"Upon my return to Korea, I will stand at the head of an anti-American movement, demanding that the Patriot missiles be withdrawn."
Gwangju mayor Park Kwang-tae is pissed. The 18 men of the mayor’s delegation, which is on an investment promotion tour of the United States, were subjected to hour-long security searches at San Francisco International Airport, according to the Munhwa Ilbo (and reprinted in OhMyNews). This included the mayor himself. The searches began at 6:40 a.m. and finished at 8:05. They were even subjected to an Entry Scan, which shoots compressed air at the searchee and then analyzes it for explosive traces. Airport security personnel even searched the mayor’s wallet and briefcase.
Park and his delegation were carrying official passports.
According to the Munhwa Ilbo, the Americans and Japanese on the flight passed through customs in about 10 minutes following simple searches.
Anyway, as I mentioned before, Park is not a happy camper. He said:
"If even people carrying official passports are subject to such humiliation, we can know what kind of humiliation ordinary Korean citizens suffer, even if we don’t see it."
He then said:
"If the U.S. side doesn’t apologize and promise to end its discriminatory treatment, I will strongly demand to the U.S. that they remove Patriot missiles deployed near Gwangju Airport last year."
He added that he would also actively consider the closure of the "American Corner" that was opened at Gwangju’s Mudeung Library in 2003.
Well, I hope he enjoys the rest of that investment promotion trip.
35 Comments
I kind of feel sorry for the mayor. I’ve had to put up with enough of this panic-induced stupidity on the part of American airport security but not to the extent that the mayor got it. If it is any consolation to the mayor, Senator Kennedy himself was denied boarding, more than once, simply because some man with a criminal record had the same name.
When American Government goes stupid, we do it big-time.
Anger understandable. Remarks, inappropriate.
If you’re a terrorist, use Japanese, French, British, and other rich country passports. They get a special free pass and a VIP preferential guest treatment.
Sorry, anger NOT understandable. No alien has a right to enter the United States. The United States has a right to secure its borders and make sure those entering aren’t up to nefarious purposes, because you never know what people are up to.
This guy is either (a) a juveline in big-boy clothes; (b) an anti-American who was already pushing at the closet door; or (c) both. I would add that he says this stuff because he sees a political market for it.
Put the shoe on the other foot: say the Mayor of Tulsa flies into Singapore, where the security is quite aggressive about searching travelers and their bags for dope. Singapore treats Mayor like any other person, status notwithstanding, and searches him because of some sixth sense that the Mayor triggers in the security officer. Mayor gives the stereotypical “Do-you-know-who-I-am?” treatment to the poor security nug, then dashes off to call Senator Blowhard demanding that we revoke our free-trade pact. I have little doubt that many would see that as stereotypical Ugly American behavior.
What’s uniquely Korean about this, sadly, is the expectation that status elevates certain people above the law, and puts others beneath it. Sure, he tacks on the populist appeal to how ordinary Koreans are treated (despite the fact that Koreans are among the top violators of U.S. immigration laws), but it’s apparent that this guy is mad that his status doesn’t buy him a red carpet.
This is very good news. The US should not let these Korean Commies in. They may attack white house for all I know. These known anti-American activists should be blocked from entering the US. At the present time, most of Korean officials have anti-American activity records, including this mayor for sure. Stop them and send them back to Korea.
The US should be tough on enforcing this anti-American rule. Some of these Korean officials are almost terrorists and/or terrorists in the making. Kick them out.
Till the next administration, which will be pro-American, comes in, the US should not admit any of these Commies from Korea. I even propose stopping Korean Airline and Asiana Airline from flying over continental USA because they may be transporting a group of Anti-American terrorists. If this action is taken by the US, Korean Commies from the present government will disappear faster than snow in the sun.
“where the security is quite aggressive about searching travelers and their bags for dope. ”
This is a mayor on a diplomatic and economic mission we’re talking about, not some ordinary traveler. Come on, most of the time, governments on official missions get special treatments. If you’re concerned with terrorism coming from S.Korea, then check out everyone. It’s more likely that a French would be a terrorist (they have far more Muslim population) rather than a Korean, and yet, this probably would not have happened to a French government official.
