Category: South Korea

We’d All Love to See the Plan

The Korea Times tells us that the South Korean Justice Ministry, having felt the weight of criticism, has a new plan to protect the human rights of North Koreans.  It then proceeds to tell us absolutely nothing about  the plan  or provide a link to it (nothing on the MOJ site, either).  Now I  remember why I quit reading the Times.  Anyway, if it’s anything like the Human Rights Commission’s plan, I doubt  we’re missing much.

The Han Breeds a New Monster: Anti-Semitism

[Update:   Little Green Footballs has a post up, and it looks like another beating for South Korea’s image, judging by the comments.  A few aren’t of much higher caliber than those on Naver, but it’s mostly a collective “WTF did Jews ever do to Koreans?“] [Update 2:   LGF readers take note.  More troops who need our support.] The Simon Wiesenthal Center’s reaction to  an anti-Semitic volume of the best-selling graphic  series “Monnara Iunnara” has hit the Chosun Ilbo. ...

Buried Under the Margin of Error

Park Seok-jin is a devoted human rights activist in Seoul, one who is not afraid to complain bitingly about infringements of basic civil rights in Korea or elsewhere. Mr. Park’s Sarangbang Group for Human Rights runs a Web site that deals with a wide range of concerns from Palestine to trans-gender issues. But there is one area where he is notably silent: infringements on human rights by the government of North Korea. He is one of many liberal or left-wing...

Wiesenthal Center Condemns Anti-Semitic ‘Monnara Iunnara’ Comic Book

A few initial observations before I relate the rest of this story.  First, I predict that no embassies will be burned and no riots will ensue as a result of these comics. Second is a story that I may never have told here, but will tell now.  In February of 2004, when British newspapers first reported that North Korea was killing men, women, and kids in a gas chamber at Camp 22, near Hoeryong, North  Hamgyeong Province,  I (and others)...

Watching Porn in Pyongyang

Question: How much can you get for a smuggled DVD of a South Korean soap opera in Pyongyang these days? Answer: Ten years in Camp 15. Still, in the latest of a flurry of signs that the Thought Police aren’t what they used to be, the DVD’s are wildly popular anyway (hat tip to Ampontan). “This year, North Korean authorities waged what they call ‘psychological warfare’ against ‘exotic lifestyles’ by cracking down on South Korean pop culture,” a senior government...

Come Here and Let Us Hate You!

Don’t get me wrong; I actually like Dick Cheney.   He’s from Wyoming, which practically makes him a neighbor, and he  may be one of the few people out there who’s hard-line enough for my taste, particularly on North Korea, but you have to admit that he has lacked rock star appeal recently.  That’s why it’s puzzling to see even hypersensitive South Korea feel slighted by the fact that Cheney will give the place a miss in an upcoming Asia trip. ...

Uri Officially Loses Plurality in National Assembly

Much sound of little rat paws scratching on wet  steel plate today: “With our deep regret and apologies to the public, which is against the Uri Party, we are determined to give up our current power and become a seed to form a new united party,” Lee Jong-gul said at a press conference, accompanied by other defectors. The mass defection reduced the ruling party to second place in the 296-member parliament with 110 seats. The helm was transferred to the...

Three Questions About ‘Monnara Iunnara’

A reader wants to know (I’m paraphrasing here):  First, the series was first published in June 2004, but are there any new developments,  other than  bloggers just catching on now?  Second, Gimm-Young looks like a reputable publishing house — they carry a lot of big American titles.  Does anyone else know anything else about them?  Third, are there any recent articles documenting the popularity of the series, whether in Korea or anywhere else? Your help is greatly appreciated.  I may...

We Are (Not) One

When I reported to Korea for my first tour there, I recall walking around Yongsan with another Army officer looking at all the Korean civilians and wondering how many were North Korean  sleeper agents.  Hey, even paranoid people have enemies.   I remember that officer saying, “I don’t claim to be able to tell North Koreans from South Koreans.”  I laughed, but that was before I actually met any people I knew to be North Koreans.  My views have since...

“Koryo Is Our Land!”

The original photo:  “Mount Paektu Is Our Land!” Photoshop Number One:  “Koryo Is  Chinese Land!” I don’t endorse the claim for an instant, but I can’t deny  some enjoyment at watching the  panicky retreat from Korean nationalists’ latest classless stunt.   Unlike the case with Tokdo, the Koreans have a great deal of their nationhood invested in Mount Paektu.  It would be unbecoming of them to  be as  cowardly in  any real dispute about  Paekdu as they’ve been furious over...

Meet Lee Won-Bok, the Julius Streicher of Korea

Update 2:   Reading Monnara is translating the entire chapter;  stop by regularly  if your stomach can handle it.   Update:   I’ve just gone though Sonagi’s Flickr page  (see also), and I feel physically ill.  I don’t think I’ve seen anything  this venemous emerging from the civilized  world since the 1930’s, although if you’ve studied the history of those times, it will look more than vaguely  familiar:  the Jews control Hollywood and the media, control all of our foreign policy...

Here Comes the Election!

Update: I’ve been expecting this, and I expect more of it: There is a fourth reason why the P.P. [the new leftist party that will officially replace Uri this month] will recover considerable support, and it’s the timeless appeal of nationalism, particularly in Korea (ht). The P.P. leaders, Comrade Chung and (especially) Kim Geun Tae, show no sign of any ethical, political, or financial restraints to stop them from setting new lows in crass appeals to those sentiments, to include...

Kim Geun Tae Tourette’s Watch

“Defection is an act of treason against democracy,” Mr. Kim said. He speaks  as an  authority on the subject, of course. This being an election year, I think this has the potential to become a regular feature.  The goal here is to provide a deep enough data pool to support  medical science’s first known  DSM-IV certifiable  diagnosis by a lawyer with no formal education in psychology. You, too, can be a part of medical history.  Submit your entries to onefreekorea@yahoo.com.

Jay Kim’s Irreconcilible Differences

With some Americans disturbing calm waters with the suggestion of an “alliance at risk,” Korea thinks it has found a man — a “former Korean congressman” — who can quietly bridge our widening differences: A former Korean-American congressman launched on Thursday a forum led by first-generation figures like himself to help advance Korea-U.S. relations. Chang-jun “Jay” Kim said the Washington Korea-U.S. Forum will start with 16 participants who are professionally active in political, economic, judicial and academic fields and have...

Hey! Clarify This!

South Korea expressed concern over “undiplomatic” remarks made by the top U.S. military officer here regarding possible delays in the relocation of U.S. military bases, a Foreign Ministry official said yesterday.  [link] Background here.  The Foreign Ministry would also like you to know that this is not an “official” warning; it’s really just the diplomatic equivalent of a fix-it ticket.  No fine, no court appearance.  Guess that “I support the alliance” bumper sticker paid off after all.  “The comment (made...

Almost Right

The Joongang Ilbo (among others)  writes about discontented foreigners, but disappoints by limiting itself to the financial issues faced by a limited cross-section of foreigners:  Let’s think about what it will be like if they return to their mother countries with mistrust and hate in their hearts. It will have a boomerang effect on Korean businessmen and students who are abroad. In this globalizing world, must we cut ourselves off through this exclusive attitude?  [link] Yes, and  this recognition is...