Friday, December 13, 2024

Read it and Weep



Vote November 10, in the National Assembly to appoint a permanent special investigation team to investigate the martial law/ coup attempt by Yoon and company. It's a significant vote for a couple of reasons. First the votes for the legislation exceeded the number needed to overcome a veto by Yoon (over 200 out of 300 members). According to the report, there were 188 votes from the majority democratic party, the conservative reform party of Lee Jun-seok, the progressive party, etc., for 188 votes. No doubt this would include Cho Guk's small innovation party which typically votes with the democrats. The total vote in favor was 210, so this means 22 assembly members from the minority ruling PPP nominally Yoon and Han's party (the US and Japan favored party) voted for an independent special investigation of the coup attempt. (There were 14 abstentions).


They didn't know?



By my estimate, they are still two votes shy of impeaching Yoon this Saturday, Nov. 14, at four o'clock in the afternoon, Seoul time. Gallup Korea reports that Yoon's support is down to 11 percent and 75 percent want him impeached. His total disapproval rating is 85 percent. This brings to mind a statement that Yoon made early on in his presidential career, to the effect that even if only one percent of the public supported him, he would still do what he thinks is best.

Someone is leaking information about the cabinet meeting that took place for five minutes or less, immediately before Yoon went on television to announce martial law. I'm not sure who was there, other than Han Duk-soo, but they did not directly oppose Yoon, but raised issues about the unfavorable consequences and impacts that could arise. Yoon immediately went into one of his hissy fits and stormed out of the room, without concluding the meeting or dismissing the officials. It was said he went immediately into a nearby studio, where they could hear him making the televised address. What this suggests is that Yoon had already decided on martial law, and that he was getting his advice from others.

Washington is still going with "the coup d'etat in South Korea was a surprise" line, which is extremely unlikely.

“The fact that President Yoon surprised Washington is problematic,” said Green, adding the turmoil called into question whether Seoul was ready for contingency planning. “Dysfunction in South Korean government is risky, because North Korea may interpret it as an opportunity.”


Tim provided the free link to the WP article at his X feed.



What is the position of the National Intelligence Service? The Director Cho Tae-yong has strong connections with the US government. Take a look at Cho Tae-yong's resume for his extensive US based experience over at wikipedia Cho Tae-yong What was his role, if any? As I understood testimony at a hearing, the NIS deputy director Hong Jang-won described his own personal rejection of support to the martial law plot as it went into execution. He said he received a call from the president seeking support for the armed forces domestic counter intelligence mission after the announcement of martial law. Likewise, where were Sin Won-sik, and Kim Tae-hyo from the National Security Office while all this was going on?

Former Vice Minister Hong is the person who revealed that he was ordered by President Yoon Seok-yeol to arrest politicians during martial law. He testified in a meeting with National Assembly Intelligence Committee Chairman Shin Sung-beom on the 6th that he was told by President Yoon to “help and support the Counterintelligence Command, as we will give the National Intelligence Service the authority to investigate counterintelligence.” He also claims that he reported this to National Intelligence Service Director Cho Tae-yong but was ignored, and that he resigned after refusing to comply with the order and was ordered by the president to dismiss him.


Prosecutors' Office and Public Prosecutor's Office Investigate First Vice Director of the National Intelligence Service,...
A legislator, formerly with the NIS, Park Seon-won, is reporting that lower level deputies in the NIS were ordered to carry out investigations of "leftist youtubers" working as "agents of North Korea," on December 11! According to the assemblyman, the president is the only one who could have given this order. This means Yoon is in the process of seeking "evidence" to support his purported defense to his martial law declaration, as lawful to save democracy and the constitutional order, endangered by state enemies. Ostensibly troops were sent into the National Assembly building on Dec. 3, to "protect democracy," and end the majority opposition's "bullying" with the same purpose. Initially this coup attempt was to be coordinated with military provocations precedent to the declaration of martial law. The Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of the ROK armed forces declined to follow this effort to elicit some sort of North Korean military reaction a week before the Dec. 3 declaration.

[Breaking News] Police Commissioner General Cho Ji-ho and Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency Commissioner Kim Bong-sik Arrested for ‘Engaging in Critical Internal Rebellion Mission’


Yoon's speech Thursday night was probably prepared by legal counsel, formulating his legal defense, for an anticipated impeachment trial down the road. Yoon is not going to resign according to reports but prefers to fight this all the way. Hopefully, he'll be impeached tomorrow at 4 pm Seoul time, but nothing is certain. Link to last night's speech in English:



The most obvious lie in the speech was that special forces troops sent to arrest a list of assembly members and block their vote to stop martial law, were "unarmed." You can see their weapons in several videos of their assault on the National Assembly building. My understanding from all the reports I've heard, was that they were to be dispatched with live ammunition.

