S Korean leader criticizes Japan during Hagel meeting

lets move on shall we SK? there are more important things to do. All you do is complain...your hatred will killl you.

S Korean leader criticizes Japan during Hagel meeting

She uses every occasion to show her 'dissatisfaction' with Japan both in and out of South Korea. Report when she'll say something nice.

SK is whinging the only thing you know?

I swear they whinge at every chance possible.

Maybe she should resort to cutting off her little finger and tossing excrement?

There are times when you should keep your mouth shut.

President Park Geun-hye has to toe the PRC line if she doesn't she will call from Kim Jong-un.

Tributary states must do as they are told.

What was Hagel's response?

?

Japan never learn their mistakes and keep on like this Abe never have a good relation with koreans and Chinese. If done something bad in the past, accept it and teach your younger generation to behave, not covered. The whole world know imperial japan army are rotten egg (worst than that).

What was Hagel's response?

Yawn-suppressing smile?

If South Korea wants to be China's truibutary state, that's fine. But if so I don't think a drop of American blood should be shed protecting them. If South Korea doesn't want to be part of the US lead alliance then we should pull all 28,000 troops out of there.

What's Hagel going to do about it? Nothing!!!

If South Korea doesn't want to be part of the US lead alliance then we should pull all 28,000 troops out of there.

28,000 Japanese troops in South Korea? That's news to me..

The SK leader was expected to drop a few bad words about Japan. That's politics.

More and more I look at south korea as just another brainless country like those residing in the land of China. What is the purpose for south Korea to be this way, maybe to be on the good side of China to say, hey we are your brothers in this nonsense of playing a fool in modern day times. Great to categorize South Korea in the same group as China, must make South Korea fell more superior in their international standing, I guess! NOT!!

Here we go again!!Your whining is taking forever...will you just stop now?

The whole world know imperial japan army are rotten egg (worst than that).

The whole world knows imperial japan army were a rotten egg. Only China and Korea are still living in the past.

In all fairness to Pres Park, she was only responding to Chuck Hagel's statement of wishing a strong bond between Japan and SK. Pres Park was just expressing her perspective on the reasons for the deteriorating relationship.

BTW, Hagel and the Obama administration is well aware of the causes and reasons for the drift between Japan and S Korea.

“I know Japan is an important country to cooperate with for peace and stability in Northeast Asia ... but the trust has not been established due to the (Japanese) leadership which has repeatedly made regressive remarks” on history and territorial issues, Park said,

Falsehood number one. "The trust has not been established" because the ROK 1) reneges on historical agreements signed in good faith and 2) seeks to prolong old grudges by stirring up anti-Japanese sentiment within their own country (through a racist education system) and abroad (by locating little plaques to their suffering in places like New Jersey). ROK clearly cannot be trusted to abide by any agreements their government makes.

They (WW2 victims) have lived with deep (mental) scars but Japan has leveled insults against them rather than offering an apology.”

Falsehood number two. Apologies have been tendered aplenty. ROK accepts the apology (and the cash) and then turns around six months later and starts the whole process over again. Its a kind of extortion.

Park is an an embarrassment. But then from what I've seen most Koreans are beyond shame when it comes to this issue. Best just to ignore them.

I wonder what Ms. Park thinks about her late father, who before Aug. 15, 1945 was a gung-ho officer in the Japanese Kwantung Army.

hidingout: "ROK accepts the apology (and the cash) and then turns around six months later and starts the whole process over again"

You mean like the apology Abe wants to 'reinterpret'?

"President Park Geun-hye brought up the issue of South Koreans' resentment when Hagel visited". Yes, resentment promoted by a President who has not missed any opportunity to bash Japanese leaders and, at the same time, has missed every opportunity for rapprochement. She likes to project the image of a caring leader with the Korean public, and that of a forward-looking leader with the international audience, but her actions speak otherwise. Unfortunately, the international media has failed to scrutinize more this president's actions, both domestic (e.g., related to the spy agency scandal in Korea) and international (odd strategic choices).

but the trust has not been established due to the (Japanese) leadership which has repeatedly made regressive remarks

And what about your father? Are we going to admit that he was a fairly high ranking officer in the Imperial Japanese Army? You can't have it both ways. The hypocrisy here is astounding but I am sure that the average person in Korea has no knowledge of any WW2 history either.

