UPDATE: If the Foreign Ministry wasn’t scary enough, an NIS official warned protesters that if they attempted to harm themselves or threw “dangerous substances” at public buildings, U.S. authorities could charge them with violations of counter-terrorism laws, meaning their stay in the pen would be a long one.
ORIGINAL POST: Korean anti-FTA activists are planning a rally in Washington, and the Foreign Ministry ain’t happy about it:
South Korea’s foreign minister and four other Cabinet members on Friday denounced a plan by the country’s labor organization to stage a rally in the United States to protest a proposed free trade agreement (FTA) between the two countries.
In a joint statement read by Foreign Minister Ban Ki-moon at his ministry, the five ministers said the dispatch of a protest group to the United States would seriously undermine the relationship between the countries, while also causing great inconvenience for “all other” South Koreans.
“A protest expedition by certain organizations could inconvenience all of our people as it may have a negative effect on our efforts to negotiate the visa-waiver program with the United States,” said the statement, also signed by Deputy Prime Minister for Finance Han Duck-soo.
Gee, you think?
And please tell me the embassy hasn’t given visas to these clowns yet.
Anyway, from the Korean eDaily report:
Ban said, “We ask that the protest delegation understand that in the event of an unforeseen situation, like a violation of [local] laws, it would harm Korea’s national image and there would be a limit to what our government could do regarding measures taken by local judicial authorities.”
Read: American cops are unlikely to put up with the same kind of nonsense Korean riot cops deal with, and the American courts are unlikely to bend over like Hong Kong’s did.
Nevertheless, according to Yonhap, the Korean Foreign Ministry did request Washington’s “cooperation and leniency regarding the South Korean protesters.” Just in case.
And who knows? Maybe they can hook up with the Dokdo Riders and make it a U.S. tour! Kinda like “Easy Rider” meets the opening scene from “Jin Roh.”
12 Comments
They don’t need to worry about the cops in the US, all they ned to worry about is if they block the road and a pissed off cabbie comes along. Seriously, I would really, really doubt they get violent if they had a road trip–no bamboo poles in the US but plenty of baseball bats. First, they won’t have the numbers, and they’d realize that no one around them is on their side.
I would actually encourage them to go the US–it would be great to see how it backfires.
One last comment: surprise surprise, ‘image’ was brought up.
Maybe they can cut expenses by hitching a ride with the Dokdo Riders.
Yeah, I’m sure they could pick up a fleet of cheap used Daelim motorcycles and head cross-country. Good gas mileage on those 125cc engines, though it might be September by the time they arrive in Washington.
Time to notify the Homeland Security department about these Koreans. Homeland Security agents should access Korean database to find out the background of each Korean entering the US soil. And, turn back any who has Commie affiliations. The US embassy should declare six month freeze on all visa issue.
The Transportation department should immediately stop KAL and ASINA flights over Continental USA. These companies should only allowed to land in Hawaii. Who knows, these Korean Commies may do 9/11-like attack on the White House.
Do these things! Average Koreans will be so mad about these Commies messing up their chance of visiting the US. They may even beat these Commies in the streets. And, it is about time to do just that.
These Commies like to travel in groups. They do not think individually; they have very low IQ.
Just arrest them when they land in Los Angeles. The title of the crime : To act in anti-American manner, to cause unrest, to interfere with American soverignity, to endanger American government. (For being a Commie!)
Send them to the Guantinamo bay prison in Panama. Put them in solitary confinement. Don’t give them any food. Let them experience North Korea.
To act in an un-American manner? Is someone here channeling the ghost of Joe McCarthy?
Somehow I doubt that this will really make much of an impact in America, even if all the protestors who want to go actually make it. If anything, the SK ministers are overreacting (like always) to a non-existent crisis. Provided the protestors stay peaceful (or at least limit their activities to harming themselves), they probably won’t even make the 6 o’clock news here. On the other hand, even if they do turn violent, they’ll likely just get the everloving hell beat out of them and be quietly deported a few days later (and not necessarily make the 6 o’clock news, either).
BTW, Baduk - Guantanimo (however you spell it) is in Cuba, not Panama. Just FYI.
You know and I know and these roadkills who are actually coming know that they are coming to the US for fun - their itinerary will most likely include Las Vegas and Disneyland.
However, the real Commies who put up the money to send these jokers do not know that. Or, pretend not to know that.
So, as to avoid the blame, these clowns may attempt to do something stupid. Like beating down the WhiteHouse door. Or, die trying. These mofos are as stupid as they come and you never know what they think.
Ghost of Joe McCarthy or whatever, I would not risk any more of 9/11-like mishaps. Just arrest them in the LAX. Send them back to Korea, where they belong(actually NK). Do not let them in.
No, baduk. They would just blame the U.S., as usual.
As one bumbling U.S. President said “bring it on”. The DC police are allowed to use tear gas and put up a legitimate defense against violent nuts.
Actually some posters at Korean newspapers are advocating “Just shoot ‘em”. They are waiting for the US cops to show how to maintain order properly. Not one of those “bamboo sticks and police shields” nonsense going on in Korea.
They are also advocating to lock those “blood writers” up at mental hospitals and keep them there for 90 days,(my addition - feeding them industrial strength downers so that they lose ability to speak).
Those Commies deserve it.
I think DC cops make mincemeat out them, so that these Korean Commies think twice about pulling stupid tricks like this ever again.
Arresting them at the airport for the conspiracy against the US government will be a good way to stop these “terrorists”. Or, they should be escorted by armed US rangers, who will shoot them dead when they go anywhere near the WhiteHouse.
US Rangers? I think it might be a bit extreme to sic Army special forces on these guys, not to mention illegal (although that hasn’t stopped GWB before…) If anyone were to have jurisdiction over bitchslapping these protestors, it’d be the DC police (their SWAT teams are pretty badass) or else secret service.
I do question why anyone would advocate giving these guys exactly what they want, though. As soon as the first rubber bullet is fired, they’ll instantly raise comparisons with Gwangju, claim martyrhood, and generally whine over actually being harmed when they worked so hard to put themselves in harm’s way. Of course, this will act to energize the extremist left in SK, and everyone will have to put up with another whine-fest like back in 2002.
Much better to let these clowns have their little protest, let everyone have a good chuckle at how ridiculously-translated their Engrish signs are, and generally ignore them. After all, even tourists have the right to protest and make fools of themselves in the USA. Heck, I’m sure a few will get pepper-sprayed and tasered anyhow when they throw the inevitable tantrum over not being noticed. Overtly working to shut these people up will only play into their persecution complexes, and really won’t serve any useful purpose.