On April 1st and 2nd, 40 Koreans from Busan and Daegu, respectively, in the southeastern part of South Korea, visited the site for an inspection tour. This group was a member of the Korean Peace Ambassadors Council, which works to promote peace in Northeast Asia. In recent years, there has been news about the Japan-Korea Tunnel in South Korea, and the group visited the Nagoya Inclined Shaft of the Japan-Korea Tunnel in Karatsu. Aiming to promote friendship between Japan and South Korea, the group also visited Arita and Aso, which have historical ties to South Korea.
The inspection team arrived at Hakata Port in the morning and arrived at the Nagoya Inclined Shaft by large bus just before noon. After listening to an explanation of the tunnel from Director Okubo Yoshitaka, they immediately began touring the tunnel's interior. They asked with interest questions such as, "How far does the tunnel go to the end? Is it deeper than the sea?" Elderly people spoke to them in Japanese they had learned a long time ago, creating a friendly atmosphere. Afterwards, they "commemoratively planted" magnolia seedlings, and enjoyed covering them with soil and watering them. They also went up to the observation deck and took photos of Iki and Tsushima islands from the Japanese side, feeling a sense of awe at having come to the other side of the Genkai Sea.
With the Korean wave boom in Japan having faded, and current Japan-Korea and Korea-Japan relations strained by issues of historical recognition and the comfort women issue, it seems important to continue to build up these kinds of private exchanges.
International Highway Foundation Newsletter May 2014 (PDF view/download)
