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| 5/24 |
| 2007/5/17-19 [Politics/Foreign/Asia/Korea] UID:46675 Activity:very high |
5/17 Korean trains in historic link-up
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/6664091.stm
Basically, SK pays NK $80mil for a for a symbolic train crossing.
What the heck, SK? Why do you continue to play the enabler? -jrleek
\_ Not sure why YOU would care about SK. I'm Asian and even I
don't really give a damn.
\_ jrleek is married to a Korean woman, but this is irrelevant.
Anyone interested in International Relations should give a
damn about what happens with SK/NK. Fallout here will have
repercussions on the region for decades. Wake up. (Also, cue
stoopid jokes about International Relations.)
\_ I think SK is on really good drugs. It must be related to being
a benevolent military dictatorship for so long. I doubt SK
is prepared to pull a West Germany and carry the terrible
economy of NK around for decades after reunification.
\_ same reason why US bail out Mexico Peso back in the 1990s.
a complete collapse of a neighboring country is never a good
thing... refugee is a bit painful to deal with.
\_ There's also a lot of sentiment built up in SK about a possible
reunification; many SK people still have relatives/ancestral
homes on the NK side of the DMZ.
\_ At least when I lived in Korea, refugee from NK was not
a problem. The tension between the two Koreas have gotten
more relaxed, but it's much more difficult to cross a border of
not just barbed wires, but minefields(in this article, it
mentioned the need to clear out all the landmines) and soldiers
with guns pointing at each other. In the mid 80s, a NK family
escaped to SK by sea, and they were made instant celebrities.
The government provided them everything they need to get started,
not to mention all of the TV shows they were on. The father of
the family made TV celebrity appearances for years after. (Just
to give you an idea of how rare it is for people to illegally
cross the border.) That said, there are many in Korea that has
felt enmity against US and blame them for keeping the country
divided despite the people's wishes. I believe US still has a
fair amount of military influence in SK, which doesn't help the
anti-US sentiments.
\_ Yeah, according to my wife, escapees used to get a lot of
money from the govt. and be minor celeberties. Now there are
money from the govt. and be minor celebrities. Now there are
too many to keep that up. I haven't met many people who
think the US is keeping Korea divided, although many
(correctly) blame the US for dividing it in the first place.
Although, of course the blame for that mistake can be spread
around fairly liberially. -jrleek
around fairly liberally. -jrleek
\_ I guess we should have let Kim Sung I turn entire
peninusla into glorious juche paradise?
\_ I haven't kept up-to-date to realize that more people
are escaping now. There is a lot of sentiment against
US like any country where US has occupying forces.
Don't know about recent elections, but past presidential
elections were generally approved/disapproved by US, though
not officially. In that aspect, US had a lot of political
influence as well through the 80s and early 90s.
\_ A lot of the anti-US sentiment has to do with criminal
behavior on the part of US military personnel, esp. when
it goes unpunished. Many people in Korea understand that
US military presence is necessary to prevent NK's
version of reunification, i.e. invasion, but they'd
just as soon do without the rape and hit-and-runs.
\_ While the few bad egg behaviors does cause an
outrage, I don't think it would create the sort of
sentiments that exists. While I and many do
understand the need of US involvement to maintain
peace, there are those who would rather make
unification a number one goal, peace be damned.
Sort of a "it's our problem, let us deal with it."
Here's some (one-sided) details on US involvement
in SK throughout the history:
http://www.kimsoft.com/2002/anti-uslwr.htm
The article mentions that it began in the 1800s.
My theory is that most of the strong resentments
stem from 1945/1948 through the presidency of
Noh Tae Woo.
\_ Perhaps I'm missing the point here, but I
challenge you to show me any SK citizen who would
welcome reunification under NPRK rule.
\_ I don't mean welcome NPRK rule, especially
given how much brainwashing is/was done in SK
to think that anyone that speaks like a "North
Korean" is a NK spy. (like using the Korean
word for "comrade") I think these people are
shortsighted and only see it as "NK and SK are
both one Korea and we are as one" and not
seeing that Kim Jung Il will not unify Korea
except under his dictatorship. These people
believe that if US leaves, the two Koreas can
talk to each other peacefully and come to an
agreement of a democratic unification. While
this is a view of the extreme end, these are
the people that are vocalizing their hatred of
US. Most people are too busy living their
own lives to care.
