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Addressing an anniversary ceremony for the March 1 Independence Movement on Tuesday, President Roh Moo-hyun said about Korea¡¯s relationship with Japan that, ¡°We need to bring to light the historical truth, apologize and reflect, pay compensation should there be things that need to be compensated, and reconcile.¡±
The remarks are a substantial departure from his previous position that he would not make a formal diplomatic issue out of the history between the two countries during his tenure. Nay, more than a departure, the president's remarks are stronger fare than any previous administration has offered the Japanese. Inquire into the truth, apologize, compensate and reconcile: "That is a universal formula to put past history to rest," he said.
It is particularly unprecedented that Roh mentioned compensation - because that could be interpreted as suggesting that not all matters of compensation for Japanese abuses during colonial rule were settled by the 1965 Korea-Japan Treaty, that more, in fact, needs to be done. "It does not mean taking specific measures," explains Cheong Wa Dae. Nonetheless, the president's remarks about compensation may end up adding weight to calls for re-negotiation of the treaty that have made themselves heard since an explosive dossier relating to the treaty was recently declassified.
This is the Korea-Japan Friendship Year, marking a commitment of the two governments to overcome past enmity on the occasion of the 40th anniversary of the Seoul-Tokyo rapprochement and move forward to the future. That there are now deep cracks in that friendship and more mudslinging over the past is entirely Japan's fault.
Following inflammatory remarks from some Japanese Cabinet members about keeping the war guilt out of Japanese history textbooks, the country's Shimane Prefecture last week submitted a bill calling for a national "Takeshima Day" - after the Japanese name for the Korean-administered Dokdo islands which Japan claims it owns. On the same day, Japanese Ambassador to Korea Toshiyuki Takano asserted in the heart of Seoul that the islands were Japanese territory "historically and legally." Such behavior leaves no room for even a superficial greeting, let alone a hearty friendship.
But we must examine our own attitude too. Since the Kim Young-sam era, each administration has attempted to lay our history with Japan to rest, but to no avail. President Roh himself said he would not bring the matter up. He conducted one-sided love diplomacy, relying only on the goodwill of the other party but without any backup should that goodwill not be forthcoming. The government should have realized earlier how risky such unilateral making nice would be.
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