ABSTRACT
The relationship between South Korea and Japan is a puzzling case in the post-Cold War era, in that the two countries have many reasons to cooperate more, but still engage in conflicts related to historical controversies. During the Cold War they had been what Victor Cha called virtual allies, despite their persistent historical antagonism. 1 After the Cold War ended, given the democratic system and market economy that they had in common in the face of a rising China, they had plenty of reasons to deepen their collaboration. However, to ordinary observers of the bilateral relationship, the continuing conflicts between the two countries with regard to history-related issues are particularly visible. To many, increasing instances of cooperation between them are often overlooked, neglected or even taken for granted.
