Comments on: The Americans are pissed? Why, I’ll be damned!

By: slim

slim — Mon, 10 May 2004 18:35:25 +0000

Korea has always been a hard-to-fill hardship post for the USFK, for a combination of factors including those mentioned by usinkorea, but also for cultural reasons(e.g Americans’ ignorance about/squeamishness with foreign culture; a generally greater affinity with say Germany or Italy). But I’ve been hearing that many USFK soldiers are extending in Korea these days … to avoid Iraq.

The Korean government has always been a prickly customer for the U.S. or any foreign partner. The Korea media are jingoistic handmaidens of the government. They may function as a check on government in the domestic sphere, but never do they report trade or diplomatic issues pitting Korea against country X impartially.

I agree with Oranckay that the insuation-laden article is a typical example of crappy Chosun journalism. But U.S. officials in Washington have gone on record expressing exasperation at South Korean officials’ handling of the base relocation negotiation. I expect it will get worse before it gets better — especially as the Uri Party cuts its teeth.

By: Anomalous Canard

Anomalous Canard — Sat, 08 May 2004 06:42:47 +0000

So the Korean papers are parroting the news, but oh, yeah, it happens to be true?

I’m all in favor of ‘parroting’ the truth.

By: Wedge

Wedge — Fri, 07 May 2004 21:25:31 +0000

Looks like a Korean paper is once again getting used by a certain faction in the Korean government - this time the pro-U.S. faction. Being a journalist for a Korean paper has got to be one of the best jobs anywhere - you just parrot what someone tells you and you get bribes to boot (especially in cases of business reporting).

Anyway, there is some truth to this. Japan is looking like a much better ally recently. The sooner Rummy pulls 2ID out the better.

By: usinkorea

usinkorea — Fri, 07 May 2004 06:14:46 +0000

I’ve already heard both from the media and from a USFK officer that the US military already has a problem with career officers and NCOs retiring rather than being stationed in Korea. This is already a reality, not some future problem.

Since I’ve been in the US and starting a new career, I’ve been running into a good number of lower level former soldiers who did tours in Korea, and suprise suprise, they have next to nothing good to say about it. It is a tough job being prepared in a Cold War setting to begin with. Couple that will small bases and old facilities. Then couple that with knowledge that a good number of the Korean people either hate you directly or have some detached hatred of the You (USFK in general and “those” soldiers), and you can’t imagine why someone would want to do a tour in Korea.

I found plenty to make my 4 or 5 years there worth it, and I’ll go back from time to time to visit my in-laws and travel and buy Korean goods I can’t get in the US and such, but I was not a soldier.

By: mark

mark — Thu, 06 May 2004 17:32:45 +0000

I don’t think the US will leave Korea anytime soon. It’s too much of a resume-builder for the US Army general (or wannabe general) staff. Well, wait a minute…maybe that new “base-friendly” country (Iraq) can supplant Korea as the future home to thousands of young American servicepeople!

By: kevin

kevin — Thu, 06 May 2004 11:13:55 +0000

You’re obviously overqualified to be in the Foreign Service.

They’d send you to Nepal or someplace where your Korean was useless.

By: oranckay

oranckay — Thu, 06 May 2004 08:20:10 +0000

Looks like a classic case of OhmyChosun to me. They call that journalism?