Dokdo Golf

An amusing display of nationalism (via Ampontan):

With nationalism at a fever pitch in the country, O2 Resort, a golf course in Taebaek, Gangwon, put a Korean flag in the Dokdo part of a Korean Peninsula-shaped bunker at its 18th hole, and is using it as promotion.

In other islet dispute news, a revision made last week to the U.S. Board on Geographic Names’ website that classified the disputed islets as territory belonging to no country has been overturned by President Bush after South Korea’s government officially complained about it. The move is clearly an attempt to pander to South Koreans ahead of Bush’s visit to their country next week, and it might succeed in reducing the amount of protests during his visit.

The Japanese government has responded in its usual calm manner:

“We don’t necessarily think we have to react excessively every time one organisation of the US government does something,” Japanese government spokesman Nobutaka Machimura told reporters in Tokyo.

“The Japanese government does not believe that the change in this statement on the website reflects a change in the position taken by the United States.”