politics

S Korean parliament speaker compares Japan to 'brazen thief'

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Let me see. It's a new day in 2019 and it's yet another new comment from the Koreans complaining about World War II. Yep.

22 ( +28 / -6 )

The South Korean National Assembly speaker has added fuel to a simmering controversy over his call for the Japanese emperor to apologize to Korean women forced into Japan's wartime brothels, comparing Japan to a "brazen thief" for demanding he retract his comments.

I just KNEW that was what the South Koreans were after... they want the Emperor (who had nothing whatsoever to do with the execution of the war) to grovel before them and apologise...

Revenge can be nasty.

18 ( +22 / -4 )

Another day, more Japan-hating from SK. They are moving closer and closer to communist China by the day. Almost identical now. Only a matter of time before Trump gives them an ultimatum: stop hating Japan or we will stop protecting you.

15 ( +22 / -7 )

Now I know why the Koreans are called the Irish of the North Pacific. It only took us 700 years to drive out the English but we will never let it go. As these politician get older they forget everything except the grudges. Grudgingly displaying reluctance and unwillingness to acceptance the fact WW2 is over. I believe Japanese compensation in 1965 was the end of that discussion. They do not need to be great buddies but should realize the many cultural things shared in common. The threat up North and across the Sea of Japan should be a good reason to keep better relations in order to survive. In the meantime as my Anglo-Irish Grandmother reminded me; try telling better jokes about your former Imperial adversary and you win the resentment game

19 ( +22 / -3 )

This Japan-bashing that goes on in Korea is just political maneuvering by the politician. The saddest part is that the victims war and the "comfort women" are being used by Korean politicians as pawns. They need them to keep suffering, without closure, without compensation, without more apology because the easiest way to get popularity is targeting Japan and rallying nationalism there.

I guarantee that this Moon guy will have is approval rating shoot through the sky after this.

19 ( +23 / -4 )

Just ignore him and he will go off and pout.

-4 ( +8 / -12 )

Moon Hee-Sang is a bellowing big girls blouse, all hat, no cattle.

Moon Hee-Sang is also a meaningless irrelevance. If Bloomberg hadn't rattled his cage, he still be empting the ashtrays.

10 ( +13 / -3 )

I don’t know why they keep reporting this garbage. Just ignore it and they will find somebody else to play with.

-8 ( +4 / -12 )

Korean answer to Ishihara?

0 ( +5 / -5 )

He looks like a pretty intelligent fellow.

-13 ( +3 / -16 )

Put them in a room with a keg of cold beer, lock the door, don't let them out until they drink it all. It will work itself out.

-5 ( +5 / -10 )

I seem to remember some 30 years ago, a UK tabloid newspaper printed an article concerning Hirohito.

Japanese officials were demanding an apology.

What they did not seem to understand is that there is freedom of speech in the UK. As there is in Korea's democratic Parliament.

SK has nothing to apologise for. Japan has plenty to apologise for.

-15 ( +3 / -18 )

Dear Moon,

The only thief here is called S. Korea who has constantly asked Japan for apologies and compensation just so you can hate us more afterwards.

Giving an inch to Korea is only reinforcing their bias/hate to Japan and they consider it a victory over Japan which can me emulated in other areas like changing the name of the Japan Sea, the disputed island issue, going back on agreements they sign. Incidents which they create but than blame Japan instead(lockon).

Stand up Japan. If you can't standup to S. Korea which is half a country, how can you stand up to Russia? Redicuolous.

13 ( +16 / -3 )

@Ganbara Japan

Believe it or not, even though China is the country who suffered the most from Japanese aggression... Chinese are hating Japanese less than Koreans. Poll from 2018 showed Chinese view of Japan improve to %32. While Koreans only %9 support better relations... The other %91 is against Japan.

9 ( +13 / -4 )

Why is it so difficult for the Japanese head of state, Akihito, to apologize sincerely? That is just a kind of easy lip service, but can settle all sentimental conflicts between the two countries persisting during the past 70 years. Apology does not mean humiliation, but a very humane act for the future. Wake up.

-20 ( +2 / -22 )

Finally a Korean politician with balls.

-17 ( +4 / -21 )

January 1, 1992: Prime Minister Kiichi Miyazawa, in a press conference, said: "Concerning the comfort women, I apologize from the bottom of my heart and feel remorse for those people who suffered indescribable hardships".