Having said that, I do agree, the mayor shouldn’t be going around threatning ultimatums - which is very unprofessional and conduct unbecoming.
“Some of these Korean officials are almost terrorists and/or terrorists in the making. Kick them out.”
You are right partially right. But in this case, I have a feeling the mayor wasn’t as anti-American before he arrived in the US.
Please, PLEASE make us leave Gwangju. I can think of a few other places which would be much more grateful than Jeolla-do for protection from Scuds and No-Dongs.
Actually, the mayor probably knows that North Korea targeting Gwangju would be the equivalent of fratricide (friendly fire), so he has nothing to lose from his constituency by these remarks.
Jackass.
I have an official US passport, a TS clearance and my wife and I still got the special searches at all the airports we passed through in the US. Keep up the good work TSA, not!
Yes security searches are frustrating but I don’t think it was an action directed toward only Koreans.
Last time I was in the U.S. in September, I was traveling with 2 different Korean delegations. Our destinations included: New York City, Chicago and Detroit. I was the only one with a U.S. passport (non-government) and the other guys were with Korean government passports quite similar to what Mr. Mayor was carrying.
Out of our entire group, I was the only one who was taken aside for security checks. This happened EVERY time we flew, not just once. I’m pretty sure it was pure coicindence.
Of course some individuals complained anyway because I was the one holding them up as they waited for me to pass through but strangely enough, it was the lone American who was searched as the Koreans were allowed to pass.
That’s just how it is in the U.S. these days. We can’t change it. Might as well accept it. No need to lead an anti-American campaign (and that certainly is not going to help bring in U.S. investment, I can tell you that much.)
Is it a genetic trait for propensity to throw tantrums at airports?
Maybe the problem is with San Francisco Airport. Not only me (a US passport holder residing in Korea), but a few other people I know who are living in Korea have gotten obnoxious treatment there. Enough that it might indicate a pattern.
Or maybe the person in charge saw the official Korean passports and thought they were North Koreans.
The funniest thing about the whole story is that that the mayor made his comments while on an investment promotion tour in the U.S. I mean, I wonder if he considered whether I comment like, oh, “?? ?? ????? ??? ?? ? ????? ?????,” might not be the best thing to say when the purpose of his visit to the United States is to encourage U.S. investors to invest in his city. And I’m sure one of his mission goals was to dispel the belief that Gwangju is a bastion of anti-Americanism. I mean, I understand how he might be pissed off, but still, perhaps the mayor might have wished to cool down some before running his mouth off.
Well, some people speak at a faster rate than they can think…
Yes! To the comment above about SFO. Nice airport, but the immigration people there can be real jasiks. I’m an American citizen, see, and yet one time years ago they pulled me aside and asked me my whole life story and what I was doing in SK when I wasn’t in the military.
First, they were on official, not diplomatic passports (as long as that report is accurate). Huge difference.
Second, we dont know what sort of ticket they had. One-way tickets have a very high full search rate, since most terrorists in the past had that sort of ticket (the smart terrorist would now purchase a round-trip, making the one-way ticket search rather outdated, but).
Third, judging from his obnoxious comments, he may have given enough lip to the TSA folks that they decided to exercise their full authority to be a pain in the ass back at him. Given what we know (about how TSA can be and about how much of an arse Park obviously is), this seems like a very real possibility.
I dont feel sorry for the guy at all. Too bad they didnt get out the gloves to go hard and deep.
I think Kushibo brought up a good point. “Korea” could be a buzzword for airport security to check any government officials. I sometimes get this question,”Is South Korea a Communist nation or North Korea? I forget which is which.”
These security personnels are local high school grads playing keystone cops. They are just doing their job with the best of their abilities. No reason to get mad at someone with good work ethics.
I think maybe the “North Korea/South Korea” confusion could be the explanation. My own travels take me through SFO annually and when clearing immigration I routinely get the raised-eyebrow (”North or South?”) treatment when I tell them I’ve arrived from Korea. No body-cavity search, though — have to go to Castro District for that.
So, the mayor of a big South Korean city gets delayed some hours at the intial airport in the US……
Oh my God, chicken little, the sky is falling!!!
