Fuss after horse is stolen

By Kim See-bong

Why do we always lock the barn door after the horse is stolen? Why do not we prepare against the rainy day in domestic and foreign policies? Why do people contact a doctor after the death of a family member? Who is to blame for this ― the people, the politicians or the government?

The phenomenon is more serious, especially in education and agriculture. Educational policy has been inconsistent. Its course of action has been subject to change, depending on who is in charge. In agriculture the severity can be inferred from a saying going around among the farmers. They say lucrative farming will be possible only when farmers go against government policies. Worse yet, a territorial issue is now added to this dismal scenario.

Territory has been a matter of great importance since the birth of a state. It involves the size of the natural resources of a country and extends to the issue of how to feed the people. Today the big powers are engaged in a new war of expanding influence. They do so, not by conquering other countries as in colonial ages but by extending their economic or cultural influence. This is intangible but extensive and powerful enough to lord it over other nations. So we call it a cultural invasion. We must admit that this is part of globalization.

Japan’s claims of Dokdo as its territory have always been a thorn in the nation’s side, even though Dokdo is part of South Korea's territory.

The problem is not only the preposterous Japanese but also the South Korean government which always makes a fuss after the horse is stolen. The easy-to-heat and easy-to-cool national trait adds to the problem.

Even amid the unprecedented tsunami and earthquakes, the Japanese government raised the same issue again. It permitted their secondary school textbooks to contain their outrageous distortion of history that Dokdo is their territory.

What they are aiming at this time is tens of years later when the students studying with such textbooks today will take it as a fait accompli that Dokdo has long belonged to them.

But let's not get upset over the land and start again from square one to draw the attention of the world to the Korean Peninsula which contains Dokdo.

For this purpose, I recommend that the president or prime minister should visit the isle officially at least once a year and take a picture on the islets and show it to the world, or why do not we construct a small presidential summer villa there? For it is regrettable that none of them, as yet, have ever visited the remote isle. It has been a lonely isle which has never been visited by even a cabinet minister, not to mention prime minister or president.

We lost an opportunity to promote Dokdo as the territory of the Republic of Korea. Lost in the hurry-scurry of hosting the G20 summit and in trumpet blowing for the event, no one in our government was wise enough to use the opportunity to pick out the thorn.

Look at the Japanese who were hit by their worst ever earthquake and tsunami and throwing the world into fear over leaked radioactive materials. Even though they are covered in debris and only fear and despair overshadow the country, they are still preparing for the future by giving courage to their people and showing what the government is doing for the education of the young generation.

No matter what other sneaky diplomatic tricks they might have for Dokdo, from now on let's lock the stable door before the horse is stolen. Koreans should be wise enough to prepare for the future.

The writer is principal of Polyglot Day School in Bundang, Gyeonggi Province. He can be reached at seebongkim@gmail.com.