In the IHT, Choe Sang-hun writes that the protests are really about nationalism:
When tens of thousands of South Koreans spilled into central Seoul in the country’s largest anti-government protest in 20 years, the police built a barricade out of shipping containers. They coated them with oil and filled them with sand bags so protesters could not climb or knock them over to march on President Lee Myung Bak’s office a couple blocks away.
Faced with this wall, people pasted numerous identical leaflets on the barrier, their message dramatically summarizing Lee’s image and alienation from many of his people: “This is a new border for our country. From here starts the U.S. state of South Korea.”
In the background, a shrill female voice from a battery of loudspeakers led the crowd in the chant: “Lee Myung Bak is Lee Wan Yong!”
As every South Korean schoolchild knows, Lee Wan Yong was the infamous turn-of-the-century royal minister who helped Imperial Japan annex Korea as a colony — national traitor No. 1.
The scenes Tuesday illuminated the dramatic shift in President Lee’s political fortunes. When he was elected last December, South Koreans hailed him as a long-awaited leader who could salvage their country’s alliance with the United States, which was strained under Lee’s left-leaning predecessor, Roh Moo Hyun.
Only six months later, Lee finds Koreans vilifying him as something Roh famously said he would never become — “a Korean leader kowtowing to the Americans.”
“While championing a pragmatic leadership, Lee overlooked Koreans’ nationalistic pride,” said Choi Jin, director of the Institute of Presidential Leadership in Seoul. “If what troubled Roh’s presidency was too much nationalism, Lee’s problem is a lack of it.”
Yi Wan-yong was a nice touch.
I found this part particularly moving:
If Lee had mixed with the demonstrators on Tuesday, he would have seen that it was not just his deeply unpopular decision to lift an import ban on American beef that brought them to the streets.
People felt their national pride hurt. Protesters, some weeping, were singing a popular song about, not American beef, but an ancient Korean kingdom that extended into what become Manchuria, now northeast China.
“How can we stop here, when the vast expanse of Manchuria awaits us?” the lyrics go.
Lovely.
Don’t mistake nationalism for anti-Americanism, though:
Many analysts in Seoul draw a careful line between nationalism and anti-Americanism among Koreans. They say these demonstrations are more an expression of the first than the latter. But the divide sometimes is very thin.
This month, Alexander Vershbow, the U.S. ambassador to South Korea, got a taste of the simmering anti-American sentiment when he defended the safety of U.S. beef. “We hope that Koreans will begin to understand more about the science and about the facts of American beef,” he said. The next day, politicians and protesters called the comment an “insult to all Korean citizens.” Vershbow expressed regret that he was misunderstood.
“These days, Koreans say there are only two anti-Americans in South Korea,” said Jeon Sang Il, a sociologist at Sogang University. “One is Lee Myung Bak and the other Vershbow. They stoked anti-American sentiments with what they did and what they said.”
Got it.
If you’re bewildered, don’t worry — nationalism, anti-Americanism, democracy, frustration with Lee, nighttime entertainment… there are a ton of explanations of how these protests are about anything but US beef.
21 Comments
…there are a ton of explanations of how these protests are about anything but US beef.
But then again, the Boston Tea Party wasn’t really about the tea either.
Truth finially told!!! This protest has little to do with US Beef so at the end what is everyone on the street trying to achieve? Will Renegotiation with US settle all things? At his juncture, this issue has gone beyond that.. The most hideous side of Korea is now out of closet..Low trust between government to citizens, Lack of confidence and ignorance to scienctic fact, and now nationalism stem from historical grievances and biased teaching of history, flaw education systems etc etc. Good for you all Koreans in Korea. You out did yourself in front of world. I am pretty sure you will forget all about this tomorrow. Unfortunately, damage has been done and every one of you will pay for it.
BTW, Northest China (Machuria) WILL NEVER be part of Korea..DREAM ON!!!
Namuamita
Actually, I liked the article and the way the author quotes others to make his point. In doing so, however, he does make points that were not intended. The song lyrics about reclaiming (presumably)Goguryo could just have easily been sung by troops of the Japanese Imperial Army. After all, one object of taking Korea was to use it as a stepping stone to Manchuria.
