Korean Job Discussion Forums

[kiwiduncan]

No they didn't.

It was a nice day. I saw a few foreign faces in the crowd, including some other Kiwis who happened to be passing by and decided to join in.

The riot cops were there of course, but that's just procedure in Korea and there was not a single nasty incident at all, with the expection of some passing nutter slagging off the protestors at the start.









A nice way to spend a sunny afternoon.

[Bryan]

Gay ^

[RACETRAITOR]

I unfortunately couldn't make it, but it sounds like they didn't get as many people as they were hoping for.

[kiwiduncan]

[Ethan Allen Hawley]

Sorry I couldn't make it. I would have liked to have been there. Numbers don't mean much unless they're absolutely huge. Smaller groups can actually be more effective in some situations because they're easier to mobilise and coordinate.

It's still early days yet, what with Pres. Lee being sworn in just yesterday or so, wasn't it? His honeymoon period won't last, especially if people get to looking more closely at that absurd sham of an investigation which was mentioned in an editorial in the English language news. If they're publishing it in English, I'd be fascinated to know what's being said in Korean. I'm also waiting for the swing-back after the initial period of adulation and relief from those who were against Roh wears off.

[bassexpander]

Ethan, your signature gives me the willeys.

[lastat06513]

Is that Jungno?
Wow- so clean!

[Ethan Allen Hawley]

Bassexpander,

My signiture gives you the willies?

That's interesting. I kinda nearly agree with what you were saying in that other thread about the absurd number of hoops we all have to go through these days to make a year's contract official in this country. I've been here a few years and have to say I enjoyed the ease with which one could jump on in country.

The thing is, it's still fascinating just being here, watching this young new country with it's ancient culture struggling with modernity, including new concepts/ styles of freedom and democracy. I've been to at least a couple of protest marches in Seoul and walked alongside oldboy ajusshis carrying 2x4s with twinkles in their eyes as they faced down the squadrons of fresh-faced teenagers in dull blue helmets and riot-shields.

And now people are starting to run back to the government and demand protection from us bad foreigners which comes in the form of immigration hoops etc., while at the same time having to realise that just as not every foreigner is here to impose either a sense of corrupt immorality or cultural imperialist ways, and so too not every big business development project is necessarily helpful, useful or profitable for their land or economy.

Yes, I realise a foreigner like me with a message like that runs the risk of being labelled cultural imperialist. I challenge myself and all others to keep standing back and looking for the bigger, and biggest picture. Are we not all global citizens? Have we from nation-states with longer histories of so-called development not seen and suffered through experience of urban sprawl, and witnessed the death of vast tracts of natural beauty? Do we not all share the challenge of preserving air quality and nature in a state that is enjoyable for our grandchildren, and our neighbours' great-grandchildren, very literally?

I'm nearly sorry for the tone of ernest rhetoric here, it's just that in China, there is no real right to protest without becoming an unwilling donor of body organs. And I have local friends there who have just started to learn truths about their government and recent history. And they live amongst the urban sprawl and within the nightmare developments and political repression of that land, and at the source of the hwangsah, or yellow dust we're sure to start enjoying any day now.

So, for all the hoops K. immigration make us go through this year, I can handle it, short term anyway. But when 'our nation's' government starts withdrawing political freedoms for you, me and the good locals, then I'll definately be looking at heading somewhere where the air tastes both fresher and freer. Meantime, I'll gladly join marches which work for the preservation of both, and the good of us all.

[kiwiduncan]