Ban Ki-moon in the Chosun Ilbo

by Robert Koehler on February 6, 2008

UN General Secretary Ban Ki-moon took some time out from his busy schedule of globe trotting and — no doubt — reading my blog to pen a piece to the Chosun Ilbo describing his first year on the job.

{ 28 comments… read them below or add one }

1 cm February 6, 2008 at 12:54 pm: Robert, you missed this breaking story.

19 year old Korean exchange student arrested for sexual abuse of his home stay parents’ white kids.

http://www.koreadaily.com/asp/article.asp?sv=la&src=metr&cont=metr10&typ=1&aid=20080204202108200210
2 user-81 February 6, 2008 at 1:40 pm: Here’s an English language version of cm’s story:
http://www.rutlandherald.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080202/NEWS02/802020378

http://www.wcax.com/global/story.asp?s=7817086

Maybe it’s time for the INS to require criminal background checks on all Korean applicants for student visas.
3 abcdefg February 6, 2008 at 2:06 pm: ^ That guy is an absolute disgrace.

It’s unfortunate he couldn’t be the Korean who was recently shot down in the Bronx:

http://www.nydailynews.com/news/ny_crime/2008/02/05/2008-02-05_slay_suspect_called_911_after_athletes_f-1.html
4 cmm February 6, 2008 at 2:15 pm: Back on topic… kinda…
Can someone give me the background, or perhaps the link, to the story about Ban Ki-moon reading the MH? Something to do with Dogbertt?
5 user-81 February 6, 2008 at 2:17 pm: “Back on topic… kinda…”

Huh? #3 wasn’t about Ban Ki-Moon?
6 gbnhj February 6, 2008 at 2:26 pm: abcdefg, are you suggesting that a death sentence would be more appropriate in the Hanse Park case than Vermont’s current maximum penalty of life imprisonment? Sexual predation certainly is a heinous crime, but I’m unsure what you are suggesting.
7 bumfromkorea February 6, 2008 at 2:31 pm: Probably an exaggerated expression. But man, what an @$$hole…
8 gbnhj February 6, 2008 at 2:33 pm: #4,
That came from here. Nothing to do with dogbertt, actually; he just likes to remind us on occasion.
9 abcdefg February 6, 2008 at 2:43 pm: gbnhj,

If the resources existed, I’d trade the life of the person who was murdered with the life of that Hanse guy, any time.

These two bits of news, those posted above, just happened to hit me at about the same time and provoked two emotions in me that seemed related as if by a rather strange, synchronized metaphysic, the emotions being so poignant and yet so contrary to each other.

Plus, I just wanted to join the wagon and post an irrelevant fucking link, in an attempt to derail this thread twice over.
10 gbnhj February 6, 2008 at 2:44 pm: Wow, I just found this gem from wjk while looking at that old thread:

I’ll disappear if Shakuhachi will disappear. I won’t lie.

I haven’t seen shakuhachi here in quite a while, so does this mean that the end to wjk’s massive multiple posting is at hand?
11 user-81 February 6, 2008 at 3:15 pm: “I haven’t seen shakuhachi here in quite a while, so does this mean that the end to wjk’s massive multiple posting is at hand?”

Shakuhachi posted here last month. How long does Shakuhachi have to be gone for wjk to be shown the door?
12 Martin F February 6, 2008 at 4:52 pm: Wouldn’t it have been nice if Ban Ki Moon had said something about the terrible plight of the North Korean people.

Wishing him best of luck in his efforts, hoping he does indeed read your blog!
13 andy February 6, 2008 at 7:02 pm: OK, not that I’m picky or anything but why do we have a kyopo commenting about a “19 year old Korean exchange student arrested for sexual abuse of his home stay parents’ white kids” in a post about Ban Ki-moon?
14 andy February 6, 2008 at 7:07 pm: Isn’t this the same guy who said the following in a previous comment?

Obviously we want Koreans and Americans/Canadians to get along with each other, because we love both sides. And it pisses me off when somebody attempts to start another fire when we all have enough problems as it is.

If the first comment for this post is not something that is supposed to be “starting a fire”, then what is it?
15 cm February 6, 2008 at 9:52 pm: Well, I don’t have to start a fire. Because it was already started long before I got the story – namely 2C Japanese forums and Youtubes who are really enjoying shall we say, another Korean moment. I just wanted to bring attention to this story which is a perfect bait material – another Cho Sung Hui internet circus in the make.