\_ You have completely ignored the fact that
whenever the US has large numbers of troops
deployed to a place for any significant
period of time, the locals always end up
wanting us out. See Okinawa, Philipines,
SK, etc. |
| 5/24 |
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| news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/6664091.stm Historic crossing A pair of passenger trains have crossed the heavily fortified border between North and South Korea for the first time in more than 50 years. The two trains - one travelling from the North and one from the South - each carried 150 invited passengers. South Korea hailed it as a landmark in relations between the two countries. But Thursday's crossing remains largely symbolic, the BBC's Charles Scanlon says. North Korea has so far only agreed to a one-off test-run. For that, our correspondent adds, Pyongyang has demanded a high price. South Korea has agreed to supply it with $80 million (41m) worth of economic aid for the development of light industry. Firecrackers and white balloons were set off and crowds waved white-and-blue "reunification flags". History of Korean War On the eastern side, children bearing flowers welcomed the North Korean train as it arrived at Jejin station. One carriage carried a banner reading: "The train once boarded by great president Kim Il-sung". Each train carried 150 passengers from both Koreas - and included celebrities and politicians. Passengers on the South Korean train said they were warmly received in the North, while female cabin attendants in military uniforms on board the North train posed for pictures upon arrival at the station in the South. One of those on board the North-bound train was a conductor who made one of the last railway crossings before they ended because of the 1950-53 Korean War. "I wish I could operate this train myself," Han Chun-ki, 80, said. South Korean Unification Minister Lee Jae-joung expressed his hope that the crossing could herald a new era in North-South relations. "This will be a turning point for overcoming the legacy of the Cold War era, tearing down the wall of division and opening a new era for peace and reunification," he said. A North Korean official, Kwon Ho-ung, said both nations "should not be derailed from the tracks" towards unification. A small number of protesters - mainly relatives of South Koreans allegedly abducted by the North following the war - gathered at Munsan. "I wish the train would come back with my son if he is still alive," a tearful Lee Kam-shim, 72, told the Associated Press. Border tension The South has long pushed for a railway connection with the North - not only as a way of improving links with its neighbour, but also to establish better transportation links to China and beyond. But the secretive Communist country has been less enthusiastic, and previous talks have collapsed as Pyongyang has sought to extract concessions on other issues, such as a disputed sea border. North Korean train arrives at Jejin station in the South - 17 May 2007 The train from the North was welcomed by flag-waving onlookers Thursday's historic crossing was made possible after the North's military agreed last week to provide security across what is the world's most heavily fortified border. The two sides are still technically at war - having never signed an official ceasefire at the end of the Korean War. But there have been concerted efforts, particularly by the South, at reconciliation in recent years. The railway tracks - which run alongside roads across the border - were built and maintained by South Korea part of recent reconciliation projects. And landmines and tank traps were cleared from the narrow border strip two years ago when the lines were reconnected. |
| www.kimsoft.com/2002/anti-uslwr.htm Anti-US Sentiment in South Korea: Root Causes Lee Wha Rang, December 16, 2002 Anti-US sentiment is on the rise in South Korea. This does not mean that the Korean people hate the American people but rather, they hate some of the American policies on Korea, dating back to the 1800s. Now is the right time for America to recognize Korea as a proud independent nation and stop treating Koreans as 'gooks' or 'bed-warmers'. This week, the US military in Korea ordered all personnel to avoid certain danger zones in South Korea, after Lt. Colonel Steven Boylan, the US 8th Army Public Affairs chief, was attacked by a knife-wielding Korean, and a group of four GIs roughed up a Korean taxi driver. More and more Korean restaurants refuse to serve Americans, and even grade-school youngsters shout :'fuck America' at the Americans. Anti-US sentiment is spreading like a wild fire throughout South Korea. Anti-US sentiment is not limited to a "small extremist Communist sympathizers" but it comes from all social strata and age groups. It seems about the only group of Koreans who still love the Yanks are those who stand to benefit financially by being servile to the Americans. Indeed, the anti-US coalition defeated the pro-US candidate Lee Hoe Chang and elected 'cool-to-US' Roh Moo Hyun to the presidency. It goes back to the 1800s and it has always been there since then, but since 1945, it has been suppressed by various Korean dictators, pro-US police and military, and the elites who were put in power by the Americans and who have benefited financially. Bad-mouthing America has been against law in South Korea, because doing so aids the 'enemy'. Violators were arrested, tortured, and jailed or executed and their properties were confiscated. As the old pro-US leaders are eased out by younger, more nationalistic leaders, the long suppressed anti-US sentiment is gradually coming out in the open, thus giving the appearance of 'rising' anti-US sentiment. Anti-US sentiment in Korea dates back to the 19th Century when an American expeditionary force attacked and occupied Kangwha-do fortress of the Yi Dynasty, after killing 350 of its poorly-armed defenders. In the early 1900s, US