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A New Way to Protest: Chop Off A Finger!

WEDNESDAY MARCH 16 2005 1:29 PM

Submitted by Argene. Edited By Michael_J_Totten.

Two South Korean citizens, Park Kyung-ja and Cho Seung-kyu, used weed clippers to cut off a finger each outside the Japanese embassy in Seoul.

Their self-mutilation was in protest of Japan's claim that a series of islands, Totko (Korean)/Takeshima (Japanese), belonged to them. Politicians on both sides fear that the protest - occurring during a celebration of four decades of diplomatic ties between the two nations - would deteriorate South Korean/Japanese bilateral diplomacy.

The conflict dates back to Japan's withdrawal from the region at the end of the second World War.

8 Comments

dem_z

United Kingdom

June 2004

MAR 16, 2005 01:32 PM

I'm glad they didn't set themselves on fire.

When I first heard about this I thought "What's the pont?" but then I realized that I hadn't heard about these islands or the dispute until I heard this story, so I guess they achieved something.

PatrickY

Vancouver, WA

December 2003

MAR 16, 2005 01:33 PM

If they were reaaalllyyy dedicated, they would have chopped off a hand with a chainsaw, like the Unibomber's brother did, if I remember correctly.

daniofthedead

Philadelphia, PA

June 2004

MAR 16, 2005 01:35 PM

oh hm, i hadnt heard about the island conflict either..........

well, they....erm, made their point?

scurvy

Atlanta, GA

November 2004

MAR 16, 2005 02:27 PM

Cut off your finger...that'll show 'em!!!

xgenehawk

USA

December 2004

MAR 16, 2005 05:30 PM

did they re-attach the fingers back to their hands ? I hope they didn't mix them up..
Park Kyung-ja : "I got your finger"
Cho Seung-kyu: "and I got yours, btw your finger smells"

___k

Atlanta, GA

October 2004

MAR 16, 2005 06:07 PM

I guess they can really "Flip 'em the bird" now... HA!

[k]

semyaza

Wildomar, CA

December 2004

MAR 16, 2005 06:30 PM

Okay..people are chopping their fingers off in some dispute between GOVERNMENTS over the ownership of some obscure islands.

The only point I see them making is how stupid they are.