For example, read the commentary section of this article in Korea Times, it’s hilarious to find someone hijacking my comment. This poster obviously reads this blog. Whoever you are, I didn’t appreciate you using my comments to spew your hatred. Thanks a lot.

http://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/news/nation/2008/02/116_18565.html

gooksrugly (66.68.50.129) 02-06-2008 15:19
Funny you should say gookmonkey.. 19 year old Korean exchange student arrested for sexual abuse of his home stay parents??white kids. http://www.koreadaily.com/asp/…..2108200210
16 Songtan1 February 6, 2008 at 10:05 pm: wjk…do not leave. I love you here as you keep this blog spicy
17 NewYorkTom February 7, 2008 at 12:05 am: What? Ban Ki Moon sexually molested who in Vermont?
18 bbundaegi February 7, 2008 at 1:35 am: Ban Ki Moon is on vacation I heard…maybe he will retire in Iran?
19 andy February 7, 2008 at 8:17 am: Well, I don’t have to start a fire. Because it was already started long before I got the story – namely 2C Japanese forums and Youtubes who are really enjoying shall we say, another Korean moment.

Well, you may not have started a fire in the other forums, but you did sort of start a fire here. Haven’t you noticed that no one in this blog mentioned the story until you posted it here?

I just wanted to bring attention to this story which is a perfect bait material

If it’s “perfect bait material”, then why bring it to the attention of the bloggers and readers of this blog?

Whoever you are, I didn’t appreciate you using my comments to spew your hatred.

The person in question wouldn’t have “used” your comment hadn’t you commented in the first place.
20 cm February 7, 2008 at 9:25 am: “If it’s “perfect bait material”, then why bring it to the attention of the bloggers and readers of this blog?”

Because if I don’t, I’d be accused of being a kyopo Korean trying to cover up negative stories on Korea. It’s better to bring it up before the Korean bashers would have inevitably done.
21 andy February 7, 2008 at 12:56 pm: Because if I don’t, I’d be accused of being a kyopo Korean trying to cover up negative stories on Korea. It’s better to bring it up before the Korean bashers would have inevitably done.

LOL!! Have you noticed that you are sounding very illogical and shooting yourself in the foot, to say the least? Well let’s just say for the sake of argument that a “Korean basher” on this blog did bring that up. Well sure there will be a “fire”, but no one is going to say “Hey, that kyopo is covering that up!!” Heck I don’t think anyone here will care that a kyopo didn’t mention the article.
22 bbundaegi February 7, 2008 at 1:05 pm: What article? Actually, I went to the Koreatimes site and found nothing but posts by some kyopo kids who are railing about exterminating “whitewonsoongi” from Itaewon or other foreign populated places. The subject matter of the other posts are the usual “japs are evil” rhetoric we see in Korea-themed websites.
23 andy February 7, 2008 at 1:13 pm: What article?

The Joongang Ilbo article that cm linked in comment #1.
24 andy February 7, 2008 at 1:38 pm: Anyways, cm, you stated in a previous comment that you want non-Koreans and Koreans to “get along” and that it “pisses you off if someone starts another fire”. Well you did try to start a fire and that in a post about UNSG Ban. You’re obvioudly not practicing what you preach and when it was pointed out you’re making up reasons to justify your hypocrisy.

Personally, I think your mission statement is BS. You’re a showboater who just wants to bring attention to himself.
25 aaronm February 8, 2008 at 2:03 am: Re: Ban Ki Moon. Why did Kofi Anan and not he fly into sort out the mess in Kenya? Last I heard, Kofi was the former UN Secretary General, right?
26 Mizar5 February 8, 2008 at 12:43 pm: Who is this Ban Ki Moon?
27 Brendon Carr (Korea Law Blog) February 8, 2008 at 6:10 pm: Who is this Ban Ki Moon?

Ban Ki Moon is a Korean diplomat who mysteriously fell off the face of the earth shortly after Jan. 1, 2007. He was last spotted cowering before an enraged Caspar Milquetoast. Frankly, I had thought he was dead.
28 Mizar5 February 10, 2008 at 9:22 pm: Yes, I suppose it is more obvious than ever why he was chosen for the job. The member nations figured the best way to emasculate and silence the UN would be to elect an effete Korean to the bully pulpit.