[Updated: a picture of a masked blond with her tongue out has been removed since this item was orginially posted. LSB]
When Korean expat bloggers aren’t busy categorizing each other or musing on the attendance philosophies of their students, they’re talking about life and death matters such as these:
U.S. President George W. Bush expressed condolences on Friday to the family of a South Korean woman, who was killed by a U.S. military truck in a car accident on a road north of Seoul.
Bush?????s swift response to the tragic accident which took place hours ago came at a joint press conference with South Korean President Roh Moo-hyun after their summit talks in Washington.
“I first want to express my country?????s deepest condolences for the accident that took place, where a U.S. military vehicle killed a Korean woman,?????????? he told Roh in front of the reporters. “And we send our deepest sympathies to the woman?????s families.
The Korean expat blogosphere is atwitter with the news of another Korean civilian death associated with the U.S. military’s continuing presence here in Korea.
At least one G.I. blogger based in Korea summed up the situation this way:
One of my greatest fears since arriving in Korea has been that I might be involved in one of these accidents. I’ve been a holy terror to some of my driver’s when I didn’t think they were paying adequate attention to the road. If he faces trial in a Korean court God help him. Ever since the two girls incident I’ve been convinced that the Army will leave the next guys involved in something like this out to dry.
Kushibo writes of his personal reaction upon learning of the story:
On Friday night I had drinks with some people associated with US interests here in Seoul. They recounted the very stressful afternoon they had in the wake of news that a 51-year-old Korean woman had been killed by a vehicle driven by a USFK truck at 2 p.m. that day in Tongduch’??n. With reports that there were already to be vigils marking the third anniversary of the two junior high school girls tragically killed by a USFK military vehicle in 2002, which sparked a major wave of anti-Americanism that year, there was a great deal of concern that a new round of angry protests would be coming.
I went to bed on Friday night without looking at any news sites, fearing it would make me too upset about the ensuing chaos. The next morning, I was surprised at what I found — or didn’t find.
Dog Stew links to an effort by some American Korean and Vietnam War veterans to stop what they consider the “hardline” policies of the current American presidental adminstration. Dog Stew quotes the group’s Website as saying:
Unfortunately, it is unlikely that the U.S. government will change its misguided, hard-line policy on North Korea unless American people demand the change first. Therefore, we have launched the Korea Peace Campaign, a grassroots American peoples????? campaign to bring the Korean War to a final end through promotion of genuine peace, reconciliation and friendship between American and Korean people.
One Free Korea links to a column in The Washington Times (Owned by a certain Rev. Moon) that says the DPRK should at least be given the chance to explore the Vietnamese model for former Stalinist states.
I’ve never considered myself a great fan of Brookings or Michael O’Hanlon, but I may need to reassess my thinking. His comment in today’s Washington Times is one of the more insightful things I’ve seen in the last five years.
Of the randomly selected Korean-based blogs I sampled, The Empty Bottle has the best design, by far.
The blog, “What Not To Do In Asia” indicates that no matter what may be happening with the DPRK, we expats here in Korea haven’t lost our ablity to have fun.
Another somewhat amusing blog may be found here.
This quote from the U.S. Secretary of State linked to by The Lost Nomad provides us with our “Korea, Assigment of Choice” moment before we leave the Korean expat blogosphere this week:
Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said on Monday she did not know whether North Korean leader Kim Jong-il was sane, a remark that could anger Pyongyang’s unpredictable ruler.
Asked if she thought Kim was sane during an interview with MSNBC’s “Hardball with Chris Matthews,” Rice replied: “I don’t know. I’ve never met the man.”
25 Comments
Okay, on this I have to comment. As you know, I haven’t criticized your contributions, and I think certain contributors have been giving you an unreasonably rough ride ’round these here parts.
But in a post that tackles some very serious and sobering issues (which I don’t have a problem with your doing, unlike some other commenters), did you really have to put up that picture of a blonde woman in a mask with her tongue sticking out!? I mean, you’ve got the traffic accident taking up half the post, and comments by Condi at the bottom, and this photo in between? It’s a bit jarring.
Just wondering….
The post is a survey of what’s going on in the Korean expat blogosphere, so I felt it was ok to mix ideas.
The photo in question was too striking — and good– to pass up, IMHO.
It didn’t even occur to me that someone might think it was offensive.
If it is, I’m truly sorry.
I will be more sensitive to possible problems like this in the future.
I have removed the picture and noted the edit in the post.
I wouldn’t mind a whole page of attractive women sticking their tongues out, actually, just not when it’s mixed in with the latest serious news out of Korea!
Given the nature of this post, I broke two rules I have previously stated I would follow:
It is somewhat wry.
