President Lee does something no Japanese prime minister will ever be able to do

President Lee Myungbak has done what no South Korean leader has and what no Japanese leader can: he has planted his feet on Tokto (Dokdo).

From AFP:

South Korean President Lee Myung-Bak paid a surprise visit Friday to islands at the centre of a decades-long territorial dispute with Japan, which recalled its ambassador from Seoul in protest.

Lee was making the first-ever visit by a South Korean president to the rocky volcanic outcrops in the Sea of Japan (East Sea), roughly midway between South Korea and its former colonial ruler Japan.

Disregarding Tokyo's warnings that the visit would strain already prickly relations, Lee toured the main island and shook hands with coastguards as a South Korean flag fluttered in the breeze.

"Dokdo is indeed our territory and a place worth staking our lives to defend. Let's make sure to safeguard it with pride," pool reports quoted him as saying.

TV footage showed him posing for a photo in front of a rock painted with the slogan "ROK (South Korean) territory".

The South has stationed a small coastguard detachment since 1954 on the islands known as Dokdo in Korea and Takeshima in Japan.

The Tokto issue is one that, for a variety of reasons (including many not of South Korea's own making), will simply not go away until either Japan or South Korea (or North Korea) drops their claim or at least stops pushing it.

I am completely in support of the ROK claim to the Tokto Islets (known in Japan as Takeshima and sometimes internationally as Liancourt Rocks) ranging from the historical to the political to the practical*, but in 2005 I complained about the shrill response of Korean leaders to incidents in Japan that had been meant to provoke and should instead have been met with a low-key, ho-hum reply.

No finger-chopping, screaming, claiming Tsushima, etc., will do any good either for the collective Korean psyche or for Korea's position on the issue. In fact, it tends to erode the positive impression Korea™ has cultivated over the past few years.

ROK President Lee Myungbak visits the country of his birth. ROK President Lee Myungbak visits the Tokto Islets, rocky outcrops in the East Sea (Sea of Japan) firmly under South Korea's control since regaining them after liberation.

What works — and this is what I've been saying all along — is acting from a position of strength. Simply put, South Korea firmly has absolute control over the islands and the surrounding territorial waters and it should simply demonstrate that whenever Japan gets uppity with their anachronistic, ahistoric, and politically ill-advised claim.

I advised that South Korea should allow limited tours to the islets, and that's what happened. I have suggested (and it's under consideration) declaring all of Ullŭng-gun County (of which Tokto is a part and which includes all of Ullǔngdo Island) a national park.

And now President Lee Myungbak's visit to Tokto is another example of this. This is something that no Japanese prime minister can do, and it underscores the futility and pettiness of Tokyo's ongoing claim.

Good on you, Mr Lee. But be prepared for at least a little blowback: Tokyo has to do something to appease their political rightists and when they can't do anything in kind then they might be a little desperate.

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Korea and Japan to compete for Olympic bronze ion soccer

South Korea and Japan frequently meet on the soccer pitch, but other than a temporary stoking of national sentiment, these matches are of little practical consequence.

With Korea having lost to Brazil and Japan losing to Mexico, the cross-Strait rivals will be fighting each other for the bronze.

Let's hope Korea Republic does better than the last time they were trying for a third-place finish (i.e., 2002 Korea/Japan World Cup).

http://blogs.wsj.com/japanrealtime/2012/08/08/olympic-update-japan-to-battle-rival-south-korea-for-mens-soccer-bronze/

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Truman's grandson visits Hiroshima

I missed the 67th anniversary of the atomic bombing of Hiroshima three days ago (today is the 67th anniversary of the Nagasaki bombing), but this year's news surrounding the commemorations include a visit to the Peace Park by the grandson of Harry S Truman, the US president who authorized the unprecedented attacks on those two cities, a move credited with ending World War II in the Pacific.

From the Washington Post:

Truman’s grandson, Clifton Truman Daniel, and the grandson of a radar operator who was on both of the planes that dropped the atomic bombs, joined in the memorial. Ari Beser’s grandfather, Jacob Beser, was the only person who directly took part in both the Hiroshima and Nagasaki bombings.

In a news conference after the memorial, Daniel declined to comment on whether his grandfather’s decision was the right one.

