"Japan is like an older brother to Korea" - Seokyeongdeok calls Japanese lawmaker's remark "an absurd claim"

Seokyeongdeok: "A Kind of 'Foot Phenomenon' Arising from a Great Sense of Crisis"

Professor Seokyeongdeok from Sungshin Women's University pointed out the remarks of Eto Seishiro, a Japanese LDP lawmaker, who said that Japan is the "older brother figure" to Korea, which was a former colony, as an "insensible claim." Photo by Eto Seishiro (Facebook capture)

[Asia Economy Reporter Han Seung-gon] Eto Seishiro (81), a member of the Japanese House of Representatives, said, "Korea is, in a sense, a brother country," and "to be clear, Japan is like the elder brother." In response, Professor Seo Kyung-deok of Sungshin Women's University condemned the remark on the 8th as a "thoughtless claim."

Professor Seo pointed out on his Facebook post that day, "Eto's outrageous remarks have caused a huge controversy." He added, "If we follow Eto's words, everyone knows that the flow of culture has historically been transmitted from the Korean Peninsula to Japan, so Korea would be the 'ancestor' of Japan," and said, "He probably did not realize that his thoughtless claim would lead to such a result."

Regarding Eto, he said, "Considering that this is the extent of remarks from a veteran politician with 13 terms, Japan's future is obvious without even looking," and criticized, "Korean cultural content is making a global impact, and as the world pays more attention to Korea, this is just a kind of 'foot reflex' born out of great anxiety."

Professor Seo added, "Unlike such thoughtless Japanese politicians, we must stand firm against Japan's historical distortion with a more mature attitude."

Professor Seokyungdeok, Sungshin Women's University
Photo by Yonhap News

Earlier, on the 5th, at a Liberal Democratic Party meeting, Eto said, "We must definitely cooperate and collaborate with Korea, and build a Japan-Korea relationship with a broad-minded attitude that carefully watches over and guides Korea," calling Japan the "elder brother."

In a subsequent interview with Asahi Shimbun, when asked whether Korea and Japan are equal partners, Eto replied, "Do Japanese people think the US-Japan relationship is equal? I don't think so," and added, "Similarly, Koreans probably do not think Korea and Japan are in an equal relationship."

Korean lawmakers visiting Japan expressed concern over his outrageous remarks. Yoon Ho-jung, secretary-general of the Korea-Japan Parliamentary League from the Democratic Party of Korea, who was visiting Japan to attend a joint secretaries' meeting with the Japan-Korea Parliamentary League, said at a press conference with Korean media held at the Imperial Hotel in Tokyo that morning, "His remarks were very regrettable." Regarding demands for an apology at the Korea-Japan Parliamentary League level, he said, "We will discuss and decide."

Eto is a veteran Japanese politician who served as Minister of Defense from 1995 to 1996 and as Vice Speaker of the House of Representatives from 2009 to 2012. He is a 13-term veteran belonging to the largest faction of the Liberal Democratic Party, the 'Abe faction,' and is currently a member of the Japan-Korea Parliamentary League.