Comments on: The Arms Dealer Who Became an English Teacher in Korea http://www.rjkoehler.com/2007/12/04/the-arms-dealer-who-became-an-english-teacher-in-korea/ Korea... in Blog Format Sat, 6 Sep 2008 18:23:27 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.1 By: Maddlew http://www.rjkoehler.com/2007/12/04/the-arms-dealer-who-became-an-english-teacher-in-korea/#comment-121487 Maddlew Wed, 05 Dec 2007 01:47:24 +0000 http://www.rjkoehler.com/2007/12/04/the-arms-dealer-who-became-an-english-teacher-in-korea/#comment-121487 The new screening for visas wouldn't have caught that one either. They're not demanding criminal background checks on hagwon owners. The new screening for visas wouldn’t have caught that one either. They’re not demanding criminal background checks on hagwon owners.

]]> By: cm http://www.rjkoehler.com/2007/12/04/the-arms-dealer-who-became-an-english-teacher-in-korea/#comment-121440 cm Wed, 05 Dec 2007 00:12:09 +0000 http://www.rjkoehler.com/2007/12/04/the-arms-dealer-who-became-an-english-teacher-in-korea/#comment-121440 "I frankly don’t see where the story has any deep significance for Korea-US relations." There isn't any significance. You're reading too much into it. It was written by Robert Neff, one of the contributing posters here. “I frankly don’t see where the story has any deep significance for Korea-US relations.”

There isn’t any significance. You’re reading too much into it. It was written by Robert Neff, one of the contributing posters here.

]]> By: Paul H. http://www.rjkoehler.com/2007/12/04/the-arms-dealer-who-became-an-english-teacher-in-korea/#comment-121414 Paul H. Tue, 04 Dec 2007 20:49:53 +0000 http://www.rjkoehler.com/2007/12/04/the-arms-dealer-who-became-an-english-teacher-in-korea/#comment-121414 Part of the reason I ask is that you chose to entitle this post in what I'd call a rather "neutral" manner. "The Arms Dealer Who Became an English Teacher in Korea" (which is merited IMO in that I don't think the story has any broader significance). While the Oh My News article is entitled "Korea and the Iran-Contra Affair Maligned and double-crossed by the American government" (Your choice of language, or did an OMN editor pick it? As a title it certainly seems deliberately chosen to attract Korean reader interest by evoking a likely sense of victimhood and antagonism towards the US on the part of the OMN average reader). Having lived through the bizarre Iran-Contra scandal here in the US while attempting to follow its ins and outs, I frankly don't see where the story has any deep significance for Korea-US relations. I do wish you had been able to find some personal acquaintances or surviving relatives of Hakim in order to authoritatively establish whether or not his motives in running the school were in fact selfless; one is left to still left to wonder why in the world he ended up in Korea of all places. Part of the reason I ask is that you chose to entitle this post in what I’d call a rather “neutral” manner.

“The Arms Dealer Who Became an English Teacher in Korea” (which is merited IMO in that I don’t think the story has any broader significance).

While the Oh My News article is entitled

“Korea and the Iran-Contra Affair
Maligned and double-crossed by the American government”

(Your choice of language, or did an OMN editor pick it? As a title it certainly seems deliberately chosen to attract Korean reader interest by evoking a likely sense of victimhood and antagonism towards the US on the part of the OMN average reader).

Having lived through the bizarre Iran-Contra scandal here in the US while attempting to follow its ins and outs, I frankly don’t see where the story has any deep significance for Korea-US relations.

I do wish you had been able to find some personal acquaintances or surviving relatives of Hakim in order to authoritatively establish whether or not his motives in running the school were in fact selfless; one is left to still left to wonder why in the world he ended up in Korea of all places.

]]> By: Richardson http://www.rjkoehler.com/2007/12/04/the-arms-dealer-who-became-an-english-teacher-in-korea/#comment-121406 Richardson Tue, 04 Dec 2007 15:30:26 +0000 http://www.rjkoehler.com/2007/12/04/the-arms-dealer-who-became-an-english-teacher-in-korea/#comment-121406 Mr. Neff, Please email me, I have an unrelated comment to pass along. Mr. Neff,
Please email me, I have an unrelated comment to pass along.

