Korean Job Discussion Forums

mithridates · Posted: Sat Feb 26, 2005 6:43 pm Post subject:

About 90km, I think? Here's an overall map of the two. The big problem with determining ownership is that Dokdo/takeshima doesn't belong to either side geographically. Dokdo and Ulleung-do aren't part of the same geographic...strata? Nor is it connected to the protrusion that makes Japan.

shakuhachi · Joined: 08 Feb 2003 Location: Sydney

Gunshake · Joined: 01 Feb 2005

Derrek · Joined: 15 Jan 2003

I was on the subway Friday night, and some students handed me a paper about all of this. My girlfriend interpreted it for me.

Guri Guy · Joined: 07 Sep 2003 Location: Bamboo Island

Judge for yourself. Here are the two dictionary definitions.

an��nex ( P ) Pronunciation Key (-nks, nks)
tr.v. an��nexed, an��nex��ing, an��nex��es
To append or attach, especially to a larger or more significant thing.
To incorporate (territory) into an existing political unit such as a country, state, county, or city.
To add or attach, as an attribute, condition, or consequence.

in��va��sion ( P ) Pronunciation Key (n-vzhn)
n.
The act of invading, especially the entrance of an armed force into a territory to conquer.
A large-scale onset of something injurious or harmful, such as a disease.
An intrusion or encroachment.

T-Bone · Joined: 19 Jan 2005 Location: Yongin

chronicpride · Joined: 16 Jan 2003

Gunshake, all due respect, I don't think Shakuhachi's intention with that link was to talk about under which intentions and actions that Japan entered Korea, and which is the appropriate term that we should be using of their entry, in hindsight. At the heart of the thread was about the discussion and photo references to what Korea's living conditions were like at the time, and what Japan contributed to the country's infrastructure.

This whole issue causes me to remember a scene from the Life of Brian, where Jewish anti-Roman Commandos where trying to underscore their cause of removing Roman occupation of their lands, with the question 'what have the Romans ever done for us?', and then their cause would keep getting side-tracked by people bringing up the positive influences that the Romans brought.

REG:
They've bled us white, the bastards. They've taken everything we had, and not just from us, from our fathers, and from our fathers' fathers.
LORETTA:
And from our fathers' fathers' fathers.
REG:
Yeah.
LORETTA:
And from our fathers' fathers' fathers' fathers.
REG:
Yeah. All right, Stan. Don't labour the point. And what have they ever given us in return?!
XERXES:
Uhh..the aqueduct?
REG:
What?
XERXES:
The aqueduct.
REG:
Oh. Yeah, yeah. They did give us that. Uh, that's true. Yeah.
COMMANDO #3:
And the sanitation.
LORETTA:
Oh, yeah, the sanitation, Reg. Remember what the city used to be like?
REG:
Yeah. All right. I'll grant you the aqueduct and the sanitation are two things that the Romans have done.
MATTHIAS:
And the roads.
REG:
Well, yeah. Obviously the roads. I mean, the roads go without saying, don't they? But apart from the sanitation, the aqueduct, and the roads--
COMMANDO:
Irrigation.
XERXES:
Medicine.
COMMANDOS:
Huh? Heh? Huh...
COMMANDO #2:
Education.
COMMANDOS:
Ohh...
REG:
Yeah, yeah. All right. Fair enough.
COMMANDO #1:
And the wine.
COMMANDOS:
Oh, yes. Yeah...
FRANCIS:
Yeah. Yeah, that's something we'd really miss, Reg, if the Romans left. Huh.
COMMANDO:
Public baths.
LORETTA:
And it's safe to walk in the streets at night now, Reg.
FRANCIS:
Yeah, they certainly know how to keep order. Let's face it. They're the only ones who could in a place like this.
COMMANDOS:
Hehh, heh. Heh heh heh heh heh heh heh.
REG:
All right, but apart from the sanitation, the medicine, education, wine, public order, irrigation, roads, a fresh water system, and public health, what have the Romans ever done for us?

shakuhachi · Joined: 08 Feb 2003 Location: Sydney

Gunshake · Joined: 01 Feb 2005

chronicpride · Joined: 16 Jan 2003

Actually I don't really have a dog in this fight. I just wanted to steer you closer to what Shakuhachi's original point was, and see if you guys can entertain a debate on the core issue that he previously laid out.

My movie reference was not intended to be taken verbatim and literally. The overall concept of what I posted, if you step back and look at it as a whole, reflects on what we are seeing in this thread and offline as well, when Koreans often fail to note the positive influences that Japan left behind, despite the tragic elements of that period of history.

Gunshake · Joined: 01 Feb 2005

Corporal · Joined: 25 Jan 2003

Gunshake · Joined: 01 Feb 2005

[quote="shakuhachi"]

chronicpride · Joined: 16 Jan 2003

Gunshake, for what it's worth, I don't feel that the big brush that you just tarred us with, caters to my and some others situations.

There are many of us here that absolutely love all things Korean. But, some of us also enjoy a tactful debate about the troubled history of Korea. Some of us have difficulty phrasing things appropriately when discussing this sensitive issue, but please bear in mind that there are not many Koreans on here that those people need to be mindful of. This is why I strongly feel that your thoughts and perspectives are very much welcomed, and in my opinion, very much needed on a board such as this.

For the most part, we are looking at Korean life and history from an objective viewpoint. We have no historical or personal attachments to your past. And, I feel that I can speak for almost everyone here, that we 110%, fully, completely understand that discussion topics such as this, are a thorny and sensitive issue for you and Koreans. Which underscores my effort to be tactful in choosing my words and expressing my thoughts.

However, please don't fault us for looking at an issue such as this, objectively. Many of us are keen on learning about Korea. Many of us have studied Korean History and East Asian Studies at Korean universities. Many of us love this country so much that we have no plans to ever move back to the west.

I, for one, find your presence here to be very refreshing and beneficial, and would love to hear your feedback on the discussion points regarding Japanese occupation and if you feel that there may have been some positive influences left behind by them, despite the sensitive place it has in Koreans minds.

I apologize if you feel cornered and this is why you are coming off a little confrontational, but we are at a point of establishing an academic debate on an issue, which Korean professors of history and regional studies are quite at ease in engaging in. In fact, they are often the ones who bring it up and set the table with, for informed discussion with foreign students.