5779

# The Korea Herald
- Mar. 22, 2005
-By Shin Hae-in


ith Japan's sovereignty claims over Dokdo stoking fierce anti-Japan sentiment among Koreans, a controversial bill to probe the nation's past is expected to become a major point of contention in the April parliamentary extra session beginning in two weeks.
Amid a high level of public anger and tension toward Japan, the ruling Uri Party appears to be more determined than ever to succeed in pushing the bill through in the coming session.

"There can be no more delay (of settling the past-probe bill). Continual delay would only let Japan make light of our anger and keep up its provocative attitude," said Uri floor leader Chung Sye-kyun soon after Japan's Shimane Prefecture council approved its "Takeshima Day" bill.

"In order to put a stop to Japan's irrational claims and its history distortion, we must clarify the truth of our own past first," he added. "I give the public my word that the bill will be settled once and for all in the coming session."

Last Wednesday, Japan's local legislature in Shimane Prefecture approved an ordinance promoting Japanese claims over Dokdo - the rocky islands known as Takeshima in Japan which have been the source of a lengthy dispute between Seoul and Tokyo.

Despite repeated warnings by the officials and lawmakers here that its claims over Dokdo would seriously threaten bilateral ties, the Tokyo government refused to intervene in the provincial assembly's move.

The bill to probe the past had been set up by the progressive ruling party to investigate past pro-Japan activities under Japanese imperialism, with a claim that the past "traitors to the nation" had not been dealt with.

But Uri's attempts to pass the bill have failed because of strong opposition from the Grand National Party. And, despite the apparent change in public opinion, the GNP is still passive about establishing the law, acknowledging that it may deliver a fatal blow to the party.

"Although the public sentiment is with the law being set up, there are concerns that the law may bring up issues that can damage the identity of the party," a party official told The Korea Herald on condition of anonymity. "Also, with the chairwoman absent, no one is willing to voice opinions now. It would take more time for the GNP to come up with a party platform on the matter."

GNP leader Park Geun-hye will be back from an eight-day trip to the United States tomorrow. The GNP also acknowledges that she could be hit the heaviest as the daughter of the late President Park Chung-hee, who is surrounded by many doubts on the process of Japan's compensation for Korean victims of its colonization during his dictatorial rule in the 1960s and 70s.

To combat Uri's claim, the right-wing GNP asserts that the bill should include investigation of past pro-communist activities.

"Uri seems to be using the current Dokdo dispute as the means of achieving its political goals," said GNP vice floor leader Yim Tae-hee at an all-member party meeting last week. "The bill to probe the past should never be set up with political intentions. And to show that the bill is not biased, it should also include pro-North Korea actions."

However, the current anti-Japan sentiment and the growing assertion that Korea's lack of determination to clear up issues relating to Japanese rule have played a role in Japan's arrogance, appear to give Uri the upper hand.

"If we stood up for ourselves by clarifying the past, would the assaulters (Japan) have been so haughty? This is a matter for keeping our pride," said Uri leader Lim Chae-jung.

Rep. Chang Young-dal, a staunch progressive candidate in Uri's April 2 leadership race, directly reproached the GNP for its passive attitude and criticized visit by GNP lawmakers to Dokdo.

"Why is the GNP being so contradictory? It was the GNP that opposed so fiercely the bill to punish those who sold the nation to Japan, and it is the GNP that still opposes the law," he said. "I am suspicious that the GNP is making visits to Dokdo to disguise their opposition to the bill."

Uri also pressed the GNP to keep to an agreement made at a floor leadership meeting of the Assembly February session to settle the bill in April.

But the promise was given by GNP's former floor leader Kim Deog-ryong and the new floor leader Kang Jae-sup seems reluctant to go along.

He said during the GNP floor leader election that "settling the bill (on probing the past) should not be rushed and re-discussion on the scope of the probe is crucial."

Although the present anti-Japan sentiment has provoked active discussion on the bill, the rival parties are expected to have a difficult time narrowing the gap.

While Uri asserts that the bill awaits a final vote in the plenary session, the GNP says it did not even pass the Government Administration Committee panel.

In the February session, the revised version of the bill failed to pass the committee due to strong GNP opposition and the committee asked Assembly Speaker Kim Won-ki to bring up the bill for discussion in the plenary session. Because Kim did not bring up the bill, the two parties are quarreling whether the bill should be reviewed in the coming session.

(hayney@heraldm.com)