Good question
Hardly a day goes by without a report in the news about the friction that exists between Korea and Japan. Who holds sovereignty over Takeshima (Or is that Tokto?), which is a group of islands in the Sea of Japan (Or is that the East Sea?)
But no matter what the beef of the week is, Korea is always quick to play the history card: Japan has yet to show sufficient remorse (pay compensation) for wrongs committed against Koreans during a period that started almost 100 years ago and ended more than half a century ago.
Now I have neither the desire nor the historical knowledge to get involved in any of these arguments, but I asked a good Japanese friend of mine what he thinks about it all. He said, “The South Koreans harbor such a strong grudge against Japan over things that happened so long ago, so I wonder why they don’t they feel an equal level of appreciation and gratitude for the U.S., which stepped in and saved them twice within a period of about 10 years?”
Good question. . .
I think at root it’s the same motivation for both. They want to be strong, independent, sovereign, and the fact that they still need the US for protection, as well as the fact that they still haven’t managed to force Japan to properly apologize for their colonialism, are two similarly strong examples of their continuing lack of influence in international politics.
March 11th, 2005 at 9:37 amI don’t think they need the US for protection any long. NK’s army is really not up to par with the SK’s and I doubt China or Russia would help Kitajousen this time around, especially since Japan would certainly help out SK.
March 11th, 2005 at 10:06 amJapan might help them out by sending equipment or material aid, but they are still bound by article 9 of the constitution, which has also been interpreted as barring them from even providing weapons to foreign allies.
Sure SK could beat NK in a war, but it’s likely that millions of civilians would die, particularly in the greater Seoul area. Not to mention the military casualties.
And it’s Kitachousen, not jousen.
March 11th, 2005 at 2:25 pmForgive my ignorance about Japan, but can they help anybody much right now? I was under the impression they don’t exactly have the most powerful military around…
I agree totally with Mutantfrog - pretty much nailed it. They want to be considered a rook or a knight, not just the little pawn (or one day king?). I don’t agree that they’d be ok on their own, but neither do I like the idea of US troops here for much longer. I think the older Koreans and Christians focus too much on gratitude to the US, so all the others are reactionary on the opposite pole. In the end, it’s about even. They’re a bit polar on Japan too, but most Koreans agree that they don’t like Japan (as a nation - not individual people)…there are Koreans who wish they were Japanese though.
March 11th, 2005 at 2:27 pmSouth Korea still needs USFK. ROK officials have said they only have about a 10-day supply of ammo. Don’t you guys read the papers?
March 11th, 2005 at 3:04 pmActually, Japan’s SDF is really quite strong in certain areas. Article 9 sort of restricts the types of weapons possessed and the amount of power projection (particularly weapons and systems aimed at long-range or invasion capabilities), but the areas where Japan does have military equipment they do very well. Japan also has about the 4th largest military budget in the world.
March 11th, 2005 at 3:35 pmActually Japan has the second largest military budget in the world. Amazing, considering that they, in a very technical legal sense, don’t have a real military.
What they don’t have is much in the way of offensive or invasionary capability, i.e. no offensive missile systems, few long range troop transports or aircraft carriers. Because the Japanese military is labeled a mere ‘Self Defense Force’ they have not been able to develop any significant capabilities that go beyond reactive defense.
March 11th, 2005 at 3:49 pmFor example, Japan has 3 Osumi-class “tank landing ships” that displace around 15,000 tons. They really should be classifed more as “LPH”– landing platform helicoptor, and are each about the size of Thailand’s one carrier. For political reasons, they aren’t called that. They also are as equipped as they could be, for the same reasons. Japan could pretty quickly upgrade its military capability, should it so choose.
March 11th, 2005 at 3:55 pmWell, it’s actually bukchosun, but who’s arguing?
March 11th, 2005 at 6:01 pm“The South Koreans harbor such a strong grudge against Japan over things that happened so long ago”
This is a very typical view among Japanese, I found. I am a Korean student in the United States. I live in an “international house” with many Japanese. When we introduce ourselves, they always have same reaction when they find out I’m Korean. They make nervous comments or joke such as: “Oh, you must not like me then, because I’m Japanese.” When I ask them why, they say they learned in school that the Koreans hold a deep grudge against Japanese for the past. That’s the first thing they know about Koreans and the last thing.
