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Frictions fuel hostilities ahead of Aug. 15 Liberation Day
By Lee Hyo-sik
A fresh round of cyber war looms large between Korea and Japan on the Aug. 15 Liberation Day, triggering concerns that the emotional tit-for-tat would further damage bilateral ties.
Thousands of Internet users here are plotting a large-scale attack against Japanese websites that disparage Korea, following a series of recent events that have fueled anti-Japanese sentiment.
Japanese netizens are also expected to stage a counterattack against the websites of state agencies and civic groups here that promote Korea’s sovereignty over the Dokdo islets.
However, some civic group members express concerns over the upcoming battle in cyberspace, saying that Korea will not gain much from paralyzing several Japanese websites.
They say the planned attack will not solve any pending issues between the two neighboring countries, stressing that Korea should take a cool-headed approach to countering Japan’s systematic plot to claim Dokdo.
Organized attack planned
According to the Korea Network United (http://cafe.naver.com/thecogall), an Internet cafe organizing the Aug. 15 cyber attack, its 2,600 members will launch the planned attack against Japan’s largest community site “Channel 2” (http://www.2ch.net), which is famous for its right-wing members critical of Korea.
The members are planning to log on to the Channel 2 website simultaneously at 3 p.m. on Aug. 15 and keep pressing F5 on the keyboard to paralyze the site’s bulletin boards. They are also spreading word in cyberspace, calling on other Internet users to join the planned cyber attack.
The members staged a similar attack against the Japanese community site on March 1, 2010, knocking out 30 of its 33 bulletin boards.
In response, Japanese netizens initiated a counterattack on the websites of Cheong Wa Dae and the Voluntary Agency Network of Korea (VANK), a non-governmental organization that seeks to correct Japan’s distortions of history, among other activities.
This time, Korea Network United members are vowing to launch a larger and more organized attack against Channel 2, citing a series of what they call “premeditated provocations” by Japan in recent months to claim Dokdo as part of its territory and instigate an anti-hallyu movement.
For instance, Japan has approved history textbooks containing references to Dokdo as Japanese territory for elementary and secondary schools.
The Japanese government has also listed Dokdo as part of its territory in its diplomatic and defense papers. Three right-wing Japanese lawmakers of the Liberal Democratic Party attempted to enter Korea last month to visit Ulleung Island in a bid to claim Dokdo as part of Japan’s territory.
Anti-Japanese sentiment boiling
Additionally, Korean female mixed martial artist Yim Soo-jung was beaten up by three Japanese male comedians on a TV program.
In what was supposed to be a staged fight, the Japanese comedians wearing helmets and other protection equipment fought like they were in a real match, inflicting serious injuries on Yim, who was not wearing any safety gear.
Yim and her management firm lodged strong protests with the broadcaster TBS and demanded it and the comedians issue an apology.
A group of 600 Japanese held an anti-hallyu demonstration outside Fuji TV headquarters in Tokyo last Sunday, complaining about the station’s extensive Korean program listings.
The protesters marched around the building for one hour, picketing and shouting slogans such as “Stop Hallyu” and “Revoke the broadcaster’s license.”
A conservative Japanese newspaper, Sankei Shinbun, also reported that the Japanese government is moving to take the Dokdo issue to the International Court of Justice.
Koh Chang-kyun, chairman of the board at Dokdo Network International, said it is understandable for Korean Internet users to hit anti-Korean websites in Japan.
“I think we should counter Japan’s groundless claim over Dokdo in a rational and systematic manner. Above all, university professors and scholars with extensive overseas human networks should make efforts to let the world know Dokdo is part of Korea and that the sea lying between Korea and Japan should be called the East Sea, not Sea of Japan,” Koh said.
However, he said the planned attack won’t do any good to attackers or to the country as a whole.
“It will only further deteriorate the worsened bilateral ties between the two countries,” Koh said.
But anti-Japanese public sentiment is triggering campaigns to boycott products from Japan.
The Korea Tobacco Retailer Association said it will launch a campaign to boycott Mild Seven and other Japanese imports in protest of the country’s claims on Dokdo.
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