The Maeil Gyeongje reports that the government, fearing that comments by US figures could spark anti-American sentiment, has through diplomatic channels has asked the United States to speak and act carefully.
A government source said the government explained to the US embassy yesterday that Ambassador Alexander Vershbow’s comments to the press following his meeting with Korean Foreign Minister Yu Myung-hwan had angered Korean politicians and worsened public opinion.
The government is concerned that imprudent statements by US figures could transform the current protests into ones of an anti-American character.
Marmot’s Note: Bluntly speaking,
YOU. HAVE. TO. BE. SHITTING. ME.
I have an idea. Instead of lecturing the US embassy, how about telling UDP chairman Sohn Hak-kyu to hire a decent translator, seeing how all those years at Oxford weren’t enough.
Seriously, given how YOU are backing out of an agreement YOU made with the United States due to manufactured fears that could cost US exporters millions, shouldn’t it be KOREAN figures speaking carefully? With the FTA as good as dead and Congressional Democrats openly talking about resurrecting Super 301, shouldn’t it be the KOREAN side fearing anti-Korean sentiment in the United States?
Frankly, I’m left speechless. If anything, apologies should be made to the ambassador for mangling his statements. I guess that won’t happen.
UPDATE: US Beef isn’t a safety issue. Now it’s a cultural issue!
At a face-to-face meeting today, GNP chairman Kang Jae-sup told Ambassador Vershbow that “in Korea, beef is not simply a product; our people’s unique sentiment, which cannot be explained with science, permeates beef.”
He added, “I think the American people, US government and you must understand our unique culture… In order to resolve this, both governments need to work with sincerity.”
In the original Korean:
강 대표는 “쇠고기라는 것은 우리나라에서는 단순한 상품이 아니고 과학으로는 설명할 수 없는, 독특한 우리 국민의 정서가 쇠고기에 스며들어있다”고 설명했다.
또 “우리 독특한 문화를 미국민들, 미국 정부가, 그리고 대사께서 잘 이해해야 한다고 생각한다”며 “이것을 해결하기 위해서 양국정부가 성의를 갖고 노력을 해야 한다”고 강조했습니다.
I should count myself fortunate that no coffee was in my proximity when I read that, since it would have been thrown at my computer monitor.
Ambassador Vershbow responded by saying he understood what position this issue occupies in Korean culture, and that he is working with Seoul and Washington to resolve the issue.
Kang also told the ambassador that since he lives here and experiences directly the situation in Korea, everything he says provides important information to the US government (or, in other words, please be careful of what you say, since it directly influences what Washington thinks), and asked him to lead a solution to the beef issue.
Oh, and Yonsei University canceled an address Ambassador Vershbow was supposed to give today.
Seriously, I need to go back to posting photographs of old buildings. This bullshit is going to give me a fucking aneurysm.
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with you 100%.
(and would this be the wrong time to point out that RED WINGS WIN! RED WINGS WIN!)
But it is the US that is arrogant….
Did the Korean government hire Ari Fleischer to run its diplomatic backchannels?
I wonder how the gentleman in question scored on his IELTS test – before going to Oxford.
Vershbow needs to find one Korean adult on the peninsula — maybe that person is in North Korea — and speak only to him/her.
hehe
the matter is,
whether it was ’should learn ‘the science and facts about American beef’
or ’should learn ’science’ and ‘facts about American beef’ doesn’t really matter. It was rude all the same. Maybe different in the level of offence, and mistranslation is certainly a silly mistake and should be blamed, but that does not defend Vershbow being arrongant and ignorant.
Be reasonable.
“Instead of lecturing the US embassy, how about telling UDP chairman Sohn Hak-kyu to hire a decent translator, seeing how all those years at Oxford weren’t enough.”
Part of me is completely ready to believe that Sohn and his translator(s) have twisted this quote on purpose, but I’ve met plenty of Koreans with PhDs from American or other foreign universities who speak surprisingly poor English. Even worse, when asked if they understand something – sometimes something that happens to be very important – the answer is often, “OK,” even if this isn’t really the case.
aaasssshhhoooolllleeee american gov in-yo-face demanded Lee Myong Mak for beef importation during his visit to the whitehouse. Lee went there for friendship, but the US only wanted to sell beef to the ugly koreaness.
Best thing for korea is to expand good relations with Russia and say goodbye to the a-hole USA. Best for USA is to stop immigration of anything korea. In the end, koreans may turn out to be poor again, but they will have dignity as a nation under no belittlement by american aaaaasssssshhhhooollllleeeessss!
I was wondering how far we’d get before somebody threw down the “it’s a culture thing; you Americans can’t understand us” card. Thank you, Mr. Kang, for being that somebody.
I wonder if Yonsei canceled the Vershbow address because the students were planning a big demonstration.
damn you mjw. I was going to go down to Rocky Mountain Tavern and watch the game on tape delay, not knowing the outcome, in order to enjoy it more.
