ID :
200995
Sat, 08/13/2011 - 04:30
Auther :
Shortlink :
http://m.oananews.org//node/200995
The shortlink copeid
Korea-Japan relations
Korea Times
(Yonhap) - Korea-Japan relations have hit a nadir at both government and private levels. Noticeable is the worsening of ties since the powerful earthquake and tsunami hit the neighboring country this year.
A group of ultra-right Japanese politicians exploited the Dokdo issue for political gain. Their attempt to visit Ulleung Island was a political show to grab the attention of domestic voters through extensive media attention. It is a hackneyed tactic for politicians and leaders to exploit external issues to hide internal weakness.
Their cacophonous claims to Dokdo are not to weaken its claims to other islands in dispute with China and Russia. Tokyo wrongly feels the temptation to make Dokdo a disputed territory by taking the issue to the international court. These ultra-rightists seem to have concluded that triggering a feud with Korea is the only way to prolong their political life.
Their idiotic inflammation of the Korean psyche has spread to the private level. A group of ultra-rightists waged an anti-hallyu campaign, and spread rumors that the Fuji TV station runs Korean culture programs extensively because the broadcaster is under the control of a Korean businessman. Their protests reflect their inferiority complex to Korean culture.
Adding fuel to the fire is video footage showing a female Korean martial artist beaten up by three Japanese comedians on a TV program. These comedians, wearing helmets and other protective equipment, turned a staged fight into a real match. The martial artist, who was not using safety gear, suffered injuries.
The raw feelings are mutual. Young Korean Internet warriors vow to wage large-scale cyber attacks on Japanese anti-Korea websites. Predictably, the Japanese threatened counterattacks. The Korea Tobacco Retailers Association is exploiting the simmering bilateral sentiment for a marketing promotion. It says it will initiate a drive to boycott Mild Seven and other Japanese cigarette brands.
The United States is caught between the simmering Seoul-Tokyo tensions. Washington officially sided with Japan in its drive to officially refer to the sea between the Korean Peninsula and Japan as the Sea of Japan. It ignored Seoul's call to co-name the sea as the East Sea and the Sea of Japan. Angry South Korean netizens question whether the United States is still a staunch ally of Korea.
In view of Korea's suffering under Japanese colonial rule and aggression, it is hard for Koreans to digest the latest round of Japan's rhetorical offensives. They must ponder whether they are venting their internal frustration against the wrong target. Koreans cannot remain silent to their irritating behavior.
This nasty tit-for-tat should not reflect the sentiment of the majority of people in the two countries.
The two countries had lived peacefully for most of their more than 1,000 years of history, aside from almost 50 years of Japanese annexation of Korea and invasion during the Joseon Dynasty. Leaders need to adopt an innovative, out-of-the-box approach to promoting peace and prosperity between the neighboring nations.
(Yonhap) - Korea-Japan relations have hit a nadir at both government and private levels. Noticeable is the worsening of ties since the powerful earthquake and tsunami hit the neighboring country this year.
A group of ultra-right Japanese politicians exploited the Dokdo issue for political gain. Their attempt to visit Ulleung Island was a political show to grab the attention of domestic voters through extensive media attention. It is a hackneyed tactic for politicians and leaders to exploit external issues to hide internal weakness.
Their cacophonous claims to Dokdo are not to weaken its claims to other islands in dispute with China and Russia. Tokyo wrongly feels the temptation to make Dokdo a disputed territory by taking the issue to the international court. These ultra-rightists seem to have concluded that triggering a feud with Korea is the only way to prolong their political life.
Their idiotic inflammation of the Korean psyche has spread to the private level. A group of ultra-rightists waged an anti-hallyu campaign, and spread rumors that the Fuji TV station runs Korean culture programs extensively because the broadcaster is under the control of a Korean businessman. Their protests reflect their inferiority complex to Korean culture.
Adding fuel to the fire is video footage showing a female Korean martial artist beaten up by three Japanese comedians on a TV program. These comedians, wearing helmets and other protective equipment, turned a staged fight into a real match. The martial artist, who was not using safety gear, suffered injuries.
The raw feelings are mutual. Young Korean Internet warriors vow to wage large-scale cyber attacks on Japanese anti-Korea websites. Predictably, the Japanese threatened counterattacks. The Korea Tobacco Retailers Association is exploiting the simmering bilateral sentiment for a marketing promotion. It says it will initiate a drive to boycott Mild Seven and other Japanese cigarette brands.
The United States is caught between the simmering Seoul-Tokyo tensions. Washington officially sided with Japan in its drive to officially refer to the sea between the Korean Peninsula and Japan as the Sea of Japan. It ignored Seoul's call to co-name the sea as the East Sea and the Sea of Japan. Angry South Korean netizens question whether the United States is still a staunch ally of Korea.
In view of Korea's suffering under Japanese colonial rule and aggression, it is hard for Koreans to digest the latest round of Japan's rhetorical offensives. They must ponder whether they are venting their internal frustration against the wrong target. Koreans cannot remain silent to their irritating behavior.
This nasty tit-for-tat should not reflect the sentiment of the majority of people in the two countries.
The two countries had lived peacefully for most of their more than 1,000 years of history, aside from almost 50 years of Japanese annexation of Korea and invasion during the Joseon Dynasty. Leaders need to adopt an innovative, out-of-the-box approach to promoting peace and prosperity between the neighboring nations.
