Abe expresses concern for Korean students regarding Seoul’s job fair

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has reportedly said that if the South Korean government cancels a job fair, which is planned to be participated by a number of Japanese companies, it may cause difficulties for South Korean students.

Takeo Kawamura, the secretary-general of the Japan-Korea Parliamentarians’ Union, said in an interview with the Mainichi Shimbun Saturday that the Seoul government’s reconsideration of the job fair came up in his talks with Abe in an airport in Yamaguchi Prefecture last Wednesday. “Prime Minister Abe expressed concern that it would rather cause difficulties for South Korean students.” Though Kawamura said the prime minister was “concerned,” Abe’s remarks seem to be aimed at stressing that the suspension of exchanges between the two countries would have a negative impact on South Korea.

“The impacts of the halted exchanges between the two countries’ children, the suspension of flights, and a reduction in the number of travelers are starting to become visible. Tit-for-tat retaliations wouldn’t help the bilateral relations get out of the mire,” Kawamura added. “The joint general assembly of the Japan-Korea Parliamentarians’ Union should be held as scheduled in September in Tokyo.”

The job fair in question is the Seoul Career Vision, which is planned to be held on Sept. 24 in Seoul and Sept. 26 in Busan. The South Korean Ministry of Employment and Labor, amid the intensifying trade row with Japan, is mulling options including reducing the number of Japanese firms participating in the event.


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