They don’t learn why Koreans feel this way, only that they feel this way, maybe because Koreans are a little emotional and irrational.
But young Koreans don’t feel this way. They only want Japanese to recognise their crimes and apologize sincerely, so we can develop a true relationship. When Japanese think that the Korean “han” is just irrational grudging about the past, they make things worse. It is not an issue of Korean character. It is an issue of Japanese crimes. It is an issue of justice above all.
Most Koreans feel that when Japanese can acknowledge sincerely their crimes, then Koreans can acknowledge some benefits of colonization, like modernization. But this does not excuse the crime, just like the creation of Israel does not excuse the Holocaust. But it will produce a more balanced view.
I hope this explains the Korean perspective.
March 11th, 2005 at 8:24 pm“…no matter what the beef of the week is, Korea is always quick to play the history card: Japan has yet to show sufficient remorse (pay compensation) for wrongs committed against Koreans during a period that started almost 100 years ago and ended more than half a century ago.
Now I have neither the desire nor the historical knowledge to get involved in any of these arguments, but …”
I think you are already involved in an argument, because you do not take a neutral position. Although “half a century” sounds like a long time, this means that direct victims and witnesses are still alive, they are our grandmothers and grandfathers. If your grandmother or grandfather was raped or murdered or witnessed those crimes, would you say to them: “Why do you hold grudge about the past so long ago? Why don’t you just forget about it?”
This is why our history is not just a diplomatic “card” to negotiate for more power, as you suggest. Also, it is not just a question of “pay compensation”. That is an ugly accusation. Most important issue for Koreans is sincere acknowledgement by both Japanese leaders and people about the truth of the past and correct understanding and teaching of history. Not just money. That is what Japanese extreme right always accuses to make excuses.
So when you say you “have neither the desire nor the historical knowledge to get involved in any of these arguments”, I think that is misleading. To have neither the desire nor the historical knowledge to get involved is exactly an extreme-nationalist Japanese position on the argument. Korean position is for historical knowledge, historical acknowledgement and teaching, not just for political power and money compensation.
I think you want to take a neutral position, but you are already too influenced by one-sided Japanese perspective. That is why I try to show the other side. Thank you.
March 11th, 2005 at 9:01 pmThanks for your comments, Na Nam-ja. The man who made the remark I quoted does not deny any of the horrible things that Japan did to Korea in the past. In fact, he told me that he holds it against Emperor Showa that he never apologized to the Japanese people for all they went through for him.
His point was that the grudge for past wrongs is being held longer and is expressed with much greater intensity than any gratitude for the positives provided by the U.S. over the years.
As for my remark about compensation, this is a passage from The Asian Times.
Against [all the] recent favorable social and cultural exchanges by the peoples of the two countries, South Korean President Roh Moo-hyun recently, on February 25 and March 1, repeatedly urged Tokyo to continue grappling with its past. On March 1, in his speech commemorating an uprising against Japanese colonial rule 86 years ago called the March 1 Independent Movement of 1919, he urged Japan to offer a heartfelt apology and settle its past history with Koreans - invasion, occupation, enslavement and forced labor, comfort women - by paying compensation if necessary in order for real reconciliation to take place.
JP
March 11th, 2005 at 9:35 pmJP: I’ve mentioned this in other forums, but compensation seems to be demanded by the government while the average person just wants a complete and sincere apology.
I see this as the government using the situation as an easy way to gain points with the populace. As long as they demand compensation, they KNOW Japan will not react favorably. Because of this, they also realize they will never actually have to do anything. It’s a win win situation for the government!
Na Nam-ja spoke of what I have heard so often from many Koreans.
