ED Undiplomatic move

Tokyo hit for trying to raise territorial issue

The Japanese Embassy in Seoul has touched off controversy over its refusal to accept a New Year's gift sent by President Moon Jae-in because it was wrapped in paper showing an image of Korea's easternmost islets of Dokdo. The presidential office of Cheong Wa Dae sent gifts of traditional liquor and other farm items to some 15,000 people in diverse sectors of society, including foreign envoys, last Tuesday.

Japanese Ambassador to Korea Koichi Aiboshi returned the gift Friday, lodging a protest against the image and renewing Japan's territorial claim to the islets, according to Japanese news reports Saturday. There is nothing wrong with the presidential office using the image of Dokdo, which is a part of Korea's territory that has been under effective control by Seoul.

It is inappropriate for the Japanese Embassy to raise the territorial issue with the gift. Lodging a protest in such a way will only worsen already soured relations between Seoul and Tokyo. Cheong Wa Dae has remained calm apparently to avoid a diplomatic row and to prevent Japan from highlighting Dokdo as a disputed area.

Korea and Japan need to jointly cope with the rapidly changing global and regional geopolitical situation as seen in the heightening tensions in many places around the world. Yet bilateral relations have remained at the lowest point since the two countries established diplomatic relations in 1965. Regrettably, the two sides have failed to hold a summit for a long time to discuss pending issues.

Japan has come under criticism for refusing to engage in dialogue with Korea over historical issues such as forced labor and sex slavery during World War II. It has yet to lift its export curbs on key industrial materials necessary for Korean firms to manufacture semiconductors and display panels. Despite the need for mutual efforts to improve ties, Japan has been taking steps only to aggravate its relations with Korea.

For instance, it invited criticism by seeking to register Sado mines, where Koreans were conscripted to engage in forced labor, as a UNESCO world cultural heritage site. Although Japan later decided to put the plan on hold, it took flak by failing to admit its misdeeds of mobilizing Korean workers during the war.

Should Japan maintain such a “narrow-minded” attitude in dealing with the highly sensitive territorial issue, Seoul-Tokyo relations will face another setback, which will have a far-flung negative impact on both sides. Politicians in both countries need to refrain from exploiting nationalistic sentiment for political gain.

It is high time for the two countries to double down on efforts to resume dialogue and find a solution to the thorny historical issues. Sending back the New Year's gift for political purposes is no less than a diplomatic discourtesy that should not happen again for whatever reason.