ROH CRITICIZES JAPAN IN MARCH 1 SPEECH

C O N F I D E N T I A L SEOUL 000659

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/02/2016
TAGS: PREL PGOV KS JA
SUBJECT: ROH CRITICIZES JAPAN IN MARCH 1 SPEECH


Classified By: POL M/C Joseph Y. Yun. Reasons 1.4 (b/d).


1. (SBU) SUMMARY: In a speech marking the 87th anniversary
of the March 1 Independence Movement, President Roh offered
clear, but relatively measured, criticism of the Koizumi
government's handling of historical and territorial issues.
He acknowledged that Japan had apologized for its wartime
aggression but chastised Japanese leaders for letting their
actions undermine their words. Roh made thinly veiled
references to Seoul's opposition to Japan's UNSC aspirations
as well as to moves to change Japan's "Peace Constitution."
Roh also indicated that he will continue to promulgate a
re-examination and "rectification" of Korea's modern history.
END SUMMARY.

COMMEMORATION OF ANTI-JAPANESE MOVEMENT
--------------


2. (SBU) President Roh marked the 87th anniversary of the
March 1 Movement for Independence from Japan by calling for
Japan to face up to its history and mend its ways. Recalling
that last year's March 1 speech had a similar thrust, Roh
observed that "not much has changed over the past year, from
the war shrine worshipping, to distorted history textbooks,
to the Dok-do issue." He specifically rejected as
disingenuous PM Koizumi's explanation that his visits to
Yasukuni were personal, intended to renew anti-war resolve,
and not subject to intervention by other countries. Roh
explicitly acknowledged that Japan has already apologized for
its wartime aggression and said Korea was not looking for
another reiteration. Rather, he said, Korea sought actions
befitting the apology. He specifically urged Japan to
emulate Germany in this regard.


3. (SBU) Making a thinly veiled reference to Japan's UNSC
aspirations, Roh stated that if Japan wanted to be a "world
leader," then it needed first to "win over the confidence of
the international community by actions consistent with
universal conscience and duty, rather than through
constitutional amendments or military build-up." Roh
expressed confidence that most of the Japanese people would
agree with him.

PHYSICIAN, HEAL THYSELF
--------------


4. (SBU) Roh closed his 10-minute speech by calling for the
ongoing re-examination of Korea's modern history, saying that
uncovering the truth was the precondition for forgiveness and
reconciliation at home. Just as Koreans were demanding that
Japan face up to its history, Korea too must uncover the
truth and rectify misrepresentations in its own history.

COMMENT
--------------


5. (C) This year's March 1 speech was relatively mild
compared to Roh's two previous speeches honoring the birth of
the movement for Korean independence from Japan. This can be
attributed to the lack of timely, high-profile provocation
from Japan, such as Japan's Ambassador to the ROK provided
last year by declaring just days before March 1 that the
Liancourt Rocks were in fact Japan's Takeshima, not Korea's
Dokdo. It may also reflect a decision to find balance
between continuing to press Japan to be honest about its
history and stopping short of alienating Japan ahead of the
upcoming UNSYG race in which the ROKG plans to field FM Ban.
We also note that Roh studiously avoided the pitfall he
stumbled into in 2004, when he seemed to frame the relocation
of Yongsan Garrison as an issue of Korean independence.
Finally, Roh's reference to the re-examination of Korea's own
history suggests a push on that front that could have
implications for domestic politics, including the May 31
nation-wide regional elections and next year's presidential
election. END COMMENT.
VERSHBOW