“It may suit your political needs to try to revise what happened in 2002, but many people besides you and I experienced it as well.”

When you said above, did you mean you and others had experienced the government involvement? What is my political need to revise what? You are assuming non-existent facts - government involvement in the anti-American sentiment, which I have not heard before I read them here, except for those by the ridiculous media that has accused the current administration as a leftist (the current government is not a leftist in any sense). I know the detailed events that happened in South Korea, and what you suspect did not happen, which is not a bad news for you. The situation in 2002 was out of control, and there were huge efforts of the the government against anti-American sentiment on street, in fact. Street protests, which is sometimes violent, was not uncommon in South Korea. By googling them, you can still find the report of government orders for the law enforcement to deal with the uncontrollable demonstrations and protect the foreign facilities in 2002. Especially, in 1980s, there used to be anti-government demonstrations of tens of thousands of people almost everyday. If people want to show their national reaction, they will come out of their home at any time. The three major newspapers, which have bigger influence than any other media, strongly opposed anti-American sentiment and demonstrations. They are not controlled by the government, of course. Because those newspapers had supported the “old power” like the GNP, they tried to label the government as a leftist, however. While it is true that the majority of the then people supported the government and its party and candidate for the issues that I mentioned above, it is absolutely untrue that they manipulated anti-American sentiment, which I surprisingly found out in this blog. This is not even a disputed fact. Such manipulation by the government did not happen, period. BTW, when I said I have known politicians in the GNP, which is the “old power” and the opposite party of the government, and the college socialists, I did not mean I know the officials of the government, while I happen to know some of them. I have known sort of high profiled politicians who have lost their influence since 1998, and my family member served two presidents in 1980s, which I don’t want to talk about. I have gained nothing personally, and actually lost a lot, for the 1997 and 2002 elections.

It is you who keep asserting the above, and you have to prove it. This is not of a matter to disagree about because you are asserting what did not happen and creating problems that did not exist. You have to prove the government involvement in the particular report that you mentioned above. You are relying on the sort of summary of the army report on reports. Post the link to the particular “false” article, and PROVE the government involvement. About the incident at that time, there were all kinds of reports on it. You also have to prove that the government arranged the demonstrations. You are asserting your own false facts based on your speculation and belief. The then sentiment was not simply about the incident. Behind the anti-Bush sentiment (this expression more correctly stands for the sentiment at that time), there was a huge prevalent concern on the possible war over North Korea nuclear issue, which I mentioned in another thread. You also changed the subject to an irrelevant corruption issue. Which president were you talking about when you mentioned 100 million dollars? “Suddenly these leaders are beyond any wrong doing when it comes to elections”? I don’t understand what this means and who you are indicating. You should specifically say what you are asserting, and its relation with the government involvement and manipulation of the media regarding the anti-American sentiment and politics. I don’t understand you either when you said: “Why wouldnt a cholla based party, a region with anti american feelings manipulate public opinion to win an election.” Is this an assertion of facts? Then prove it.

I am not sure why you so strongly advocate a position that anyone who lived through it knows that it is false.
I am not sure why you find it so hard to believe that corrupt government leaders would try to manipulate the voters.
It seems like every President in Korea has been involved in numerous scandals. I mean presidents that have taken 100 of millions of dollars and stashed them away with family members or in their own slush funds. Suddenly these leaders are beyond any wrong doing when it comes to elections. Curious.

I think a better solution frenchie is prove this is not what happened. Why wouldnt a cholla based party, a region with anti american feelings manipulate public opinion to win an election.

Perhaps you believe your argument is stronger, this did not happen because you say you knew people involved. I think since many Koreans and outside observers believe that the ruling party manipulated public opinion to get elected, the burden to show otherwise is yours. Please feel free to tell us who you know and what they said. And if their comments support your assertions, please ask them why they would not use anti americanism to get elected. It would be nice to know.

Correction: “the previous administrations” (4th line)-> “the previous and current (DJ and Roh) administrations.”

There are a few typos.

The issue here is whether the previous administrations and their parties deliberately took advantage of AND provoked anti-American and anti-Japanese sentiment for political purposes. You above statement that I quoted is MISLEADING because I have never said that. Do not twist what I said. As I said above, if there was any deliberate exploitation of anti-American and anti-Japanese sentiment, PROVE IT. If there have been such assertions that the governing parties made for political purposes, post their links and prove their purposes. Repeating your beliefs only with your superficial knowledge about South Koreans and their society does not help. Regarding the anti-Americanism and the Kwangju Incident, I mentioned this:
http://www.rjkoehler.com/2007/.....ment-91938
Do you really know about those American bashers? I did live with them very closely. There have only been the “boiler plate” anti-Americans slogans since the beginning 1990s, and hardly anyone listens to it. Regarding a tragic incident around 2002, there was a procedural issue in the tribunal, which I will not discuss here. There is no ongoing issue unlike 2002, as I said. I don’t intend to be offensive, but, honestly, I had witnessed this kind of ignorance only from some uneducated Koreans until I saw certain absurd statements here like yours. While this understandable for lack of information that people here can access, you sometimes need to learn from someone who knows about those and doesn’t have any personal interest regarding them.

This is one of the ridiculous statements that I have seen here sometimes, which I did not care. When you write a comment for my comment, however, you should prove it. Post links to what those politicians allegedly said - direct quotes (which would be in Korean because most of them have not been translated in other languages) - and prove the political purposes, such as elections, of their statements.

Clinton and DJ agreed with each other in a few important points, and it is now fortunate that Bush is sort of returning to the policies of these two administrations, which has been a blow to some, including the Chosun Ilbo, who have taken advantage of the situation of the Korean Peninsula for politics.