[Annotated] South Korea and Japan may bicker, but Busan and Fukuoka get on fine

Shared history, lots of trade and an odd dispute about stolen statues

For centuries the wako, dastardly^[각주:1] Japanese pirates, skulked in^[각주:2] the countless^[각주:3] coves^[각주:4] of Tsushima island, roughly halfway between^[각주:5] the Japanese archipelago^[각주:6] and the Korean peninsula, frequently raiding^[각주:7] the coast of Korea. In 1592 General Toyotomi Hideyoshi and his 200,000 men launched the seven-year Imjin invasion from^[각주:8] the island, landing in Busan, on Korea's southern coast. Centuries earlier sueki ceramics, a new form of pottery, had been transmitted from^[각주:9] Korea to Japan via^[각주:10] Tsushima.

Today it is mainly leisure-seekers who take the hour-long ferry ride from Busan to Tsushima: fishermen, hikers and day-tripping^[각주:11] teens. Once a year, however, a delegation of South Koreans dressed in the colorful garb^[각주:12] of 17th-century envoys makes the crossing^[각주:13]. They are re-enacting^[각주:14] the Joseon tongsinsa missions, or "sharing of good faith from Joseon" (an ancient name for Korea), which began in the aftermath of^[각주:15] the Imjin war to reaffirm^[각주:16] friendly ties^[각주:17] between the Korean king and the Japanese shogun^[각주:18].

The envoys traveled along^[각주:19] a 2,000km route, from Hanyang, as Seoul was then known, to Edo, present-day^[각주:20] Tokyo, via Busan and Tsushima. The emissaries^[각주:21] carried notes of friendship, and a dazzling^[각주:22] assortment^[각주:23] Korean artwork^[각주:24]. Over two centuries, a dozen such expeditions sent poets, painters, acrobats^[각주:25] and calligraphers^[각주:26] from Korea to Japan; by the time the delegations embarked from^[각주:27] Busan, they had about 400 artists in tow^[각주:28]. Another 1,800 joined them on the Japanese side. Villagers^[각주:29] lined^[각주:30] the streets to greet them, waiting up all night to^[각주:31] receive a poem or painting.

The two governments are a long way from^[각주:32] such cordial^[각주:33] exchanges today. In the open sea north-east of Tsushima, they squabble over^[각주:34] a group of rocks (Dokdo to South Koreans and Takeshima to the Japanese), and bicker with^[각주:35] each other about history. Japan annexed^[각주:36] Korea in 1910 and exploited it ruthlessly^[각주:37] until 1945; many South Koreans feel Japan has done too little to atone for^[각주:38] its colonial atrocities^[각주:39]. 

Among the most painful incidents for South Koreans is the corralling of^[각주:40] tens of thousands of women into Japanese military brothers. South Korean civic groups^[각주:41] erected^[각주:42] a bronze statue of a "comfort woman" outside the Japanese embassy^[각주:43] in Seoul in 2011, to serve as^[각주:44] a daily rebuke^[각주:45] to the diplomats inside. In December a similar statue was installed outside the Japanese consulate^[각주:46] in Busan. In a huff^[각주:47], Japan's government, which thought it had put the matter to rest^[각주:48] by agreeing to compensate the surviving^[각주:49] comfort women in 2015, recalled its ambassador to Seoul as well as its consul-general^[각주:50] in Busan. Neither has yet returned to his post.

The spat^[각주:51] also threatened to upset the centuries-long^[각주:52] exchange between Busan and its Japanese sister city, Fukuoka, which lies roughly 200km across the Tsushima strait^[각주:53]. Both cities are closer to each other than to their respective^[각주:54] capitals. In the 1960s the people of Busan found it easier to receive Japanese TV signals than those broadcast from Seoul. Karaoke machines, now a staple in^[각주:55] both nations, first came to South Korea via Busan, in the 1980s.

Last year a record 1.2m South Koreans traveled by ferry to Kyushu, the island of which Fukuoka is the main city, for its shopping, food and onsen (hot springs^[각주:56]). Flights between Busan and Fukuoka have doubled since 2010, to eight round-trips^[각주:57] a day. Akihiko Fukushima of the government of Fukuoka prefecture^[각주:58] says that Busan is geta-baki de iku: close enough to visit in casual wooden slippers, as if popping round^[각주:59] to see the neighbor.

