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Ambassador Yoon is a 62-year-old member of the city of Seoul. After graduating from the Department of Politics and Diplomacy at Hankuk University of Foreign Studies, studied abroad at the University of Wisconsin and Keio University Graduate School. He received a Juris Doctor degree from Keio University Graduate School. For about 20 years, he served as a professor at the Institute for Foreign Affairs and Security, the predecessor of the National Diplomatic Service of Korea, and was appointed Director of the National Diplomatic Service in 2013. Served until July 2017. After retiring, he became a professor at his alma mater, Hankuk University of Foreign Studies, where he taught.
The National Diplomatic Academy is a diplomatic training institution under the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Korea (equivalent to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs). The director is a public official who is treated like a vice minister. In 2015, the Center for Japanese Studies was established within the hospital. In addition to conducting research on Japan-Korea relations and foreign policy toward Japan, the center also supports the South Korean government's diplomacy with Japan by strengthening the network of Japanese research institutes and conducting public diplomatic activities related to Japan.
Ambassador Yoon joined the camp of President Yoon Seo-gyeol in the recent presidential election and participated in the policy advisory group. He was involved in the formulation of diplomatic and security pledges.
In addition to being known as an international political scientist who is proficient in Japanese and knowledgeable about Japan, he is well versed in diplomatic and security issues such as the North Korea issue. He is also one of the members of the policy delegation sent to Japan by President Yoon before his inauguration, and when he came to Japan, he met with Prime Minister Fumio Kishida and other important figures in the political and business world.
It can be said that the appointment of Yoon as ambassador to Japan reflects President Yoon's desire to improve relations between Japan and South Korea.
It is customary for South Korean ambassadors to Japan to meet with the prime minister and the foreign minister after taking office. However, Kang Chan-il, the former ambassador to South Korea, had an unusual situation in which he met with the foreign minister for the first time when he announced his resignation in June. Mr. Kang assumed the post of ambassador to Japan in January last year. Kang asked for a meeting with then-foreign minister Toshimitsu Motegi, but was unable to meet due to the worsening relations between Japan and South Korea. At that time, it was reported that the Japanese government was avoiding a meeting with Mr. Kang because the Korean media, mainly in the Korean media, did not present the solutions that the Japanese side was seeking from the Korean side over the issue of former forced laborers and comfort women. I was given a view. After that, even after Mr. Hayashi assumed the post of foreign minister in November last year, the meeting was not held at all, and it finally happened in June this year, a year and a half after taking office. However, he finally left Japan without being able to meet the Prime Minister.
His successor, Ambassador Yoon, was able to meet with the foreign minister on the 17th day of his appointment. Kyodo News reported that "Japan's attitude has softened."
When Ambassador Yoon arrived on the 16th of last month, he told reporters, “If we can cooperate with each other to solve problems, I believe that Korea and Japan can solve even the most difficult problems.”
With regard to the issue of former forced laborers, which is the biggest pending issue between Japan and South Korea, procedures for the sale (to cash) of the assets seized by the plaintiffs of Japanese companies in South Korea are progressing following a ruling by the South Korean Supreme Court. The Japanese government is ready to impose sanctions if it is cashed, which will inevitably further worsen relations between Japan and South Korea.
To solve the problem, the Yoon administration launched a “public-private council” last month, and two meetings have been held so far. The public-private council was presided over by Cho Hyung-don, First Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs (the equivalent of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs), and included scholars, former diplomats, and, at first, representatives of some former forced labor plaintiffs. However, by the 3rd, the plaintiffs announced their non-participation in the all-members council, and a dark cloud is gathering over the consensus building.
Ambassador Yoon's ability will be put to the test in the future, in a situation where there is no way to solve the problem. South Korean public broadcaster KBS, which reported that Ambassador Yoon met with Foreign Minister Lim, said, “We will use this meeting as an opportunity to meet with Japanese government officials in earnest and discuss issues such as compensation for victims of forced labor (the issue of former forced labor). , It is expected to discuss pending issues between the two countries."
2022/08/05 13:08 KST
