[From readers] Japanese reaction to Lee impressive

Lee Su-Hyun was an exemplary and beautiful young man who died in his attempt to save a Japanese. More than 1,000 mourners attended his funeral held in Japan and a number of Japan's political and industrial leaders, including its prime minister, and other cabinet members paid a visit to express their condolences.

Suppose a Japanese did the same thing and died while trying to rescue a Korean in a similar situation. How would our government and media react? Would our prime minister offer his personal sympathy and did our media feature the accident as top news? The latest episode showed that Japanese make much of everyone of their fellow countrymen and fellow humans, so much so that it prompted their prime minister to pay tribute to the hero who sacrificed himself to rescue a Japanese.

It might be a little scary that Japanese seem to seize upon a trifling occasion to exhibit their humility, yet we have to envy their earnestness. I wish that Korea would become a nation for which every citizen could be ready to die.

Jeon Eun-Hui (Jangan-gu, Suwon City)