March 11th, 2005 at 10:39 pmHey “man” (nam-ja)
You mentioned, and I’ve heard repeated many times before, this call for “sincere acknowledgment by both Japanese leaders and people about the truth of the past and correct understanding and teaching of history.” I’m curious how you see this happening? Set a date and at a preset time the people of Japan will stand, face west and say “sorry Korea”. Would that do it? Or do you want a true, inclusive historical review, one that involves the outing of thousands of Korean families who worked for the Japanese: police officers, government workers, administrators…or how about those Koreans who sold their brethren into servitude during the occupation (yes, it happened, and as for women being sold into servitude in South Korea, it is still not unheard of in the sex industry). An objective, transparent analysis of the period would likely leave Korea more divided than it is now. At least now Koreans can point a collective figure east, comfortable in the myth that they are all victims, and that the Japanese alone enslaved the Korean people - with no help or complicity on the part of many Koreans.
March 11th, 2005 at 10:40 pmAnd as for textbooks, are you really suggesting that Korea is in a position to criticize the texts of Japan? Korea - paragon of historical objectivity!? I agree that Japan’s school texts are woefully inadequate in how they depict recent history, but are Korean and Chinese text really any better?.
The fact is Japan has apologized (quite recently actually during a visit by Kim Dae Jung if memory serves) and Japan paid compensation as negotiated with the gov’t of the RoK in 1965. If the Korean people want to keep this issue burning then they had better be prepared for the social/political fallout that a true, inclusive analysis of the period will elicit.
I dont get how this is a ‘Good Question’ at all. Sorry, but I must say some points made here are flagrantly wrong.
(1) History is not an issue of past. Its a current issue that matters right NOW. The distortion of history textbooks in Japan is an exemplary fact of that. The new textbooks, especially, describe Japanese invasion in Asia/Pacific as benefitiary and continue to encourage the already existing Japanese racism (whether subconsciously or consciously, most Japanese still seem to deem Koreans and Chinese as naturally dirty, inferior, and incompetant). The past plays also a big part in disputed areas in borders with Korea and Russia.
(2) “I wonder why they don’t they feel an equal level of appreciation and gratitude for the U.S., which stepped in and saved them twice within a period of about 10 years”
This is totally illogical and flagrantly wrong. Korea has since its independence and end of civil war, kept a close relationship with the USA both economically and militarily. When the United States asked for our help and cooperation, we sent troops in Vietnam and recently have contributed to the coalition in Iraq (larget troop after the US and Britain). What could you call that but alliance and friendship for what US has done in this region? True, there are anti-Bush feelings right now in Korea. But thankfulness does not mean that you cannot disagree with that person. It does NOT mean that civilians can express their feelings towards the Bush Administration. There goes the fallacious logic.
By the way, do Japanese think they could have achieved modernization without America and Perry’s forced opening of Edo Shogunate? Do they realize that democracy in Japan would have been unlikely without their defeat to the Americans? Koreans have for sure earned their democracy themselves. I think Japan should think about themselves before they speak of others. Of course, this is totally true to Koreans (and others) as well.
March 11th, 2005 at 11:31 pmThank you, JP.
I think anti-Japanese and anti-American sentiment in Korea is over-emphasized in other countries. Japanese are not hated by all Koreans, and many Koreans are very grateful for American sacrifice, but there are no media events to prove that. Only media events are anti-America demos, and those happen everywhere, even in UK, the closest US friend.
For example, in other countries everyone learns that black people suffer so much racism in America, but I was very surprised to find out that it is not as bad as I thought. I think most Americans have much better open attitude about race than other nationalities. Still, many times, someone in America calls me “chink” or “jap” or say some kind of race insult like that for no reason when they see me, and those are the events I remember most, not the many times it did not happen.
anyway, I think it is too much simplication to say Japan only victimized Korea and US only saved Korea. I said before, Japan’s colonization gave some benefits to Korea, but we can’t acknowledge those benefits unless there is greater acknowledgement of Japanese crimes by Japanese people. Also, America committed some atrocities not only against North Koreans but South Korean civilians too, where they purposely executed South Korean women and children (Nogunni). This was rare case, but it is enough. Just like Abu Graib is enough for Iraqis never to feel grateful to America for democratization.
