Korean, Japanese foreign ministers meet ahead of UNGA

As Korean Foreign Minister Yun Byung-se and Japanese counterpart Fumio Kishida have agreed to meet ahead of the UN General Assembly in New York, all eyes are on the meeting’s effect on the two countries’ strained relations. Diplomatic relations between the two countries have deteriorated as Japan has been distorting its imperialistic history while leaking radioactive waters into the sea.

A source at the Korean Foreign Ministry said that Korea has planned the meeting since the ministers of the two countries will attend the UN General Assembly. The meeting to be held on Thursday will mark the second diplomatic meeting between Korea and Japan under the Park Geun-hye administration.

The atmosphere during the first meeting of the two foreign ministers held on July 1 at ASEAM Regional Forum in Brunei, Indonesia was cold as Korean Minister Yun called for apology over Japan’s past wrongdoings. Though Japan appeared to want improved relations between the two countries after the meeting, Korea-Japan relations strained again as Japanese Cabinet members visited at the Yasukuni Shrine to pay their respects on National Liberation Day.

The current relationship has been further strained as Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe repeats a lie about radioactive water from the Fukushima Nuclear Power Plant by saying, “radioactive water is completely controlled.” On the other hand, Korean Vice Foreign Minister Kim Kyou-hyeon and Japanese Vice Secretary Akitaka Saiki have continued negotiations by reciprocal visits in July. Against this backdrop, the diplomatic meeting ahead of the UN General Assembly is an extension of the negotiation.

Korean President Park Geun-hye and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe met on September 5 during the G20 Meeting in Russia but exchanged a short greeting. The two heads will meet again at the ASEAN Summit on October 9 in Brunei.