Exchanges have remained remarkably resilient^[각주:60], despite the visit in 2012 of Lee Myung-bak, the president of South Korea at the time, to Dokdo, which sent diplomatic relations into a tailspin^[각주:61]. That year the Fukuoka Asia Collection, an annual fashion show, invited designers from Busan, and still does (Busan returns the favor^[각주:62] at an equivalent^[각주:63] event). Foundations on both sides have worked on^[각주:64] a joint^[각주:65] submission^[각주:66] of historical documents chronicling^[각주:67] the Joseon tongsinsa for UNESCO. Journalists at Busan Daily and Nishinippon Shimbun in Fukuoka participate in an exchange program - remarkable in countries where the media routinely peddle^[각주:68] a nationalist line^[각주:69]. 

Idol threats

In 2013 it was a local stand-off^[각주:70] that threatened to end for good^[각주:71] the raucous^[각주:72] jamboree^[각주:73] on Tsushima that honors the missions^[각주:74]. The previous year South Korean thieves had stolen a small 14th-century statue, thought to^[각주:75] have been made in Korea, from the tiny temple of Kannonji on the island. The South Korean police recovered it soon afterwards^[각주:76]. But a local court blocked the statue's return to Tsushima, on the grounds that it had probably been pillaged^[각주:77] centuries ago by the wako from a South Korean temple that was suddenly demanding its return. Incensed^[각주:78], the islanders^[각주:79] told the Korean contingent to^[각주:80] the festival not to bother coming^[각주:81]. But the Japanese went ahead with the commemorations^[각주:82] by themselves; one participant^[각주:83] was Akie Abe, Japan's First Lady, who claims to keep^[각주:84] a special fridge just for Kimchi, the pickled^[각주:85] cabbage that is Korea's national dish^[각주:86]. And in 2014, when the visitors from Busan called for the statue's return, Tsushima allowed the festival to go ahead again, despite protests from Japanese nationalists. 

Last year the Bokchon museum in Busan celebrated two decades of exchanging artefacts with museums in Fukuoka, free of charge^[각주:87]. A curator says such swaps^[각주:88] would be impossible without personal friendships and trust. Sekko Tanaka, the retired chief monk^[각주:89] of Kannonji, says he feels "betrayed" by the court. Still, he welcomes South Korean tourists to the temple's guesthouse.

Japanese diplomats say they watch such exchanges as a more accurate measure of popular sentiment towards^[각주:90] South Korea than strident^[각주:91] press clippings^[각주:92] and noisy protests organized by nationalist groups. The islanders of Tsushima, unlike other Japanese, use chingu, a word borrowed from Korean, to mean a close friend. South Korean visitors are charmed to^[각주:93] hear that, on the clearest of days, the shoreline^[각주:94] of Busan can be spotted^[각주:95]; only a few spoilsports^[각주:96] insist the sightings^[각주:97] are, in fact, just a mirage^[각주:98]. 