Pretty funny that no matter how many apologies, money that flows out of Japan, especially over the years to China, nothing is enough for either S. Korea or China, enough is enough and besides, the US was involved also in this war as well and many troops were killed, and guess who our strongest Allie in Asia is today. Pretty silly this makes China and South Korea, the two that can not let history be one history. Stop brainwashing your people into a life of hatred!!!! I find this a total mental condition and not a good one. Japan is an advanced society that is made up of open everything. What is not taught in text books is totally open for the people of Japn to read and study from numerous sources, something totally different than the censored tactics in China and also the people of Japan today should not be demonized by some governments that will continually teach hatred and promote hatred within their societies against a people of a different era and of a different social order. This is totally wrong by China,but we know what the reason is behind the leaders of China's continual teaching of hate, so is S. Korea's reason as sickening as China's? It definitely sounds like it. Besides, I was had a lay over for about ten hours in south Korea once and stayed at the airport during that time and found S.Korean friendliness nonresistance, so I myself do not have much of a positive view of S. Korea as it is and can actually understand why S. Korea has such a face when it comes to anyone. I also have an American born Korean friend that himself do not like Koreans from Korea. Lol. Pretty funny huh? So it is sort of placing China and S.Korea in the same box as for mentality. Does South Korea actually like anyone? I mean what is the honest answer to that question? Maybe they love China, the ones supporting their most dangerous threat, North Korea. Hmmmmmm

"And what about your father?"

It's really quite amazing to watch people come on here and demand SK forget history and 'move on' when it comes to the sex slave issue or other Japanese atrocities, then actually call SKoreans hypocrites when it comes to history and acknowledging things.

Pot meet kettle.

It also quite amazing how this president of SK when visiting Vietnam last month stayed numb offering no apolgies towards the atrocities SK commited during the Vietnam war.

The difference is Vietnam didn't make a scene about it.

smithinjapanOct. 01, 2013 - 10:23AM JST "hidingout: "ROK accepts the apology (and the cash) and then turns around six months later and starts the whole process over again" You mean like the apology Abe wants to 'reinterpret'?

No he means the apology that South Korea received from Japan in 1965 and Treaty that South Korea signed which included payment to all korean indivuiduals who suffered, but that the South Korean government decided to spend instead on infrastructre and Pohang Steel, keeping it a secret from the people. Despite this South Korea continues to blame Japan annd deny their roile in WWII, pretending to be a victim on the same level as other Asian countries. Pathetic country.

What is amazing with this topic is people so brainwashed that they can not let history stay just that, history! Just like Germany, we all let that come to rest, apologies where made. Now Japan apologizes again and again and , again,,, and what, more of the same hatred? For how long, the end of time? I could only imagine if Germans did to S. Koreans or Chinese, what Germany did to the Jews, I am certain that also would be going on today, the hatred branded intro the heads towards Germany, but guess what, people got over it and moved on, and now it is history, not forgotten, but all has moved on as a people and societies. This is not the case in China or South Korea when it comes to Japan. Now people can try and explain how different all of this is, but the only differences are the people in China's society and South Korean society, due to the hatred that has been branded within the people's heads since birth. That is the only difference! Social abnormalities instilled by leaders for their own gain, that is a pity, more for S. Koreans than it is for the Chinese, because we have seen S. Korea as a more open society for many more years than in China, but yet they act the same, really sad to see such a similarity between the two societies. Makes one wonder just why South Koreans could be so far behind as a society such as China's which is a country that had been totally isolated for some 40 years or so and still censorship and filtering is implemented upon its society, and yet S. Koreans have such a similarity to that society. Where have you been during China's days of isolation S Korea???

Hague's response was he understood the sensitive nature of the topic but both nations are important allies to the US. Standard comment.

For those who are complaining that Park shouldn't have raised this issue in this meeting. Well she's the President of SK and she can raise any issue at any meeting with a person of lesser status than she is.

Same thing with Abe who raised the same issues about China, SK and the kidnapped Japanese by NK with Kerry or Cameron just about any chance he gets. Heads of state can pretty much talk about anything as they please with any visiting officials. Hague is just a Secretary of Defense, he's not on the same level as Park so he'll just have to listen.

It's a bit unfair to mention that her father worked for the Japanese military, as if that somehow taints her. He lived in the world as it was then, not now. Gandhi's father was a high-ranking official in the British empire, but nobody holds that against Gandhi.

That said, there's a time and a place for everything, and Park doesn't come out of this very well.

LOl.. Hagel asked Park, Korea and Japan should mend fences. Park replies, well, it's pretty hard to do that when Abe's government keeps insulting our WWII survivors, Japan has no interest in mending fences, so no go, and end of story. It was a really short answer to Hagel's question, really. Here's a news for you, what she's getting at is this, S.Korea and Japan doesn't need each other. S.Korea has abandoned Japan diplomatically. You guys can insult away all you like, but nothing changes. There are plenty of other countries in the globe that are more friendly, and S.Korea will concentrate on them.

Let's forget about war and think about peace and love :)

Like the pirate says in Kentucky Fried Movie: "Oooohhhh!! I'm sooo scarrred!!!" Such whiners!

It's bizarre hearing these sorts of things, the business world must hate it. The economic ties between Japan and SK are so vast surely they must outweigh political issues like these I doubt hardly anyone genuinely cares about.

For those who are complaining that Park shouldn't have raised this issue in this meeting. Well she's the President of SK and she can raise any issue at any meeting with a person of lesser status than she is.

