Korean Job Discussion Forums

[igotthisguitar]

When rioting broke out in various locations around TIBET & western China last week, i knew this would make for an interesing in-class conversation topic.

Here's just a few of my thoughts:

My impression is that many Koreans can relate to & sympathize with the plight of the Tibetans, as they themselves faced simliar oppression under many long years Japanese rule.

Moreover, lest we forget, Mao sent 40,000 PLA soldiers WEST into TIBET just shortly before the outbreak of the Korean war in 1950.

Coincidence you say? Nope ... sure don't think so.

Look at the size of Korea of a map, then look at the size of "the great western treasure house" TIBET

Was China maybe hoping to conquer & "claim" BOTH as the "motherland's" proper historical sovereign territories?

If McCarthur had not defied the US President, and launched a successful offensive via Incheon, Korean policies could have today found itself under a more obvious & exclusive Chinese rule.

So, have you raised this issue, including the related histories, human rights, image of the upcoming Olympics etc?

[linton]

Okay. First I teach at an elementary school so I don't think it is a good subject for free talking; but in a Korean school, I don't think it is a good idea to talk about complex political ideas ... we might put our view on the topic. I don't know all of the history of Tibet, but you pointed out: Korea, What if America had not supported the old Chinese Government, who was really corrupt ... What if we had not helped and protected the exiled Chinese government who kept Taiwan... Would the Chinese still have meddled in Korea?

I am from America and I do love my country, but why is it that so many are trying to talk about the Chinese human right record and the Olympics... Let's face it, the U.S.A. has one of the worst human rights records in history; in fact, Hitler created many of his superior race ideas from the U.S.

[OiGirl]

Might assign it as a optional reading, but not a required class discussion topic.

[VanIslander]

I teach mostly elementary school aged kids but of the few middle school classes I have, the higher (A) level classes I have asked them about Tibet and they knew a bit about it.

Coincidentally, this was talked about in my class yesterday. Interest was so-so until I told the class about how China thinks Tibet is part of China, just as they have thought Korea is part of China, informing them about the Northeast project to re-write Chinese history as essentially multicultural (but ruled by the Han Chinese) and with North Korea and South Korea minus the Shilla kingdom areas of the Gyeongsang provinces.

The students were riveted when i spoke about it, then passionately resistant to the idea of Korea as part of anything.

The class became a hate-on about China, they bringing up the recent mouse head in Chinese made chips, I mentioning the toys made with lead paint.

Was the best topic in weeks.

[pugwall]

I don't think we should incite Koreans to dislike their neighbours(Japan Korea) any more than they already do.

[bassexpander]

I have some Chinese students in my uni classes. They're generally very sheltered and friendly people from rich families. The spoken English of the female students runs rings around many of my Korean students the same age, however their TOEIC scores suck, so our school tends to place them lower than their speaking ability. I'm not surprised.

One of my friends speaks Chinese, and he spoke to a few of them at length about previous events (Tienamen Square). They believed it was all a fabrication.

They were thoroughly endoctrinated.

As a side note, I find it interesting how bent out of shape some get on this board when we're talking about Christians wanting to home-school in the USA (calling it brainwashing, indoctrination, etc.), but they don't mind China's strict media control. These same people are also some of the first people to get on a "go China" kick, speaking as if their forecasted economic success will release them from some kind of bondage from the USA's past success.

[igotthisguitar]

[dmbfan]

[cdninkorea]

[Ya-ta Boy]

[spliff]

Tibet is China, nuff said.

[ulsanchris]

I know someone who was in Beijing shortly after Tienanmen Square. The locals told him that it took many trucks to remove all the dead bodies. The official government story is a complete load of bull. Tell your students when they are back in China to try to talk to some people who lived there at the time about what happened. They might not want to tell the truth though. YOu might also want to bring up all the rural protests that happen all the time in China.

[pugwall]

[laogaiguk]

[ardis]