The leaders of South Korea and Japan have agreed to press ahead with joint efforts to improve bilateral ties in response to the growing security challenges from North Korea and China. Shuttle diplomacy between two key U.S. allies is back on track after regular exchanges between the countries’ leaders ended in 2011 over historical differences. Their vows to deepen national ties are an encouraging sign for Washington, which has been pushing for them to let go of past grievances and cooperate more. This is a part of South Korea’s broader efforts to reshape their diplomacy, aligning their country closer to countries with “shared values” on things such as supply chains and a “free and open” Indo Pacific. 

However, President Yoon Suk Yeol, got criticized by his own country for strengthening ties with Japan, as he was accused of “traitorous, humiliating diplomacy.” To many South Koreans, what matters most in relations with Tokyo is how Japanese leaders view its colonial era. 

Read more: https://www.nytimes.com/2023/05/07/world/asia/south-korea-japan-summit-apology.html