Korean Job Discussion Forums

[KoreanLifer]

Thumbs up Korea!

goes to show the pathetic nature of these ultra-Nationalistic goons here in Kr.i even had a student last week mention that they hate the USA because of Ohno.

i hope the International Olympic commitee and other International sports bodies remember this when Kr tries to host other events.


Oh No, Not Again

So it�s a victory, then, for the patriots.

The self-appointed but anonymous guardians of the honor of Korean sport who have waged a campaign of abuse and intimidation against Apolo Anton Ohno will no doubt believe they have achieved something with the United States short-track speed skater�s announcement that he will not participate in the upcoming leg of the World Cup in Chonju. Ohno�s withdrawal has prompted the entire U.S. team to drop out, robbing the meet of some of its star performers.

It is, of course, as any rational person can see, a public relations disaster for Korean sport and for the country�s image as a whole. That a professional athlete has pulled out of a major international event here due to fears for his personal safety caused by a cowardly group of people using the anonymity of the Internet is a disgrace.

It is 20 months since the controversy at the Salt Lake City Winter Olympics. South Koreans believed Kim Dong-sung was robbed of gold when he was disqualified for cross-tracking, and have never forgiven Ohno.

There was support for both sides, but whether or not the judges made the correct call, the response from this part of the world has been mindblowingly disproportionate.

Plenty of Koreans with whom I have discussed this issue find it embarrassing that an incident which in many countries would spark intense but short-lived anger had become almost a national obsession. On more than one occasion, I have heard it attributed to ``pihae uishik,�� roughly translated as ``persecution complex.�

There is, happily, an understanding among most of my acquaintances that the Australian judge involved in the controversy did not go to the track that day determined to do his best to do harm to Korea.

Moreover, even if the official did get it wrong, there has to be respect for the concept that sometimes mistakes are made. How many times every year do you see games won or lost on controversial decisions? In an ideal world, this would not happen, but without the acceptance that such things will happen, and the determination to swallow disappointments and move on, competitive sport would degenerate into chaos.

Sadly, there is a pattern of this kind of behavior in South Korean sport. In the past number of seasons, football teams have regularly walked off the field in a huff over decisions that have gone against them. This year saw a new nadir as Ulsan Tigers coach Kim Jung-nam was fined and banned for striking a match official.

During the 2002 World Cup, The Korea Times sports department, along with other Korean media, was bombarded with abusive emails, having defended the South Korean team against claims that they were benefiting from favorable refereeing. Many Koreans were shocked at the tone of the abuse and expressed doubts as to the sanity of those responsible.

This should have been a learning experience, an opportunity to reflect on the hysterical response to the Salt Lake City disappointment. Many, however, seem to have failed to draw any lesson from the obvious parallels.

The summer of 2002 did wonders for South Korea�s international image, as did the 1988 Olympics. The country is currently planning a bid to host the 2014 Winter Olympics. It would be extremely embarrassing, and harmful to the future of international sports in South Korea, if the country were to earn a reputation as a place where athletes are only welcome if they are popular with the locals.

[Derrek]

Korea is the center of the Universe.

And ohno pulled out because he knew he would be disgraced by losing -- he couldn't deal with losing this time with no paid-off officials to help him.

Besides, Korea will unify soon, and become an economic superpower that rivals the USA. The americans can't deal with that, so they want to make Korea look bad in any way they can.

Dae Hah Ming GOO!

[Mr. Pink]

Hmm Derek I thought all American athletes paid off officials...or wait...wasn't that the French/Russians in figure skating?

[just because]

yeah, a real pity and the Korean media have not been very responsible in their broadcasting of the matter. The ironical thing is you know most Koreans wanted Ohno to come so they could blow his bum away in their home country. Now they will never get the chance, maybe its good because all we need is another spark to stir up the Korean nationalistic spirit.
BTW...did you know the judge who ruled Ohno the winner was Australian. Shouldn't the Koreans really hate Australia.

[Mr. Pink]

[komtengi]

ironic that when other teams were getting bad calls to the favor of the korean team during the world cup, they were lapping it up.

[kiwiboy_nz_99]

Exactly, to be hating Ohno, or americans in general is absurd in this situation. Onho didn't do anything except race. If they really really have to get their rocks off hating someone over a sporting event they should be hating the judge ( not all Australians either ) because he, and he alone, made the decision. Onho had nothing to do with it.

[Ryst Helmut]

Ran into an old student today and he heard that I was leaving Korea. He asked, 'why?'

I responded, 'If Ohno is not welcome or safe, neither am I.'

His face was golden....wish I had my cam....

Shoosh,

Ryst

[J.B. Clamence]

[On the other hand]

From the article in the OP:

[busan_boy2000]

Someone made a quote in another post that "if a child from each country got together for a birhtday party than it would be the Korean kid that sat in the corner and cried and never made friends".

I'm not sure if the this is an apt analogy for the situation but the comments made me recall it. Good work to whomever wrote it.