OK, now we have former pro-democracy activists and inheritors of the “Gwangju spirit” signing a memorandum of cooperation with the descendants of those who butchered fellow pro-democracy activists at Tienanmen Square.
And the U.S. is evil because it supported South Korea’s past military dictators, right?
(Hat tip to Flying Yangban)
UPDATE: Peter over Oranckay says this isn’t as bad as it looks. Here’s part of his somewhat lengthy post on the issue:
Let’s get one thing straight. They have not agreed to be “friends” or engage in “friendship.” (Neither have military leaders from China and the United States.) What little coverage this has received in the Korean press says the agreement is about exchanging people, particularly at the party leadership level. I would not be surprised to learn that there’s more to it and expect to see more about it when they actually sign the agreement, but I guarantee you the document does not use any word that can be translated as “friendship,” and I think Yonhap’s English section was very irresponsible for its choice of words, given the sensitive nature of the issue. Heck, it’s choice of lexicon that makes it an issue.
He makes a lot of good points, and I was probably irresponsible by using the Yonhap English term “friendship.” I still think it’s a problematic agreement given the Uri Party’s rhetoric elsewhere and the nature of the CCP. But there is a difference between “friendship” and “cooperation,” especially of the kind that will appearently be agreed upon, and that should be made clear.
