Korean Job Discussion Forums

[Real Reality]

Japan Apologies and Reparations to Korea
"Most Japanese think, 'We've apologized 17 times and paid compensation at the government level, so how can you keep asking us to apologize?' When you look at it from the position of Koreans, you get the feeling that the measures were vague expressions Japan was compelled to use rather than genuine apologies or reflection. But that could be because there's a cultural difference between Koreans, who tend to clearly express their feelings, and the Japanese, who don't."
Article title: A Lesson From Korean-Japanese Couples
Chosun Ilbo (May 19, 2005)
http://english.chosun.com/w21data/html/news/200505/200505190013.html

Japan's Apologies and Expression of Regret
http://johtwc.at.infoseek.co.jp/ref_apo.htm

Japan-Republic of Korea Joint Declaration
A New Japan-Republic of Korea Partnership towards the Twenty-first Century
Looking back on the relations between Japan and the Republic of Korea during this century, Prime Minister Obuchi regarded in a spirit of humility the fact of history that Japan caused, during a certain period in the past, tremendous damage and suffering to the people of the Republic of Korea through its colonial rule, and expressed his deep remorse and heartfelt apology for this fact. President Kim accepted with sincerity this statement of Prime Minister Obuchi's recognition of history and expressed his appreciation for it.
October 8, 1998
(Provisional Translation by the Japanese Government)
Ministry of Foreign Affairs
http://www.mofa.go.jp/region/asia-paci/korea/joint9810.html

Although controversial, the 1965 Korea-Japan Treaty brought an end to 14 years of continuous discussion between the two countries. The Korean government accepted around $800 million in grants and loans from Japan, much of which was used as seed money for industrial development.
Article title: Korea-Japan experts attempt to smooth relations
by Bae Young-dae, JoongAng Ilbo (June 3, 2005)
http://joongangdaily.joins.com/200506/02/200506022209379739900090409041.html

What was Japan's Reparations?
Japan's Reparations to Korea (in 1965)
Indemnity & grants: 108 billion
Loans: 72 billion
... when Korea and Japan reached an agreement in 1965, Japan agreed to pay 180 billion yen (500 million dollars) indemnity and aid. Looking from Korea's point of view, this amount was 1.45 times Korea's national budget, and 3.8 times its foreign reserves. Most of this money was used by the Korean government for the nation's modernization.
http://www.jiyuu-shikan.org/e/faq/faq1.html

[Dev]

After reading this, it's hard to respect many Koreans who whine and complain about Japan. Accepting payment from Japan should be viewed as an acceptance of Japan's apology. If Korea wanted to keep it's right to hold a grudge, they should have never taken the money.

It's time to move on Korea. Let the new generation take over in both countries.

[pastis]

Am I imagining things, or did this same thread suddenly get deleted for no apparent reason? There was one fellow who was making some excellent points, everything seemed fine, then suddenly, it was all gone. WTF???

[bestyoucanget]

yea...........must be korean moderators........still angry at teh japanese........for what reson i dont know..........my kids hate the japs.......why i ask them............no reason..............same shit diff day in the land of the sheep

[RACETRAITOR]

Maybe it's because a lot of people in the Japanese government still view Korea as a renegade colony. All that bullchrist they have at the Yasukuni Shrine sort of makes it look like they had their fingers crossed behind their backs when they apologised. Not to mention that temple in Fukuoka where they still have the knife they used to murder the Korean empress.

It's as noble as North Korea apologising for kidnapping all those Japanese people, but refusing to let them go free.

[pastis]

[RACETRAITOR]

[Guri Guy]

As far as Korea being a renegade colony, I really doubt that this is a common sentiment in Japan. I have never heard any of my Japanese friends ever mention it before. Any English teachers or other workers I have known have never mentioned this. I have never seen any evidence of this in my 4 visits to Japan (I am going to Okinawa in 3 days so it will be five). It is not something that is ingrained into the minds of small impressionable children. Every country has a few wackos that are capable of stirring up trouble. I would say this is a very small percentage.

The opposite of this is in Korea where this hatred of Japan is alive and well. Talk to schoolchildren and find out what they think of Japan. Somebody is feeding them this garbage. That somebody would be a very sizable part of the population that should know better. You have to keep the burning torch of hatred alive somehow though.

[doggyji]

Real Reality's back with even more info!

I think it is a well known fact for any mildly knowledgable Korean that Japan gave a significant amount of economic aids to Korea as a compensation decades ago, while school kids might not know well about it since it's not on their textbook. The fact that Korea got an aid from Japan upon the agreement doesn't mean Koreans should've begun keeping their mouth shut since then. Japan's footsteps didn't stop as of that day. Certainly, I regard a hatred or a grudge against a group of anonymous people a waste of emotions and energy. It's not something to be encouraged at any rate. That's not healthy. Koreans just need to keep an eye on Japan's each step, seek for a hidden dagger and criticize Japan rightfully if they make sneaky movements. Koreans won't stop b!tching about Japan as she is a neighbouring nation where conflicts of interests often start. At the same time, outside the political view, Japan is one very interesting country that has lots to offer. Personally, I can't hate Japan all that much even if I have to. Hope that girl's doing fine back home... *in retrospect*

[RACETRAITOR]

[46long]

All I will speak on is my own experience. I lived 5 years in Japan and am in my 10th month in South Korea. There is NO comparison. I have already heard at least triple the amount racist comments here in the ROK in that short span of time, that I heard in 5 years in Japan. The majority of these comments came from 12-13 year old students. I see 100 new students every week and Japan comes up in every class (computer-based geography lesson). It dumbfounds me what these children are taught by their parents and teachers. Japan's racism still exists just not as overtly, much like the difference in the personalities of the two peoples. The difference to me is my experience with children. All the racist comments I heard in Japan were from adults. Not once in 5 years did a Japanese teen say anything negative about Korea in my presence. In fact they said positive things all the time about singers, actors etc.. As a previous poster mentioned, the parents and teachers aren't perpetuating the hatred in Japan like they are here in the ROK. Indeed, let the younger generation come into their own feelings about the subject. Oh, and on a more selfish note, if I hear one more student tell me the National Geographic map is wrong because Dok-do isn't correctly marked......

Stop the player hating,
46

[tomato]

Somewhere around 2000-2001, the Japanese school system was putting out new textbooks.
The Koreans were incensed because the textbooks justified the colonization of Korea.
As far as I know, nobody in Japan listened to the Koreans.

[Wishmaster]

Why should the Japanese listen to Korea? All they will get is a lecture..blah..blah...blah. It wouldn't accomplish anything because Koreans can't handle criticism and having to look in the mirror. Yes, the youth here are influenced and they hate Japan with a passion. I think that they really hate themselves and their robotically structured lives and that is why they have to consistently belittle people...it makes them feel that they actually have a reason to exist(pathetic though it may be).

I find it funny to hear these spoiled, pampered Korean kids talking about the suffering that Japan caused. But they don't know anything about suffering. I can understand someone from WW2 hating Japan until the end of time but it is stupid when some punk ass kid talks about all the suffering and has never experienced any him/herself. The hate here is cyclic...like acid...and eventually it will bite them in the ass.