ACTS ABOUT KOREA-JAPAN RELATIONS
December 31, 1959
Prepared by Ministry of Foreign Affairs
SUMMARY
1. At the first Korea-Japan talks, convened on October 20, 1951, the Japanese side employed various tactics of delay in belief its position would be stronger after the Peace Treaty had come into force.
2. In dealing with the problem of Koreans who had been forcibly taken to Japan before August 15, 1945, the Japanese closed their eyes to the historical background.
3. In the fall of 1951, the Korean side proposed early conclusion of a fishery agreement, for which Japan undertook obligation under the Peace Treaty, but the Japanese declined to negotiate. As the MacArthur Line was to be lifted at that time, the Republic of Korea was compelled to proclaim the Peace Line.
4. The purpose of the Peace Line is multiple. It is designed to conserve fishery resources, to prevent friction between Korea and Japan, and to prevent the Communists from infiltrating into the Republic of Korea, as the Clark Line also was intended to do.
5. When the question of return of vessels was discussed at the first Korea-Japan talks in 1951, the Japanese side evaded its obligations as directed by SCAP, presenting an unsupported " donation of vessels" theory.
6. In 1952, the Japanese side asserted claim to former Japanese-held properties in Korea. Although without basis of legality, this claim was designed to counter legitimate Korean claims against Japan.
7. Early in 1953, the Japanese Prime Minister agreed with President Syngman Rhee to settle issues between the two countries as soon as possible. This turned out to be an empty pledge.
8. At the third Korea-Japan Conference in 1953, the Japanese Delegation went so far as to question the legality of the independence of the Republic of Korea. Japanese Chief Delegate Kubota made insulting remarks insulting to the Republic of Korea.
9. As soon as Japan regained its sovereignty in April, 1952, the Japanese Government redoubled its discriminatory measures against Korean residents in Japan and tried to deport as many Koreans as possible. In 1955, Japan transported some residents to Pusan, though the Korean Government sent them back to Japan.
10. In 1955, the Chief of the Korean Mission in Japan agreed with Japanese Minister of Justice on mutual release of detainees, but the accord could not be implemented because the Japanese Foreign Ministry voiced an objection thereto. In 1956, the Chief of the same Mission agreed with the Japanese Foreign Minister on the same subject, but the agreement became abortive because the Japanese Ministry of Justice opposed its implementation.
11. The Korean Government completely fulfilled obligations undertaken in the agreement of December 31, 1957, for release of Japanese detainees in Pusan. The Japanese Government failed to reciprocate by repatriating Korean detainees at Omura, to Korea.
12. According to the Agreed Minutes of December 31, 1957, the Japanese Government ※can not unilaterally dispose of the problem of Korean residents in Japan. But it did so by carrying out deportation of Koreans to the Communist north.
13. After the fourth Korea-Japan talks were resumed on August 12, 1959, the Japanese side agreed to place on the agenda "the problem of those who neither wish to remain in Japan nor wish to repatriate to the Republic of Korea " for discussion at the overall talks. Despite this understanding, it carried out the deportation of Koreans in Japan to the Communist north on December 14, 1959. Japan also rejected the Korean proposal for taking the case to the International Court of Justice.
14. At the fourth Korea-Japan talks in 1958, the Japanese side handed to the Korean side a list of 489 Korean art objects. Later, the Japanese claimed that the list was not for return but for reference by the Korean side.
15. According to the Japanese argument in 1958, the SCAP instructions for return of Korean vessels are not binding upon Japan.
16. When the Japanese side made a proposal for a fishery agreement in 1959, it gave this wide publicity but did not reveal the proposed terms. The Japanese move was not intended to solve the problem but to give the appearance of Korean rejection of an accord.
17. In December, 1956, the Korean Mission in Japan was assured by officials of the Japanese Government that no Korean would be sent to the northern part of Korea. According to the Japanese theory, however, the deportation of Koreans is beyond control of the Japanese Government because the Koreans left Japan of their own "free will."
18. Japanese Prime Minister Kishi wrote President Rhee in 1958 that he would guide his Government toward quick and sincere settlement of Korea-Japan problems. This promise has not been kept.