Lesser status? Please. She sounds like an adult showing up on the playground to whine to the teacher that somebody was mean to them. Waaaay back when they were in elementary school.

Same thing with Abe who raised the same issues about China, SK and the kidnapped Japanese by NK with Kerry or Cameron just about any chance he gets.

I agree with you about the abductee issue. I wish Japan would just give it up. Sadly those people are lost and never coming back. Appealing to the Americans or the UN will do Japan no good on this matter. It just makes them look weak.

As for Abe raising PRC problems with Kerry ... I think its quite different to discuss an ongoing matter of national security (repeated communist incursions into Japanese territory) with an ally, than it is to say something like "Japan isn't sorry enough for what they did eighty years ago". How are the Americans supposed to respond to such a childish comment from someone of supposed "higher status"? Shall they tell the ROK government that will ask Japan to be more sensitive? Its ludicrous to even imagine the exchange that took place with Hagel. He probably thinks she's batty.

It's really quite amazing to watch people come on here and demand SK forget history and 'move on' when it comes to the sex slave issue or other Japanese atrocities

I'm really not Smith, sorry if you get that impression. I think that there was incredible brutality which has in no way been recognised or atoned for. My only issue in this case is with the speaker and the many of the elites in the region and not the general populace who no doubt have suffered across the generations. I think that SHE is a hypocrite and of the same ilk as Abe. Perhaps, children should not be judged for the behaviour of their parents but in fact in an Asian context that entire premise doesn't work for the obvious cultural reasons. Unquestioning filial piety and even ancestor worship are the order of the day here, so the social dynamic is somewhat different. You can even see quite clearly how deeply embedded hereditary politics are throughout the region. Sorry Smith my post was referring to the person speaking and not the crimes themselves which for the record I think were horrendous.

Japanese schools are not teaching kids of elementary school age to hate people. Why don't you stop South Korea?

I have Korean friends, both born here and from South Korea. They manage to live here without any problems. 2 of them are professors who work in close cooperation with their Japanese colleagues. They want to live here permanently. What does that tell you?

It's a bit unfair to mention that her father worked for the Japanese military, as if that somehow taints her.

I see your point but given the social and cultural context it is entirely different. She has got to power riding on her father's coattails and using his name. If she didn't have the father she had she wouldn't be anywhere near the presidency and that is how it has worked for every single female leader in Asia whether it is Indira Gandhi, Benazir Bhutto or even Aung Sang Suu Kyi. She is very much her father's daughter in a political sense and that is why it is very fair to taint her. A female president is not a reflection of any steps that Korea has made towards gender equality but rather a vote for political dynasty. She can't have it both ways.

Mitch CohenOct. 01, 2013 - 09:14AM JST

If South Korea doesn't want to be part of the US lead alliance then we should pull all 28,000 troops out of there.

28,000 Japanese troops in South Korea? That's news to me.."

He never said anything about Japanese troops in South Korea, he was clearly referring to American troops.

To villian-ize a nation for something that happened during WWII and prior is done and over. I'm not saying that we should forget the past and overlook what happened, but keep it as a reminder so that we don't make the same mistakes in the future.

In other words, stop waiting for an apology and start honoring the women who suffered such a cruel fate and start focusing on the real threats in this world. Last I checked, Japan is not the problem; there are way more pressing concerns happening north of your borders.

Blah blah blah .... South Korea again. Getting really tired of it.

The same people who are deriding this woman for the sins of her father demand SKoreans and Chinese forget the past, and won't even TOUCH th fact that Abe descends from war criminals. Amazing.

On and on and on and on... I just wish SK would stop. Any excuse they trot out the same old guff: Japan not accepting the past (they apologised more times than I've had hot dinners), Japan's claims over a rock of an island... please, just drop it!

Seriously, in 2113 SK will still be bleating on about it, as will China. Neither country will be happy until Japan has vanished beneath the waves. They are vindictive and aggressive, and it's their attitude towards Japan which is creating the tension in Asia. Japan isn't doing anything to anyone. However, if you throw enough grains of rice at a tiger it WILL get annoyed and react. Maybe that's the overall aim... provoke Japan into doing something so they can all say "told you so!"

Ossan: "No he means the apology that South Korea received from Japan in 1965 ..."

Wow, when you miss the point you do it with a vengeance. The point was, not only have all but one apologies been insincere, the only one that SEEMED sincere is being 'reinterpreted' by radical nut jobs. Might be tough for you to admit, given there is no victim angle, but it's the truth and you know it. So blaming everything on Koreans and bringing up this woman's parents when you shy away from admitting most PMs in Japanof late descend from war criminals (ex. Aso, Abe) is disingenuous at best.

