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Marmot’s Open Thread #6
This entry was written by Robert Koehler, posted on May 5, 2007 at 10:16 am, filed under Blogging. Bookmark the permalink. Follow any comments here with the RSS feed for this post.
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Question: What’s the first thing that crosses your mind when you hear the much-used (in Korea) word “foreigner?”
Jonnyh: Sub-human?
It reminds me of a dozen or so truly obnoxious experiences in the midst of hundreds of less-obnoxious instances of staring, in the midst of a few thousand neutral instances where the word was used for description or clarification.
Yesterday’s charming encounter with some 고딩 at the subway station:
고딩 1: 어…외국인! (points)
고딩 2: 외국인..냄새나..
me: 냄새난다고? 아이씨…
Pretty tame fare compared to being lynched or fire-bombed, as far as obnoxious shit that happens to minorities go. However, the first thing that crosses my mind is still the subtle reminders that a sizeable number of people here consider me several percentage points less human.
That I must go immediately go home and wash myself until I am clean.
Or to stop at the next gas station so that I may immolate myself
JK, how do you feel walking down the street in the Promised Land?
In celebration of Children’s Day, there is a story in the KT and Hankook Ilbo about a Turkish Muslim missionary’s daughter, who has been attending Bogwang Elementary School since kindergarten. Bogwang apparently offers a special program for “multicultural” kids. I found this paragraph from the English version rather amusing (boldface mine):
“It is natural that, due to being born in a foreign country, it would be difficult for Sehra to excel in subjects dealing with the heart of Korean society. Korean children are traditionally taught a subject called social studies. Though she obtains almost perfect scores in most subjects, she finds this subject a little difficult. “
Below is the original Korean from the Hankook Ilbo:
“그렇지만 아직 완전한 ‘한국 사람’은 아니다. 문화 장벽은 너무 두껍고 높다. 성적표는 세라의 힘겨움을 그대로 보여준다. 수학과 국어 등 대부분 과목이 90점이 넘지만 사회는 70점대로 뚝 떨어진다.”
http://news.hankooki.com/lpage.....822450.htm
The wording is slightly different between the two versions. What amuses me is that the translator felt the need to explain social studies as a “subject traditionally taught” to Korean children. The frog in the well who wrote this silly sentence might be surprised to know that “a subject called social studies” is taught to children in many countries, albeit the actual content varies, of course.
What is so difficult about this Korean “social studies” class?
You would never understand, because foreigners lack “jeong”.
The big news this week was the withdrawal from the presidential race by Jeong UnChan. He was the past president of the Seoul National University (SNU) and everyone expected that he would be the presidential candidate for the progressive (another name for Korean Commies?).
He quit. He said he decided not to run.
What is going on? Who is behind GoGun and now Jeong UnChan’s sudden withdrawal?
I belive it is Kim DaeJung. The former president and the head of Korean Progressive is still the king-maker. He can name the next presidential candidate for the Progressive that I believe to be more than half of Korean population.
His power was recently demonstrated by the election of his son, Kim HongUp, the bribe-taking bumbling fool to the Congress by Jolla Commies. He is still the Man. And, he did not name Go or Jeong.
So, who does he want? The national election is getting close, November this year.
Meanwhile, the bickering between Lee MyengBak and Park Gunhey is getting louder. The schism deepend. It is getting the divorce stage.
Hannara party may split. I believe it should. Hannara is still a dirty party. Five years ago, it took hugh amount of bribes. It may be happening again.
People do not like Hannara party, the party made up of the Dictator-era cronies, but there is no alternative.
What I mean is that Kim DaeJung, the dirtiest politician Korea ever produced, can still name the right person six month prior to the presidential election and ,by exposing some scandals about Lee and former atrocities done by Dada Park, have his candidate win.
Will this money-grabbing liar fix Korean election one more time?
I don’t understand this aura Baduk and Eastern Korea builds up about Kim Dae Jung.
He barely won his own election, and Noh Moo Hyun barely won his own election.
Fix what election? HanNara killed itself. Kim Dae Jung won because Lee Hoi Chang was too much of a prince for Lee In Jae. Even Choong Chung Do didn’t support their very own, Noble Lee Hoi Chang. HanNara should have been wise, and dumped Lee Hoi Chang and ridden Lee In Jae. But no, of course they couldn’t. Lee In Jae was somewhat open minded. Lee Hoi Chang, a chip off the block of old timers.
Noh Moo Hyun. Lee Hoi Chang again, HanNara? How does a really rich dad somehow end up with two genetically normal sons who have a Body Mass Index under 20? Are these anorexic boys or something? Doubt it. I think they even produced grandchildren, nothing wrong with their sex hormones either. They should have ran with Lee Jae Oh.
Why does the Choong Chung vote go against Han Nara in two successive elections? Well, Choong Chung simply chose who would benefit them more. Note that it is HanNara who blocked the New Capital City in Choong Chung.