Also, I think most Koreans feel both Japanese and America was acting out of self-interest. America wanted to protect its own interest in Cold War against Communism, not to “save” Korea. So I don’t think there can be total gratitude to America. It is not symmetrical opposite to Japanese situation. In some ways, America was similar to Japan. Korean war was, in some way, a war between new kind of colonial powers after war, Soviet Union and United STates. North Korea and South Korea were their proxies in some ways, not every way, but some way. So America saved Korea from the danger it helped to create along with Soviets. Still, many Koreans, especially older ones, are very thankful to America and Americans. I know one Korean grandfather who salutes each time he sees American soldier, even today.
About compensation issue. Yes, it should be allowed for sex-slave victims and other direct victims, but that is very few people. This is not main issue for most Koreans. That’s why I said it is not just a question of compensation. If you say that, then you question the motivations of the victims or the historical truth. That is my objection.
Thank you.
March 11th, 2005 at 11:40 pm“I see this as the government using the situation as an easy way to gain points with the populace. As long as they demand compensation, they KNOW Japan will not react favorably. Because of this, they also realize they will never actually have to do anything. It’s a win win situation for the government! ”
I think this sounds like plausible or cynical argument for most politicians. But Noh Moo-hyun is not typical politician. He’s not that clever, and he made so many political mistakes, that he’s kind of political naif-genius. The compensation issue is for very old rape/sex-slave and labour-slave victims. I think his view is sincere. Noh Moo-hyun was labour activist/lawyer, so I think this was his true position.
March 11th, 2005 at 11:49 pmHey “Observer”.
I don’t know if I understood your comment completely. Maybe you’re being sarcastic?
Anyway, of course there were problems with Korean collaborators. Koreans are still fighting about this issue even today. No one in Korea believes there was “no help or complicity on the part of Koreans”, as you suggest. There were many collaborators among the French during German occupation, and there were even collaborators among the Jews who helped kill other Jews. That doesn’t mean a great crime wasn’t committed against the Jews, or that the responsibility belongs to the Germans. In the case of Korea, yes, we know there were many collaborators and opportunists, just as there were some benefits to Japanese collaboration, but I don’t think you can relativise the history to the point where the perpetrators become the victims and the victims become the perpetrators, like you want. Main perpetrators have to make first, complete acknowledgement for the crime, have to take full responsibility. Then process of historical analysis and mitigating circumstances and Korean collaboration can be examined more fully. I hope that an “objective, transparent analysis will leave Korean people more divided.” That can be a good thing too.
March 12th, 2005 at 12:12 amI agree that Korean and Chinese textbooks are very bad in some ways. Some Koreans try to fix this, but it is very hard to do when Japanese textbooks do the same. In some ways, Korean history textbooks are in reaction to Japanese and Chinese versions, every side exaggerating their own position. But as main perpetrators, I think Japan needs to make first step. Bad textbooks in Korea and China cannot be an excuse. There should be more negotiation and dialectic among scholars about truth.
I think this sounds like plausible or cynical argument for most politicians. But Noh Moo-hyun is not typical politician. He’s not that clever, and he made so many political mistakes, that he’s kind of political naif-genius. The compensation issue is for very old rape/sex-slave and labour-slave victims. I think his view is sincere. Noh Moo-hyun was labour activist/lawyer, so I think this was his true position.
I agree with your impressions of Noh’s political acumen, but I’m not certain of his sincerity at this point. If this issue is so important to him, why has it taken him this long to voice it?
His recent pronouncement really took the Japanese by surprise. It shouldn’t have if the president feels so strongly about this issue that is such an integral part of Korean society.
March 12th, 2005 at 12:23 amI agree with your impressions of Noh’s political acumen, but I’m not certain of his sincerity at this point. If this issue is so important to him, why has it taken him this long to voice it?
His recent pronouncement really took the Japanese by surprise. It shouldn’t have if the president feels so strongly about this issue that is such an integral part of Korean society.
Yes, I see your point. Noh has no diplomatic skills, that’s why he’s not considered a typical politician.
Dokdo (Takeshima) issue also is surprising for Korea. This may also be a political manoeuvre by Japanese government, because they must know Dokdo will always stay in Korean hands, so why do Japanese even raise this issue? Maybe just for political points.