To RJK:
not a bad idea to go back to photos of old buildings. This fiasco/miasma/clusterfuck is now officially damaging my opinion of Korea; I skip the articles in the paper, I change the subject in my conversation classes, hell, I’m thinking about talking about friggin’ blood types in my next conversation class, just to think about something else for a change.
Heeeeeey Obama!
Hey Rob…
Chill out man. How about an afternoon margarita? Works for me.
I agree w/ WangKon. Let’s fire up the barbie, grill some Kansas City porterhouses, crack open the Jack and let Korea sink in pig shit and containers of semi-conductors and fleets of cars piled on the docks with no place to go.
Korean culture permeates the beef here, you say? Well, that does help explain the rather steep price on the 한우 등심.
As I was reading this a student came to my desk asking me about forigners’ opinions of the beef controversy. I just hit print. Thanks guys!
It might be useful for Robert or someone to translate certain blog entires — like this one — and translate them entirely into Korean and host them separately so that Koreans could get a better idea of how the rest of the world thinks.
I’ve noticed that, this time, Korean trolls have taken this issue to IHT and Globalvoicesonline blogs as a means to generate sympathy but I am afraid it is not working too well because irrationality and dirty politics are not very popular.
R. Elgin, I hope you are joking. Please don’t think your opinions are ‘how the rest of the world thinks’. I hope that is not the case as all I see in this blog are ignorance, studpidity, arrogance and prejudice without any will to communicate or understand the issues. Instead, you are closing your eyes, covering your ears and blaming and mocking Korea and its people.
I guess I’m wasting my time. Maybe you should bark all you like, but please don’t call yourself ‘the voice of the rest of the world’. It’s embarassing.
# 10,
Yeah, that USDA Choice aged beef from Texas is mighty fine eat’in.
like i said earlier….let it happen.
bring it on.
bring on the Korea vs. US trade.
it’s about time the US gets nationalistic since 9/11.
Question for all the expats, because of the U.S. beef ban, you guys can’t go out there and get $4 a lbs porterhouses or ribeyes unless it’s from some Army base, huh?
“in Korea, beef is not simply a product; our people’s unique sentiment, which cannot be explained with science, permeates beef.”
The Locals demanding to be treated preciously? Can’t do anything remotely normal so there always has to be an exception for them?
Just sounds like the normal line they always take.
Robert, just chill. No amount of print, common sense, or even reasoned positions will change Korea. Remember they have their own science. Its not worth the stress. I am sure the Ambassador knows whats going on here and will give a full accounting to Washington. Korea with or without US beef will remain as it is. An island isolated from reality.
Sperwer, I’m with you. Let’s plan a barbeque for this summer with good American beef. Maybe some of my church contacts could get some from on base.
Jeffery Hodges
* * *
You know, rather than trying to get people to draw cartoons of Koreans in order to insult them and make them look bad in response to a comic strip nobody has seen, I wish people with Korean skills would instead try and pen some thoughtful pieces for the Korean press on issues that actually matter. While people do need more stories about astronauts, boots, and cartoons on blogs nobody reads *cough*, I think if people were really interested in making a difference they’d go ahead and tackle some of the bigger issues. But that’s a big if.
That said, Korea is unique in the fact that a few years back the pew survey found it was the most anti american country outside of the muslim world. It is unique that the USA continues to put up with this type of BS from Korea. Imagine if some 3rd world country or even Iran called the US ambassador in and told him not to speak, or only tell Washington good things about the country, all the anti american stuff you can leave out. I think the political parties in the USA should call in the Korean ambassador and warn him or hell even expel him for a good laugh. Immediately forbid US universities to grant aid or scholarships to students from SNU.
I think the USA should call Korea on its bluff. If they want to demonstrate in the streets let them. If they want to torch the US embassy let them. I think the USA should not back down. The GNP obviously does have the gonads to take on the anti americans in the country. The USA should take them on. What is South Korea going to do, ban all american imports, or put a high tariff on them.(wait they do that already) Stop studying at US universities, stop exporting cell phones and cars. Again, simple point, Korea needs the US much more than the US needs Korea. I say do not run from anti americanism, confront it head on, and with facts and god forbid science. Korea’s unique culture often produces its own truth. The one thing that is unique, is Korea is never wrong. They are not even wrong here.
The best way to confront anti americanism is with money. What the US giveth it can take away.
If this were happening in France on the scale it’s happening here, Fox News would put together a boycott like that *snaps fingers*.
Have there been any dissenting voices in the Korean press, or are they singing off the same song sheet?
In other words, Don’t forget, you must work for our interest rather than that of the United States.
They must think Vershbow works for AmCham.
@25 .. agreed.. time for them to grow some stuggats.
As per Pinocchio’s comment
Translating some threads only would be no different from posting an editorial anywhere else, only here, the authors are at least familiar with things Korean and might offer a different POV from what most local Korean media consider worthwhile.
