“South Korea cannot survive on its own”: SK chairman proposes a Japan–South Korea economic community, drawing mixed reactions online in South Korea

Choi Tae-won (崔泰源), chairman of South Korea's SK Group, said Japan and South Korea should deepen economic cooperation and develop their relationship beyond simple cooperation into a single economic community. He identified energy as the top priority, noting that annual fossil-fuel imports total about $300 billion and that joint purchasing and shared use of storage facilities could reduce costs by about 5–10%.

He said cooperation in energy could be expanded to nuclear power, renewable energy and hydrogen, and that joint hydrogen development should raise energy self-sufficiency and reduce dependence on foreign countries. He also said the two countries had significant potential for cooperation in the semiconductor and AI industries, proposing that South Korea's manufacturing capabilities complement Japan's strengths in materials, components and equipment.

It was also said that South Korea and Japan should pool their resources in areas requiring massive investment, such as AI, to improve investment efficiency. Although South Korea had been able to grow independently under the former WTO framework, the view was expressed that new economic options are needed as tensions between the US and China deepen.

It was argued that forming an economic community would expand the market size, with the combined GDP of South Korea and Japan said to total about $6 trillion. Choi cited the countries' declining birth rates and aging populations, low growth, and geographic and cultural proximity as reasons for prioritizing Japan as a cooperation partner, and also referred to the need to resolve issues including historical disputes.

Online reactions in South Korea were mixed. Some supported advancing cooperation with Japan, while others criticized the proposal, saying that resolving historical issues must come first.