More to the point, however, the scale and emotion of these protests underscores two salient facts. First, however far Korea has come economically, it political processes retain a strong third world flavour. Second, irrespective of elections and governmental change, anti-American sentiment will remain a hallmark of Korean political life for many years to come. It is time for U.S. forces to pack up and go home.
“In doing so, however, he does make points that were not intended”
I am not so sure unless I hear what these manics are singing but I agree it is time for US forces to get outta there.
Namuamitaba
Which leg do we pull to play jingle-bells?
It’s not anti-US — because the world press is watching….
I guess the cows come from somewhere else?
I guess if this had been a deal over Canadian beef, the same outrage would have filled the streets.
How about even British beef? — the nation were serious outbreaks of mad cow disease in humans actually took place….
….if this were a deal on British beef, we’d be seeing the exact same thing — right? —- because it aint got nothing to do with the US…
Even if it really isn’t about the beef, see, if it were really about Lee’s arrogance or whatever, and only triggered by the beef, then it wouldn’t matter if it were Canadian or British beef —- we’d have seen the same thing.
How do people hold a straight face when they write stuff like that?
In the end it is all about America. VERY little of it is LMB.
Are there protests over free trade agreements with the EU or other countries?
Would there be such protests about Australian beef? Highly doubtful.
Have you ever heard negative words spoken by the average Korean about the Chinese during the Korean War and how they tried to enslave the South under communism? It’s rare indeed.
Anti-US (and Japanese) propaganda is tolerated in the school systems here.
Why should we not assume that the heart of these protests is really anti-US sentiment?
‘however far Korea has come economically, it political processes retain a strong third world flavour.’
taking on first world flavour but you’re too in a hurry. korea’s been a democracy for about 20 years. it’s doing just fine, thank you.
american beef companies need to cater to their korean clients since the market is so large. that would seem to be a no brainer!
i like how koreans take everything out of context
similar to rumsfeld remark of “i’m young” and koreans thought he said
anyong to preseident roh…which was an insult to every korean person!!!
immature and naieve morons who have no place on the world stage
damn I read a Pawi post before realizing the source
Let me offer a small correction Pawi…Korea has been ATEMPTING TO BE a democracy for about 20 years…
…so one might conclude that Koreans could profit somewhat by turning an ear (or two or 480,000) towards the voice of reason…even if that voice doesn’t eminate from a head covered in black hair, having brown eyes and…well you get the picture ?
…especially if all the ears are simply intent on listening to their own feet pounding the pavement in a unified chorus of collective (un)consiousness at the expense of everything not attached to their self-effacing/detructive perception of nationalism…
What endeavor in Korea is NOT about nationalism?
10 is right. What part of life in South Korea is not about nationalism? Koreans even march to watch insanely stupid movies like D-War to support the country.
USA seems to enemy number 1 for Koreans. It seems to be almost a sin against Korean national pride for a Korean to say they like the USA or would like to visit there.
um…from english.chosun.com:
”
The People’s Association for Measures Against Mad Cow Disease, which has been organizing candlelight vigils against the import of U.S. beef, warned Wednesday it would launch an impeachment campaign against President Lee Myung-bak if the government fails to begin an all-out renegotiation of the beef deal with the U.S. by June 20. In a statement, the coalition of over 1,700 civic groups including the People’s Solidarity for Participatory Democracy, urged the government to nullify the existing agreement and negotiate the deal from scratch. “If the government decides to ignore the mandate from the people, who hold the sovereign power in this country, we will not hesitate to launch a campaign to drive President Lee Myung-bak out of office,” the statement read.
”
i say……go for it..
make SK looke like the exception to the world.
like a crying baby with a silver spoon in it’s mouth.
i used to think that my native blood was sooo smart and calculative. maybe it was just my own family.
why do they not realize…. that there is no option to renegotiate. it is OUT of the question.
True that practicially every part of Korean life and thought is about nationalism.
However, pretty much all of them want to visit the States. Now, I’me not saying it’s like the 50’s-70’s where everyone was dying to get out of poor Korea and into the good life. I am saying that, yes, these people still would like to visit the US. Ask anyone in private- they will confirm.
the irony is the people who hate the US, and there are a whole lot of them, want to visit, too.
Contradiction is not seen as a negative by Koreans.
The Economist has an in depth feature discussing the mad cow issue in Korea and the organizational structure of the opponents and proponents of the trade.
