Comments on: Foreigners in Korean prisons http://www.rjkoehler.com/2006/03/01/foreigners-in-korean-prisons/ Korea... in Blog Format Sun, 12 Oct 2008 21:24:09 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.2 By: kushibo http://www.rjkoehler.com/2006/03/01/foreigners-in-korean-prisons/#comment-30051 kushibo Sat, 04 Mar 2006 03:06:48 +0000 http://www.rjkoehler.com/?p=2487#comment-30051 <b>Why was that guy complaining that foreign prisoners get 100% rice when a rice-barley mix is more nutritious?</b> Because he hasn't heard of "welbing"? I was thinking the same thing, Michael. It reminds me of my personal run-in with the court system. Most foreign nationals, apparently, are funneled through a certain court so that interpreters and what-not can be more easily pooled. I was there because I was challenging a 1 million won fine for driving without a license (which I successfully got down to a 100,000 won fine for not having my license in hand), but some of the other "foreigners" there were in for violent crime or theft. While I drove myself to the courthouse, some of these people were marched in through a special entrance in the back. There was this one guy who was huge: NBA tall and NFL wide, built like the guy on "Green Mile" who cures everybody of their hacking cough. He took his time before the judge (his was a preliminary hearing of some kind) to make a complaint about the prison food: he wasn't getting enough. Apparently the rations were tantamount to starvation for someone of his size. Also, he couldn't eat any of the spicy stuff, and he asked the judge to give him a different diet. The judge said he has no control over the prison food. Next! Why was that guy complaining that foreign prisoners get 100% rice when a rice-barley mix is more nutritious?

Because he hasn’t heard of “welbing”?

I was thinking the same thing, Michael.

It reminds me of my personal run-in with the court system. Most foreign nationals, apparently, are funneled through a certain court so that interpreters and what-not can be more easily pooled.

I was there because I was challenging a 1 million won fine for driving without a license (which I successfully got down to a 100,000 won fine for not having my license in hand), but some of the other “foreigners” there were in for violent crime or theft. While I drove myself to the courthouse, some of these people were marched in through a special entrance in the back.

There was this one guy who was huge: NBA tall and NFL wide, built like the guy on “Green Mile” who cures everybody of their hacking cough.

He took his time before the judge (his was a preliminary hearing of some kind) to make a complaint about the prison food: he wasn’t getting enough. Apparently the rations were tantamount to starvation for someone of his size. Also, he couldn’t eat any of the spicy stuff, and he asked the judge to give him a different diet.

The judge said he has no control over the prison food. Next!

]]> By: usinkorea http://www.rjkoehler.com/2006/03/01/foreigners-in-korean-prisons/#comment-30044 usinkorea Fri, 03 Mar 2006 23:53:34 +0000 http://www.rjkoehler.com/?p=2487#comment-30044 The U.S. Justice Department's move to jail four Korean businessmen for fixing semiconductor prices is as alarming as it is unprecedented. No doubt, this demonstrates Washington's determination to punish those who hurt U.S. consumers' interests, regardless of where they work and live. Still, it appears excessive to throw foreigners into U.S. prisons on top of imposing heavy penalties on their companies, while pardoning a U.S. firm under the same suspicion. Fairness matters in punishing unfair competition. The U.S. Justice Department’s move to jail four Korean businessmen for fixing semiconductor prices is as alarming as it is unprecedented. No doubt, this demonstrates Washington’s determination to punish those who hurt U.S. consumers’ interests, regardless of where they work and live. Still, it appears excessive to throw foreigners into U.S. prisons on top of imposing heavy penalties on their companies, while pardoning a U.S. firm under the same suspicion. Fairness matters in punishing unfair competition.

]]> By: usinkorea http://www.rjkoehler.com/2006/03/01/foreigners-in-korean-prisons/#comment-30043 usinkorea Fri, 03 Mar 2006 23:51:37 +0000 http://www.rjkoehler.com/?p=2487#comment-30043 I'm glad to finally get something more quotable about who exactly is in this prison. I had heard only GIs and both GIs and other nationals before and could never get a definative source (if you can call the Korean English press that) on the subject. I’m glad to finally get something more quotable about who exactly is in this prison. I had heard only GIs and both GIs and other nationals before and could never get a definative source (if you can call the Korean English press that) on the subject.

]]> By: Ray http://www.rjkoehler.com/2006/03/01/foreigners-in-korean-prisons/#comment-29974 Ray Fri, 03 Mar 2006 07:37:24 +0000 http://www.rjkoehler.com/?p=2487#comment-29974 <i>Regarding R. Elgin’s comment, is it the same idea when the U.S. military played songs like “Exit Light” or some heavy metals to the prisoners overseas? I would be pleased with metals though… </i> These "troops" of ours have really bad taste in music. They should have played something from Ride The Lightning. :D Regarding R. Elgin’s comment, is it the same idea when the U.S. military played songs like “Exit Light” or some heavy metals to the prisoners overseas? I would be pleased with metals though…

These “troops” of ours have really bad taste in music.

