It looks like the Korean riot police are about to be hit with more claims of human rights abuses against the candlelight protesters:
A joint inspection team comprised of Asian human rights groups’ members is visiting Seoul on the heels of the inspection of Amnesty International to verify whether any acts infringing upon human rights were committed during protests against the resumption of U.S. beef imports.
A total of four inspectors from the Asian Forum for Human Rights and Development (Forum-Asia) and Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) arrived here on Monday for the inspection, according to a statement issued by People’s Solidarity for Participatory Democracy on Wednesday. The latter group is a member of the Forum-Asia. The inspection result will be publicized on Friday.
The statement said the visit was to confirm growing allegations that Korean riot police frequently violated the human rights of protesters against the U.S. beef imports in the process of dispersing them. [Korea Times]
The mere fact that the anti-US, leftist stooges of the People’s Solidarity for Participatory Democracy is involved with is enough to tell you that no fair fact finding mission is going to be conducted. I fully expect these groups to issue fraudulent reports just like Amnesty International claiming the Korean riot police violated the human rights of the protesters while at the same time completely ignoring how the protesters intentionally provoked and assaulted the police into a response.
Maybe I will be proven wrong but I expect these reports to only become further evidence what a joke and a sham international human rights groups have really become.
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9:21 pm on July 24th, 2008 1
An important distinction needs to be made here: It is the CONCEPT of human rights that is currenly being abused here in South Korea. Which is to say that is it not the police who are doing the abusing, but rather the groups doing the investigating!
11:45 pm on July 24th, 2008 2
This is a good point, King Baeksu. Organizations like Amnesty International are simply eroding their own credibility. It will be more difficult for these “human rights” organizations to gain credibility with thinking people if they simply become the stooges of leftists/[progressives?].
11:49 pm on July 24th, 2008 3
I wrote a couple of passionate and quite literate paragraphs, using logic and concise language to discripe my feelings on this issue. Unfortunately as I reached for my beer I tickled a key and lost all of that discourse. But the salient points were why the @#$$%^ isn’t the @#%$^&*&* investigating the $%R^&#$E civil rights violations in #@$$%^$# North Korea?
12:52 am on July 25th, 2008 4
The usual mode of operation for these groups is to pre-write the abuse report, visit the country of interest to “investigate” (read: attend fund raising events and have a paid vacation), and then seek out complicit media venues to publish the report.
Just more proof that protesting is now an industry.
3:53 am on July 27th, 2008 5
Comment removed at author’s request.
9:59 am on July 27th, 2008 6
King Baeksu,
Can you contact me at:
Kalani
Would like to use your posting on my website and want to credit it with your real name.
Kalani
2:02 pm on July 27th, 2008 7
‘Another protester quickly stood between us and said, “I’m sorry!” to me, but actually I would have loved it if the ajosshi tried to attack me because then someone might actually believe me when I say what I have been saying all along: The protesters have started all the violence during these 80-odd demonstrations’
Trust me Scott we believe you. Hankyoreh readers (and I have an otherwise intelligent, reasonable adult male student who is an avid reader) will NEVER be convinced.
2:09 pm on July 27th, 2008 8
I meant to add that it’s not worth getting beaten up to prove a point.
5:29 pm on July 27th, 2008 9
I am posting here because I could not find any contact information.
This weekend a close friend of mine was arrested by the Korean national police, you might find his story interesting. This happened at a club in Anyang, he was with two fellow soldiers. He approached a girl with her group of friends and was shot down. He speaks fluent Korean and swore at her harshly, which was probably inappropriate but definitely not serious enough that police needed to be called. Someone did in fact call the police, this was unknown to him and when they arrived he was taken outside and arrested for verbal assault.
Sitting on a waiting bench at the police station he got a bad idea to escape. He crawled out an open window and ran. Several police caught up to him on the street and he was dropped by a baton club to the back. He tried to get up and was clubbed again. While falling he attempted to catch his balance on a nearby stair railing when he was struck in the wrist. This caused him to fall face first down the stairs, splitting open his forehead and knocking out a front tooth. Being unable to move he curled up at the bottom of the stairs. Police proceeded to kick his head, body, and continued to beat him with their batons. Back on post he received over 20 stitches on his face alone and has gigantic bruises on almost every region of his body.
