Korean Job Discussion Forums

princess · Joined: 16 Jan 2003 Location: soul of Asia

Chopping off your fingers over something so stupid=STUPID!!!!!!!!!

VanIslander · Posted: Fri Mar 18, 2005 3:58 am Post subject:

deleted

Dispatched · Joined: 08 May 2004

On the other hand · Joined: 19 Apr 2003 Location: I walk along the avenue

Apparently, another protestor has upped the self-destruction ante:

jungeun · Joined: 10 Mar 2005 Location: US

I didn't see anyone mentioned on this so here is a little bit of historical background of cutting a finger. A finger is not a random choice of body parts when it comes to a protest against Japan.

Almost 100 years ago, when Korea was under Japanese colony, man named An Choong-Kun cut one of his ring fingers (I read once that he cut several of them) to write "Korean Independence" with his blood on a Korea flag -which was banned at that time- and sealed it with his hand print. He was a member of a resistance group against Japanese occupation. He assassinated the Japanese residential general in Harubin, China, which was a big blow to Japanese government. He was arrested and executed. He has been considered a hero in Korea ever since.

When I was a kid in Korea, Korean history textbook had a picture of the flag with his hand print, his ring finger about an inch shorter. That was a solemn picture and left a lasting impression on me as a symbol of my ancestor's determination for independence. So some of the protesters try to emulate the act of An Choong-Kun, but I doubt the effect is the same.
Most people are so grossed out by the act that the cause seems to get lost in the midst.

Any issues with Japan has alway been a hot button for Korean, I admit, they tend get too emotional. i believe the reason is that there has not been a proper closure for Korean people. The comfort women issue is still hanging (Japanese court ruling couple of years ago aginst Korean comfort women was definitely "slap in the face") and fight over Dok-Do has been coming up every several years. I don't know when Korean people will be able to bury the hatchet but, personally, it will be when Japan take responsibilites for what they did as much as Germany has.

On the other hand · Joined: 19 Apr 2003 Location: I walk along the avenue

On the other hand · Joined: 19 Apr 2003 Location: I walk along the avenue

Looks like Koreans are making some counterclaims against Japanese territory.

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=516&ncid=731&e=10&u=/ap/20050318/ap_on_re_as/disputed_islands

shakuhachi · Joined: 08 Feb 2003 Location: Sydney

eamo · Joined: 08 Mar 2003 Location: Shepherd's Bush, 1964.

Cutting off a finger achieves exactly what the protestor wants to achieve. A big media and public reaction.

Take, for example, Northern Ireland in 1981 when 10 members of the IRA and INLA starved themselves to death in protest against being held under criminal prisoners rules and not political prisoner rules.

These men had loving families and if you met them they would certainly not strike you as emotionally disturbed or stupid. They were just very determined to win their battle with the British government.

Many people in Ireland and UK saw these guys as nutty extremeists in the beginning, but as they passed away one by one (the start dates of each hunger strike were staggered so a new death would happen every couple of weeks) most people started giving them a grudging respect and then outward admiration.

People assumed there must be something in this cause because 10, young, articulate men had sacrficed their lives.

The British government gave in to virtually all their demands not long after the 10th man died.

I can understand exactly what these Dok-do demonstrators, and the long line of Korean patriots before them, are doing.

Never do it myself though!! Shocked

Hollywoodaction · Joined: 02 Jul 2004

dbee · Joined: 29 Dec 2004 Location: korea

fair point there eamo,

but of course there doesn't officially exist a state of war between Korea and Japan (at least not yet !). Even since well before the finger-cutting/self-emoluating/suicide attempts the vast majority of Koreans were 100% against the Japanese claims to Dokdo.

Since the Koreans were on-side as it were, the message must have been intended for the Japanese. As such I can't see a more unproductive way of dealing with the dispute. In this case it just makes the protesters seem crazy, and I think it lessens the ability of outsiders to actually take their cause seriously. This isn't bringing attention to the dokdo situation, I think it's deflecting attention from it, and on to the extremes that the Koreans will go to in order to demonstrate their point.

I can imagine the Japanese government just sitting back and letting the Koreans embarrase themselves internationally over this. I'd imagine too that it's got something to do with the Sea of Japan, East Sea thing. They are probably thinking that if the koreans are going to be unreasonable then they can be too.

Theres a lot of political ground to be made here by whoever it is that steps up and produces a face saving measure that is percieved as being tough on Japan. I think the Korean government are extremely adept at manipulating their population. I for one will be interested to see how this turns out ...

rapier · Joined: 16 Feb 2003

The legal ownership of territory is an intrigueing issue.

What criteria constitutes rightful ownership?
Historical military victory? First person there? Indigenous population?Its impossible to say!

rapier · Joined: 16 Feb 2003

Koreans are demanding the Japanese relinquish all claims to the fingers.

VanIslander · Posted: Sat Mar 19, 2005 4:22 am Post subject:

Sooke · Joined: 12 Jan 2004 Location: korea

If she REALLY loved Korea, she would've chopped off her thumb.