竹島問題の歴史

2.9.08

Reuters: "S. Korea steps up defense of disputed islets"

An August 31 Reuters article on Dokdo entitled "S. Korea steps up defense of disputed islets," by Marie-France Han, continues the Koreans-are-emotional-about-Dokdo theme reported by several other foreign newspapers in the last week or so, but this article seems more balanced than the others.
The article, for example, gives the following quotes from one of two photographers who had been given special permission to go to Dokdo and take pictures of the rocks:

"The island is much bigger than we had expected. It's beautiful," said one man, who gave only his surname, Lee.

"It's a strong symbol, but I just wonder if Koreans have to always be shown portraying Dokdo as a fight to the death," Lee said. "This is just a beautiful place."

"Portraying Dokdo as a fight to the death"? The photographer may have inadvertently told us the message the Korean government wanted the reporters to convey to the world.
Here is another quote from the article:

Reporters were also treated to the sight of Kim Sung-do, who along with his wife is the only civilian living permanently on the island with the financial help of the local administration.

The weathered, 68-year-old fisherman and Vietnam War veteran, often featured on national media, smoothly delivered a few choice words against Japan.

"Instead of being apologetic, Japan is becoming more and more brazen," Kim said. "This worries me. It has to stop."

Yet even officer Kim acknowledged that no Japanese ship had come anywhere near the grey, rocky outcrops in recent memory.

2 comments:

  1. Gerry, notice how all the reporters on the recent flurry of Dokdo articles with an identical theme all have a Korean background, and most did not mention their potential conflict of interest (being sent on a trip sponsored by the Korean govt).

    The western newspapers putting these stories out are credulous indeed. It is one thing for ethnic Koreans virtually being bribed by the Korean government to want to write such articles, and another for a western newspaper to actually run them. I think "fifth column" is the word I am looking for.

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  2. http://business.timesonline.co.uk/tol/business/economics/article4648549.ece
    Korea has more to be worried about.

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