Choong Chung will always be the most practical. Choose who will benefit them.
HanNara’s good guys are Lee Jae Oh and Lee Myung Bak. Bad guys are Park Geun Hye and her supporters. HanNara can’t even get rid of some of Park’s old suppporters, even after a scandal, because that would hurt Park and raise Lee Myung Bak to a more definitive position. However, they don’t mind Lee Jae Oh retiring from politics? WTF?
there is a theory out there that Lee Myung Bak can leave HanNara, join the lock-in anti HanNara vote in Jeolla and win versus Park Geun Hye.
However, that would make him a Lee In Jae. And Eastern Korea would never, never, never, EVER forget that or forgive him. It won’t matter what his policy is, won’t matter what he does as President, won’t matter what he does for Eastern Korea. He is now as dirty as Lee In Jae and Son Hak Kyu.
Sharp standards in Korea.
Problem with that theory is that Lee Myung Bak is not a socialist, he can never jive with the policies of the Korean Left.
Park Geun Hye likes to say she is the new female face of Korea, but what she really is, is that she is a product of Korean politicians attempting divert attention from their dirtiness with a female face. Both HanNara and Uri have tried this. Park is the most prominent survivor, however she is the one that’s left with the least qualifications on governing. THE LEAST.
She is the female face mask for Kang Sam Jae and Kim Duk Ryong. People can point fingers to HanNara for corruption, but when they look at Park Geun Hye, they highly doubt that Park sat in on any places where money was offered and taken. How could a woman be there at that place? They assume. Maybe correctly so.
What is correct? Lee Myung Bak didn’t take the bribes. Lee Myung Bak tried to use this election as an excuse to kick out some of Park’s followers. Puppett Park can’t do it. Puppett Park resists. Lee Myung Bak, trying to save himself from being kicked out of the party or leaving himself, caves in.
Sad. SAD !
In the end, if Park Geun Hye runs as the sole rep, she will still be a liability for both the left and Jeolla will simply see her as Okamoto’s daughter and nothing more. That is a guaranteed liability that she will carry with her into November. If she overcomes it, props to her.
Whatever happened to that French couple and the dead babies in the freezer? Last I heard, they were in France. Are they going to be extradited? Or what else has happened?
to take a look around the world for similar daughters of politicians becoming heads of state, simply because they were the daughters and the had no qualifications, we see that this has been done with mixed or bad results in India, Pakistan, Indonnesia, Phillipines, Sri Lanka, off the top my error prone head. Puppet Park is bad for Korea. Notice these are all 3rd world countries, with India possibly on the upside. At least give Korea a female leader with appropriate qualifications, not simply “daughter of General X”
Regarding Rick’s question about the French freezer babies - I found this in an online article when she confessed last October in France:
“In 1999, while still in France, she allegedly shielded her pregnancy from her husband, who was often away on business, and gave birth to a boy whom she “suffocated” and whose body she burnt in the fireplace of her family home.
For reasons she has not sufficiently explained, she did not seek an abortion.
In 2002, the Courjaults moved to South Korea. There, she confessed to secretly giving birth to a second boy whom she also suffocated. His body was put in one of the two large freezers kept in a separate room in the big house in Seoul rented by Jean-Louis Courjault’s company.
The following year, according to her confession, she again gave birth, again to a boy, in her bathtub. She again stopped the baby breathing and put his body in a supermarket plastic bag and placed him in the same freezer, next to his brother.”
Sick stuff.
wjk,
I agree with most of your point. Even if be labelled as “turncoat”, I want Lee MyungBak join the progressive in the event Hannara baddies fix their nomination process and elect Park as their presidential candidate.
Lee should, then, join the other side. It is understandable and acceptable. Kim YongSam did it. And,he won the election after joining the dictator camp. He became the president and ruled for five year.
Lee should do the same. I do not want Park come into power and split the country into two, the have and the have-not.
Korea will face immediate danger of NorthKorean attack if the country is so polarized. SK may even implode.
Park should be banned from becoming the president. It may fulfill the old Korean saying (prophecy?), “the female chicken crows and the country is destroyed”.
Park can end South Korea.
yes, I was going to say that, too, Baduk.
When the hen roosts, the house is sure to fall.
Am tak ee ool myun, jib an ee mang han da.
Every household should write that down and hang it in the living room.
I have a question for everyone who has been to Japan.
It seems that a well known beer company, Kirin, also produces a drink called Mets.
http://photos1.blogger.com/x/b.....4/Mets.jpg
Here is one version.
http://www.engrish.com/detail......1998-02-23
Here’s another version.
The 2nd one says, Mets, Hard.
Do they both taste like grapefruit? Are they both soda or is one soda, and is the HARD, flavored beer? Is it as good as regular Kirin beer?
