[Editorial] Japan’s wartime flag

[Editorial] Japan’s wartime flag

Koreans want to keep Japan at arm’s length

 

 

 The Japanese government under Prime Minister Shinzo Abe is reportedly moving to permit the use of the wartime rising-sun flag ― a symbol of horror to Asian victims of Japanese colonial aggression. If a recent report by the Sankei Shimbun, a conservative Japanese daily, is true, it shows the true colors of the right-wing, revisionist Abe government again.

Abe implied he was denying Japan’s imperialist aggression against its Asian neighbors when he impudently claimed that there was no established definition of invasion, either academically or internationally, earlier in the year. His government’s insensitivity culminated in Deputy Prime Minister Taro Aso’s recent proposal to surreptitiously revise Japan’s postwar pacifist constitution by following the example of the Nazis, focusing on war-banning Article 9.

A conflict over the use of the wartime flag came to the fore when the Korean Football Association lodged a complaint against Japanese soccer fans for unfurling the flag during an East Asian Cup match last month. South Korean soccer fans countered the Japanese with a banner that read: “There is no future for a people that have forgotten their past.”

The Sankei Shimbun claimed that the wartime flag, along with the official flag featuring only a red sun on a white background, was internationally accepted as symbolizing Japan. Korea, China and some other Asian countries, if not the entire world, would beg to differ.

To the victims of Japan’s militarism in those countries, the wartime flag evokes the horror of being mobilized to the frontlines of war, military brothels or mining pits. How could the daily say it was rude of Koreans to liken the flag to Nazi Germany’s swastika armband?

Koreans like to compare Japan with Germany, more for their postwar differences than for their wartime similarities. To Koreans, Germany appears to have made a clean break from its wartime past. In addition to making atonement to Jewish holocaust victims, it has banned the use of the swastika, the “Heil Hitler” Nazi greeting and Hitler’s “Mein Kampf.” German children are brought to concentration camps to learn of their country’s wartime past.

When the image of German children on their field trips to concentration camps is juxtaposed against that of Japanese cabinet members paying homage to Class A war criminals at the Yasukuni Shrine, it should not be too difficult to understand why Koreans are so strong in what the Japanese daily called their “anti-Japanese nationalism” in its report on the use of the wartime flag. It warned the Korean antipathy against Japan could hurt bilateral military cooperation.

So be it. Apparently, the Japanese daily is unaware that few Koreans want their country to be closely linked to Japan militarily. Instead, Koreans, who do not want to be victimized again by a wild right-wing Japanese desire to dominate Asia, would like to see their country keep Japan at arm’s length, be it militarily or not.

 

- The Korea Herald, 2013-8-8

 

 

Japan Must Stop Using Risingsun Flag

 

According to Sankei newspaper, the Japanese government plans to allow the use of the rising sun flag symbolizing imperial Japan. The plan is the latest lurch to the far right by the government of Prime Minister Shinzo Abe.

 

During World War II, lots of sexslaves of Japan and people in Korea, China and South-east Asia shivered horrendously with extreme fear under the waving rising sun flag. It is just the exact equivalent of the Nazi swastika in Europe and moves to allow the use of the rising sun flag are expected to poison already strained relations with Korea and China.

 

 

We have to know that in Germany and Austria, not only hakenkreuz but also Celtic Cross are banned because Celtic Cross may give people the indication of Germanic people's superiority. Also, if you use hakenkreuz mark, you are punished in Hungary, Polland, Lituania and even in Brazil.

 

In addition, Sickle and hammer mark is not allowed in Eastern Europe because people in Eastern Europe were the victims of Soviet Union in the history. It is obvious that sickle and hammer mark provokes the fury of Eastern Europeans.

 

In the same way, rising sun flag is the symble of Japan's expanding militarism and atrocity during world war II. Japanese politicions should be more aware of its historic backgrounds, stop planing to allow the use of rising sun flag.

[Editorial] Truce 60 years on

Can we believe North Korea's assertion for Peace Treaty?

I don't think so...

U.S. troops killed by the North Korean soldiers during Korean War

Editorial from The Korea Herald(2013.7.26)

Saturday marks the 60th anniversary of the armistice that put an end to the three-year Korean War. But the cease-fire has been a precarious one, with armed conflict intermittently flaring up across the border between South and North Korea. With the armistice agreement not replaced with a peace treaty yet, the two sides still remain deadly adversaries.

