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Korea’s Space Program: Experiments In Petty Nationalism?

The South Korean recently participated in Russia’s space tourism for cash program by sending Yi So-yeon, the winner of an astronaut contest into space. What was the purpose of her mission? Occidentalism translates a Korean press report that shows that she has spent a significant amount of her time in space researching a bacteria linked to nationalistic disputes with Japan:

Reporter: Lee So-yeon is spending most of her time at the International Space Station conducting a variety of experiments. Among them is the cultivation of “Donghae-Dokdo,” [East Sea-Liancourt Rocks] which is a bacteria native to Korea.

The experiment has symbolic meaning since Korea’s first astronaut is conducting the first experiment in space of a bacteria first discovered on Dokdo. However, Japan has claimed that the experiment was clearly politically motivated and demanded that it be ceased, which is why the experiment was conducted in secret.

Because of this problem, the government is not releasing information, as originally planned, on a kimchi lactic acid bacteria experiment, which is another key mission.

Ms. Lee is scheduled to continue the “Donghae-Dokdo” experiment until she returns to earth in nine days.

After the translation, Occidentalism blogger Gerry Bevers points out that another South Korean press report states there is actually no truth to the reports of Japanese demands for the research to be ceased.

22 comments - What do you think? Posted by James - April 14, 2008 at 2:40 pm

Categories: Anti-Japan Tags: astronauts, dokdo, east sea, ISS, japan, Korea, nasa, nationalism, news, science, sea of japan, space, space tourism, takeshima

jjjtango

“Japan has claimed that the experiment was clearly politically motivated and demanded that it be ceased”

I think Japan should stop jumping to conclusions and just calm down. Either way, I think Japan is being highly hypocritical at this point because whenever someone tells Japan to stop doing something, they don’t. So there’s really no point in their government telling other people to stop. No one on either side is going to listen so it’s all pointless.

You know what? I’m sick of all this Korea vs Japan or Japan vs China nationalism bullcrap. I’ve been reading this blog for a while but I’m starting to get the feeling this place likes to instigate things.

http://www.japanprobe.com James

I think Japan should stop jumping to conclusions and just calm down.

I think you should stop jumping to conclusions and actually read my posts before bitching about Japanese nationalism. The story about Japanese demands was not true.

jjjtango

Sorry, I overlooked that part.
But even if it weren’t true, then exactly was the point of sharing this article?

I’m not Korean or Japanese so I can’t say I’m too familiar with the bickering but what you guys are doing isn’t helping it at all.

It just seems like you want to shed a certain country in a negative light while being slick. That’s how I view it. It just makes me very uncomfortable to see this type of thing around here.

http://www.japanprobe.com James

I’d like to shed a negative light on anyone who advances petty hyper-patriotism at the expense of better relations with their neighbors. If the Japanese government ever spends $20 million to research Senkaku Island fungus on the ISS, I’ll gladly post and ridicule it. This isn’t about a desire to bash countries that aren’t Japan.

[This is a Japan blog, so I don't post about petty nationalism that isn't coming from or directed towards Japan. ]

faxedhead

James, you are losing the forest for the trees here. JJJTANGO’s point is valid, and he’s not the first, second, third, or fourth person on this blog to have commented on your bent toward Japanese nationalism.
We’re all here, so clearly youre running a compelling blog, but for you to invalidate what he’s trying to say is laughable, looking at the history of your posts.

Maybe what you should do, is really put everything on the table, and enlighten us on your true sociopolitical views? what exactly is your point? how is it that a Chinese person such as yourself, has come to be one of the net’s most outspoken Japanese nationalists?

oillusion

How in the world is this Japanese nationalism???
Its Korean nationalism we are talking about here…there is no Japanesse nationalism about this whole post.

It shows how much of a baised person you are if you think pointing out Korean nationalism equates to Japanese nationalism.

Wow some people really need to think and look hard into the mirror before posting such nonesense.

Again this post is about a Korean media reporting false cliams about the Japanese.
the overthinker

So when a non-Japanese country makes false claims about Japan then that is off-limits for a blog about Japan?
jjjtango

“How in the world is this Japanese nationalism???
Its Korean nationalism we are talking about here…there is no Japanesse nationalism about this whole post.”

He wasn’t referring to the post. He was referring to James’ nature of being one.
klimmer

jjjtango,

“He wasn’t referring to the post. He was referring to James’ nature of being one.”

Could you please back up your statements? I think James have been posting both anti Japanese and Japanese nationalistic sentiments, so I can’t really see a bias here.