Seems like South Korea never ever done the bad things in their very short history after the end of Japanese occupation. If someone asks "What about what you guys did in Vietnam in Vietnam War?" to her, how she answers it? It will be really interesting. She has been saying that Japan has to apology and compensate for War victims officially like her quotation, if they look at what Japan has been doing such as Asia woman fund and compensation of Japan-South Korea basic treaty, they would understand that Japan already did enough things even if Japan did wrong things before. All the things are South Korea's mistake such as not add about comfort woman in treaty, not disclose about existence of Japan-South Korea basic treaty until 2002 for people in South Korea, and not spent pretty penny(sorry for using infamous word) for war victims. They actually spent it for their economical development. That is one of reason why their economy was getting developed rapidly. They actually can just cut our relations off if they want, but they cannot do that because they really depend on Japanese market and company.

thunderbird: "On and on and on and on... I just wish SK would stop. Any excuse they trot out the same old guff: Japan not accepting the past (they apologised more times than I've had hot dinners), Japan's claims over a rock of an island... please, just drop it!"

Where do we begin to point out how wrong and hypocritical your comments are? Ummm... Last I checked the ROK says there is no dispute over the islands--it's Japan and the wannabes that rant and foam at the mouth when SK won't go to the ICJ. 'just drop it' indeed... but will you?

S.Korea has abandoned Japan diplomatically. You guys can insult away all you like, but nothing changes. There are plenty of other countries in the globe that are more friendly, and S.Korea will concentrate on them.

There's still US and it can get those two work together if needed. Just notice that without a cooperation in the military field South Korea haven't much to offer from the country itself. The whole air fleet and navy is built to work with US and in the same with Japan when needed. Without US and JMSDF Korean navy is nothing more than that of Vietnam and technological developement isn't too far from the country I mentioned. Yes, even those three most advanced Korean weapons like AEGIS destroyers would be a worthless piece of steel in case of the war with NK without cooperation.

South Korea is in its full right to criticise the Abe government over it's ridiculous diplomacy vis-a-vis it's neighbours. Japan should thoroughly reflect upon it's history, and stop being so damn arrogant! 95% of the comments here are not even worth responding to.

Love the Koreans. Wonderful people, cuisine, culture. Superb country and have never had a bad time there on any of my numerous visits. I've the utmost respect.

But pleeeeeeze, could you all stop whingeing about historical wrongs all the time. It' doesn't become a great people. I think Japan has done its utmost to address the issue. Do successive governments and their leaders all have to apologize each and every time they assume power?

I'd be concentrating on my neighbors to the north rather than Japan. Give it a rest ...

It ultimately takes two to tango, and both countries have to work together to mend fences, but when one nation is bent of white-washing the textbooks and rescinding -- errr... 'altering' -- apologies and denying any wrong doing in the past, it's pretty tough to get started.

Is this how Japanese media reports this meeting between Hagel and S.Korean government?

Now read another version:

http://english.chosun.com/site/data/html_dir/2013/10/01/2013100100520.html

There are no mention of Japan anywhere in the Korean media. It's clear what S.Korea's focus is currently, and it's not Japan. S.Korea's focus is the war time command transfer in 2015, and focus on cooperation with the US, during Hagel's visit. Japan is not even on the list of agendas on Hagel's visit. Park only gave a polite short answer to Hagel's question why Japan and Korea can't mend fences and cooperate militarily. Park's answer was it ain't gonna happen as long as Japan continues with it's hardline diplomacy. Latest one being, Japan taking S.Korea to world court because Korea banned seafood from Fukushima, which is really another lame attempt to squeeze S.Korea economically and give out a big finger. But the reality is Korea buys far far more from Japan, so Japan has more to lose from the deteriorating relations, than Korea does.

What Parks says is entirely correct. Japan cannot apologise, pay some money and then tries to deny history. We in Asia can forgive but history cannot be forgotten, especially if someone wants to distort history!!!

I can understand why Japan want to revise and white wash it's history, most countries do to some extent. What I don't understand is why so many foreigners on this forum take the same stance. Absolutely bizarre. You know they won't let you join their club don't you?

history cannot be forgotten

History can't be changed

Korea has lost their marble for a year by now. Ms.park needs to learn what her father has achieved in 1965 as a historical fact.Without it, Today's Korea would not have existed as it is. Otherwise, she should criticize Mr.Park. What she has been doing is doing so without saying.

It ultimately takes two to tango, and both countries have to work together to mend fences, but when one nation is bent of white-washing the textbooks

For the first part, I thought you were referring to Korea which white washes Japan's role in Korea gaining independence from centuries strangle hold from Qing, Chosun's dynasty's utter failure to govern themselves due to corruption, slavery, and poverty, Japan's role in modernization during the annexation era, their participation in the war campaign along with Japan, and post war money received from Japan which is nearly 1.5 times their national budget at that time.

"What was Hagel's response?"

Probably "You two pixies knock it off!"

>Ms.Park the (Japanese) leadership which has repeatedly made regressive remarks” on history and territorial issues, Park said, according to a statement from her office.

