Korean Job Discussion Forums

[legalquestions]

I had an older student tell me this recently. He said Korea can't afford not to do whatever the USA demands, due to economic/business concerns and defense/safety concerns.

He went on to say that most Koreans realize this fact and that is what causes most of the anti-American sentiment here in Korea. "We realize that without America there to prop us up by defending us and buying our imports in disproportionate numbers we would suffer tremendously," he said.

Was he both wise and candid, or was he just telling me what he thought I wanted to hear?

[bassexpander]

Maybe he needs an A.

[Yu_Bum_suk]

[Whistleblower]

Korea is the *beep* who bends down and likes to take it.

[branchsnapper]

This situation, and the bad feeling/envy/secret love/wish to emigrate that goes along with it, can be found to a greater and lesser degree in many countries. Back home in the UK we sometimes wonder if we are the 51st state, and we aren't the only ones.

[Bigfeet]

That's ok, the US is slowly getting poorer and weaker.

[jkelly80]

[Scotticus]

[Fishead soup]

All the countries in the world should obey the US

[bovinerebel]

[lastat06513]

Korea has a historical complex of trying to find a big brother and then latch itself to that nation as long as it is useful to Korea and its citizens.

They did that with China for about 600 years and it had a brief partnership with Russia and (despite how history portrays them) they were interdependent on Japan for about 30 years during the start of the 20th Century......
Now for the past 60 years, the newest benefactor of Korea has been the US.....much of it comes from the gratitude that the older generation give the US for liberating it from the Communist onslaught from China, North Korea and the former Soviet Union......

However, after the armistice, instead of fostering democracy and liberal freedom, the US backed a consortium of military dictatorships that had much to do with business than to help the ordinary people of Korea.
I think what caused alot of bad blood between the Korean public and the US was the Americans' inability to help the pro-democracy demonstrators, especially during the massacre in Gwangju in the early 80's. And the fact that hundreds of people supposedly 'disappeared' for allegedly participating in what was known as a 'communist uprising' against the South Korean government (such policies were not just isolated to the military regime in Korea, but also used by the military governments in South and Central America and in pro-Western governments in the Middle East and Africa).

That is just a small part of the bigger picture........

I have to agree with Bigfeet, the global influence of the US is waning dramatically and Noh Mu Hyun saw that when he tried to introduce a policy of "strategic balance"- basically taking the side of the nation that makes the strongest argument.........which is almost like playing bitch during a fight......

[Bigfeet]

Real wages in the US hasn't gone up since the 70s. Medicare and SS is heading toward catastrophe. The dollar is going down and down (because the government can't operate without printing lots and lots of it) while prices are going up and up. Foreign governments are buying parts of US banks. A german company is trying to buy Anheuser-Busch.

[Young FRANKenstein]

[IncognitoHFX]

[Frankly Mr Shankly]

Korea is a sovereign nation who can choose its own path. Whether or not that path is in its best interests is another thing.