If certain threads from here were translated into Korean, it might make other points-of-view — which might be different — available to more Koreans, thus giving them more to think about. This could be useful, especially since a good bit of reporting, that many of us read in the local media, is so seemingly disassociated with any better part of reason.
I would not translate the commentary though since most blogs get too much nonsense as it is and that would probably not be useful.
P.S. You smell like a sock as well . . .
so, let me get this straight: foreign humans can’t, but Korean COWS can have jung?
Where’s stephen colbert when you need him?
See, you fail to understand. It’s the 과학으로는 설명할 수 없는, 독특한 미국 국민의 정서.
잘 이해하시기를 바랍니다.
‘Imagine if some 3rd world country or even…’
the expats contempt on full display.
日本の職業に対して揺り動かされる柳寬順 。彼女は英雄の1才であり、私は彼女に名誉を与える.
The lack of coverage of this issue by the right-wing media in the US is a prime indicator of just how irrelevant Korea and their regular anti-American temper tantrums really are. Because conservative media outlets have their antennae finely tuned to sniff out perceived slights to America anywhere in the world, and are generally pretty quick to highlight and condemn, especially if it comes from a perceived ally.
If your anti-Americanism can’t even get the attention of Hannity, LGF or Michelle Malkin…you’re really off the fucking map.
When did ignorance and hysteria become a cultural thing?
In fact, I’ve never found porterhouse anywhere but on base. Ribeye, NY Strip, etc, can be had; but in my experience the only place where they reliably can be found, correctly (and generously cut, and at a reasonable price) is COSTCO. And the Aussie stuff there since the outbreak of mad Korean disease, sorry to say, in fact doesn’t taste the same (or as good) as the US stuff. It’s almost impossible to find Western cuts of meat in any Korean outlets, which (unlike the foreign-owned and operated places like Costco – which stock both Korean and US style cuts) don’t generally stock anything except Korean cuts. Obviously, in large part a simple commercial decision by the latter, but still indicative of the generally blindered attitude of the Korean borg, given that the American cuts are snapped up by the Koreans (with enough separation from the collective) who make up 99.9% of the shoppers at Costco.
Re #23; You’re on Gypsy!
In addition, I’m thinking about asking my brother-in-law to arrange a demo permit for me to have a barbeque a la American in Gwnaghwamun some evening. Anybody want to join?
Robert, your articles on this issue are very much appreciated. The old building will be waiting for you. Please keep up the posts.
Hi Pinocchio.
“All see in this blog are ignorance, stupidity, arrogance and prejudice without any will to communicate or understand the issues.”
Well, beauty is in the eye of the beholder methinks.
As a rare comparatively left-wing type floating about the Marmots Hole, I’m usually comparatively sympathetic to a number of policies and people that regularly get trashed here (the sunshine policy and Roh Mu-hyun respectively, to pick two random examples).
But on this occasion, Sohn’s opportunistic band-wagon-jumping slime really is a little bit too much to bear. And given that Koreans are now all “PhD’s in BSE” isn’t Kang’s “과학으로는 설명할 수 없는..” comment a touch ironic?
Oh man oh man oh man. I really want US representatives to NOT work with Korea on this one. I want them to just simply say “There is nothing wrong with US beef.” and leave it at that. That would be so awesome.
C’mon, Vershbow, don’t let me down now!
Jesus Christ, one of my coworkers just forwarded me an email with some video clips about 광우병 that were broadcasted by the EBS Channel (mis-)”Education Broadcasting Service.” No wonder my (otherwise highly educated) coworkers are shocked when I tell them no one has ever gotten 광우병 from American beef**–they are bombarded by this kinda stuff on the “Educational” channel. Imagine the PBS broadcasting Soviet propaganda during the Cold War… it’s analogous. These videos, complete with depressing Radiohead background music, paint a near doomsday picture of what American beef will do to this poor, enslaved, exploited country…
**one coworker did make the “astute” point that one or more of the three foreigners found with 광우병 in the USA might have been infected by eating exported American beef in their home country… he should blog this and 15 minutes later the netizens could spin it and it could become common knowledge–three confirmed cases of American beef causing 광우병 in the last 15 minutes.
@7 How was Vershbow being, as you say, ignorant? Ignorant of the “fact” that “all Koreans have become 광우병 Ph.D.’s?” No, I’m sure he’s learned that by now. Have you seen 세종로? That’s the first place you should be going to tell people to be reasonable?
Pawi the Chinese spy, I have sorry bad news for you. Report to the Beijing Headquarters, immediately!
Look i know its crazy, esp. how this issue became a leftist cause but when you think how lame the left in Korea has become it is heartening. 10 years ago the left had real real issues to parade, now they are protesting beef just like the crazies here in the US. I know its frustrating but it just highlights how weak the lefties have become in Korea.
