South Korea turns tourist resort into weapon

(Global Times)

09:35, September 07, 2011

Illustration: Liu Rui
South Korea's Jeju Island is a popular destination for tourists. But they shouldn’t be so comfortable with their vacations in the future. The South Korean Defence Ministry recently decided to build a naval base on the island. US troops in South Korea will certainly use the naval base as a strategic outpost to contain China and ensure the regional ocean hegemony of the US.

Some South Korean reports state that Jeju will be used as a missile defense base to counter threats from China’s intercontinental ballistic missiles. The base may also be used as part of the conflict between China and South Korea over Suyan Rock, a nearby submerged reef. This shows some South Koreans’ thorough fear of China and that the South Korean government is risking the peace of East Asia to reach its own military objectives.

The South Koreans seem to forget that Jeju Island was named World Peace Island in 2005. Hundreds of thousands of Chinese tourists travel there every year, as it is the nearest place in South Korea from China’s prosperous eastern coastal area. Some Chinese bussinessmen even plan to purchase houses and make long-term investments there. The Korean government did not consider about the feelings of these Chinese tourists and investors.

South Korea is destroying the tourist resources on Jeju Island and changing the natural and human environment of the island, just in order to build a military base and turn the original "peaceful window” into a weapon aimed at its neighbor. I suggest that Chinese tourists boycott the tours to the island and let the "military island” disappear on the map of China’s huge tourism market.

By Lv Chao, the director of the Frontier Research Institute under the Liaoning Academy of Social Sciences. Some Koreans argue those in favor of building the base are a special interest group and normal people are opposed to the plan. If so, why didn’t they take the opposition of local residents into account? In my opinion, since the opposed voices did not stop the base from being built, we can think of the military base as a diplomatic and military action by South Korea toward China.

This kind of behavior should receive strong responses from China and Chinese society. The Chinese government should show its opposition and the Chinese public should act. 

According to the original development, more than 300,000 Chinese tourists will travel to Jeju Island annually and bring over hundreds of billions of Korean won in foreign exchange with them. Now the South Korean government wants to earn the money of Chinese tourists and threaten the tourists’ home country by force at the same time. We should make South Koreans realize that this is impossible.

In the past years, China has reiterated its belief in a good neighbor policy in the region. However, the doubts and defensiveness of the South Korean government and society to China has still increased. They often use some sensitive moves to cause conflict. 

China will still insist on a friendly neighbor policy and show its determination to rise peacefully. But we should still protest the military base on Jeju Island. In order to maintain the long-term peace of the region, China should take actions, including economic sanctions, to react to provocative moves like this without hesitation.

The author is the director of the Frontier Research Institute under the Liaoning Academy of Social Sciences. 



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PD User at 2011-09-0876.95.57.*

Who the hell does the author here think he or she is to tell the S. Korean people and government what to do. They have their own right to defend their country and do as they please. S. Korean government doesn"t tell China to stop the buildup of its military. If the Chinese government tells S. Korea to stop then S. Korea should tell them to go to hell . This is such a stupid article.

helen at 2011-09-07141.0.9.*

Another successful attempt by the United States to encircle China and Russia. The US would have completed their military encirclement once N Korea is invaded!That is unlikely because N Korea would not hesitate to nuke Tokyo, US bases in S Korea, Japan and Guam in the Pacific and hopefully in the very near future, able to nuke continental USA in the event of of a US inspired invasion of N Korea. Failure to use the nuclear weapons would mean the demise of N Korea. If you don"t use your nukes, you would lose them. That is an universal military maxim. I am sure N Korea is fully aware of the stakes.So while in the meantime, Russia and China play balls with the US, N Korea has to be ready to use their nukes in the event of betrayal by "friends" and invasion by the US.N Korea, and thus Iran, follow the correct strategy. Best wishes to N Korea and Iran and other sovereign nations too!

Paulo Ishamo at 2011-09-07221.162.25.*

Jeju-do should be disqualified from the "New 7 Wonders" campaign. Is there a military base on the Grand Canyon? How about the Great Barrier Reef?

Matthew H at 2011-09-0724.61.41.*

Very well said! Great commentary!

JUSTME at 2011-09-0776.124.224.*

THE BEST THING FOR CHINA TO DO IS TO BUILD ALSO A NAVAL BASE RIGHT NEXT TO U.S AND PUPPET SOUTH KOWREA"S NAVAL BASE.THIS WILL GIVE THEM A STRONG MESSAGE THAT WE WON"T BEND.

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