Sth Korea and Japan at loggerheads

[stui magpie]

I found this a really interesting and informative article. Like most people, I watched MASH on TV (which ran longer than the actual Korean war) but had little understanding of the backstory, that Japan had occupied Korea, brutally so apparently in the start of the 20th century and after WWII it was taken off them and carved in half. Now the residual from the past is coming back to bite as Sth Korea is growing economically.

While the world has been focused on the escalating trade war between China and the US, another economic spat has been bubbling away.

South Korea and Japan, two of Australia's biggest trading partners, are embroiled in a sour dispute with global implications.

But unlike most trade wars, this isn't about economics or security.

It is about history and colonialism, and a complex legacy of forced assimilation, slave labour and brutality.

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2019-09-16/ ... m/11492558

[pietillidie]

Don't mention ze war!

Good article. This is one of the deepest animosities on the planet, not helped by Japan's inability (for cultural and other reasons) to apologise sincerely (by Asian definition) for its colonial past.

I have brilliant Korean and Japanese friends who wonder what's wrong with each other. One Korean-Japanese couple don't talk for days over history!

Then there's Japanese hatred of North Korea and Chinese hatred of Japan, the latter of which might go deepest of all (again, for good reason).

You haven't seen a reflexive animosity like it. The wrong leader in any of those countries risks earth itself.

Every dollar spent on building further relationships with and amongst such countries is money well spent.

[stui magpie]

I figured you'd have some insight. I knew there was historical animosity between the Asian countries, it clearly runs deep for several reasons.

Does make it hard for a country like Australia who wants to be a trading partner with Asia.