Thank you
I know that Korea is just an insufferable place for non-Koreans–especially for the poor English teachers who have to put up with wayward high school kids’ comments about them being smelly and all. But the following incident–which was curiously under-reported in the American media–is what the immigrant communities deal with in the States. http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/18426038/
Yes, that’s right. A right-wing group calling itself the Alabama Free Militia procured a total of 200 hand grenades, a machine gun, a short-barrel shotgun, and 2,500 rounds of ammunition with the intent to attack Mexicans. Luckily, their plan was foiled by the ATF. But I shudder to think of the reaction in the Korea-oriented English language blogs had a similar attack been planned on a group of foreigners by some wayward Korean nationalist group.
And by the way, Okamoto Minoru’s daughter must not become the next president of Korea. That family’s bloody and dictatorial legacy should not be honored.
But, the US is not a racial state; ROK is the official home of one race! This rightwing cabal of nutjobs is disgusting, but even most nutjobs would call them out, at least to protect themselves. Many Koreans innocently believe race is the most important factor, and that that opinion is not troubling.
“Sunshine is the best disinfectant.” (or, some such smattering of words)
Kool-Aide Drinkers! Long live the Parkster! At least she bleeds red, not pink like the sack of shit sitting in The Blue House today.
Korea is not being overrun by irredentist whites seeking “reconquista”, either.
Try not to mix your metaphors so much.
For shame! Pres. Park is one of your nation’s heroes.
The Parkster knew the collective side of the bread which contained the butter. Pants-one-leg-at-a-time. Ego, in its rightful place. Too bad if a bullet came between you and the decision. Singapore to this day rules in a similar fashion. The nation has to look back at itself. Baby Huey with a big lolly-pop. She needs to grow into her miracle with real humility.
There has only been one great leader in Korea in the last - how many hundred? - years.
The daughter, however . . .
LOL Bluetranslator, two weeks ago I had a taxi driver in Seoul school me on how all the presidents since Park dragged Korea down…and he was rooting for Park’s daughter to become the next president. Usually I get guys asking me if I’m miguk saram and then launching into an “evil Bu$hie” rant–takes all kinds, huh?
“But, the US is not a racial state; ROK is the official home of one race! This rightwing cabal of nutjobs is disgusting, but even most nutjobs would call them out, at least to protect themselves. Many Koreans innocently believe race is the most important factor, and that that opinion is not troubling.
“Sunshine is the best disinfectant.” (or, some such smattering of words)”
“-But I shudder to think of the reaction in the Korea-oriented English language blogs had a similar attack been planned on a group of foreigners by some wayward Korean nationalist group.-”
“Korea is not being overrun by irredentist whites seeking “reconquista”, either.”
I agree with Baltimoron and Dogbertt !
ROK is the official home of one race! This rightwing cabal of nutjobs is disgusting, but even most nutjobs would call them out, at least to protect themselves. Many Koreans innocently believe race is the most important factor, and that that opinion is not troubling.
How can I make this clear?
You, as an expat, are to the Koreans, what we here in the US would refer to as an “inassimilable minority”.
Netizen:
I do not believe that there is any such thing as an “inassimilable minority”. Full stop.
In the end each and every minority will assimilate themselves. Absolutely everywhere. Some merely take a little bit longer. Such as the Romanies to whom I seem to belong genetically - but of course not culturally, since I was abandoned, found and finally adopted. This development has been enormously advantageous for me, in comparison to what might have happened if I had stayed with my birth family (whom I do not know and do not care to know). Could have become quite scary with them, I suppose… But then, it might not have been - who knows…
This background of mine makes me so angry about the “Race Matters” theorists, who are so prevalent in Korea and elsewhere. In Germany, luckily, there are only very few of them left, since they have naturally died out as from 1945…
Or so, at least, it seems to me. I do not want to be seen as closing my mind to different views…
Rhee, Yun Bo Sun, Lt. Okamoto, Chun, Roh, Kim Yong Sam, Kim Dae Jung, Noh Moo Hyun all did something worthwhile in office…maybe not Yun. Definately not Choi.
I don’t think Singapore is anything to envy about. What kind of country is that? What gives them the right to say what’s decent and not decent, especially given that it’s a non religious dictatorship worshipping nothing but money?
What is that, a mini PRC?
Lt. Okamoto’s world persisting to this day, would not have allowed people to decide the fate of the country by a vote.
And, west Korea, except Seoul and Inchon would be still decades behind in development, with DaeGu getting a ton of development for no reason. No reason at all. That place is landlocked, hot as hell, but got plenty of development from Okamoto.
But it’s the home of beautiful apples and beautiful women!