Ms.Park. Why San Francisco Peace Treaty article 3 clearly states as Takeshima as Japan?

David Dean Rusk　who is the former sectary of the states said Takeshima is Japan and didactically sent a message to Korea. Also American ambassador McCnaughy, urged to South Korea to return Takeshima on behalf of Eisenhower to Japan. Still Korea kept illegal occupation, so MacArthur sent a very firm statement to Korea in April, 1960. Japan has attempt to send the case to ICJ but Korea keeps coward attitude.

If Park has a nerve saying this to the US despite of these facts, Korea should finalize the case at ICJ for the sake of our future. Takeshima should not be the issue of our obstacle for the future. Japan will not understand unless it has been said so as it is Korea by ICJ.

*

Smithinjapan, It's really quite amazing to watch people come on here and demand SK forget history*

Asian2013 Japan cannot apologize, pay some money and then tries to deny history.

History? YES. The illegal occupation of Takeshima and fabrication of history. NO.

“They’ve lived with deep (mental) scars but Japan has leveled insults against them rather than offering an apology,” Park said. She said Tokyo must show a sincere attitude to address the issue

What apology will be sincere enough? Do they want Emperor Akihito to kowtow before all of South Korea?

South Korea frequently criticizes Japan for the comfort women issue, and rightly so. What you will never hear from them is how they whored their own women out to USFK. Has South Korea apologized to the camptown girls?

The main problem of this kind of political culture both in China and SK is "They have to badmouth Japan so they can be infamous in their own native land".

Politicians in China and SK have to keep up with this kind of trend to be elected.... if they try to say something sensible or good about Japan to improve the relationship of both countries, they won't be politicians at all and they have to live on the pavement like street beggars...... trust me.... this is the only way to keep the bowl served with rice for the family....!!!

What a stupid notion!!!

What apology will be sincere enough?

First of all, stopping the insults at them would be the first good step to make.

Japan freed SK from the Chinese and modernized it during WWII; did Park not learn her history from SK's highschool textbook?!

Japan never learn their mistakes

Actually I think most Japanese have learned a thing or two. But the Chinese are certainly trying to repeat the mistakes that Japan made and SK just wants to whine. Both like to whine to divert attention from their own problems.

I wonder what SK would say if Japan announced that from now forward any US troops on Japanese territory would not be allowed to participate in a war on the Korean peninsula so that there was no mistake that Japan wasn't being an aggressor in Korea. Think that might get somebody's attention?

The other thing would be to have her father's memory announced as Yasukuni. Now that would be a delightful twist.....

@nigelboy

For the first part, I thought you were referring to Korea which white washes Japan's role in Korea gaining independence from centuries strangle hold from Qing, Chosun's dynasty's utter failure to govern themselves due to corruption, slavery, and poverty, Japan's role in modernization during the annexation era, their participation in the war campaign along with Japan, and post war money received from Japan which is nearly 1.5 times their national budget at that time.

You can say that again. It is Korea themselves who should learn from the history.

Look at Taiwan. When the Nationalist government tried to brainwash children at school, their parents and grand parents told them not to be deceived. They taught their children what they had really experienced, that is, true history with bad things and good things under Japanese ruling.

In Korea, such an old man, who told that the ruling by Japan was not bad was beaten to death recently by a young man, who may be received anti-Japan education. And people are even praising this young man and criticizing the old man.

It is very strange that Korean people believe what the so-called ex-comfort women say unconditionally, but they never believe, or maybe try not to believe what are told by the pro-Japan old Koreans.

DaveAllTogetherOct. 01, 2013 - 11:35PM JST South Korea frequently criticizes Japan for the comfort women issue, and rightly so. What you will never hear from >them is how they whored their own women out to USFK. Has South Korea apologized to the camptown girls?

You will alson hear nothing from South Korea about the over 240,000 Korean men who served willingly in the Imperial Japanese armed forces during WWII and made use of the Comfort Women system at discount rates.

STOP THE PRESSES: South Korea complains about Japan....... Yeah, everyone and his grandmother knows this. Since when is South Korea bitching about Japan news?

GalapagosnoGairaishuOct. 01, 2013 - 09:57AM JST

I wonder what Ms. Park thinks about her late father, who before Aug. 15, 1945 was a gung-ho officer in the Japanese Kwantung Army. ========================================== So what Until WW II was over, males were drafted to jpin military. Later in WW II, older people were ordered to become military men, Only criminals were excused. So, many men confessed that they were criminal because they stole their wives money/ There were no enough prison space. House arrest,s local police decided. If he was an officer in discriminatory Japanese military, he was very brilliant and personality with leadership that Japanese army wanted to use.

That's rich, coming from Park. It is not that her own father was a collaborator.

He was.

Its that she constantly refuses to admit that, and then has the temerity to attack today's Japanese leaders.

Typical right-wing blow hard. They are the same no matter where you go.

