South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol has pushed to mend ties with Japan since taking office, saying the neighboring country “has transformed from a militaristic aggressor of the past into a partner that shares the same universal values with us.”

Yoon’s appeal, made during a speech celebrating Korean independence from its former colonizer on March 1, drew immediate condemnation from the opposition Democratic Party (DP). Assembly floor leader Park Hong-keun likened the president to a traitor working for Tokyo’s interests.

The president’s People Power Party has deflected accusations of being too soft on Tokyo