Japan-South Korea ties take another hit from ‘war crime’ sticker proposal and Japanese bureaucrat’s anti-Korea tirade
- A local government near Seoul is calling for all Japanese-made school products to be affixed with a sticker saying they were made by ‘war criminals’
- Meanwhile, a senior Japanese health official has been replaced after being detained in South Korea for allegedly assaulting airport staff while drunk
A “Japanese war crimes” sticker campaign by a South Korean provincial government and an anti-Korea tirade by a Japanese bureaucrat are among the latest instances of bilateral contempt that are hindering the pair’s ability to rebuild ties, analysts on both sides said.
The local assembly of Gyeonggi, near Seoul, proposed on Wednesday that all Japanese-made school products by companies that used Korean war labourers have stickers affixed reading: “This was produced by a Japanese company involved in war crimes.”
The plan came after a government commission identified 284 Japanese companies as having used Koreans for forced labour during the colonial occupation.
While other provinces have not taken such drastic steps, North Jeolla has banned the singing of its official provincial anthem after the songwriter was accused of being pro-Japanese during the war, while Bucheon officials have torn down a stone memorial to a famous poet for his links to Japan’s colonial occupation.
Meanwhile, a senior Japanese health official was temporarily detained on Tuesday at Seoul’s Gimpo International Airport for allegedly assaulting a member of staff while drunk.