State speaks in washington dc. His on japan self is 90 minutes. [inaudible] good afternoon welcome to the station construction should be stopping soon so hopefully its not too disruptive. We are discussing the japan south korean trade dispute. Its obviously a very difficult issue. Its critically important to the United States as allies. There are all democracies and his friends. It includes ramifications moving forward. I forward because the current dispute is due in part that events taking place from years decades or centuries rather than dwelling on those we want to identify entity three countries including to move forward. None dispute as part of a research of a few years and anytime insult to those individuals working at that each time i think all of us now see the time is very different. In the past the economic and security realm indeed they were moderating and that eventually led to a resolution or at least sort of added to the spotlight but now is broken the laws into both security rounds and it seems to have that the path continues in that direction. Often, the journalism in both countries have often thought that support one ally over the other and is not happening. Officials have always had really had stern messages and will see how they come down on that issue today. We really have an Stellar Group of camel animals. What many of you will think is a surprise guest. Mark never will be giving opening remarks. Mark never with his appearance and is on our website yet. A member of the Foreign Service of. Secretary japan. I first met mark when he was in tokyo and neither one of us would want to admit to it any of numbers is not to say that he cant keep a job that his expertise on so many areas have been recognized. He has served multiple positions in tokyo acting director for Indian Affairs he was a deputy chief of mission. He is twice worked in north korea and to the spent fuel team and then the advance team for the secretary of state all right. Is been a recipient of a number of awards distinguished Service Award that is the highest of manic water. Graduate of university of tokyo, the intensive Japanese Program mark when i was at the National War College in the day of athletics not that im still bitter but if that wasnt enough to be envious excuse me korean japanese we are very honored to have now providing opening remarks. Mark please. [applause] thanks very much bruce that is a very warm introduction. It reminds me and i sure wish that my parents were here to hear that. Thank you. It really is an honor to be here the final nature of my being able to be here today. Truly great to be here so many people who are admitted to building stronger ties with our three countries. Thank you all for your interest in subject thank you all particular time. They are here to discuss and come up with some good ideas on how the relationship but osama all of us moving forward. Japanese and south korea trade disputes moving forward. Got a lot of economic and security challenges. I like to spend just briefly on my time what we consider to be the key drivers for the past six decades of japanese and south korea. Friendships with japan and north korea. The bottom line for us is thanks to these strong relationships are three countries have been come together throughout the specific region or it is been a wonderful benefit to all three countries. Our relationships have allowed us to have taken on the most pressing challenges whether it was challenge of the soviet union and cold war, the threats by north Korea Nuclear programs or the challenges by other nations of the region. Economic order and impose their will. Today her Close Relationships with japan while regionally security alliances are vastly different senses. They stand the full range of human endeavor. Cooperation on regional issues. We believe, that in spite of these that we are wellpositioned for the future we can do this together. There are challenges faced upon us and our interests. Weller security, still remain a cornerstone relationships of these two countries and rt of course to regional security. No way to limit the state of our relationship. These three countries share bonds and values whether its our Community Commitment to human rights, religion whether its hard rule of law, free and open markets, high standards for the free commerce and trade, establishments of an inclusive architecture rebuilt global investments. When it comes to our trade investment relationship, our economy are intertwined and it is uncommon in the world. The United States largest Trading Investment partners and we seek always and even further to have strong ties with these countries. In japan we hope to expand our relationship even further, free trade, in north korea we will continue our efforts that are original free trade agreement. Beyond these investment agreements, we have similar vision for growth prosperity in the pacific region. The market oriented guided by a commitment to the good of our countries. In japan, we have cooperated now for over a year in President Trump strategy. We have shared efforts of our common vision and free and open these efforts with japan include developing energy markets, necessary infrastructure and promoting specific and free and open internet. Similarly with south korea, moon lane has its own specific strategy. And they overlap with our own country. In our strategies we believe this will enable us global health, energy, outerspace expiration, or Natural Resource management. And beyond security investments, we are working both with different a number of regional and global challenges. We were together to combat piracy, and extremism. We