Some will remember that, back in the 2000 Water Dump Saga, the judge through out the Seoul prosecutor’s recommendation of a fine and ordered a criminal trial – based in part, so his decision read, because of the amount of “national concern” that had been raised about such an important item to Korean society’s health and wellbeing.
By which he meant, of course, the irrational fury that had been filling the streets for weeks on end.
What permeates in Korea is bigotry, ultranationalism, and ignorance, and they permeate all the way up to the top.
Since the early eighties, I have been hearing Koreans excuse their bigotry and ignorance by saying, “We have unique sensibilities that you cannot understand and must make exception for.” And since the eighties, I have seen American officials, one after another, fall for that silly tactic, which means there is also ignorance in the US government.
The US needs to deal with Korea the same way China deals with Korea, which is lay down the law and watch Koreans scramble for excuses to accept it. China knows that the “unique sensibilities” line is just a ruse because China also uses it.
Can anyone ever remember China worrying about Korean sensibilities?
Also, there are many Koreans who will lie at the drop of a hat to make their country look better in the eyes of the international community, which means they will also lie to make their country look better relative to the United States and Japan. So people need to keep that in mind.
What Kang said:
“our people’s unique sentiment, which cannot be explained by science, permeates beef.”
What Kang really meant,
“our people’s unique sentiment
(a highly combustible, uncontrollable thing we call ‘(원)한’),
which cannot be explained by science
(or similarly logic-driven modes of thought),
permeates beef
(protests).”
“(It ain’t pretty, but so it is. And I’m going to swallow my pride, pander to it, indeed ride the way given that politically it’s suicidal to stay on the other side of this. So here I am. Bear with me. You know the score very well, I’m sure. Just try to keep a straight face through this conversation, and maybe we can both come out ahead. Thanks for being such a good sport.)”
I asked this question on another thread but no-one gave me an answer, so I’m hoping someone can answer on this thread.
The US has many allies, do any of the other allies, give the US so much grief?
Somebody? Anybody?
@46 I’m starting to realize how much the US truly values using this country as a military base. No other reason to put up with these jackasses.
Hrm… maybe Iraq, in the future? I can see the continued US presence there being something of a sore point at times.
They pulled this shite with rice, now beef? Cows that were imported are now somehow ancient and traditional, permeated by the essence of Koreanness? How much lower can this go?
Sperwer–Excellent idea. I’ll toss in some ribeyes.
This quote keeps bothering me more and more. It sounds waaay too sexual. You wanna see some real beef permeated with unique sentiment? Have I got somethin special for you!
#44
You can’t really fault American officials for how they’ve handled Korean public opinion. Can you imagine how massively difficult and expensive it would be to educate the Korean public at large? Now that would be a misallocation of resources.
Personally, I’m getting tired of all of this BSE talk around here. It is false politics and will come to nothing, same as the middle school girls of ‘02. Ignore it and it will go away.
Ah… Where to start? What frustrations do I have as a Korean-American, looking at the land of my ancestors and trying to figure out how Korea has survived this far living on such idiocy.
I say that all the interested people find ways to buy all the US beef in the commissary system here in Korea – and then hold good ole’ American-style barbecues in front of the protests. Tail-gate party!
I think you ‘beef hawks’ out there are really playing in to hands of the beef protestors. They want to prolong the controversy as long as possible – your calls for tit for tat and escalation will fill the need.
American beef is an easy winner in this market – lower price and higher quality. Sell the younger beef, ease their fears and depoliticize the issue. What is the point of trying to lecture Koreans on their irrationality, strange cultural beliefs or lack of “beef science” knowledge? No need for that if you want American products to do well here.
The Korea Times has a short article up about a man lighting himself on fire after a beef protest.
Check that one of the index list.
#46
I we’re talking about the short term, no.
If we go back past 1990 and earlier decades, you could argue there were several.
The tensions in the Cold War, the ever-present threat of nuclear holocaust, caused great tension between the allies and within their own societies.
De Gaulle used ultra-nationalism to kick US NATO troops out of country. There were massive protests at times in the UK, France, Germany and others. There were some terrorist attacks aimed at the US military – particularly in Germany.
France based much of its foreign policy on finding ways to be a “counter-weight” to the US without leading to a complete fracture in the NATO military alliance.
But, since the end of the Cold War, I don’t think there has been any other country where the US has risked and invested as much in an ally only to be treated like it is here in South Korea…
Since I favor pulling out of Korea, some will say (have said) that it is all about sour grapes — a childish reaction to Korea not showing respect for what the US does for it.
To me, however, it is a matter of cost-to-benefit ratio: We risk too much by facing off North Korea within South Korea for too little in return.
Michael Breen hit the nail on the head again today.
http://www.koreatimes.co.kr/ww.....25396.html
I think the piece he did on Pres. Lee’s apology was better – simply because I don’t remember seeing too many in the K-blogsphere giving that debacle the kind of play it should have gotten…
Jesus, all this talk of beef reminds me I need to get my base pass reactivated posthaste.
