President Roh…yeah.

I just came across this amazing news story over at Foreign Dispatches:

South Korean President Roh Moo-hyun talked about his views on the history of Japan’s wartime atrocities for 40 minutes during talks with Prime Minister Shinzo Abe in Seoul on Monday, forcing them to abandon a joint statement, entourage sources said.

Roh refused Abe’s request to issue a joint statement condemning North Korea for its alleged nuclear test, according to the sources. The South Korean leader then talked for 40 minutes about his views on the history of Japan’s atrocities during World War II and visits by Japanese politicians to the controversial Yasukuni Shrine.

During the meeting, South Korean Foreign Affairs and Trade Minister Ban Ki-moon handed a memorandum to Roh, urging him to discuss a joint statement with Abe. The sources said this suggested there is a perception gap between the president’s office and the ministry over the country’s interpretation of history and its North Korea policy.

South Korean officials subsequently suggested that the two countries issue a joint statement on North Korea’s alleged nuclear test and interpretation of history, a proposal rejected by Japan.

I’ve always been critical of Roh’s foreign policy regarding Japan, but I thought he would be reasonable enough to focus on the shocking nuclear test that had just occured rather than what happened over 60 years ago (especially when you consider the fact that Roh had called on Japan to engage in “future oriented” relations followed Abe’s election). This is absolutely ridiculous. It’s a true shame for the South Korean people that they have such a clown for a president.

[Cross-posted at Asia-Watch]