{"id":2199369,"date":"2022-11-09T08:47:08","date_gmt":"2022-11-09T08:47:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.nknews.org\/koreapro\/?p=2199369"},"modified":"2023-04-05T16:11:01","modified_gmt":"2023-04-05T07:11:01","slug":"the-rising-sun-will-rise-again-rok-fears-of-japanese-militarism-linger-on","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/koreapro.org\/2022\/11\/the-rising-sun-will-rise-again-rok-fears-of-japanese-militarism-linger-on\/","title":{"rendered":"The Rising Sun will rise again? ROK fears of Japanese militarism linger on"},"content":{"rendered":"
South Korea participated in a Japanese fleet review for the first time in seven years over the weekend, the latest step forward in mending ties between the two U.S. allies. But the opposition party\u2019s strong anti-Japanese reaction underlined that the relationship remains on shaky ground.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n The key source of the controversy domestically stems from the fact that the Japanese Maritime Self-Defense Force (MSDF) flies a flag similar to the Rising Sun, <\/span>seen by many<\/span><\/a> as a symbol of Japan\u2019s imperialist past.<\/span><\/p>\n South Korean navy personnel also saluted in the direction of the flag when Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida sailed by on the Izumo, though Seoul <\/span>maintained<\/span><\/a> the salute was actually to the representative of the host nation in accordance with international custom.<\/span><\/p>\n South Korean defense minister Lee Jong-sup sought to preempt criticism ahead of the fleet review by stressing that the MSDF flag is <\/span>not the same<\/span><\/a> as the Rising Sun \u2014 the red circle on the MSDF flag is <\/span>slightly to the left<\/span><\/a> of where it is on the Rising Sun.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n But the opposition Democratic Party (DP) strongly criticized Seoul\u2019s participation in the fleet review all the same, with one lawmaker <\/span>stating<\/span><\/a> that the Yoon administration was \u201cunable to call the Rising Sun the Rising Sun.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n Another DP lawmaker also <\/span>raised<\/span><\/a> unresolved disputes<\/span><\/a> like so-called comfort women \u2014 Koreans and others that were forced to serve in Japanese brothels during World War II \u2014 and compensation for wartime forced laborers when Lee joined a parliamentary session on Monday, questioning the wisdom of South Korea\u2019s participation.<\/span><\/p>\n The defense minister said he sees those as separate issues from the fleet review and expressed hope Jeon would view South Korea\u2019s participation as in the country’s national security interest.<\/span><\/p>\n That appears unlikely to happen. The DP criticism followed <\/span>remarks<\/span><\/a> by party leader Lee Jae-myung finding fault with U.S.-ROK-Japan naval <\/span>missile defense drills<\/span><\/a> in early October. The former presidential candidate <\/span>warned<\/span><\/a> that a trilateral military alliance will make South Korea an \u201coutpost\u201d in a new Cold War and even claimed that the Rising Sun flag could \u201cagain hang over the peninsula.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n Some lawmakers from Japan\u2019s ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) also <\/span>opposed<\/span><\/a> South Korea\u2019s attendance at the fleet review this year. According to them, it was inappropriate to invite South Korea because Seoul hasn\u2019t apologized for allegedly targeting<\/a> one of its surveillance aircraft <\/span>with a fire control radar system in 2018.<\/span><\/p>\n This gave the DP more ammunition to use to ramp up pressure on the Yoon administration, <\/span>accusing<\/span><\/a> Japan of distorting the incident and misleading international opinion.<\/span><\/p>\n