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CentralCali
Joined: 17 May 2007
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 Posted: Wed Jun 11, 2008 9:13 pm Post subject: Yet More Protests |
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From tomorrow's issue of the Pacific Edition of the Stars & Stripes:
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Between 40 and 50 people will gather for a wreath-laying ceremony Friday at the site where two girls died after being struck by a U.S. military vehicle in 2002, South Korean organizers said Wednesday.
The Progressive Union of Northern Kyeonggi Province registered the gaterhing for 11 a.m. to noon at the Highway 56 site in Yangju, near Dongducheon. They are also registered to march toward Mugun-Ri by 2:30 p.m.
U.S. Army Garrison-Red Cloud official reports expect the demonstrators to carry banners and chant slogans but remain peaceful. |
Since we're currently seeing how "fair and impartial" Korean media reports are, let's take a look at the stunts said media pulled back in 2002:
USFK statement on the issue. You'll note that the furor was fanned by outright falsehoods by the Korean media.
Background on the accident. You'll note that there are quite a lot of children killed in traffic accidents here but I have yet to see anyone protesting those.
Interesting wiki article (Scroll down to Demonstrations at Yongsan Garrison. You'll also note that Korean military members get a "better deal" when charged with crimes committed on- or off-duty than what the demonstrators were demanding for the two Americans.
I'm wondering now if I'm the only one in the country who believes that Friday's demonstration will not be limited to "40 or 50 people" or that they will not remain peaceful.
The Korean media needs to wake up and start practicing actual journalism. The only way for that to happen is for the government to punish them for the outright falsehoods they've been publishing over the years. Yes, there is freedom of the press in South Korea but that only goes so far when it comes to knowingly printing falsehoods. |
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Ilsanman
Joined: 15 Aug 2003
Location: Bucheon, Korea
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| Posted: Wed Jun 11, 2008 11:01 pm Post subject: |
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Is this a current article? I can't believe they're still protesting after 6 years.
What's next? Keep protesting to FIFA and demand another rematch with Switzerland? |
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Adventurer
Joined: 28 Jan 2006
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| Posted: Thu Jun 12, 2008 4:55 am Post subject: |
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How about us foreigners having the right to protest the corrupt cops who are styming an investigation into the death of a foreign child in Korea?
At least, the US military didn't hide what happened. I am sure more foreigners have died in Korea under nebulous circumstances than Koreans through an accident by the military. However, that doesn't matter, I suppose. As it was said, tonnes of Korean kids get killed by wreckless Korean drivers. |
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CentralCali
Joined: 17 May 2007
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| Posted: Thu Jun 12, 2008 5:23 am Post subject: |
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| It's better than current. It's from tomorrow's newspaper! |
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CentralCali
Joined: 17 May 2007
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| Posted: Sat Jun 14, 2008 11:32 am Post subject: |
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Yep, "40 or 50" wasn't anywhere close to the mark. From the Pacific Briefs column of Sunday's Pacific edition of the Stars & Stripes:
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Thousands expected in girls� 2002 truck deaths ceremonies
SEOUL � More than 20,000 people were expected to gather Friday night to commemorate the sixth anniversary of the deaths of two young Korean girls who were crushed by a U.S. armored vehicle.
About 20,000 people were expected to gather in Gwangju and another 1,000 in Busan to remember Shin Hyo-sun and Shim Mi-son, who were walking on Highway 56 when they were run over by the 57-ton military vehicle. Their deaths sparked public outcry and massive anti-American protests that summer.
In a rare interview late last week, Mi-son�s father, 55-year-old Shim Su-bo, told South Korea�s CBS NoCutNews that he no longer holds a grudge against the soldiers who ran over his daughter and that he wouldn�t attend any rallies.
"I want to accept this is just a plain car accident," he told the news organization. He said he didn�t approve of politicians or civic groups using his daughter�s death for political benefit.
Stars and Stripes was unable to reach the father to independently confirm the statements. |
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mises
Joined: 05 Nov 2007
Location: retired
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| Posted: Sat Jun 14, 2008 12:23 pm Post subject: |
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| CentralCali wrote: |
Yep, "40 or 50" wasn't anywhere close to the mark. From the Pacific Briefs column of Sunday's Pacific edition of the Stars & Stripes:
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Thousands expected in girls� 2002 truck deaths ceremonies
SEOUL � More than 20,000 people were expected to gather Friday night to commemorate the sixth anniversary of the deaths of two young Korean girls who were crushed by a U.S. armored vehicle.
