Comments on: Ask A Korean on Why Do Koreans Complain About the US Military?

By: King Baeksu

King Baeksu — Sat, 27 Sep 2008 21:12:40 +0000

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?

By: GI Korea

GI Korea — Sat, 27 Sep 2008 19:12:50 +0000

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.

By: KoreanTiger

KoreanTiger — Sat, 27 Sep 2008 10:39:48 +0000

I'm just wondering how often the US military personnel feel or actually experience unwelcomed or disliked by their South Korean hosts.

By: April

April — Sat, 27 Sep 2008 07:48:52 +0000

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.

By: Korea Beat

Korea Beat — Thu, 25 Sep 2008 10:15:19 +0000

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.

By: The Korean

The Korean — Thu, 25 Sep 2008 08:46:33 +0000

GI Korea,

My correct fake name is T.K. Park

By: Brett Timmermann

Brett Timmermann — Wed, 24 Sep 2008 22:41:19 +0000

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.