Korean Job Discussion Forums

[traxxe]

So I brought up Dokdo in a new way.

Before I move to the topic of the islands and the dispute. I talk to the class about starvation and if people should be allowed to go hungry or is it the world's responsibility to help insure starvation doesn't occur. Usually most people agree that no one should ever go hungry.

Anyway,

Later I bring up Dokdo. I get the typical 100 percent opinion that it belongs to Korea and I get the typical reasons why it does.

I then set about establishing that the actual land of Dokdo is not important and provides nothing. I draw a little map on the board and I show a missile leaving Japan and destroying the island. I then ask (once the hissing dies down) if any of their lives have changed after Dokdo is blown to bits.

Most say no. Some will bring up that their pride will suffer. I compliment the later students.

Next I ask why Dokdo is important beyond pride. A few clever students usually point out that the natural gas potential and the fishing as obvious reasons. Some will mention the control of the East Sea.

I then ask the students if they have power, gas, and food everyday? They say yes. Then I ask if Japan has the same, they say yes again.

Now is the fun part.

I ask: Can you think of anyone nearby the region that can use the resources and the fish? Maybe a country with starving people and resource problems.

Once a student connects the dots and says North Korea. I propose giving Dokdo to North Korea. So that it can help feed its people.

I usually get a few students who complain terribly and say it belongs to South Korea. I then ask why the North can't have it? It belongs to Koreans right? Aren't the Koreans too? Shouldn't they have just as much right to Dokdo as the South. This traps them usually into admitting that North Korea has a right to Dokdo.

If they don't. I say it disproves their Korean heritage claim on the territory and thus Japan's argument is more legitimate.

The classes usually get very lively about this. I've had fun bringing it up.

[cdninkorea]

Hmmm... something I might want to try with my (adult) students... you're a creative guy/gal Traxxe.

[gypsyfish]

You don't like your students. do you?

[crusher_of_heads]

[ryouga013]

[GoldMember]

Dok Do. Ok so Dok means rice cake and Do means island. In English it's rice cake island.
However Dok Do is not actually an island, no trees, no land, no grass, no beach. It's actually a big rock.
It should actually be called Dok Rock, or Rice Cake Rock.

[Ut videam]

[anjinsan]

You raise a very good point there.
I also think Dokdo should be given to North Korea,
since the "우리" in "우리 땅" is refering to all of the members of the illustrious "Korean Race"

I'm going to go downtown and protest this right now.

[Kimchi Cha Cha]

I remember way back in 2005 when the whole place went finger-chopping wacky over the place, I used to tease my elementary students who were regurgiating '독도는 우리 땅' (Dokdo is our land) by saying '독도는 오리 똥' (Dokdo is duck shit). Had 'em in stitches I did and for a couple of minutes they forgot about their Dokdo indoctrination and had a good ole laugh like kids should.

[GoldMember]

Thanks Ut, the old Chinese Characters trick!
Mr Kim= Mr Seaweed, ah but Kim in the name and Kim as seaweed are different Chinese characters, yea but the same in Korean.
Mr Lee= Mr Teeth, ah but Lee in the name and Lee as teeth are different, Chinese characters, yea but the same in Korean.
Mr Yang= Mr Sheep yadda yadda,
Is the language Korean or Chinese?

Anyway, it's not an island it's still a rock, Solitary Rock!

[NilesQ]

Dok Do does really belong to Korea. Koreans love me when I agree with them, until I tell them why. Dok Do has long been claimed by Korea and the Empire of Japan. But as we all know Japan got its ass handed to it in WW2 by the States. Thus dissolving the "Empire" of Japan and creating the country/nation of Japan. The thing about war is that the winners get to draw the new maps. Dok Do was not included in the new map that the US made for the territory of Japan. By default it goes to Korea.

[Pyongshin Sangja]

[Atavistic]

[rsmm0224]

[Hater Depot]

So what makes foreigners who care about Dokdo so much and gather together to whine about it so different from Koreans who do the same? I'd say the foreigners are even dumber because they have no national stake in the outcome.