This is the first one that caught my eye from 1992. Sounds pretty sincere to me.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_war_apology_statements_issued_by_Japan

13 ( +14 / -1 )

@nothisrealname

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_war_apology_statements_issued_by_Japan

If they were sincere, then why has Akihito, the de facto head of state of Japan, never apologized sincerely? Why did Abe retreat those apologies later?

People sometimes compare those showing that kind of tricky and coward attitude to 'brazen thief'.

-17 ( +2 / -19 )

And yet, the anti-Japan crowd claim Japanese are the aggressive ones.

This Moon is shameless and despicable. He contributes nothing of value to society.

16 ( +18 / -2 )

And as I have mentioned many many times before, this isn't about a 'proper' apology.

It doesn't matter who apologizes or what the Japanese government does. The more people around the world realize that the South Korean government and its rabid anti-Japan base have zero desire for true peace between the two, the better.

Even if by an incredibly rare chance the emperor does apologize, hypocrites like Moon would never accept it. They will ALWAYS find something else. "Oh, b-b-but, the emperor didn't get down on both knees, grovel, and cry tears of remorse, so it is not genuine and we will not accept the apology."

This sick mindset is why I was able to easily predict that the landmark comfort woman agreement of 2015 would eventually be discredited by the likes of Moon.

I am glad to see more people able to see through these things, but unfortunately there is still a lot of work left to be done.

14 ( +15 / -1 )

@Thunderbird2

they want the Emperor (who had nothing whatsoever to do with the execution of the war) to grovel before them and apologise...

Emperor Akihito wants to apologize to comfort women in person too, but is prevented from doing so by Abe san.

Emperor Akihito isn't like Abe san, he lived through the war and fully remembers all the atrocities, pain, and suffering that the Imperial Japan caused, and wants to do what he can.

@Juanito3001

Now I know why the Koreans are called the Irish of the North Pacific.

Not exactly.

Imagine Ireland that's militarily far more powerful than the Britain and is demanding apology or else; now that's the correct analogy.

-12 ( +2 / -14 )

If Japan are "Brazen Theives" for backing out of a deal after being verbally attacked, does that make south Korea Bernie Madoff for embezzling Hundreds of millions of dollars meant for victims of WWII then constantly demanding more?

12 ( +14 / -2 )

Another Monday, another story about South Korea being a victim. Japan gave their apologies. SK needs to move on.

11 ( +13 / -2 )

The lawmaker said Japan is acting like a "brazen thief" for demanding an apology from him for his remarks when it is Tokyo that owes an apology.

This makes no sense. Japan isn't stealing anything so that's not acting like a "thief" brazen or otherwise.

The only party guilty of being a thief is the South Korean government which has repeatedly failed to distribute money it received from Japan that was negotiated and earmarked to go to individual victims, be they workers or comfort women.

13 ( +14 / -1 )

@Brandon Sherman

If Japan are "Brazen Theives" for backing out of a deal after being verbally attacked, does that make south Korea Bernie Madoff for embezzling Hundreds of millions of dollars meant for victims of WWII then constantly demanding more?

Demanding more? When do you think is the last time S. Korean government demand?

Here some mention monetary issues, but remember that money is an optional and secondary issue. Offering money without apology is just blatant. That was why S. Koreans and most survived comfort women opposed the 1965 treaty and the 2015 agreement. Nowadays S. Korea is a rich country, no longer in desperate need of money.

For example, S. Koreans donated a total of $46 million to Japan for the 2011 Tohoku earthquake and tsunami: https://thediplomat.com/2011/04/post-earthquake-japan-korea-ties/ . Even a Korean Japanese, Masayoshi Son, who has been discriminated for his life time in Japan, alone donated 10 billion yen at that time. You may count how many S. Korean companies donated among the 5 top five list: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Humanitarian_response_to_the_2011_T%C5%8Dhoku_earthquake_and_tsunami#Corporate_donations

 

Not money, but a formal apology from the Japanese head of state, who can officially represent a nation called Japan, should be the first step, but he or his father have never apologized to Koreans regarding various atrocities committed during the WWII, not to mention the comfort women issue. I know nobody teaches or mentions this fact in Japanese schools.

