[News analysis] The question of S. Korea’s withdrawal from GSOMIA

South Korean Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha makes her remarks during a meeting with the Japanese and Chinese foreign ministers in Beijing on Aug. 21. (EPA/Yonhap News)

How far is Seoul willing to go to respond to Tokyo’s trade measures?

Reports that the Blue House plans an announcement shortly on whether to extend its General Security of Military Information Agreement (GSOMIA) with Japan – a question it has weighed as a means of pressuring Tokyo in response to its economic retaliation measures – are turning attention to the level of Seoul’s response. The reports come in the wake of bilateral foreign minister talks in which both sides merely reaffirmed the differences in their positions.

A Blue House official said on Aug. 21 that an “announcement on whether GSOMIA will be extended should be made as early as Aug. 22 and no later than Aug. 23.” While the Blue House’s plans have reportedly already been decided internally, the official explained that they would need to undergo a final review by the National Security Council (NSC) standing committee on Aug. 22, after which a report would be made to President Moon Jae-in and the administration’s approach would be announced.

The likeliest approach currently being considered by the Blue House would involve extending GSOMIA in view of the importance of trilateral security cooperation with the US, while suspending information exchanges for the time being as a means of pressuring Japan. But heavy opposition to renewing the agreement from within the ruling Democratic Party could prove a variable in the late stages. Speaking at a discussion held the same day by the Korea Broadcasting Journalists Club, Kim Sang-jo, Blue House policy chief, explained, “South Korea-US-Japan security cooperation is a very important matter, and this is not a decision that can be made lightly.”

“We plan to continue examining things until the very end in terms of the question of whether we should be exchanging sensitive military information with a country that claims not to be able to trust South Korea, and we will be making a careful decision,” Kim said.

No common ground was reached at South Korea-Japan foreign minister talks the same day in Beijing, with both sides holding firm to their opposing positions. But they also sent the clear message that communication and discussions on the issue would continue to take place between the relevant officials. Despite being the second meeting to take place amid the South Korea-Japan conflict touched off by Tokyo’s announcement of export controls against South Korea on July 1, the foreign minister talks represented more or less their first occasion to date for full-scale diplomatic negotiations.

The two sides continue to have difficulties finding common ground on the particulars, however. South Korean Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha was bluntly critical of the unilateral export control measures imposed by Japan.

“Countries should demonstrate through their actions the consensus among the three sides’ foreign ministers that the free, fair, transparent, and predictable trade environment that has served to underpin peace and prosperity in Northeast Asia must be firmly established,” she said.

“We must eschew unilateral, arbitrary trade retaliation measures and clear away the uncertainties that now hover over regional trade,” she added.

Japanese Foreign Minister Taro Kono makes his remarks during a meeting with Kang and the Chinese foreign minister in Beijing on Aug. 21. (EPA/Yonhap News)

Japan once again shifts responsibility for conflict onto S. Korea

Japanese Foreign Minister Taro Kono made Tokyo’s position clear the day before the talks on Aug. 20, telling Japanese reporters that “we want to exchange opinions, but this issue is clearly something that South Korea will need to respond to.” His message was that South Korea is responsible for the deterioration of bilateral relations and should move first to present a solution.

At the same time, Kono also clearly stated that he hoped dialogue would continue. Speaking with the Japanese press just after the meeting, he said, “In addition to making our respective positions clear, we shared the view that this is the most pressing issue for both our countries.”

“We agreed that communication between diplomatic authorities should be continued to allow this matter to be solved for certain. We would like to make real progress going forward,” he added.

Kono went on to say that “interchange among citizens is all the more important at difficult times.”

“If anything, it’s times like this that call for proactive exchange among citizens,” he said.

Kono confirms S. Korea-Japan cooperation with respect to N. Korea issues

Referring to North Korea’s successive test-launches of short-range missiles, he added, “We want to solidly confirm South Korea and Japan’s cooperation with respect to North Korea issues.”

Kang relayed to Kono that the South Korean government was still on the fence on whether to renew GSOMIA or pull out, as Seoul has hinted at doing so in response to Tokyo’s export controls. Indeed, the South Korean Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated ahead of the meeting that it was weighing the possibility of pulling out of GSOMIA. Japan was also first to mention the GOSMIA issue during the talks on Aug. 21, with Kang’s only reply being that it was “under consideration.”

China also showed signs of attempting to play a mediating role in the South Korea-Japan frictions. In introductory remarks before talks on Aug. 20, Foreign Minister Wang Yi noted, “In the past 20 years, trilateral trade has increased by 4.5 times from US$130 billion to US$720 billion.”

“China plans to broaden its cooperation with South Korea and Japan, while upholding the principles of multilateralism and free trade,” he added. His remarks were seen as signaling Beijing’s intervention in the two sides’ regional conflict over export controls – albeit at a weak level – as well as conveying indirect criticism.

Wang also noted, “In China, we have the term ‘jiang xin bi xin’ [meaning to ‘put oneself in the other side’s shoes].”

“We hope that South Korea and Japan will consider each other’s interests and resolve their opinions constructive so that they can find an appropriate solution to the issue,” he explained.

But when asked by Japanese reporters after the talks whether there was any chance of China intervening to resolve issues in relations with South Korea, Kono replied with a blunt “no.”

By Jung In-hwan, Beijing correspondent, Jung E-gil, senior staff writer, and Lee Wan, staff reporter

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