“I’m two generations down the line. It’s now my responsibility to do all I can to make sure we never use nuclear weapons again,” he said, according to Japan’s Kyodo news service.

Daniel, 55, said earlier that he decided to visit Hiroshima and Nagasaki because he needed to know the consequences of his grandfather’s decision as part of his own efforts to help achieve a nuclear-free world.

The U.S. government sent a representative — the American ambassador — to the annual commemoration for the first time two years ago. Ambassador John Roos attended the Hiroshima ceremony on Monday.

Hiroshima Mayor Kazumi Matsui said Japan must take a bolder role in leading global disarmament efforts and called on world leaders to come to his city to “contemplate peace.”

He also said the accident at the Fukushima nuclear power plant struck by a tsunami last year has shown the dangers of nuclear technology, even for peaceful purposes, and urged the government to create a mix of energy sources for Japan that is safe and secure.

While we're at it, I'll (re-)skewer the old chestnut that Koreans thought two atomic bombs were not enough. South Koreans are keenly aware that a large portion of those killed in the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki were Koreans working there (many of them forcibly so). You can read about one unlucky group here.

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WaPo: Apple says Samsung document shows application icons copy iPhone

In the Washington Post, we hear that Apple has a smoking-gun memo showing that Samsung acknowledged virtual copying of Apple icons. A devastating blow in the frenemy war between the two companies:

Apple Inc. alleged that Samsung Electronics Co. changed the design of its smartphone icons to resemble those on the iPhone, supporting its claim with an internal Samsung document presented to a jury in California.

At its multibillion-dollar patent trial in federal court in San Jose yesterday, Apple displayed excerpts of a 2010 internal Samsung report in which the South Korean company did a side-by- side comparison of its icon designs next to those of the iPhone. The report recommended that Samsung alter icons that weren’t as user-friendly as those on Apple’s devices.

Susan Kare, a former Apple graphics designer paid $80,000 to be an expert witness, said the icons for the companies’ current competing products -- both are square with round edges and displayed on the device in rows of four -- are “confusingly similar.” Kare also told the jury that she mistook a Samsung smartphone for an iPhone while visiting the office of Apple’s lawyers.

Anyway, let all be aware that I, Kushibo, called it in 2006 (see below).



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North Korea's first lady Ri Sol-Ju with ￡1,000 Christian Dior bag

My working theory right now is that Kim Jong-un's new wife Ri Solju is being trotted out as North Korea's answer to Kate Middleton, to gain affection not just from citizens of the DPRK but also from the rest if the world.

But there's a seamy side to covering the royals, and if the paparazzi tasked with keeping up with the Kims can't drive around and snap endless pictures, the British press will find other things to report on, like Lady Ri's designer bag that would cost the average worker five years of wages.

Meanwhile, does the "Christian" Dior bag signal a move toward religious freedom (okay, now I'm just being snarky).

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2185377/North-Koreas-lady-Ri-Sol-Ju-1-000-Christian-Dior-bag.html

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Iraq’s Kurds sign major energy deals with Korean firms to construct two power plants in their region

Back when President Roh Moohyun reluctantly signed on to send to Iraq what was then the third largest contingent of troops (after the US and UK) in Bush's wildly unpopular war, critics of Roh (and of Korea) dismissed it as a cynical way for Korea to get oil contracts.

And while one could easily argue that Roh sent the Zaytun troops for other reasons — namely to prove he was still pro-US — the oil and construction contracts continue to pay off.

From the Washington Post:

Iraq’s self-ruled Kurdish region has signed a deal with Korean companies to construct two power plants. It’s part of an oil exploration deal.

A statement says the $700-million transaction calls for Posco Engineering and Construction Ltd. to build a 300-megawatt steam power generation plant in Irbil in three to six months, and a 400-kilovolt power transformer in Sulaimaniyah within eight months.

It adds that Korea National Oil Corp., or KNOC, will finance the projects as part of its 2008 deal to explore for oil in eight blocks. They are expected to hold 7.2 billion barrels in reserves.

According to the 2008 agreement, KNOC will allocate some of its profits from oil finds for infrastructure projects.

South Korean companies have a pretty good — but by no means perfect — track record when it comes to these infrastructure deals, and judging from what I've heard from people in government and NGOs in the Middle East and Africa (which is not just a few people), they would rather have Korea come in than China.

