#12 Reflection (ym)

     For the reflection this week, I want to discuss about the current ongoing tensions between Japan and South Korea from a Constructivist point of view (as I promised from last week!).

     So the comment I received in one of my blog entries was:

How could a constructivist view the ongoing tensions between Japan and South Korea?

First of all, I will summarize the current tension between Japan and South Korea. Although we have so many issues to be discussed between these two countries, one of the most recent one was about Japan tightening material exports to South Korea. On August 2nd 2019, Japan decided to remove South Korea from the "White Countries"; which is a group of trading countries with Japan which they are firstly prioritized with less restrictions and checking process to export materials. The decision was made because South Korea has been refusing to share the reports of where the exported materials from Japan has been sent off to. Because of this, Japan was not able to know where their materials were sent to after South Korea, and there was a high possibility that those exported materials are partially sent to North Korea or other countries which may be used for military purposes. Then, on August 22nd, South Korea announces that they will abrogate GSOMIA. GSOMIA Stans for General Security of Military Information Agreement, and it was the most significant alliance between Japan, South Korea, and the United States. Now that this is banned and not existing anymore, there is not realistic way for Japan to prevent the random missile attacks caused by North Korea.

In order to examine this issue from a Constructivist point of view, we must understand the world outlook and history of the Moon administration, and how the South Korea national identity has been constructed. Also, in this case, Constructivism is much more significant compared to Realism because Constructivism focuses on how different factors for profits and ideologies. For South Korea, one of the obvious strategies of the Moon administration is the titfortat strategy. In this case too, they made an action because initially Japan removed them from the prioritized list of countries. They prioritize honors over the actual profit. However, in my personal opinion, from a Constructivist perspective, I can understand that South Korea wanted to revenge Japan and expired GSOMIA. However, as a Japanese I question why South Korea did not clarify where the exported materials went and published an official document to prove that they are doing nothing wrong.

     I was still in Japan when all of this suddenly happened, and therefore I only have the Japanese perspective when discussing about this issue. I hope I can discuss this with people from a South Korean perspective, and I would also be happy if I can get some objective point of view from people with the American perspective :) (Thank you again for throwing this question to my blog entry! I was able to learn a lot by this!)