How DARE THEY!!! Delay M-E!!
Was he going to SF to promote trade or in several places in the US?
If just SF (was he even promoting trade in SF?), why wasn’t someone from the city there to meet him?
The police are like the military, everybody loves to b- about them, until they need them.
I am the same way every time I get pulled over for speeding. “Go bust some crack dealers, why don’t ya?!”
I think someone commenting above pointed out how passports can be forged. Good point.
If the mayor of Atlanta were travelling to Seoul to promote trade, and he were held up in Inchon’s security area, and he came out spouting a bunch of high flying rhetoric about how it was because Koreans are KKK type racists and he was stopped just because he’s black and how the US military should be withdrawn from such a racist nation….and so on…..
I hope not a heck of lot of Americans would start nodding their heads, and more than a handful would feel ashamed about such a twit…
Being mayor of Kwangju doesn’t make you a or or even Michael Jackson.
You aren’t even that high up on the dignitary totem pole.
So, take the inconvience and shut up…
usinkorea, you are a moron. if you get pulled over for speeding, you are actually breaking a law. entering an american airport is not, to my knowledge, a crime. whether or not the delegation is promoting trade in sf is redundant, as nobody from the city would be able to meet them as they went through security.
customs at the san fransico airport is ridiculously paranoid. confusion over north or south korea is not an excuse. one would hope the officials are capable of reading a passport, which would clarify which country the potential terrorist/foreigner is coming from.
korea is one of the US’s most important allies, and if a trade delegation from the states were treated the same way in Korea, i shudder to think of the comments i would find here.
“i shudder to think of the comments i would find here.”
I have a feeling this won’t just go away. Usually reciprocity follows in immigration policies.
Let’s say US’s mayor of a fifth largest city (Dallas?) and his aides and reporters come to visit Korea. They get strip searched and put into an isolation room. Would this be considered as an act of
1) Anti-Americanism?
or
2) Good security against terrorism?
Has this kind of stuff ever happen in Incheon Airport? Maybe we’ll find out soon with the APEC meeting.
Although he is a (??)??, the administrative units of Korea would make him the equivalent of a governor (since ??? are at the same level as ?).
Your point about breaking a law is fine. I still think the general situation fits.
Nobody likes the police or authority figures to delay their free will. If I am wrong on that, you have an uphill climb to correct me. The airport is a perfect example. People always b*tch about being delayed. I was held up at Korea’s immigration for no good reason and almost missed my plane — they had to hold it for me, just because some guy at the ticket counter was over zealous.
Did I walk about ranting about racist Korea and say the US should remove USFK?
but, I’m not the mayor of Kwangju or Atlanta. Being such is so important, everyone should move out of my way and instantly be impressed when I tell them who I am (if I were).
Next, nobody has said in the real event the security people mistook the guy as a North Korean. That was a thought added by a commentor. We don’t know why this one Asian person was singled out other than the standard “routine check” statement the security people gave the press.
And as I said, if the mayor of Atlanta had nothing more happen to him than being held up at immigration for a few hours in Inchon’s air port,
Also, how many of you have seen that show I think A&E or the History Channel is doing on airports and what those people have to deal with day in and day out? And how many important people do you think go through SF’s international airport?
usinkorea,
I think the point that several people are making here is not that he’s so important because he’s the mayor/governor of Kwangju, but that a whole group of government representatives on official passports from the ROK were treated this way.
I suspect something was going on, be it stupidity (thinking they were North Koreans) or something else. SFO has a bad track record.
According to the Chosun Daily article, the good mayor and crew were delayed by 1 hour and 45 minutes. I’d like to know if that was just the time with the security people or the total time it took to get bags pass through customs and immigration and the extra scrutiny. Either way, it was just 1 hour and 45 minutes.
There is nothing about a strip search or making him sit nude in a cell. It says there was a “full body search” which could be a pat down or rub over with a wand.
And, my goodness, they searched his belongings!! How can he look people in the eye after such humiliation?!
