By Kim Se-jeong
Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe’s address to the U.S. Congress, Wednesday, has triggered anger and contempt among Korean netizens.
During his 50-minute speech, Abe did not apologize for Imperial Japan’s sexual slavery of almost 200,000 women during World War II.
“He offered an apology to the dead American soldiers but didn’t say a word about the other crime against humanity it committed. It is absurd,” Song Kyung-yong wrote on naver.com, a web portal.
Another user, Kim Min-ho, wrote, “Japan is going crazy after the U.S. ignored what it did to the comfort women.”
“The Japanese are criminals who have no idea what it means to be a neighbor and to have peaceful coexistence,” wrote oilk****.
“I feel sorry for the ordinary Japanese who are nice and innocent. Their leader makes them a target of criticism,” according to Ki95.
Many expressed disappointment at the way the Korean government is handling the comfort women issue.
“This is a failure of Korean diplomacy. Korea’s security is in crisis,” Sohn Jong-rak wrote.
Kim Duk-ho added, “What Abe and Obama are doing is for the interest of their countries. Diplomacy is for the national interest. President Park Geun-hye doesn’t seem to know what diplomacy is.”
“Getting into an emotional conflict will not help Korea,” Yoo Young-in wrote.
“Stop thinking the world revolves around Korea. That’s far from reality,” said mjsi****. “The way Korea uses diplomacy keeps friends away and makes enemies.”
“Korean diplomats should learn from the Japanese who move only for their own interest,” Wind**** wrote.
A Netizen surnamed Jeong warned that the U.S. could be attacked by Japan. “The U.S. doesn’t know Japan. It shouldn’t forget what happened in Hawaii. Japan should keep a low-profile. Your country can be wiped from the earth.”
Another netizen Kim Cheon-soo said, “I am getting sick of the U.S. which overlooks what is important when dealing with China.”