Also in South Korea, he focused on
pressuring the North. Japanese newspapers reported on Wednesday that United
States President Donald Trump agreed with President of Republic of Korea Moon
Jae-in on putting the maximum sanction and pressure on North Korea to urge
abandoning of nuclear and missile development. Trump looked like following the
line that Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe had drawn in the previous meeting
in Japan. However, every event in Seoul was not necessarily preferable for Abe.
In the meeting in Blue House, or
Presidential Office of South Korea, both leaders agreed on enhancing capability
of US-ROK alliance for deterrence and responding against threat of North Korea.
“As we work together to resolve this problem using all available tools short of
military action, the United States stands prepared to defend itself and its
allies using the full range of our unmatched military capabilities if need be,”
Trump said in joint press conference.
Moon exploited a more moderate description
on the issue of the northern neighbor. “We agreed to work towards resolving
North Korean nuclear issue in a peaceful manner and bringing permanent peace to
the Korean Peninsula,” Moon said. “Against escalating nuclear and missile
threats from North Korea, we reaffirmed our principle that we must maintain a
strong stance toward North Korean threats based on overwhelming superiority of
power.” Japanese papers interpreted those announcements as maximum pressure on
the North.
TV news in Japan reported major protest
against the visit of Trump in downtown Seoul. The protesters raised banner to
criticize Trump as bringing war to Korean Peninsula. Moon has overwhelmingly
been upholding peaceful resolve of North Korean issue, backed by the opinion of
those people. It was not easy for Moon to stand shoulder to shoulder by Trump
in front of fundamental suspicion on US handling of the issue.
Public opinion cast shadow on hospitality
for US President. Abe invited the family of abductees by North Korea in the
meeting with Trump in Tokyo. Moon invited a former comfort woman to the state
dinner for Trump. Urged by anti-Japan opinion of South Korean people, Moon
reminded Trump of Japan’s brutality on wartime sex slave.
On the dish was prawn caught in Takeshima
Island, which Japan claimed its ownership against administration of ROK.
“Moving that cause negative impact on the trilateral cooperation of Japan, US and
South Korea needs to be avoided,” said Japanese Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide
Suga with frustration. Trump did not show any leadership to connect Japan and South
Korea in his visit to both countries.
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