They were delayed 1 hour and 45 minutes and had their stuff searched — in an airport…..
wow….
usinkorea,
The article doesn’t say they were delayed for an hour, it says that the security searches themselves lasted over an hour, beginning at 6:40 a.m. and finishing at 8:05.
Over one hour of security searches that include full-body searches for people on official passports? If the tables were turned and this had happened to a U.S. citizen on an official passport, we’d be hearing about it.
That’s not to say that Park ???? is not overreacting, but this does sound a bit much.
Official passports dont mean much. The person could be a senior government official, a junior office clerk, or the director of trash collection. Either way it doesnt earn any special privileges.
More than likely those security personnel had no particular issues with Koreans. The first inspector they hit could have been grumpy that day. Or, as the Mayors tantrum suggests, he may have been behaving like a pompous prick and invited some extra scrutiny.
The mayor must not have realized that in America even someone as powerful and famous as Ted Kennedy can get harassed at the airport. Being mayor of Kwangju may get him special status in Korea, but he is just another traveler at an American airport.
“Official passports dont mean much. ”
Really?? Granted, the mayor was a prick for not controlling his temper, but then what’s the use of issuing different types of passports? (which I find hard to believe).
The Chosun Daily article is specific in saying delayed for 1 hour and 45 minutes. And the more I have thought about, the more I’m going to need clarification on “full body search” because the more I think about it, the more I doubt it was much of an outrage.
If they had strip searched him or the like, I’m sure we would have heard about it given what he did b*tch about loudly. I get the feeling “full body search” probably means being patted down or having the wand run around him.
And the more I’ve thought about it, the further away I am getting from the people here who view this as some kind of mistake and/or outrage.
Do you guys think a terrorist or someone connected to a terrorist group — say, a scout or message carrier or whatever — is going to come in on a real passport — perhaps one marked, “I’m a terrorist, please inspect me”?
If the type of passport the mayor of Kwangju was carrying gives a nod and a wave passed security, don’t you think terrorists or smugglers or people with the money and desire to buy quality fake passports would take note and use that hole? Like I’ve seen a couple of undercover news orgs do with airline pilot flight suits and fake airport name tags….
Next, I’m sure anybody who has flown since 9/11 have seen the security people pull aside an old lady or old man to have them take off their shoes or do some other rest they do for security reasons. It is obvious they don’t just pull out people who look devious or just people who they think might look like a terrorist or criminal.
And that is a good thing. If you leave holes open, those who want to exploit it will.
“Official passports don’t mean much. …. Really??”
Again, so because he has an official passport, he should be bowed too and waved through security?
…….They made him open his bags……ohhhh, boy, what an outrage….
they delayed him and his group 1 hour and 45 minutes…..oh my gosh!!! what a horrible thing to do?
They patted him down!!! the horror, the horror!!
There is nothing in what was said about what they did to this man or his group matches either the amount of rhetoric he used or what we have seen in these comments.
And if Inchon airport just waves through anybody with an official passport with a nod and smile, it isn’t much of a security system……
“Do you guys think a terrorist or someone connected to a terrorist group — say, a scout or message carrier or whatever — is going to come in on a real passport — perhaps one marked, “I’m a terrorist, please inspect me”?”
Of course not. They’ll just use Japanese and French government official passports because they get a free pass, apparantly, while Korean government official passports are treated like officials of the Osama Bin Laden organization bent on blowing up the White House. The problem here is, Usinkorea, is the inconsistency of application of rules. I believe the Kwangju mayor would not have blown his Anti-American hair line tops if he hadn’t seen American and Japanese officials get kid glove treatment while he gets to ride the back of the bus. It’s not the hour and half of waiting time or the patting down, right down to the wallets, that’s not the point. And I know how immigration officers tend to get depending their mood of the day.
If I was in his shoes, I’d probably felt the same thing. What I would not have done though, is childishly whine and say something I may not be able to back it up.
Again, I’m not talking about passports of average Kim from Korea - that’s an entirely different scenario.
Nobody is trying to bash the US, just that some people in the immigration departments whether they be in the US, Canada, or Korea need to use their brains once in a while. You needn’t be so defensive.
But that doesn’t get the point in airport security either.
They don’t put every individual to identical searches each time.