The contents of the speech are absurd. From Kim Jong-tae's guest essay in the Hankyoreh today:

He forgot to consider evidence that the troops dispatched to the National Assembly not only had blank rounds but live ammunition and even taser guns. It was a shallow ploy to escape charges of treason and inciting violence after he’s impeached. Moreover, not only Kwak but Lt. Gen. Lee Jin-woo, head of the Capital Defense Command; Hong Jang-won, first deputy director of the National Intelligence Service; and Yeo In-hyeong, leader of the Defense Counterintelligence Command, all have given testimony that Yoon ordered the arrest of politicians and drafted plans for martial law in advance. Yoon’s only path for escaping charges of plotting and leading an insurrection has been completely sealed.


[Guest essay] Bald-faced lies of a failed insurrectionist
https://english.hani.co.kr/arti/english_edition/english_editorials/1172966.html




One of those to be arrested was a judge who recently found Lee Jae-myung, the leader of the democratic opposition, not guilty. Lee still faces other hearings on separate charges engineered by Yoon's "dictatorship of prosecutors."

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Monday, September 30, 2024

US ambassador meets the South Korean opposition




Video of Lee Jae-myung opposition leader meeting with US Ambassador Philip Goldberg. (2024.09.26 오전) Goldberg and Lee use interpreters so the whole video is understandable in English.

I recall Democratic Party Leader Lee's meeting with the Chinese ambassador some time ago, it seemed so much friendlier. Goldberg looks stiff, forced smiles, folded arms, etc. I'm sure the leader of the Democratic Party, the majority party in the National Assembly, was the last person he wanted to meet, he was probably directed to do it. "Human rights, rule of law, wherever they are under threat." How can Goldberg keep a straight face saying that? The comment at the end by Lee is a dig at the US apparent lack of interest in the extraordinarily tense relations with North Korea. The threat of "accidental" conflict breaking out along the DMZ caused Lee to request "...your deeper interest in these issues." Other than mentioning the potential for nuclear proliferation to South Korea and/or Japan prompted by the North Korean threat, Lee said zero about Japan, China, Taiwan, Indo-Pacific etc. This is by design. I wonder what may have happened during the closed meeting after the short formal public meeting.



From the large anti-Yoon demonstration in Seoul today. The tweet comment, "Anti-democratic, anti welfare of the people, anti-peace, historic pro-Japan, coup d'etat Yoon government; there is no way to sit and just let this go."


Hanging by a Thread: US-led War Drills in the Korean Peninsula and the Threat of Global Nuclear War

According to Simone Chun's recent essay in Counterpunch, the provocation of North Korea is deliberate, and part of the US anti-China strategy. I listened to some other activist leaders in an OhMyNews talk show who are seeing parallels developing to events during the latter part of the Park administration. They think an editorial take lately in the Chosun Ilbo, reflects increasing conservative frustration with Yoon, who is not a politician by nature, but is solely focused on advancing his personal interests and protecting his wife and her supporters from justice. He has of course, adopted an authoritarian manner of doing things, is uncompromising and neglecting state affairs other than the anti North Korea, US pro Japan, Indo-Pacific outlook directed against China. This was their analysis of Chosun Ilbo's editorial, they didn't give a specific reference that I could look at myself. I have seen at least one recently that suggested Yoon was too detached from public sentiment and would present challenges in future elections for conservatives if he didn't change.


Although there were some impeach Yoon placards in this large demonstration, the theme of the organized labor and civic groups was, "Yoon step down!"

Simone collected a few photos over on her twitter thread of the large Yoon resign demo in Seoul today. Candlelight leadership was there, but most of bodies were from organized labor groups and civil society. Demonstrations took place in multiple South Korean cities from what I understand. I saw banners from the progressive party and justice party as well. There was a serial confrontation with police that seemed to me to have been instigated by someone lighting smoke bombs or some kind of flares in the crowd near the end of the demonstration. The senior police officers and parade staff managed the hotheads well and the trouble subsided. I'd like to see the size of this demonstration double. That will signal the end for Yoon and company.


