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Captain Corea
Joined: 28 Feb 2005
Location: Seoul
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 Posted: Thu Jul 07, 2005 7:11 pm Post subject: Is Korea next? (bombing) |
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The Chosun has this little diddy about the London attacks:
http://english.chosun.com/w21data/html/news/200507/200507070033.html
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No Report of Korean Casualties in London Blasts
The Korean Embassy in London said there were no reports of Korean losses as of Thursday afternoon after a series of bombings ripped through the heart of the British capital, killing at least two people and injuring hundreds more. |
Now, although I too am happy there were no Koreans killed, I really wonder about the reporting strategies of this. All to often in the Korean media I see a "Korean only" view of things. Now all countries do this, I know, but to relegate such a huge headline to a simply dismissive stance of "well, none of us died" is just a little too ignorant for me.
The truth of the matter is Korea could very well be next!
-Korea has the 3rd largest force in Iraq (behind the US and GB)
-Korea has a very exposed populous (massively packed transit system and such)
-Korea has a usually enept police force (too many forced into service)
-Korea has a lot of disgruntle 3D workers from the third world (where Islam is occasional ripe).
Simply put, Korea may be standing in line for this chopping block. If/when it does happen though I predict two things;
1) The government will shift any responsibility to somewhere else. Not only will the attack be blamed on "out-side" elements (and they would probably be correct to a large degree) but the insuing confusion with rescue workers will be blamed on someone else as well. Instead of taking this as a wake up call (as London did in the case of the year previous Madrid bombings), Seoul will most likely want to keep with the thought that "it won't happen here".
2) The Korean people will be outraged!! I am not totally sure in which direction it will head but I do know that the "Nembe" Korean spirit is not one I'd like to be in front of (well, not initially at least). Chances are, Korean will be calling for revenge against the attackers. In the Vietnam war, the Koreans soldiers were known for their ferocity, I expect it would be little different.
What the Korean government needs to do is to IMMEDIATELY start training their emergency services for just such an attack and to examine their policies in regards to foreigners (woo, there's a doosy). |
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Derrek
Joined: 15 Jan 2003
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| Posted: Thu Jul 07, 2005 7:21 pm Post subject: |
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As you can see in the other thread on here, immigraiton officials were just busted for letting illegals into Korea. One can easily see how such practices could easily let Alqueda elements in, as well.
It's just a matter of time.
There need to be some SERIOUS investigations into the immigration practices, bribery, etc., that is going on in this country. Their dishonest bribery/actions may very well cost in Korean lives. |
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Cthulhu
Joined: 02 Feb 2003
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| Posted: Thu Jul 07, 2005 7:23 pm Post subject: |
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| The Korean government would be foolish not to take measures in light of what's happening in Europe and in parts of Southeast Asia. Let's hope they are doing so. |
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chronicpride
Joined: 16 Jan 2003
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| Posted: Thu Jul 07, 2005 7:24 pm Post subject: |
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I think that Daegu subway fire 2 years ago should highlight how vulnerable they are to a planned attack. Unfortunately, people here are just too busy and in too much of a hurry to compete with each other, to start caring about such things.
Last edited by chronicpride on Thu Jul 07, 2005 7:25 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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VanIslander
Joined: 18 Aug 2003
Location: Geoje, Hadong, Tongyeong,... now in a small coastal island town outside Gyeongsangnamdo!
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| Posted: Thu Jul 07, 2005 7:24 pm Post subject: |
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As an ex-journalist I say the headline is good.
It conveys info relevant to its readers and is accurate.
It's not a great headline because it doesn't also peak interest: readers have nothing to look forward to in the article, the main point is summarized in the headline.
True, the article could have engaged in some fear mongering of the sort the op suggests: Could Korea be next? But that would a bit tabloid of a strategy.
I get your point Captain Corea, but I don't fault the newspaper's coverage on THIS story.
But it would be interesting to see how the editorial pages cover it.
