How long will Korea remain China’s bitch?
I have to keep asking myself over and over again, “Is Korea really a sovereign country?” At times, it is hard to remember that Korea is not part of China.
I was here in 1992 when Korea gave Taiwan a social smack in the mouth by ending diplomatic relations and turning the Taiwanese Embassy over to China for official recognition. I was living three feet down the hall from two Taiwanese girls at Pusan National University. They were quite upset and concerned. Korean citizens, by and large, didn’t really notice or care. Perhaps they should have taken notice and marked that day on their calendar to remember the day the Korea sold it’s soul to China.
From that day forward Korea seems to have taken its Asian policy marching orders from Beijing. China has been jerking the strings of the Korean foreign policy puppet for 12 years now. If Korean does something internationally that China disagrees with, the Korean government prostrates itself at the feet of the Chinese government and Kowtows to Beijing. However, Korea had good practice licking the boots of China prior to the establishment of diplomatic relations on August 24, 1992, as evidenced by Korea’s refusal to condemn the Tiananmen Square massacre in the late 1980’s. By failing to stand up for democracy and human rights and placing economic considerations above moral, ethical, and humanitarian principles, Korea had already demonstrated to China that Korea would be more than happy to be bent over a barrel for China’s pleasure.
The kowtowing was never more evident than it was in 2000. Kim Dae Jung, who had fought for years for Korean democracy and independence, had just been awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for his efforts in peace and human rights. However, President Kim refused to allow the Dalai Lama, a fellow Nobel Peace Prize winner, to enter Korea. How could something that ridiculous happen? In September 2000, the Chinese Embassy in Seoul wrote to Korean officials and expressed Beijing’s “strong displeasure” over the visit and said it should be postponed. Ta da!!!! Dalai Lama barred from Korea.
Then, in 2002, His Holiness the Dalai Lama planned to travel from New Delhi to Mongolia via Seoul on Asiana Airlines. However, in August of that year, Asiana Airlines refused to sell him a ticket. Asiana said it said it did so for security reasons. “We had respectfully asked the Dalai Lama to take a route that doesn’t stop in Seoul for his and other passengers’ safety,” said Kim Haeng-seok, an Asiana spokesman. Asked to elaborate on the security concerns, Kim made this incredibly lame excuse, “Some people like the Dalai Lama. Some people don’t.”
A Korean Buddhist group said, “We cannot understand the airline’s refusal to allow an internationally recognized religious leader to make a transit flight. We are curious how much pressure there was from China.” uhh…gee…probably not much. It only took a letter the previous time.
Korea will stand up on its hind legs, puff up its chest, ruffle its feathers, makes hissing noises, and performs other harmless public displays of strength and makes attempts to rebel against and dominate the Chinese in areas that have no real significance such as importing garlic . Also Korea will pound their shoes on their desks and threaten to bury China under a cyber avalanche for screwing with interpretations of history.
However, when it comes time to take a real stand on issues that express or demonstrate a direct opposition to Beijing’s policies and positions, Korea tucks its tail between its legs and cowers behind the diplomatic refrigerator. If the Korean government had any balls at all, China would have a very firm grasp on them.
Are things changing? I wouldn’t hold my breath, despite hints of testicular fortitude in the political wind. According to a Korea Times article, the Korean Government may allow visit by Dalai Lama
According to the Times, Foreign Affairs and Trade Minister Ban Ki-moon, made this milquetoast comment in an interview with OhMyNews, “We have to address the problem taking into account the ardent wishes of Buddhist and cultural circles and on the basis of the principle that Seoul-Beijing relations should develop further.” Interpretation: We are frighted of China, and even though they just tried to strip us of 5,000 years of history, the Dalai Lama ain’t coming anywhere near Korea because our Chinese masters will whack us on the nose with a newspaper if we do.
Ban continues with the little bit of blame-shifting logical gymnastics, “Our government has called on China on many occasions to let the Tibetan leader visit our nation given the religious freedoms permitted here and the ardent wishes of Buddhists.” Hey, Ban, I’m no Foreign Affairs and Trade Minister or anything, but let me clue you in on something. China cannot “let” him come to Korea. China cannot stop him from coming to Korea either. China has absolutely no control over the Dalai Lama, because the Dalai Lama doesn’t live in China. The only people stopping His Holiness from entering Korea is the weak-kneed, lilly-livered Korean government officials that are too cowardly to stand up to China and say that Korea is a sovereign national and will damned well decide for itself who will and will not visit Korea.
All of this chest pounding, Korea cheerleading, macho bullcrap about Korea being a strong, proud nation of homogeneous glory, and all of this pissing about great, powerful, glorious, and honorable Korea is because of Kimchi, Taekwondo, the 2002 World Cup, archery, ping pong, etc. etc. etc. is nothing but impotent, self-gratifying, mental masturbation for the sole purpose of convincing themselves that they really are all of those things and pretending that the rest of the world believes it too. It is WAY past time for Korea to assert itself in some meaningful fashion and demonstrate that it is truly a sovereign country that can think and act for itself. It is time for Pinocchio to become a real boy and cut the puppetmaster’s strings.