We’ve all seen this. I’ve gone through immigration and customs in the US with little question and just walking out with my bags, and I’ve been stopped and asked to open my bags up at other times. Some people get stopped. Others don’t.
And thus, it is harder for those wishing to do dirty things to figure out a game plan on how to skirt the system or raise the probablity of getting through.
And again, look what the guy is compaining about…..it isn’t extreme at all. It is a little delay - which would probably have been faster if he had just gone with the program.
And as I said before, I understand the frustration those people feel who are stopped and are chosen for the spot checks.
But, it sounds to me like people are jumping too quickly to the idea this “should never have happened” to the point it seems like if we put into effect the kind of security (or lack of it) suggested by the comments siding with the Kwangju mayor, we’d be taking steps backward rather than forward.
1 hour and 45 minutes. Pass through the new devices for bomb control. Opening his brief case and wallet.
Not a horrible experience given the nature of the world today and the type of security measures that are needed.
The point isn’t that the security people only look for people who look like criminals or those they believe look like they would carry a bomb.
People like the mayor should get off his high horse and stop acting like just because he and crew were picked out for the tests they were treating them like criminals.
And/or he should get over the fact being mayor of Kwangju isn’t the same as being President Roh….
Official passports dont mean much. Really?? then what’s the use of issuing different types of passports?
Yes, really. Official means they are likely on some sort of government business. That could be anything from seeking investments to checking out the latest in U.S. sewage treatment technologies. The people carrying official passports could be almost anyone working for or with the government (assuming the passports are legit).
Every government has some criminal elements in it. The U.S., European nations, Korea, all have the same problem. Civil service is like any other sector of society, there is a criminal element within. (Though not quite like SKs brothers in the North who run drugs on diplomatic passports).
Hey, perhaps the security guy was not up to speed on geo-political affairs and mistook them for those other Korean government officials who deal in drugs and counterfeit money.
Any way you look at it the only one who should be apologizing is the Mayor for officially embarrassing his city and his country.
For being so arrogant, unprofessional and naive, the Mayor is inadvertantly quite an accurate representative of his nation. This is precisely the behavior American visitors should expect of Koreans
mamahumu: “usinkorea, you are a moron. if you get pulled over for speeding, you are actually breaking a law. entering an american airport is not, to my knowledge, a crime.”
Mamahumu, it may not be a criome to fail to cooperate with US security procedures, but not very smart. Actually, the Mayor was not treated as a criminal - he was simply asked to undergo a routine security check.
Kimbob: “The problem here is, Usinkorea, is the inconsistency of application of rules. I believe the Kwangju mayor would not have blown his Anti-American hair line tops if he hadn’t seen American and Japanese officials get kid glove treatment while he gets to ride the back of the bus.”
The Mayor is not an especially famous personality so if his staff did not coordinate the visit properly with local officials, how can you possibly place the blame on parties in the US?
As for inconsistency, that is precisely what deters terror. What Koreans need to learn is that you can’t just expect favorable treatment because of your position. You get back what you put in and these Japanese officials may have had more organized and professional business travel planners.
no one cares about this idiot
oh let him demand the removal of the patriots
they arent going anywhere anytime soon
Could the fact that the mayor was pulled out for extra security checks have anything to do with the policy of not profiling for terrorists? Just pick every ninth passenger and subject them to scrutiny, whether they’re a 90-year old granny or a diplomat for another country? The leftist mayor’s leftist counterparts in the US have made profiling an impossibility so anyone, no matter how unlikely can be pulled aside.
Mind you, I think SK leftists are quite different than other leftists, after all, SK ones don’t seem to have a problem with human rights violations, if committed by follow ‘leftists’. Hmm, actually, maybe they are just like most leftists after all.
Even if profiling were legal, such random checks in the different lines and in customs would need to be made for non-terrorist related purposes — like smuggling and such.
We have to get passed the idea that people checked are targeted solely because the authorities think they might really be terrorist or smugglers.
They can’t check everybody. Well, they can, but until terrorism becomes common place on a massive scale, it is unrealistic to set up a system where every person and bag is checked.
So, these spot checks are meant to keep the real bad guys worried about getting caught.
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