The Korea Times
amn_close.png
amn_bl.png
National
  • Politics
  • Foreign Affairs
  • Multicultural Community
  • Defense
  • Environment & Animals
  • Law & Crime
  • Society
  • Health & Science
amn_bl.png
Business
  • Tech
  • Bio
  • Companies
  • World Expo 2030
amn_bl.png
Finance
  • Companies
  • Economy
  • Markets
  • Cryptocurrency
amn_bl.png
Opinion
  • Editorial
  • Columns
  • Thoughts of the Times
  • Cartoon
  • Today in History
  • Blogs
  • Tribune Service
  • Blondie & Garfield
  • Letter to the Editor
amn_bl.png
Lifestyle
  • Travel & Food
  • Trends
  • People & Events
  • Books
  • Around Town
  • Fortune Telling
amn_bl.png
Entertainment & Arts
  • K-pop
  • Films
  • Shows & Dramas
  • Music
  • Theater & Others
amn_bl.png
Sports
  • Hangzhou Asian Games
amn_bl.png
World
  • SCMP
  • Asia
amn_bl.png
Video
  • Korean Storytellers
  • POPKORN
  • Culture
  • People
  • News
amn_bl.png
Photos
  • Photo News
  • Darkroom
amn_NK.png amn_DR.png amn_LK.png amn_LE.png
  • bt_fb_on_2022.svgbt_fb_over_2022.svg
  • bt_X_on_2023.svgbt_X_over_2023.svg
  • bt_youtube_on_2022.svgbt_youtube_over_2022.svg
  • bt_instagram_on_2022.svgbt_instagram_over_2022.svg
The Korea Times
amn_close.png
amn_bl.png
National
  • Politics
  • Foreign Affairs
  • Multicultural Community
  • Defense
  • Environment & Animals
  • Law & Crime
  • Society
  • Health & Science
amn_bl.png
Business
  • Tech
  • Bio
  • Companies
  • World Expo 2030
amn_bl.png
Finance
  • Companies
  • Economy
  • Markets
  • Cryptocurrency
amn_bl.png
Opinion
  • Editorial
  • Columns
  • Thoughts of the Times
  • Cartoon
  • Today in History
  • Blogs
  • Tribune Service
  • Blondie & Garfield
  • Letter to the Editor
amn_bl.png
Lifestyle
  • Travel & Food
  • Trends
  • People & Events
  • Books
  • Around Town
  • Fortune Telling
amn_bl.png
Entertainment & Arts
  • K-pop
  • Films
  • Shows & Dramas
  • Music
  • Theater & Others
amn_bl.png
Sports
  • Hangzhou Asian Games
amn_bl.png
World
  • SCMP
  • Asia
amn_bl.png
Video
  • Korean Storytellers
  • POPKORN
  • Culture
  • People
  • News
amn_bl.png
Photos
  • Photo News
  • Darkroom
amn_NK.png amn_DR.png amn_LK.png amn_LE.png
  • bt_fb_on_2022.svgbt_fb_over_2022.svg
  • bt_X_on_2023.svgbt_X_over_2023.svg
  • bt_youtube_on_2022.svgbt_youtube_over_2022.svg
  • bt_instagram_on_2022.svgbt_instagram_over_2022.svg
  • Login
  • Register
  • Login
  • Register
  • The Korea Times
  • search
  • all menu
  • Login
  • Subscribe
  • Photos
  • Video
  • World
  • Sports
  • Opinion
  • Entertainment & Art
  • Lifestyle
  • Finance
  • Business
  • National
  • North Korea
  • 1

    Seoul says FEOC guidance reduces uncertainty, will continue close consultation with US

  • 3

    NewJeans wins 2 grand prizes at Melon Music Awards 2023

  • 5

    Half-conscious Koreans

  • 7

    Son-dol: a cold day for a ferryman and a merchant

  • 9

    PPP slams abstainers in Assembly resolution on China's forced return of NK defectors

  • 11

    KOICA’s global supporters conclude remarkable journey with grand finale show

  • 13

    Koreas' spy satellite launches heat up arms race in space

  • 15

    Gov't posthumously confers state medal on late Ven. Jaseung

  • 17

    China's respiratory illness rise due to known pathogens: official

  • 19

    INTERVIEW'Lifeline for migrant workers in Korea' - Rev. Kim fights for foreign employees' rights

  • 2

    First S. Korea spy satellite successfully launched into orbit

  • 4

    INTERVIEWEcolab helps Korean partners profit from ESG management

  • 6

    Major conglomerates speed up generational shifts in leadership

  • 8

    JYP to host annual audition in January

  • 10

    N. Korea bristles at US over comments about possible disabling of spy satellite

  • 12

    New US rules, aimed at curbing China, could make it harder for EV buyers to claim a full tax credit

  • 14

    NK warns 'physical clash, war' on Korean Peninsula a matter of time, not possibility

  • 16

    Korean economy to start shrinking by 2050 if low birthrate unaddressed: BOK report

  • 18

    Spaniard accused of helping N. Korea evade US sanctions arrested

  • 20

    Ronaldo walks off to chants of 'Messi! Messi!' as his team loses 3-0 in Riyadh derby

Close scrollclosebutton

Close for 24 hours

Open
  • The Korea Times
  • search
  • all menu
  • Login
  • Subscribe
  • Photos
  • Video
  • World
  • Sports
  • Opinion
  • Entertainment & Art
  • Lifestyle
  • Finance
  • Business
  • National
  • North Korea
Opinion
  • Editorial
  • Columns
  • Thoughts of the Times
  • Cartoon
  • Today in History
  • Blogs
  • Tribune Service
  • Blondie & Garfield
  • Letter to the Editor
Mon, December 4, 2023 | 11:29
Letter to the Editor
Maybe this is why foreigners don’t get it
Posted : 2012-08-28 16:56
Updated : 2012-08-28 16:56
Print PreviewPrint Preview
Font Size UpFont Size Up
Font Size DownFont Size Down
  • facebook
  • twitter
  • kakaolink
  • whatsapp
  • reddit
  • mailto
  • link
Jason Lim (What the U.S. doesn’t get about Dokdo, Aug. 24) argues that Dokdo is an “article of faith with almost religious significance” and that the trauma of Japanese colonialism has been culturally internalized. This collective scar needs to be healed by Japanese contrition.

