S Korea to build naval base near disputed island

It is their given right. Se rise changes will resolve the problem eventually, but not the for the four islands held by Russia. Those are real islands.

Let them...Japan should focus on re-building Fukushima...no money? New taxes have been finalised...refer to separate thread.

Oh, whatchagonna do?

I'm starting to get that feeling. That feeling that America should step back and let Japan deal with this. China, Russia, and (now maybe) the Koreans.

Let the escalation begin. We should just step back and watch, enjoy the show. For all the sex slaves Japan created in WWII, for the invasion of Korea and China. I think it's time for some payback.

The one thing I can't stand is a guy who runs in and throws a sucker punch. Japan in history has thrown too many. "We want to push towards peace while cruising the Pacific to kill innocent folks on a Sunday"

Lets see a straight up fight. China, Korea, North Korea and Russia against Japan.

That's a new low considering they know Japan has never used military tactics or much agression over anything unlike their other neighbours China, Russia & N.Korea.

"The new base will feature a 300-metre (990-feet) pier big enough to accommodate Aegis destroyers and the 14,000-tonne amphibious landing ship named Dokdo, Chung said."

Well Japan announced a build up of military forces in Okinawa, very close to china as well as constant patrols of Senkaku/daioyu islands. The s koreans Are stakin their claims too.

In a situation like this, what stands out is that he arms race and military build up by all sides (including china) will do little to help peace. But gobs always fought over resources, and this why they're all demanding these rocks.

SK wants to play with fire too, I wonder what sort of weapons will they have at their disposal there? All is fair in love and war.

cwhite - I'm thinking that history might tell you otherwise. Japan has never used its military or heavy-handedness against its neighbours? Really?

$300 million to save 21/2 hours sailing time?

Dokdo are Korean islands, so what's the problem with building a base nearby?

That's a new low considering they know Japan has never used military tactics or much agression over anything unlike their other neighbours China, Russia & N.Korea.

-seriously? Might I suggest you do some research...

Is this an island Japan took as part of the war? What is the history for this tiny little island?

I guess we know where South Korea stands on the issue of global warming.300 million dollars says they think the science is bunk.

" -2 Good Bad cwhiteSEP. 28, 2011 - 12:29PM JST That's a new low considering they know Japan has never used military tactics or much agression over anything unlike their other neighbours China, Russia & N.Korea."

Even the article says Japan occupied Korean from 1910-1945. The Koreans didn't invite them. No aggression?

That's a new low considering they know Japan has never used military tactics or much agression over anything unlike their other neighbours China, Russia & N.Korea.

..............................''" Never " ? why, such short term memory.

That's a new low considering they know Japan has never used military tactics or much agression over anything unlike their other neighbours China, Russia & N.Korea.

This is what one calls xtreme amnesia and denial of history.

Funny... Japanese don't shout "go away Korean invaders", but some shout "get out of us Russian pigs", even though Japan and Allies, including SU, signed http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Treaty_of_San_Francisco In my opinion, this treaty became a bit old, we need to review territorial question, and sign act of peace finally.

WOW, cwhite You've got no clue do you? I think you've been reading Japanese history books.....you know the short versions they printed recently. Japanese were over there killing men and raping women in the name of Emperor.

Japanese have always referred to themselves as "The Divine Race". "There are none so similar to the face of God as the Emperor's"

I fully support South Korea and their plans to build a naval base closer to the islands they plane to protect. I even found the perfect name for that base......Tortuga!!!! 2015 eh? I wish I didn't have to wait so long.

netninja, chill out. I'm pretty sure cwhite was being sarcastic.

Holy Ship!

The islands were actually classed as Japanese in Korean text books before WW2. The fighting over ownership only started after they discovered the riches in the land surrounding said islands. This matter needs to be settled in court before it escalates any more. Netninja, you need to get help and stop playing your war games on your pc, or playstation, or whatever. I think they are unbalancing you.

Wow. Korea has some money to burn.

