Talks In Busan were amicable. Still, their success will be measured by whether the foreign ministers of Japan, China, and South Korea can resolve sticky issues.
Joining the International Fleet Review is a positive step but serious bilateral hurdles remain, such as South Korean wartime labor lawsuits and public opinion.
Seoul’s conciliatory stance provides Beijing with a golden opportunity to break off South Korea from the US-led multinational strategic encirclement of China.
A better relationship between the US, South Korea and Japan is essential. That requires an end to senseless demands for compensation from a previous era.
For relations with Japan to get better, it is up to Seoul to adhere to the principle that “promises between nations must be kept”.
