On the front page of today's daily paper we have a picture of President Obama walking hand in hand with Nancy Reagan the wife of past President Ronald Reagan. The caption on top: "Their Government and Our Government". This is something they would not ordinarily see in Korea: the present administration and the opposition hand in hand. Many of the Koreans do have a very idealized picture of the kind of government we have in the States.
The scenes they do see on Korean TV are fist fights, emotional outbursts, and the brawling during the sessions. After the death of past President Roh, the feeling of many is that the suicide of Roh was brought about by the unfair dealing with the opposition. This is fueling the antagonism that was there but taking it to another level.
There are many of the opposition who are coming out with statements against the present government's approach to our democracy. Many in the universities are coming together to oppose the way the government is dealing with many of the liberties that the citizens have gained over the years.
There are many in our Korean society who disagree strongly in the way he chose to end his life but sympathize greatly with what he tried to do.There are many Catholic in this number who have been very much for President Roh and felt that he was trying to do something to minimize the gap between the rich and the poor. Fr. Pak the executive officer of the Committee for Life in Seoul said ... "We should respect his desire to make a society that would respect the poor."
The difference between the "conservative" and "liberals" here in Korea on social issues would be very similar to those in the States. For many Roh was the American Obama.
No comments:
Post a Comment