View previous topic :: View next topic |
Author |
Message |
Alias
Joined: 24 Jan 2003
|
Posted: Wed Oct 29, 2003 1:05 pm Post subject: South Korean workers riot in Seoul |
|
|
(Reuters) -- About 1,000 South Korean workers clashed with riot police on Wednesday following a protest rally against a government decision to send additional troops to Iraq.
Protesters marched in central Seoul after a one-hour rally organized by the country's most militant union group, the Korea Federation of Trade Unions, and waded through the police blockade wielding wooden sticks and throwing stones, witnesses said.
Several people were severely injured after being hit by stones lobbed back by the riot police, they said.
There have been several similar rallies after South Korea agreed to commit additional troops to Iraq but it has yet to decide whether to send combat personnel, as Washington has urged.
South Korea already has 700 medical and engineering personnel in Iraq.
President Roh Moo-hyun faces a tough political decision over the troops, having to weigh strong public opposition to the war against Seoul's desire to shore up its military alliance with Washington in the face of North Korea's nuclear ambitions.
Roh has expressed concern about the impact of troop deployment. He invited 1,500 military officials to the presidential Blue House on Wednesday in recognition of their performance overseas.
"I am deeply concerned about the deployment of troops, given the situation in Iraq," Roh said.
"It's very difficult to make a decision, even though I should do it in a way to help the Iraqi people and to boost the alliance between Seoul and Washington."
South Korea plans to send another survey team to Iraq later this month and focus on reviewing non-military sectors such as infrastructure, medical facilities and public sentiment over the reconstruction of post-war Iraq. |
|
Back to top |
|
|
Dan
Joined: 16 Jan 2003 Location: Sunny Glendale, CA
|
Posted: Wed Oct 29, 2003 1:44 pm Post subject: |
|
|
i would love to see white people demonstrate to protest the abuse of ESL teachers in korea |
|
Back to top |
|
|
Joe Thanks
Joined: 01 Oct 2003 Location: Dudleyville
|
Posted: Wed Oct 29, 2003 4:13 pm Post subject: Re: South Korean workers riot in Seoul |
|
|
SSDD
Cheers,
Joe |
|
Back to top |
|
|
canuckistan Mod Team
Joined: 17 Jun 2003 Location: Training future GS competitors.....
|
Posted: Wed Oct 29, 2003 4:43 pm Post subject: |
|
|
Alias, do you think we could get the guys in our avatars together for a group photo? |
|
Back to top |
|
|
Circus Monkey
Joined: 10 Jan 2003 Location: In my coconut tree
|
Posted: Wed Oct 29, 2003 4:47 pm Post subject: |
|
|
Dan wrote: |
i would love to see white people demonstrate to protest the abuse of ESL teachers in korea |
Why, I think the wonderful treatment that many EFL teachers receive from various hagwon owners circulating widely on the Internet is good enough, don't you think?
CM |
|
Back to top |
|
|
rapier
Joined: 16 Feb 2003
|
Posted: Wed Oct 29, 2003 9:42 pm Post subject: |
|
|
Koreans don't want their soldiers contributing to an international effort. Why does that not surprise me?
One day they will have to realise they are part of homo sapiens too, the international community, and as a rich developed nation, must play their part in responsibly helping peacekeep troubled regions beyond their own borders.
Instead, they want the US to do everything to maintain world security, and their own (against NK), while doing little to contribute, and backstabbing the US the whole way.
They basically want a free ride, and everything their own way.
