SEOUL, Aug. 29 (Xinhua) -- South Korean politicians and media hoped for the improvement of relations with Japan, which some domestic media described as the worst-ever, after Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's announcement of resignation.
Abe said Friday that he would step down from his post for the recurrence of the same intestinal disease that ended his first tenure, causing uncertainty over the Seoul-Tokyo ties that fell into the worst under Abe's premiership owing to historical issues from the 1910-1945 Japanese colonization of the Korean Peninsula.
Hope emerged here for better relations between the two neighbors, but optimism and pessimism were mixed given that nobody still knows who will be elected as the next Japanese leader.
WORST BILATERAL RELATIONS
The South Korean presidential Blue House issued a diplomatically decent statement, saying that Abe, as the longest-serving Japanese prime minister, left behind several meaningful achievements and especially played lots of roles in developing the South Korea-Japan relations.
The ruling Democratic Party was a bit more honest and direct. Choi Ji-eun, the party spokesperson for international affairs, said in a statement that the new Japanese government should create a new history via the continuous talks and communications.
The main conservative opposition United Future Party was more straightforward, saying the South Korea-Japan ties were tougher than ever during Abe's tenure.
South Koreans believe that Abe has never expressed his apology and repentance over the Imperial Japan's atrocities, including the sexual slavery of Korean women and the forced recruitment of Korean people into heavy labor before and during World War Ⅱ.
The Japan-funded foundation in Seoul for the South Korean victims, who were forced into sexual slavery in Japan's military brothels before and during the Pacific War, was officially dissolved in July last year as the victims denounced it for Abe's failure to sincerely apologize and take legal responsibility for the wartime atrocities.
Trade dispute between Seoul and Tokyo was launched after the South Korean top court's ruling in 2018 that ordered some of Japanese companies to pay reparation to the South Korean victims who were duped or coerced into harsh labor without pay during the colonial era.
In July last year, Japan tightened control over its export to South Korea of three materials vital to producing memory chips and display panels that are the mainstay of South Korea's export. The following month, the two sides removed each other from their respective whitelists of trusted trading partners that are given preferential export procedure.
Local liberal newspaper Hankyoreh said in a commentary that Japan turned rightist during Abe's premiership citing his efforts to amend the constitution and legalize the self-defense forces. It noted that Abe significantly worsened the South Korea-Japan relations by refusing to face up to the wartime history and disturbing the Korean Peninsula peace process.
Calling the Seoul-Tokyo relations under the Abe leadership "the worst," Yonhap News TV ascribed the frayed bilateral ties to Abe's historical view. A Kookmin University professor was quoted as saying that a fundamental change would not come into view in the bilateral relations following Abe's resignation.
HOPE FOR BETTER RELATIONS
The Blue House said the South Korean government will continue cooperation with Japan's new prime minister, who will be elected, and the new Japanese cabinet for the friendly, cooperative relations between the two countries.
The governing Democratic Party expressed hope for a forward-looking, responsible attitude of Japan's new cabinet, while the opposition United Future Party hoped for the opening of a new path to the bilateral ties based on Japan's repentance over the wartime history under the new cabinet.
Rep. Lee Kai-ho of the Democratic Party said in his social networking service (SNS) message that the Abe cabinet made South Korea's people and government more troubled than ever, hoping that a better successor to Abe take the helm.
Citing local experts, domestic media News1 reported that it needs to see what would happen in Japan as possibility for improved Seoul-Tokyo relations depends on who will be elected as the next Japanese prime minister.
A Sungkonghoe University professor was quoted as saying some of contenders for the next Japanese premier were known to have no negative bias towards South Korea in contrast to Abe, whose prejudice was greatly deep.
The professor said there was a possibility for Seoul and Tokyo to renew relations, but he noted that trade tensions between the two countries may continue as no difference between Japan's people and ruling party has been found over the issue on the South Korean victims of wartime forced labor.
Local conservative newspaper Chosun Ilbo forecast that Abe's resignation would not have a meaningful effect upon South Korea-Japan relations. A senior research fellow in Sejong Institute was quoted as saying that Japan attributed the worsened bilateral relations to South Korea, not to Abe.