You’ve probably heard the uproar about melamine from China–this is even worse: “From China to Panama, a trail of poisoned medicine”
http://www.iht.com/articles/20.....poison.php
And apparently some Chinese are not averse to poisoning their fellow nationals:
http://193.41.101.59/debates/a.....cleId=3949
And here’s a blast from the (recent) past: “South Korea says Finds Carcinogens in Chinese Fish”
http://www.planetark.com/daily...../story.htm
You know, because “greed is good,” oh no, I meant “to get rich is glorious.” Just a few more reasons for boycotting the Beijing Olympics.
http://news.naver.com/news/rea.....o_id=20167
Who is hwae jang him here? Jung Joo Yung?
I like the quoted portion a lot.
“I don’t think Singapore is anything to envy about. What kind of country is that? What gives them the right to say what’s decent and not decent, especially given that it’s a non religious dictatorship worshipping nothing but money?
What is that, a mini PRC?”
WJK:
I understand your criticism of Singapore and know that it is partly justified. Nevertheless, since it is the place where I spent my teenage years, I am biased (maybe unreasonably biased) in favour of the small island nation at the tip of the Malaysian peninsular.
And, additionally, S’pore is one of the few countries in Asia that define themselves as multicultural. Now, isn’t that a boon ?
Here’s what diversity and a nickel buy you in the U.S.:
http://www.snopes.com/politics/crime/newsom.asp
Now, why is it Imus and the Duke fiasco were national news, while hardly anyone heard of this? Imagine the incredible outcry had the races been reversed.
I can’t think of a sicker story I’ve ever read.
If the roles were reversed there would have been riots. Hopefully Reginald Denny would know this time to floor it through ‘em.
If America can’t figure out how to deal with such an issue well, it’ll become just another Brazil before very long.
“북에서는 돼지주석을 미친듯이 숭상하고
남에서는 왜놈 종놈의 자식을 미친듯이 숭상하는 그 날이 온다면
I like the quoted portion a lot.”
That sounds like an arselicker of the Chinese.
the Chinese ass licker is the dwae Ji Joo Suk.
dogbertt, that’s a horrible story. Shame on the US news outlet for ignoring it.
If I was a resident there, I’d buy a handgun, a shotgun, and have’em in my car, in my house, and make sure all my loved ones carry them in their cars too.
Good point, fantasy.
Help sought —-
If you google around trying to find video coverage of the recent, large NK Human Rights Conference held in Washington DC, you won’t find much.
In fact, a fact that really pisses me off, if you google for print news coverage of the NK Human Rights Week, you will find virtually nothing!!
So, just as in late 2005 —-
I am posting a message here and elsewhere in the K-blogsphere asking:
are any of you guys going to this conference or have an inclination to go?
Do you own a camcorder (and preferably a tripod)?
Would you be willing to video tape the parts of the conference you attend?
On the fly like this in 2005, I was able to hook up with Brendan Brown for what turned out to be this: http://www.usinkorea.org/North.....onference/
I would be MORE THAN happy to make similar pages and a webring covering this conference since in all likelyhood none of the groups connected to it are going to. (The Koreans are much more intune with broadban access and getting video up on their sites, however, so I could be wrong).
If any potential filmers are worried about recording these lectures without permission, you can always ask (on the day or in email ahead of time) for permission.
I sent emails out to the NGOs and people connected to the film Brendan shot. None complained. One or two emailed me a text copy of their remarks (which is something I asked for in the email). David Hawk said he was surprised to see he was filmed, but he got a kick out of seeing himself in action.
One of the primary goals of these groups and a conference like this is to —– get the word out —-
—and if these groups are not up to speed on the benefits of broadban access and video-on-demand —
it would make no sense to me whatsoever for them to object when someone else puts their message up on the internet for the wider audience that will watch a video but not read a text….
So, please, anybody, any of you guys who pay attention to NKHR and have the time and equipment and desire — let’s put some of this conference up where anyone can watch it 24/7?
If you are interested, email me at usinkorea@hotmail.com
For any geeks in the Boston area:
http://www.thecrimson.com/article.aspx?ref=518666
The fight between Lee and Park is at breaking point. The Hannara party may break into two; one for Lee and one for Park.
This will be a great news. All the old and the dirty politicians grown up in dictator times will join Park.
The pragmatic and the free economic conservatives will join Lee. This could be very auspicious beginning for Korean politics.
I want Park to keep rashing out at Lee using her “feminine” logic. I want to see her cry.
Korean people will realize Park is unfit to be next president.
I agree with Baduk 100% !
Great headline: “Skywalkers in Korea cross Han solo”
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/200....._high_wire
Amazing that despite the fact that Bruce Cumings has about as much credibility as the National Enquirer (American tabloid newspaper for those who don’t know), he is still used as a source for those Korea-bashers who only use a source if it confirms their already reached conclusions.
Michael (46): Coolest headline ever. The link isn’t working, but the headline is verifiable by searching for it:
http://search.news.yahoo.com/s.....ers&c=