Half-Truth About History
Dear editor,
I'm writing in response to a March 12 Korea Times article, ``Future-Oriented Ties With Japan,'' contributed by Kwon Yule-jung.
Contrary to Mr. Kwon's statement, the United States was neither a major power nor an imperialist state in 1919, nor were any European countries superpowers, except arguably Britain.
The Japanese-based French indeed occupied Ganghwa Island, off Incheon, but only after the Korean court clamped down on and massacred Jesuit missionaries and Korean Catholics.
Revolts in China and India against Japanese and British rule didn't take place until decades after revolts against Japanese imperialism in Korea.
It's highly unlikely such revolts drew inspiration from events that took place in Korea in 1919.
The Korean Peninsula was in turmoil for three years because the communist North invaded the South and not because of foreign intervention in state affairs.
Korean mistrust of the Japanese has also very much mitigated in the last four decades. Did the writer consult a history book?
Bradley L. MacDonald
Seoul