Japan-South Korea Joint Declaration of 1998

The Japan-South Korea Joint Declaration of 1998, formally titled A New Japan-Republic of Korea Partnership towards the Twenty-First Century, was signed on October 8, 1998, by Japanese Prime Minister Keizo Obuchi and South Korean President Kim Dae-jung. In it, Obuchi expressed remorse for the suffering Japan caused during its colonial rule of Korea, and the two governments set out a framework for cooperation covering cultural and youth exchange, the joint hosting of the 2002 FIFA World Cup, economic assistance and trade, longstanding fisheries disputes, security concerns over North Korea's weapons programs, and environmental cooperation. It was signed shortly after Kim took office in February 1998, when relations between the two countries were strained by territorial, historical and resource disputes.