CHAPTER V
CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION FOR THE FUTURE OF JKFTA AND BOTH NATIONS
The research question raised at the beginning challenges us to start contemplating in a different way than the usual. JKFTA has brought its own attention for its surprise appearance. But then scholars, business enthusiasts, and everyone else is presented by a delayed agreement. We have two important yet sensitive problems at our hand alongside with a postponed economic agreement, which initially, does not strike to be relevant to each other. But at the end of this research, there is a concrete happening between the two variables. The economic agreement has indeed postponed by the remaining historical disputes.
At the very start, the birth of the notorious territorial dispute that is Liancourt Rocks is examined. The Liancourt Rocks is more than just mere islets. The islets are centuries old with many versions of the history of how it is found and many controversial debates for its ownership and value. Starting from ocean floor research, environmental research in general, military value, and then ended with the case of dignity. Past colonialism has indeed brought more and more bad impression to the people, making Liancourt Rocks as disputed today as it is in former times.
Continuing with the matter of comfort women, nothing has been easier in the journey of this problem. It is also peaked at World War II, with many testimonies appearing in the Korean peninsula particularly Republic of Korea (ROK). It successfully garnered attention and pity. Victims began to be more ambitious in sharing their stories and demanding an apology from Japan’s government. As we
also have seen in Chapter II, recounting about comfort women accentuated in many parts of the world. Thus, urging Japan’s government to make a prompt response, or better, an apology. Later we found that money and an apology is not enough. It appears that, South Korean demand a full apology with no more hidden documents and reports, which is not possible for Japan’s own dignity.
These two variables propose for a careful analysis with a fitting theory framework which is Constructivism. With Constructivism, the question has been slowly answered. Fundamentally, society is driven by a construed reality of beliefs and values. These things are planted in people’s mind in both countries since early on. A construed reality like this continuously makes an impact on the government’s actions through policies, official statements, and stances. Governments are meant to be versatile, creating suitable ‘face’ to the domestic and foreign. And that is what Japan and ROK exactly do in their administrations. A democratic country is not meant to control the society due to the principle of a government of the people, by the people and for the people. In a sense, people’s radical actions can also be unattended if it involves their sense of national pride. Even if it is hindering a process of making an important economic agreement. Because apparently, a government in the society’s favor is never amiss, it is orderly and correct.
We have discussed how these matters feigned the country in the process of making every party satisfied and on that account, a recommendation is put in place for the sake of change. Pride and the feelings of subconscious colonialism can be annulled. The future of the leading party will be uncertain, but the daring changes might bring a new (desired) prospect for the development of bilateral agreement in the region which is JKFTA.
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