By
Vladislav Sorokin
June, 25, 2014,
Pravda
To assert itself in
Northeast Asia's current turbulent situation and to develop a solid long-term
policy regarding Japan's ongoing provocations over Dokdo, Seoul should consider
siding with Moscow - and finally support its stance in the Kuril Islands
dispute.
In San Francisco in 1951, Japan renounced all rights and claims
to the Kuril Islands, but it has since argued that Soviet-occupied Iturup
(Etorofu), Kunashir (Kunashiri), Habomai and Shikotan cannot be - and have never
been - considered part of a chain.
This claim is nothing but a blatant
lie since all kinds of evidence, such as Japan's Foreign Ministry maps of the
time, newspaper reports and high-ranked officials' statements, unambiguously
prove that at least two of the four islands were definitely included among the
abandoned territories.
However, Tokyo insists that the islands are
occupied illegally and insists on provocations and aggressive rhetoric, showing
a reluctance to accept any compromise, including a Russian proposal to return
two of the four islands.
Korea, despite having its own row with Japan,
has always preferred to stay neutral, emphasizing differences between Dokdo and
the Kuril Islands "in terms of legal, historical and geographical factors,"
which presumably means that Russian claims to the Kurils are somewhat weaker
than Korean claims to Dokdo.
This allegation is rather controversial
since Japan itself considers its chances in the Dokdo dispute much higher - for
example, Tokyo never threatened to involve the International Court of Justice in
the Kuril dispute, yet is pressing that idea in its dispute with
Seoul.
But whatever the differences, the essence of recent developments
around both disputes is obviously the same and goes far beyond the territorial
issues: It is the former colonial empire's desire to revise the results of World
War II and gain more power and influence in the region, while siding with the
United States against rising China.
This desire is backed up by the
military, which is believed to be a major threat to Northeast Asian security -
and an issue of Seoul's deepest concern.
And yet this concern cannot even
be expressed officially because of the so-called trilateral alliance against
North Korea - the situation described by The Korea Times as the nation's
potentially dangerous "awkward" diplomatic standing among the three
giants.
The U.S.-China confrontation does not make it any less
complicated as Seoul depends on Washington for its security and on Beijing for
business.
All in all, there seems to be only two nations in the region
which both want to stay safe and neutral amid the confrontation - Korea and
Russia. Hence improving bilateral relations would be a logical strategy for
both.
It is also quite obvious that Korea does not manage to properly
cope with Japan's aggressive and provocative public relations campaign related
to Dokdo.
While Tokyo keeps provoking, Koreans' emotional and sometimes
even hysterical reaction only contributes to the growing publicity of the
dispute, which is exactly what Japan needs (it is the only chance for Tokyo to
have the case submitted to the ICJ).
So, Korean policy regarding the
dispute has every reason to be called lethargic and unreliable, lacking in both
long-term strategy and calm, thoughtful and determined actions.
And one
such action should definitely be joining Russia in countering Japanese attempts
to undermine our countries' sovereignty.
This cannot and does not have to
be a military alliance, of course, but mutual recognition of dispute positions,
cultural exchange between Dokdo and the Kurils, friendly visits of vessels, etc.
would certainly strengthen the diplomatic positions of both
countries.
The tense geopolitical situation still provides an opportunity
for Korea to escape the destiny of being a shrimp among the whales, and it is
high time the government starts making resolute decisions.
Vladislav Sorokin
The writer is an
exchange student from Russia currently studying Korean language at the Hankuk
University of Foreign Studies. In Russia, he is majoring in international
relations and Korean studies at MGIMO University in Moscow. His email address is
sorokin93@gmail.com.