Korean Job Discussion Forums

[bluelake]

http://edition.cnn.com/2010/WORLD/asiapcf/02/11/japan.korea.apology/index.html

[Smee]

How's the Korean-language media taking it?

In the US apologizing for an "incident" is a sort of non-apology.

[Old Gil]

Isn't this about the 3000th apology Japan has made? Maybe Korea has apology fatigue.

[Sadebugo1]

[BoholDiver]

I wonder if this one isn't 'sincere' either.

My thinking is Korea wants Japan to 'apologize' with their pocketbook again.

[Old Gil]

Are they waiting for tears? Screaming? An impromptu paper cup soju session at 10am? Guttural expulsions over certain consonant sounds to indicate emphasis?

Japan obviously doesn't understand, which is unfortunate because they MUST.

[anjinsan]

Yes, Japan has apologized several times, including the 1965
apology where Japan provided $300 million in grants, $200 million in soft loans-loans extended at no or low interest, and $300 million in commercial loans, as well as personal compensation for 8500 families of Koreans conscripted (not the ones who willingly volunteered for combat) into the J. army in WWII who were killed in action. Park Chung Hee sought this cash in order to build Korea up at the time; and, this is exactly what happened.

In 2005, S. Korea decided it wanted more compensation and more apologies, reasoning that the 1965 apology/payment wasn't "sincere" enough.

Honestly, I don't think S. Korea wants to let go of this. Who would they have to hate (besides the US)? Who would they have to blame for all their problems (besides the US)?
What would happen to all those South Korean (not North Korean mind you) anti-Japanese "heros" like Kim Gu, Yu Kwan Sun, and Yi Soon Shin?

Being victims of this very inaccurate idea of Japanese colonialism
(ex. the Japanese cut down all of Korea's trees, Japan killed all of Korea's tigers, Japan was responsible for Korean illiteracy post liberation,
Japan spelled Korea with a "K," Japan caused the collapse of the Chosun dynasty, etc.) is what makes S. Korea South Korea. It seems that the measure of a good Korean citizen is the extent to which he or she hates Japan. Being the victim of this idea of Japanese colonialism
is a very large part of the modern Korean identity--North and South.

What would Korea do if it no longer had Japan to hate?

[redaxe]

[shinramyun]

Like Irish hating on brits?

[nautilus]

Theres a strong motivational force to hate. Korea used it to build nationalism and economic competitiveness. It was a useful thing to them.

However forgiveness is a much stronger and more positive force. They will need that to advance to the next level.

[Sadebugo1]

[0ju]

I think it's the way Japan phrases its apologies... they will acknowledge that a tragedy occured, but they never actually come out and say "We're sorry that we [Mod Edit]."

Besides, it's been less than a century since the Japanese were kicked out of Korea. Give it some time for the memory to fade.

[oskinny1]

[Moldy Rutabaga]

[edit]

[tomato]

A few years ago, the social studies textbooks in Japan were revised.
The Koreans were angry because those textbooks justified the colonization of Korea.
Stores in neighborhoods with a high Japanese population put up signs saying "No Japanese allowed."

I wonder if the textbooks have been revised since then.