Fire at Korean Cultural Center in Tokyo 한국문화원에 ′방화′ 경악…꼬여가는 한일 관계

An arsonist′s attempt to set fire to the Korean Cultural Center in Tokyo may elevate existing tensions between Korea and Japan Seoul has requested a swift investigation into the incident Kim Min－ji reports CCTV footage showed a masked person pouring lighter fluid on the outer wall of the Korean Cultural Center and setting it on fire around midnight on Wednesday The unidentified person fled the scene There were no casualties or significant damage to the property， except for soot marks on the wall near the center′s entrance The Korean government has expressed dismay over the attempted arson Officials have called on Japan′s foreign ministry to heighten security in the area and asked for a prompt investigation This is not the first arson attempt on Korean property in Japan Back in 2013， a man threw signal flares at the Korean Consulate General in Kobe The motive for the latest arson is still unknown， but Japanese police believe similar negative feelings may have influenced the suspect The attempt could add fuel to already heightened tensions between Seoul and Tokyo This year marks the 50th anniversary of the normalization of diplomatic ties between the two countries， but bilateral relations have been thorny， particularly in regards to Japan′s interpretation of World War Two history Despite repeated calls for an acknowledgement of the country′s wartime atrocities， many feel the Abe administration has yet to show sincere remorse Kim Min－ji， Arirang News