Yoon builds on Japan relations, DP criticizes president's first year

President Yoon Suk Yeol, center, speaks during a Cabinet meeting at the Yongsan presidential office in central Seoul Tuesday on the eve of his one-year anniversary in office. [JOINT PRESS CORPS]

President Yoon Suk Yeol said Tuesday that if Korea and Japan build trust through cooperation and exchanges, while facing the past with sincerity, the two countries could open up a new future that surpasses even past peak bilateral relations.

"Things that were unimaginable just a short while ago are now taking place between Korea and Japan," Yoon said in a Cabinet meeting at the Yongsan presidential office on the eve of his one-year anniversary since inauguration.

"If Korea and Japan, who share liberal democratic values, build trust through exchanges and cooperation, bilateral relations will be able to pioneer a new future beyond its best days of the past."

Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida visited Seoul for a summit with Yoon on Sunday, returning the Korean president's trip to Tokyo in March, marking the resumption of the so-called "shuttle diplomacy" between the two countries for the first time in 12 years.

Yoon referred to Kishida's remarks during their joint press conference in which he expressed that his "heart aches" for those who "experienced difficulties and sadness under a harsh environment," referring to forced labor victims during Japan's 1910-45 colonial rule over Korea.

"If one doesn't turn a blind eye to the history of the dark past and approach it with sincerity, Korea and Japan will be able to overcome the difficulties we face and open up a new future," Yoon said.

Yoon said he expects to be able to "further solidify solidarity in order to build peace in the region through security cooperation" between South Korea, the United States and Japan through a trilateral summit with Kishida and U.S. President Joe Biden, on the sidelines of the G7 leaders' meeting in Hiroshima next week.

Yoon likewise highlighted bolstered security and economic cooperation with the United States, including developing extended deterrence measures.

"South Korea's security, which relied only on North Korea's goodwill, has also been transformed," said Yoon. He went on to note the strengthening of South Korea's missile defense systems and the resumption of Seoul-Washington joint exercises that had been suspended or scaled down for the past several years.

Yoon also touted that he is Korea's "No. 1 salesman," recounting his administration's economic accomplishments over the past year since he was inaugurated into office on May 10.

He stressed he will continue to place economy at the center of his diplomacy and work to increase Korea's exports and secure investments for the country.

As a part of his sales diplomacy efforts, Yoon said his government signed 26 memoranda of understanding (MOU) worth 40 trillion won ($30 billion) with Saudi Arabia and gained $30 billion in investments through a state visit to the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

He also said that the government has been "trying to create a drug-free country by restoring law enforcement power for major drug crimes" and establishing a joint investigation headquarters between police and prosecutors.

Yoon asked his Cabinet members to provide necessary support for nationwide civilian air defense drills for the first time in six years, to be held on Tuesday.

He said such civilian drills haven't been held in the past administration "due to a security view that relied on fake peace."

Yoon also criticized the preceding Moon Jae-in government by saying its "abnormal" policies resulted in soaring home prices, market disruptions and rental fraud.

He added his administration has faced difficulties in "overhauling necessary systems due to the obstruction of legislation" by the opposing liberal Democratic Party (DP), who has control of the National Assembly.

"I will do my best," said Yoon. "But it takes time to restore a broken system and achieve tangible results."

The DP in turn criticized Yoon Tuesday, saying there is little to congratulate the president on as he marks one year since he took office.

DP lawmakers pointed to the administration's lack of communication and "diplomatic disasters" on major issues.

"In one word, the past year was an era of public unrest," Park Kwang-on, DP's floor leader, said in a meeting at the National Assembly, saying that "imbalance, dissatisfaction and anxiety" has contributed to making people's lives more difficult.

"The pain in people's livelihoods became more severe due to economic imbalance, the balance of national interests was damaged due to diplomatic imbalance and democracy regressed due to political discord," said Park.

He said there is a need to "reassure the people by restoring people's livelihoods, national interest and democracy through a balanced economy, balanced diplomacy and communicative politics" during the next year.

"I hope that President Yoon does not take communication with the people lightly," added Park.

BY SARAH KIM [kim.sarah@joongang.co.kr]