That was a NY Times article from 1995.
The comments by that ambassador didn’t go over too well either…
““in Korea, beef is not simply a product; our people’s unique sentiment, which cannot be explained with science, permeates beef.””
1) Can’t be explained by science? Ever heard of psychiatry, anthropology and sociology?
2) Funny, but I thought that traditionally, Koreans didn’t eat beef because cows were too precious as they were needed to plow the fields…which is why dog meat soup is supposedly traditional Korean food.
Well, it’s good that they keep changing the stated motives for the protests. Every new change—whether it may be LMB being arrogant (aren’t presidents supposed to be arrogant?), another distortion of what the US ambassador’s words, or that the US government is covering up that American cows have a disease that makes them go “Moo”—increases the chances that the protesters will stop, think, and say, “What the fuck!?”
Keep up the good work Marmot!! As someone said yesterday, or was it earlier today???…the new Marmot with an attitude is pretty cool!
Marmot’s turned badass. Like when Hulk Hogan dyed his beard and became Hollywood Hulk Hogan.
I’ve figured out what these left-wing rabble-rousers remind me of:
Korean internet trolls.
They take some very reasonable points (LMB’s bungled his transition and first 100 days; communicated poorly with the public)
Mix them in with some slogans, push a few hot buttons, add some misinformation, take a tiny, unrepresentative sample, and expand it to unfairly characterize the entire mass, meanwhile ignoring the fact the pot’s calling the kettle black (Korean beef is “safety unknown” while US beef is “moderately safe” = netijens calling expats racists).
but while the pot-stirrers use ignorant, misinformed rhetoric to keep the crowds behind them, shouting and scared, it’s gonna backfire. Rather than giving their words the force of huge numbers, they’re undermining the credibility of their valid points with the sheer crassness of their methods for putting those points across. Once the international media starts covering this, THEY’LL be the ones looking like tools, for going to such stupid lengths to try and get LMB over a barrel.
(not that LMB’s totally in the right either, but. . .)
Next time I turn on the TV, I’m gonna imagine Sohn Hak-kyu filling in pauses between questions by saying, “How do you like my gravatar?”
oh yeah. and also twisting words and taking phrases out of context and intentionally misunderstanding things in order to torture their point, and ignoring evidence presented to disprove their claims.
How can Sohn Hak-kyu sleep at night? He likely thinks of himself as a patriot as he hypnotizes the public away from prosperity, consciencely ignoring rationality and the welfare of the country, and leads them into his pocket.
The real disease in this country is not Mad Cow, but crooked politicians with personal agendas. It infects the heart of this country, and is becoming terminal.
Timely data from the Chosun, which has abandoned principle on the beef issue, BTW:
Korea Ranks Near Bottom in English Exam
The passion among Koreans for learning English might be unmatched in the world, but their English skills remain near the bottom of the list.
The British Council, which co-supervises the International English Language Testing System (IELTS) with the University of Cambridge and IDP Education Australia, announced Tuesday that a study found that Koreans who took the General Training Version of the IELTS scored an average 5.21 out of 9 points, ranking Korea 19th out of the 20 countries with the most test applicants last year.
There are two versions of the IELTS — the General Training Version for those who plan to immigrate to or work in English-speaking countries, and the Academic Version for those who wish to pursue higher education in those countries. Korea ranked 15th in the Academic Version. About 940,000 people took the IELTS last year, and Korea produced the eighth largest number of test-takers with 21,844 people.
Korea’s average score of 5.21 on the General Training exam also placed the nation last among Asian countries.
Imagine the Mega-Blockbuster movie that is going to sweep Korea in about 2 years about the US Beef that infected the elementary student (the one that didn’t go to college, get a good job, then just die)with the Mad Cow-hiv and turned him into the greatest super hero the Asian continent has ever seen…4 Brain Cell Boy!!!!
He’ll have twice the soju consumption capacity of the average Korean male and be twice as smart with all those extra brain cells!!!
(I’m totally suing the plagiarizing mofo Korean directer that steals my idea)
‘If your anti-Americanism can’t even get the attention of Hannity, LGF or Michelle Malkin…you’re really off the fucking map.’
but not with you. for you, korea is 247. as for your moronic comment, what nation do americans care about, blue? so full of it.
the fact of the matter is, mericans don’t care about the beef issue nor do they care about much else. c’mon, man, a country that casually kills a million people ain’t gonna give no time to something as boring as beef. that’s why all your huffy puffy threats to the people who gave a girlfriend are all for naught.
now, i’ll let y’all get back to the boozin!
‘we want to force koreans to buy the beef we wouldn’t give to our dogs.’ american official who refused to be named
‘It sounds waaay too sexual. You wanna see some real beef permeated with unique sentiment? Have I got somethin special for you!’ the expat at his finest revealing his trailer park origins
What I liked was the part where the usual Korean argument is trotted out…(”Korea…Special Situation…you have to understand…”) for getting whatever it is they want.
