Vershbow Watch

The Joongang Ilbo has more coverage of Ambassador Vershbow’s chatroom diplomacy:

The U.S. ambassador to Korea, Alexander Vershbow, warned South Koreans yesterday that ignoring the oppressive nature of the North Korean regime would not hasten the unification of Korea. He also said people in the South should be concerned about the North’s counterfeiting and other illicit activities. Mr. Vershbow was responding to a question posted on the Embassy’s Web site section called “Cafe USA,” a Korean-language message board aimed at South Korean Internet users. His comments were translated by the embassy staff.

He said North Koreans do not enjoy the freedom that South Koreans take as given.A commentator who wanted to be called only a “diplomatic source” suggested yesterday that few Koreans seem to understand the basic principles that are the foundation for some of the ambassador’s statements. Speaking of this message by Mr. Vershbow, for example, he said, “For him, it’s just a statement of principles regarding the North and nothing new. As a diplomat, he has to be careful but what he says is well in line with what Washington thinks.”

Predictably, the South Korean government hates this. Not only does it contradict their policy of unconditional appeasement, it could undermine it in the runup to elections, if done right. They’d clearly prefer the old days when U.S. ambassadors are mere cloakroom supplicants, and their green light light to lawlessness shows just how far they’d go to make sure their people don’t hear things like this. A few days won’t change much; the United States will need a comprehensive program that involves joining the debate in mainstream and alternative media, attacking falsehoods and propaganda in textbooks and the schools, making inroads in the universities, and even advertising.

Above all, we need to help promote Korean voices that advocate the same values we do. There’s still much to do, but this is great start.