Anyway, I think formal apology for past is not so important as better education for Japanese students. Today, I see young French and German students get along very well, because most young Germans have a deep understanding of what their parents or grandparents generation did. Young Japanese students seem to lack that. They only ask, “Why do Koreans hate us so much even today?” without deep understanding of the issues. Still, Koreans and Japanese become good friends here. We are closer to each other than to others, so this is already changing. I don’t think this will be such an integral issue in another decade, when all the surviving victims will be gone. That’s the way it happens.
March 12th, 2005 at 12:55 amMy experience is that some young Koreans indeed do voice hatred for Japan, but indeed don’t really feel it all that viscerally… and I’m told the rhetoric is often what is taught in school.
Those who go abroad often discover a lot more in common with Japanese than they do with others, and bond, and come back to Korea (or remain abroad) without even retaining the rhetoric. Exposure is often a good remedy for bigotry, in this day and age.
And if Japan has a view of its history that is saturated with omissions and fantastical notions, well, Korea does too. And I think Observer’s right that there could be a lot of political and social division if Korea actually starts in on what Roh’s Administration wants—a serious investigation of the colonial period, and who sided with the Japanese—which will be cost for a mopre realistic view of history… but one that many people will be slow to accept (those that are willing at all).
March 13th, 2005 at 7:32 pmNa Nam-ja wrote
“When I ask them why, they say they learned in school that the Koreans hold a deep grudge ”
I found a liar korean here again.
None of Japanese school teach such unnecessary thing.
Why the Japanese think that all the Koreans hate Japanese is from TV or internet or books.
During FIFA WC 2002, people saw that thousands of Koreans expressing hatred toward Japanese on TV.
A Korean took domain “www.2002japanworldcup.com” and the site was anti-japan site, nothing related to soccor.
The anti-Japan site under pretense of the World Cup Japan site
by Koreans
http://nanahi03.hp.infoseek.co.jp/
모 영택
http://nanahi03.hp.infoseek.co.jp/wcj/oriental/image/54_doctormo.gif
People see that Koreans burning Japanese flag on TV frequently.
People saw small Korean children in elementary school said “We should invade Japan” on TV.
A Korean man who hit Japanese kid with an ax said “That was Japanese. Who cares?”.
Just some examples.
March 14th, 2005 at 12:30 amhoriemon:
Sounds more like a disgruntled Japanese person. Na Nam-ja has given wonderful, reasoned discussion. Giving generic ‘facts’ of hatred between Japanese and Koreans is useless, each side can give plenty of examples of such instances. Discussing the issues instead of random quotes of hatred is the only way to progress.
March 14th, 2005 at 2:46 pmJapanese prime ministers and the royal family have apologized to Korea repeatedly for the colonization–it falls on deaf ears. Park Chung-hee took the Japanese compensation funds and built infrastructure with it instead of giving it to the victims. Ask the Korean government what they ultimately would accept as atonemment–they will never accept any offer, it\’s too useful to manipulate Koreans with the anti-Japan propaganda.
March 14th, 2005 at 3:49 pmWhen they are hollow words with little to no action is it surprising that the words fall on deaf ears?
March 14th, 2005 at 11:23 pm“SEOUL, South Korea - Two South Korean demonstrators each cut off a finger outside the Japanese Embassy in Seoul on Monday to protest Tokyo’s territorial claim”
http://imgnews.naver.com/image/ohmynews/2005/03/14/kws21_215275_1290175.jpg
http://imgnews.naver.com/image/ohmynews/2005/03/14/kws21_215275_1290170.jpg
http://imgnews.naver.com/image/001/2005/03/14/kp1_2050314o1344.jpg
Plunge
March 15th, 2005 at 9:40 amJapanese school do not teach hate unlike Korean school.
The photos prove how Koreans have been educated.
I’m trying to understand how cutting off ones finger proves they were taught to hate in school. A little help here please?
March 15th, 2005 at 9:48 amGiant Panda: Japanese prime ministers and the royal family have apologized to Korea repeatedly for the colonization–it falls on deaf ears.
An apology that is degraded by various Japanese politicians calling for a withdrawal of that apology hardly seems like a “sincere” apology to me.
