S Korea, Japan step up talks on military accord

I thought Japan and South Korea were still fighting the WW II. Just kidding.

The enemy of my enemy is my friend.

"I thought Japan and South Korea were still fighting the WW II. Just kidding."

Well, they never were fighting in WWII, they were on actually on the same side.

"Older people in both Koreas still have bitter memories of Japan’s harsh colonial rule over the Korean peninsula from 1910-45"

Im sure. But younger people in South Korea have memories of South Koreansa getting abducted, threatened and killed from 1950-2012. So......

i guess the SK and US finally decided to attack the NK, this is one of preparation for that action.

It will be interesting so see how a "military accord" is reached, when Japan officially has no military.

China would consider it as an expansion of (the U.S.-led) alliance in the Northeast Asian region,” Baek Seung-Joo, of the Korea Institute for Defense Analyses, told AFP...............South Korea has pissed off China already and thats why China, Russia's navy carry out live firing drills in yellow sea two weeks ago! Now the north east asia became the most dangerous place on earth!! Thanks to Mr Obama's frequent 'provocations' of his so called 'Return to asia'!!

but the Republic of Korea is building a naval base to deter Japanese aggression. Why would they want to co-operate with their perceived enemy? My last trip to the ROK was a nasty one, got called racial surs. A couple of places refused me service. See kids talking on a cell phone in public can cause trouble.

Recently, Russia and China held their first major joint military exercise. Some of the Chinese ruling elite have become convinced in recent years that China should form a military alliance with Russia. The very fact that China and Russia are considering closer military ties underscores the tensions being produced by U.S. By stationing radar and interceptor missiles in South Korea and Japan, the U.S. can significantly shorten the detection time of any Chinese and Russian missile launch and enhance its ability to shoot down the missiles. While promoted as a defensive measure, the missile shield would enable the U.S. to launch a devastating first strike on China or Russia, then neutralize any surviving missiles.

YuriOtani

but the Republic of Korea is building a naval base to deter Japanese aggression. Why would they want to co-operate with their perceived enemy?

Its a matter of building a base where its needed, Japan carries on so much about owning this island and that one that it makes perfect sense to build facilities to protect those areas. This doesnt preclude the two countries from signing agreements, however when it comes to Japan and agreements one should hedge their bets as Japan has a long and distinguished history of honoring these agreements when it suits them and then ripping them up and attacking when it doesnt.

My last trip to the ROK was a nasty one, got called racial surs. A couple of places refused me service. See kids talking on a cell phone in public can cause trouble.

Im sorry Yuri and l dont mean to be nasty but maybe its you! My trips to South Korea and l have been numerous time have been nothing short of pleasant, yes they are louder, and not as uniform as the Japanese but this is a nice change. The people in my visits have been nothing but polite and friendly and they dont stare and giggle like the childish Japanese, they attempt to speak english and will actually come up and help tourists that look lost. Not like here. So l would suggest maybe its you, afterall you also complain of similar treatment in other countries!!! Reoccuring theme there.

Cletus, friends do not build bases to be used against friends. This agreement is meaningless and is fodder for the public. Japan by its own constitution can not help another country in war. Oh you are an Australian and not from Japan, Koreans hate all things Japanese. I wonder if they are chopping down Sakura or if they just renamed them?

sfip330, China has nothing to fear from the USA. Any meaningful strike on them would be deadly to its friends in Asia. Second, where would Wall$mart and Apple get its merchandise? The Americans want to live in a world not fearing being destroyed at any moment. As for the wars, most Americans are against them.

YuriOtani

Koreans hate all things Japanese.

And l wonder why that would be Yuri?

Clesus

sorry for jumping in here but it because of their anti-japan education for taking attention away from their domestic issue. actually k-gov and j-gov relationship seems not so bad.

Cletus, the people of Okinawa do not hate the mainland Japanese despite the past. Korea needs to move past and forgive Japan for its past transgressions. Once that happens meaningful talks can happen. Holding a grudge hurts them more in the end. The two governments know this but the Republic of Korea using Japan bashing to distract its people from real problems. I say Japan should drops its claims against the Liancourt Rocks and move forward.

YuriOtani

Cletus, the people of Okinawa do not hate the mainland Japanese despite the past. Korea needs to move past and forgive Japan for its past transgressions.

Oh Yuri that is the funniest thing l have ever heard. You of all people saying that a nation should forgive past aggressions. You who ALWAYS brings up your suffering at the hands of the terrible US, you who always brings up the crimes committed against your people, you who is always critical of other nations for remembering their past when you refuse to move on from your own. Yuri your statement is hilarious given your history of comments......

Hmm Cletus beat me to it. An amazing change in views from Yuri.

But getting back to the article, Yuri disputes it because, "the Republic of Korea is building a naval base to deter Japanese aggression", yet the only base I can find that South Korea is building is the one being built at Jiju Island. I failed to find anything that reported the base was being built to "deter Japanese aggression". Instead I find lots of statements along the lines of:

the primary purpose of the facility will be to allow the South Korean navy to better police the country’s vital sea lanes and respond faster to any acts of aggression by North Korea in the waters to the east or west of the Korean peninsula.