More often than not, however, “patients” want to “proactively’” ease their emotional scars, irrespective of what the direct aggressor does or says.

Relying on demands for Japanese contrition paradoxically makes South Korea reliant on Japan. Will South Korea (Korea) be doing this in 200 or 300 years time? With the ongoing “we are all affected as Koreans” mantra, the directly traumatic effects of historical colonialism are lessened through this moral equivalence implied in the belief in the unique “hanminjok.’’

Foreigners don’t understand why a confident South Korea should want to proactively define itself against Japan. Japan has apologized and a compensation pact was signed in 1965 between the governments.

Japan is the only country on the planet to have had two atomic bombs dropped on it. Korea was liberated and South Korea has won even more. Not many countries can say that, frankly. Most colonized countries still have the colonial language as their official language. Today, South Koreans wish to learn colonial English but to the Scots, Irish and Africans who experienced the destruction of their languages by England, Koreans should perhaps apologize to them. This is precisely how absurd such historical arguments can become.

Taking Japan to the International Courts does not seem to be something Seoul countenances. Maybe such trials would highlight divisions in “the we’’ within the Korean elite and Korean people during the colonial time.

Lim’s analogy with 9/11 is disingenuous. Comparing and contrasting who has the bigger moral claim to victimhood is not worthy.

With regard to natural resources, Lim doesn’t mention the question of sovereign ownership of the continental shelf of which Dokdo is merely the visible part.

Perhaps it would be even more patriotic to put political energy into alleviating poverty, investing in proper social safety nets and improving child care facilities in South Korea.

Dr. Iain Watson
Assistant Professor
Ajou University
 
wooribank
LG group
Top 10 Stories
1[INTERVIEW] Ecolab helps Korean partners profit from ESG management INTERVIEWEcolab helps Korean partners profit from ESG management
2Son-dol: a cold day for a ferryman and a merchantSon-dol: a cold day for a ferryman and a merchant
3Korean economy to start shrinking by 2050 if low birthrate unaddressed: BOK report Korean economy to start shrinking by 2050 if low birthrate unaddressed: BOK report
4[INTERVIEW] 'Lifeline for migrant workers in Korea' - Rev. Kim fights for foreign employees' rights INTERVIEW'Lifeline for migrant workers in Korea' - Rev. Kim fights for foreign employees' rights
5[ANALYSIS] Has N. Korean leader's daughter been confirmed as heir apparent? ANALYSISHas N. Korean leader's daughter been confirmed as heir apparent?
6Space race heats up between two Koreas after Seoul launches spy satellite Space race heats up between two Koreas after Seoul launches spy satellite
7[INTERVIEW] Korea to work with US, Japan to fight climate change INTERVIEWKorea to work with US, Japan to fight climate change
8Uncertainty lingers over Ven. Jaseung's deathUncertainty lingers over Ven. Jaseung's death
9Korean battery firms face higher costs for access to US subsidies Korean battery firms face higher costs for access to US subsidies
10Tensions rise as opposition demands special probe into first lady Tensions rise as opposition demands special probe into first lady
Top 5 Entertainment News
1JYP to host annual audition in JanuaryJYP to host annual audition in January
2Taipei Philharmonic Orchestra dazzles audience at Korea International Festival Taipei Philharmonic Orchestra dazzles audience at Korea International Festival
3Popular talk show 'Strong Heart' returns with new format Popular talk show 'Strong Heart' returns with new format
4[INTERVIEW] Hip-hop group Uptown returns after 13 years with new lineup INTERVIEWHip-hop group Uptown returns after 13 years with new lineup
5ONE PACT debuts hoping to leave big impact on K-pop scene ONE PACT debuts hoping to leave big impact on K-pop scene
DARKROOM
  • It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas

    It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas

  • 2023 Thanksgiving parade in NYC

    2023 Thanksgiving parade in NYC

  • Appreciation of autumn colors

    Appreciation of autumn colors

  • Our children deserve better

    Our children deserve better

  • Israel-Gaza conflict erupts into war

    Israel-Gaza conflict erupts into war

  • Turkey-Syria earthquake

    Turkey-Syria earthquake

  • Nepal plane crash

    Nepal plane crash

  • Brazil capital uprising

    Brazil capital uprising

  • Happy New Year 2023

    Happy New Year 2023

  • World Cup 2022 Final - Argentina vs France

    World Cup 2022 Final - Argentina vs France

CEO & Publisher: Oh Young-jin
Digital News Email: webmaster@koreatimes.co.kr
Tel: 02-724-2114
Online newspaper registration No: 서울,아52844
Date of registration: 2020.02.05
Masthead: The Korea Times
Copyright © koreatimes.co.kr. All rights reserved.
  • About Us
  • Introduction
  • History
  • Contact Us
  • Products & Services
  • Subscribe
  • E-paper
  • RSS Service
  • Content Sales
  • Site Map
  • Policy
  • Code of Ethics
  • Ombudsman
  • Privacy Statement
  • Terms of Service
  • Copyright Policy
  • Family Site
  • Hankook Ilbo
  • Dongwha Group