1. dastardly ; [형용사] (구식) 악랄한 ;; US [|dӕstərdli], UK [|dӕstədli] [본문으로]
2. skulk ; [자동사][V + adv. / prep.] (못마땅함) (특히 나쁜 짓을 꾸미며) 몰래 숨다[살금살금 숨다] [본문으로]
3. countless ; [형용사] (주로 명사 앞에 씀) 무수한, 셀 수 없이 많은 ;; 참고 uncountable [본문으로]
4. cove ; 1. 작은 만 [본문으로]
5. halfway between ; …사이의 중간에. [본문으로]
6. archipelago ; [명사] pl. -os 또는 -oes 다도해; 군도 [본문으로]
7. raid ; 3. (무엇을 훔치기 위해 건물 등에) 침입하다 [본문으로]
8. launch an invasion ; 침략을 개시하다. [본문으로]
9. be transmitted from ; ~에서 전해지다 [본문으로]
10. via ; [전치사] (어떤 장소를) 경유하여[거쳐] ;; US·UK [|vaɪə;|vi:ə] [본문으로]
11. day-trip ; [자동사] 당일치기로 여행하다 [본문으로]
12. garb ; [명사] (격식 또는 유머) (특이한 또는 특정 유형의 사람이 입는) 의복 [본문으로]
13. make the crossing ; 횡단하다 [본문으로]
14. re-enact ; [타동사][VN] 재연[재현]하다 [본문으로]
15. in the aftermath of ; …의 결과로[여파로]. [본문으로]
16. reaffirm ; [동사] (무엇이 사실임을) 재차 확인[확언]하다 [본문으로]
17. tie ; 3. CONNECTION | [주로 복수로] (강한) 유대[관계] [본문으로]
18. shogun ; [명사] 쇼군(과거 일본의 장군) [본문으로]
19. travel along ; 이동하다, 여행하다 [본문으로]
20. present-day ; [형용사] 현대의, 오늘날의 [본문으로]
21. emissary ; [명사] pl. -ies (격식) 사절, 특사 ;; [|emɪseri] [본문으로]
22. dazzling ; [형용사] 눈부신, 휘황찬란한; 현혹적인 [본문으로]
23. assortment ; [명사] (주로 단수로) (같은 종류의 여러 가지) 모음, 종합 [본문으로]
24. artwork ; 1. [U] 도판, 삽화 2. [C] (특히 박물관의) 미술품 [본문으로]
25. acrobat ; [명사] 곡예사 [본문으로]
26. calligrapher ; [명사] 달필가, 서예가 [본문으로]
27. embark ; (배에) 승선하다[승선시키다] [본문으로]
28. in tow ; (사람을) 뒤에 데리고 ;; take[have] in tow ; 데리고 다니다, 밧줄로 끌다. [본문으로]
29. villager ; [명사] (시골) 마을 사람 [본문으로]
30. line ; 3. FORM ROWS | [흔히 수동태로] ~ sth (with sth) ~을 따라 늘어서다[줄을 세우다] [본문으로]
31. wait up (for sb) ; (~가 집에 오기를) 자지 않고 기다리다 [본문으로]
32. be a long way from ; …에서 멀리 떨어져 있다; …와 거리가 멀다, 판이하다 [본문으로]
33. cordial ; (격식) 화기애애한, 다정한 [본문으로]
34. squabble over ; …에 대해 말다툼하다 [본문으로]
35. bicker with ; …와 언쟁하다, 말다툼하다. [본문으로]
36. annex ; [타동사][VN] (국가・지역 등을 특히 무력으로) 합병하다 [본문으로]
37. ruthlessly ; [부사] 무자비하게; 잔인하게. [본문으로]
38. atone for ; …을 속죄하다. [본문으로]
39. atrocity ; [C , U] (pl. -ies) [주로 복수로] (특히 전시의) 잔혹 행위 [본문으로]
40. corral ; 1. (말이나 소를) 울타리 안으로 몰아넣다 2. (사람들을 한 곳으로) 모으다 [본문으로]
41. civic group ; [명사] 시민 운동 기구[단체]. ;; 동의어 civic organization. [본문으로]
42. erect ; (격식) 1. 건립하다 [본문으로]
43. embassy ; 1. 대사관 ;; (pl. -ies), (참고: consulate , high commission) [본문으로]
44. serve as ; …의 역할을 하다 [본문으로]
45. rebuke ; [noun] A harsh criticism [본문으로]
46. consulate ; (여행) 비자를 발급받을 수 있는 기관으로 영사관을 말한다. [본문으로]
47. in a huff ; (특히 다른 사람의 말·행동 때문에) 발끈 성을 내는[홱 토라지는] [본문으로]
48. put the matter to ~ ; (사안, 의견, 사건... 등)을 to~ 하다 [본문으로]
49. surviving ; [형용사] 살아 남은, 잔존한. [본문으로]
50. consul general ; (pl. consuls general) 총영사 [본문으로]
51. spat ; [명사] (비격식) 승강이, 옥신각신함, 입씨름 [본문으로]
52. century-long ; 오랜 서기의 [본문으로]
53. strait ; 1. [pl.] straits [특히 지명에서] 해협 [본문으로]
54. respective ; [형용사] (명사 앞에만 씀) 각자의, 각각의 [본문으로]
55. staple ; 1. [보통 pl.] 주요 산물; 중요 상품 ;; (국가, 지역의) 유명한 것, 특산품 [본문으로]
