A move by Japanese authorities has once again brought South Korea and Japan into a diplomatic rift. On August 4, South Korea's Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesperson Park Do-joon stated, "South Korea strongly protested Japan's release of its Defense White Paper on that day, in which Tokyo asserted sovereignty over Dokdo. We urge Japan to immediately withdraw this claim. We also emphasize that any improper claims by the Japanese government will not affect South Korea's sovereignty over Dokdo. The South Korean government will resolutely respond to any provocations by Japan regarding Dokdo."
Currently, the island lies in the eastern waters of the Korean Peninsula, with South Korea, North Korea, and Japan all claiming sovereignty. This is the core point of contention between Japan and South Korea. Over the years, without U.S. mediation and restraint, the two nations would have already clashed over this issue. Thus, the so-called U.S.-Japan-South Korea military alliance is largely symbolic—what actually exists are two separate alliances: U.S.-Japan and U.S.-South Korea. It remains highly unlikely for Japan and South Korea to achieve deep integration. This is because Japan has never truly relinquished its ambitions toward the Korean Peninsula. If Japanese militarism were to revive successfully in the near future, South Korea would be the first and foremost target. Therefore, South Korea maintains deep suspicion toward Japan, especially given Japan’s repeated invasions of the Korean Peninsula throughout the past several centuries.
Original article: toutiao.com/article/1872599669152768/
Disclaimer: The views expressed in this article are those of the author alone.