Busan is a virtual neighbor of Japan. It is only 130 miles across the Korea Strait to Fukuoka. Closer still is the one-hour ferry ride to Tsushima Island. So the countries have a long history together. Some of those events – such as the Japanese Occupation from 1910 – 1945 – still harbor Korean resentment. Another notable time period was Japan’s two invasions of South Korea in the late 16th century. For nearly 200 years prior to 1592, and for another 200 years after the Imjin Wars, the countries participated in the Joseon Tongsinsa Parade over 1,800 times. The name means the goodwill mission of Korea’s Joseon dynasty. The parade is still enacted to symbolize cultural exchange between the two countries.