diplomats helped Japan annex Korea, for which an American diplomat, Durham Stevens, was assassinated by a Korean nationalist in San Francisco, and Stevens' Japanese accomplice, Prince Ito Hirobumi, was shot dead in China by another Korean nationalist. After the collapse of the Japanese Empire in 1945, the United States set up a client state in South Korea and empowered former employees of the Japanese Empire to run this 'government' using virtually the same laws Japan had used to rule Korea. Korean nationalists and pro-democracy activists were ruthlessly rooted out and more than 200,000 Koreans were exterminated by Koreans commanded by the US military. General Sherman (click here for more on the Sherman Incident), sailed up the flooded Daedong River to Pyongyang without authorization and demanded trades. When refused, the Americans fired cannons and small arms at the Korean residents, upon which the angry Koreans burned the ship, killing all of its crew. Photo: Korean defenders of Kanghwa-do killed by an American invasion force in 1871. The Koreans, armed with flint-locks and spears, were no match for the Americans, armed with repeating rifles and canons. In 1871, an American expeditionary force sacked and burned coastal defense forts on Kanghwa-do, killing 350 of the poorly armed Korean soldiers. Sinmi Yang Yo (click here for more on the Sinmi Yang Yo). In 1882, the Yi Dynasty signed the Treaty of Chemulpo with the United States, wherein the feeble Yi King sought US protection from Japanese intrusion into Korea. The General Sherman was salvaged, restored, and returned to the United States. Several years later in 1888, US Marines landed in Inchon and occupied parts of Seoul. Lee Wan Yong (click here for more on Lee), the prime minister of the last Yi cabinet, signed the Annexation Treaty with Japan, upon which Korea was no more and became a colony of Japan. It is well known that Lee was one of the earlier pro-US Koreans. He studied English and was stationed in Washington, DC, from 1887 to 1890 as a Korean diplomat. It is believed that it was Lee who helped engineer the signing of the US-Japan Treaty of Portsmouth in 1905, whereby the United States nullified its treaty with Korea (the Chemulpo Treaty that was to protect Korea) and handed Korea over to Japan. Lee Wan Yong and his descendents were knighted by the Japanese Imperial Family and amassed a huge fortune for their service to Japan. After liberation, the Korean people wanted to confiscate the Lee family wealth but the US military prevented any harm to the Lee family members, most of whom have migrated to the United States and have been enjoying their ill-begotten wealth. Durham White Stevens, played a key role in the annexation of Korea by Japan (Click here for more on how Stevens was killed). Stevens became an advisor to the foreign ministry of King Kojong, who was unaware that Stevens secretly worked for Prince Ito Hirobumi, the chief architect of Japan's annexation of Korea. Stevens was assassinated in San Francisco by Chang In Whan on March 23, 1908. Chang was one of the Korean students studying in America at the time. In those days, Koreans in American were by law forbidden to hold jobs other than 'house boys' and other menial works in America, another source of anti-US sentiments in the early days. Even those with advanced degrees from American colleges were forced to work as house boys or kitchen helps. The United States steadfastly refused to recognize the Korean Provisional Government in China (KPG), even during World War II. Kim Gu and many other Korean nationalists were offended by the US refusal. During World War II, the Japanese stirred up anti-US sentiment in Korea for their war efforts. Tens of thousands of young Koreans volunteered to fight the 'Yankee devils'. Many of these Koreans were assigned to POW camps of captured Americans and committed atrocities. Hong Sa Ik, a Korean in charge of the POW camps in the Pacific, was hanged by the Americans for war crimes after WWII. The US Military Government in Korea - 1945-1950 Few people know that the US military ruled South Korea from 1945 to 1948. The US Military Government began badly for the Korean people on the very first day, when the Koreans welcoming their "liberators" in Inchon were fired upon and killed by the Japanese troops under an American commander. The US military were friendlier to the vanquished Japanese than to the 'liberated' Koreans. American officers dined and wined with the defeated Japanese while the Korean people were treated as 'defeated enemies'. On August 15, 1945, when the Japanese Empire collapsed, the Korean people believed that they were at last free. Yo's government represented all political parties and power centers, including both Communists and anti-Communists. The only Koreans locked out were those who had betrayed Korea during the Japanese occupation. The Japanese collaborators were released from jail or came out of hiding and were empowered to continue 'business as usual' - as if Japan had not surrendered. Japanese laws designed to suppress Korean nationalism were retained and those Koreans who used to enforce the laws before liberation were kept in power. Korean nationalists who wanted a free Korea were hunted down and exterminated just as they were during the Japanese occupation. Photo: Yum Dong Jin, a pro-Japanese collaborator turned hit-man for the US military. Yum worked for Chiang Kaisek's intelligence service before being captured by the Japanese. He became a Japanese informer and upon liberation, he formed a terrorist group, Baikyi-sa, supported by the US CIC. The US Counter Intelligence Corp (CIC) hired street gangs and common criminals to terrorize Korean nationalists. The Yosu Mutiny, The August Harvest Uprising, the defection of two battalions and naval vessels to North, and so on. US CIC placed tens of thousands of Korean informers in all walks of life in South Korea and stamped out anti-US activists ruthlessly. By the mid... |