Give a listen to Kwon Chul-hyun, Korea’s ambassador to Japan (currently recalled to Seoul in protest of the whole Dokdo thing):
Japan has the same island country characteristics as England. They dislike isolation, so they have the inherent desire to advance onto the continent. South Korea should utilize that in reverse.
And yes, in Korean, the term seom nara (”island nation”) can be used as a disparaging remark.
And frankly, that’s not all he said during his meeting with the Grand National Party — Daily Surprise has some of the rest, including his threats to turn Japan into an international outcast (Yeah, good luck with that). In front of reporters, no less.
This after Kwon got in a bit of trouble earlier this month by suggesting that Korea could stop cooperating with Japan in the six-party talks because of Dokdo.
Don’t be surprised if Kwon gets sacked — the GNP virtually threw him out of the room, the party spokesman asked reporters after the meeting to forget what they’d heard, and even the left-wing Kyunghyang Shinmun penned an editorial imploring him to speak more carefully.
Coincidentally, Ampontan had some excellent commentary on the Dokdo mess and why Korea has a choice between mutually beneficial relations and shooting itself in the foot.
15 Comments
Now see, I never knew that… Now I know why a student got upset when I said that South Korea was basically an island nation. The more you know, I guess….
Time for Kwon to leave the island.
This remind me of ex-foreign minister of Taiwan called Singapore “booger” etc..
http://www.singapore-window.org/sw04/041001af.htm
Don’t we just love these straight shooters!
So, is he really being a loose cannon or is it part of the strategy? Either way, as I wrote elsewhere, this isn’t about Dokdo/Takeshima. Japan’s claim is connected to its claim to the Kuril Islands and South Koreans reaction is linked to domestic problems.
Correction,
…South Korea’s reaction…
Which reminds me of an anectdote I have about he Koreans and Irish are erily similar:
- They are always being invaded from the island to the East
- Their nations are hopelessly divided North and South
- They are both tiger economies
- Thier adult male populations have masive alcohol abuse problems
uncanny isn’t it?
Uncanny, but citizens of the Irish Republic aren’t brimming with resentment of Britain. Their ethnic and religious brethren in the North, like the Koreans, nurse historical wounds.
captbbq: Another one for ya.
They both think their propensity to self-pitying tears means that they are uniquely soulful.
I think you will find Korea has pretty much been invaded by every one of its neighbours.
Well, Korea has only two neighbors, so that’s not saying much.
“Well, Korea has only two neighbors”
Three neighbors sharing borders to be exact. China Russia Japan.
All superpowers at one time or another.
Wow, the way the ambassador sounded off makes me think that he was given personal assurances that the Dokdo issue would be put on the back burner, which he stood by. An over-reaction like this from a professional diplomat smells like a feeling of personal betrayal.
“I think you will find Korea has pretty much been invaded by every one of its neighbours.”
You’d think they would have learned to fight back by now…
Why bother when the US will fight back for you?
wtf go learn some history fools