South Korea and Japan clash over sea's name in Virginia textbooks by Hana

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-2

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Debating about what to call the sea between South Korea and Japan in the Virginia. In the Virginia committee has approved agenda requiring all school textbooks change name of sea. In South Korea it is known as the East Sea, however in Japan as the Sea of Japan. This argument was a lot of competition for getting such a large portion of the vote. The Japanese government employed a lobby company to help vote. They also threatened that if this argument was passed, it would affect economic ties between Virginia and Japan. Unfortunately, there were many Korean-Americans lived in the Virginia so Korean-Americans lobbied for East Sea to be included in school textbooks. Virginia agreed with South Korea. The vote which is legislation about sea name was 81 for and 15 against. The voters thought that East Sea was reasonable more than Sea of Japan although the United Stated government used name ‘Sea of Japan’. South Korea expresses vehement opposition to the Japan’s idea because the name “Sea of Japan” used at a time when Japan ruled Korea as a colony.

I am serious about this problem. One year ago, I participated in the event and engaged diplomatic activities. I was a member of VANK. It is called the Voluntary Agency Network of Korea, or VANK. Their email campaigns on including the East Sea on various international maps. Major organizations such as About.com and the guidebook series Lonely Planet have included the East Sea on their maps as a result of VANK’s continued efforts. I am so happy because Virginia stands on the side of Korea. I know that it is hard to decide this problem. When I sent to e-mail several famous website to ask changing name of the water between South Korea and Japan, most of websites did not answer or responded. South Korea and Japan do not just debate about the name of the water but also about as island in the middle of sea. The island name is the Dokdo. South Korea and Japan have been fighting over Dokdo for a long time. Why cannot South Korea and Japan be good friends? I think that economic ties with Japan cannot erase traumatic memories in South Korea of past suffering at Japanese hands. I also do not so favorable to Japan government. I hope that this problem will be solved as soon as possible. Of course, if other countries agree with changing island name, I will be happier than before.