"Korea's Strategy on Dokdo 'Short-Sighted'"

An August 1 Korea Times article entitled, "Korea's Strategy on Dokdo 'Short-Sighted'," talks about an interview with a Chinese scholar who points out several problems with Korea's Dokdo strategy. Here are a few quotes from the article:

• A Chinese scholar has said Korea's diplomatic approach to Dokdo should have been done in an "aggressive yet quieter manner." By making it a full-blown case, the whole world now knows that Dokdo is disputed, he observed.
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• Although it was Japan that provoked Korea, by staying cool and not responding to the Korean rage, the country actually scored more, he said, not wanting to be identified because of his official post with the government.
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• "It has also shown the world that Koreans are very emotional and nationalistic, while Japanese appear cool and calm,'' he reasoned, adding a country like Korea, small in land and scarce in natural resources, should always maintain a vigorous global outreach strategy. But the Dokdo issue has given the world the view, he believes, that Koreans are more inwardly focused.
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• "It is understandable that Koreans are upset and express their anger on what they perceive to be a serious violation of their territorial sovereignty, but they should also pay attention to how they are perceived by others.''
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• "From an outsiders view, Dokdo is essentially a lonely cluster of islands with no inhabitants. The excessive emotion shown by Koreans didn't make them heroes in the eyes of people who are detached from the issue. I think the Japanese are probably better able to strategize on this matter," he said.
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• Essentially, North Korea is a much more important priority than Dokdo, but all national energy has been diverted to Dokdo, he said. The Lee Myung-bak administration wants to woo voters, who want to see him making a strong statement on Dokdo.

Although I do not agree with his assertions that Japan provoked Korea and that Koreans were right to be angry, I do think the Chinese scholar has given Koreans a lot of good advice.