Seems I got linked to Instapundit again. What I was really happy to see, however, was that the Oranckay got linked in the same post — that’s a blogger who, unlike this one, actually knows what he’s writing about. He’s also, coincidentally, producing the best English-language coverage and commentary on the current political crisis in South Korea. Thanks go to whoever clued Glenn into our posts, although I have a pretty good idea who that was.
Now, if you speak Korean — and if you don’t, start learning now, for Christ’s sake — go read Woojay’s post on this whole impeachment mess. I’ve yet to read anybody (with the possible exception of the afore mentioned Oranckay) who has summed up as beautifully the travesty that is occurring in this country.
Note to Woojay: You got trackbacks on that thing?
10 Comments
Props to you and Oranckay for covering this stuff. My level of Korean is good for shik-dangs and taxis, not constitutional debates. I tend to agree though with my wife (always agree with the wife, it’s good for your health…) that Hannaradang and Minjudang will regret the impeachment come election time.
Such humbleness!
Seriously though Marmot…you don’t give yourself enough credit…
So how about reporting when (oops I mean if) various South Korean political factions and/or media outlets start blaming Bush/the U.S. for the current political nightmare?
I’d be interested to know what’s going on with U.S. forces. Are they restricted to base? Have hostile SK’s redoubled their demonstrations/outbursts against them? I presume that’s just a matter of time now.
BTW, maybe you could provide a link to some simple description of the various SK political parties, their leaders, and where they stand on the left-right spectrum. Brief bios of the leaders would be nice too. I can’t keep everyone straight — if stateside types like me had a (English language) link for reference it would be most helpful.
Why in the hell would the South Koreans blame the US for this Paul. Get a grip. If you understood the underlying reasons for the embarassing impeachment vote, you wouldn’t be asking such nonsense.
Take it or leave it. Take the once again repeated advice of the ol’ timers here and learn the Korean.
Well, Hanin, I was at the big protest at Gwanghwamun last night, and I wasn’t going to blog this, but I did see a couple of sign/banners (two, which given the size of the demonstration, was negligible) that read “US — Stop Interferring in Our Internal Politics” and “The U.S. is the puppet master behind the impeachment conspiracy.” Like I said, there were only two (that I saw) in a protest of, like, 70,000, and they were being carried by college wackos, so clearly, they were not representative by any stretch of the imagination. I’m sure that those conspiracy theories are widely believed in the Hanchongnyeon crowd, but then again, who gives a rat’s ass what Hanchongnyeon believes.
Anyway, Paul, since the mess began, I haven’t seen anything that would resemble an anti-US rally. Things have been fairly civil, and I don’t anticipate the Boxer Rebellion any time soon.
Thanks Marmot. I have to laugh at these last two posts. I was being sarcastic, but the best sarcasm always has a little truth behind it don’t you think? Our anti-American, Bush-hating “allies” have made me a Pavlovian cynic. I “reflexively” look for the reflexive “blame the Americans for everything that happens”.
Anyway, I’m glad to hear there were only two demonstrators who lived up to my expectations. Now, to see how many in Spain are blaming the Americans for that…
And come on Hanin, at least I’m trying to understand what’s going on in South Korea. Can you even begin to fathom that here in the continental USA, not one person in a hundred — a thousand — ten thousand — is aware of an enormous constitutional crisis in South Korea?! Even on the U.S cable news channels, which I have on all day, hardly anything has been devoted to this story!
My local public broadcasting channel carries a 1/2 hour of BBC World News each night, and they have more on this than U.S cable (for example, that’s where I got to see more than just a second or two of the “rugby scrum” in the Korean legislature).
As far as “taking it or leaving it”, my vote is to LEAVE IT (meaning South Korea). Be careful what you ask for, Hanin, if you’re a South Korean; you just might end up having to “get a grip” yourself one day. The sooner the better as far as I’m concerned.
M, I am genuinely interested in any web site that would give some kind of simple English language “spectrum” of the SK political parties and leaders. Not asking anyone to create one, just link to it if you happen across it.
Got the English version up now, although in my opinion it’s not that good. Also followed your suggestion and put up trackbacks.
Thanks for the detailed explanation of the Spanish situation, Mr Shin. As it happens I already knew almost all of it, as I have some European and Middle East on-the-ground experience and languages (but none for the Far East).
I take it you’re an ROK citizen–probably a younger person? Why you chose to explain Spain to me here, when it’s a beginner’s explanation of ROK politics I need, is mystifying. I guess it’s meant as some kind of rebuke.
Are you in favor of the deployment of the 3000 ROK troops to Korea? I gather they’ve been approved for deployment, but not yet dispatched, as compared to the Japanese contingent, who I see from TV are now physically on the ground in Iraq. Correct me if I’m wrong about that, of course.