I know many Koreans I talked to back in 2003 were apprehensive about Korea getting involved in Iraq. There seems to be quite an underlying layer of fear or concern that the media could explore; there are issues to be discussed. |
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Captain Corea
Joined: 28 Feb 2005
Location: Seoul
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| Posted: Thu Jul 07, 2005 7:31 pm Post subject: |
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I guess my point was, shouldn't the headline have been about the bombing while the "lack of Korean casualties" a second point?
I guess i expected the one and only headline about the topic... to be about the bombing. Not about how no koreans were killed.
An adult student of mine (quite a great guy actually), carries about oxygen containers for just such an event (in his bag). He has been worried ever since the fires years ago. Is he going overboard? I'm not sure, but I do know that there are far too few of those masks in the subways for everyone to use. |
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peppermint
Joined: 13 May 2003
Location: traversing the minefields of caddishness.
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| Posted: Thu Jul 07, 2005 7:34 pm Post subject: |
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| My co workers had no clue that anything had happened until I told them this morning. |
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JongnoGuru
Joined: 25 May 2004
Location: peeing on your doorstep
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| Posted: Thu Jul 07, 2005 7:36 pm Post subject: |
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| Captain Corea wrote: |
I guess my point was, shouldn't the headline have been about the bombing while the "lack of Korean casualties" a second point?
I guess i expected the one and only headline about the topic... to be about the bombing. Not about how no koreans were killed. |
How about this one?
Titanic Sinks,
ABERDEEN WOMAN FEARED MISSING! |
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mack the knife
Joined: 16 Jan 2003
Location: standing right behind you...
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| Posted: Thu Jul 07, 2005 7:40 pm Post subject: |
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| Koreans are immune to terrorist attacks because of the magical properties of kimchi. |
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thorin
Joined: 14 Apr 2003
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| Posted: Thu Jul 07, 2005 7:48 pm Post subject: |
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| peppermint wrote: |
| My co workers had no clue that anything had happened until I told them this morning. |
There were far more pressing issues this morning, like all the goofy stuff Kim Sam-soon did on MBC last night. |
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uberscheisse
Joined: 02 Dec 2003
Location: japan is better than korea.
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| Posted: Thu Jul 07, 2005 8:27 pm Post subject: |
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besides the yongsan garrison, is there anything really worth bombing in korea?
i'm not being snide, i really want to know... |
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jjurabong
Joined: 22 Jan 2003
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| Posted: Thu Jul 07, 2005 8:31 pm Post subject: |
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| I live right above mapo station and we just had a full 2 weeks of large scale emergency training here. There were simulated bombings, and fire. We even had emergency workers scaling our building and a fully armed swat team at the subway exits. |
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rapier
Joined: 16 Feb 2003
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| Posted: Thu Jul 07, 2005 8:35 pm Post subject: |
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| Have there been any terrorist warnings made to korea? |
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eamo
Joined: 08 Mar 2003
Location: Shepherd's Bush, 1964.
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| Posted: Thu Jul 07, 2005 8:38 pm Post subject: |
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| uberscheisse wrote: |
besides the yongsan garrison, is there anything really worth bombing in korea?
i'm not being snide, i really want to know... |
The terrorists, since and including 9/11, haven't went for military targets in US, Spain or Britain. Why would they in Korea?
If they attack Korea their first thought will be civilian targets. The Seoul subway would be an incredibly easy target. |
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Gopher
Joined: 04 Jun 2005
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| Posted: Thu Jul 07, 2005 8:40 pm Post subject: |
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Highly unlikely that they will hit Korea.
No major ethnic Arab population here that I know of (could be wrong). Hence Arab terrorists might stand out here: not only ethnically, but perhaps more importantly, they probably don't place a heavy emphasis on training their operators in Korean language skills, either.
How are they going to get around, then, and do it covertly?
How are they going to familiarize themselves with mass transportation routes, schedules, and contingencies to produce a workable plan?
Also, what's the point? Korea isn't exactly the center of world events. It's not NYC or Washington...it's not Madrid or London.
Could Korea be next? Sure. So could Gabon, I guess. |
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