If her father did not go along with Japanese militant then, chances were he was killed just like other Koreans and also even Japanese officers ((1936 - 19 officers were killed with death senetnse).

Not go along? He joined the Imperial Army and went up the ranks.

Collaborator. Traitor.

Why S. Korea and Communist China do not have fully grown leaders with little more brain than current one?

SK should actually recount the numerous time Japan bailed them out in recent history and ponder Japan's contribution to their economy before stating anything.

China must be glad SK head makes Japan enemy. It has a very good reason to annex SK and knows Japan will not complain. Also, USA will just ignore SK because USA can not pay iits huge debts to China and Japan. 2.4 trillion + dollars.

I heard that the contents of this meeting was confidential, but Korean side leaked without the permission of U.S.

So, the U.S. side is expressing a feeling of discomfort.

She was 12 when assassination attempt bullet to kill her father entered her mother and she died. 5 years later, her father was assassinated. No wonder she hates Japan. The guy who killed her mother was a North Korean from Japan. Her father was a teacher, etc. Japanese Kan ton Imperial Army recommended him enter to Imperial Army Academy. With all these Japanese students whose language is Japanese, He graduated 3rd. After War, he entered Korean Military and promoted rapidly. He was controversial.

"a recent public opinion survey by the Asan Institute for Policy Studies suggests that a modest step forward for Korea-Japan relations–one that could be initiated by Seoul–is possible. The Asan poll, taken Aug. 30-Sept. 1, shows that 58% of the South Korean public would support a summit between President Park and Prime Minister Abe (35% opposed and 7% were unsure). Moreover, the survey question assigned no preconditions-such as a fresh apology by Tokyo for colonial era wrongdoings, for example-for a summit to take place."

"The poll also found that 60% of the public would support the signing by Seoul of a military intelligence sharing agreement with Tokyo, a pact that was aborted by South Korea at the eleventh hour last year (32% opposed and 7% were unsure)."

http://blogs.wsj.com/korearealtime/2013/09/06/a-path-forward-in-korea-japan-relations/

What is real purpose of Hagel? Sales pitch to sell military weaponery to both countries? Both countries are not as poor as USA.

toshiko, I think you are confusing the "failure to reach an agreement and approve a budget" with "bankruptcy".

@Ossan: What are you talking? I wrote both countries are not as poor as USA. IMainly. I wrote about Ms Park but never wrote bankruptcy here. This article is about Hagel and Park. I concentrated on them. Why are you making up story?

Hidingout,

One is a President of a Nation. The other is a Secretary of Defense. It's just a fact whether we like it or not. How one behaves has nothing to do with what is one's given rights to raise issues. Her objective is for the well being and advantages of SK.

IF Abe thinks whatever he's doing is to the advantage of Japan, and if time will tell that his issues will help Japan, then by all means, say whatever he's got to say.

The thing is history and I know Japan hates talking about history but history will tell us the type of outcome that most likely can happen when one pushes too far or leans too heavily toward one direction. That's just a fact. But we can all claim something in retrospect so who am I to judge.

@highball7

If chucky's information (as posted above) is to believed then Hagel was the one to raise the issue of Japan - which I suppose means my earlier post about whining on her part may have been in error. I certainly don't blame Ms Park if she was not the one to raise the issue of relations between the two nations.

The thing is history and I know Japan hates talking about history but history will tell us the type of outcome that most likely can happen when one pushes too far or leans too heavily toward one direction. That's just a fact.

Can you honestly tell me that of the three countries in the conversation here (Japan, ROK and PRC) that Japan is the one you feel is "leaning too heavily toward one direction"?

Park bringing up the resentment of the Korean people. Or was it her personal resentment, or the resentment she needs the Koreans to perpetuate to achieve her political aims, or to continue living in the past, ignoring all previous apologies, amends, compensation, technology that fed Korean industry? Does she have no shame? It's hard to judge people from other nations and so it is for them to judge us. Does that place us on equal footing?

toshikoOct. 03, 2013 - 11:14AM JST @Ossan: What are you talking? I wrote both countries are not as poor as USA. IMainly. I wrote about Ms Park but >never wrote bankruptcy here. This article is about Hagel and Park. I concentrated on them. Why are you making up >story?

What are YOU talking about? Why do you say the U.S. is a poor country?

Theyve lived with deep (mental) scars but Japan has leveled insults against them rather than offering an apology

This is rubbish and a shameful statement from a South Korean PM who should know better. Japan has actually formally apologised a number of times.

This is a political football that South Korean leaders need to put down and stop using to promote their own political stock with the conservative/nationalist element of their electorate.

Why would you keep apologising when the people it is directed at continually reject it? Why should you have to?

It's a nonsense.

Well if Park has no relation to her father's service in the Japanese military during the war, why do we modern Japanese have a relation to what our ancestors did? I wasn't here.

There are times when you should keep your mouth shut.

...but that time is not now.

