Korean Job Discussion Forums

[Gord]

I'm not one for attention whoring, but this weekend I received a number of emails insulting me with insults ranging from "Captain Korea Hater" to a "Korean Apologizer" to a talentless "skinhead". We should all be so lucky to get such messages every day!

So I present to you, the masses at this forum, a look into my world of how I present things over here to my friends and family. This is the most recent update to my "life overseas" archive. And then you can vote! Am I a hater or a player? I must know!

This is pulled from my ledger I keep of interesting things I see in Korea for my family to read, and not something custom written to appear neutral or slanted to a particular side for this poll question. Plus many of you might find it curious as most people work during the day or feel it is unwise to be a foreigner at a protest rally, so you'll miss seeing these events first-hand and only get the highlights at night if things go loopy.





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Lately in the news, Korea's been getting a lot of negative press over a number of protests here in which some people who are bat-shit insane have been performing stunts like cutting off their fingers to bring attention to their causes when they lack the numbers.

So today, I cover a regular protest and how they usually unfold. They are quite calm affairs most of the time.



Thanks to China's complete inability to not murder the environment there, Korea gets a lot of free sand in the air during the spring. Not as bad as it was a couple years ago where visibility was limited to a couple blocks, but you can see it.

This is where today's protest will be.



What's that? A riot bus behind Wal-Mart and next to the city hall building?



Yep. Buses. A lot of buses.



Yet more buses. And the police are already outside of the buses. At least, some are. Perhaps this is serious.



Even the protestors have buses.



If the women can't find you handsome, they should at least find you handy.



Inside the buses hundreds of riot officers wait and enjoy digital TV while enjoying the air conditioning. And no one is going to steal those dishes!



Yet more buses.



The protest started before I got there. According to the signage I passed, it started about an hour before I arrived. Seems it is still going strong.

I believe it is some sort of protest from the labour union that works at the city as symbolized by the red headbands, though I don't know why the gang is all here. A couple of the signs were talking about water, though I have no idea in what context. I should have asked someone to translate of the signs. Oh well, everyone needs a good mystery.

Red headbands are common for employment protests as a sign of worker solidarity, but the yellow headbands I have not seen before.



For reasons unknown, the crowd moves forward and forms a line followed by much yelling and hitting of objects.

The crowd advances yet again. Only this time, the next stop is the building itself.



Along the sides, riot police being running from everywhere to hastily form a wall. The line has been drawn and the crowd will walk no further.



The line will hold.



The riot police hold the high ground and are multiple personal deep. The crowds are loud, but peaceful.



Just in case everything does go to Hell in a handbasket, Big Brother records the event.



No one will be allowed to flank the primary line.



Usage of a well-known Korean cartoon character.



As the crowd begins to fall back to the staging area to begin their march, the police dispatch hundreds of officers in a flanking maneouver to ensure that no one gets any bright ideas and that no one gets hurt.



First the protestors get to use the crosswalk to reach the staging area for 15 seconds.



Then the police cut across for 15 seconds. That way both parties can reach their staging areas with no issues.



The march begins.



On the right, we have the riot police guarding the city hall.



On the left, the crowd marches forward.



City Hall is closed and visitors will be turned away.

Full size version.



The protest continues. A police escort ensures that no harm comes to the protestors, and that they do not deviate from an ordinary prorest march.



The sidewalk is closed. The march will not deviate from the assigned and expected path.



In the event that things turn ugly, batons will be handed out. But today, they will not be required. After a march of several blocks, the parties disbursed and returned to their homes. No violence, no fighting, no blood. Now there you have it. Just another average protest in Korea.

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Follow-up message:

The crowds were expressing opposition against the construction of a cremation facility near a water resevoir.

Mystery solved. Sunim says hi.

[just because]

How do you get all those photos Gord, without the police getting a little antsy and asking for the camera????

[funplanet]

Gord! are you in Bucheon? many of those pics are near Songnae station (sorta) near where I live....