韓国人に謝罪すれば、罪を認めた「罪人」に　Apology to Korea Makes...

【ニッポンの新常識】韓国人に謝罪すれば、罪を認めた「罪人」に
Common Knowledge Revisited　Apology to Korea Makes One a Self-Confessed Sinner

http://www.zakzak.co.jp/society/domestic/news/20150822/dms1508221000002-n1.htm

　On August 16th, I participated in Voice Live, a talk show held by PHP Kenkyusho on the topic of “Japanese-Korean Relations 70 Years after the End of the War.” It was set up with journalist Hajime Marutani, who is always teaching me new and interesting things, serving as moderator, while Sonfa Oh, a professor in the international department of Takushoku University, and I exchanged various opinions.

　Ms. Oh was born on Jeju Island in South Korea, and came to Japan as a foreign exchange student in 1983. At that time she had strong anti-Japanese feelings, but as she learned various facts, she came to have stronger feelings of empathy toward Japan. She said she was shocked when she realized that the anti-Japanese education she had received in Korea was false. After resolving the conflicts in her mind, she took out Japanese citizenship in 1988.

　I was surprised by many things she had to say, beginning with our discussion before the event even began. It was brought home to me how different the values and common understandings are between the neighboring countries of South Korea and Japan.

　I will leave the details of our discussion to the article which will appear in the October issue of “Voice” (which goes on sale September 10th), but to mention just one thing, the meaning and function of an “apology” are completely different in Korea.

　Japan has apologized to South Korea almost 60 times, but the other day a former comfort woman stated that “Japan has not apologized even once.” For Japanese, an “apology” is an action taken to calm the anger of the other party and repair wronged feelings. Thereafter both parties forget the unpleasant past and let bygones be bygones, and the matter is closed.

　On the hand, in Korea “apology” is not a matter of emotions. If one apologizes, he becomes a “sinner” who has admitted his guilt, and the person receiving the apology obtains the right to torment the sinner. An apology is the beginning of an unfair relationship.

　Moreover, Koreans do not let bygones be bygones. President Park Geun-hye gave a speech in which she said “The relative positions of a wrongdoer and a victim do not change even after 1,000 years.” That is the typical thinking of Koreans.

　No matter how many times it apologizes to Korea, the “repair of wronged feelings” intended by Japan is impossible to achieve. Rather, every time Korea receives an apology, it thinks again “We were able to put Japan in a subordinate position.” Such an apology should be impossible between two nations, but Korea, including its leaders, demands a Korean-style apology.

　Incidentally, in the U.S. “apology and restitution” are thought of as one set too, but the matter ends with the delivery of the apology and restitution.

　Under international law, problems related to the period of annexation of Korea to Japan were resolved by the Japan‐Republic of Korea Basic Relations Treaty concluded in 1965, but Korea keeps bringing up the same problems again and again. Japan is unfortunate to be entangled with Korea. Japanese politicians and diplomats bear deep responsibility for conducting foreign relations with Korea under the normal Japanese assumption that people are fundamentally good.

　All public servants involved in Korean diplomacy should carefully read Ms. Oh’s book.

在庫復活！

まだＧＨＱの洗脳に縛られている日本人/PHP研究所