POLICE BRUTALITY? It looks like a clear abuse of force. Will anything happen or be said to the officers involved? Probably not. It’s interesting that Korean riot police are currently facing claims of abuse, maybe it’s not completely uncalled for. I realize this soldier was arguably in the wrong, but the brutality he saw from police is shocking.
Your thoughts please.
5:44 pm on July 27th, 2008 10
Ryan, how is your story related to the topic of this thread? The Korean national police are a different ball of wax from the young military conscripts at the front lines of demonstrations here.
In any case, I can’t verify what you’re saying but your friend was clearly being provocative from what you’ve written. In the past US GIs have tried to pick up my girlfriend at clubs in Hongdae and tried to start fights when politely shot down.
GIs need to realize they’re in a foreign country here and not behave like jackasses when out on the town.
6:05 pm on July 27th, 2008 11
Well, tell me this Ryan: If in fact he was excessively abused, isn’t the U.S. military willing to take a stand for its own? If they are unwilling to challenge the use of excessive force by Korean authorities, it is a pretty sad commentary on U.S. military leadership. Personally, I think it would be wiser for USFK personnel to steer clear of Korean women; the general Korean mood towards U.S. military over here is about as low as it has ever been. It’s not worth the potential trouble one may bring on oneself; I say this as a veteran and the husband of a Korean national who has lived in Korea for a number of years and has a child in their school system.
7:19 pm on July 27th, 2008 12
In Seoul, would you like everyone to just go out in the ville? As a soldier you could spend hundreds of dollars a night at a juicy club and be lucky to get anything in return. Or perhaps you could shoot some pool at a bar filled with idiots purposely putting obnoxious songs on the playlist and laughing about it. You might run into assholes from work you don’t want to see on your time off, and keep in mind this whole time you have almost no chance of getting laid. Unless it’s that girl in the barracks who has already hooked up with half the guys in your unit. Not good options.
Or you could explore the nightlife Korea has to offer. I haven’t been to a Korean bar or club in awhile so maybe things changed. More often then not I have ran into really nice people, both guys and girls, who’ll invite me over to their tables for drinks and small talk. If you happen to know Korean, or can speak some basic phrases they will be even more inviting. I’ve rarely gotten negative attitudes from women, most are fascinated by Westerners and go out of their way to get to know you. I’m aware there are racists in this country. I’ve got the crazy looks walking with girls and had a few ajosshis give me their opinions to put it politely. Just depends on who you run into.
I’m getting off topic. Nothing changes the fact that a soldier got Rodney Kinged, there’s probably more that no ones heard about, and no repercussions will happen to the officers.
9:05 pm on July 27th, 2008 13
Ryan, if that is the way you feel, I would simply suggest you continue to be wise when off base. Your friend lacked prudence and suffered the consequences. If he really was “Rodney Kinged,” your superiors need to take action. If they are unwilling to act, this would be a further sign that soldiers need to be careful when off base. As you mentioned, there are a lot of good Koreans out there. However, as you also are aware, there is an element out there that needs little provocation to act on its hostility toward U.S. service members. If your friend was unjustly treated, my hope is that he will get justice. I wish you the best; stay safe.
1:37 am on July 28th, 2008 14
Ryan, I don’t have a problem if GIs want to go to bars and clubs in Korea, but alcohol and a radically different culture can often lead to explosive situations.
It sucks if your friend was seriously hurt, and I have issues with the Korean national police myself, but your buddy does seem like he was out of control.
Just my two won.
2:40 am on July 28th, 2008 15
speaking of socks. It seems that Beksu, and the “king” of marmot hole have much in common.
Even though I have no dog in this fight, I smell marmot in ths thread.
9:53 am on July 28th, 2008 16
ryan, i must have heard that kind of story thousands of times before
why is it that many gi in korea just can;t behave themselve? when ur friend ran away fromt the cops, did he expect a lolipop? tell ur fugitive wannabe gi friend of urs that it’s not 1960 anymore. if gi do something wrong, he will be held accountable even if he is an american.
1:41 pm on July 28th, 2008 17
Shattered, I hope you’re not in MI because you’d be fired if you were.