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Korea Finder (special spare change edition)

One of the many things I did on my recent return to Korea was fishing my coin-filled honey jar from my car so I could take it to a local bank in Hawai'i and cash it in (literally).

As a contest for regular readers, I'd like to have people guess the value of the coins inside (all US). If at least a dozen people participate, I may consider giving a free Starbucks coupon to he person who guesses the closest, as long as it's within 5% (one guess per person).

This could be more fun than McD's Olympic gold sweepstakes.

Contest closes within one week or after I go to the bank, whichever is later.

UPDATE:
Though I originally posted this on July 31, at 6:23 p.m., I'm going to try to leave this at the top of my blog until I finally have time to go to the bank.

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French feel the heat from Hyundai and Kia

And speaking of misunderestimating South Korea, the French are not too happy about a surge in ROK car imports following implementation of the EU-ROK free trade agreement, and they want something done about it, like "prior surveillance measures."

From Reuters:

The European Union is examining a request by France to require South Korea to give advanced warning of planned car exports to the EU, the first step towards the possible re-introduction of duties a year after a free-trade deal came into effect.

Sales of South Korean cars to the European Union surged 24 percent last year, even though the EU market is contracting, putting pressure on French carmakers who have lost domestic market share to the likes of Korea's Hyundai and affiliate Kia.

"The European Commission confirms it has received a note from the French authorities requesting ... prior surveillance measures for South Korean car imports," EU Trade Spokesman John Clancy said in a statement. "The Commission is reviewing carefully the request."

Such surveillance would mean authorities could demand a document to accompany products scheduled for export to the European Union. This would give advance warning of the type and number of products scheduled for shipment to the EU.

I suppose another method might be to make better cars.

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Are you ready for some football (coverage)?

It is one of those rare times when South Koreans are happy to come in second place — or even third. The Wall Street Journal is reporting how ecstatic people in South Korea are to have defeated Olympic hosts GB (that would be Great Britain) in the Olympic soccer quarterfinals to face Brazil:

South Korea hit its gold medal target at the Olympics over the weekend, but the big news locally was about a win that only takes the country into a semi-final.

The front pages of all Monday’s major national newspapers carry pictures of the jubilation in the men’s soccer team after they beat host nation Great Britain on penalty kicks in their Olympic quarter-final late on Saturday night.

The victory takes South Korea into the penultimate stage of Olympic soccer for the first time ever and conjures up memories of a similar historic win, also on penalty kicks, against Spain in the quarter-final of the World Cup a decade ago.

What badminton scandal? What fencing unfairness?

The lesson is: Don't misunderestimate ROK Soc (or anything else in Korea, for that matter). Judging by this story in the Washington Post, the Brazilians don't plan on making the same mistake (maybe):

The only top contender still left in the men’s Olympic football tournament, Brazil has no excuse to leave the London Games without the gold medal. First, though, it will have to get past South Korea in the semifinals on Tuesday.

Brazil brought most of its top players to the Olympics and has been dominant so far, getting more wins and scoring more goals than any other team. South Korea, meanwhile, just barely made it through the first stage, backed by its strong defense, but is hoping for a second consecutive upset to add to its surprise elimination of host Britain in the quarterfinals.

The winner of the match at Old Trafford will play for the gold against either Mexico or Japan, which will face off in London in the other semifinal.

“There is an extra bit of tension in the matches now,” Brazil coach Mano Menezes said. “You are playing to try to get to a final, it’s different.”

It would be Brazil’s only third Olympic men’s football final, and first since the 1988 Seoul Games. Brazil won the silver medal in Seoul and also four years earlier at the Los Angeles Games. Brazil got the bronze in 1996 in Atlanta and in 2008 in Beijing, when it lost the semifinal to Lionel Messi’s Argentina.

“We know that our responsibility is increasing as we get closer to the final,” Brazil captain Thiago Silva said. “And to get there we know that we will have a very difficult task trying to beat South Korea.”

While a cross-strait Japan-Korea rivalry match would be fun, I think most South Koreans would be satisfied even if it didn't get any further than this. Certainly, no one can accuse Korea Republic of having gotten this far by playing off of home-field advantage, an oft-grumbled narrative following wildly unexpected success in the 2002 Korea/Japan World Cup.

