Korean Job Discussion Forums

[Joe2010]

Hey guys and gals,

I hope all of you are enjoying life in Korea as summer winds down and he enter the beautiful fall season.

Well, I survived MERS crisis. Believe it or not, I'm still alive and kicking! I've taken off the ski googles, n95 masks and enjoying life in Korea again!

But that's not what I wanna talk about today. I've been thinking a lot about the recent Donald Trump craze in America with everyone seemingly going gaga and googly eyed over a potential Trump presidency.

What happens IF he actually does win the election next year and more importantly, what ramifications will that have for Korea?? Now, i realize that the election is still 14 months away and anything could happen between now and then, so forgive me for spitballing here.

Here's my take. IF he does win, I believe Korea, along with China and Japan, could have serious problems and I do mean, SERIOUS!

If you watch any of his recent campaign speeches and tv interviews, (from YouTube), he seems to have a strong disdain for the East Asian countries, especially China and Japan, but Korea as well. He repeats several times during each speech how China and Japan are "stealing American jobs and stealing our money". He doesn't say "taking American jobs" mind you. He says "stealing" Not once, but several times during each speech. Wow, even Ross Perot never talked like that about Mexico! Trump definitely seems to steering his hatred toward China, Japan and Korea for whatever reason. He has strongly hinted at slapping a 25% across the board tariff on all Chinese, Korean and Japanese products entering the U.S. Also, he wants to immediately end the Free Trade Agreement between Korea and the U.S.

Again, I'm just spitballing here, but if he actually does goes through with these trade tariffs, it could have a devastating effect on the Korean economy for a long time. Obviously, Korea would probably retaliate with trade tariffs against
U.S. products, but it would certainly hurt Korea much more than it would hurt the U.S since Korea relies heavily on exports to the U.S, especially for electronics, steel, and automobiles. Of course, U.S. tariffs also would crush the Chinese and Japanese economies as well.


Secondly, he has also hinted in recent interviews at immediately pulling all U.S. military support from Korea AND Japan once he becomes the Commander in Chief. Never mind the fact that since the Korean war, the U.S. has always kept a close military alliance and a commitment to protect Korea starting from the Truman adminstration to Eisenhower to Kennedy to LBJ to Nixon to Carter to Reagan to Clinton to Bush and finally Obama. They've all kept that promise, both Democrat and Republican alike. But not Donald Trump! Donald Trump said in a recent interview that he would like to immediately end the military alliance, with Japan also, and keep the U.S. neutral from any entanglements in East Asia. "Let them defend themselves. We (the U.S.) shouldn't be involved in any way." he was recently quoted.


So, let's suppose Trump were to pull all U.S. troops and military assistance from Korea and Japan, would would North Korea do? Would that crazy frickin dictator in the North suddenly become embolden to launch a full scale attack against South Korea AND Japan?? (Remember, Kim Jung Un has repeatedly said he would attack Japan too). Maybe. Maybe not. If he knows that the U.S. would not assist S.Korea or Japan in any way militarily, he might start licking his chops. Sometimes, I think that the only thing holding Kim Jung Un back from launching an attack is that he absolutely positively does NOT want to face the U.S. military in any way, shape, or form, because he knows that doing so would mean total annihilation of his regime and his country within hours.


BUT, if Trump says to S.Korea and Japan, "hey, you're on your own now. We (the U.S) are not going to help you anymore," i would be more than a bit scared at what North Korea would be tempted to do. My gut tells me that the evil dictator would be chomping at the bit to do something terrible in order to prove something.

Again, I could be totally wrong on that. Just spitballing.


Well, that's it. AM I totally crazy to be fearing a possible Donald Trump presidency?? ! Given his recent anti-Asian rhetoric recently, I am definitely horrified at what effect his presidency would have, not only for S.Korea, but for the entire East Asian region. The U.S. has always been a strong ally of S.Korea and Japan. I don't think Trump feels the same way. Am I wrong???

[coralreefer_1]

My instinct tells me that what people not in office say to get elected,and what they do after they are elected are very very very very different.

Trump or anyone else can say whatever. They are trying to get elected and will play whatever they feel/polls show will help them. After that the real hands of power that many speculate and are never seen ....take hold, and they become a puppet.

Trump is no different. Its a long time away, and as much as I would like to see an outsider get a serious run (not necessarily Trump)...they will eventually succumb to the machine (and it is a machine) that is US politics.

No matter who is elected, if North Korea wanted to and felt it could, would have struck already. The fact they havent when the US was at its weakest bogged down in numerous wartime theaters says that N.K. knows its ass would be handed to it no matter how it moves.

[Joe2010]

VERY Good Point and would normally agree with you with any other candidate.

But something about Trump tells me that he would actually follow through on his threats regarding tariffs and ending the military alliance with Korea and Japan. He seems to march to the beat of his own drum, and in this case, that drum would be a total frickin disaster, but nonetheless, he is his own boss.

No one and I mean no one tells Donald Trump what to do. Just listen to his frickin arrogance during his campaign speeches!

And again, I really think that he deep down has a strong disdain toward China and Japan (and maybe Korea too) that no U.S. president has ever had, at least not in my lifetime. (that is if he does indeed get elected).

[maximmm]

Trump changed his tune more times than Obama has changed his underwear.

I'm not saying what he will or won't do - but trusting his words is a futile practice.

Having said that, there is little doubt that Trump - if he were to be elected and if he were to act upon his words - would do very little to help what little stability there is in this world.

Then again, if Americans elect a guy that looks and talks like a clown - I imagine they'll deserve everything that they will get. This is like G. BushX10 on the funny and absolutely insane scale.

Having said that - if Democrats really do go with Hilary Clinton - who seems to feel the need to prove her masculinity via military rhetoric (and probably military actions after the elections) - it seems like the world will enter the next dark age regardless of who gets elected.

It's funny, because seriously - the world right now is in a very fragile state. Remove some stability in Asia and chaos emerges - China will no doubt come out on top - and when it does, we'll have US/China cold war (it's funny that Trump keeps saying how he'll be best friends with Putin - while it's obviously that Putin is likely to side with China).

If Clinton sends US military to Ukraine and places even more pressure on Russia - then we'll have a proper Cold war, which may turn into something much warmer over time.

[Fallacy]

[malaz]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RDrfE9I8_hs

[Fallacy]

Exactly. Trump summarizes everything in one word: China.

[Zyzyfer]