Bo-eun leads the digital content team. She has covered foreign affairs, North Korea, tech, economy and gender issues at The Korea Times. She did a short stint at the South China Morning Post in Hong Kong, where she obtained a new perspective on news production and life. Small sources of joy for her are lounging in the sun, having a good latte and swimming.
Korea demands Japan's apology over radar row
Footage from a video released by Japan's defense ministry over the radar row / Yonhap
By Kim Bo-eun
By Kim Bo-eun
South Korea's defense ministry demanded an apology from Japan, Thursday, over the latter's disputed claims that a Korean Navy ship aimed its fire control radar at a Japanese patrol plane in international waters.
The ministry said it will release its own video as evidence the Japanese claims are wrong.
Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe earlier blamed the use of fire control radar at Japan's Maritime Self-Defense Force P-1 patrol aircraft, in an interview with Asahi TV on Tuesday.
The defense ministry has repeatedly stated its Gwanggaeto the Great naval destroyer did not target the Japanese warplane on Dec. 20, as Japan claims in a video, which was reported to have been released on order from Abe.
The ministry expressed “deep regrets” over Japan's behavior.
In addition, it stressed Japan's warplane flying low over the South Korean naval destroyer had obstructed a humanitarian mission to rescue a North Korean ship that was drifting into international waters in the East Sea.
It is the first time the ministry has called for an apology from Japan on the matter.
It expressed regrets when Japan's defense ministry released a video last week taken from the warplane as evidence to back its claim.
It has been the ministry's stance that the video cannot serve as evidence, as it is merely a recording of remarks by the warplane's operator. It has asked Japan to provide radar frequency data for effective evidence, but Japan has been refusing, citing security reasons.
The ministry is set to release its own footage refuting Japan's claim soon. Its spokeswoman Choi Hyun-soo said Thursday the video is almost ready.
Japan's insistence is seen as a political move, as Abe was reported to have ordered Japan's defense ministry to release the footage. His public claim in an interview this week is seen as a means to consolidate conservatives in the country to boost his approval ratings, which have been faltering.