When the US apologized for the wrongful internment of Japanese-American’s was there one Senator, one Congressman calling for the withdrawal of that apology? NO! You can say the same for the Germans as well.
Giant Panda: Park Chung-hee took the Japanese compensation funds and built infrastructure with it instead of giving it to the victims.
$300 million in GRANTS and $500 million in LOANS seems rather short on real compensation. The Japanese may have “dodged the bullet” on the compensation issue but do you expect Koreans to be pleased with a LOAN, regardless how stupidly Park Chung Hee may have negotiated it!?!?!?!? Morally, does anyone think this was rightful compensation?
Also the falsehoods of Japanese colonialism perpetuated in Japanese history books goes as an insult to Koreans. And as long as that insult remains there will be Koreans who will protest it be it logically or illogically, no matter how many years go by. Thus far there has been no sense of closure for Koreans.
March 15th, 2005 at 12:52 pmJapanese PMs and royals apologize to Korea, but it doesn’t count because they must be held accountable for the opinions of “various politicians” who are not the country’s leaders…Park Chung Hee, who was the leader of S. Korea, accepted Japan’s compensation and signed off on it, but Koreans can’t be held accountable for their leader’s actions…interesting “logic” here.
March 15th, 2005 at 4:19 pmPanda: Japanese PMs and royals apologize to Korea, but it doesn’t count because they must be held accountable for the opinions of “various politicians” who are not the country’s leaders…
When it comes to an apology of that magnitude it’s really better that a PM’s formal apology isn’t rejected by 2/3 of the Diet.
Just imagine if the German government treated the Nazi aggression as Japan does their’s, don’t you think the world would be in an uproar?
Panda: Park Chung Hee, who was the leader of S. Korea, accepted Japan’s compensation and signed off on it, but Koreans can’t be held accountable for their leader’s actions…
Geez I seem to have mentioned somewhere in my post that Japan “dodged the bullet” on that one. But just like the American POW’s who couldn’t sue Japan for compensation because of the San Francisco Treaty, doesn’t mean that they aren’t pissed off about it.
You really don’t need logic to understand, just a little common sense.
March 15th, 2005 at 5:00 pmFirst of all.
Japan do not have to apologize to Korea.
There was NO WAR between Japan and Korea.
There is no international law to compensate for colonization.
Holland colonized indonesia for 350 years.
When Indonesia became independent, Holland charged 6 billion dollars to indonesian government.
In 1995, Dutch queen Beatrix visited Indonesia and her speech “Dutch colonization was peace” raged anger among Indonesians.
Koreans rufused to apologize to Vietnam for raping and slaughtering civilians during Vietnam war.
March 15th, 2005 at 7:16 pmThis is war crime.
Deseret News, The (Salt Lake City, UT) - April 9, 2000
Villagers recall S. Korean atrocities in Viet War, Troops massacred 1,600 civilians in all, survivors say
TAY VINH, Vietnam — The whine of incoming shells sent Ho Thi Cham and her family scurrying for a shelter deep in the bamboo. As her husband held their squirming young son’s nose so he wouldn’t cry out, Cham heard shots. Hundreds of shots.The villagers hid for a week. They emerged to discover scores of decomposing bodies, some ravaged by dogs and pigs.South Korean troops, U.S. allies in the Vietnam War, had killed 380 villagers and left their bodies to rot in the steamy heat…
Augusta Chronicle, The (GA) - April 7, 2000
S. KOREANS ACCUSED OF MASSACRE, SURVIVORS SAY U.S. ALLIES IN VIETNAM WAR KILLED UP TO 1,600 INNOCENT VILLAGERS DURING EARLY 1966
March 15th, 2005 at 7:40 pmThe whine of incoming shells sent Ho Thi Cham and her family scurrying for a shelter deep in the bamboo. As her husband held their squirming young son’s nose so he wouldn’t cry out, she heard shots. Hundreds of shots.The villagers hid for a week. They emerged to discover scores of decomposing bodies, some ravaged by dogs and pigs.South Korean troops, U.S. allies in the Vietnam War, had killed 380 villagers and left their bodies to rot in the steamy heat of February 1966, Ms….
