AMERICAN INSTITUTE FOR CONTEMPORARY GERMAN STUDIES n THE JOHNS HOPKINS UNIVERSITY AICG SISSUE BRIEF MARCH 2014 Between Tokyo and Berlin The Art of Dialogue in Reconciliation 45 BY SEUNGHOON EMILIA HEO How important are personal relations between leaders across “Hurray!” yelled my students with joy. No surprise. I just told them that I had to wrap up the countries for class early in order to make it on time to the airport. On my way to Narita, I checked my flight reconciliation? ticket: From Tokyo, To Berlin—two cities that are certainly exciting destinations for tourists. But these two words, when combined, resonated stronger in me. A blended sense of freedom, excitement, and loneliness captivated me upon my arrival at Tegel. “Entendu?” was the first What can Japan and word that came into my ears. I looked around and saw a group of teenagers inattentively Korea learn from the listening to their teacher for guidance: “It must be a French school trip…!” I encountered similar challenges and success groups each time I left the hotel in Berlin during my three-day stay. stories in Europe? Fifty Years after the Franco-German Treaty France and Germany celebrated the fiftieth anniversary of the signing of the Elysée Treaty in 2013. It is not even necessary to enumerate all the successful stories of turning their Erbfeindschaft (enmity) into amity. The Franco-German school exchange program is one of the remarkable achievements that French President Charles de Gaulle and German Chancellor Konrad Adenauer made by signing the famous reconciliation treaty in 1963: Young people in the two countries will be given every opportunity to strengthen the bonds which link them and to increase mutual cooperation. In particular, collective exchanges will be increased. A body for developing these opportuni- ties and promoting the exchanges will be set up by the two countries with a single administrative council in charge. This organization will have at its disposal a joint Franco-German fund to be used for exchanges between the two countries, of school children, students, young artisans and workers. 1 With and since the creation of the Franco-German Youth Office—OFAJ ( Office franco-alle - mand pour la jeunesse ) in French and DFJW ( Deutsch-Französisches Jugendwerk ) in German—tens of thousands of youth each year enjoy the opportunity to rediscover each other through various forms that include not only school and extra- French pupils’ school trips to Berlin rather appeared to me as curricular exchanges and work placements, but also voluntary an on-going effort for mutual understanding, which helps the activities, sport, and artistic events. As the Secretary General treaty signed half a century ago become lively and sustainable. of the Franco-German Youth Office, Markus Ingenlath, empha - This constant dialogue between the past and the present as sized during his keynote speech at the AICGS conference, the well as the open attitude that allows the future generation to Youth Office serves as an instrument to implement the basis meet the dark side of their history through the eyes of their erst - of the Elysée Treaty with the aim of learning the otherness with while enemy is indeed a powerful way of living reconciliation on regard to the other. 2 It is thus surely thanks to the Treaty that a daily basis. all the youth programs became institutionalized. However, the Fifty Years after the Korean-Japanese Treaty Korea, my homeland, and its inseparable enemy Japan, where 1989: “Cross-border trade and interest in each other’s I teach peace and reconciliation, will celebrate the fiftieth expanding markets can serve as a serious incentive for anniversary of the 1965 signing of the Treaty on Basic rapprochement and future reconciliation.” 4 However, the Relations between Japan and the Republic of Korea next year. astounding progress lies in the socio-cultural exchanges A simple comparison of fifty years after the Franco-German among the younger generation. As a concrete outcome of the Treaty with fifty years after the Japan-Korea Treaty does not South Korean-Japanese friendship treaty in 1998, Japanese make much sense since the historical and political background film, music, and video gradually gained direct access to the leading to the signing is totally different. If the former resulted South Korean market. This belated opening brought about a from the willingness of both sides to end the hereditary enmity “Nippon feel”—a strongly favorable or even addicted attitude and embrace the “otherness,” then the latter was rather an toward Japanese culture—in South Korea, while Korean pop expression of official recognition that Korea and Japan decided culture also enjoys an unprecedented boom in Japanese to normalize their political-diplomatic relations: “It is confirmed society, internationally recognized as “Hallyu fever” (Korean that all treaties or agreements concluded between the Empire Wave). While