VIDEO Seoul releases video to counter Tokyo radar claim
Ministry of National Defense spokeswoman Choi Hyun-soo speaks during a press conference at the ministry headquarters in Yongsan, Friday. Yonhap
By Kim Yoo-chul
The South Korean defense ministry on Friday uploaded a video to YouTube in a step to refute Tokyo's claim that a South Korean naval ship locked its fire-control radar onto a Japanese P-1 patrol plane in international waters between the two countries.
“The Ministry of National Defense released a YouTube video to counter Tokyo's claim that a South Korean naval ship locked its fire-control radar on a Japanese plane last month,” ministry spokeswoman Choi Hyun-soo told a press conference at the ministry headquarters in Yongsan.
“The claim is simply groundless. The Japanese P-1 patrol plane had a low-altitude flight while the navy ship was conducting a rescue operation. Due to this situation, the rescue mission had been threatened.”
Late Friday, Seoul's foreign ministry said Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha spoke with Japanese Foreign Minister Taro Kono.
The two exchanged opinions over the escalating spat and agreed on the need for the two sides to resolve the issue through consultations between defense authorities of the two nations.
Choi said the defense ministry was waiting for an “official apology” from Japan over its claims.
“The Japanese allegations were being distributed via video footage in Japanese and English,” Choi said. “Japan is manipulating and twisting the facts, which we simply can't accept.
“We plan to release another YouTube video in English and other languages, soon.”
The released image filmed by the South Korean Navy shows a Japanese patrol aircraft, seen inside the yellow-marked circle, making a low-altitude flight. Yonhap
The first YouTube video, with Korean subtitles, focuses on defense ministry findings highlighting the South Korean naval ship's efforts to rescue a drifting North Korean boat, and the Japanese plane's “threatening low-altitude flight” over the ship.
The video starts with Korean subtitles: “Japan should immediately stop its manipulation and efforts to twist and distort the facts. Japan should offer its sincere apology over its disruption of a humanitarian rescue mission.
“Again, the naval ship didn't shoot or aim its fire-control radar at the Japanese patrol plane. The ship operated a radar to be used in chasing and identifying targets that need to be confirmed.
“The rescue mission didn't proceed smoothly because of the P-3's low-altitude flight.”
The spokeswoman added that the naval ship did not direct its fire-control radar at the P-1 plane intentionally.
The ministry official said the ministry deeply regretted Tokyo's “unilateral decision” to publish its video footage as working-level talks between the countries were underway.
The latest action by the South comes weeks after the release of the 13-minute video footage filmed from the P-1 patrol plane, which contains the voices of the Japanese crew asking the South Korean naval ship for clarification but getting no response.
Relations between Japan and South Korea have deteriorated to their worst in recent years over compensation issues related to Japan's wartime sexual slavery and Korean forced laborers during the 1910-45 Japanese occupation of the Korean Peninsula. The radar dispute has added to the strain.