Chung Dong-young: Unilateralist

Someone, please cement this man’s mouth shut. I recommend some kind of epoxy-based, waterproof construction adhesive.

Yes, the “main enemy” designation is mostly semantic, but it’s also symbolic. I’d even say that the anti-American demonstrations and sentiment–though illogical, in light of the real abuses in the North–are expressions of free speech and assembly. What they mean is that U.S. protection is not serving U.S. political goals, which raises a question for U.S. defense policy. Perhaps Hyde should have brought up the treatment of U.S. service members in Korea (for which there are generally few or no legal consequences) or South Korea’s refugee policy (which violates international treaties), but I can see political reasons for not mentioning either issue. Then again, maybe he did and it wasn’t reported.

So what we’re left with is a semantic shift in defense policy that expresses a view with which we’re all too familiar by now. “Main enemy” may only be the exterior packaging, but there’s much more to illustrate the complete divergence of interests if you want to look further.