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Real Reality
Joined: 10 Jan 2003
Location: Seoul
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 Posted: Thu May 26, 2005 1:42 am Post subject: Anti-U.S. Protests this Weekend |
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The Korean Federation of University Student Councils, Hanchongnyon, plans to hold several anti-U.S. protests this coming weekend. At this time, the Embassy is aware of several scheduled protests in downtown Seoul at Sejong Cultural Center, Citizen's Park, the Seoul train station, Yongsan U.S. Army Garrison, and Dongwha Duty Free Building. Demonstrations may also take place in other locales, including in the vicinity of U.S. Forces Korea (USFK) bases, universities, or civic centers throughout the Republic of Korea without notice through mid-June.
Demonstrations - May 27, 28, 29 and June 11, 2005
U.S. Embassy (May 26, 2005)
A public service to all U.S. citizens in the Republic of Korea. Please disseminate this message to U.S. citizens in your organizations.
http://www.asktheconsul.org/2005may26.htm |
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Real Reality
Joined: 10 Jan 2003
Location: Seoul
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| Posted: Thu May 26, 2005 4:05 am Post subject: |
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lastat06513
Joined: 18 Mar 2003
Location: Sensus amo Caesar , etiamnunc victus amo uni plebian
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| Posted: Thu May 26, 2005 6:04 am Post subject: |
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This is interesting....
You know, alot of uni students participate in these rallies.
You know....
I want to know what alot of the American lecturers, teachers and Professors think about their students going to these rallies?
Once while teaching at a hogwon, I knew this high school girl that went to every candle light vigil in 2002.
Then we discussed what we were doing for the coming year (2003) and she said "I'm going to study in California"
 ....I thought and then I just said it, "Why do you want to study in a country that you're protesting against?"
Her response...."Well, I met this cute guy who became my boyfriend and he persuaded me to go....plus all my friends go too...so why not, right?"
again,
Then we get into the mentality "If your friends all collectively jumped into the Han River, would you be obliged to jump in after them?" |
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Alias
Joined: 24 Jan 2003
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| Posted: Thu May 26, 2005 6:24 am Post subject: |
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Hanchongnyon. 
Are they still as pro-Pyongyang as they used to be? |
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Apple Scruff
Joined: 29 Oct 2003
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| Posted: Thu May 26, 2005 6:29 am Post subject: |
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| lastat06513 wrote: |
Once while teaching at a hogwon, I knew this high school girl that went to every candle light vigil in 2002.
Then we discussed what we were doing for the coming year (2003) and she said "I'm going to study in California"
....I thought and then I just said it, "Why do you want to study in a country that you're protesting against?"
Her response...."Well, I met this cute guy who became my boyfriend and he persuaded me to go....plus all my friends go too...so why not, right?"
again,
Then we get into the mentality "If your friends all collectively jumped into the Han River, would you be obliged to jump in after them?" |
Korean logic at its best. |
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Emu Bitter
Joined: 27 May 2004
Location: Bundang
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| Posted: Thu May 26, 2005 11:21 am Post subject: |
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| A nation of pathetic sheep. |
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turtlepi1
Joined: 15 Jun 2004
Location: Abu Dhabi, UAE
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| Posted: Thu May 26, 2005 11:31 am Post subject: |
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| Emu Bitter wrote: |
| A nation of pathetic sheep. |
The americans or the koreans? 
a valid question really... |
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Zark
Joined: 12 May 2003
Location: Phuket, Thailand: Look into my eyes . . .
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| Posted: Thu May 26, 2005 11:57 am Post subject: |
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'Tis what free speech is all about. Either you support the notion - or you don't.
Whether some are misguided or not - well . . . that's a different story. But I do tend to shy away from politics or religion for dinnertime conversation. |
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Ya-ta Boy
Joined: 16 Jan 2003
Location: Established in 1994
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| Posted: Thu May 26, 2005 1:01 pm Post subject: |
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| Quote: |
| "Why do you want to study in a country that you're protesting against?" |
I can match that situation. In 2001 I had a student who was planning to go to the US in Jan. '02. He'd asked me if he could stay at my mom's home when he visited. I'd stalled him till I knew him better. Good choice. Soon after 9/11 he said during a class discussion he thought Osama was a hero.
When the term ended he asked for Mom's address. I refused. He didn't understand even after I briefly explained.
| Quote: |
| Are they still as pro-Pyongyang as they used to be? |
Officially, no. The following editorial from yesterday's Chosun Ilbo will tell you what you want to know.