Ambassador Goldberg prior meeting a week earlier with PPP Leader Han Dong-hun. Notice the difference?




Anyone who thinks Han Dong-hun takes constitutional principles or rule of law seriously is suffering from delusions. Notice the difference between this meeting and Goldberg's later meeting with Lee Jae-myung (above), the opposition leader who has been prosecuted repeatedly by Yoon and this man for years. Han and Goldberg "shared many conversations" when Han was minister of justice? Why? Why does that not surprise me? Why did the translator change Han's admission to "well actually we met once before" in English? She didn't translate what he actually said. Assembly Member In Yo-han PPP aka John Linton, the "white" Korean missionary/doctor was Goldberg's physician? In a longer video near the end, Han jokes in English, that "he didn't know" In Yo-han/John Linton could speak English. At the outset, Han also joked about Goldberg being a Red Sox fan, implying that they have a difference of opinion on this. So they are all buddies.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z1kPJ524L4k (the longer video)

The banner on the wall says "Reduce the differences, widen the opportunities." Surprised they didn't adopt the "lock step, no daylight" slogan. Goldberg emphasizes the long friendship and shared values. Most of the US- South Korea relationship, up to 1987, was basically the US supporting oppressive dictatorships. Yoon's is now up to 24 vetoes* of legislation. Democracy? Rule of law? Justice? LOL.

The Yoon/Han clique of corrupt prosecutors, abusing their powers giving the ROK the name "dictatorship of prosecutors," just requested that Democratic Party leader Lee Jae-myung receive 4 years in prison on a conviction obtained with fabricated evidence. To counter the appearance of tens of thousands of demonstrators against Yoon, over the weekend, Yoon will bring out 5000 plus troops for the Armed Forces Day parade at the cost of millions of dollars giving his administration the authoritarian aura that suits it so well. Ironically this will occur on the same day as China's National Foundation Day celebration.


Note: after I wrote the first part of this post, I came across this Hankyoreh editorial, cited below, which said in part:

For Korea’s Yoon, October may prove the cruelest month

Civic movements also hint of ominous times for Yoon. National Emergency Council for State Affairs, an organization founded by veteran civic leaders and activists, announced its demands for Yoon’s impeachment or resignation on Sept. 20. A national coalition of civic groups demanding Yoon’s resignation will simultaneously hold rallies in major cities nationwide on Saturday, at 3 pm. Things are reminiscent of the writing on the wall in October 2016.

Let’s wrap this up. Will Yoon survive October, the most politically brutal month he’s ever faced? What does he need to do to survive?

Conservative papers are calling for “acute introspection” (Chosun Ilbo) and “an overhaul in policy and administration” (Joongang Ilbo). Is this possible? It will be difficult. That’s not his style.


As many of his critics in the opposition have pointed out, Yoon is incapable of changing his authoritarian approach.


*Note. October 1 correction of typographical error, it's 24 vetoes for Yoon, not 42 as previously erroneously stated. That number will increase soon enough. Apologies to the one reader who saw this post before I fixed it.
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Sunday, September 22, 2024

Indo-Pacific



Japanese "defensive" exercises? Or is it to practice interdiction of Chinese lines of communication?







Koizumi, the son of a former premier (sic), is seeking to appeal to a younger generation of voters and refresh the image of the party. He has advocated for deregulation and labor market reform to give big businesses more flexibility in laying off workers — drawing criticism from other candidates.

If Koizumi wins, he may face trouble in keeping order in the LDP, which has established systems for leadership positions being held by its senior members. It has ruled Japan almost without interruption since its founding in the 1950s.



Catapult the propaganda! The admiral's tweet got me behind the Bloomberg paywall to read his neocon views. Tim Shorrock said he likely would have been Kilary's SecDef. Stavridis is probably plugging for it now.



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Tuesday, September 17, 2024

Spring in the North 北国之春

邓丽君 《北国之春》 + lyrics Teresa Teng


我衷心的谢谢您
wǒ zhōngxīn de xièxiè nín
My sincere appreciation to you

一番关怀和情意
yī fān guānhuái hé qíng yì
for your care and affection

如果没有你给我爱的滋润
rúguǒ méiyǒu nǐ gěi wǒ ài de zī rùn
If you didn't give me the nourishment of love

我的生命将会失去意义
wǒde shēngmìng jiāng huì shīqù yìyì
My life will lose its meaning

我们在春风里陶醉飘逸
wǒmén zài chūn fēng lǐ táozuì piāo yì
We are intoxicated and carefree in the spring breeze