56. hot spring ; 온천; [pl.] 온천지 [본문으로]
57. round trip ; [명사] 왕복 여행 ;; (항공) 전 여정을 계속 항공편으로 이용하여 최초 출발지로 다시 돌아오는 여정 중 운임마디가 2개이고, Out-bound/In-bound 여정에 동일한 운임이 적용되는 여정을 왕복여정이라고 말한다. [본문으로]
58. prefecture ; [명사] (프랑스・이탈리아・일본 등 일부 국가에서) 지방 행정 구역, 도, 현 [본문으로]
59. pop over / round ; to visit somebody's home for a short time [본문으로]
60. resilient ; 1. (충격・부상 등에 대해) 회복력 있는 [본문으로]
61. tailspin ; 1. (조종사의 제어력 상실로 인한 항공기의) 나선식 급강하 2. 폭락, 급감, 악화 ;; go into a tailspin / nose dive ; 갑자기 무너지다, 하락(下落)하다 [본문으로]
62. return the favor ; 은혜를 갚다 [본문으로]
63. equivalent ; ~ (to sth) (가치・의미・중요도 등이) 동등한[맞먹는] [본문으로]
64. work on sb ; (설득시키려고) ~에게 공을 들이다 ;; work on sth ; (해결·개선하기 위해) ~에 애쓰다[공들이다] [본문으로]
65. joint ; [형용사] (명사 앞에만 씀) 공동의, 합동의 [본문으로]
66. submission ; 2. [U , C] (서류・제안서 등의) 제출; (의견의) 개진 [본문으로]
67. chronicle ; [타동사][VN] (격식) 연대순으로 기록하다 [본문으로]
68. peddle ; (생각・이야기를) 퍼뜨리다[유포하다] [본문으로]
69. line ; 22. ATTITUDE/ARGUMENT | [C] [주로 단수로] (특히 공개적으로 밝히는) 태도[입장] ;; 참고 hard line, party [본문으로]
70. stand-off ; [명사] ~ (between A and B) (회담 등의) 교착 상태 [본문으로]
71. for good ; 영원히 [본문으로]
72. raucous ; [형용사] 요란하고 거친, 시끌벅적한 ;; US·UK [|rɔ:kəs] [본문으로]
73. jamboree ; 1. 대축제, 큰 잔치 ;; US.UK [|dƷӕmbə|ri:] [본문으로]
74. mission ; 2. OFFICIAL JOB/GROUP | [C] (특별 임무를 맡은) 사절단[파견단]; 파견지 [본문으로]
75. be thought to ; ~로 생각되다, 여겨지다, 평가되다 [본문으로]
76. soon afterwards ; 이내, 머지않아, 곧바로 [본문으로]
77. pillage ; [동사] (특히 전시에) 약탈[강탈]하다 ;; 참고 loot, plunder [본문으로]
78. incensed ; [형용사] 몹시 화난, 격분한 ;; incense ; [타동사][VN] 몹시 화나게[격분하게] 하다 [본문으로]
79. islander ; [명사] (특히 작은 섬에 사는) 섬사람 ;; US·UK [|aɪləndə(r)] [본문으로]
80. contingent ; 1. (어떤 행사에 참석한, 특히 출신지가 동일한) 대표단 [본문으로]
81. bother coming ; 1. [흔히 부정문이나 의문문에 쓰여] ~ (with/about sth) 신경 쓰다, 애를 쓰다 ;; bother coming ; 오려고 애를 쓴다는 의미 [본문으로]
82. commemoration ; [U , C] (중요 인물・사건의) 기념[기념행사] [본문으로]
83. participant ; ~ (in sth) 참가자 [본문으로]
84. claim ; 3. MONEY | (정부나 회사에 보상금 등을) 청구[신청]하다 [본문으로]
85. pickled ; 1. (식품이) 식초에 절인 [본문으로]
86. national dish ; A national dish is a culinary dish that is strongly associated with a particular country. ;; 국민 음식 [본문으로]
87. free of charge ; 무료로 [본문으로]
88. swap ; 1. [주로 단수로] 바꾸기, 교환, 교체 [본문으로]
89. chief monk ; (절의) 주지 [본문으로]
90. sentiment towards ; 에 대한 정서, 감정 [본문으로]
91. strident ; 2. 공격적인, 단호한 [본문으로]
92. clipping ; 1. [주로 복수로] 깎아[잘라/오려] 낸 조각 ;; a newspaper clipping ; 신문에서 오려낸 기사. [본문으로]
93. be charmed to ; ~하도록 매혹되다, 매료되다, 이끌리다 [본문으로]
94. shoreline ; [주로 단수로] (바다・호수의) 물가, 해안가[선] [본문으로]
95. spot ; 1. [진행형으로는 쓰이지 않음] 발견하다, 찾다, 알아채다(특히 갑자기 또는 쉽지 않은 상황에서 그렇게 함을 나타냄) [본문으로]
96. spoilsport ; [명사] (비격식) (남의) 흥을 깨는 사람 [본문으로]
97. sighting ; [명사] 목격(특히 특이한 것・잠깐밖에 볼 수 없는 것에 대해 씀) [본문으로]
98. mirage ; 1. 신기루 2. 신기루 같은[헛된] 것 ;; US [mə|rɑ:Ʒ], UK [|mɪrɑ:Ʒ ; mɪ|rɑ:Ʒ] [본문으로]