Cherry Blossom Politics: South Korea Vs. Japan

As cherry blossom petals herald the beginning of spring, typical spring routines return to South Korea, as South Koreans shed their winter clothes and hum a quintessential spring song by Busker Busker, “Cherry Blossom Ending.” But something else routinely comes back when spring is in the air: a controversy over the origin of cherry blossom trees. Who is the true parent of cherry blossoms, Japan or South Korea? Since the early 20th century, the Japanese government has been giving cherry blossom