Sounds like your average hakwon boss mentality. |
|
Back to top |
|
|
masuro
Joined: 22 Apr 2003 Location: Gangwon, Inje-kun, Hanam Village
|
Posted: Wed Oct 29, 2003 10:06 pm Post subject: |
|
|
rapier wrote: |
Koreans don't want their soldiers contributing to an international effort. Why does that not surprise me? |
Like many citizens of the world, they probably don't want their soldiers involved in an unjust occupation of another country. Peacekeeping and helping to clean up a mess made by Anglo-American troops are two very different things. |
|
Back to top |
|
|
weatherman
Joined: 14 Jan 2003 Location: Korea
|
Posted: Wed Oct 29, 2003 10:50 pm Post subject: |
|
|
masuro wrote: |
rapier wrote: |
Koreans don't want their soldiers contributing to an international effort. Why does that not surprise me? |
Like many citizens of the world, they probably don't want their soldiers involved in an unjust occupation of another country. Peacekeeping and helping to clean up a mess made by Anglo-American troops are two very different things. |
I will say that if Korea doesn't send combat troops, the South Korean - US alliance is about over. Protecting Korea under the UN mandate for 50 years, and now with a UN mandate for Iraq to help re-build the country, and Korea not wishing to go, is damn ironic and basicly a slap in the face to its own UN mandate protecting Korea itself. |
|
Back to top |
|
|
Alias
Joined: 24 Jan 2003
|
Posted: Thu Oct 30, 2003 1:58 pm Post subject: |
|
|
canuckistan wrote: |
Alias, do you think we could get the guys in our avatars together for a group photo? |
Not a master at photoshop but I'll see what I can find. Would be a pretty cool pic if we also had Osama in there. |
|
Back to top |
|
|
Alias
Joined: 24 Jan 2003
|
Posted: Thu Oct 30, 2003 2:02 pm Post subject: |
|
|
Roh is between a rock and a hard place on this one. The vast majority of Koreans are oppossed to what the rightly see as an illegal war that has nothing to do with democracy. However, the US has contributed so much to the protection of the South over the decades that it would be seen as ungrateful for them not to go. If the US were to pull its troops out of the South it would be a giant blow to the South Korean economy. |
|
Back to top |
|
|
Joe Thanks
Joined: 01 Oct 2003 Location: Dudleyville
|
Posted: Thu Oct 30, 2003 3:26 pm Post subject: |
|
|
Alias wrote: |
Roh is between a rock and a hard place on this one. The vast majority of Koreans are oppossed to what the rightly see as an illegal war that has nothing to do with democracy. However, the US has contributed so much to the protection of the South over the decades that it would be seen as ungrateful for them not to go. If the US were to pull its troops out of the South it would be a giant blow to the South Korean economy. |
I disagree. If it was any other country I think it would happen. Koreans dont really feel anythign about the war. They pick up on international excuses and use them but they fail to see that when you dance with the devil you have to pay some dues.
I don't agree with it but that's life.
I think we should pull out ALL US troops and then let the Koreans 'defend" themselves.
Most of us (this would include me in Janaury) would be in NK impromptu concentration camps within three weeks.
Japan would probably come to SK's aid - militarily or financially. How ironic.
It's time SK got choke-slammed into some humility. They like to play the games (and cheat, cheat, cheat as a government) but you can't take and not give back.
Roh is likable but an utter fool as a politician. Kinda like Bush, save the likable part (Bush is purely vile).
I hope the Koreas NEVER unify. It's an insult to Germany when Skoreans tout their situation as being similar to the German situation.
I wonder how those embassy-raiding idiots will like it when they serve time in a NK gulag?
In summation: Don't bite the hand that has fed you for over 50 years, and saved your arses when you couldn't save yourself.
Them are the facts.
Two won,
Joe |
|
Back to top |
|
|
rapier
Joined: 16 Feb 2003
|
Posted: Thu Oct 30, 2003 9:00 pm Post subject: |
|
|
I think that SK should hold a general referendum on wether the U.S should stay or go. It might put a stop to anti US demos and the general anti waegook sentiments going on here.
Maybe its time they found out how life is on their own two feet. |
|
Back to top |
|
|
weatherman
Joined: 14 Jan 2003 Location: Korea
|
Posted: Thu Oct 30, 2003 9:08 pm Post subject: |
|
|
rapier wrote: |
I think that SK should hold a general referendum on wether the U.S should stay or go. It might put a stop to anti US demos and the general anti waegook sentiments going on here.
Maybe its time they found out how life is on their own two feet. |
You know you have made an excellent point, but the government is too afraid to go just this. The referendum would in all likelihood support the troops staying. The Left needs the US forces, foreign issues so they wont really focus the problems of Korea. Green Korea is an excellent example of a bunch of Left wing dudes not going after Korean companies, but after the US military and foreign companies. |
|
Back to top |
|
|
HardyandTiny
Joined: 03 Jun 2003
|
Posted: Fri Oct 31, 2003 5:27 am Post subject: |
|
|
those are not workers
those are slackers
workers can't riot
imagine if americans rioted about the troopps deployed in korea. |
|
Back to top |
|
|
matthewwoodford
Joined: 01 Oct 2003 Location: Location, location, location.
|
Posted: Fri Oct 31, 2003 12:17 pm Post subject: |
|
|
Joe Thanks wrote: |
I think we should pull out ALL US troops and then let the Koreans 'defend" themselves.
|
A lot of Koreans would agree with you. Given the comparative spending on the military between North and South Korea I wouldn't be at all surprised to find the big scary North Korean army is just a paper tiger - unless they really *do* have nuclear weapons after all.
...Things have changed just a little bit since the 50s.
Speaking of 'paying their dues' who has been paying for the US to have it's big fat military base over in the middle of Seoul for 50 years?
Matt |
|
Back to top |
|
|
|