Korean Job Discussion Forums

[Milwaukiedave]

There has been a lot of talk about the tragedy at Virginia Tech and I know to some degree people are getting tired of the threads. However I happened to read the column by Micheal Breen and wanted to share it with everyone.

Once again, I think he's dead on with what he says about the fear of backlash against Koreans.

Fears of Backlash Are Misplaced

In response to the massacre at Virginia Tech on Tuesday of staff and students by the deranged gunman Cho Seung-hui, South Koreans responded with characteristic grace.

President Roh Moo-hyun commented more than once, offering his condolences. The foreign ministry expressed its ``indescribable surprise and shock.�� The Korean ambassador to the United States even said he would fast for 32 days, one day for each of the victims.

The first person I spoke to said he and fellow Koreans were wondering how they could compensate the families in a way that would not be considered offensive to Americans. In Korea, it would be appropriate to collect money. Cash represents the sweat and tears of your labor and offering it is meaningful. But he worried that Americans might misunderstand such a gesture and react angrily.

Some people came out and lit candles in memory of the victims. When this was reported from Seoul on CNN, the news anchor was sufficiently moved to drop her usual objectivity and say how impressive it was.

This broad graciousness, from people so remote from the crime, is a reflection of the profound connection that the majority of Koreans feel with the United States. No country has had a better ally. The paddy-fields-to-Silicon-Valley story of modern South Korea is, it can be said without insult to Koreans, an American success story, too. In fact, the anti-American feeling that surges every so often in Korea derives from the shame and frustration that in its modern history Korea was so weak that it over-depended. Despite the way it gets expressed, it comes from anger with themselves and their leaders rather than from any real American offense.

But more significantly, the response to the killings reflects the sense of collective responsibility felt by Koreans. Mad or not, Koreans feel that, as Mr. Cho�s blood was Korean, they, in part, must atone for his actions.

But while Americans may be touched, this Korean sense of collective responsibility illustrates a profound difference in thinking.

Take, for example, the concern about reprisals. In its first statement of surprise and shock, the foreign ministry also reported that it had ``established safety measures for ethnic Koreans in the US in case of contingencies.�� Korean parents called their children studying in America to warn them to stay indoors.

The frontpage headline in this newspaper yesterday summed up those fears in the headline, ``Koreans Fear Racial Backlash.��

American newspapers have also run stories about such worries. But while the American concern is about a few rednecks and campus bullies, who may abuse, beat or even, in very isolated cases, shoot Asians _ racists by definition judge by race not nationality _ the Korean concern is broader.

Government officials in emergency meetings and ordinary citizens also worried that the incident would negatively influence US consideration of the visa waiver program for Koreans and make it less likely that Congress would ratify the KORUS FTA.

In other words, they fear that racist public opinion will pressure opinion-leaders, politicians and other decision-makers to take action against Korea.

That�s because that�s how it is here.

Consider: in 2002, when a US military vehicle ran over two girls in a street, Koreans came out en masse to hold candles in protest outside the American embassy. Activists displayed pictures of the bodies to stir up passions. It went on for weeks. This was for a traffic accident. Instead of saying what idiots they were, presidential candidates with the notable exception of the eventual winner, Roh Moo-hyun, posed for pictures with them.

When the vehicle�s two operators, both Americans, were found not guilty by an American military tribunal, of intentional manslaughter, one of my Korean colleagues, an otherwise sensible man, was so angry, he said that they should have been handed over to Korean courts and jailed even if they were innocent to assuage the ``feelings of the people.��

The scary thing is that politicians, bureaucrats, prosecutors, and tax officials in this country are driven to make decisions for precisely this kind of reason. What else is the entire Lone Star witch-hunt about if it�s not a civic group-lawmaker-prosecutor chain reaction? Watch how this case unfolds and, whatever deal is reached, note the absence of real evidence.

Rather than standing up and changing the direction of an ill wind of opinion, officials fear criticism for not obeying it. That�s how it is here at this stage in democratic development.

But, America has had more time at democracy. It is well versed in the notion of individual responsibility. In truth, Mr. Cho did not have Korean blood because there is no such thing as Korean blood. He was a young man who snapped. That�s how Americans will see it. All I can say is that we should observe closely how they deal with the aftermath, and take note.

[Newbie]

Good read.

Bang on.

[Mashimaro]

some good thoughts there

[RACETRAITOR]

This argument assumes that Americans respond normally and Koreans are weird. How do we know Americans aren't just too forgiving and Koreans are the normal ones (certainly one is favourable)?

[jaganath69]

Interesting how he absolves Roh from the anti-American posturing but fails to mention that his party did enough dog-whistling in that direction. Good to see mention of the Korean ideal of punishment to sooth the cauldron of public anger though. Reminds me of an incident I faced recently at Suanbo when an irate Samsung manager threatened to call the police on me and a workmate for knocking on the wrong hotel room door at 3 in the morning. After we defused the situation by appologising to his worthless ass, he said that when he was in America as a student the Migooks had called the police on him and his Korean student buddies for having a loud party. As such, he felt he was inclined to reciprocate. Thing is, I am Australian, my workmate is Canadian. QED.

[bjonothan]

Good read mate. This incident has changed the way I think about Koreans in a much more positive way. When you think you know the people quite well, they surprise you. I just hope that the US deals with it well and Korea takes note of it so there there isn't another foreigner hating time in Korea ever again.

[jaganath69]

[bjonothan]

True, but it seems that Korea is destined to have crap presidents for quite some time. Is it just me though or are koreans changing their attitudes toward foreigners? I have seen a lot of cooler and more open minded ones since I moved to melbourne than ever before. I recently bashed a korean here because he tried to run away with the money I had paid for them to build website and the Koreans actually stood and watched while I not only hit him a few times but also shin kicked to the head several times followed by a knee that broke his jaw. And later they said I went too far, but well done. I was shocked by that one.

[captain kirk]

"In truth, Mr Cho did not have Korean blood because there is no such thing as Korean blood".

So refreshing the way Breen put that!

[Pyongshin Sangja]

[Demophobe]

[jajdude]

[kimchi_pizza]

Good article. It makes sense to me. The anger really directed at themselves I can understand. I guess that's why they go over the top hoop'n and holer'n about their national identity, it's because they have to do it under the shadows of powerful nations. First, their dependence on China as a vasal state especially during the Imjin war, then Japanese occupation, then their heavy dependence on the U.S. and U.N. during the Korean war. The U.S. presence now is a continued reminder of that.

As for a "collective" thinking, that's right as well, which is good and bad, a two-egded sword. While Koreans may take a "collective" responsiblity, they also hold others to the same "collective" responsibility. L.A. riots? Most I met believed ALL African-Americans were involved. A single U.S.
soldier commits a crime, all U.S. soldiers are to blame. But, it's also good such as I remember in the news about Korea's economy collapsing, but manyKoreans turned out and donated all their jewelry and gold. They had help from...IMF was it? Didn't Korea repay it's loans the fastest of all borrowers?

[endo]

[Pink Freud]

'zackly.