North Korea and misconceptions

monosharp

I'm currently over here in South Korea and I have to say, I'm really surprised at the reality of how South Koreans view America and how they view North Korean and the tripe bull**** we're fed on the news at home.

For one example, the way the western media portray it, South Korea and the US are best mates. That's a load of bollox. There's huge anti-American sentiment here for various reasons and they DON'T want the yanks military presence here either. Its more a case of the US won't leave (Korea strategically important etc) then Koreans want them to stay.

Another misconception was that when North Korea had the nuclear test that most South Koreans were ****ting themselves. I've talked to quite a lot of Koreans about it and although they are no fans of "The great leader" most of them honestly believe he'd never nuke them. Invade yes, but nuke them, absolutely not.

And the bull**** we were fed about Kim being gone in the head, I told Koreans that and they couldn't believe that western media said that. I remember reading crap that Kim watched looney toons and other ****. Seems to have being a complete fabrication.

They actually really really want good relations with the North because they really really want unification. Kim and their president are meeting again soon in Seoul.I suppose similiar to our situation with the north but to a much greater extent. The North/South split is still a temporary thing as far as their concerned.

SpAcEd OuT

monosharp wrote: »

For one example, the way the western media portray it, South Korea and the US are best mates. That's a load of bollox. There's huge anti-American sentiment here for various reasons and they DON'T want the yanks military presence here either. Its more a case of the US won't leave (Korea strategically important etc) then Koreans want them to stay.

I highly doubt they would be of the same opinion if America hadn't created that buffer zone. For years America was the only reason N.Korea didn't try invade the south

monosharp wrote: »

Another misconception was that when North Korea had the nuclear test that most South Koreans were ****ting themselves.

I've talked to quite a lot of Koreans about it and although they are no fans of "The great leader" most of them honestly believe he'd never nuke them. Invade yes, but nuke them, absolutely not.

Of course he wouldn't nuke them the fear is that if he was to invade them, which your friends obviously think could happen, no one would be able to come to their aid because no country would want to risk a nuclear conflict and I don't think any South Koreans would want the kind of regime Kim has set up in the north in their own country.

monosharp wrote: »

And the bull**** we were fed about Kim being gone in the head, I told Koreans that and they couldn't believe that western media said that. I remember reading crap that Kim watched looney toons and other ****. Seems to have being a complete fabrication.

But he is gone in the head. the guy is completely bonkers I mean what sane leader kidnaps a film director in order to help him write and produce his own movie.

monosharp wrote: »

They actually really really want good relations with the North because they really really want unification. Kim and their president are meeting again soon in Seoul.I suppose similiar to our situation with the north but to a much greater extent. The North/South split is still a temporary thing as far as their concerned.

Of course they want good relations nobody wants war that would be disastrous for both countries however that certainly does not mean that they support N.Korea and are against USA

Hobbes

monosharp wrote: »

For one example, the way the western media portray it, South Korea and the US are best mates.

Don't think it has ever been portrayed like that. Tolerated at best.

One of the main contention points has been the laws enacted that basically allows an US solider never to be tried of any crime in Korea. Came to a head some years back when soliders ran over two school girls and were never charged. Just went back to the USA.

Saw a lot of shops refusing to serve Americans around then.

But anti-US sentiment varies from location to location. Your more likely to get a positive response from Koreans if you try to follow some of their customs, even if you are American.

And the bull**** we were fed about Kim being gone in the head,

He is gone in the head. There are many north korean documentries on him, which because they are from NK try to portray him in a good light but just make him all the more disturbing.

They actually really really want good relations with the North because they really really want unification.

Unification is a pipe dream. While it sounds good on paper the truth is that if it was ever to happen anytime soon it would cause the economical collapse of South Korea. Then you also have the whole culture difference. NK people are fed that there country is the best in the world and that even America is scared to attack them. Many believe it.

There is a lot more in SK to enjoy then what your going on about.

GuanYin

Hobbes wrote: »

. Your more likely to get a positive response from Koreans if you try to follow some of their customs, even if you are American.

My God! You make us sound like a bunch of native primitives. That can be said about nearly every nation.

Sentiments towards the US are much like sentiments towards the english in Dublin. They don't buy all the bull****, there are a group of hardcore anti-americans, but for the most part, they don't hold any malice.

He is gone in the head. There are many north korean documentries on him, which because they are from NK try to portray him in a good light but just make him all the more disturbing.

Yet in Asia, people don't dismiss him as such so readily. I think alot of the perceptions westerners have of him, like you have here, are based on inherent cultural differences and misunderstandings. Laugh at the funny Asians why don't we? :rolleyes:

Hobbes

psi wrote: »

My God! You make us sound like a bunch of native primitives. That can be said about nearly every nation.

Not really. Korean culture is very different to the West.

Yet in Asia, people don't dismiss him as such so readily.

Which part? Koreans I know believe he is bat-sh!t insane. When you have a dictator teaching school children to believe he is a god, or having whole villages culled because one person dissents, can't see how he can be taken seriously.

GuanYin

Hobbes wrote: »

Not really. Korean culture is very different to the West.

Ermmm.... I'm Korean.

It's no more or less different than any other asian culture from the west, or african culture or middle eastern for that matter....

Which part? Koreans I know believe he is bat-sh!t insane. When you have a dictator teaching school children to believe he is a god, or having whole villages culled because one person dissents, can't see how he can be taken seriously.

Koreans I know think he's not quite as mad as the west makes him out to be.