USA debt to China is 1.2773 trillion dollars. to Japan 1.1334 trillion dollars. ...................................................................

right now, S Korea and N Korea relationship is dwindling. She maybe hates N. Korea more than she dislikes Japan since she was 12 years old. S. Korean economy is up now. She has been managing her country very well. Maybe S. Korea and Japan will be friendly when N. Korea threats with missile test scare?

Let's see. it's been 68 years since the End of WWII, of which many Koreans did join with with the IJA to be general creeps to the Chinese. 60 years and change since the End of the Korean War. This grudge match has gotten old, Korea.

Enough already.

Hope Abe and Park have dinner together and discuss many things. He is not a women hater Japanese. As a matter of fact, when he had stomach sickness last time, his wife told him to quit prime minister and he obeyed her decision. So, he can;t be like Japanese rude politicians who dislike women. They will make both countries friendly, I think.

Japan does not need to change, apologize, compensate, and so on. Our insistence has been based on international low and historical facts such as Asian woman fund and Japan-South Korea basic treaty at 1965 even what South Korea has been insisting does not have enough evidence and lack of reliability. S Korean leader should have leaned how her father succeed to make their economy developed. He could not make it without supporting from Japan. Stop using anti-Japanese sentiment and policy to get support from people in Korea. Anything is allowed in South Korea if its related to anti-Japanese activity. You may misunderstand that Japan makes Northeast Asia confused. The countries which making Northeast Asia confused is North and South Korea on Korean peninsula. Just know it.

Let's see. it's been 68 years since the End of WWII, of which many Koreans did join with with the IJA to be general creeps to the Chinese.

@Saul Schimek-- Yeah, but how many days has it been since a Japanese politician denied that Japan did anything wrong during WWII, such as forcing Koreans to be slave laborers and sex slaves? The issue can never die so long as so many Japanese pretend it never happened.

Imagine your neighbor's grandad murdered your grandad by shooting him in the back, raped your grandma, was tried for the crimes in a court of justice, found guilty with overwhelming evidence, then got out of jail in 30 and lived to be old and rich. He may have died ten years ago, but all his children and grandchildren say that he never murdered your granddad or raped your grandma. They all say your granddad got what he deserved, and their granddad had to put him down in self-defense. They say your grandma wanted it. And they keep saying this, over and over, even when you said you would like to bury the past and shook hands with them.

I should think that anyone would have reached their capacity for silence quite a while ago.

The international community should more listen to claims like the one the president made and threaten Japan with isolating the small-time island country from the rest of the world. The world no long need Japan.

This is rubbish and a shameful statement from a South Korean PM who should know better. Japan has actually formally apologised a number of times.

This is a political football that South Korean leaders need to put down and stop using to promote their own political stock with the conservative/nationalist element of their electorate.

Why would you keep apologising when the people it is directed at continually reject it? Why should you have to?

Very well said. This is pretty much what it boils down to. Unfortunately emotion-bound, insecure, inferiority complex riddled Koreans will continue to demand for apologies, compensation, etc. Nothing has and will ever change. It's no wonder nobody takes them and their country seriously.

Imagine your neighbor's grandad murdered your grandad by shooting him in the back, raped your grandma, was tried for the crimes in a court of justice, found guilty with overwhelming evidence, then got out of jail in 30 and lived to be old and rich. He may have died ten years ago, but all his children and grandchildren say that he never murdered your granddad or raped your grandma. They all say your granddad got what he deserved, and their granddad had to put him down in self-defense. They say your grandma wanted it. And they keep saying this, over and over, even when you said you would like to bury the past and shook hands with them.

Population as well as the life expectancy doubled during the short annexation era. This doesn't happen when such conducts were "common" during that time. I kindly suggest that you keep your "imagination" to yourself.

Population as well as the life expectancy doubled during the short annexation era. This doesn't happen when such conducts were "common" during that time. I kindly suggest that you keep your "imagination" to yourself.

Beware Japanese bearing gifts! They will give you a better economy and better health, but they will kidnap your children, rape your daughters and work your sons to death.

I don't think the Korean slave laborers buried in the mass grave at Sapporo Honganji temple share your appreciation for what Japan did for Korea during that time.

And with such propaganda that you refuse to keep to yourself, its no wonder this issue never dies. Is that your actually goal in posting that?

These comments make me sad. Japan is a truly pathetic country if it cannot acknowledge its past and "move on". How can you call these poor old ladies who endured sex slavery as simply "prostitutes"? I don't know how any dignified country's PM could say such a horrendous thing. It's disgusting.

How can you call these poor old ladies who endured sex slavery as simply "prostitutes"? I don't know how any dignified country's PM could say such a horrendous thing. It's disgusting.

When did he say this?

Beware Japanese bearing gifts! They will give you a better economy and better health, but they will kidnap your children, rape your daughters and work your sons to death.