If we’re serious about this, we have to play hardball. Stop any & all shipments of feed. I don’t know how much Korea buys, and at what price, but cattle farmers I know in Pocheon do tell me it’s a major headache.
Cars, phones, consumer electronics can also be subjected to exhaustive regulatory de facto trade barriers. These clowns have gotten a free ride long enough.
‘If we’re serious about this, we have to play hardball. Stop any & all shipments of feed. I don’t know how much Korea buys, and at what price, but cattle farmers I know in Pocheon do tell me it’s a major headache.’
in other words, let’s starve those who refuse to buy american products. classy. just classy. can we expect any less from the expat? man, pig pen.
let me clarify the beef situation in simplisitc terms:
1. the fta was dead prior to korea’s beef concerns. that’s something the expat wants you to forget.
2. america wants to force beef it wouldn’t feed to animals.
3. most americans are unaware of how old their beef is though the expect actually tells a lie by saying the reverse.
4. besides the scathing words of the expat, korea will suffer no consequence. americans will continue to buy korean products for their quality and value.
5. those who advocate trade sanctions towards sk are in fact anti american; they want to take away our right to choose and force us to make decisions based on their childish emotion. americans want the right to buy samsungs, hyundais, and lgs, and do not want some guy who had to go out to get in to dictate his tantrums onto them.
6. koreans do not want american beef that’s unfit for animals.
7. the science korea uses in this case is sound and is being misrepresented on this form.
8. nobody cares about this issue here in the states. no amount of crying from the cryers will change that.
thanks for allowing me to clarify the situation. there’s quite a bit of disinformation being promoted here on this board. i’m glad to be here to shine light on that. your friend,
pawi
Cheating at paintball again, pawi.
And we should believe that because a biased kyopo tells us so? Since you must be one of those Koreans with a Ph.D. in BSE, do tell how the Korean science has been misrepresented here. God knows Korean science (Hwang, et al.) has been misrepresented before by us pesky roundeyes.
And support your statement that the exported meat is “unfit for dogs”.
A China-style response to this will be impossible to pull off by a country with rule of law, but a good one would be simply stopping processing in Korea of all visas of all categories to visit the USA until it can be made 100% certain that Koreans will not be put at risk of exposure to BSE while in that country. (”Logically”, Canada would do this, too.)
“We’ve come to understand the Korean ’science’ and we care for your well-being, so stopping such visits is the only conscionable thing to do.”
On a more serious note, though, I see this as less a trade spat than a crisis of Korean politics, journalism and education that could set back the nation’s economy for years. What sane investor would enter into a relationship with a Korean entity after reviewing the facts of this case, and then reading up on the history of Lonestar, etc? How can the word of anyone in Korean officialdom be taken seriously? What person of stature will be willing to give an interview to the Korean media?
Darker theories of North Korean sabotage of the ROK start to make sense in this light.
“support your statement that the exported meat is “unfit for dogs”.
The proof is in your wedding photo.
The US DID speak softly. But it also carries a big stick that it may need to use shortly. It is the hight of Korean arrogance to ask him to apologize for speaking honestly, directly and politely. And still, the press mistranslated his comments!
“support your statement that the exported meat is “unfit for dogs”.
The proof is in your wedding photo.’
lol.
“You must understand our unique culture” – hmm sound familiar? Tell GNP chairman Kang Jae-sup that we’re tired of making special exceptions for the oh-so-special Koreans.It’s time to tell the Korean public to stop whining and understand world culture.
Dogbert is thinking of a comeback….
ooh, world culture. from an american.
ha
@76: even as an insult, that made no sense. Can you back up your claim that the meat cleared for export is “unfit for dogs”, or should we just expect more of your ignorance and dissembling?
Dogbert…
hum, how do we do this
kind of difficult..
um.
Your wife = DOG
You = Exported meat
LMAORAOTFCT
Thanks, but frankly, it’s not new — if you go through my old crap, you’ll see I was a much angrier blogger — and I don’t like watching myself return to my old form. The beef issue just has me pissed off.
Oh, and dong9chin9, I don’t mind trolls, or the racist crap that goes back and forth between Koreans/gyopo/expats, but I do take seriously making fun of people’s wives.
Consider yourself banned until further notice.
I’m sorry, I won’t do it again.
Don’t ban him on my account — the more people see kyopos for what they are, the better.
And pawi, you’re welcome to explain to me in person why you thought that was funny–but seeing how you whined like a bitch when you’d thought your e-mail address had been publicized, I doubt you will.
lol
I’ve taken off the ban.
Dogbert — The gyopo-baiting doesn’t really help matters.
All within 1 hour from dong9chin9:
If repeatedly going after others families and threatening to rape wives and daughters doesn’t get you permanently banned….what will?
