The Marmot’s Hole

Over at Frog in a Well, Pak Noja (Vladimir Tikhonov) posts a letter from the village head of Daechu-ri, Pyeongtaek. The letter is obviously interesting, but perhaps more interesting is Pak’s observations:

I guess I should share with you the English text of a letter sent by Mr. Kim Chit’ae (Ji Tae), the headman of Taech’uri Village, which is struggling currently against a concerted encroachment by the American military and Korea’s own government. After more than 15 thousands (!) of police, military men and gangster-like types usually hired by the removal companies invaded the village on May 4th, Mr. Kim went to prison, together with several other resistance leaders. The letter, written in prison and then translated into English, was sent to me by Mrs. Serapina Cha. head of the Friends of Asia, a NGO involved in the work with “illegal” labour migrants. What is really interesting in this struggle from the viewpoint of the history of ideas, is the way how the concept of “patriotism” is being reconsidered and remade by the resistant peasants. They are no longer any sort of patriots of the South Korean state, which is throwing them from their land - they have burned down their citizen registration cards and officially announced that they would like to have their South Korean citizenship revoked. But they are the patriots of their land, their place - obviously wishing to solidarize with those living around them, and having no wish to see their mountains and fields being turned into a starting grounds for the WWIII. It reminds in some way of Sapatistas, with their attachment to Mayan land and legacy.

Regardless of how you feel about Pak’s take on the series of events or the ideological slant, his post and the letter is worth reading. Thanks for posting that, sir.