Pres. Roh Calls US Alliance Supporters Anti-Korean

Technically, this isn't true, but that was the basic theme in these words --
The president expressed irritation with Korean intellectuals concerned about a possible rupture in the alliance. "Some considerably knowledgeable people express views that are more pro-American than the Americans.' I find such people most difficult to deal with," he said. "Koreans should think and judge like Koreans."
...
In a meeting with Korean residents in Istanbul, Turkey on Saturday, President Roh Moo-hyun said he found Koreans who are "more pro-American than the Americans" very hard to deal with. "They talk with not Korea but the United States at heart," he said. "Koreans should think and judge like Koreans."
I believe a key to understanding the significance of these statements in relation to the nature of South Korea's overall feeling about the SK-US relationship can be found in this paragraph from an editorial by the Chosun Daily --
So now the chief executive has had it with those who are concerned over his remarks, which after all go to the heart of the nation's future. It is an attempt to stifle any dissent over his foreign policy, no more. If he succeeds in whipping up his supporters, he could maneuver us into a situation where a sensible foreign policy is sacrificed on the altar of populism.
We cannot dismiss Roh's remarks simply as those fitting him alone. The Chosun Daily's editor is afraid these kinds of words used by the Korean government will find favor in a large part of Korean society. He implies the words are part of a "populist" ploy.
How could this fear exist ---- if anti-US / USFK desire in South Korean society was not already widespread? was not already a national norm?
In a couple of previous entries (particularly this one on the radical student myth), I've attacked a very common dodge many people will make when forced to discuss anti-Americanism in SK. Too many people will dismiss it as limited to a small core of radical students and a few small civic groups.
Another commonly spoken misperception of anti-US attitudes in Korea is that each new spike in demonstrated hate is a sign of "rising" anti-Americanism.
What these two thoughts misunderstand is that there is a well of anti-US thought/feeling throughout Korean society. It is a well that the civic groups, student leaders, press, and even top government politicians like Pres. Roh above ----- can tap at will.
The Chosun Daily editor would not have to worry about Roh's remarks damaging the US-SK alliance - by their tone and message gaining widespread popular support among the South Korean masses - if he did not know that anti-Americanism is already popular culture in Korea.
 
(4/18/05)