About 20,000 people were expected to gather in Gwangju and another 1,000 in Busan to remember Shin Hyo-sun and Shim Mi-son, who were walking on Highway 56 when they were run over by the 57-ton military vehicle. Their deaths sparked public outcry and massive anti-American protests that summer.
In a rare interview late last week, Mi-son�s father, 55-year-old Shim Su-bo, told South Korea�s CBS NoCutNews that he no longer holds a grudge against the soldiers who ran over his daughter and that he wouldn�t attend any rallies.
"I want to accept this is just a plain car accident," he told the news organization. He said he didn�t approve of politicians or civic groups using his daughter�s death for political benefit.
Stars and Stripes was unable to reach the father to independently confirm the statements. |
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20 GRAND!! Jumpin Jesus. |
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Pluto
Joined: 19 Dec 2006
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| Posted: Sat Jun 14, 2008 3:35 pm Post subject: |
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I wonder if a lot of this is because Koreans are so easily influenced and really don't think critically about anything, especially when it comes from the media. The one country that I've been to where the fourth estate holds so much sway is Korea. The media sensationalize everything as the media often do, but the Korean populace seems to fall for everything the media tell them hook, line and sinker. I mean, honestly, everything from the FTAs to the tragic incident in late 2002, Koreans don't seem to think critically about any of these issues.
Though, I do wonder if it has to do with diversity. South Korea has a one size fits all press. Whereas in the English speaking world we have everything from Fox News, The WSJ, The Economist to the Nation, the HuffPo and the Guardian; there is so much diversity within the English speaking media. They all present the same facts and data with different spin. I wonder if this is why English speakers are more critical and nuanced in their thinking than Koreans are.
Just rambling and thinking aloud, don't mind... |
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The Bobster
Joined: 15 Jan 2003
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| Posted: Sat Jun 14, 2008 5:14 pm Post subject: |
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It's a comemoration and a wreath-laying ceremony. I don't see any sign immediately here that's a protest. A lot of people standing around in one place, sure, but more?
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U.S. Army Garrison-Red Cloud official reports expect the demonstrators to carry banners and chant slogans but remain peaceful. [...]
Each year since, the protests have become considerably smaller. |
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Milwaukiedave
Joined: 02 Oct 2004
Location: Goseong
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| Posted: Sat Jun 14, 2008 6:33 pm Post subject: |
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| Pluto wrote: |
I wonder if a lot of this is because Koreans are so easily influenced and really don't think critically about anything, especially when it comes from the media. The one country that I've been to where the fourth estate holds so much sway is Korea. The media sensationalize everything as the media often do, but the Korean populace seems to fall for everything the media tell them hook, line and sinker. I mean, honestly, everything from the FTAs to the tragic incident in late 2002, Koreans don't seem to think critically about any of these issues.
Though, I do wonder if it has to do with diversity. South Korea has a one size fits all press. Whereas in the English speaking world we have everything from Fox News, The WSJ, The Economist to the Nation, the HuffPo and the Guardian; there is so much diversity within the English speaking media. They all present the same facts and data with different spin. I wonder if this is why English speakers are more critical and nuanced in their thinking than Koreans are.
Just rambling and thinking aloud, don't mind... |
Pluto,
This is one of the rare instances where I agree with you. The Korean media is about as bias as one can be. Another perfect example is the US Beef export fiasco.
The more and more I think about it, I'm moving from supporting the KFTA to being dead against it. I plan on writing every person in Oregon's Congressional delegation and urging them to vote against it. If the Koreans want to continue to play games, then let them. |
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Pluto
Joined: 19 Dec 2006
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| Posted: Sat Jun 14, 2008 7:07 pm Post subject: |
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The Koean media remind me of the proverbial circular firing squad. KBS, YTN, Yonhap among others all seem to report the same thing without any diversity of opinion. If just one media outlet were successful in going against the grain and putting a different spin on the news, maybe then Koreans would be better able to discuss, debate and draw their own conclusions. Just like with the whole US imported beef fiasco. When one outlet reports that even Americans won't eat their own beef, then all of the outlets are reporting that Americans won't eat their food. Next thing you know, there are 50 million Koreans that believe Americans won't eat their own beef!
If this were true, bigAg would have gone out of business a long time ago. The same can be said for the 2002 incident.
Absurd! |
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