By 
The U.S. aircraft carrier USS George Washington arrives at a naval base in Busan yesterday with about 7,000 sailors for a regular exchange with the Korean Navy. It was the first time this year that the 97,000-ton carrier visited Korea. Last November, the George Washington led the allies’ joint naval drills in a show of force following North Korea’s shelling of the border island of Yeonpyeong. By Song Bong-geun
Via the Joong Ang Ilbo.
2:47 pm on October 3rd, 2011 1
I remember back in the mid-late 80′s, when the Navy would arrive in Busan, the prices in Yongju-gol and Sonju-ri would more than double for an overnighter. A matter-of-fact, the Navy guys were willing to pay so much, that buses would pull into both Yongju-gol and Sonju-ri and truck the girls down south until the Navy departed.
1:26 am on October 5th, 2011 2
Empty “shows of force” and “exercises” against NK and its sponsor state China were what happened with this carrier last year. If SK had any courage at all, they would not allow these aircraft carrier visits and exercises, which are unnecessarily provocative and contribute absolutely NOTHING to doing anything about the NK situation. Actually do something productive with regards to NK, and that is to abandon the so-called “alliance” with the U.S., which clearly does not care about resolving the NK situation or the NK human rights situation. Disingenuous, insincere periodic comments from the U.S. “condemning” the NK human rights situation or “warning” the NK regime are meaningless. Meaningless red herrings to pretend like they actually care. They go invading countries all over the world, but do nothing of any use over NK. If you want any kind of resolution to the NK problem, China is the only country that can do anything, and the closer you get to the U.S., the closer China gets to NK. The U.S. has either NO influence over NK or China, or does not want to exert influence over them, or both. The current conservative SK government is so incredibly stupid that they don’t realize this. US Navy ships, stay in your beloved homeport of Japan, the country you value and adore the most in Asia, and don’t come to SK.
8:54 am on October 5th, 2011 3
“Actually do something productive with regards to NK, and that is to abandon the so-called “alliance” with the U.S., which clearly does not care about resolving the NK situation or the NK human rights situation.”
I agree…South Korea should invade North Korea. How’s that for being proactive?
9:54 am on October 5th, 2011 4
#2
How about threatening to invade China to make them realize propping up NK is not worth it? How’s that for being proactive?
10:44 am on October 5th, 2011 5
How about everybody sits down and actively agrees that China gets a buffer and an ideological lackey, Russia gets cheap manual labor, Japan gets a non-unified Korea, North Korean gangsters keep their gang in power, South Korea gets a bogeyman when necessary but mostly chases designer handbags and next year’s smartphones without any real upset to the status quo, and America gets an excuse to contract out a new weapon system that can “counter threats from rogue nations like nuclear-capable North Korea and their ballistic missile capabilities which can now target US soil.”
You can’t get any more proactive than that!
11:03 am on October 5th, 2011 6
“If you want any kind of resolution to the NK problem, China is the only country that can do anything, and the closer you get to the U.S., the closer China gets to NK. ”
I belive you are correct about this. And if this is the truth, then China “clearly does not care about resolving the NK situation or the NK human rights situation.” They don’t even pretend to care. Yep, South Korea should abandon their alliance with the U.S. and cozy up to China. That’ll really help
7:20 am on October 6th, 2011 7
#5,
Shhh. Some truths are best left unsaid.