Poll: South Koreans Want USFK Out
Update: A source in Congress forwards this, perhaps not having had time to see this post. He’s actually talking–like he absolutely means it–about Congress holding hearings about the whole alliance. I worry that because the media in this country do not care, the only people who would know what happen in those hearings will be people who read the Korean papers.
Defenders of the frayed pro-American credentials of South Korea tend to fall back on anecdotal and statistical evidence that most Koreans at least wanted the U.S. troops to stay in Korea. I’ve never believed that wanting the USFK to stay makes one pro-American any more than wanting them to leave makes one anti-American. In fact, it’s always bothered me how some of those who treated the soldiers with the most rudeness and hostility are confucio-evangelical ajjoshis and ajummas that make up the Old Right’s core base of support. In any event, it’s an argument we may hear somewhat less now:
A majority of Koreans now want U.S. forces to withdraw from this country, a recent survey by the JoongAng Ilbo showed.
According to the poll, commissioned on the newspaper’s 40th anniversary, 54 percent of respondents wanted the G.I.s out. The proportion of Koreans opposed to a U.S. military presence here has increased steadily over the past three years. Just under 4 percent of the respondents said they wanted a quick, complete pullout, but about a quarter favored a more gradual withdrawal. Only 16 percent of the respondents said they wanted U.S. troops to stay here permanently, and another 30 percent said they hoped the American forces would be here “for a considerable period of time.”
In parallel with that sentiment, fewer Koreans see North Korea as a military threat to this country; three years ago, half of Koreans were worried about a North Korean provocation, but this year the proportion dropped to 42 percent.
Does this necessarily suggest anti-Americanism? For once, I actually say not. After all, it’s been the stated goal of the United States to get out of Afghanistan and Iraq from day one, and Korea can see that a U.S. withdrawal is coming eventually. People tend to accomodate things they can’t change, and it’s likely that some Koreans see some of the same merits in USFK downsizing that I do.
Or then again, they could just hate Americans. We really don’t know from this:
Asked about which country they admired the most, 17 percent of the respondents answered the United States, 15 percent said Australia and 13 percent named Switzerland. The United States was also prominent in the list of disliked nations, although it trailed Japan, which 62 percent of Koreans say they dislike. But 28 percent of Koreans say Japan is the best role model for Korea.
If you spot the missing statistic in there, I have a cookie for you!
The poll also includes some interesting political results, but don’t forget how fast things change in Korea. I mean, just look at the whopping percentage of unaffiliated and undecided voters:
Koreans are unsatisfied with the state of their nation; three out of four called the situation here “unstable” and only 4 percent disagreed [mostly over the economy].
More that half were unhappy with President Roh Moo-hyun’s performance; those who supported him cited his North Korea policies, cleanup of corruption, real estate policies and fight against regional divides. He was criticized for the poor economy, unemployment and inflation. Seven percent [only!] criticized his “imprudent speech and behavior.”
Twenty-nine percent of Koreans said they supported the conservative opposition Grand National Party, nearly double the support for Mr. Roh’s Uri Party. Nine percent said they backed the left-wing Democratic Labor party. But 42 percent said they had no favorite political party.
Bracketed comments mine.