Korean Job Discussion Forums

[kiwiboy_nz_99]

They'll be no re-unification or US withdrawal in the next ten years at least.

[ulsanchris]

Apolgizing to the N. Korea for what a few private citizens do sends the wrong political message. Who cares if N. Korea pulls its athletes out. Toughen up a bit. Roh should stand up for some of the ideals this country is supposed to posses. Freedom of expression for one. Will apologizing help his sunshine policy? No, it won't. It gives N. Korea more precived strength at the barginning table. Hey S. Korea folded like a limp rag over a couple of brunt flag. What else can we get them to do?
Would not apologizing have hurt it? I don't think so. S. Korea could reason that it has freedom of expression and stick to it. N. korea might bluster a bit, maybe even remove its athletes, and that would be the end of it. It would know after that the S. Korea isn't going to automatically cave into N. Korea's demands.
Now N. Korea knows that S. korea has a weak president and will take anything they can get from him. Tyrants don't respect weak little men who are afraid to make tough choices.

[On the other hand]

Actually, according to the HERALD today there's some specualtion that the pro-American GNP has been somewhat muted in its criticism of Roh, since the Universiade games are being held in their stronghold and they want a successful show, ie. with North Korean participation.

I agree with Gwangju boy about flag-burning being a pretty minor issue, especially when carried out by private citizens. They're pieces of cloth, folks! Pieces of friggin cloth!

[William Beckerson]

I agree on the cloth thing.

Burn all of the maple leafs you want folks, I dont care.

[crazylemongirl]

Hello my name is CLG and I've burnt an american flag. It's like some sort of rite passage for a left wing university student who's not from the US (and a far few in the good old US of A). We're idiots, but we think we're smart out the time. Most of us outgrow it. The rest are busing hawking their own version of the communist manifesto at a campus near you.

As for the ethics of buring the american flag. If the US sees itself as the home of freedom then surely in a free society people should have the freedom to burn a flag. People have been killed for a lot less in other somewhat more draconian states like for example, north korea. I think the apology to the north koreans and want of one for the US speaks far more loudly then a flag burning ever could.

CLG

[camel96]

So your flag burning AND vomit covered, drunken coma days have come to an end...?
What kind of nerd are you becoming...?

[On the other hand]

[crazylemongirl]

[On the other hand]

[FlagWaver]

I wave the flag of peace and I come in the name of love.

[khyber]

not addressing the deeper issues of why the flag is being burnt here kiwi...but i'm curious about this:

[kiwiboy_nz_99]

[duanemyhre]

I�m an American, and it is not the flag burning that disturbs me. It is the ideas behind it. The US is a friend and ally of SK. If we were not here, everyone knows what the north would do to the south. For the south to penalize people for burning NK flags and do nothing for burning US flags is unspeakable. Now� If they just let everyone burn flags of any country and never say anything� Hey! Why not?! It is just a flag.

[The Great Wall of Whiner]

I am actually (get ready to be shocked) against flag-burning. Not because of any anal-retentive nationalistic fervour, but because:

- Lighting a fire anywhere in the middle of a city and then waving it around is dangerous!

- What are flags made out of, and is burning that material good for the environment?

But if someone gets a paper flag with non-toxic ink, gets a burning permit, and burns it is a controlled enviroment, then sure go right ahead.

[crazylemongirl]

GWOW - I'm sure that every student activist on the planet will unite behind your plan.

I'm sure an american company will get some people in china and sell them for exhorbent prices too.

CLG