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Six boats of the Korean Coast Guard and seven of the Japanese faced off each other for two days over a South Korean trawler, the Shinpung-ho, that intruded into Japan's exclusive economic zone. Frightening scenes ensued, in which Korean and Japanese boats tethered themselves to the fishing boat while sabers rattled nearby.
Before we ask which side was to blame, we must realize that the fact of the warlike standoff itself is a serious development. There were no such scenes even in 1952, when the Peace Line was proclaimed amid fierce disagreement between the two nations over fishing rights. And although the matter has been settled for the time being with a compromise whereby our government deals with the Shinpung-ho under our laws and Japan withdraws its patrol boats, it leaves in its wake a number of things for both governments to ponder.
First of all, under normal circumstances the incident would not have escalated the way it did. The physical confrontation in the East Sea reflects in miniature the state the Korea-Japan relationship has got into in recent months.
Korean and Japanese officials should ask themselves why things have come to this pass. They must reflect if it was their unnecessary remarks that provoked the other side and soured relations.
Two instances come immediately to mind: Japanese Vice Foreign Minister Shotaro Yachi saying that it is difficult for Japan to share intelligence with South Korea "because the U.S. does not trust Seoul," and President Roh Moo-hyun's remark that his theory of Korea playing a balancing role in Northeast Asia "was conceived with Japan in mind."
But our government must also review if it is properly prepared for an emergency like the Shinpung-ho incident. When nationalistic sentiment runs as high as now, mismanagement of even a minor conflict could deteriorate into a serious crisis. That such a delicate situation was allowed to develop over nothing more than a solitary fishing boat should set alarm bells ringing. Both countries must examine the problems in Korea-Japan ties and search for reasonable ways of solving them.
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