[LETTERS TO THE EDITOR]Spread word on Dokdo

Home > Opinion > Letters

print dictionary print

[LETTERS TO THE EDITOR]Spread word on Dokdo

From an international prospective, it is unclear who has the better justification for either Dokdo or Takeshima island. It seems as if the Japanese are very reasonable while the Koreans are extremely emotional. Furthermore, the Japanese proposal to take the dispute to international court further adds to the semblance that they are being very reasonable.
However, a closer look at the situation explains why the Koreans have everything to lose while the Japanese have everything to gain. Since the end of World War II, Korea has had de facto control over the Dokdo islands. From Korea’s point of view, the act of going to international court actually gives credence to Japan’s claim to the islands. As a result, Korea categorically refuses to go into arbitration. This makes Korea seem to be obstinate.
The Korean government does not have to convince Koreans that Dokdo belongs to Korea, but it has to work hard to win the public relations battle internationally and to educate our friends and allies overseas.


by Lim Sung-Keun
Log in to Twitter or Facebook account to connect
with the Korea JoongAng Daily
help-image Social comment?
s
lock icon

To write comments, please log in to one of the accounts.

Standards Board Policy (0/250자)