52 local governments join Japan boycott campaign

Jul 31, 2019, 08:44 am

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The Local Government Union for Joint Response against Japan’s Export Control, which is consisted of the heads of 52 local governments, held a rally to declare their participation in a spreading civic boycott against Japanese goods in Seodaemun Prison History Hall in Seoul, Tuesday./ Source: Yonhap

By AsiaToday reporter Jang Min-seo

“As long as the Japanese government’s unfair export restrictions are not withdrawn immediately, local governments will actively support and join South Korean citizens’ boycott movement against Japanese goods and travel.”

The Local Government Union for Joint Response against Japan’s Export Control, which is consisted of the heads of 52 local governments, held a rally to declare their participation in a spreading civic boycott against Japanese goods in Seodaemun Prison History Hall in Seoul, Tuesday.

In a joint statement, the union said, “The Japanese government’s export control is a clear economic retaliation against a South Korean court’s ruling that ordered Japanese companies to compensate South Korean workers forced into labor during WWII. Apart from a strong response from the government, local governments as well as civic groups and citizens must unite to speak with one voice.”

“The South Korean government should not only file a lawsuit against Japanese government through World Trade Organization and raise the budget for material development, but also urgently seek fundamental measures based on the understanding of businesses and economy of the nation as a whole, such as supporting domestic development of materials that are highly dependent on foreign countries,” the union said.

“Last week, 226 mayors and provisional governors joined a campaign to boycott Japanese goods, and announced that they would boycott Japanese travel,” said Yeom Tae-young, mayor of Suwon and permanent chairman of the National Local Governments Association for Community Creation. “We urge Japan to immediately withdraw its economic retaliation and come forward to normalize the bilateral relations with a genuine apology. We will never forget the patriotic martyrs of the Seodaemun Prison History Hall,” he added.

“If Japan intensifies its export control without finding compromise, we will review the boycott campaign of Japanese products at the local government level,” said Moon Seok-jin, the head of Seodaemun district. “We condemn the unfairness of Japan refusing to regret its past history instead of apologizing at the 100th anniversary of the March 1 Independence Movement and even taking economic retaliatory measures.”

The Local Government Union is a local governmental council that has expressed its willingness to participate in a protest involving local governments with a history of anti-Japanese independence movement, including Jongno and Eunpyeong districts in Seoul, Suwon and Anseong cities in Gyeonggi-do Province, Jung-gu in Daejeon, Gunsan in Jeollabuk-do Province, and Gimcheon in Gyeongsangbuk-do Province.

#local governments #Japan #boycott campaign #export control #South Korea