Moon Leaves the Door Open for Talks With Japan
September 19, 2019
In an op-ed with the Diplomat Magazine, KEI Senior Director Troy Stangarone analyzed President Moon Jae-in's speech on August 15, which commemorated Korea's liberation from Japan in 1945. Although Moon could have used the occasion to fuel nationalist sentiments against Japan, Stangarone observes that the South Korean president "expressed his hope that Japan will play a leading role in East Asia’s peace and prosperity."
Providing further assurances, Moon expressed his hoped that the 2020 Tokyo Olympics might be just as meaningful for regional stability as the Pyeongchang Winter Olympics. This was a meaningful gesture given calls by many South Koreans to boycott the upcoming games in Japan.
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