SEOUL, Aug. 17 (Yonhap) — A series of diplomatic flare-ups between South Korea and China and Japan could deal a setback to the country’s economy that is heavily dependent on trade with its two neighbors, analysts said Friday.
South Korea’s relations with Beijing and Tokyo have boomed in recent years, but they have often been strained by historical and territorial disputes in the region.
The latest diplomatic feud with Japan came after President Lee Myung-bak paid an unprecedented trip to South Korea’s easternmost islets of Dokdo last week.
Japan, which has repeatedly claimed its sovereignty to the resource-rich rocky outcroppings, has recalled its ambassador to South Korea and informed Seoul that it will take the matter to the International Court of Justice.