仲夏夜里绵绵细雨
zhòng xià yèlǐ miánmián xìyǔ
Incessant light rain in the midsummer night

聆听那秋虫它轻轻在
língtīng nà qiū chóng tā qīngqīng zài
Listen to the autumn insects mumuring

呢喃 冰雪它飘满地
nínán bīngxuě tā piāo mǎn dì
Whispering winter snow spreads everywhere

我的平凡岁月里有了一个你
wǒde píngfán suìyuè lǐ yǒu le yīgè nǐ
During my everyday lifetime, I had you*

显得充满活力
xiǎnde chōngmǎn huólì
So vigorous and strong

我衷心的谢谢您
wǒ zhōngxīn de xièxiè nín
My sincere appreciation to you

让我忘却烦恼和忧郁
ràng wǒ wàngquè fánnǎo hé yōuyù
Let me forget my worries and unhappiness

如果没有你给我鼓励和勇气
rúguǒ méiyǒu nǐ gěi wǒ gǔlì hé yǒngqì
If you didn't give me inspiration and courage

我的生命将会失去意义
wǒde shēngmìng jiāng huì shīqù yìyì
My life would lose its meaning


*these interpretations are always subject to change as I discover mistakes or learn more. 9.18.24
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Friday, September 13, 2024

Sorrowful Taedong River (1958)


한 많은 대동강




Sorrowful Taedong River, are you well as before?
Moranbong*, Eulmildae,** I miss that scenery.
The way blocked by barbed wire, 'til we meet again,
Is there news? Oh, sorrowful Taedong River

Taedong River, Pubyeokru,* I miss that boat song.
Once more I try to sing the familiar nostaglic tune.
Is there still no way to send a single letter?
Oh, I ask for news, sorrowful Taedong River

One of the songs sung by singer Son In-ho . Lyrics by Han Bok-nam , music by Yain-cho (Kim Bong-cheol). Incidentally, all three are from displaced families. Son In-ho is from Changseong, North Pyongan Province, Han Bok-nam is from Anju, South Pyongan Province, and Yain-cho is from Hwanghae Province.

https://namu.wiki/w/%ED%95%9C%20%EB%A7%8E%EC%9D%80%20%EB%8C%80%EB%8F%99%EA%B0%95



Pubyok Pavilion

*Reference to the pavillion (Pubyeokru) built on Moranbong (Peony hill) on the bank of the Tadeong River in Pyongyang. Regarded as a historical and scenic treasure. This a South Korean source with photos: https://namu.wiki/w/%EC%9D%84%EB%B0%80%EB%8C%80

Eulmildae

**Eulmildae was basically a watchtower topped by a pavilion built for military purposes, in Pyongyang, but as the legend of the fairy Eulmil falling in love with the scenery suggests, it also serves as a pavilion for viewing the beautiful scenery around Eulmildae, especially the Daedong River flowing under Eulmildae and Neungra Island, which is a lower island.

The two historical sites are near the Kim Il-sung stadium and the area in Pyongyang where the dictatorship's monumental style architecture is found.

Pulitzer prize winning photo of Taedong River Bridge-

Flight of Refugees across wrecked bridge in Korea.


.
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Monday, September 2, 2024

Kanto Massacre, martial law, and high school baseball



Below an excerpt from an October 2021 Georgetown Journal of International Affairs article on the Kanto massacre and Japanese denialism, the author is Tessa Morris-Suzuki:

Un-remembering the Massacre: How Japan’s “History Wars” are Challenging Research Integrity Domestically and Abroad


The Great Earthquake and the Massacre

In September 2023, Japan will commemorate the centenary of one of the twentieth century’s worst disasters: the Great Kanto Earthquake, which destroyed much of Tokyo and Yokohama, resulting in over one-hundred thousand deaths. In the panic that followed, rumors spread that immigrants from Japan’s then-colony of Korea were poisoning wells and planning violent attacks on Japanese citizens. Japanese vigilante groups, backed by the police and army, responded by killing those they believed to be Korean. A 2009 official report cites figures of anywhere from twenty-six hundred to sixty-six hundred Korean victims from the massacre, as well as several hundred Chinese victims.