NamJa tarrion plung and PK sound like a members of the international VANKers club. They flood websites with half truthes and dumb foreingers like plungs who strive to eat Gorean provide support.
The bottom line is that no applogy will suit the angry goreans. Just look at those goreans. Cutting off their fingers.
Namja reminds me of when Roh said that the anti-american was just a few kids and not a national feeling. He said this riding the wave of anti-americanism standing in front of anti-american banners. Namja, what do you want? Japan to tell the truth as you see it? Well the text books that “white wash” history are used by .1% oif japanese middle school students. Is that all you want. I doubt that.
Gorea is a much biggest liar of history. A easy example is Goreans claim of Takashima. Gorea sent troops there when the Japanese forces were under the control of the American army. If you think the Americanc ever really have control of the GOrans just look at Kwangju. By the way, Goreans are trying to pin that on the USA too.
Plung, are you nuts? You think that this namja is serous when he says that everyday people call him Jap or chink? And his granfather still saluts GIs.. what bullshit. He is making that shit up. But dummies like you eat that up. I am suprised that namja didnt say the KKK came knocking for him.
March 15th, 2005 at 7:57 pmVANK!!!???
March 15th, 2005 at 8:36 pmMy friend had web site about animal abuse and site was destroyed by VANKer koreans.
It’s sad when the trolls come in and ruin any chance at reasoned discussion. Please come back when you have moved out of your parents basement, taken a shower and actually had a date with a real flesh and blood woman. At that time, you might be able to discuss an issue intelligently instead of like the hormone driven, date deprived, 14-year old angst filled cave dwellers you act like.
March 15th, 2005 at 11:14 pm“It’s sad when the trolls come in and ruin any chance at reasoned discussion. Please come back when you have moved out of your parents basement, taken a shower and actually had a date with a real flesh and blood woman. At that time, you might be able to discuss an issue intelligently instead of like the hormone driven, date deprived, 14-year old angst filled cave dwellers you act like”-Plung a sad sad troll.. living under a bridge. Plung quit beating your wife.
March 16th, 2005 at 1:08 pmKorean soldiers killed so many Vietnamese, but there have been no Korean soldiers who have confessed to their part in these killings. Is all the testimony of the Vietnamese civilian victims of massacre false? And are the eight months of articles reported in The Hankyoreh21 nothing more than exaggerations? Are there no brave veterans who will tell the real story of what happened?
We would like to introduce Kim Ki Tae, a 65 year old retired colonel, who was a marine captain at the front lines of the Vietnam War for one year. He shared with us all his experiences during his military tour there. He revealed that the stories of atrocities by Korean soldiers are true. Even we, the very people who had reported about it, doubted this truth. “Did Korean troops really systematically kill innocent Vietnamese?” “Was it possible that Korean soldiers shot unarmed women and their babies?” Kim Ki Tae, a Vietnam veteran, discussed all of this in a composed and frank manner, “I was ordered to kill Vietnamese civilians and also shot them myself during the Vietnam War.”
Kim reveals that the probability of systematic killings was high. He says, “Whenever we entered to survey villages, we always gathered villagers together at one place. The decision to kill them or not depended completely on a captain. Whenever we had wounded or dead soldiers, for revenge we had to kill the gathered villagers. Not only the direct order of a captain to kill, but also if the soldiers thought that their captain could not handle the villagers, the soldiers shot the villagers. They also never forgot to shoot them again to be sure.” Kim says that his story is true, but he also adds that it was more common that they let Vietnamese captives go free. Kim recalls a new soldier who couldn’t pull the trigger on a Viet Cong suspect at first, but got accustomed to kill people. ” After he gave 5 or 6-year-old Vietnamese children candies and cigarettes, he shot them in their chest, and then kicked them away. I was surprised at him and asked why he killed such innocent children. He replied, ‘Well, because they might be children of the Viet Cong, I prevented their future revenge.’
March 16th, 2005 at 11:24 pm[...] stumble upon more about that here http://japundit.com/archives/2005/03/11/285 [...]
September 10th, 2007 at 7:14 am