Did Japan apologise for its weekend statement on GSOMIA?

Question

Accepted Answer

Japan's Apology Regarding GSOMIA Statement Remains Contested

South Korea maintains that Japan apologised for a weekend statement concerning the General Security of Military Information Agreement (GSOMIA), while Japanese officials have denied this. This dispute highlights the ongoing tensions between the two nations, even as they agreed to conditionally maintain the intelligence-sharing pact. The disagreement centres on the interpretation of an announcement by Japan's trade ministry regarding enhanced screening of semiconductor material exports.
South Korea's Assertion of an Apology

Officials at South Korea's presidential Blue House stated that they had lodged a protest and subsequently received an apology over the Japanese trade ministry's announcement. They described the announcement as being "completely different" from what had been agreed upon. The Blue House further pointed to a report in Japan's Yomiuri newspaper, which quoted a Japanese foreign ministry official denying any apology. Senior press secretary Yoon Do-han explicitly stated, “To clarify once again, we have complained and Japan apologised,” adding that media outlets were creating a "truth game" but that South Korea knew the truth.
Japan's Denial of an Apology

Japan's Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga directly contradicted the South Korean claims during a press briefing. Suga stated that it was "not true that the Japanese government apologised." He also emphasised that the export curbs imposed by Japan were "completely unrelated to GSOMIA," indicating a divergence in how the two countries view the connection between the trade dispute and the intelligence pact.
Context of the Broader Dispute

The current friction is rooted in a broader disagreement over compensation for South Koreans forced to work for Japanese companies during Japan's 1910-45 occupation of Korea. Following a South Korean Supreme Court ruling last year ordering compensation, some former labourers have sought to seize local assets of Japanese firms, prompting Tokyo to impose export controls. Trade authorities from both countries are expected to meet soon to discuss these issues, with foreign ministers agreeing to work towards arranging a summit between South Korean President Moon Jae-in and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe.

Reading history

Hide →

This history is cleared when the page is closed.

Did Japan apologise for its weekend statement on GSOMIA?

Loading

Was this article helpful?

Helpful

Not helpful

Report an issue

1

0

0

Share with friends