존 케리 미국 국무장관은 "미국과 일본은 모두 한국과 관련해서 아직 끝내지 못한 일(still some unfinished business)이 있음을 잘 알고 있다"고 밝혔다.

케리 장관은 14일(현지시간) 워싱턴DC 윌러드 호텔에서 제50회 미•일 기업컨퍼런스 만찬에 참석한 자리에서 이같이 밝히고 "또 과거에 발목잡히지 말고 미래로 나아갈 필요성이 있음도 잘 알고 있다"고 말했다.

미국 국무장관이 과거사 문제와 관련해 한•일간에 '미완의 과제'가 있다는 점을 공개적으로 언급하고 미래지향적 관점에서 해결이 필요하다는 점을 강조한 것은 매우 이례적이다.

케리 장관은 이어 "우리는 북한이 매우 특별한 도전을 주고 있음을 알고 있고 이런 맥락에서 중국과의 협력이 긴요하다는 것을 잘 안다"며 "중국은 북한의 선택에 가장 큰 영향을 줄 수 있는 능력을 갖고 있기 때문"이라고 말했다.

그는 이어 "중국과 이 문제에 대해 매우 직접적으로 대화하고 있으며 정책은 계 속 움직이고 있다"며 "나는 한반도의 비핵화가 동북아 역내 전체의 비핵화를 이룰 수 있는 궁극적으로 유일한 길이라고 생각한다"고 덧붙였다.

그는 "이 같은 도전과제들은 결코 작지 않으며 미국과 일본은 이런 과제들을 해 결해야할 세대적 책임을 지고 있다"며 "새로운 국제경제 환경과 당면한 도전과제들을 풀기 위한 동맹의 역할을 고려해볼 때 미일관계는 훨씬 더 중요해지고 있으며 누구도 미일동맹의 강건함에 의문을 제기할 수 없다"고 강조했다.

그는 "우리는 아베 신조 일본 총리가 일본과 미일동맹을 강하게 만드는 이니셔티브와 동북아 역내에서 더욱 활기차고 더욱 적극적 역할을 수행하는데 대해 매우 즐겁게 생각한다"고 강조했다.

<관련 영문 기사>

Kerry says Japan has 'unfinished business' with Korea

U.S. officials tend to avoid making public comments on history and territorial disputes between South Korea and Japan -- two of Washington's key regional allies.

But Secretary of State John Kerry appears to be breaking the taboo.

Speaking to a group of Japanese and U.S. business leaders this week, he said Japan has "some unfinished business" regarding South Korea.

"We're all very cognizant of still some unfinished business with respect to the Republic of Korea and the need to move to the future and not be held by the past," he said Thursday night, addressing the 50th U.S.-Japan Business Conference in Washington, according to a transcript released by his department. The Republic of Korea is South Korea's official name.

He was apparently referring to longstanding stand-offs between Seoul and Tokyo over their shared history. Koreans believe Japan has yet to fully atone for its wartime atrocities, especially during the 1910-45 colonization of the peninsula.

Relations between the neighboring countries have been further strained in recent months as Japan's Abe administration is pushing to expand the nation's military activities.

The tensions between Seoul and Tokyo have taken a toll on Washington's efforts to bolster trilateral cooperation in dealing with North Korea and other regional security issues.

Kerry said Pyongyang presents a "very special challenge" to the international community, adding that cooperation with China is critical in addressing the problem.

"China above all has the ability to make the greatest difference in the choices that North Korea makes. And we have been having that dialogue very directly, and that policy is moving," he said. "And I believe it is the only way ultimately to -- the only way that we want to rationally accept -- to force the denuclearization of the peninsula, which is critical to the non-nuclearization of the entire region."

Earlier this week, the secretary also talked openly, albeit rather ambiguously, about the importance of Seoul-Tokyo reconciliation.

He said Caroline Kennedy, daughter of assassinated President John F. Kennedy, is taking up her new post as the U.S. ambassador to Japan at a critical time when there are many huge issues in play, including Washington's rebalance toward Asia and global economic competition.

Speaking at a reception at the Japanese ambassador's residence here, he also cited "the efforts to deal with North Korea, to try to reconcile even more so with the Republic of Korea, the challenges of the South China Sea, the challenges of climate change and of communications."

Victor Cha, a professor at Georgetown University who attended the reception, said he was surprised by such unusual public remarks by a top U.S. official on the matter of relations between Tokyo and Seoul. (Yonhap News)