Japanese novels often top the bestselling lists of Japan and the Empire of Korea on or before August 22, in the Korean literature market, one cannot escape hearing K- 1910 are already null and void.” 3 Consisting of six short arti - pop around the Shibuya station area, one of the most crowded cles, this normalization treaty certainly does not have the same in Tokyo, or seeing the gigantesque poster featuring Big Bang tone of reconciliatory gestures expressed in the Elysée Treaty. or Girls’ Generation, a South Korean idol group, which was Nonetheless, it served as a base to start creating interaction unthinkable a few decades ago. This cross-cultural affinity in various fields. among youth, in addition to economic interdependence, gives an impression that both countries have reached a certain level By choosing the economic sector to materialize their joint polit - of reconciliation. Nonetheless, the gulf between these ical decision, the Korean-Japanese relationship took the road “geographically close but psychologically far” countries is of pragmatism that can be easily observed in other cases, such seemingly insurmountable these days. as the rapid improvement of Polish-German relations after Europe and Asia: What and Why to Compare? At the core of the South Korean-Japanese impasse lie the students’ lack of interest in going to study in Korea runs the risk seemingly irreconcilable history issues. The never-ending of making some of the agreements obsolete. accusations and denial have become crystalized to the extent that no one even hopes to find a breakthrough any more. A Looking into this love-hate relationship, one cannot help but series of state-level meetings cancelled; hate speeches made ask a simple question of “why.” We often say that the German against Koreans in Japan; South Korean courts’ orders against relationship with neighboring states is a special case for inter - several Japanese companies to pay damages over wartime state reconciliation. But the seemingly irreconcilable relation - forced labor followed by the Japanese argument that all ship between Japan and adjacent countries may be classified compensation issues were settled by the 1965 Treaty: These one day as an exception as well. Korean-Japanese reconcilia - are some of the major consequences of history we are facing tion is an issue that everyone is fully aware of but to which no today. Even on the university campus where I work, the number one is willing to find a solution any more. In an attempt to of students interested in taking Korean language classes has provide some answers to the “why” question, academia, mass diminished three times compared to a year ago, which brought media, and politicians have been focusing on comparing the about some course cancellations. Despite the number of unsuccessful Asian cases to the successful European ones. A exchange student programs with Korean universities, Japanese comparative approach does offer useful insights. However, it 2 also contains the danger of misjudgment depending on what the symbol of peace and moral conscience with a heartfelt and why to compare. apology for their nation’s wrongdoing. And there is West German Chancellor Willy Brandt.” 7 The message is clear: During his official visit to Norway in September 2012, former accusing Japan for its attitude about the past, which explains South Korean president Lee Myung-bak made a speech at the the “why” to compare. The objective of comparing the University of Oslo entitled Korean Route and Its New Horizon : European cases to the Northeast Asian ones is thus to ask for “European Peace sets an example for Northeast Asia. Despite a sign of repentance through what is called a “heartfelt” the historical and cultural difference, I do not believe that apology in a way that universal ethics for peace is different. In Northeast Asia, we Europeans have shown, We often say that the German desperately need it as well.” 5 During his talk, he emphasized especially Willy Brandt in relationship with neighboring that the only way for Asia to reconcile is to follow the European 1970. way, that is to say, true self-reflection and apology. Likewise, states is a special case for inter - current President Park Geun-hye expressed her vision of What if Brandt had been state reconciliation. But the peace in Northeast Asia in comparison with the one in Europe: born in Japan and seemingly irreconcilable relation - become the Japanese Postwar Europe’s journey toward integration was prime minister? Would ship between Japan and adja - possible due to a new window of cooperation based history have changed? cent countries may be classified on a ‘grand reconciliation’ among Germany, France This is not an easy ques - one day as an exception as well. and the U.K. We also remember West German tion to answer. A political Chancellor Willy Brandt’s landmark 1970 visit to the figure does play a crucial role in promoting reconciliation.