The islands were actually classed as Japanese in Korean text books before WW2. The fighting over ownership only started after they discovered the riches in the land surrounding said islands.

The whole of Korea was classed as Japanese before WW2, by the Japanese who invaded some years before

Before the Japanese invasion Gobshite. I should've been clearer.

I guess the only positive outcome will be increased employment for construction workers and ship builders

A very regrettable and unnecessary provocation.

What a brilliant strategic move. Those ships and sailors based in the middle of nowhere will come in really handy to defend S. Korea from an attack by Kooky Kim Jong Il.

The whole of Korea was classed as Japanese before WW2, by the Japanese who invaded some years before.

Japan annexed Korea in 1910. It was a political move, not a military invasion.

" 0 VirtuosoSEP. 28, 2011 - 08:40PM JST The whole of Korea was classed as Japanese before WW2, by the Japanese who invaded some years before.

Japan annexed Korea in 1910. It was a political move, not a military invasion."

Yes it was a military invasion and occupation. They also killed over 60.000 Koreans, still missing. Put down the j text books and read a real one.

It's good to know that the Koreans have some free time on their hands while dealing with the North.

S Korea building a naval base in Ulleungdo doesn't mean Korea wants to pick a fight with Japan.As long as Japan doesn't attack Korea militarily, there will be no military clashes between S Korea and Japan!! Peace To You All!!

South Korea will build a naval base near an island claimed by both Seoul and Tokyo so that its warships can deploy faster than Japan’s in case of disputes, a lawmaker said Wednesday.

Friendly Neighbours eh, I always hear "Asia is one". Ha ha ha yes sure it is.

there must be oil or natural gas reserves on the ocean floor or this would be a non-issue.

Japanese people should ask themselves if all that is happening in front of your eyes is tolerable, I find it a shame !!!!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FaOCQ9AQyP0

Looks like a pork project as it really will not do too much good. Am wondering if Japan has a base anywhere close to the rocks? Well it is their money though am puzzled by this move. Yes, it must be pork.

The islands were actually classed as Japanese in Korean text books before WW2. The fighting over ownership only started after they discovered the riches in the land surrounding said islands. This matter needs to be settled in court before it escalates any more. Netninja, you need to get help and stop playing your war games on your pc, or playstation, or whatever. I think they are unbalancing you.

Considering that WW2 ended in 1945 and Korea was forcibly occupied by Japan from 1910-1945, your argument makes no sense. The entire Korean peninsula was classed as Japanese during that time genius.

Japanese people should ask themselves if all that is happening in front of your eyes is tolerable, I find it a shame !!!!! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FaOCQ9AQyP0

One of the dumbest videos I have ever seen in my life. Typical 2ch propaganda.

I recommend everyone here see this video if you want a good laugh. They make a big fuss out of absolutely nothing. Pokemon and comic books from the 80s. Or how Hyundai is somehow copying Honda because they both start with the letter H even though Hyundai was founded earlier and neither country considered the English alphabet when they formed their company.

Stuff like this makes Japan look petty and immature.

"disputed island"

It's not an island, it's a rock.

propaganda?? do you think stealing ideas industrial property advertising I do not think so. It's called truth.

This article mostly talks about South Korea, so I was surprised it was under NATIONAL news, but since it does talk about this so called disputed island with Japan?? Maybe a new topic should be added, say like Japan/Korea relations etc..??

what's yours is mine. what's mine is not yours.

Tell you what - if these East Asian mobs channelled all their past grudges and hatred of each other into being positive and working together - they'd be world beaters!

these rocks are mentioned in a korean text from the 6th or 7th century, and not in any japanese source until the 19th century.

given that background, the rocks in all likelihood can be justly claimed by korea.

on the other hand, as they are rocks--and have not been inhabited--the should not qualify as islands that can be used as a basis for an eez claim.

China must be really pissed off. This affects China more than Japan. US Forces will most likely have access. Half the Korean islanders don't want the base either. This island is a resort.

propaganda?? do you think stealing ideas industrial property advertising I do not think so. It's called truth.