They should have played something from Ride The Lightning.

:D

]]> By: june http://www.rjkoehler.com/2006/03/01/foreigners-in-korean-prisons/#comment-29926 june Thu, 02 Mar 2006 21:42:17 +0000 http://www.rjkoehler.com/?p=2487#comment-29926 I second michael here. I would rather get white rice with 20% barley than 100% white. Besides from its nutritional benefit, mixed grain rice has more texture and flavor that I like. Regarding R. Elgin's comment, is it the same idea when the U.S. military played songs like "Exit Light" or some heavy metals to the prisoners overseas? I would be pleased with metals though... I second michael here. I would rather get white rice with 20% barley than 100% white. Besides from its nutritional benefit, mixed grain rice has more texture and flavor that I like.

Regarding R. Elgin’s comment, is it the same idea when the U.S. military played songs like “Exit Light” or some heavy metals to the prisoners overseas? I would be pleased with metals though…

]]> By: iwshim http://www.rjkoehler.com/2006/03/01/foreigners-in-korean-prisons/#comment-29925 iwshim Thu, 02 Mar 2006 21:41:51 +0000 http://www.rjkoehler.com/?p=2487#comment-29925 http://www.google.com/search?as_q=&num=10&hl=en&rls=GGLG,GGLG:2005-29,GGLG:en&btnG=Google Search&as_epq=Steve Kuack&as_oq=&as_eq=&lr=&as_ft=i&as_filetype=&as_qdr=all&as_occt=any&as_dt=i&as_sitesearch=&as_rights=&safe=images He does seem to have some gems. http://www.google.com/search?a.....tnG=Google Search&as_epq=Steve Kuack&as_oq=&as_eq=&lr=&as_ft=i&as_filetype=&as_qdr=all&as_occt=any&as_dt=i&as_sitesearch=&as_rights=&safe=images

He does seem to have some gems.

]]> By: R. Elgin http://www.rjkoehler.com/2006/03/01/foreigners-in-korean-prisons/#comment-29920 R. Elgin Thu, 02 Mar 2006 13:02:22 +0000 http://www.rjkoehler.com/?p=2487#comment-29920 <blockquote>To receive their three daily meals, each one is served through a hole in the concrete. With the end of breakfast, Korean radio is blared into cells until 9 p.m. to entertain the prisoners with basically the same halfdozen Korean folk songs everyday.</blockquote> Forget the problems the article's author may have; if this quote is factual, this is straight up torture (I am serious here). Not only is the justice system in Korea terribly disfunctional but they really *do* resort to mindless torture here. Even criminals should not be treated in this manner.

To receive their three daily meals, each one is served through a hole in the concrete. With the end of breakfast, Korean radio is blared into cells until 9 p.m. to entertain the prisoners with basically the same halfdozen Korean folk songs everyday.

Forget the problems the article’s author may have; if this quote is factual, this is straight up torture (I am serious here). Not only is the justice system in Korea terribly disfunctional but they really *do* resort to mindless torture here. Even criminals should not be treated in this manner.

]]> By: Robert http://www.rjkoehler.com/2006/03/01/foreigners-in-korean-prisons/#comment-29918 Robert Thu, 02 Mar 2006 11:03:41 +0000 http://www.rjkoehler.com/?p=2487#comment-29918 peemil-The joke was supposed to refer to the fact that unlike the prisoners of other nationalities, many of whom (according to the story) are in pen for non-violent crimes, the Mongolians are in for manslaughter. peemil-The joke was supposed to refer to the fact that unlike the prisoners of other nationalities, many of whom (according to the story) are in pen for non-violent crimes, the Mongolians are in for manslaughter.

]]> By: peemil http://www.rjkoehler.com/2006/03/01/foreigners-in-korean-prisons/#comment-29916 peemil Thu, 02 Mar 2006 09:51:09 +0000 http://www.rjkoehler.com/?p=2487#comment-29916 I mean- You seem pretty certain that pissing off your Mongolian in-laws could result in terrible retribution. Just wondering if you're speaking from experience? I mean- You seem pretty certain that pissing off your Mongolian in-laws could result in terrible retribution. Just wondering if you’re speaking from experience?

]]> By: peemil http://www.rjkoehler.com/2006/03/01/foreigners-in-korean-prisons/#comment-29915 peemil Thu, 02 Mar 2006 09:43:23 +0000 http://www.rjkoehler.com/?p=2487#comment-29915 "And if you, like me, are a Westerner married to a Mongolian, don’t piss off your inlaws." I want to know what he did with the goats. “And if you, like me, are a Westerner married to a Mongolian, don’t piss off your inlaws.”

I want to know what he did with the goats.

]]>