Korean Job Discussion Forums

Real Reality · Joined: 10 Jan 2003 Location: Seoul

N. Korea's Military Spits on Seoul's Efforts
A spokesman for the North Korean delegation to inter-Korean general-grade military talks said Sunday, "We have long known that a visit to Pyongyang by train by a certain person is a politically motivated ploy disguised under the cloak of cooperation." One presumes he was referring to former president Kim Dae-jung's hopes to go to North Korea by train next month. The spokesman also offered his tuppence worth on the inter-Korean Kaesong Industrial Complex....

It is a sad government that takes such insults lying down. Seoul seems to have no clue....
Chosun Ilbo (May 29, 2006)
http://english.chosun.com/w21data/html/news/200605/200605290035.html

Hater Depot · Joined: 29 Mar 2005

It's the Bitch Slap Theory of International Politics. Sometimes the worse you treat someone, the more desperate they become to please you. I think we can see this dynamic at work between the Koreas.

NAVFC · Joined: 10 May 2006

To put it rather bluntly, when it comes to politics, South Korea is like the guy who has a bitch girlfriend but is to whipped to see how much of a bitch she really is even though his friends all warn him, and in the last part of the relationship it explodes into an all out tempre losing fest.

jinju · Joined: 22 Jan 2006

Well, I think thats part of whats driving the current conservative revival. People here are damn fed up with being treated like crap by the North. I for one hope that when the GNP comes to power they stop all aid to North Korea as a first step and then invite the North to talks about getting that aid reinstated, this time though on Seoul's terms with serious conditions. No deal? No rice and no fertilizer and nothing else. This really has to stop. The Sunshine policy has turned out to be one pathetic joke.

Zolt · Joined: 18 May 2006

Still, it strikes me as unusual. The north brass has always acted as though they had a big bunch of red pepper stuffed up their ar se, but they haven't been that bad in a while now.

The cooperation projects have sparked some genuine goodwill on the North civilian side, but apparently the military doesn't give a sh*t about kaesong and fertilizer, unless you can make bombs out of them.

As the article states, there may be a major rift going on in there between the military and the authority, and KJI may not be the sole, or even the main player now. It may have something to do with the gradual transfer of power to his son Kim Young Nam. That 'rift' may also be all made up and part of a ploy, wouldnt be the 1st time. It's difficult to judge from the short quotes given here, but it sounds like whover that top military guy is, he was voicing a personal opinion. You've got to be really powerful to do that in North Korea, let alone at international talks.

Well, I'm starting to be faintly worried for Kim Dae Jung's safety.

just because · Joined: 01 Aug 2003 Location: Changwon - 4964

That is a long way to slag a loogie. It must have been at Panmunjeon Smile

But in all seriousness, i too hope GNP get in, during next years presidential elections and take a tougher stance. All this butt sniffing is just playing into the Norths hands...

I think the Roh administration is stung though as they have come out and said aid shipments to the north will be postponed which is good to see

jinju · Joined: 22 Jan 2006

just because · Joined: 01 Aug 2003 Location: Changwon - 4964

soviet_man · Joined: 23 Apr 2005 Location: Seoul

My impression is that the people of South Korea are very politically apathetic at present.

The GNP has capitalized on this apathy by positioning itself as a defender of the ROK's essential myths.

Myths about Korean superiority. Myths about rising standards of living in the south. Myths about Dokdo. Myths about the non-existence of Korean racism. Myths about the DPRK and the entirely delusional myths about the ROK's very limited sphere of influence in the world.

The GNP asserts an intensely inward-looking and provincial view. One that reinforces the ROKs status as a client state of the USA, whilst also carelessly dismissing the struggles of the majority of Asians from other parts of the continent - in favor of their own narrow South Korean self-interest.

Sadly I think there are a vast, vast, number of simple-minded people here who are more willing to reward that kind of blind, uncritical, flag waving, tub-thumping nationalism, rather than one (eg. Uri) that has at least made a mild effort to not drape themselves in open displays of right-wingery.

I am not saying this in a pro-North sense specifically. What I am saying is that it is wrong to assume that many of the social and human inqualities that exist now in South Korea, will decrease with more GNP members getting elected to any level of government.

jinju · Joined: 22 Jan 2006

Im sorry, but the whole row with japan has blown up under URI and ROH not the GNP. So what the hell are you reading? Commie propaganda?

People are sick and tired of supporting the North at any price. And I believe thats one of the reasons that GNP will sweep the elections tomorrow.

As far as the North, Im waiting to see the extent of their hissy fit. They really do believe they are entitled to whatever they want. Screw them. Cancel all the aid and set conditions on resumption of aid in the future.