🇰🇷 South Korea's National Assembly Speaker Woo Won-shik has called out Japan's renewed territorial claims over the Dokdo islets, sparking fresh tensions in East Asia. The dispute centers on Japan's expanded 'territorial sovereignty exhibition hall,' which Seoul says distorts history to target younger generations. 🚨
🗣️ 'History Can't Be Erased'
Woo criticized Japanese PM Sanae Takaichi's recent Dokdo claims, stating Japan added an 'educational space' to its controversial exhibit this year – a move South Korea sees as rewriting colonial-era injustices. The hall first opened in 2018, but 2025's upgrades have raised alarms in Seoul.
⚒️ Forced Labor Memorial Planned
Amid ongoing friction, South Korea will host its first-ever memorial ceremony in 2025 for Koreans forced to work at Japan's Sado Island Gold Mines during WWII. Historians estimate thousands endured brutal conditions under Japanese colonization (1910-1945).
🕊️ Three Pillars for Peace
Woo outlined a roadmap for stability: 1️⃣ Acknowledge painful history 2️⃣ Boost economic ties 3️⃣ Cooperate on regional security. But Japan's proposed constitutional revisions – seen as militarization – threaten this vision, experts warn.
Dokdo remains a flashpoint: South Korea has controlled the islets since 1945, stationing police there. Many Koreans view Japan's claims as denying colonial atrocities. 🔥 Will 2025 bring thaw or deeper freeze? Stay tuned.