Now if only I can figure out how to watch the Korea-Brazil match live without having cable TV.

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The secret to North Korea's success

When the difference between winning and losing is a matter of life and death, you might go the extra mile (or never try at all).

http://abcnews.go.com/m/story?id=16907983

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Who Koreans actually despise

The old chestnut that "Koreans hate Japanese!", when used as an explanation for just about anything, borders on intellectual laziness.

This piece in the Wall Street Journal underscores that point, suggesting that opposition to the now-scuttled intelligence-sharing pact between Seoul and Tokyo had a lot more to do with disdain toward all things Lee Myungbak than animosity toward all things Japanese:

The study then asked respondents whether they would change their opposition if Japan offered a formal apology to Korea for its war crimes—an act often portrayed in Korea as a requirement for better relations. Around 70% said no, suggesting a relatively weak link between bitterness towards Japan and opposition to the pact.

The survey also found that opposition to the agreement was strongest among those in their 20’s to 40’s and weaker among older generations. But when asked about their views about Japan, favorability towards South Korea’s neighbor was stronger among the younger age groups.

A stronger correlation to opposition to the pact was found in the approval ratings for President Lee; 88% of those that said they strongly disapproved of President Lee also opposed the information pact. The survey also showed that support for Mr. Lee remains stronger among the older generations, who are warmer towards the military pact.

Of course, many of the young people opposed to the pact, while not anti-Japanese per se, are being influenced by the pro-Pyongyang chinboista groups that are anti-Washington and anti-Tokyo in their outlook. Simply put, a stronger ROK-Japan relationship undermines their goals.

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In North Korea, Putting a Female Face Front and Center - NYTimes.com

Someone should use this couple as a model for wedding
cake bride-groom figurines. It would be eerie but hilarious.

Choe Sanghun at the NYT has a thorough article on Kim Jong-un's new bride, the gracious Ms Ri:

The South Korean spy agency said that Ms. Ri had been to South Korea as a member of the North’s cheering squad in support of athletes competing in a track meet in 2005. South Korean photographers dug up the photos of Ms. Ri, noting her poise and smile [right].

Mr. Kim’s father also seemed to have a soft spot for performers: the current leader’s mother, Ko Young-hee, was a dancer with Pyongyang’s Mansudae Art Troupe. Kim Jong-il’s first wife, Sung Hae-rim, was a movie actress, and the woman who was believed to have been his consort in his final years, Kim Ok, was a pianist.

Defectors from North Korea say it is common for children of the top leadership to pick wives from Pyongyang’s artistic circles. The performers, who often do shows exclusively for the party and military elites, are selected in a rigorous audition process, and their families’ ideologies are investigated in a process that can take months. Talent and looks alone cannot guarantee entry into what is considered a privileged class. The fact that Ms. Ri was apparently allowed to travel abroad means that she was trusted by North Korea’s leaders, they said.

This is interesting for a number of reasons. For starters, that group of North Korean cheerleaders/performers who visited Inchon for the pan-Asian athletic meet supposedly (according to some North Korea watchers) ended up in the gulag because they'd become tainted by the West/South.

Also, given that last paragraph, if I were Kim Jong-un something like this is what would be on my mind (just move it down one generation):

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The Main Event (a non-event?)

You'd be forgiven if you think all the fights were watching are in London, but the Apple-versus-Samsung and Samsung-versus-Apple fights are gearing up in San Jose.

Frankly, I like Samsung's opening just because I not only agree with it, but I've been running around saying it:

Samsung wants you to know it isn’t a copycat.

"Samsung's not some copyist, some Johnny-come-lately that's doing knockoffs," lawyer Charles Verhoeven said during the company’s opening statement in federal court Tuesday.

During his 90 minutes addressing the jury in federal court in San Jose, Verhoeven repeatedly insisted that an average person could tell the difference between Samsung’s mobile devices and Apple's, and said Apple "had no right to claim a monopoly" on a rectangle with a large screen.

And I say this as a long-time consumer of Apple products who loves his iPad 2 big time (and not just because I won it for free).

I have a friend who is a free-lance lawyer for Samsung on this case, but that's another post for another time.

Anyway, I hope these two frenemies kiss and make up soon. It's like watching my mom and dad fight.

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