This has to change. Peace must be made permanent on the Korean Peninsula. With the Oriental calendar coming full circle every 60 years, the anniversary is an auspicious occasion for South and North Korea to make a fresh start to free the Korean people from the fear of another fratricidal war. To Koreans, whether in the South or in the North, the 60th anniversary means the completion of one life cycle and the start of another.

A most plausible scenario for peace on the Korean Peninsula is for North Korea to abandon its desire to arm itself with nuclear weapons in exchange for economic aid from abroad, mostly from South Korea. The next step would be to replace the armistice agreement with a peace treaty.

North Korea agreed to pursue the proposed peace process when it decided to participate in the six-party talks on its nuclear program in 2003. But the North, which deserted the multilateral nuclear talks within several years, has since conducted nuclear tests on three occasions.

The offer of massive aid is still on the table, with President Park Geun-hye committing herself to keeping a promise to reward the North if it decides to dismantle its nuclear program. She says South Korea is ready to promote coprosperity with the North and pursue a peaceful reunification.

The armistice anniversary is also a proper occasion to renew its thanks to the United States and 15 other nations that contributed to the U.S.-led U.N. forces, which helped South Korea fight back the invading North Korean and Chinese troops. Had it not been for their help, it would not have been possible for South Korea to rise from the ashes of war. After the war, it continued to receive aid from the United States and other countries.

Thanks to their support, South Korea, once one of the poorest aid recipients in the world, has turned itself into a well-to-do industrialized nation over the past 60 years. Its volume of external trade ranks eighth in the world, and its gross domestic product 15th ― no small achievement for a natural resources-poor country.

North Korea is no match for South Korea. It is listed by the United Nations as the poorest country among the 57 Asian-Pacific countries. Feeding the starving people, not the development of nuclear weapons, should be the priority issue of concern to the North Korean leadership.

For South Korea, it is now time to pay back. The South, which spent $1.55 billion in official development aid last year, an amount equal to 0.14 percent of its gross national income, will have to strive to meet the U.N.-set goal of 0.7 percent of GNI before long. It also needs to help promote world peace by contributing troops to U.N. peacekeeping forces.

One of my worries

Am I too anxious? The article below is about Mt. Baekdu's eruptions and my ominous worry is that the North Korea's nuclear test might impinge on its explosion.

Read this article below and it's from Korea times, posted on 2012.5.3. Isn't it scary? The eruption of Mt. Baekdu must be a horrendous environmental disaster in this century.