 

His latest statement regarding the atrocities during the WWII was "痛惜の念" (deep sorrow) made while visiting S. Korea in 1990 just after his inauguration, which sounded to Koreans as a derision rather than an apology. Why is it so difficult for him to apologize straightforwardly? Because of the political pressure from the right-wing groups?

Just one sentence of sincere apology from the Japanese head of state will solve those problems that persisted for more than 70 years between the two countries all at once. It does not require even 1 yen. Why is it so difficult in Japan?

-14 ( +2 / -16 )

It does not require even 1 yen.

Then explain all the current lawsuits seeking Japanese money. Many in South Korea are just looking for a payday.

13 ( +13 / -0 )

'brazen thief' hahaha

It won't be long before a piggy faced butcher like this Moon starts sticking middle finger up on air when asked about Japan.

11 ( +11 / -0 )

How about Japan not invading other countries in the first place?? How about that? Then none of this would be happening. Japan keeps getting haunted by their past because their actions were despicable, and they never repented and sincerely apologized. Looking through that wikipedia page of list of so called apologies. It took Japan DECADES to issue such statements. Where's the sincerity in that?? No wonder nobody accepts their 'apologies', when you had to drag those words out of them, and still, with no real sincerity. No sincerity when they rewrite their history books, when they keep worshiping their war criminals, paint themselves as the victims, and conveniently only remember the bombs being dropped on them. That's the only thing that happened in WWII according to the Japanese.

-15 ( +1 / -16 )

It took Japan DECADES to issue such statements. Where's the sincerity in that??

Are you kidding? So then what is the point of them apologizing more? It's still decades later. You're no different than South Korea.

'Oh, they apologized already? Well that's not good enough! Keep apologizing until we tell you that we've had enough!'

8 ( +8 / -0 )

Dear PM ABE

Well done PM Abe Well done!

Your game plan of playing it cool and showing that Japan is better nation has prevailed. The Japanese argument that no matter what Japan does or says won't matter has won the day. The Koreans have lost all credibility and face in the international community. The Koreans are now seen as being immature, vindictive and childish. They have lost all support. PM Abe your goal have destroying the Japanese left has also been achieved. You will have no real opposition for your plan to make Japan into a world class military power.

Victory over Korea!!!!!

Bazai!!! BANZAI!!!! BANZAI!!!!

SHINZO ABE

BANZI!!!!!

0 ( +2 / -2 )

LB315Today 06:31 am JST

How about Japan not invading other countries in the first place?? How about that?

Japan didn't invade Korea. And South Korea isn't complaining about being "invaded".

8 ( +10 / -2 )

Q)Why is it so difficult for the Japanese head of state, Akihito, to apologize sincerely?

A) Because you Koreans will throw back in our face like you did with the 100 or so apologizes. Because you will tear up the way tore up 1965 treaty and 2015 treaty.

8 ( +10 / -2 )

@SJ

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_war_apology_statements_issued_by_Japan

If they were sincere, then why has Akihito, the de facto head of state of Japan, never apologized sincerely? Why did Abe retreat those apologies later?

People sometimes compare those showing that kind of tricky and coward attitude to 'brazen thief'.

So, let me get this straight...you want an apology from every succeeding prime minister?? When is this going to end? Sounds to me like it will never end. That's a child's game. None of the politicians or emperors alive today had anything to do with it. The Japanese government has apologized more than enough. It's way past the time to get over it. Sorry.

9 ( +9 / -0 )

So, let me get this straight...you want an apology from every succeeding prime minister?? When is this going to end? Sounds to me like it will never end. That's a child's game. None of the politicians or emperors alive today had anything to do with it. The Japanese government has apologized more than enough. It's way past the time to get over it. Sorry.

Actually that is what Lee Yong-Soo, self-appointed victim claimed. "Every new PM of Japan should visit us and get down on knees and ask for our forgiveness". This means there would be no end in this story.

9 ( +9 / -0 )

Someone above made a good comparison between the Japan/South Korea situation with the UK/Ireland situation. It's also the parallel I would make. South Korean politicians are acting like a petulant children that just won't grow up at all, and we all know how it usually ends for countries and leaders who are like that. They become the eternal laughing stock of all.

9 ( +9 / -0 )

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