He's a dictator, he's power-mad, paranoid, and quite possible morally vapid, it doesn't mean he's insane.... it may seem like he's insane to and he's certainly portrayed that way by the propaganda, but alot of his quirks that I see picked on by the US media are generally quirks that are very Korean or very Asian, but just because he seems that way to the western sensibilities, doesn't mean he is.

cranmore

ahhhh....... when 2 worlds collide eh?

Hobbes

psi wrote: »

It's no more or less different than any other asian culture from the west, or african culture or middle eastern for that matter....

Actually there is a world of difference in culture in many areas with various parts of Asia.

While Korea shares similar traits to the west, there are very simple things that can frustrate and annoy one or the other. At its simple point, try walking into someones house with your shoes on, or for example picking your food with your hands in China.

Or try saying ja-la-so-jong-mal to your father-in-law.

He's a dictator, he's power-mad, paranoid, and quite possible morally vapid, it doesn't mean he's insane

Doesn't like the description of sane person.

monosharp

Actually there is a world of difference in culture in many areas with various parts of Asia.

Man ... Am i missing your point or something ?

Asian culture (and different asian countries have different cultures) is very different to western culture which is very different to african culture which is .. etc etc etc etc.

Doesn't like the description of sane person.

Really ? Bush is powermad, has no morals to speak of etc etc. Does it mean hes insane ?

Kim is a dictator and obviously not someone you want to invite over for a cup of tea but my point was that the way the media here portray things and the way western media portray things is completely different.

Our media is quite simply americanized and feeds us propaganda mixed with truth. Look back through the years, when a dictator does what hes told by America hes a "stabilizing" force in the region. You hear f-all about the poor people in country X then until suddenly Mr Dictator and Uncle Sam have a disagreement. Then country X automatically gains membership of the axis of evil, apparently some kind of club for bad guys, sounds a bit comic booky to me.

Hobbes

monosharp wrote: »

Man ... Am i missing your point or something ?

Well yea. The point is most of the contention tends to stem from people being ignorant of others people culture, and I didn't mean it the way that PSI appears to have interpreted it.

I am not talking about Slapping on a Hanbok and singing the theme tune to Arirang.

Mostly the simple things. And yes it can be applied to other cultures.

Really ? Bush is powermad, has no morals to speak of etc etc. Does it mean hes insane ?

I am probably the last person you want to ask if you are looking for verification to Bushes sanity.

The difference between someone who is eccentric and someone who is insane is the latter is broke.

Our media is quite simply americanized

I would disagree (except maybe for Sky news). SK news stations that aren't soley SK are heavily americanized.

Your also deluding yourself if you think any news media is non-biased.

Then country X automatically gains membership of the axis of evil, apparently some kind of club for bad guys, sounds a bit comic booky to me.

Kim is not a nice, his administration is as bad and to somehow portray him as anything good is disturbing. As someone pointed out about the kidnapping as an example. Another I saw was someone posting graffitti on a bridge calling Kim an asshole or something. That night the majority of the village nearby were all sent off to the mines for hard labour.

monosharp

Hobbes wrote: »

....is as bad and to somehow portray him as anything good is disturbing. As someone pointed out about the kidnapping as an example. Another I saw was someone posting graffitti on a bridge calling Kim an asshole or something. That night the majority of the village nearby were all sent off to the mines for hard labour.

Mate, I am not trying to protray him as good. Hes obviously NOT good and I don't think anyone would or could suggest he was anyways good outside of NK.

My point was that just because hes "evil" doesn't mean hes stupid or insane.

Re the village, If you have held a country under an iron fist for years and someone steps out of line how do you respond if you want to keep that iron fist in place ?

If he didn't respond heavily to that then it might have showed that the bull**** he's being giving out for years is in fact bull****.

Manic Moran

monosharp wrote: »

I'm currently over here in South Korea and I have to say, I'm really surprised at the reality of how South Koreans view America and how they view North Korean and the tripe bull**** we're fed on the news at home.

"South Koreans", or "South Koreans I associate with"?

There's something of an age differential there. Many of the younger generation, maybe sub-30 years of age, are less supportive of the American presence. However, they are heavily outnumbered, for now, by the older generations. Most Boardsies are young'uns, and will associate with like. Even at the height of the anti-american sentiment a couple of years ago when tens of thousands took to the streets, there were subsequent counter-demonstrations (Pro-US presence) with hundreds of thousands in the streets.

Its more a case of the US won't leave (Korea strategically important etc) then Koreans want them to stay.

I'm going to disagree with you on that one.

Invade yes, but nuke them, absolutely not.

DPRK doesn't need to nuke the South. But they can certainly feel free to nuke US forces which might get involved in the South, maybe if there were another Inch'on coming or some such.

As far as the ROKs are concerned, a conventional invasion might as well be as bad as a nuke in terms of the devastation it would cause. The ROK take their conventional military defenses seriously. Perhaps you didn't notice the eight defensive lines between the DMZ and Seoul, covering every damned inch coast to coast including preparations to block the North/South roads and railways. That Seoul is in range of the densest artillery park on the planet has not escaped their notice either.

They actually really really want good relations with the North because they really really want unification. Kim and their president are meeting again soon in Seoul.I suppose similiar to our situation with the north but to a much greater extent. The North/South split is still a temporary thing as far as their concerned.

They do indeed want unification. But in the short term, they'll settle for no war. Remember that technically the two countries are still in a state of war: If they were all that interested in peaceful unification under the current circumstances, one side or the other might have thought about declaring peace, don't you think?

NTM

Dudess

monosharp, you were saying similar stuff on this thread:
http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2055109985