GNP floor leader Hong Jun-pyo unleashed on the protests today, pointing out what should be completely obvious to everyone now — it’s all politics.
After 10 years of progressive government, if Lee couldn’t predict that resistance from progressive forces would be this great, the Lee administration is a very naive government… Even if the candlelights go out about beef, if the government begins to reform public corporations, the candlelights will come out again, and the progressive forces’ candlelights of opposition will continue for any policy the government puts priority on.
This whole exercise was about hamstringing an elected government (supported by a newly elected parliament) before it had a chance to get its shit together (obviously, there are those that would probably disagree). Now Lee has to consider the “candlelight factor” before he does anything. To be fair, the right did the same thing to Roh, even if the tools they used to do it — a hostile, conservative mainstream press and (at the time) parliamentary majority able to ram through a dubious impeachment — were different.
Hong added that this situation could continue for five years, and he pleaded with Lee to predict these situations and deal with them in a wise manner. As I’ve said earlier, Lee needs to learn to talk to people. One just hopes he’s not too shell-shocked to do it.
10 Comments
I think Koreans will like the next protest, called “Busan 2020 Out!” It will feature foreigners armed with fire hoses and blue-eyed kids in strollers, and will be against a country not mature enough to bid for a summer Olympic Games.
I hope the competing cities are getting their dossiers full of protest photos to present to the IOC. Then these left-wing nut jobs might learn that their actions have consequences.
Mr. Hong indeed hit the nail on the head, but perhaps he knows more that he would rather not say openly.
Had a conversation with an expat friend last night about the protests and I noted “It isn’t about the Beef at all! This is a ramp-up to a coup d’etat”.
My guess is that Mr. Hong suspects this also, but would rather not voice such openly. The lefties hope to achieve on the street what they failed to do twice at the ballot box.
If I am right, then no amount of cabinet reshuffling or dialog will prove helpful to Lee. If the protests are a prelude to insurrection (my opinion) then Lee needs to come up with a strategy and new tactics to deal with it.
There is more truth to this than not, IMHO. This is looking more and more like a slow-motion train wreck.
Mr. Hong and his party know they are in trouble because of the waves of strikes being planned against the Government (and against the country’s economic health as well) and the economic news is such that it is very likely that one heck of an economic melt-down could occur because, unlike the IMF Crises, this time there are bad economic conditions throughout the global economy (Vietnam, Argentina, etc.), in addition to ever escalating economic problems here.
If some sort of melt-down happens, then look to a social class struggle (rich vs. poor), with all the Communist-inspired language.
It’s useless talking to these ‘progressives’. Lee’s government is ham strung. Korea is fucked until the lefties take over again. And when they do, Korea will get even more fucked.
Can anyone name a form of gov’t that doesn’t protect the uphill flow of wealth?
I think the focus on the actual civic groups - those with some real ideological commitment - is correct.
But, what I focus more on is the participation by average Koreans - at least the participation we saw until recently.
My long-held idea has been that the average Koreans needed to swell protest numbers — protest out of nostalgia for the past and as a way to exercise a stronger sense of Korean nationalism.
—But, they also count of the government, primarily the presidency, to generally ignore than or at least keep the US-SK relationship from becoming weak.
I think the last election and the subsequent protests prove this:
The bulk of the protests in the street during the spike in activity — were (most likely) not progressives…
…The progressive party has taken a major pounding the last couple of elections. Their approval rating has been in the toilet for years…
So, I can’t think that the current level of protests has been about progressive vs conservative ideas.
I think my idea is much closer to hitting the nail on the head….
@usinkorea
When you have rioters taking a hammer to the Cosun Ilbo sign, busting it all up, trashing the front entrance and pissing all over it, then acosting one of its reporters as he leaves work and hold him against his will in the subway staton while they punch and kick him until a lawyer convinces them to let him go, but then still chase him into a bar afterwards demanding the Chosun Ilbo stop printing… You are certainly not dealing with moderates. I would even go out on a limb and say you are not dealing with other conservatives either…
http://english.chosun.com/w21data/link: html/news/200806/200806270026.html
here rather:
english.chosun.com/w21data/html/news/200806/200806270026.html
note that they blocked cctvs with flags from a progressive party
Looks like Mr. Hong had it right, and now there is evidence:
http://joongangdaily.joins.com.....id=2892225
It was never about the beef, it’s about bringing down the Lee government in a Putsch or coup d’etat.
But of course, since I’ve cited the Joongang, the usual trolls can accuse me of spreading “rightist propaganda”.
Pass the salt….