The Battle of Tokto

Tokto Islands is small, insignificant; a weekend vacation and nothing more. That's all it is, until someone claims ownership. Japan recently made public statements and celebrated it's sovereignty over Tokto Islands and here in Korea, where people have endured a lifetime of bullying- that cannot stand. Koreans are bitter, and rightfully so. Hearing the stories of Japan's occupation here that lasted until the mid 20th century is kinda like watching "Requiem for a Dream." It's all so real, too real, and I'd rather tune out- knowing these atrocities did happen, but not fully comprehending the actual horror of this time. It's different for Koreans. Their prosperity has been short-lived, and they have every reason to suspect an ally will eventually thwart them when things are looking good. Today, from everything I see, Korea appears to be enjoying a long deserved peace and respect amongst the world, but history has taught Koreans not to expect permanent comfort. I first heard of the Tokto Islands conspiracy through my students. One 11 year old boy mentioned, "we don't like Japan." I prodded into him and, with much effort on both sides and the aid of a map, he explained to me that Japan was calling Tokto Islands theirs and this was not true. I will admit I'm probably biased on this issue because the only English newspaper available to me is the Korean Times but they just finished a 3-part expose' proving Korea's legal ownership of the Islands. This reeks of disrespect to me, but it runs so much deeper in a Korean's mind. It brings back the unforgettable memories these people try to lock away in some safe cavern of the brain. The Japanese occupation is filled with crimes to humanity. Japan's imperialism nearly wiped out Korea's illustrious culture. Their women were made into sex slaves, the men were forced to do slave labor and the school's had to stop teaching the Korean language. All of Korea spoke Japanese, their art was destroyed (museums today have drawings of the pre-Japanese buildings- showcasing all that was lost), their books, their history; erased. I'm so thankful that I've never experienced this and I keep it mind when I find myself judging a Korean. They must cling to every inch of this soil they still own. And it's easy to see why such a tiny, seemingly insignificant piece of land caused a national uproar. Another interesting phenomenon is the relations between North and South Korea when another country defies them. At times like this, the warring sides of Korea unite, showing the rest of the world that their internal squabble is nothing compared to hundreds of years of shared misery.


To read more about this conflict and, if you're a huge fan of my experience, other news at the Korean Times online, click the link.
http://times.hankooki.com/lpage/nation/200504/kt2005040417142011990.htm