emboldened by Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida's election victory, which could give him more scope to advance his policy agenda for another three years.

Foreign Minister Park Jin will visit Japan from tomorrow to Wednesday, the ministry said, a trip which a senior official handling Japan policy said is aimed at "turning on the tap" for serious negotiations on issues relating to forced labour, which stalled under Mr Yoon's predecessor.

Mr Park will meet his Japanese counterpart, Mr Yoshimasa Hayashi, and discuss relations between the two countries and issues on the Korean peninsula, the South Korean ministry said. Mr Park will also pay respects to Mr Abe.

Another South Korean official said Mr Yoon would send a high-level delegation led by the prime minister when Japan holds a public memorial service for Mr Abe, who was shot and killed on July 8 while on the campaign trail.

Mr Yoon would also likely use his Aug 15 Liberation Day speech marking Korea's independence from Japan as a chance to send a reconciliatory message to Tokyo, the official added.

"What we're trying to do is to open the door for real talks," the senior official said.

REUTERS