Diplomatic relationships between South Korea and Japan have long been on issues presented on news, social media, and even in politics. Nowadays, this dispute is becoming even larger, starting to give a profound effect on both nations' economies and so on. Citizens in both countries all want some peace between Japan and South Korea. However, the problem seems to keep rising, seemingly unable to be settled. What, then, is the problem between these two nations? 

▲ The boycott Japan movement is occuring all around the Korea.

This complicated national diplomatic problem ignited back on October 30th, 2018, when the Korean supreme court claimed Japanese war criminal enterprises guilty, ordering them to compensate to Koreans who suffered because of compulsory military service and so on. Soon after this decision, the Japanese government reacted violently, enacting economic actions that give disadvantages to South Korea.

Local South Koreans and Koreans living abroad felt great antipathy towards Japan’s economic revenge, and they started to boycott against Japanese products. Because of this group action, Japanese companies in Korea suffered great loss and deficit in terms of their sales. Nissan, one of the most widely known Japanese car brand, considered withdrawing from the Korean market in September, due to the low sale of their cars. Nissan sold 53 cars in August 2019, which is an 88% decline in sales compared to August 2018, on which they sold 459 cars.

▲ The two heads of each nation`s diplomatic corps are turning their backs.

It seems like there is no end to this trade war between South Korea and Japan. Both countries are having a ‘face-off’ which roots from historical problems, and the ethnic pride and excessive patriotism each nation has towards their countries. Since this trade war is causing trouble and loss to both nations, local citizens on both sides want this endless economic revenge to stop. Therefore, politicians in both countries should step out, and solve this problem in a peaceful and equal way.

Oct. 26th, 2019

by Jung Minsu