Mt. Baekdu eruption's impact on NE Asia (25) Citing the rise of the surface temperature of Mt. Baekdu, geologists predict its eruption in a couple of years. / Korea Times file Mt. Baekdu has been carefully observed since 1999 when a volcanic observatory was built in China, and since 2002, there have been some symptoms of an eruption. By Park Chang-seok Yes, one! There’s only one thing about which they think in a same way – a concern about possible eruption of Mt. Baekdu. The two Koreas remain at odds in everything. But they are one in voicing how to counter the possible volcanic explosion of the highest mountain in the Korean Peninsula Inter-Korean anxiety is mounting, with growing apocalyptic predictions on the dormant volcano. A South Korean geological expert has warned that the volcano could erupt sometime around 2014 and 2015. Former North Korean leader Kim Jong-il reportedly said people in some regions of Yanggang and North Hamgyeong Provinces were feeling anxiety over a volcanic eruption of Mt. Baekdu. Kim called for quick countermeasures by the North Korean authorities. If a volcano, located on the border between North Korea and China erupts, damage could be 10 to 100 times greater than that caused by the April 2010 eruptions in Iceland. Experts predict that the ashes would not only hit the neighboring area but damage agriculture and cause serious disruptions in industrial activities and air flights. The Korean Peninsula, China, Japan and Russia would be severely damaged. A volcanic eruption begins when pressure on a magma chamber forces magma up through the conduit and out the volcano’s vents. When the magma chamber is completely filled, the type of eruption partly depends on the amount of gas and silica in the magma. The amount of silica determines how sticky (level of viscosity) the magma is and water provides the explosive potential of steam. The 2010 Iceland eruption caused enormous disruption to air travel across Western and Northern Europe, although relatively small in size for volcanic eruptions. About 20 countries closed their airspace and it affected hundreds of thousands of travelers. A very high proportion of flights within, to, and from Europe were cancelled, creating the highest level of air travel disruption since the World War II. Geological studies Fears of a Mt. Baekdu eruption loom large with ensuing warnings based on a series of geological studies from experts. A growing number of scholars have not ruled out the possibility of another eruption, linking the collapse of Korea’s ancient kingdom, Balhae, with the previous one. One theory comes from professor Hiroshi Machida of Tokyo Metropolitan University. Machida first presented a view in 1992 that the eruption of Mt. Baekdu (Mt. Changbai in Chinese) led to the fall of Balhae, which had expanded its sovereignty to the vast Manchuria territory. His theory was based on volcanic ash found in Tomakomai, a port city in southern Hokkaido, in 1981. The ash was named “Baekdu-Tomakomai volcanic ash” (B-Tm) after Mt. Baekdu and Tomakakomi city where it was found, according to So Won-ju who wrote the book “Secret of Mt. Baekdu’s Great Eruption.” Machida’s theory has gained momentum as an increasing number of geologists and climate change researchers have presented views that the ash was produced in the eruption of the highest mountain in the Korean Peninsula in the 10th century. The eruption of the 2,744 meter-high mountain was billed as the largest in the history of mankind and was about 50 times stronger than that of Mt. Vesuvius of Italy in 79 A.D. which led to the burying and destruction of the Roman city Pompeii. Balhae (Bohai in Chinese) was established by Dae Jo-yeong, a former Goguryeo general, in 698 after the fall of Goguryeo. Dae Jo-yeong took the helm of Jin (Zhen in Chinese), founded by his father Dae Jung-sang in 696, and renamed the country Balhae, declaring it as the successor state of Goguryeo (37 B.C. - 668 A.D.). Balhae’s ruin  Balhae occupied the southern parts of Manchuria and Primorsky Krai (now Russia’s Far East), and the northern part of the Korean Peninsula. It was defeated by the Khitans in 926, and most of its northern territories were absorbed into the Liao Dynasty, also known as the Khitan Empire, founded in 907 while the southern parts were absorbed into Goryeo Kingdom (918-1392). A dominant view related to Balhae’s decline had been Khitans’ 926 invasion. Some conventional historians believed that the rampancy of ethnic conflicts between the ruling Koreans and underclass Mohe (Malgal) caused its fall. But some refute these allegations, giving more weight on the catastrophic explosion of Mt. Baekdu as a primary cause for Balhae’s ruin rather than Khitans’ attack. Balhae had been engaged in a war with the Khitans for about two weeks and then collapsed immediately. How could Balhae with a long 200-year history fall so easily in such a short period of battle? Some historians raised doubts about the early collapse, pointing to Mt. Baekdu erupting as a cause for Balhae’s ruin. The massive explosion was believed to have created a tremendous amount of volcanic ash, damaging agriculture and even societal integrity. The Khitans were believed to have taken advantage of this natural disaster in putting the volcano-stricken Balhae under their complete control. The eruption might have prevented Balhae survivors from rebuilding their nation in consideration of the catastrophe. A variety of indicators, suggested by geologists and Balhae dynasty researchers who have monitored the change of Baekdu’s geographical features, are backing a scenario of the recurrence of the Mt. Baekdu eruption. Some experts say that an eruption is imminent. Geologist Yoon Sung-hyo at Pusan National University strongly believes Mt. Baekdu could erupt anytime soon.” According to historical records, major activity on the mountain in the 940s created a caldera on its peak, whose circumference is nearly 14 kilometers with an average depth of 213 meters and a maximum of 384 meters. Atop the mountain is Cheonji, literally