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SPEAKING FREELY
Fellow Koreans, see the
danger
By Jee Hyung Kim
Speaking
Freely is an Asia Times Online feature that
allows guest writers to have their say.
Please click here if you are interested in
contributing.
My
father was a Korean nationalist, and he's a descendent
of King Suro (at least that's what my family tells me).
He ingrained in me a profound respect and duty toward
go-hyang (our homeland), because Korea is a
country that has survived Genghis Khan as well as
Japan's brutal invasions. Koreans' tragedy: living in
one of the most strategic geopolitical areas of the
world.
I grew up in the United States. I have
learned to love freedom and democracy in this country.
With hard work and dedication, in the US your life
doesn't need to be miserable from lack of economic
opportunity. I have met many different kinds of people
in the US, from all over the world.
I agree with
the South Koreans that North Koreans are predictable.
They represent Korea's military tradition, and its
defensive strategies. They are also reacting to the Bush
Doctrine of preemptive war. Yet our brothers and sisters
are suffering from famine, electrical shortages,
Stalinist indoctrination, just for starters. They are
suffering from economic failure as well, and the regime
is crumbling. The two things that can save them now:
money and its nuclear arsenal. And a fearful army backs
up its nuclear arsenal. In recent years, they have made
careful calculations toward reunification of the Koreas,
and have been receptive to dialogue with the South; is
this because they genuinely believe in peaceful
reunification, or that they're out of friends?
South Korea has made immense progress since
World War II. It is a growing democracy, the people have
voted for President Roh Moo-hyun, and OhMyNews has
become one of the most popular newspapers in a short
time. These are sure signs that democracy is working
well in our homeland. We Koreans should be proud.
President Roh was able to win the election
because he favors engaging with the North, for a
peaceful resolution of Koreans' wish for reunification.
His rhetoric regarding the South Korean-US relationship
rings true to those who voted for him: like the North,
South Korea would like the Americans to pursue bilateral
talks with Pyongyang.
In addition, Roh calls for
an equal relationship, and therefore has joined the
"axis of independence", countries such as France and
Germany, who oppose US foreign policy in Iraq. As France
and Germany are disliked by Americans right now, Roh's
rhetoric as well as recent anti-American protests in
Seoul have not been welcomed by Washington, as much as
North's cascade of threats have been a nuisance to the
Americans' preoccupation with Iraq. Even as we speak,
those who protest against war in Iraq are being arrested
in the US or being threatened with losing their jobs if
they speak against the war; that's how much any dissent
to current policies is disliked. Therefore Washington is
now ignoring Seoul as much as it is ignoring Pyongyang.
President George W Bush has included North Korea
in the axis of evil along with Iraq and Iran. We still
don't know why Bush wants to attack Iraq; all the
reasons he has given seem suspect. He has said that no
matter how much people protest, it won't make a
difference, because Iraq poses a grave threat to the
United States.
George Bush is also surrounded by
Donald Rumsfeld, Paul Wolfowitz and Richard Perle, who
represent the neo-conservative school of thought in DC,
and in the Pentagon. They are viewed as "hawks", which
means they believe in military might to solve all the
world's problems and they're not afraid to use it. More
important, they represent a school of thought called the
New American Century that believes the 21st century
should represent global American domination. We should
be wary of US intentions right now.
To the
Americans, what North and South Koreans are doing right
now seems naive. The North Koreans are desperate and
fear US invasion; there's a chance they may be correct
in assessing this threat, and accordingly are trying to
prevent it. South Korea is also right in asking equal
relationship with the United States and becoming a
bigger player in the region. Both North and South have
asked for a sincere relationship with the US; all this
could be possible in another time and place, but this is
unrealistic right now.
Koreans fail to consider
that the war in Iraq was planned by Bush's entourage
years ago, and September 11, 2001, may be just a cover
to justify the war. We still don't know why the
Americans may attack Iraq - only the United Nations has
been able to contain the war until now. There are many,
many reasons to doubt the sincerity of George Bush. How
can Koreans ask for a sincere and open dialogue with the
United States, when it can be lying through its very
being?
One thing is clear from the United
States: it prefers a multilateral dialogue with the
North. The South Koreans, if it desires a peaceful
solution to North Korea, should try their best to: 1)
influence North Korean behavior and try to placate its
threats and urge it to engage in multilateral, not
bilateral dialogue, 2) influence its neighbors China,
Russia and Japan and call actively for multilateral
dialogue, 3) pursue neutrality in preference to taking a
stance that opposes current US foreign policy.
As much as South Koreans would like to rejoin
with the North, the reality is Korea are still a divided
country, and all the more fragile because of it. In the
United States, equality was always fought for, and both
women's rights and the civil-rights movement took years
before true equality was gained. Calling for an equal
and sincere relationship with the United States right
now means to the Americans that we Koreans are gullible.
Unfortunately in our era, nuclear arms are not
taken lightly. If the current North Korean behavior
continues, the United States will have the reason and
the justification it needs to attack North Korea. South
Korea should seek regional unity against this potential
US invasion, because George Bush will not show
compassion regarding its fate. In addition, as long as
China and Russia remain aloof to our crisis, we have
greater risk of yet another Korean War.
Equality
and sincerity will come once Korea is again a unified
country and we Koreans are able to take our destiny into
our own hands. Unfortunately, because Korea is in such a
sensitive area of the globe, we do not have the luxury
of France and Germany for anti-war rhetoric, nor
anti-American protests. Until then, I urge all South
Koreans to see the grave danger that threatens our
security, and seek the help of our neighbors. After all,
do we want a nuclear Japan?
Jee Hyung Kim is a 29-year-old
Korean-American who emigrated to the United States at
the age of eight.
Speaking Freely is an
Asia Times Online feature that allows guest writers to
have their say. Please
click here if you are interested in
contributing.
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