In S. Korea, quiet talk of exit plans
This ain't cool. From the Christian Science Monitor:

Mr. Kim, a business executive here, considers his family "very patriotic." He attends club meetings, reads the papers, feels proud of Korea's rising stature in Asia.
But in the past few months - a time of rapid political change and a nuclear standoff with the North - Kim (not his real name) heard his wife counsel their son, who is studying in the US, on the phone: "Don't come back right now. Find a way to stay in the US."

Among the many undercurrents in this restless society, there's one that might be called "the discourse of departure" - an exit strategy.


Full Story >>>>>[url]http://www.csmonitor.com/2003/0508/p06s01-woap.html[/url]


Posted by rjkoehler at May 12, 2003 01:00 AM

Comments
I'd rather have SK immigration then from Russia, Somolia, Muslim Africa, Jamacia, etc.

SK has a very strong work ethic, and for the most part, a very non-violent society...

Posted by: Original Mark at May 12, 2003 08:27 AM
" a very non-violent society"

WAAAAY off base with that comment, Mark!

Koreans have a well-deserved reputation for violence that goes back several thousand years when the Chinese built a wall across the peninsula to keep the Koreans from raiding the peaceable Chinese.

In addition to an imbedded culture of violence to resolve disciplinary infractions in the Korean military, I’ve observed civilian Korean supervisors slap and hit subordinate employees – in Korea and Thailand – for failing to meet their expectations.

I’ve been told in recent years this propensity to violence has eased some, but I recently read when a Korean Christian denominational church in Texas was being investigated for using violence to keep “back sliding” members in line.

All in all, I would say that given the choice among all Asians, I’d rather have a Korean at my back in a combat environment.




Posted by: Jim Hogue at May 12, 2003 03:08 PM
Chinese are too political, Japanese are too buisness like. Koreans are either starving or arrogant, sometimes both. Id rather have a Gurkha watching my back thank you.

Posted by: Ronin at May 12, 2003 03:14 PM
So, at what point may we start protesting and carrying signs saying "South Koreans Go Home!"? Or would that be mean-spirited?

Posted by: BH at May 12, 2003 03:51 PM
Ronin,
I would agree with you in theory. I don't know what the state of the British - Gurkha relationship in in modern days, since 1995 or so. I know the original arrangement goes back to Queen Vickie when the Gurkhas remained loyal to the Crown during one of the interminable revolutions and uprisings that marked the British colonization of India.

I lived in England During the Falklands War and remember reading a newspaper account of a group of Argentineans soldiers who surrendered when they learned that the Gurkhas were getting ready to attack them – mainly due to the Gurkha’s reputation for dishing out mayhem and violence.

The article went on to add that the Gurkhas were so upset at being “cheated” out of a fight that the British Officers quietly withdrew while the Gurkhas threw a “snit fit” beating up on each others. I don’t recall if they ever got to vent their anger in combat. I certainly would not have wanted to face them in that state!

I heard that a retired British Officer set up a specialized guard force of Gurkhas in Hong Kong in the late ‘90s, but can’t recall the details.

My original point was that Koreans have a propensity to orgainzed - both controlled and otherwise - violence that holds them in good repute with other military types. The ROK Marines were very respected, and feared, during their involvement in S. Vietnam.


Posted by: Jim Hogue at May 12, 2003 04:34 PM