I have to disagree. They might have graduated from an English Department, but A) As a Yonsei boy you should know that it’s not the same as studying — proofreaders are always overworked there — and B) ‘all their lives’ is very much an exageration. Four years of sitting idly in crowded classes would fit the bill better, I’d say. I don’t recall whether that nice guy, Choi whatever, who used to be my boss, and then moved on to be Editor in Chief (at least in title), is still there, but that fine Cholla gentleman didn’t speak a word of English. Heck, he didn’t even speak proper standard Korean…

Nevertheless, your suggestion is a good one, and I will try to add more Korean-language realm-seaking. However, for better or for worse (mostly the later), the Times and the Herald ARE the most widely read papers in the Korean expat community (and judging from other blogs, they appear to be read by many outside Korea with an interest in Korea, sadly enough), so I still think its worthwhile taking them to task.

Coincidentally, Mr. Schroepfer (or is that Dr. Schroepfer?), you being a much more accomplished Koreanist that I, I’d love to see you keep up that proto-blog of yours over at http://oranckay.net/. I know you must be busy and all, but it would provide not only the expat community here, but all those with an interest in Korea with much insight. Besides, being the soon-to-be husband of an ??짚????쨘?, I really like the name.

I have always believed those two publications were part of some sort of conspiracy to keep the foreign community in the dark. The Herald in particular is out of touch with Korea in that it is written by people who’ve studied nothing but English all their lives. Despite the many lackings in their English, they still know more about the language than they know about Korea, and are not thinking of the Korean public when they write (they are writing only with those who read English in mind, people who with rare exception are outside the sphere of (Korean) public debate).

What if people like you and I, writing in Korean, were all that most Koreans read about America? It might be worth considering how well a Korean publication in the United States represents what Americans are thinking or what Americans are reading. Reacting to opinion pieces in that kind of publication would seem rather strange. Having once been an “honorary member” (officially, too!) of the Seoul Foreign Correspondents Club, I can tell you that foreign journalists steer away from the editorials and opinion pieces in the Herald and Times, sticking mostly to the hard facts (economic figures, etc) largely for the reasons I mention. I’m almost twenty years in Korea, and think I’ve read an editorial in one of those ???뱓ourist newsletters??? perhaps twice. Can’t even remember.

Anyway, since it seems you can read Korean at least to some degree, think of what insight your fine blog would provide for them foreigners by digging more into realms them foreigners can’t approach on their own. In the meantime, keep up the good work. Sorry for the long comment.