meaning “heavenly lake,” the largest caldera in the world. Volcanic ash Volcanic ash from Mt. Baekdu eruption has been found as far away as the southern part of Hokkaido, Japan. Geologists predict the occurrence of great Mt. Baekdu eruptions every 1,000 years and that of minor ones every 200 to 300 years. Minor eruptions were recorded in 1413, 1597, 1668 and 1702 with the last activity being recorded in 1903. Among other indicators backing the scenario of a future eruption is the height of Mt. Baekdu, which has grown nearly 10 centimeters since 2002. Experts say an expanding magma pool, a precondition for an eruption, is gradually pushing up the height of the mountain as well as the temperature on the surface. On Oct. 1, 2006, a Russian satellite found the surface temperature of the mountain notably higher than before. The finding came just days after North Korea conducted an underground nuclear test in its northern territory, which could have been a catalyst reactivating magma flows, according to analysts. Mt. Baekdu has been carefully observed since 1999 when a volcanic observatory was built in China, and since 2002, there have been some symptoms of an eruption. Seismic activity near the mountain has increased dramatically, and the concentration of hydrogen and helium emissions, both of which are volcanic gases have risen 10-fold. And there’s ample possibility that Mt. Baekdu may erupt in the near future. If Mt. Baekdu erupts, it would no doubt bring about grave consequences for the two Koreas as well as the surrounding states, including China, Japan and Russia. The biggest immediate threat is the 2 billion tons of water in the lake on top of the crater. An eruption would likely cause severe flood damage, engulfing roads and homes within a 30-kilometer radius in just 3 hours and 20 minutes, a geological report found recently. Mt. Baekdu’s caldera The greatest victim of a Mt. Baekdu explosion may be North Korea, especially Yanggang and Hamgyeong Provinces. The two regions, located on the tip of the Korean Peninsula, may be covered with ash in just two hours. In about eight hours, ash may reach Ulleungdo and Dokdo, two far eastern islands of South Korea, and in 12 hours, land on Tottori Prefecture, Japan. After 18 hours, volcanic ash would likely spread beyond Japan. The National Institute for Disaster Prevention conducted a simulation in 2010 to test how far volcanic ash can spread if Mt. Baekdu erupts. According to the results, the effects can be different depending on the timing. If it happens in winter, Japan is expected to be more affected due to the northwest monsoon. On the other hand, a summer eruption would affect South Korea more. Mt. Baekdu’s caldera has nearly two billion tons of water. If volcanic heat evaporates the water and is mixed suddenly with volcanic ashes, it would be strong enough to engulf even Vladivostok in Russia and Hokkaido in northern Japan, according to experts. The construction of nuclear power plants by North Korea and China in the neighborhood may certainly pose a grave threat to all Northeast Asians, with the view that Mt. Baekdu’s explosion would for sure cause subsequent nuclear catastrophes, as seen in Japan’s 2011 tsunami disaster. A volcanic explosion is the most terrible natural disaster which cannot be easily avoided by human wisdom and knowledge. With unrelenting outbreaks of record-breaking natural disasters around the world and especially in the wake of Japan’s massive earthquake that is now estimated to have killed nearly 10,000, the world’s eyes are drawn to Mt. Baekdu. Multinational and regional cooperative monitoring systems are needed beyond ideological barriers to take preemptive measures against a possible eruption. By all indications, Mt. Baekdu is a real danger and it’s not clear how long it will stay inactive. A Mt. Baekdu eruption, if it takes place, will not be a matter for a certain country but a global concern to determine the future of Northeast Asian civilization. Environment Info Volcanic eruptions An important measure of eruptive strength is the Volcanic Explosivity Index (VEI), a magnitudic scale ranging from 0 to 8 that often correlates to eruptive types. During a volcanic eruption, lava, tephra (ash, lapilli tuff, volcanic bombs and blocks), and various gases are expelled from a volcanic vent or fissure. Several types of volcanic eruptions have been distinguished by volcanologists. These are often named after famous volcanoes where that type of behavior has been observed. Some volcanoes may exhibit only one characteristic type of eruption during a period of activity, while others may display an entire sequence of types all in one eruptive series. Park Chang-seok is currently a resident research fellow of the Korea Institute of Public Administration (KIPA). Park, a former Korea Times managing editor and a Kyung Hee University media professor, is the author of “The History of Korean English Newspaper” and “News English.” He is the editor of KIPA’s two English books “Korea: From Rags to Riches” and “Discover Korea in Public Administration.”

Korean War should be remembered.

I read an article about a survey. It shows students' distorted perception of the start of the Korean War that had broke out 25th of june 1950~1953.In the poll conducted by a newspaper, 506 high school students were asked whether the war was triggered by 'buk-chim"(invasion by the South) or "nam-chim"(invasion by the North.Of them, 349 students or 69 percent picked "buk-chim", running counter to what they learn in school text books. Such misunderstanding weakens fundamental values and national pride that growing children need to have, and distorts sacrifices of patriots who risked their lives for the country.

 The Department of Defense Korean War 60th Anniversary Committee has opened an online forum for Korean War Veterans and those affected by the war to submit their stories at http://www.koreanwar60.com/webform/share-your-story.It  is such a meaningful try to accumulate all the important, valuable memories and documents about Korean War.