From your tone you seem to be challenging me as an American about this prospective deployment (while at the same time you personally disapprove of it)? I suspect this is the opinion of most younger ROK citizens.
Speaking for myself, I’d be happy to find the troops for this deployment from our USFK; then you could keep your troops at home and use them to take the place of the Americans, whose presence is clearly and bitterly resented by an enormous number of your fellow ROK citizens.
That should suffice to keep your subways and troops off Al Queda’s target list, and we can get our USFK off the Dear Leader’s target list. Sounds like a good deal for both of us. Plus, you get to say “Cheerio USFK” as they leave.
In the last post — I should have said “…the deployment of the 3000 ROK troops to ‘Iraq’…” (not Korea).
“Now, to see how many in Spain are blaming the Americans for that…”-Paul H.
This was the reason why I?쨈ve thought, that you haven?쨈t heard about the blame of the Spanish people directly to their own leaders. But I knew now, that this was only a rhetorical line of you. I don?쨈t wanted to put your intellect & intelligence into question, Sir. But would you put the Spaniards also between quotation marks when you type allies, if the retreat from Iraq?
“Are you in favor of the deployment of the 3000 ROK troops to Korea? I gather they’ve been approved for deployment, but not yet dispatched, as compared to the Japanese contingent, who I see from TV are now physically on the ground in Iraq. Correct me if I’m wrong about that, of course.”-Paul H.
If I?쨈m honest, I?쨈m not in favour of the deployment, because of my contra-Iraq-Invasion-stance. But for the national interests of the ROK herself and the destabilized, terror-plagued Iraq, I?쨈m grudgingly accepting the neccessity to dispatch the ROK troops for various reasons. A “I told you so.”-bickering with the US in the war-aftermath is not helpful either, to soothe the worn-out US-ROK security alliance. Yes, there are already ca. 450 engineering & medical ROK soldiers stationed near Nasiriya. At the start it has been ca. 700-750 soldiers, but the first units have returned to Korea recently. The Japanese SDF Iraq deployment get the worldwide media coverage, due to the contorversial about Article 9 (Peace article)of their constitution, which restricts the Japanese defence forces only to self-defence. But I hope, that I?쨈m not posting something, what you already know.
Roughly the half of the 3000-men-strong ROK deployment would be combat soldiers (Special Warfare Commandos and 100 ROK Marines - Korea?쨈s finest “killers” available in town)to be based in Kirkuk. Though their main assignment woul be to protect the other half of the dispatch during their rebuilding efforts.
“That should suffice to keep your subways and troops off Al Queda’s target list, and we can get our USFK off the Dear Leader’s target list. Sounds like a good deal for both of us. Plus, you get to say “Cheerio USFK” as they leave.”-Paul H.
I?쨈m not one of the Korean guys, who shouts “Yankee go home!” and less nicer swear words. But the older generations of South Koreans don?쨈t want the USFK to leave. The whole ROK society is in a bitter process of finding a unanimous policy towards the alliance and the role of the USFK in general. I wouldn?쨈t break down in tears or in despair, if the US government decides to stop the USFK presence in Korea, but also I wouldn?쨈t burn US flags (like the younger generations) and get mad before the public to dragg the alleged “evil US imperialists” out of the peninsula. It?쨈s a choice of the US public about the future destiny of the USFK and the ROK society plus political leadership have yet to formulate a clear-cut position to the topic “independent” defence or further reliance on US assistance.
Cheerio to the Partido Popular, the follow-up archconservative party of the fascist Falangists-movement of dictator Franco!
In the case of a retreat of the USFK, I wouldn?쨈t be such respectless as to the PP, I would find nicer words of a wishing-well.
Honestly, I don?쨈t believe, that the al-Quaida-scum would make any differences, if the ROK wouldn?쨈t deploy the troops for Iraq. “Warmonger” PM Aznar, the date 11th of a month and the national elections in Spain made it an easy target for al-Quaida-linked terrorist groups, who have their followers among the big islamic minority. But nobody should ignore the possibilty of an terrorist attack in metropolitan Seoul - the slackness/ sloppyness of many Koreans and bureaucratic officials towards infrastructural security flaws are infamously well-known.
http://www.pacificcouncil.org/.....01.5.pdf-A detailled study about the future political and economical course the ROK/ DPRK could take (long PDF-file “The Reshaping of Korea” 2001)
http://www.asiasociety.org/pub.....orea2.html
- A article by an Korean scholar about the 2002 President Election (issued February 2003); “President Roh Moo-hyun and the New Politics of South Korea”
http://www.cia.gov/cia/publica.....os/ks.html
- A brief, but not that up-to-date infos about ROK in statistical form issued by the CIA World factbook (yes, it has its flaws)
For more English-language-links for detailled infos about domestic political parties, policies and leaders in Korea you should ask Marmot or oranckay (http://oranckay.net/blog).
Sorry beforehand, if my post and links seems useless for your purpose.