Stealing ideas is wrong, but making a big jingoist fuss over some Korean guy some 20 years ago copying an even older Japanese manga is really idiotic. Its almost as stupid as accusing Hyundai of copying Honda because both companies start with the letter H. Oh wait, the video does exactly that even though Hyundai was founded before Honda.

A country sending industrial spies to steal nuclear technology and weapons schematics is a big deal. Some Korean guy in the 90s ripping off pokemon on the other hand isn't a big deal to most mature grown ups. That video does not paint Japan in a good light. It paints Japan and the middle aged net uyoku who agree with the video as petty. It would be like an American youtuber throwing a tantrum because anime ripped off Disney characters. Really now, who cares? Why is this a big deal to you and your uyoku buddies? Its almost as if you guys are satirizing yourself.

People who constantly harp on on pre 1945 Japan when it was a military controlled fascist Empire really need to get their brains examined. The history of Japan for the last 66 years has been peaceful without any military conflict with it;s neighbors. Except of course the covert monsweeper operations conducted by the former Japanese Imperial Navy under US Navy direction to ASSIST SOUTH KOREA during the Korean War. As for those harping on "sex slaves" there were over 240,000 Koreans in the Imperial Japanese military who used those very same comfort women services. The nationalist faction in South Korea are obviously infiltrated by North Korean and Chinese elements to ensure that a divide will continue to exist between South Korea and both Japan and the United States by playing on the chip-on-the-shoulder South Korean mentality.

I can't believe how petty that video is.

Koreans are stealing Japanese culture because a Korean televsion screen shows a picture of mount Fuji? By that logic, Japan is trying to steal the US space program because I saw a Sony TV ad with the space shuttle on it. The video even claims that Koreans stole strawberries and cherry blossoms from Japan. Thats right folks, Japan invented strawberries and cherry trees. They also invented raw fish and are now planning to sue grizzly bears, sharks and penguins for patent infringement.

Japan should spend building like 20 intercontinental ballistic missiles, each equiped with 8 nuclear warheads. That way nobody will protest.

Proud Japanese people reduced to what we see today on his knees to Russia, China and even Korea. I honestly do not know any country in the world where its head of state can not revere their ancestors. Junichiro Koizumi was the last prime minister to visit Yasukuni Shrine. Japanese people wake up.

Everyone is using same tricks (external provocations ) to divert mounting internal resentment derived from economic downturns within one's own country. This is naive & it does not really help resolving the real problems !

The Korean peninsula is "a dagger pointing at the heart of Japan". (by unknown)

vg866Sep. 29, 2011 - 12:27AM JST

I can't believe how petty that video is.

Koreans are stealing Japanese culture because a Korean televsion screen shows a picture of mount Fuji? By that logic, Japan is trying to steal the US space program because I saw a Sony TV ad with the space shuttle on it. The video even claims that Koreans stole strawberries and cherry blossoms from Japan. Thats right folks, Japan invented strawberries and cherry trees. They also invented raw fish and are now planning to sue grizzly bears, sharks and penguins for patent infringement.

I respect your opinion. but it will be a lot of coincidences is not that Apple is suing for plagiarism SAMSUMG and is prohibited from selling their tablets in germany, or is the delight of Japanese nationalists protest as the Japanese scandal Fuji TV. the truth is that Japan lives in information warfare

There goes them Koreans again.

@NetNinjaSep. 28, 2011 - 12:29PM JST

Lets see a straight up fight. China, Korea, North Korea and Russia against Japan.

You not right. Because your reasoning about complex historic process are very primitives.

We need four islands for our strategic security as gateway to Pacific oceans and balance in Asia.

May be you want occupation of Ulleung ? Ok, do it. But what you would really get? Are you sure that you need that island?

USA would leave Asia. That is means that would vacuum of military power. You must worry about military and ECONOMIC power of China, but not about SKorea and Ulleung.

Problem of Ulleung is small problem, but economic power of China is very big problem for strategic security of Japan.