All Horses Pulling in Different Directions Again
The Unification Ministry has permitted the chairwoman of Hanchongryon -- the Confederation of Korean Students' Unions -- an activist group outlawed by the Supreme Court, to visit North Korea and attend a rally of students from both Koreas at Mt. Gumgang. The ministry explained it made the decision because she had not been convicted of any offense nor was she wanted for any crime, and had promised to abide by South Korean laws while in the North. It added it also took ��recent developments in inter-Korean ties�� into account.
But that decision runs counter to the spirit of Supreme Court rulings outlawing the group. In 1998 the country's highest court outlawed the activist group because it found Hanchongryon pursuing North Korea's policy of unifying the country through turning the South communist. In 2003 the Supreme Court ruled, "Although Hanchongryon has revised its platform and rules in a moderate direction, the amendment was borne out of intent to secure freedom of activities by having itself recognized as a legal organization. Thus it is difficult to accept that the nature of this outlawed activist group has fundamentally changed."
It is common sense to read the rulings as implying that a visit by Hanchongryon chairwoman to the North would be inappropriate. The Justice Ministry, too, should therefore have objected to letting her go.
The Unification Ministry has effectively ignored the Supreme Court rulings. It did so by saying she was allowed to go not in her capacity as Hanchongryon chairwoman but as a private citizen. Going a step further, it actually said her visit would help "satisfactory development of the inter-Korean relationship."
The rally the Hanchongryon chairwoman attended is titled: "North and South Korean Students Reunion for the Implementation of the June 15 Joint Declaration and the Realization of Anti-War, Peace and National Cooperation." It would therefore hardly be surprising if South and North there sang together to the tune of the enforced inter-Korean cooperation the North advocates. |
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just because
Joined: 01 Aug 2003
Location: Changwon - 4964
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| Posted: Thu May 26, 2005 4:19 pm Post subject: |
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So what is the occasion of the protest this time????
I understand Koreans' frustration with the US Army but I thought things were not going to badly at the moment...excepting the North Korean situation.
I bet the government is hoping it stays in check, they really are on the out in foreign relation circles at the moment.
Perhaps a bit of inward reflection is needed by some of these participants.
i know it will ostly be young students......I suppose we all did dumb things inm the name of popularity in the younger days. |
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Ajarn Miguk
Joined: 22 Jan 2003
Location: TDY As Assigned
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| Posted: Thu May 26, 2005 5:03 pm Post subject: Hope |
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| I hope it receives all the international media coverage it deserves. |
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Freezer Burn
Joined: 11 Apr 2005
Location: Busan
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| Posted: Thu May 26, 2005 9:34 pm Post subject: |
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| The students will march on America and then go settle down to their Starbucks drinking a Caffe Latte, just before going to watch the new Star Wars then heading out to McDonalds for dinner. |
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gypsyfish
Joined: 17 Jan 2003
Location: Seoul
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| Posted: Fri May 27, 2005 12:41 am Post subject: |
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I teach at a university and I reckon students, or anyone, can protest, as long as they don't shoot fire arrows at the embassy. I don't have to agree with them.
Some do it for frivolous reasons, but others are sincere, but they all have a right to do it.
In 1976, I marched in Philly to protest the rip-off of the American bicentennial. Did we change anything? No, but I felt like I was doing something important and trying to improve the country. And it helped me appreciate living in a country where we could protest. Maybe some feel that way. |
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billybrobby
Joined: 09 Dec 2004
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| Posted: Fri May 27, 2005 12:52 am Post subject: |
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| Anybody ever been to these protests? Is it something you could check out without taking a totally jackassed personal risk? |
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turtlepi1
Joined: 15 Jun 2004
Location: Abu Dhabi, UAE
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| Posted: Fri May 27, 2005 1:06 am Post subject: |
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| billybrobby wrote: |
| Anybody ever been to these protests? Is it something you could check out without taking a totally jackassed personal risk? |
Have you seen the WTO protests in the West?
These aren't quite that bad generally but if you have ever seen the strikers protesting you get a feeling that Koreans know how to protest with the best of 'em.
There is always the element at these events that might target you because of your skin-color. Even though most Koreans wouldn't harm you, you know what happens with mob mentality, mixed with recent bad press about foreign teachers, with a dash of soju. 
Just use common sense...the most common sense thing to do would be to avoid it, but I have never had quite that much common sense. So if you are going to go, approach it with the mindset it is far more dangerous than it actually is.
Last edited by turtlepi1 on Fri May 27, 2005 1:07 am; edited 1 time in total |
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