Ever since the fiftieth anniversary of the massacre, a memorial event has been held for the victims, with messages of remembrance from public figures including the Governor of Tokyo. However, since 2017, the current right-wing Governor, Koike Yuriko, has repeatedly refused to send such a message. Further, recent memorial ceremonies have been accompanied by counter-protests staged by vocal right-wing “massacre denialist” groups, encouraging the proliferation of provocative anti-Korean hate speech. In the context of deepening tensions between Japan and Korea, Koike’s symbolic refusal to commemorate the massacre has raised concern amongst scholars and citizens’ groups as to how the 2023 commemoration of the Great Kanto Earthquake will deal with the memory of the massacre. There are fears that the contest between commemoration and the denial of memory may further inflame inter-ethnic and international tensions. Controversies surrounding the memory of the massacre are just part of wider intensifying contests over memory and history in Japan.



With pro-Japanese new right authoritarians now in power in the Yoon administration in South Korea, they too have a denialism problem. The Yoon Education Ministry is sanitizing history text book descriptions of Japanese war crimes against Koreans, as Japan did a generation earlier. The administration has also physically removed memorial plaques and statues of the Dokdo islets in public venues in Seoul. These include multiple subway sites in Seoul and the National War Museum. Dokdo was taken by Japan from South Korea after the Russo-Japanese war. The island is bizarrely still claimed by Japan, although it was occupied by Korea after WWII. Japanese coast guard vessels patrol the seas near the island, the same way the Chinese coast guard patrol around the disputed Diaoyu/Senkaku islands. An earlier Yoon move intended to change the orientation of South Korean history from national independence, unification and sovereignty, to an anti-communist/ pro-Japanese orientation, was to remove statues of independence fighters in front of the ROK Military Academy:

The KMA is reportedly reviewing installing the bust of Gen. Paik Sun-yup, who served as a second lieutenant in the Gando Special Force of the Manchukuo Imperial Army, once the busts of Korea Independence Army and Korea Liberation Army generals are taken down from its campus.

In its statement, the KMA explained, “We are moving ahead with the plan to refurbish memorials on the KMA campus with a focus on embodying the academy’s identity and its purpose of establishment as well as on creating the optimal environment to convey the value and significance of protecting liberal democracy and the South Korea-US alliance.” *


Controversy erupts over Korea Military Academy's hints at removing busts of independence fighters
Gen. Paik Sun-yup was a Japanese trained officer who served the interests of the Imperial Japan in Manchukuo before becoming a ROK Army officer who served in the Korean conflict. His brother, another ROK officer, was directly involved in ROK Army tactical movements across the 38th parallel that helped spark the Korean conflict.

Another rewriting of history in textbooks by the Yoon administration removes references to US installed Syngman Rhee as a dictator and his massacres of political opposition in South Korea, before and after the outbreak of the Korean conflict. Rhee a corrupt Americanized Korean, thought like MacArthur that North Korea would be easily defeated. Yoon's history rewrite comes at a time, when his administration appears to be installing a Hanahoe like military clique in the critical military commands that would be necessary to impose martial law and secure dictatorial powers in South Korea. Hanahoe was the military clique that installed Chun Doo-hwan as dictator. These commands are contended to be the Capital City Defense Command, the Counter-intelligence Command, and the Special Forces Command, the forces of which would be sufficient to control the capital, crush dissent, and discharge the National Assembly. Martial law plans were drawn up by the Defense Security Command during the Park Geun-hye impeachment proceedings but never implemented. Allegedly, acting president at the time, Hwang Kyo-ahn would not go along with the plan.

The circumstantial evidence of a potential martial law plan by the Yoon administration was laid out today in National Assembly hearings concerning the appointment of a new Defense Minister Kim Yong-hyun. The defense minister nominee and others call it a conspiracy theory. Kim went to the same high school as Yoon. Kim's high school alumni 후배 and fellow graduating military academy class graduates (38th class-1982) either are, or will, be appointed to key positions within the Defense Ministry. Members of the political clique within the ROK military establishment are referred to as Choongam-pa for Yoon's high school clique, or Yonghyun-pa for 38th Academy classmates of Kim.

During active duty service Kim commanded the Capital City Defense Command. Kim himself is the current Director of the Presidential Security Service. Prior to this he was a presidential transition team member and national security and international affairs advisor to the Yoon campaign. He was responsible for the plan to change the Presidential Office from the Blue House to the National Defense Building at Yongsan. This move was considered a blunder by several experts because unlike the Blue House, the site is not defensible from air attack, as subsequently demonstrated by North Korean drone and balloon flights into the Yongsan presidential office prohibited area. Surrounded by high rise neighborhoods, one wonders if it is defensible from anything but demonstrators.

