By In the posting below I have a posting on why GI’s complain about being stationed in Korea and now make sure you head over to Ask A Korean a read his response on why Koreans complain about the US military in Korea. Here is an excerpt:
Dear Korean,
Why do Koreans complain about the U.S. military force in Korea?
GI Korea
Dear GI Korea,
Allow the Korean first to express his admiration for your blog, ROK Drop. The Korean has been looking forward to this cross-posting for some time.
No matter what the detractors of U.S. military in Korea may say, when push comes to shove, one fact is clear: the presence of American military, overall, is undoubtedly beneficial for Korea.
There is some debate as to whether South Korean military can defeat North Korean military on its own. North Korean military leads in traditional measures of military strength (e.g. number of infantry, etc.) but South Korean military is clearly superior in the technology of their weapons. However, that assumes a war actually occurring, inevitably costing thousands or millions of lives. On the other hand, there is no debate that the presence of American forces serves as a strong deterrent, preventing a war from actually occurring. While peaceful unification would be the most ideal option – please, do not pick fights with the Korean on this topic, since he will address this question some other day – the next best thing would be to avoid a war, and U.S. military is certainly serving that purpose.
This is on top of the fact that if American military did not intervene in 1950, the entire Korean peninsula, rather than the northern half, would be experiencing sustained destitution, famine, and totalitarian dictatorship that daily displays its failure.
The economic miracle that catapulted South Korea into relevance in world economics and politics can be credited to the talent and hard work of South Koreans themselves, which fortuitously converged with favorable international circumstances. However, the credit of enabling South Korea to build a strong economy within half a century must go entirely to the United States. Detractors are free to argue that U.S. acted entirely out of self-interest in helping South Korea, but the Korean does not think the motivation matters. American military freed South Korea from communist dictatorship, and for that South Koreans must be grateful.
Nonetheless, there is no question that many Koreans bitterly complain about the presence of U.S. military presence in Korea. These are some of the areas in which Koreans tend to complain:
Click here to read the rest of the excellent and insightful posting.
Also if you haven’t already make sure to read Ask A Korean’s editor J.T. Park’s recent insightful article in the Korea Herald on why expats complain so much about Korea.
10:41 pm on September 24th, 2008 1
It almost seems that it is in a Korean’s nature to complain. They complain, but don’t do anything to change the situation. Look at the amount of “netizens” who rail against things, but other wise do nothing.
I know they feel powerless in this society, cause it’s all about the top down, and secretly they all want to be at the top.
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8:46 am on September 25th, 2008 2
GI Korea,
My correct fake name is T.K. Park
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10:15 am on September 25th, 2008 3
I won’t pretend to have anything to say about this issue per se, but it often strikes me as churlish the way that many expats demand gratefulness for their country’s military past — not that those expats ever personally served, of course. GI Korea obviously has, but the majority of those who go on the internet to whine about this issue never have and never will.
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7:48 am on September 27th, 2008 4
Maybe, but if US forces was not still here and had not been here since the war, North Korea or some other country would have rolled over S. Korea by now. We are their military strength. If not gratitude they at least should act like the soldiers being here makes their lives so terrible.
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10:39 am on September 27th, 2008 5
I’m just wondering how often the US military personnel feel or actually experience unwelcomed or disliked by their South Korean hosts.
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7:12 pm on September 27th, 2008 6
KoreanTiger, the problem is the ville that surround the US bases and the anti-US groups. These people make up a minority of the Korean population but are the people that US servicemembers mostly interact with and see. In the ville you have club owners, shop keepers, land lords, and taxi drivers constantly trying to rip off the servicemembers. The place is run down, sleazy, and filled with juicy girls and a poor first impression for US servicemembers of Korea.
The anti-US groups conduct their annual nonsense for whatever the latest anti-US issue is and have been known to assault and provoke incidents with GIs. These people only add to negative impression servicemembers have of Koreans.
Like I said before these people are a minority of the population but make up the majority of the Korean people servicemembers interact with. I have traveled all over what I like to call “Real Korea” because the villes are not the real Korea and I have never had any issues other then in Gwangju. It actually seems like the further in the countryside you go the nicer the people become.
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9:12 pm on September 27th, 2008 7
The American feels that South Koreans as a whole will be much happier and secure in themselves once the US military leaves the Korean Peninsula for good.
After all, true nationalism means taking care of your responsibilities on your own, including national defense. Of course, alliances are important, but they should serve a backup or secondary role, not a primary role as far as national defense is concerned.
The American feels that Korean resentment against the US stems mainly from the guilt and lack of self-esteem derived from having to depend on someone else for one’s own protection.
The American also feels that US taxpayers should no longer have to bankroll this dysfunctional dynamic.
The American looks forward to a proud and truly self-reliant Korean nation! After six decades or so, isn’t it about time?
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