Korea vs. Japan: There’s No Sex In Whaling
“Are you Russian?” asked a middle-aged Korean man hopefully to an American English teacher. Translation: are you a prostitute?
“Are you Japanese?” she retorted. And that was that.
It’s the best rebuff I’ve heard to the bevy of Korean men who equate blonde hair with instant gratification. But why did it repel him with such shear efficiency? Or, put another way, what’s so bad about being called Japanese?
The answer is simple. During WWII, at the end of Japan’s 35-year colonization of Korea, Japan started abducting women from all of its occupied territories, Korea especially. These “comfort women,” as they were called, numbered as many as 200,000. They became sex slaves for Japanese military men.
Today, the Japanese government still refuses to apologize or even fully admit to using sex slaves. But Koreans have still not forgotten.
The international scorn being heaped on Japan for its flagrant violation of whaling treaties must therefore be somewhat gratifying to Koreans. The erstwhile humiliator is humiliating itself.
In fact, Koreans are probably tickled pink. At a local restaurant I went to last night, what else should be on TV (there is a TV mounted on the wall at most restaurants) but a very gory documentary of Japanese whaling. The exposé followed the bloody trail from the whaling vessel to the meat market, where the whale meat is packaged and sold.
Now I know that Korea has its own whaling history and even today it’s not impossible to find whale meat this side of the East Sea. Still, Korea has largely honored the 1982 whaling ban that was meant to boost dwindling whale populations. If not, at least it’s been more diplomatic about its indiscretions.
For further reading:
Japan Backs Down | EcoWorldly
Australia Combats Japanese Whaling | EcoWorldly
Photo: Wildphotons via Flickr
We just got this news.
South Koreans rescued from sexual slavery in Australia: police
http://afp.google.com/article/ALeqM5jbfq0rPJTfTES6Wr6GE46OLNI5Lg
Korean ex-comfort women were finally and officially compensated by South Korean government based on Japan Korea Basic Treaty hidden from the nation 40 years.
http://www.kukinews.com/news/article/view.asp?arcid=0920637933&code=41121111
Some of the applicants for the compensation were clearly fabricating or exaggerating their claims.
Why do you see the speck in your neighbor’s eye, but do not notice the log in your own eye?
Or how can you say to your neighbor, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ while the log is in your own eye?
You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your neighbor’s eye.
Matt 7:3-5
Also Comfort Women is historical fact.
I already said,
//like your metioned, please, speak your claim to Thailand, malaysia, indonesia, chinese, taiwanese, Filipino, Australian comfort women(not korean), “you are prostitute!” ok?
It’s not only korean issue, so don’t blame korean. According to your logic, all world country tell a lie to japanese. “Criminal vs World” Who is the creditible?//
1. Korea : Only ‘One city’ eat whale.(already dead whale by naturally) However, It is ‘illegal’. and known as ‘Japanese style’ food.
Your given source show that some whaler punished by law.
2. Japan : Promoted by Goverment.
Now, Japanese Goverment decide to provide ‘Whale meat’ for schoolchildren.
Now, Japanese Goverment decide to provide ‘Whale meat’ for schoolchildren.
(japanese)
http://www.yomiuri.co.jp/e-japan/kanagawa/news/20080123-OYT8T00107.htm
Japan is 10000 times larger whaling than korea.
http://namidame.2ch.net/test/read.cgi/news/1204560972/1
this page URL linked by Japanese most popular internet community 2ch.net.
after that, many Japanese Internet agent doing operaion now.
do not believe them.
and please block Japan IP!
This article has also stirred up quite a good conversation at Dave’s ESL cafe.
http://forums.eslcafe.com/korea/viewtopic.php?t=115526&start=0&postdays=0&postorder=asc&highlight=&sid=21ed4ba510977bb677a9efc4274686c7
Notice how defensive the Japanese are? They aren’t even reading the story. They just want to deny what is TRUE and DOCUMENTED. The Japanese government doesn’t so much deny raping Corean women as they REFUSE TO APOLOGIZE.
So a Corean pretending to be a Japanese prostitute or a Japanese restaurant owner means they ADMIRE Japanese??? Ha ha ha.
BTW, I liked the article and I totally understood it right away. But then, I KNOW ENGLISH.