The fallout from the Chinese student riot continues.
The Chinese ambassador to Seoul offered as close to an apology as one would expect in this situation (AP):
China’s ambassador to Seoul, Ning Fukui, said he regretted the “extreme behavior” of the Chinese protesters and offered sympathy to wounded South Koreans, the South Korean Foreign Ministry said.
If Beijing could leave it at that I think the situation might been resolved with a few arrests and deportations.
But noooooooooo.
Ning’s higher ups decided to pass the blame:
“As to the disruptions and sabotage by the separatist forces, some students upholding justice came out to safeguard the dignity of the torch — I believe that’s natural,” a Foreign Ministry spokeswoman, Jiang Yu, said in Beijing.
So the Chinese government’s line is that it is natural for Chinese, in Korea, to attack Koreans and anyone else they don’t happen to like. That’s a nice extraterritorial attitude if Beijing can get away with it.
I have to admit that I love the Chinese (at least the ones we see in the news and in the comments sections of this blog). They are the only folks who make Americans seem humble and Australians seem polite.
Hat tip to Korea Economic Reader email service.
16 Comments
So the disruptions and sabotage are done by separatist forces. However, these separatist forces are also upholding justice in their actions. This is a natural and expected thing. So if their actions are natural, expected, just, and dignified, then they don’t really sound separatist at all. It sounds like Jiang Yu wishes he coulda been there!
Never go up against a Chinese government type when it comes to manipulating words and their meaning. You will never win.
ning fukui - is that chinese for 난자완스?
jiang yu - is that chinese for 짬뽕?
Damn, I want some 짱개 for lunch today…
While reading Chinese netizen comments, I learned a new slang acronym: ZD. It’s an abbreviation of the Chinese term for Tibet independence activists. I suspect the acronym was coined to avoid triggering net nanny filters. Ironic, isn’t it? Proud Chinese fuming about ZD fenzi without thinking about why they use that acronym.
Those of you who can read Korean, look at this.
http://news.chosun.com/site/da.....01634.html
The writer basically says that since even Koreans don’t respect authority figures (ie, the police), how can Koreans expect foreigners to take them seriously?
It is telling that Seoul is the only city where the Chinese ran amok like this in such vast numbers. Let’s see them try that in NYC.
Koreans respect authority figures when there is money backing them up (i.e., corporate execs, chaebol types). Let the police drive around in Mercedes or BMWs and I am certain they would get respect.
I have been following this particular news item and its follow up thro’ your site and other sources for the last few days and i find it extremely disturbing that the Chinese think that its ok to physically assault anyone who doesn’t share their view. It’s also creepy that they can’t really take a moment and actually think about it. Reminds me of all the text i read about popular opinions of the general masses in Germany and Japan during WWII.
OFF Topic : Are you getting GTA IV soon?
“The Bigger the lie, the more they believe.”
Det. “Bunk” Moreland
“and Australians seem polite.”
I resemble that!
“some students upholding justice”
Again, these paleocoms have no understanding of what makes for institutional democracy. It may have been alright for their red guard parents to seize the apparatus of state and dispense ‘justice’ as they see fit, but they need to be taught that in a democracy, these functions are carried out by the organs of the state in order to prevent such mob rule. Send the buggers back.
can you imagine suited, mercedes-driving cops? That’d be hilarious!
“The writer basically says that since even Koreans don’t respect authority figures (ie, the police), how can Koreans expect foreigners to take them seriously?”
Unfortunately, he’s right.
How can Koreans respect the police if the Human Rights movement over the last few years take away all tools and measures that the police can use? They are supposed to stand their and take all the abuse, but not hit nor can they even use batons. Don’t blame the police for this incident.
To illustrate my point as well as the article’s main point, read the crux of the point in the article at the bottom:
지난 시절 국가권력은 막가파식 시위대의 발호를 수수방관하고, 이를 막는 경찰의 조치를 오히려 ‘인권 유린’, ‘폭력경찰’로 매도하기까지 했다. 그런 나라에서 ‘공권력 확립’ 운운하는 얘기는 허공을 떠도는 메아리에 불과했다. 한국인이 한국 경찰을 우습게 보는데, 한국 정부가 한국 경찰의 손과 발을 묶어 놓았는데, 외국인이 한국 경찰을 무서워할 이유가 있겠는가. 오히려 무서워하고, 조심하는 사람만 순진하고 무식하다는 소리를 들을 뿐이다.
A fairly obvious point, and one of the numerous detrimental side effects of having a completely out of control protest culture that routinely goes soft on roving bands of violent thugs masquerading as protesters as long as there are “pride” or “human rights” issues at stake. Unions, NGOs, students, truckers, and anyone else that feels they have a grievance are given free reign to treat their opponents and riot police like punching bags without fear of being prosecuted for doing so.
Not to mention the fact that these Chinese punks could have easily learned all they needed to know about violence, thuggery, and physically assaulting those you disagree with by simply sitting in on a session of the Korean National Assembly.
This of course does not excuse the behavior of the Chinese goons and their apologists, but it should give the “outraged” politicians and Korean citizens something to think about considering that they themselves are regularly practicing the exact same tactics against those that they disagree with, and demanding leniency and “understanding” for their own violent behavior to boot.
“How can Koreans respect the police if the Human Rights movement over the last few years take away all tools and measures that the police can use? They are supposed to stand their and take all the abuse, but not hit nor can they even use batons. Don’t blame the police for this incident.”
When I got here twelve years ago, police officers were no more respected or liked than they are now. There is a lack of professionalism and a reputation - much if it, I suspect, deserved - for ineptitude. The Human Rights movement here is not responsible for producing police who would rather take a nap in their cars than solve crimes, ticket traffic violators, etc.
Re: #14
You hit the nail on the head, IHBB. One of the lessons that should be learned from this is that violent protests are not a mature or constructive way to express one’s views and simple rule of law is the best and least emotional rationale for enforcement. Yet, it’s the highly emotional, subjective, and non-reflective “National Pride” reason that’s being sited to go after, prosecute, and deport Chinese thugs.
I doubt the average Korean will see this as anything more than an excuse to hate yet another foreign group.
Then again, Korean culture is not alone: self-reflection is a virtue in universal short supply.