On August 15 and 16, 2025, South Korea marked the 80th anniversary of its liberation from Japanese colonial rule with a series of events and statements that underscored both the pain of the past and the hope for a more cooperative future in Northeast Asia. President Lee Jae Myung, who took office in June after a snap election, used the occasion to address the tangled web of history, diplomacy, and security that continues to bind—and sometimes divide—Seoul, Tokyo, and Pyongyang.
Standing before a crowd in Seoul, President Lee delivered a Liberation Day address that struck a careful balance between remembrance and pragmatism. According to The Korea Herald, he began by acknowledging the deep wounds that remain from Japan’s 35-year colonial rule over the Korean Peninsula. "Many South Koreans still bear the pain of past injustices," Lee said, adding, "We must remember the dreams of those who resisted Japanese colonial rule while holding on to hope that one day Korea and Japan could become true neighbours."
Lee’s speech, as reported by REUTERS, was both a call to face history head-on and an appeal to move forward. "It is time to squarely face the past while also wisely stepping forward into the future," he asserted. He described Japan as "our neighbour across the sea as well as an indispensable partner in our economic development," making clear that Seoul would pursue a "forward-looking" relationship with Tokyo, grounded in pragmatic diplomacy and the national interest.
Despite his reputation as a former critic of Japanese policy, Lee has shifted toward a more conciliatory approach since taking office. He has signaled support for the previous administration’s compensation plan for wartime forced labor victims—a plan that uses a South Korean government-backed fund rather than demanding direct payment from Japanese firms, a move that Tokyo has long insisted upon. This, Lee hopes, could help break the impasse that has dogged bilateral ties for decades.
Yet, the path to reconciliation remains fraught. Tensions flared anew this week after Japanese ministers visited the Yasukuni Shrine in Tokyo, a site that many Koreans see as glorifying Japan’s wartime aggression and enshrining war criminals. Seoul’s foreign ministry lodged a formal protest, declaring that such visits "glorify Japan’s war of aggression and enshrine war criminals."
In his address, Lee did not shy away from the ongoing suffering of wartime sexual slavery victims, known as "comfort women." As reported by The Korea Times, he stated, "Comfort women still live without freedom and peace of mind, even 80 years after liberation," and vowed to restore their dignity and honor. He also paid tribute to Korean independence fighters, pledging expanded compensation for their families and a renewed commitment to the preservation of historical memory. "Honouring the proud history of our struggle against imperial Japan is how we protect our community’s past, present, and future," Lee said.
Looking to the future, Lee outlined a strategy of "shuttle diplomacy" with Japan, emphasizing the importance of reciprocal visits and frequent talks. He is set to visit Tokyo on August 23 for a summit with Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba, where the two leaders will discuss a range of issues—including the U.S. tariffs imposed by President Donald Trump’s administration, which have complicated trade for both American allies.
But Lee’s diplomatic vision extends beyond Japan. He used his Liberation Day platform to lay out a broader approach to peace and reconciliation on the Korean Peninsula. In a marked departure from his predecessor Yoon Suk Yeol—who had advocated for the "liberation" of North Korea—Lee made clear that his government would not pursue reunification by absorption. "We affirm our respect for the North’s current system," Lee said, as reported by The Korea Times. "We will not pursue any form of unification by absorption and have no intention of engaging in hostile acts."
Instead, Lee pledged to restore the September 19 Comprehensive Military Agreement, an inter-Korean pact signed in 2018 that halted certain military activities along the border. The agreement had collapsed after North Korea abandoned it in late 2023, following a series of provocations that included the launch of hundreds of rubbish-filled balloons into South Korea. In June 2024, President Yoon had declared the pact fully suspended. Lee’s government has since taken steps to lower tensions, such as halting anti-North Korean leaflet launches and dismantling loudspeaker propaganda broadcasts on the border.
"In particular, to prevent accidental clashes between South and North Korea and to build military trust, we will take proactive, gradual steps to restore the September 19 Military Agreement," Lee announced, though he did not specify a timeline. He added, "I hope that North Korea will reciprocate our efforts to restore trust and revive dialogue." Earlier this month, South Korea and the U.S. delayed parts of their annual joint military exercises—long a source of friction with Pyongyang—in a further attempt to create space for diplomacy.
However, North Korea’s response has been chilly at best. According to the KCNA news agency, Kim Yo Jong, deputy director of North Korea’s propaganda department and sister to leader Kim Jong Un, flatly rejected the notion of improved relations. "We have never removed loudspeakers installed on the border area and are not willing to remove them," she said, further declaring, "We have clarified on several occasions that we have no will to improve relations with the ROK, the US faithful servant and ally, and this conclusive stand and viewpoint will be fixed in our constitution in the future."
Experts remain skeptical about the prospects for a breakthrough. Cheong Seong-chang of the Sejong Institute told REUTERS that Pyongyang is likely to "ignore or denounce" Lee’s overtures, given past breakdowns in trust. Others, like former intelligence official Yeom Don-jay, argue that only a bolder gesture—such as persuading President Trump to ease U.S. sanctions—might entice Kim Jong Un back to the negotiating table. North Korea, for its part, is said to be closely watching Lee’s upcoming summit with Trump later this month.
Lee’s Liberation Day address also turned inward, as he called for domestic political reform to overcome what he described as "divisive politics rooted in outdated ideologies and factions." He urged a new culture of dialogue and compromise, both at home and in the region.
The Korean War, which ended in 1953 with an armistice rather than a peace treaty, left the peninsula divided and its people wary of both confrontation and false hope. As the anniversary passed, Lee’s words captured the dilemma facing South Korea: how to honor the past, manage present tensions, and chart a future that is both peaceful and just. Whether his calls for reconciliation and pragmatic diplomacy will bear fruit remains to be seen, but for now, the world is watching—and waiting.