Work Together to solve the weapons of mass destruction. We were together to help human rights, to contribute to promote development around the world and significantly, it is no longer just bilateral. Our cooperation now is increasingly trilateral. With the threat in the north Korean Nuclear missiles. With impairments or whether its promoting Developmental Systems of the world. So this brings us to the subject between japan and korea. As an ally, those countries, more than ever, we ensure that there are strong and Close Relationships tweening among the three countries. This is particularly necessary at this time and the challenges by north korea and china. Joint patrol by russia direct allies two or three countries an attempt to take advantage of south korea relations. We must not let these challenges to build a further wedge between us. When that bilateral ties worsen their are areas to improve these relationships. Without political decisions that have damaged bilateral trust and by the same token we believe it is prudent to prevent tensions from contaminating economic and south korea ties. The most confident words from National Leaders the similar response from the nations. We hope and we believe the japan and with United States will continue on this issue instead of the dialup between our two allies. We are all strong when the United States japan and the republic of korea or together in friendship. Much remains to work on that we are confident we will get through this difficult period achieving our shared values and objectives. In the prosperity of our three countries. Thank you very much. [applause] [inaudible conversation] is often been said that analysts need no introduction in the six we have today are really know that to be the case and if you dont know who these people are you really havent been on the issue very long. We have great accomplishments and their credentials for a really long time. Scott is a senior fellow for the senior studies and program on policy. Authors of numerous books, the crossroads, coauthor in south korea dizzy class. One of his oldest books and when i still work on negotiating behavior negotiating on the edge north korea. Prior to cfr mr. Siefert was at the Asia Foundation and are the csis. Our next analyst is a senior fellow and codirector the Station Program and director of the simpson center. Before that she worked out strategic and International Studies and also special assistant to Political Affairs in washington. Numerous publications in the most recent between deterrence and disarmament. In northeast asia. She is the recipient of the incident report and deliver of national japan. Riley walters in Asia Technology economy. He specializes in northeast asian macroeconomic issues as well as foreign investment. Virtual technologies and cybersecurity. He lived in japan and tokyo while attending sophia university. He holds masters in economics from George Mason University and is fluent in japan. Will thank you bruce, its always been in such an order but sometimes i wonder if it note he knows better than to get into issues of south korea and japan issues. As on to say that i endorse and agree with what mark had to say in the way i would characterize it is is by our japanese and allies. I feel like i am a bit of a disadvantage today because i am supposed to describe the south korean view on a panel that is focused on is on the economy. And i am more in the political and security dimensions. Of our us asia relations. I apologize if i cant stay completely in my lane. What i wanted to do is to the response and south koreas removal from japans white list. I think that the structure of my presentation is going to be kind of like watching a video of someone peeling an onion backwards. Whats at stake in south korea in relationships well south korea and japan are significant partners of each other. Over 1000 people are like to be south korea bought 70 percent of chemicals almost 900,000 people. South koreas boycotts objective consumer good sales and decline to japan last year seven and half million south korean visitors. We know that Samsung Electronics and just this is beyond the other issues that are affecting the blackmarket and the economic indicators. In asia from the us china in the state of economics technician. What was the south korean response. Will i would describe the response is one of warm and dictation. I think south korean, they not only consider criticism of export control but they perceive japan was making false accusations on the international credibility. They felt japan was trying to create and retaliate against south korea. South korean sputum japan announcement as a threat aimed at imposing soften the economy and interfering with the district ruling the victims labor were owed compensation. Now these three main policy responses, through which south korea has pursued that since that announcement. The first was campaign to spotlight japans on wto procedures. Including a presentation geneva. Their argument the japans weve seen South Koreans. Out job but japanese components of been revealed to upon north in a panel of experts reports and challenging the idea that has been the source of leaks of Technology North korea and japan has responded with its own response to south koreas efforts to discredit japans claims. The second i think line of response by south korea has been an effort to draw the us into the disputes. To turnaround japans spread of history dispute to the economic sphere. I dont know that effort has been terribly successful. Us is Still Standing aside from getting involved as a mediator. I would say the third line of response in south