It was an interesting article nevertheless. Anti foreigner news articles always helps the paper sells well.
jjjtango

You’re asking the wrong person.

http://pontasmemorandum.blogspot.com/2008/02/let-diaglogue-between-j-and-nj-begin.html ponta

You should notice Japanese mainstream media haven’t reported it. It is sort of taboo for the mainstream Japanese media to ridicule Korean nationalism, anti-Japan-ism while they freely criticize Japanese nationalism.
That makes many young Japanese people feel disgust more against Japanese media as well as against Korean stupid nationalism. And that leads some young Japanese nationalistic to the extend of absurdity. I think James’ attitude is fair in that he is ready to criticize the stupidity of the both sides.

jjjtango

Well James isn’t even Japanese so I don’t think he should be meddling in other people’s affairs.

I’m still confused as to why he posted this article if it wasn’t even true in the first place. There has to be a reason, right? Looks like a cheap shot oppurtunity at reminding or making people aware of how anti-japan Korean nationalism is.

http://pontasmemorandum.blogspot.com/2008/02/let-diaglogue-between-j-and-nj-begin.html ponta

Reminding people of how anti-Japan Korean nationalism is perfectly a good topic for Japan related blog:it shows an aspect of Japan from Korean stupid nationalists.
By the way, young Japanese and Kypo are also readers of Japan Probe.
jjjtango

I don’t even know what or who kyopo is so care to explain? Either way, I highly doubt EVERY korean nationalist is anti-Japan but coming here and reading those types of posts makes it seem like they are. It’s ridiculous to see this type of thing going on on a blog like this.

Stop the hate.

Thing I want to know is if you’re not Japanese, why do you care so much? Why defend a country that isn’t your own? Why meddle in other’s affairs?

This type of thing only sparks hate at any country that is anti-japan I think.
http://pontasmemorandum.blogspot.com/2008/02/let-diaglogue-between-j-and-nj-begin.html ponta

Kyopo is Koreans abroad. Not all kyopo is anti-Japan;some of them are very sensible, some are more ethic centered than native Koreans.
As for Korean nationalists. almost all Korean nationalists are anti-Japan. But not every Koreans are anti-Japanese. My impression is that the older people who experienced the colonization and younger people who haven’t received nationalistic education tend to be fair.
I agree. Stop the hate. And that is one message of this post. Stop the hate—pointing out its stupidity is one way to stop it. No body caricatures it, and there is no stopping it.Sadly many Korean journalists join this stupidity and there are few who critically examine this stupid game.
oillusion

This article is true the only untrue part was the part where the Korean media reported that the Japanese told the Koreans to stop the experiment.

Using your logic no one should say anything about Tibet,Darfor,and the Americans shouldnt have got involved in ww2.There are many many more examples such as a man beating on his wife…its not any of your besiness right?
oillusion

“This article is true the only untrue part was the part where the Korean media reported that the Japanese told the Koreans to stop the experiment.”

Hmm I dont think I made myself clear here…all of the article is true.

The only ones lying here are the korean media is what I wanted to say.

ダビ

Doesn’t Korea have any actual scientists who can become real astronauts/cosmonauts instead of space tourists?

http://www.japanprobe.com James

From what I’ve read, she is a very intelligent person who could have very well become a real astronaut. The South Korean government found it cheaper to just pay the Russians for a space tourist-style trip, so she was not given the chance of joining the international scientists who go up with NASA’s more expensive requirements.

Aceface

Whoa.

Truth be told.
There are NO fact of neither Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan nor Embassy of Japan in Seoul has requested the
abolition of the experience.However,if this is true there could be some fuss in the future,since the said space station’s experimental lab is Japan’s “Kibou”of which was just put up there on ISS.Japan’s space agency JAXA had just made formal agreement with Korean counterpart on Jan 23,2008 regarding Japan-Korea cooperation when Korean astronaut’s activity when on aboard in ISS,allowing to use Japanese facility.

So if this news is correct,Koreans had betrayed Japan by making provoative action in multibillion taxpayed Japanese facility.

Ofcourse Tokyo will remain silent especially this is before Lee Myung Bak’s first formal visit to Tokyo and expecting to recover the damage caused by Koizumi and Rho.
I presume all the Korean astronauts have decent qualification to be put up into space,but I gotta tell you,something is seriously wrong about Korean space program.
nigelboy

List of Korean registered bacteria

Dokdonella koreensis
Dokdonia donghaensis
Virgibacillus dokdonensis
Maribacter dokdonensis
etc.

Wow
Toe

Hhmm, I agree that tango has a point, though the topic would regard the title of the post. Indeed, if the truth is that Japan didn’t request to deny the experiment, it’s the media outlet that’s providing the nationalism, not the space program, so it’s easy to see why he’d be so critical of you, James (but yeah, I recall you being Chinese? So if English ain’t your first language I guess it can’t be helped).

btw, it’s quite common and extremely important for long term space travel for bacteria to be experimented in space (some theorize that bacteria growth could grow exponentially, so you could die from your own symbionts), you can even carry hundreds of samples easily in an altoids-size tin to boot.

Korea’s Space Program: Experiments In Petty Nationalism?

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