Korean Job Discussion Forums

[Real Reality]

Roh vows to make lots of concessions to Pyongyang
South Korean President Roh Moo-hyun vowed Tuesday to grant many concessions to North Korea, signaling Seoul's intention of making a more aggressive effort to improve relations with Pyongyang. Speaking to a group of ethnic Koreans here, Roh said that his government has completely opened the door for unconditional dialogue with North Korea.
Yonhap News (May 9, 2006)
http://english.yna.co.kr/Engnews/20060509/410100000020060509225205E6.html

Roh pins hopes on former president's trip to Pyongyang
Kim Dae-jung is hailed as the architect of Seoul's policy of engaging Pyongyang, which the Roh administration has continued to pursue.

Roh also vowed to continue humanitarian aid to North Korea despite criticism from conservatives that it is reckless assistance. The government plans to provide unconditional support to North Korea without undermining the fundamental validity of South Korea's ideology and system, he added. Roh reiterated his willingness to have talks with the North Korean leader regardless of subject and venue, saying former President Kim Dae-jung may be able to broker another inter-Korean summit.
Yonhap News (May 9, 2006)
http://english.yna.co.kr/Engnews/20060509/610000000020060509204355E4.html

[jinju]

Oh man, dont get me started on this IDIOT of a president. My blood boils everytime I read how this spineless, communist appeaser is making concession after concession to a country that should be isolated and crushed.

[Hater Depot]

Seriously, isn't somebody going to realize that giving NK concessions just means they ask for more concessions next time? It should be pretty obvious by now.

[seoulsucker]

[yodanole]

Since reunification is the presumable goal of both countries (although I'm sure they have very different visions of how this will be effected) , channels need to be kept open and hopefully improved. Concession of a humanitarian nature to a famine stricken country are not out of order.
What I'm not usually crazy about hearing is "Well, If the DPRK has the bomb, then we (ROK) will have it too.

[Hater Depot]

The catch is, "keeping channels open" and "improving relations" are not the same. The assumption among South Koreans often seems to be that they are the same. Also, in my opinion, "keeping channels open" is not the same as "paying lots of bribes and ignoring the fact that they do nothing in return".

To actually pave the way for a smoother reunification would involve things like increasing contacts between ordinary people or liberalizing the North's political systems. Very little of that has resulted recently. In fact the North, just last month, called off a reunion of divided members because a South Korean newspaper referred to "abducted people" as... "abducted people". The SK government responded to this outrage by.. well. I won't be vulgar. But let's just say it doesn't involve the words "courage" or "honesty" or anything similar.

[cubanlord]

You guys are ALL missing the BIG PICTURE. Allow me to paint it for you:

WHO WILL LEAD THE UNITED KOREA?

Now.......we have a foundation. Would anyone care to build on it?

[yodanole]

Who will lead a united Korea? Everybody sees that point! That's where the differing visions come in to play. I'm sure Kim Jong Il believes he is the man for the job. And I'm sure several South Korean politicians believe they are.
"Aye, there's the rub."

But an internal collapse on the NPRK's part is not necessarily a good thing either.

[Homer]

They need to keep pushing one way or another towards some sort of normalization of relations. They do have the goal of re-unification at some point. Are concessions a bad thing? They can be if the allow the regime to survive in the North. Then again what is the alternative here? This is not some foreign country. The people living in the North are Koreans too. You can understand why the South wants to normalize relations and keep pushing for more by using concessions....

[Hater Depot]

But still.. the fundamental equation of, 'giving aid to the North = making steps to normalize relations' is not true. Or if it is true, I don't see any evidence that it is.

[Homer]

Hater,

I agree the North is playing a game to get concessions. But, what is the alternative here?

[lastat06513]

Giving North Korea unconditional support will ultimately cause irreversible damage to the 50+ year-old alliance Korea has with the U.S.

But in the Korean mindset, "To hell with the U.S., all they do is f^ck our women and cause alot of crime in the country..."
That is the picture the media is feeding the people and alot of people tend to buy it without question because of all the crap they've seen before.

And to call the protests in Pyongtaek a version of the uprising in Kwangju, to me, is a slap in the face to all who sacrificed their lives for democracy. And to tell the U.S. to leave would be a slap in the face not only to the people who served in Korea, but also for the families of those lost in the war, both in the U.S. and on the South Korean side as well.

But then again, if it weren't for the U.S. stopping the North in its tracks some 50 years ago, I think we would see something that faintly resemble Tiannamen Square if the North Koreans won or if China took over Korea as a protectorate.

I honestly would say, give the defense of Korea back to the Koreans and move to Japan or back to the Philippines and only go back to Korea in case of hostilities, that would be a safe move.

[cubanlord]

i wonder .... after all of this time suffering, starving, and dying of diseases that shouldn't be around, if the North Koreans will finally revolt against their leader?

I figure not because that that are hungry and what not are NOT in the military.

[antoniothegreat]

[Captain Corea]

Noh is trying to garner support in Jolla by holding up Kim Dea Jung as The Man. He is hoping that this support will trickle into badly needed votes for the Uri party on May 31.

The North is in need of a break in the pressure the US has been putting on it. A visit by the former leader would do that while not making the north concede anyting (in truth it may set up the North as a Middle Kingdom of sorts where they imagine others coming to pay homage).

Either way, in the short term this visit appears good for many factions in Korea but the long term outcome is iffy.