There are a lot of links.
Outside of this type of twinkie type post, I will adhere to a strict no-grin policy. The lots of links come from the simple fact that that is, like, the point of the post.
Grins are fine. A post on a completely irreverent topic would be fine, and a lighthearted and much relief relief from the dreariness that is contemporary Korean politics! Just not in the same article as the traffic accident in Dongducheon/Tongduch?€™??n or the latest diplomatically couched statements out of the Beltway.
Er, “much welcome relief.” Must…get…sleep….
Can we make non-Marmot posts pink or something so I don’t accidentally read them? Bumgarner really sucks ass.
Thorin, that was a bit harsh (but else would we expect from someone named after a radioactive isotope of radon?
). Bumgarner may suck ass (though I don’t really agree with that), but here at Marmot’s we explain why and how he sucks ass. And then people fisk your analysis of why and how.
And Bumgarner, good call on nixing the photo (but really, really bad call on sticking it in in the first place). For criminy sake, someone DIED. Appearing to make light of that is the kind of stuff that attracts VANK. We are NOT trying to turn this into Mamot Spectrum.
Anyway, let’s all show some respect for the deceased.
In Shelton’s defense, the picture was in a section of the article unrelated to the Tongduchn/Dongducheon incident. Nevertheless, the visuals were all wrong, and someone could easily have gotten the wrong impression.
I regret that I did not appriciate the reaction putting such a picture *anywhere* in a review that mentioned such a death would produce.
I believe, if nothing else, my reaction to Curious’ orginial comment on the picture’s placement shows that while I may in fact “suck ass” I am a person who is willing to work towards “sucking ass” less.
I am now more sensitive and it won’t happen again.
Somehow, with all the picking on you that’s going on, your new gravatar of the uber-nebbishy 70s-vintage Woody Allen is somehow apt!
Can we make non-Marmot posts pink or something so I don?€™t accidentally read them? Bumgarner really sucks ass.
While I am unaware of anyway to put my posts in “pink” (why pink?)
I will begin to put another, bigger byline on my posts so that I won’t upset anyone’s gentle sensiblities with my suckassatood.
appriciateOne other thing about your posts (as opposed to your comments): Make sure you spell things correctly. There’s nothing that shrinks the caliber of a post like bad spelling or grammar. (This goes for everyone.)
Hey, just don’t name any names. My grammar has been singularly attrocious today!
Curious, if you were writing a post, I’m sure you would check its spelling and grammar and then upload it. And then you would check it again and make occasional changes.
As I mentioned, in a comment rather than a post, grammatical and spelling errors are more forgivable.
In some ways, I’m glad there’s no “delete” option here, because knowing how persnickety I am about my own writing, I’d never get any comments posted, since I’d post, read it, delete it, rewrite, repost it, reread it, etc….
I made that mistake in a comment, not a post.
But I understand what you’re saying.
Again, I can’t change how I started writing here, but I’m damn sure can change the present and the future.
And also — yeah, I didn’t really participate here before I started posting, but I know I’m a pretty good writer, regardless of the comments about me “sucking ass” so I knew I had the proper toolkit in my head to at least be given a shot.
I just didn’t realize the “sociable media” aspect of posting for a blog of this popularity.
Are you happy, ‘dana boyd?” I used your numbskull idea in a serious manner.
Sigh.
wink
Shelton, I mentioned this on another thread: in your Ahssa! profile, you say you’ve long had an interest in Korea. What interests you about it? Some posts exploring whatever it is that appeals to you about this place (er, that placeI’m 5000 miles away) would be interesting.
The Old “Link positive thoughts to the other bloggers as a ploy to increase my popularity” ploy, eh Shelton.
Marmot, seriously WTF? This new guy is like your Abraham Lincoln: War Criminal post personified.
P.S. I like the word ploy.
Hey guys, especially Thorin, chill out on Shelton. And you know the worst thing about the photo? I didn’t get to see it!!
I’d rather you posted it and left it, or took it off and didnt mention it. Oh well, if I want pretty girl pics I can look at the BOA posting. I guess.
Marmot, seriously WTF? This new guy is like your Abraham Lincoln: War Criminal post personified.
Hey, I liked my Honest Abe post.
The Old ?€œLink positive thoughts to the other bloggers as a ploy to increase my popularity?€? ploy, eh Shelton.
Sigh.
Sometimes, when your lady is having a visit from Aunt Flow, you just bow your head, take a deep breath and say, “Yes, dear.”
That’s how I feel about some of these comments to my posts — nothing I say is going to make a lick of difference until I prove myself to be worthy of the Marmot’s Hole Brand Name.
Give me time.
It’ll all start up again in 28 days, regardless. wink