Korean Job Discussion Forums

[gajackson1]

For better or worse, I just got the word: peninsula-wide military curfew in effect, as of tonight, 9pm.

I expect it to last through the holidays, which will make things significantly different in Itaewon, Song-tan, etc.

Good news for some, bad for others, if it holds . . .

Regards,

G.

[Swiss James]

that's a shame- was there loads of trouble last Chu'sok or something?

[kylehawkins2000]

Wow, that's pretty early. Will they also be denied their nightly cookies and milk? Will their teddy bears be taken away?

These are people who are trusted with protecting the freedom of this country with multi-million dollar tanks and airplanes.....

[captain kirk]

Maybe they figure the evil leader will attack at night during the holidays. That's what I'd do if I were an evil leader.

[cheeky monkey]

[crazykiwi]

oh cheeky, i think he was just takin the piss! dont get all offended. i think the gist of his post was the fact that these guys are entrusted with all this high tech military ware and are expected to "defend" this country, yet are treated like little children who have to be home when mum says! if they are old enough to be doing what they ARE doing then they should also be trusted to go out and have a good time like evryone else who is over here! we dont have many gi's here in daejeon so not much experience with what they do to get a bad rap, but lets be honest, these guys are all 18-20+ so let them go have some fun for gods sake! if they get in trouble, tough, let them deal with it when that time comes.

[cheeky monkey]

yeah, i definitely prefer your take on that

i get pretty fed up, though, hearing people constantly bash the military. i disagree with many american foreign policies, but i think these soldiers are not the ones who should bear our rage; direct that towards the administration that dictates it (no pun intended ).

but you say if they get in trouble they should just deal with it. i think that's hard when an entire generation of protesting koreans are unleashed on the american in the event of a korean/american gi incident. i think that's exactly what the powers that be are trying to avoid by implementing strict curfew regulations. so it's kind of a catch-22...

[Shaded Shadows]

yea i heard about it this morning...

i'm in the military in korea (4 months left luckily!) and have finished up my bachelor of science in telecommunications while i've been in (4 year contract) also working in communications...

i got busted a few weeks ago for violating the 1 a.m. curfew a few weeks ago while hanging out with some teachers from Ireland i've known for a while (1 of them for over 2 years)...so anyways, today i should start my punishment of 45 days restriction to post along with 45 days extra duty...i'm still waiting to find out if and what rank they are gonna bust me down to and if and how much money they are gonna take from me...

why? because i was hanging out with some teachers having a few drinks at 2 in the morning and waiting for my girlfriend (korean) to come back out (strict parents) so we could spend the rest of the night together...

i'm expecting them to crusify me, it's all up to my battalion commander who i'm about to meet with in a little while but it's whatever, i've never been in trouble before (just recieved a Good Conduct Medal 2 weeks before i was apprehended for this), never been in trouble with the law before the military or the 3 and a half years i've been in the service noting that 3 of those years have been in korea...i just have an awkward feeling they are gonna try to make an example of me...

either way, shit sucks and i'm fucked, this 9 p.m. curfew doesn't have any effect on me since i'll be on extra duty beyond that time, every night for the next 45 days...

whew, it's gonna be a relief once i am out and am teaching here.

[Swiss James]

sorry to hear that SS- I suppose a few bad apples must've spoilt the barrel somewhere along the line.

How did you get caught anyway? What happend if MPs ask to see ID from a civillian?

[Pyongshin Sangja]

Civilians are supposed to present ID to the Korean police that MP's are always with. Civilians don't have to talk to MP's. That's why they patrol together.

[kylehawkins2000]

I'm not bashing the military at all! I'm saying it's stupid that these people that are entrusted with so much in other respects are not trusted to determine their own bed times. I think it's a stupid system. I think they should be given the freedom to determine what time to return to base or to their apartments. I'm in no way belittling the honest soldiers out there. I'm aware that some ruin the reputation of soldiers in general but I'm well aware that there are alot of very good, well-education, responsible and respectable people working with the USFK.

I actually meant the post to be a somewhat humerous way of pointing out how these people are treated by the higher ups.

I have a number of friends and aquintances in the military and I sympathize with them having to always head home early when we're just out having a good time in a relatively responsible manner.

[kylehawkins2000]

I'd also like to point out that this idea that the soldiers are only here because they have no other choice is just a load of bunk. The united states forces is probably one of the best educated armed forces in the world. The military is a good career option for many people.

[The Evil Clown]

[Gollum]

In case you haven't been to Itaewon recently, there are TONS of arabs hanging around in packs... and they seem to be hanging out down the street from the Hamilton Hotel (opposite side of "the hill") towards the Youngsan base. They aren't going to the mosque, they are just loitering around and wearing their robes.

Some people in the area are expecting something will happen soon. Perhaps the military does, too.

It's creepy.

[cheeky monkey]

sorry, hawkins, i definitely misread your post. i just feel like i am constantly fielding off-color remarks about the soldiers here, which i find offensive cause i am married to one.

i don't mind so much the 1am curfew, i mean i do think it is wrong to interfere with people's lives like that, but since we both have to be up early on the weekdays it's better for us to get our party on earlier in the night anyway.

but 9pm, i think these people have really lost it. all that is going to happen is a slew of soldiers are going to end up violating the curfew and having their pay docked. maybe this is just a method of making up lost revenue now that the end of the fiscal year draws near.