The nationalist faction in South Korea are obviously infiltrated by North Korean and Chinese elements to ensure that a divide will continue to exist between South Korea and both Japan and the United States by playing on the chip-on-the-shoulder South Korean mentality.

oh riiiiight. its all chinese and north koreans fault for the fact that south koreans are angry because of japan's continuous claim on dokdo and their revised textbooks. it must be those pesky chinese agents who paid those japanese politicans to visit the yasukuni shrine LOL

That's a new low considering they know Japan has never used military tactics or much agression over anything unlike their other neighbours China, Russia & N.Korea.

wow...just wow....and this guy even got thumbs up too. and you japanese nationalists still wonder why koreans and chinese hates you huh...wake up and realise the fact that japan is the main cause of all east asia's problems.

Seems to me a lot of attention over nothing. The new base is not a danger to Japan and really redundant. Japan is not going to send troops to the Liancourt Rocks. What the Korean government is doing is destroying relations with Japan for internal political gain. Like the three "lawmakers" the government of Korea is putting personal political gain over their nations interests. Korea can only treat Japan as a military foe for so long.

jackieng, I have long said that the Liancourt Rocks are now part of Korea. Japan should drop all claims to the rocks and be done with it. These rocks are not worth damaging our relations with South Korea. However the Japanese Prime Minister does not ask me for advice.

The fight for this small rock will give the victor the rights to the oil in the economic zone that comes with the island. It's all about the money.

Very good move by Koreans.

The story behind this plan is a secrert. Last year China made a plan to claim this Island as part of China. They created evidence in thier factory for that. Korea, Japan and US knew it before they come decided to build the base.

Practically it will help Japan. If North Korea fire missles to south part of Japan the Ageis in the Dokto Island can burn it down. Japan saves 300 million to 1 billion....

The real looser is China. US and Japan will co-operate with Korea to control the sea from further claims by China.

Japan has nothing to loose if they give away that small Island to korea. It helps to heal the wounds of tha Korean people. Japan do not need more land as the population is stringking and youths are going to go abroad.

If the yen is strong they can buy lots of business in India and Brazil to have land and profit for them...And they will have peace in doing business. Never experiance what they and the west faced by investing in China.

Let the Island go to our good friend Korea. Just keep mum for that..

Peace and unity with Korea and Japan..

vg866 - have a look a little under the post you quoted GENIUS. I fixed that to be clearer. The Korean maps showing the islands as Japanese actually go back 200 years.

Iken?, If these rocks are so valuable, why didn't Japan place a garrison on it?

I respect your opinion. but it will be a lot of coincidences is not that Apple is suing for plagiarism SAMSUMG and is prohibited from selling their tablets in germany,

Apple sued Samsung in a Netherlands court and lost. Apple has sued motorala, htc, android, nokia, heck they sue everyone. Samsung in turn is suing Apple as we speak right now. The companies I’ve listed have thrown counter lawsuits against apple. You really have no idea how the tech world works do you? Suing is a part of the game. Samsung and LG have sued Japanese companies for patent thefts in the past. You don’t see most Koreans throwing a stink about it.

Or maybe you’re just bitter that Korean phone makers sell far more, generate way higher revenues and are of higher quality then the low quality trash that Japan releases these days. Who buys Japanese phones these days?

or is the delight of Japanese nationalists protest as the Japanese scandal Fuji TV. the truth is that Japan lives in information warfare

Those people are nationalists and yes, they are losers. Protesting something as stupid as Korean dramas for women aged 40 and above is moronic. It would be like Korean adults protesting anime and demanding they not be shown. If you don’t like it, then change the channel.

Sadly, I can tell what kind of person you are judging by the fact that you make a big deal about Pokemon and the letter “H”, so we’ll leave it at that.

vg866 - have a look a little under the post you quoted GENIUS. I fixed that to be clearer. The Korean maps showing the islands as Japanese actually go back 200 years.

Give me the name of that Korean map you are referring to that states that the islands belongs to Japan. It doesn’t exist.