Quote:
“Dr David Park, a professor at Seoul’s Chungang University, said the People’s Association for Measures Against Mad Cow Disease (PAMACD) has been infiltrated by members of the more radical United Front Against Imperialist Meat Products (UFAIMP). “Many UFAIMP cadre are vehement opponents of all sorts of trade in imperialist product, not just meat, but also vegetables and even some fruit,” said Dr Park, “and many of them have been associated with the outlawed and believed defunct Daegu Proponents of Food Sovereignty (DPFS)”. Daegu is a provincial South Korean city famous for its fruit production.
It seems the mad cow issue is starting to attract real serious international attention.
@#13
”
It seems the mad cow issue is starting to attract real serious international attention.
”
let it happen.
Just ignore these ignorant Commies.
There are 10 real Koreans who love America for every anti-American demonstrator.
Korea is a free country. And, these asshos have right to run out to street and sing Anti-American songs.
However, these are losers, the poor and the powerless, almost insane.
Just listen to that stupid woman singing songs about Goguryo. Heck, when the US Forces leave Korea, Korea will become the vassal state to China. Then, Koreans will really know what it is to be slaves to an ignorant and brutish country.
The Chinese will kick Koreans out of Korea, sending them to labor camps near Tibet.
Anti-Americanism? These stupid Koreans are biting the only hand that feeds them. They have to suffer for the consequence.
16 I doubt there are ten that love the USA for everyone that hates it. It really does not matter if the people love or hate the USA, Koreans have to do what is in the best interest for Korea. Shooting themselves in the foot with xenophobic nationalism is not the answer to their economic and political woes.
In 16 scenario,if Korea became a vassal state, at least the visa free policy will allow America a great deal of new immigrants. Perhaps we can bring more of these people to the USA.
Isnt the USA immigration policy, the more the merrier, or am I confusing that with something else.
#14 your quote ( and this whole US beef arguement for that matter) reminds me of scene 7 in the Monty Python movie, “The Life of Brian”
http://www.mwscomp.com/movies/brian/brian-07.htm
Sorry I don’t know how to provide a direct link ( I am a bit of a techtard).
Less related, but still funny, is the , “What have the Romans done for us anyway?” scene ( I’ll have to paste it…couldn’t find it seperated from the rest of the movie’s script. )
Reg: They’ve bled us white, the bastards. They’ve taken everything we had, and not just from us, from our fathers, and from our fathers’ fathers.
Loretta: And from our fathers’ fathers’ fathers.
Reg: Yeah.
Loretta: And from our fathers’ fathers’ fathers’ fathers.
Reg: Yeah. All right, Stan. Don’t labour the point. And what have they ever given us in return?!
Xerxes: The aqueduct?
Reg: What?
Xerxes: The aqueduct.
Reg: Oh. Yeah, yeah. They did give us that. Uh, that’s true. Yeah.
Commando 3: And sanitation.
Loretta: Oh, yeah, the sanitation, Reg. Remember what the city used to be like.
Reg: Yeah. All right. I’ll grant you the aqueduct and the sanitation are two things that the Romans have done.
Matthias: And the roads!
Reg: Well, yeah. Obviously the roads. I mean, the roads go without saying, don’t they? But apart from the sanitation, the aqueduct, and the roads–
Commando: Irrigation.
Xerxes: Medicine.
Commandos: Huh? Heh? Huh…
Commando 2: Education.
Commandos: Ohh…
Reg: Yeah, yeah. All right. Fair enough.
Commando 1: And the wine.
Commandos: Oh, yes. Yeah…
Francis: Yeah. Yeah, that’s something we’d really miss, Reg, if the Romans left. Huh.
Commando: Public baths.
Loretta: And it’s safe to walk in the streets at night now, Reg.
Francis: Yeah, they certainly know how to keep order. Let’s face it. They’re the only ones who could in a place like this!
Commandos: Hehh, heh. Heh heh heh heh heh heh heh.
Reg: But apart from the sanitation, the medicine, education, wine, public order, irrigation, roads, the fresh-water system, and public health, what have the Romans ever done for us?
Xerxes: Brought peace?
Reg: Oh, pea– Shut up!
PERFECT!
Actually hitest, the inspiration for that “quote” was from elsewhere in the movie when they are talking in the colloseum about the people’s front of judea, and all that jizz.
Next time can you please try to be a little more creative than a cut ‘n paste?
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