Even when he’s not being vile, the Dungchimp99 guy has nothing to say worth reading. Another boarding school kid with a computer and some strange notions about Korea. A permanent ban is in order here. I’d apply it to his classmate swlee, too.
Riiiiiiight, Robert. It’s my “baiting” that inspired “dongchim” to rape threats. It’s my “baiting” that causes “swlee”’s persistent nastiness.
Wake up and smell the coffee.
Agree w/ dogbert. Keep them around. They unintentionally provide a needed service.
They’re just too thick to recognize it.
But the little guy apologized to Robert (was it Robert and his family he was insulting?), so everything’s hunkydory at the Hole.
“..in Korea, beef is not simply a product; our people’s unique sentiment, which cannot be explained with science, permeates beef…”
that’s kind of like why I got divorced
A Korean writing ‘Your wife = DOG’ isn’t ‘making fun’, Robert, he’s insulting your wife (and, by extension, you) in as rude a way as he can. Really, what’s fun about it?
Korean culture is truly unique.
Unlike India, China, Greece, Italy, Japan, Turkey, Ethiopia, Egypt or Israel, its culture is thousands of years old.
Unlike Cambodian (Khmer), Burmese, Thai, Laotian, Inuit, Sequoiah, Hebrew, Greek or Armenian, it has a distinctive alphabet for its own language.
Unlike the EU, Japan, U.S., Canada, Australia, Brazil, China, Russia or India, it is heavily industrialized and has a large economy.
And of course, it is blessedly free of inferior foreign ideas, products and peoples.
How much more culturally unique and distinct can one be (besides Quebec in Canada)?!
The joke was
Dogbert: support your statement that the exported meat is “unfit for dogs”.
dong9chin9: The proof is in your wedding photo.
Too high brow for Dogbert, so the explanation
Dong9chin9: Your wife = DOG, You = Exported meat.
Not insulting to Robert, (everyone knows Roberts wife is not a dog, but is in fact Mongolian) and not insulting to someone with a sense of humor.
Just because I have Australian flag does not make me Gyeopo, not that there is anything wrong with that. Some of my best friend is Gyeopo. In fact, my hairdresser is Gyeopo, and the guy managing my local supermarket is Gyeopo. Just kidding about the last two example. Thin skin people don’t like to play with big boys.
And when someone writes
the parenthetical use of ‘your’ explains how it was used, rather than serving to identify any specific individual. Honestly, with language skills such as you possess, you’d make a fine hagwon teacher.
Robert’s clearly keeping trolls around to spice up the blog, no matter what gets said. It’s a bit of a wonder, however, where the humor’s to be found in suggesting sexual violence on someone’s wife and daughters, or in calling someone’s wife a dog on a Korean blog.
dong9chin9 – You lose what credibility you’re clinging onto when you make comments like those. I’m betting you’re one of those people who have no troubles slinging mud and cheap shots in regards to people and their family, but have little tolerance for when it’s reciprocated.
I doubt you’d be accepting the ‘oh, guys I was just kidding and meant no offense. You guys need thicker skins.’ routine if someone insulted you or your family in such a way. The comments you made in no way make you look a ‘big boy’ just a confused bigotted fool.
ElCanguro Steps off the soap-box
Troll is an easy insult with no meaning. Robert appears to be aware that there are many varied way of perceiving the world, with many different opinions. you would do well to learn the same. Unless you want to pay me to teach you about hermeneutics and ontology, be prepared for the possibility that someone who disagrees with your opinion may use colorful phrases referencing your grandmother, vehicle you drive, size of your penis when held between teeth of a young boy, or any other insult that person finds amusing. After all, this is only the Internet.
OK, thanks you just proved that you’re not only a bigotted fool but also a condescending wanker. No need to go any further …
Hermeneutics and ontology? Well, a thinker such as you should be able to explain the logical construct of this statement:
How exactly is any fee-based arrangement with you supposed to affect the comments made by bloggers whose opinions differ from mine?
BTT: bump to iheartblueballs comment above. Some things simply aren’t funny.
Thats the idea , now you’re getting it. Still pretty limp, but you can work on that. The next stage would be to use harsher words than fool or wanker, and do try to be more imaginative in your description of the other person. Also, I find that alliteration can really cap off a good insult.
Here is a few to practice with:
(Warning: NSFW or the easily offended)
Shirt-selling softy
Half-caste dumb fuck
Shining dip wit (This last one is actually a spoonerism, we will go into that in an advanced lesson)
@gbnhj.
This may appear a little tautological, however that is exactly the sort of question I would help you to understand the answer to for a fee. Otherwise, you’re on you own. Good luck.
Actually, I keep them around for two reasons. One, philosophically, I hate deleting comments and banning commenters. Two, with all the Korean/gyopo/expat bashing that gets done around here, if I were to start diligently cleaning up offensive content, I’d probably have to ban half my commenters.