Defense minister nominee rebukes rumors about gov't plan to declare martial law



Japanese defense strategy-

INTERVIEW/ Yoshihide Yoshida: Top SDF officer vows to deter aggression in Indo-Pacific

From the Hankyoreh-can the Japanese be trusted?

[Column] Korea-Japan relations in the hour between dog and wolf




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Sunday, August 25, 2024

Taiwan related posts



Taiwan's Lai seeks unity in talks with veteran Japan lawmaker Ishiba

Kyodo News Aug. 13

Taiwanese leader Lai Ching-te on Tuesday called for unity with Japan in preventing mainland China from "making wrong decisions" to maintain regional peace and stability, as he met with former Japanese defense chief Shigeru Ishiba.

In his talks with Ishiba, who is deemed by the Japanese public as a leading candidate to become the country's next prime minister, Lai said Taipei will "stand shoulder to shoulder with the democratic camp to exert the power of deterrence."


This VOA report from August 16 is similar to the one above but a worthwhile read-

China warns of ‘heavy price’ for Japan after lawmakers visit Taiwan

Check out the bric a brac on Ishiba's book shelf in the photo accompanying the VOA article.


Report on 66th anniversary of Taiwan Straits crisis on Kinmen Island and recent PLA military operations around Taiwan from 1 min to about 7:30 min mark.



Not sure what that emblem behind Lai's head is supposed to represent while he speaks about defending national sovereignty. Nominally, it represents the Wuqiu Lighthouse, but the imagery suggests something else.


Three big issues in South Korea right now according to opposition democratic critics are dictatorship, corruption, and "submission to Japan." The latter is on the front burner as the new right Yoon administration has clearly embarked on a pro-Japanese course. I've mentioned before that this is the legacy of the conservative class descended from the collaborators with Imperial Japan during the colonial period. These elites are the backbone of the "new right" perspective and the current effort to rewrite Korean history, erasing the excesses of Japanese rule and WWII, and the history of the independence movement as the source of legitimacy and democratic rule in South Korea.

The Yoon administration is provoking backlash by orchestrating the removal of Dokdo memorial sculptures and plaques in public places around Seoul. Dokdo consists of islets in the East Sea/Sea of Japan, occupied by South Korea and claimed by Japan as their territory. Japan annexed Dokdo by force after the Russo-Japanese war in 1905. After WWII Syngman Rhee reoccupied the islands during his presidency. The removal of the Dokdo memorials from public places is regarded as similar in concept and nature as Japan's policy of historical denialism, exemplified in part, by its attempts to remove "comfort women" statues erected here and there around the world. The 60th anniversary of the 1965 Agreement between Japan and the Park Chung-hee dictatorship to normalize relations will be "celebrated" in 2025. Prime Minister Kishida is expected to visit South Korea in the not too distant future.

It is claimed by the LDP in Japan that all outstanding historical claims were resolved by the 1965 Agreement.

Here's a link below to a pretty orthodox view describing the Indo-Pacific Command and its changing strategies, military and political in nature, to meet the China threat. Although, I don't necessarily agree with all the views expressed therein, since Indo-PacCom is a major political driver of US policies adopted by Congress toward the Far East, it is informative to see the changes envisioned by the command and their putative benefits.

Practical Understanding of U.S. Indo-Pacific Strategy:Analysis of USINDOPACOM and Implications for U.S. Allies and Partners

A positive point in the article's favor is the acknowledgement that the Indo-Pacific strategy originated with Shinzo Abe. Some analysts take the position that Japan is somehow being dragged along an unwanted military policy by the US. On the contrary, ruling elites in Japan, appear to be all in. This of course, doesn't take into account popular views in Japan which may differ, although to what extent, especially in respect to their current military buildup, I haven't seen documented anywhere. I have explored the historical relationship in South Korea of the current right wing/conservative political elements as they relate to pro-Japanese views and revisionism because it is covered in the South Korean alternative media in some detail; I've yet to see exploration of the historical relationship, if any, between Japanese interests and the pro-Japan DPP in Taiwan. If qualified analysts have done this analysis of Taiwan's politics in English, I haven't seen it.



"Lose Dokdo, lose the country." In connection with pro-Japan Yoon policies, "new right" officials have credited the Imperial Japanese colonial administration with "modernizing" Korea. One critic said of this, "the thief left behind the ladder."

*Found the source of this (corrected) expression and where I had heard it:



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