[The 3rd Korea-Japan Future Dialogue: Lee Sook-jong] “The Solution for Korea-Japan Relations: Broadening the Base of Citizen Exchange”

Director Lee Sook-jong concurrently serves as the Director of the East Asia Institute and a professor in the Department of Public Administration and the Graduate School of Governance at Sungkyunkwan University.

Representative Kudo Yasushi serves as the representative of The Genron NPO, a non-profit think tank in Japan.

Kudo Yasushi: Thank you for your hard work. I believe the '3rd Korea-Japan Future Dialogue,' the first comprehensive discussion on the future of Korea and Japan, has concluded successfully. Director Lee Sook-jong, what are your thoughts on this dialogue?

Lee Sook-jong: I believe the 3rd Korea-Japan Future Dialogue was very constructive, as it was more future-oriented than the previous two dialogues, aiming to develop bilateral relations and to resolve government-level stalemates through the power of civil society. Coincidentally, today marks the 50th anniversary of the signing of the Basic Treaty between Korea and Japan (June 22, 1965), and I believe the strong will of the panelists from both sides to improve relations led to positive outcomes.

Kudo Yasushi: Yesterday, the foreign ministers of Korea and Japan held a meeting, finally initiating moves for improved relations at the governmental level. What significance do private dialogues like the Korea-Japan Future Dialogue hold in light of these governmental efforts?

Lee Sook-jong: I understand that President Park Geun-hye attended the 50th anniversary of diplomatic ties ceremony held at the Japanese Embassy in Korea today. I also understand that Prime Minister Abe Shinzo attended the 50th anniversary ceremony at the Korean Embassy in Japan. I believe these are positive signals for both countries. I hope that, building on this momentum, opinion leaders, including the participants of the Korea-Japan Future Dialogue, will present constructive suggestions to both governments so that forward-looking and visionary statements, based on shared values and national interests, can be issued by both leaders on August 15th, which marks the 70th anniversary of Korea's liberation and Japan's 70th anniversary of the end of the war.

Kudo Yasushi: I believe that true exchange is impossible in private dialogues unless citizens of both countries consider Korea-Japan relations as their own issue. What role do you think private dialogues should play in shaping future Northeast Asian and Korea-Japan relations?

Lee Sook-jong: Generally, foreign policy is heavily influenced by public opinion as societies become more democratized. When citizens perceive that their government is solely focused on immediate national interests, proactive citizens tend to be interested in regional and global peace and prosperity, shared values, and norms, such as the advancement of human rights or the promotion of democracy, beyond their own national interests. However, it is important that this interest does not remain individual; citizens must exercise collective intelligence to proactively propose policies and actively participate to ensure their opinions are reflected.

Kudo Yasushi: My final question is: What role do you believe the 'Korea-Japan Future Dialogue' should play next year?

Lee Sook-jong: Unlike other various forums between Korea and Japan, the Korea-Japan Future Dialogue is based on public opinion surveys. Therefore, I believe it plays a crucial role in understanding the perceptions of citizens in both countries and in clarifying whether these perceptions are accurate or based on misunderstandings. Furthermore, by publicizing the discussions of the Korea-Japan Future Dialogue, it can arouse the interest of the general public, and as seen in this dialogue, we had the participation of an excellent Japanese audience. Moving forward, I believe we must continue to broaden the base of citizen exchange by enabling citizen representatives and leaders of various civic groups to participate as panelists.