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Sun, December 8, 2019 | 01:30
Naver
Korea rejects Japan's help for Sewol tragedy
韓, 日 재난구조 도움 거절?
Posted : 2014-04-22 18:00
Updated : 2014-04-22 18:14
Ko Dong-hwan
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The Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force minesweeper Tsushima (JS 302)
The Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force minesweeper Tsushima (JS 302)

By Ko Dong-hwan


Japanese news outlets confirmed Korea rejected Japan's offer of help with rescuing the missing passengers from the sunken ferry Sewol, Hankyoreh said Monday.

The report cited Yomiuri Shimbun, which quoted a Korean coast guard official as saying the current situation doesn't call for extraneous supports.

It also quoted Kyodo News on Saturday, which said families of the missing passengers from Sewol criticized government for rejecting Japan's help.

The report also quoted Japanese lawmaker Taizo Sugimura from the Liberal Democratic Party, who appeared on a television show on Sunday.

Taizo said it would be very sad if Korea's rejection of Japan's help derived from the currently sour relation between the two countries.

After the tragedy erupted Wednesday, Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe released a consolatory message the next day, along with a promise to provide all the supports his nation can provide.

Japanese Defense Minister Onodera Isunori clarified Abe's offer with a statement that Japanese self-defense forces will dispatch minesweepers for rescue mission on Korea's request.

Minesweepers, used to search and remove sea mines using sonar radar, is surely one of the most needed equipments Korea could hope for _ especially when the nation's rescue process proved exhaustively slow due to inefficient work process and tough sea currents.

Four minesweepers were separately stationed at different prefectures, including Nagasaki, Yamaguchi and Hiroshima, waiting for embarkation on mark.


韓, 日 재난구조 도움 거절?

16일 침몰한 세월호의 구조 작업이 난항을 겪으면서, 세월 호 참사가 안 그래도 최악의 상황에 놓여 있는 한-일 관계에 미묘한 영향을 끼치고 있다.

문제의 발단은 아베 신조 일본 총리가 세월호가 침몰한 다음날인 17일 박근혜 대통령에게 이번 사건에 대한 위로의 말을 전하면서 “일본이 지원할 게 있으면 뭐든지 돕겠다”는 의사를 전달한 뒤다. 그러자 오노데라 이쓰노리 방위상이 이튿날인 18일 “지원 요청이 있다면 자위대의 소해정을 파견할 수 있다”고 다시 한번 지원 의사를 밝혔다.

소해정은 바다의 지뢰인 기뢰를 제거하기 위한 배로 수중 탐지 장치를 갖추고 있어 해저 수색작업에 큰 역할을 할 수 있다. 일본 언론보도를 보면, 자위대는 당시 나가사키현 사세보에 소해정 2척, 야마구치현 시모노세키에 1척, 히로시마현 구레에 1척 등에 출동 대기를 시켜놓은 상태였다고 한다.

그러나 한국 정부는 일본에 지원 요청을 하지 않았거나, “지원을 하겠다”는 일본의 의사를 명시적으로 거부한 것으로 보인다. “요미우리신문”이 18일 일본 정부 관계자를 인용해 한국의 해양경찰청 관계자가 “말은 고맙지만, 현재 특수지원을 요청할 사항이 아니다”는 응답을 했다고 보도했기 때문이다.

“교도통신”도 19일 일본 정부의 지원을 한국 정부가 거부했다는 소식이 전해지자 한때 실종자 가족들이 정부에 강하게 항의하기도 했다고 전했다.

그러나 이번 사건을 거치며 서로를 보는 한-일 양국 시민들의 감정은 더 차갑게 식어갈 전망이다. 스기무라 다이조(34) 전 중의원 의원은 20일 “도쿄방송”에 출연해 “한국 정부가 (일본 정부의 지원을) 거부했네요. 만일이지만 미묘한 한일관계가 (이 결정에) 영향을 끼친 것이라면 매우 유감입니다”라고 말했다. 
Emailaoshima11@koreatimes.co.kr Article ListMore articles by this reporter








 
 
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