[Politics, On That Day...] MB, the First President to Visit Dokdo Ahead of Liberation Day

Visited Dokdo by Helicopter on August 10, 2012... Japanese Media Reported Dokdo Visit Plans First

[Asia Economy Reporter Ryu Jeong-min] ‘Politics, On That Day…’ is a series planning corner that looks back on Korean politics through the ‘recollection of memories’ related to noteworthy scenes, events, and figures.

The president’s Liberation Day message is treated as important news. This is because it contains messages directed not only domestically but also to the international community. The core of the Liberation Day message is the establishment of relations with Japan.

The president’s Liberation Day message requires high-level political skill and political sensitivity. In fact, past presidents have set directions and managed messages by considering various factors when delivering Liberation Day messages. This is because Korea’s national interests in international relations must also be taken into account.

Among the Liberation Day actions of past presidents, the most notable scene was in 2012. On August 10, 2012, then-President Lee Myung-bak became the first sitting president to visit Dokdo. It was a choice that instantly drew public attention ahead of Liberation Day.

President Lee arrived at Ulleungdo by helicopter and then visited Dokdo by helicopter, staying for 1 hour and 10 minutes. He toured the Dokdo outpost guards and took commemorative photos.

[Image source=Yonhap News]

When President Lee, who had been criticized for a ‘submissive diplomacy’ stance in relations with Japan, suddenly visited Dokdo, various reactions emerged. The reason for the visit to Dokdo was the focus of interest. As expected, Japan reacted strongly. The Japanese government summoned the Japanese ambassador to Korea, and Korea-Japan relations rapidly froze.

An interesting point is that before President Lee’s visit to Dokdo, Japanese media reported the visit plan in the morning newspapers on August 10. Since presidential schedules involve security issues, the principle is not to report until the schedule is completed.

However, the embargo lost its meaning as the Japanese media disclosed the Dokdo visit in advance. At that time, the Blue House informed reporters of President Lee’s Dokdo visit plan around 3 p.m. on August 9 and requested a news embargo. Nevertheless, President Lee’s Dokdo visit plan was somehow leaked to Japan and reported by Japanese media.

[Image source=Yonhap News]

Evaluations of President Lee’s Dokdo visit were divided. Some viewed the first presidential visit to Dokdo as a good decision, but others focused on political calculations. The Democratic Party criticized, “The government, which has been criticized for sovereignty infringement due to the forced passage of the Korea-Japan Military Information Protection Agreement, should not try to cover up public anger over submissive diplomacy toward Japan with a presidential Dokdo visit event.”

Some in the political circle expressed concerns that President Lee’s visit was a decision that fell into Japan’s intention to ‘turn Dokdo into a disputed zone.’

After President Lee’s visit to Dokdo, interest in the upcoming August 15 Liberation Day speech grew even stronger. In the 2012 August 15 speech, President Lee addressed the comfort women issue but did not mention Dokdo. At that time, the Blue House stated, “Since the Dokdo issue has already been demonstrated through actions, there is no need to include it in the speech.”

Was it because the amplification of political and diplomatic controversy was burdensome, or was it, as some opposition party members claimed, used as a one-time political event? President Lee’s 2012 visit to Dokdo is a scene remembered in political history for various reasons.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.