korea in some ways this is the most interesting and attention grabbing. Its really been the unleashing of korean nationalist outrage against japan through boycotts of japanese products. I think that this is taken two forms, one were negative in my view and the other more positive. The negative aspect is it includes the social Media Campaign from the blue house and and insist that south korea will never be defeated bys japan. The doubling down on the idea of an a piece economy. The two koreas together to counter against russia to secure economic security. In the korean media weve seen, but of a critical review of japans attributions to south koreas early economic developments. In the forum of an examination of japans involvements in building this soul subway and its involvement in helping south koreas fuel industry start. The good side, i think of south koreas efforts to harness National Spirit on this issue, arises from the channeling of some of that outrage into a focus on a renewed competitiveness. Innovation. In some ways, this could even be an opportunity to effectively address south korean economic stick stagnation. I know that south korean government has announced that it invests example he and dollars in r d in order to cut dependency on japanese imports. But on balance, i would say that these responses have been problem. I think that south korea is illequipped to win an international against japan on the economic merits alone and i am skeptical that the reports in the south korean media about a campaign to damage the success of the Tokyo Olympics would be successful. I worry when i see the politicization of the relationship with japan and south korean domestic politics. Here is where i have to dig a little bit deeper and go a little bit beyond the my lane. I think we also have taken into account i actually think that president moon started a good track in his relations with japan by underscoring a two track policy. Focus on separating future from the past. And the question is how did things go wrong. I would say that the administration kind of putting itself in a box on policy toward japan in part because of the dismantling of non foundation which was part of the park there convert on agreement and in part delayed Supreme Courts decision. And growing distrust of men. Ironically, smith finds himself in the same kind of box that she found herself in when she started off. In her term. Putting the women issue in front of Everything Else in south korea japan relations. Now we are in a situation where actually the dispute with japan is helped moons public Approval Ratings when it comes to at the cost of fanning national responses. By encouraging the elevation of domestic politics over the bilateral relationship on the both sides. And heres where im a little bit critical of the Moon Administration for not taking the Political Leadership to protect the relationship from japan and political dust mastic spillover. Instead, i think the Moon Administration has hid behind the idea that is radically resetting and curtailing the role of the executive by not interfering with the judiciarys role. But the executive and the special responsibility to advance National Interest not only for domestic policy but also through smart policy. This includes upholding international agreements, including the japan south korean normalization treaty. While hearing to liberal democratic and separation of government powers. The Moon Administrations approach has yet to realize and optimal balance between domestic and Foreign Affairs. And what id like to see is a reinforcement of legitimacy of court ruling and an affirmation of the conclusion that there claim to compensation for forced labor by saying the south korean government start by honoring the ruling pain compensation domestically while at the same time trying to pursue a dialogue with japan on that issue. I think this is a better course of action than the unilateral further titfortat or continuing domestic politics over interNational Interest. It also assumes, that there would be a willing partner. With him to have a discussion. I want to conclude, with the kind of fundamental reason why i think that relations with japan is bad for the Moon Administration and is really related to the fact that south Korean Foreign policy has been most successful especially under progressive administrations focused on north korea with south korea has had positive relations with all of the four major powers. I think that the highlight of that in our recent experience is actually begin to chew administration in 1999. Who successfully built on positive relationships with the four major powers around korea in order to achieve a historic opening. With north korea. Of course one of the prerequisites, that undergirded that approach was that there was a successful meeting and an agreement within japanese Prime Minister and they signed the 1998 japan south Korea Friendship agreement. So aside from the question whether current leaders are able to live up to the high bar set by their predecessors, it raises the question of whether the policies towards north korea can succeed in the absence of a Good Relationship with japan. What i worry about is the downturn in japan korea and deny moons ability to mobilize a needed leverage for better relations with beja and tokyo. And south koreas problematic relationship with japan will increasingly become a drag on the us south korea lines as well. On the current path, moon will be constrained in south korea will be frustrated because south korea will have los control than it should on critical Security Issues that are directly consequential to south koreas