Mickey Spiegel of Human Right Watch writes to the Korea Times to slam Seoul for denying a visa to the Dalai Lama so that he could attend last week’s meeting of Nobel Peace Prize laureates in Gwangju.
Sphere: Related ContentIt is too late for South Korea to reverse its stand. But it is not too late for those attending the Kwangju conference, as well as those who had to refuse the invitation, to publicly air their displeasure with South Korea’s stance, and with all countries bowing to similar pressures.
Kim Dae-jung, a former president, a Nobel laureate, and a conference convener, should organize such an effort. By making this public statement, Nobel Peace laureates would reiterate their commitment to the free exchange of ideas and invite all those equally committed to join with them.
18 Comments
my old high school teacher who passed away now, rather quickly, said that he sees China breaking up, so that much of the neglected and undeveloped west becoming independent. Not sure why China insists on holding on to these territories, if it has no intention to better the lives of these people. Come to think of it, only the South Koreans and the Japanese have a higher living standard than the Chinese, who used to treat all the surrounding tribes and nations like toejam.
US high school teacher, US white, English origin guy
Kim DaeJung is a Commie, a pro-Chinese Commie. He told his lieutenant, pres. Rho, to serve China.
The neglected Western territories hold China’s strategic resources — oil, coal and metals. They ain’t going anywhere.
WJK, the trend with China is definitely not contraction–they have an eye on n. Korea’s minerals too, and when the time is right they will absorb N.K., probably by installing a puppet government. If S.K. has totally alienated the U.S. by then, they can kiss that territory goodbye.
While I certainly don’t think China would simply cast off those territories I do see a lot of mounting tension between rural and urban China with some territories being more disgruntled with others. China could have its hands full in the near future trying to calm these areas down. It seems the economic boom in China has been stringently confined to pet areas and projects. It’s not being felt by those in the rural areas.
Meanwhile, I think we have to consider the idea that China will extend its control to the Ch’ongch’on River whenever the impending collapse of power takes place in North Korea. Doubtful that anyone in the west would complain and there is historical precedent in that the Ch’ongch’on River was the northern border of the Koryo kingdom. Anyhoo, that would place Yongbyon in Chinese control and the “peninsula” would remain nuke free. Good stuff all around really.
Kim Dae-jung, a former president, a Nobel laureate, and a conference convener, should organize such an effort.
I hope this guy isn’t holding his breath.
Oh, I forgot to say something about the Dalai Lama thingee. What was the official reason for his visa denial? “Considering various factors, for now…” is not a reason. Did anyone come out and say it was because of Chinese pressure? I personally don’t think it has anything to do with “pressure;” South Korea’s government needs no pressure as it’s collusion with China is willing, even self-initiated. I think Roh and his compadres agree with China regarding the Dalai Lama and Tibet’s status.
Any other Western government, hoping for some big bucks from the Chinese market, bows to the CCP’s stance on Tibet and the Dalai Lama.
Baduk,
man, Kim ain’t a Commie. Park Chung-Hee also flirted in his early years with Communism (just like Mussolini by the way), but then you know what he’d become. Sometimes you sound like those elder Korean fascist ajeossis, calling everybody a Commie who doesn’t share their political camp or provincial roots.
When China tries to “absorb” the Northern half of Korea, then them damn idiots will create their own bloody version of Nam. No North or South Korean would accept Chinese troops pissing in our Cheonji.
It’s DJ’s show off stage. As long as DJ took some pics with Gorbachyov, Kwangju conference was paid off.
Shame on him! Shame on Roh!
DJ’s Nobel Peace prize already disgraced years ago.
Sugar Shin:
> No North or South Korean would accept
> Chinese troops pissing in our Cheonji.
China already possesses 75% of the Cheonji, sorry to say. But I do agree with you that there would be tremendous resistance — including long-term guerrilla warfare by North Korea’s most-excellent commandos, some of the world’s best — if China attempted to militarily occupy North Korea following a collapse of its régime. China would have to be far more subtle than that to effectively gain control of the North Korean territory, if the Kim JI government does indeed fail.
And no, Kim Dae-jung neither is nor ever was a Communist, by any definition… quite a centrist moderate, really, by 20th-century political standards. Some corruption problems that stain his reputation….
“Any other Western government, hoping for some big bucks from the Chinese market, bows to the CCP’s stance on Tibet and the Dalai Lama.”
Uh, which western countries have refused to allow him to visit? A quick google search showed he visited the US many times, Canada, Europe including Belgium, Ireland and others, India, Italy, etc, etc. Despite what Roh and his pack of fools think, China is not a better partner than the US. Oh, sorry, I forgot, SK is ‘neutral’ and ‘independent,’ a ‘balancer’.
“Some corruption problems that stain his reputation….” Like the $500 million he spent for his photo-op with the midget dictator in Pyongyang? The guy’s a fraud.
Well, I’m sure he wouldn’t be welcome at Google’s corporate headquarters.
“Well, I’m sure he wouldn’t be welcome at Google’s corporate headquarters.”
Nonsense.
Sugar Shin,
I personally think Kim DaeJung is on Chinese payroll. He likes money, as you know, accepting bribes from Rho(the first Rho).
Why did he turn the country from pro-US to pro-North? Why? Even a child can see that as long as KJI is alive, Korean Unification will not happen. Then, why help KJI? Why send money?
Is he brain-damaged? Chun, who is a spokesperson for Hannara, officially said this. Why is Kim DaeJung such a bird-brained? What did he accomplish, other than weakening Korean defense?
He is working for the Chinese. That is my conclusion.
Kim Dae-jung, a former president, a Nobel laureate, and a conference convener, should organize such an effort….
Let’s not forget that Kim Dae-Jung refused to grant the Dali Lama entry during his Kim’s time as president. Spineless, hypocritical piece of crap.
Come on people, Korea has the right to refuse entry to anyone they see unfit, for any reason they want; especially to Canadians.
BTW, I met the Dali Lama several times in the U.S. One of his brothers opened the first Tibetan restaurant in the U.S. (The Snow Lion) in my alma-mater’s hometown, Bloomington, Indiana. Shortly, after that, they built a Buddhist temple there too. Both the Dali Lama and the brother of his I met are super cool, but I can certainly understand the political reasons why a country would deny entry to him.
Haha, I couldn’t resist to show off my language skills by uttering the famous Bill Murray speech, “gungal gu, no wait, gungala gun gungulu” from Caddyshack to him — he died laughing. Quite honestly, I was shocked at his near-native English ability, and for sure his wit and sense of humor.
–Remort