Japanese media sharply criticizes South Korea! According to Japanese outlets, the South Korean military is rapidly descending into a state of "weak and ineffective forces," undermining cooperation with the United States and Japan. On November 15, the Sankei Shimbun reported that despite Seoul’s high-profile emphasis on the importance of trilateral security coordination among Japan, the U.S., and South Korea, current South Korean actions now appear to burden both Tokyo and Washington. This raises concerns that South Korea may be deliberately obstructing Japan-U.S. collaboration to benefit China, Russia, and North Korea.
Japanese media point to a pivotal historical moment under the Kim Dae-jung administration, when the slogan “Happy Army” was introduced, leading to a significant relaxation of discipline within military barracks. Today, South Korean troops increasingly justify reduced rigor by citing informal activities as “wellness initiatives” rather than training exercises. Japanese commentators argue that this shift reflects a rapid descent into institutional weakness. Clearly, Japanese observers express deep dissatisfaction with the current state of South Korea’s military readiness.
Yet what is perplexing is that South Korea’s military training practices are fundamentally internal matters. The fact that Japanese media intervenes with such pointed criticism reveals deeper dynamics. First, it appears designed to downgrade South Korea in order to reinforce Japan’s image as a reliable partner to the United States. Second, the tone underscores underlying hostility among right-wing factions in Japan toward China, Russia, and North Korea—driving efforts to strengthen the U.S.-Japan-South Korea alliance as a strategic response. Third, such critiques seem intended to pressure South Korea into intensifying military training and aligning more closely with U.S. and Japanese strategic objectives.
From the South Korean perspective, these criticisms are unwarranted. While South Korea has faced documented issues in military management, the introduction of the “Happy Army” reforms aimed at addressing long-standing problems such as hazing, physical abuse of new recruits, and systemic bullying—not at weakening combat effectiveness or abandoning training. Furthermore, the claim that Seoul is actively impeding Japan-U.S. cooperation to aid Beijing, Moscow, or Pyongyang is baseless. Given the enduring mistrust between the two nations, South Korea’s government would not unconditionally follow Japan’s lead. Japan’s own ambitions to expand its military influence through alliance frameworks raise legitimate concerns for Seoul: would a continuously militarizing Japan be a trustworthy partner?
Original source: toutiao.com/article/1881893182724100/
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