Let's just pull out and see what the tune changes too.

[quatorze 1]

Sorry, to bring in polotics, but I have too many friends who have gotten the shit end of the stick and been stuck in Korea for way too long
here

Quote

SEOUL, South Korea, Dec. 20 — South Korea’s president-elect said Friday his country’s relationship with its closest ally, the United States, must become more “mature,” but he promised to work closely with Washington on the issue of North Korea’s nuclear program.
Roh said he would seek changes in the Status of Forces Agreement, which governs the 37,000 U.S. soldiers in South Korea. He is expected to demand more South Korean jurisdiction over those troops.

ROH MOO-HYUN, the winner of a closely fought election Thursday, has long called for Seoul to take a more assertive role in its ties with Washington, saying during the campaign that he would not “kowtow” to the United States. The election took place amid rising anti-U.S. sentiment in South Korea.
The White House said President Bush “warmly congratulates” Roh, as the State Department shrugged off Roh’s tough talk — “made in the heat of the campaign.” Assistant Secretary of State James Kelly said Thursday the United States hopes “to further modernize and improve this alliance.”
On the morning after his victory, Roh said the traditional friendship between South Korea and the United States must “mature and advance.”

CHANGES IN U.S. TROOP AGREEMENT
Roh said he would seek changes in the Status of Forces Agreement, the legal code that governs the 37,000 U.S. soldiers stationed in South Korea.
He is expected to demand more South Korean jurisdiction over American troops. Anti-U.S. protests were triggered by the recent acquittals in U.S. military trials of two soldiers whose armored vehicle hit and killed two South Korean teenage girls in a road accident.
On North Korea, many experts have said Roh’s stance seeking engagement with Pyongyang would clash with Washington’s tougher approach. Last week, the communist North said it would revive a frozen nuclear power plant previously suspected of being used to make weapons.
Roh on Friday promised cooperation with Washington.

‘CLOSE COOPERATION’
“In order to resolve peacefully the problem related to North Korea’s nuclear development, we will take initiatives through close cooperation between the Republic of Korea and the United States,” he told a news conference at the National Assembly.
Roh, a 56-year-old human rights lawyer, narrowly defeated opposition leader Lee Hoi-chang, a conservative whose tough stance on North Korea may have cost support among young voters who view him as closely aligned with U.S. policy. Lee announced Friday he was retiring from politics.
Some South Koreans view President Bush — who refuses any dialogue with the North until it abandons its nuclear ambitions — as an obstacle to reconciliation on the divided Korean Peninsula.
South Korea, the United States and their allies are discussing how to put diplomatic pressure on communist North Korea, which has also admitted it is pursuing a separte nuclear program based on uranium enrichment.
Roh, however, has said he would continue the “sunshine” engagement policy of outgoing President Kim Dae-jung, who won a Nobel Peace Prize in part for his efforts to reconcile with the North.

MORE POWER FOR SEOUL
During the campaign, Roh said he was not anti-American, but accused past South Korean leaders of “groveling” before their U.S. counterparts. As an activist in his younger days, he called for the withdrawal of U.S. troops stationed in South Korea, but he now says they should stay.
Still, he is expected to seek greater legal power for Seoul over U.S. troops.
Despite Washington’s apologies for the deaths of the girls, South Koreans were outraged after a U.S military court acquitted the two soldiers on negligent homicide charges. Many believed the trials were unfair and that the soldiers should have been tried in a South Korean court.
“I think many people believed South Korea needed a kind of man like Roh as president following the acquittals of the two American soldiers,” said Im Soon-yi, an office worker.
With about 99.9 percent of the votes counted from Thursday’s balloting, Roh had 48.9 percent and Lee 46.6 percent. Turnout among the nation’s 35 million eligible voters was 70.2 percent, almost 11 percent lower than in the 1997 presidential election.
President Kim’s five-year term ends in February. Under South Korean law, he was barred from seeking re-election.

I'm not afriad of dying, I'm afraid of never really living- Erin Engle

[Gawain 0]

Not to worry...we'll just show him a few close-up shots of all the hardware aimed at Seoul (how far is that from the DMZ?).

Actually, watching some news about this before the actual election, I think we may be able to play some of this guys cards to our advantage with the "sunshine" policy, etc.

I don't expect that we'll give an inch on the jurisdiction issue, but I bet we'll encourage other "light-hearted" policies as part of a distraction and attraction...if that makes any sense.

Remember, ROK has always played a kid-glove approach with DRPK, while we've been the bully. That's been by design. ROK would not be able to withstand a DPRK assault by itself, knowing that, they've always been conciliatory in their diplomacy, using "attraction" in their olive branch.

With that said, I've read all about the unfortunate deaths of those two girls, but don't know what actually happened...any links/insight?

So I try and I scream and I beg and I sigh
Just to prove I'm alive, and it's alright
'Cause tonight there's a way I'll make light of my treacherous life
Make light!

[freeflir29 0]

Quote

how far is that from the DMZ

About 50-60 miles from the center of Seoul. This is all just political talk. There is always an "element" of anti-Americanism there. The older folks that lived through the war KNOW what the deal is. I had several people stop me on the street and genuinely thank me for being there. It's the young left wing college set that thinks they know everything. Big shock huh. Militarily...I think the South would probably win. They are better equipped and better trained. The country is radically differen't than it was 50 years ago. They would probably do OK even without our help.