I think you are confused with the Chosun Dynasty era of slavery, poverty, and corruption. Those are well documented among western scholars as well.

I

don't think the Korean slave laborers buried in the mass grave at Sapporo Honganji temple share your appreciation for what Japan did for Korea during that time.

And prior to the draft, it was the Japanese laborers who were dying in these coal mines.

ControlFreakOct. 06, 2013 - 08:39AM JST "Let's see. it's been 68 years since the End of WWII, of which many Koreans did join with with the IJA to be general creeps to the Chinese. @Saul Schimek-- Yeah, but how many days has it been since a Japanese politician denied that Japan did anything >wrong during WWII, such as forcing Koreans to be slave laborers and sex slaves? The issue can never die so long as >so many Japanese pretend it never happened.

Japan apologized, made payments to individuals who suffered and signed a treaty with South Korea back in 1965. That the South Korean government deceived the Korean people and didn't distribute the money is not Japan's fault. Nobody denies that Japan didn't do anything wrong, it's just that South Koreans re-write history the moment the Japanese Empire fell, suddenly pretending to be victims, when in reality Koreans were invading other Asian countries as Japanese soldiers. Over 240,000 of them willingly serving and using the Comfort Women, who were military prostitutes. The issue with Comfort Women is not whether they were prostitutes but with how some of them were recruited, When are Koreans going to face up to real history and their involvement in WWII? When are Koreans going to actively investigate the Korean middlemen who deceived or forced Korean families into sending off their daughters to pay family debts?

Japan apologized, made payments to individuals who suffered and signed a treaty with South Korea back in 1965.

Japan did not make payments to individuals. It gave the South Korean government a payoff to assist in stopping South Korean citizens from seeking compensation. Japan and Korea gave no money to individuals, and kept the payoff of the treaty secret until the South Korean government revealed it, forty years later, in 2005. Japan kept that secret well, knowing full well individuals got nothing. And that revelation finally explained why the Japanese authorities had been stiff-arming South Korean plantiffs for 40 years and proved that they lied about the reasons for denying them.

2005 was 7 years ago. There are plenty of articles and proof of what I say. Japan paid the S.K. government, knew individuals got nothing, and kept it a secret. Its a simple formula. Add that all together, you get a corrupt payoff.

@ControlFreak

Japan didn't hide the treaty to anyone since the amount had been written in black and white into the government fisical budget debated at house of representatives and announced to the public.You can't hide that kind of public spending. Japan had offered to compensate to the individuals but SK rejected that offer and demanded a lump sum beyond that there is no obligation by the Japanese government to foresee that it is handed out. It is however SK obligation to abide the treaty in good will no matter how long it had been since the treaty had been signed and sealed.

Maybe she wanted Hagel sales talk (AWACS) mind away by talking about Japan?

ControlFreak

SamuraiBlue is correct. The 1965 Agreement Between Japan and the Republic of Korea Concerning the Settlement of Problems in Regard to Property and Claims and Economic Cooperation where it states

"The High Contracting Parties confirm that the problems concerning property, rights, and interests of the two High Contracting Parties and their peoples (including juridical persons) and the claims between the High Contracting Parties and between their peoples, including those stipulated in Article IV(a) of the Peace Treaty with Japan signed at the city of San Francisco on September 8, 1951, have been settled completely and finally" has been on public record since the ratification. It's this "public" agreement that was the basis for Japan's judicial organs to deny individual claims.

What was "secret" to Korea was the negotiations that lead up to the said agreement which was disclosed in 2005 or so by Korea where it was they who insisted that they take on the responsibility of individual payments.

http://www.f8.wx301.smilestart.ne.jp/honyaku/honyaku-2/718.pdf

Pg 115-117

ControlFreakOct. 07, 2013 - 08:26AM JST "Japan apologized, made payments to individuals who suffered and signed a treaty with South Korea back in 1965. Japan did not make payments to individuals. It gave the South Korean government a payoff to assist in stopping >South Korean citizens from seeking compensation. Japan and Korea gave no money to individuals

Japan WANTED to make payment directly to individuals, but the South Korean government insisted that they would receive the monies and distribute it themselves. Instead they used it on infrastructure and creating Pohang Steel Co, And today South Koreans refuse to blame their own government for this deceit and prefer to believe the fallacy that Japan hasn't made any payment.

in other news, the Sky is Blue, Water Is Wet, And Korea curses Japan......

Claiming "Victim" fuels nationalism which is advantageous to Ms. Park. It's easier for her to put blame on Japan rather than be accountable for her own imcompetance as a politician. Eventually many of the Southeast Asian nation will surpass Korea because countries with progressive thinking usually win the race. Wonder what Korea will do then? Will they be citing the same rhetoric of "Blame Japan" "Japan needs to Apologize" ? Sometimes destruction from within is more powerful than anything else. If developed countries had to compensate heftly for all wartime atrocities, USA, Britain & Spain(they already are) would be broke by now.