SK/JPN Tensions Rise, Man Rams Truck Through JPN Embassy Gate

[uledy.livejournal.com]

Japan has filed a formal diplomatic protest with South Korea after a man rammed his truck against the gate of its embassy in Seoul.

The South Korean driver, who was later detained, reportedly told police he was protesting against Japan's claims to islands controlled by South Korea.

Japan's embassy has been a focal point for protests on long-standing disputes between the two countries.

South Korea has said it regrets the latest incident.

The islands, called Dokdo in Korean and Takeshima in Japanese, are claimed by both but controlled by South Korea.

The man, believed to be in his 60s, damaged the gate of the embassy but did not hurt anyone.




"After the incident, the Japanese embassy in South Korea this morning lodged a strong protest to the South Korean Foreign Ministry, and requested that preventive measures be taken," said Osamu Fujimura, Japanese chief cabinet secretary, at a news conference in Tokyo.

"The Korean government expressed regrets to the Japanese Embassy in Seoul over the incident and will take necessary measures, including tighter security near the embassy," a senior official, from South Korea's Foreign Ministry, was quoted by news agency Yonhap as saying.



South Korea and Japan sharea dark past. For 35 years up until the end of World War II, Japan was the harsh colonial ruler of the entire Korean peninsula, and some Koreans still harbour deep resentment, analysts say.

South Korean demonstrators have held rallies since 1992 outside the embassy to demand an apology and compensation from Japan.

Activists unveiled a statue of a young woman outside the embassy in protest last year to represent women who worked as sex slaves in military brothers in wartime Japan.

A few weeks ago, a Japanese activist planted a stake next to the statue, saying that Dokdo belonged to Japan.


Source: bbc

that is just straight up

Comments

[supplanter.livejournal.com]

It's about the surrounding waters you get alongside the rocks... and fishing and whatever rights that come with the territory, I thought. But for the average person/an older truck driver dude, I don't know if that is precisely the motivator.... >.>;;

[thewarpedmelody.livejournal.com]

You realized nobody has ever cared about rocks like this all over the world. But when mankind embarked on deep sea exploration, they found out there are much more to these rocks and the surrounding waters. Thats why now you see countries everywhere are bickering over this kind of rocks which nobody cares 50 years ago

[girlknees.livejournal.com]

from what i've gathered to older generations, who might still remember the japanese occupation of korea, dokdo symbolizes a last piece of land that japan refuses to give up on, kind of like a last action of occupation. considering how brutal the occupation was, i can see how it could offend them.

[mycorrhizoid.livejournal.com]

It really is ridiculous to think that Korea and Japan have been fighting over those islands for over 300 years.

There are only 2 permanent residents.

[k0dama.livejournal.com]

It's a big hyped up nonsense issue, kind of like Pro-Choice/Pro-Life in the US.

[k0dama.livejournal.com]

Yeah.. a van in front of an embassy will fix that territorial dispute no problemo.


Can we stop hating on each other and just share it.

[deerlike.livejournal.com]

Facepalming.

[aurrai.livejournal.com]

I've almost heard enough about this whole Liancourt Rocks dispute, along with the naming conventions of East Sea/Sea of Japan.
When I was in Korea last, there were signs in buses, and our provincial education office even gave us tshirts that said 독도는 우리땅/dokdo is our land…
But I suppose if government bodies don't keep up the propaganda, the next generation will be like, "lol who is dokdo?"
A friend of mine used to throw back "dokdo is dokdo land?"; it's about all I can do too instead of getting mad.

[uledy.livejournal.com]

lol.I remember when I was in Seoul a couple years ago, this disheveled and slightly hysteric man ran up to my friends and me in a subway station shouting "dokdo is Korea! dokdo is Korea! right?!? no Japan!!!!!" in English.

After a couple of "fight the power" fist pumps and some whooping and assuring him that I wasn't a track and field superstar, we were allowed to sneak away...wth?