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Textbook shadows relation
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ANTI-JAPANESE sentiment is sweeping South Korea amid a row over history textbooks accused of whitewashing Japan's wartime atrocities which has prompted Seoul to recall its ambassador to Tokyo.
Special classes on the controversial textbooks are being held at all schools nationwide this week, South Korea's teachers group said yesterday.
The unprecedented history classes are aimed at informing students of Japan's "distortions" of history, said the Korean Federation of Teachers' Association, the largest interest group for educators.
On Monday Seoul recalled South Korean Ambassador to Japan Choi Sang-Ryong in the toughest diplomatic action against Tokyo yet by the government of President Kim Dae-jung who has sought to warm up ties between South Korea and Japan since he took office in 1998.
Choi was due to return home late yesterday, foreign ministry spokesman Kim Eui-taek said as local media predicted relations across the Sea of Japan were heading for a chill.
"We regret the Seoul-Tokyo relationship had to deteriorate to this point," JoongAng Ilbo newspaper said in an editorial, defending the diplomatic move. "But we understand Seoul took unavoidable action."
"It is possible that recalling ambassador Choi may spark diplomatic discord," it added.
A four-member parliamentary team led by Park Sang-Cheon of the ruling Millennium Democratic Party Park flew to Japan yesterday afternoon to protest Tokyo's approval of the textbooks.
Amid the rising tensions, Park on Monday announced the cancellation of an annual conference of the Korea-Japan Parliamentarians' Union, which had been set for May 4-6 in Seoul.
The South Korean Citizens Movement Centre for Anti Over-Consumption, an association of 40 civic and religious organizations, on Monday started a campaign to boycott Japanese products.(SD-Agencies)
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