That being said, dong9chin9, I hadn’t read the “sorry, you may be a child of korean blood, but with thinking like that, i would gladly rape your wife and daughters, for you are no longer korean to me if you think like that” comment pointed out by Blueballs. Clearly, you’ve clearly got issues that need to be addressed — preferably by professional help — before you comment here.
Is YoungRocco2 trying to stage a comeback?
You folks are so out of touch it’s hilarious. The biggest party of the year and most important social movement of the past two decades here is happening nightly and all you can do is bitch and whine at each other like little girls. Here’s a cut-and-paste description of what’s really happening on the ground in case you’re actually interested or give a fuck:
I was out there at Kwanghwamun again last night (Thursday) and if Korea is ever going to have its “Woodstock” this may be it. There were several large drum circles with like 30 drums, people dancing in the center and hundreds looking on; several other folk-type bands playing Crying Nut or Deli Spice songs (with the odd anti-ChoJoongDong ditty thrown in which was kind of incongruous but whatever); and another band with an accordian player and even a foreign drummer, along with a violinist and guitar player. The mood was much more festive and there was a sense of joy or jouissance as the French say: All the college kids were out in force and mostly in their own circles, either drinking around a fire or even more funny, the girls from women’s schools doing their sort of cute little cheerleader synchronized dancing (”Bring it!”). So there was a variety of people and styles (even quite a few red devils in their glowing red horns) but the dominant mood was much more festive despite the highly decentered assemblage of people, and since they are going through the weekend we’ll see if this turns into a full-scale Woodstock-like cultural event that really flips this society upside-down (it was also notable that the police did nothing to break things up even though about 10,000 people were still occupying Kwanghwamun when I left at 5am). I did meet a cool (Korean) activist/NGO guy and we had a good long talk: I asked him if this was a movement (undong) or revolution (hyongmyong) and he said he had no idea what to make of this thing yet but he seemed rather ambivalent about its future or long-lasting potential as am I (at one point he pointed to people putting anti-gov’t stickers on the police buses and said “They’re just playing, they’re just having fun.”). Anyway, the big day is next Tuesday where they’re hoping for 1 million people; alas, given the dearth of drugs here and seriously crowd rocking bands, any comparisons to Woodstock or true cultural revolution may only be superficial at best. The jury’s still out on this thing.
I want to step in here and ask why it is always Koreans that are banned on this site? Isn’t this a site about Korea? Aren’t people here interested in Koreans?
I am constantly chastised here for not thinking like the majority of commenters here, a discourse largely dominated by white males, and a few western educated gyeopos who are let onto the porch.
Pawi, dongguchingu, myself, and many others try to punch above our weight but are unfairly treated.
This sites reputation as an anti-gyeopo site is rapidly being eclipsed by its reputation as an anti-Korean site.
Sure pawi, donggu (and perhaps even myself at times) go too far sometimes, but isnt that human, and shouldnt we let it pass in these excited times. Although the guy was a little rude, he was funny.
If Robert had any principles regarding his philosophical stance, he would remove his ban of donggu and allow a bit of much-needed balance back to this blog.
swlee — It might surprise you that the majority of people banned from this site have been anti-Korean (often during regular Korea-Japan flame wars). But then again, I have no intention of justifying who I ban to you.
PS: I also delete comments is I get requests from particular friends/acquaintances. Philosophically consistent? Nope. But hey, it’s my blog.
“Is YoungRocco2 trying to stage a comeback?”
I was thinking the same thing.
Thanks Scott.
“You folks are so out of touch it’s hilarious.”
too true.
Remember him, Robert?
He was run off this blog too.
Maybe you should take his advice and get out more.
A few years back, mad cow was detected in one of the cows in japan. What did the US do? It banned all beef imports from japan.
So, with that, I don’t understand all this controversy with preventing the import of US beef to korea? I can’t believe all you americans are so angry about this? If koreans don’t want US beef, we shouldn’t have to eat it.
Like wise, since this hurts US exports, america should tariff or block the importation of some koreans goods also. Tariff korean cell phones or cars. economically, korea will suffer more.
A comment such as 85 is nothing but very offensive. “The more people see kyopos for what they are, the better”??
Then again, it’s reflexive. For in its turn it reveals what kind of jackass dogbert really is. Balance indeed.
As a European citizen I have watched the on going US beef crisis with some bemusement. However I would say that given S.Korea would gain far more from a proposed EU/Kor FTA than that of the US, and equally given the quite biased nature of the current protests I would urge EU citizens to oppose any such deal. Equally I would ask US citizens to oppose the US/Kor FTA. America is big enough, strong enough, and has the resources not to trade with Korea. Quite simply you are giving away the keys to the kingdom.
Americans should also be aware of the fact that the Korean government has already set aside money to make their agricultural sector more ‘competitive’ after the deal is done. There is nothing free or fair about this deal. Hard working Americans will lose out. Why exactly should you act in the benefit of a people that quite clearly detest you.
Show your hand.
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