Speaking of maps, the Japanese government in 1877 released the Kobunruko Documents which stated outright that the Liancourt rocks were Korean rather than Japanese. This wasn't some obscure map made by a hermit, it was the Japanese governments official stance at the time.

Japan officially incorporated the rocks illegally in 1905, the exact same year they forced(by gunpoint) Korea to sign over all rights to Japan with the 1905 treaty.

The story behind this plan is a secrert. Last year China made a plan to claim this Island as part of China. They created evidence in thier factory for that. Korea, Japan and US knew it before they come decided to build the base.

nice conspiracy there. its probably up there with the moon landing and 9/11. nice try though

jackieng, I have long said that the Liancourt Rocks are now part of Korea. Japan should drop all claims to the rocks and be done with it.

unfortunately, many japanese nationalists doesnt share the same view...

I have got to 'hat off' to show my salutes at those three conservative LDP lawmakers that stirred up a trouble of 'territprial disputes'! Those rocks were meaningless argue, the main struggling was the hatred of each other's arrogances!Good job ROK, you are going to be free of that so called 'military alliances' which is known as 'slavery' among the Korean people! Many Korean people believes their country was being used by Japan,remember the japanese colonial rule and murdering the Korean late queen of Lee's dynasty was the cause of Korean's tragedies in 20th century! Now we see their wakeup and fight for 'real freedom'!

Is Japan going to sanction the ROK military for naming a amphibious landing ship known as Dokdo?

Building a military base in your neighbor's face is a really stupid idea, dispute or no, especially since there is zero defensive value in doing at a pile of boulders in the sea. South Korea has made a very dumb move here. Japan is one of the few allies it has. Whatever politicians and generals came up with this should be dropped from 10, 000 feet over their precious rocks with an umbrella for a parachute.

What the Koreans anger wasnt those rocks but the attitude of Japan behaves, arrogances and unsensitive! The people of both Koreas and overseas should always remember how Japan slashing their late queen and why the Korean peninsula was divided due to the cause of Japanese colonization! Good job, ROK, dont step back to appease those arrogance Japanese diplomacy!

Older South Koreans still have bitter memories of Japan’s harsh colonial role over Korea from 1910-45.

If you read the textbooks of South Korea, you will understood that hatred has passed to younger generations!

just-a-guy, so what are you saying, the hate of the South Koreans will be perceptual? So South Korea wants to be Japans enemy? Make Japan an enemy and they will be surrounded. Again the new base is pure pork, having no real value. Not even to harass Japan. This does place the Americans in an awkward position. Which one to support?

Japan and South Korea need to WAKE UP and actually be better friends, before China tries to take over both of these smaller countries, and let us not forget Russia, it also took islands from Japan up in the north right?? So instead of being stupid and arguing amongst South Korea and Japan, better to take a good look at the mess North Korea is in, and thanks to???? Yes! Big brother Beijing! So WAKE UP!

Elbuda Mexicano, hah! that was the Russia or Soviet Union of 66 years ago. If they attacked Japan today, we will kick their butt! In the air, it will be a "turkey shoot" and on the seas it will be a repeat of 1905. If the north hits the south, why should Japan become involved? It is not our fight or war. As far as I have determined it would be interference in the internal politics of Korea, remember Japan has denounced such.

Japan and South Korea need to WAKE UP and actually be better friends, before China tries to take over both of these smaller countries, and let us not forget Russia, it also took islands from Japan up in the north right?? So instead of being stupid and arguing amongst South Korea and Japan, better to take a good look at the mess North Korea is in, and thanks to???? Yes! Big brother Beijing! So WAKE UP!

Most Koreans dislike Japan(at least on a political level) but they dislike China even more. Japan is viewed as a nuisance, China is viewed begrudgingly as a potential threat to the stability of Asia.

@vg866Sep. 30, 2011 - 03:40PM JST

China is big economic problem, but China can't attack of any country in Asia because China need stable own economic.