How "respond faster to any acts of aggression by North Korea in the waters to the east or west of the Korean peninsula" morphs into "deter Japanese aggression" is beyond me. Perhaps Yuri can better explain this amazing process?

How do you have a military accord when Japan doesn't have a military? And how can you have an accord if the Japanese constitution forbids military action?

Cletus, the people of Okinawa do not hate the mainland Japanese despite the past. Korea needs to move past and forgive Japan for its past transgressions

Only partially true... Some of the older generations do contiune to feel that way. Been there, seen that as well.

Koreans hate all things Japanese. I wonder if they are chopping down Sakura or if they just renamed them

Only partially true...

Just as the article states, the older generations hold those grudges. The younger generations, do not; for the most part, clearly you may have a say in part of a grudge...

I am currently in Korea now and see upwards of 30 Japanese weekly here that do not have these things said to them, or acted against (And I'm not even in Seoul, there are even more tourists there).

As for the Sakura, yes they have their own name for the tree (as most languages do, but they still have festivals, just like the Japanese; just like the Americans who call them Cherry Blossoms.

YuriOtani May. 10, 2012 - 12:44PM JST China has nothing to fear from the USA. Any meaningful strike on them would be deadly to its friends in Asia. Second, where would Wall$mart and Apple get its merchandise? The Americans want to live in a world not fearing being destroyed at any moment. As for the wars, most Americans are against them.

China and the U.S.’s weapons affects the military developmental choices of South Korea and Japan. China and U.S. have launched a soft power game in the Asia-Pacific region. Looking at the problem of the Korean Peninsula, China and the U.S. are showing off their strength. If the U.S. stopped playing in the high stakes chess game that is the nuclear Korean Peninsula problem, then the U.S. may well solve problems in other regions, the same is true for China. This shows that China and the U.S. continuously adjust their military strategy and tactics as a means to test their military influence. China and the U.S. display their military influence in the Asia-Pacific region in different ways. U.S. is strengthening the military presence of other countries in the Asia-Pacific region and will increase the number of weapons in the region, thus increasing the Asia-Pacific countries’ dependence on the U.S.

cletus, for an Aussie you are very defensive of the United States. Did not even mention them in my post only my cousins to the north. About the Republic of Korea, I would not give my life in their defense. I do not want any of my country people to lose their lives for people who hate us so dearly. Japan needs to be NEUTRAL! Let the Americans defend them but not using bases in Japan. It would open the path to Japan being attacked. In fact letting them use their bases is a violation of article number nine.

I think Japan should stay out of the Korean civil war. What do we owe the south? If Japan owes a debt to the south, we owe a debt to the north as well.

YuriOtani

cletus, for an Aussie you are very defensive of the United States. Did not even mention them in my post only my cousins to the north.

Thats so hilarious, maybe you should go talk to SuperLib or Madverts about my thoughts on the US military. LOL..... My comments where aimed purely at you and your anti US, anti Korea, anti China, in fact anti anything not Japan stance and history. And as you can see lm not the only one that notices this. Infact you have even been pulled up in the past by the mods for your rabid anti US etc stances. As you constantly complain about being on the receiving end of racial abuse in the US, Korea, you even mentioned Australia once l believe have you ever considered this occurs to you and you alone due to your attitude towards these people and nations....

About the Republic of Korea, I would not give my life in their defense.

Bit hard when you are not even in Japan there Yuri. How is the US going by the way?

Even if some of the citizens don't like each other, it's a good move by the governments.

@Riffraff

The enemy of my enemy is my friend.

So true.

Cletus, made a mistake about the Americans. I actually like Americans and while do not agree with them 100 percent, who agrees with anyone 100 percent? The people of Japan have forgiven the Americans many years ago. I have no grudges against them and neither of us is the same country as back then. As for helping defend America, I could do that with clear conscious. American are now willing to defend Japan with their lives, I would do the same for them.

Thank you for asking, my life in America goes well. Life in the USA is very easy for me and my family.

Yuri

people of Japan have forgiven the Americans many years ago.

its wrong. japanese has also been taught anti-japan and pro-america thought. truth is that ppl doesnt know well why japan had to attack the US, a large number of japanese ppl only believes a vague reason that japan was the assailant of the ww2.

and why the US has to defend japan is its still important position to prevent spreading communism. SKorea is still not strong enough to take charge that position.

codomo, it is not as easy as Japan attacking the USA without cause. There was an effort in 1940 to get Japan to withdraw from China. The war was not going well for Japan. The last 10 years in Japan saw an increasingly militant government in Tokyo feeding off of insecurities real and unreal. There was a number of assassinations of Japanese politicians. However that was the PAST.

Today Tokyo enjoys good relations with the USA. Not so good relations with Seoul. Every time progress is made, the Republic of Korea throws it away for local political advantage. Soon there are demonstrators out on the streets burning Japanese and American flags. Thus the only people in Korea that like America and Japan are the Korean corps making a lot of money. These talks are silly nonsense and it would not surprise me if it degrades to physical blows at the table.