Tuesday, February 10, 2004
KOREA BLOG ROUND-UP
CARTHARTIDAE looks at how Korea and Japan are portrayed on the front page of the Financial Times
FREE NORTH KOREA covers a story on Charles Robert Jenkins a U.S. soldier who deserted to North Korea in 1965 and now wants to be able to move to Japan but not be extradited to the U.S.
JUST ABOUT EVERYONE has noticed the farmers' riots on Youido. See The Marmot's Hole, Jeff in Korea, Incestuous Amplification,and Flying Yangban for pics, links to videos, and commentary.
I don't have much to add but a question did occur to me: many have noted that the claim that "Korea is a law-abiding country" doesn't seem to square with scenes like those seen on Youido. But is demonstrating technically illegal in Korea? Of course destroying property, assaulting police and the like clearly are, but is the actual act of demonstrating illegal? I realize to my chagrin, that I don't rightly know the answer to that question.
Others have noted the ritual nature (here for example) of many demonstrator-police interactions, a dynamic that tends to dampen the amount of blood and violence. This is definitely the case in many of the demonstrations I have seen but I should note that the ritual aspect seems particularly strong in the case of student demonstrations (after all, it is the student/young idealistic intellectual's job to be the conscience of the country). In cases of blue collar or farmer demonstrations, it is less clear how far their dissent is tolerated.
KATHREB writes a paper on anti-American sentiment in South Korea.
KOREA LIFE BLOG comments on what are some of the best culinary inventions of modern Korea (the three-minute curry is a staple in my home).
There's plenty more but I have to go teach a class.
CARTHARTIDAE looks at how Korea and Japan are portrayed on the front page of the Financial Times
FREE NORTH KOREA covers a story on Charles Robert Jenkins a U.S. soldier who deserted to North Korea in 1965 and now wants to be able to move to Japan but not be extradited to the U.S.
JUST ABOUT EVERYONE has noticed the farmers' riots on Youido. See The Marmot's Hole, Jeff in Korea, Incestuous Amplification,and Flying Yangban for pics, links to videos, and commentary.
I don't have much to add but a question did occur to me: many have noted that the claim that "Korea is a law-abiding country" doesn't seem to square with scenes like those seen on Youido. But is demonstrating technically illegal in Korea? Of course destroying property, assaulting police and the like clearly are, but is the actual act of demonstrating illegal? I realize to my chagrin, that I don't rightly know the answer to that question.
Others have noted the ritual nature (here for example) of many demonstrator-police interactions, a dynamic that tends to dampen the amount of blood and violence. This is definitely the case in many of the demonstrations I have seen but I should note that the ritual aspect seems particularly strong in the case of student demonstrations (after all, it is the student/young idealistic intellectual's job to be the conscience of the country). In cases of blue collar or farmer demonstrations, it is less clear how far their dissent is tolerated.
KATHREB writes a paper on anti-American sentiment in South Korea.
KOREA LIFE BLOG comments on what are some of the best culinary inventions of modern Korea (the three-minute curry is a staple in my home).
There's plenty more but I have to go teach a class.