]]> By: Paul H. http://www.rjkoehler.com/2007/12/04/the-arms-dealer-who-became-an-english-teacher-in-korea/#comment-121404 Paul H. Tue, 04 Dec 2007 15:21:08 +0000 http://www.rjkoehler.com/2007/12/04/the-arms-dealer-who-became-an-english-teacher-in-korea/#comment-121404 For Robert Neff: I see Hakim has been dead since 2003. I assume with your general interest in Korean history you just happened across the info about Hakim's Korean connection recently and thus wrote the article as a matter of historical interest? For Robert Neff:

I see Hakim has been dead since 2003. I assume with your general interest in Korean history you just happened across the info about Hakim’s Korean connection recently and thus wrote the article as a matter of historical interest?

]]> By: cm http://www.rjkoehler.com/2007/12/04/the-arms-dealer-who-became-an-english-teacher-in-korea/#comment-121398 cm Tue, 04 Dec 2007 14:21:42 +0000 http://www.rjkoehler.com/2007/12/04/the-arms-dealer-who-became-an-english-teacher-in-korea/#comment-121398 hahahaha. Sorry, I couldn't help but laugh at this weird story and Breaktrack's comment. And you wonder where Koreans get these kinds of stereotypes of English teachers from abroad. Hey, at least he died helping the impoverished children of South Korea. hahahaha.

Sorry, I couldn’t help but laugh at this weird story and Breaktrack’s comment. And you wonder where Koreans get these kinds of stereotypes of English teachers from abroad. Hey, at least he died helping the impoverished children of South Korea.

]]> By: elvislovechild http://www.rjkoehler.com/2007/12/04/the-arms-dealer-who-became-an-english-teacher-in-korea/#comment-121386 elvislovechild Tue, 04 Dec 2007 11:14:39 +0000 http://www.rjkoehler.com/2007/12/04/the-arms-dealer-who-became-an-english-teacher-in-korea/#comment-121386 Gee, I wonder why he didn't join a bunch of his fellow Iran Contra scumbags in the Bush State Department? Or become Secretary of Defense? Or become a Fox pundit? Gee, I wonder why he didn’t join a bunch of his fellow Iran Contra scumbags in the Bush State Department? Or become Secretary of Defense? Or become a Fox pundit?

]]> By: ●~* http://www.rjkoehler.com/2007/12/04/the-arms-dealer-who-became-an-english-teacher-in-korea/#comment-121385 ●~* Tue, 04 Dec 2007 11:05:44 +0000 http://www.rjkoehler.com/2007/12/04/the-arms-dealer-who-became-an-english-teacher-in-korea/#comment-121385 Just think of it. Many of Korean dwellers abroad will also( ^^;;; ) be the refugees from Korea. Maybe Baduk, et al... So, you and Korean blood abroad are in the same shoes, you boh can be friends. ( And I'm a good coordinator or an uninvited goddess. ) Just think of it. Many of Korean dwellers abroad will also( ^^;;; ) be the refugees from Korea.
Maybe Baduk, et al… So, you and Korean blood abroad are in the same shoes, you boh can be friends.
( And I’m a good coordinator or an uninvited goddess. )

]]> By: Breaktrack http://www.rjkoehler.com/2007/12/04/the-arms-dealer-who-became-an-english-teacher-in-korea/#comment-121378 Breaktrack Tue, 04 Dec 2007 09:42:56 +0000 http://www.rjkoehler.com/2007/12/04/the-arms-dealer-who-became-an-english-teacher-in-korea/#comment-121378 Oh great, I'm now going to be a pedophile, a drug dealer/user, an alcoholic, a womanizer an unqualified English teacher AND an arms dealer. All of which, I might add, I am not. Oh great, I’m now going to be a pedophile, a drug dealer/user, an alcoholic, a womanizer an unqualified English teacher AND an arms dealer. All of which, I might add, I am not.

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