Article

2003-05-21 Korea

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Posted by Michael 2003-05-21 11:49 am|| || Front Page|| [13 views since 2007-05-07] Top

#1 Sounds like the honeymoon is over. Time to grow a spine, after looking up the definition of "leader".

Posted by Dar 2003-05-21 12:16:30|| 2003-05-21 12:16:30|| Front Page Top

#2 I don't know how these kind of comments play in Korean culture, but in Washington D.C., an admission of this sort is a political death sentence. This reminds me of when that fool Carter made his "national malaise" speech (yeah, I know that he never really used those exact words). Weak leadership like this always leads to bad things. How much longer will the NKORs wait until they try to take advantage of it?

Posted by 11A5S 2003-05-21 12:22:28|| 2003-05-21 12:22:28|| Front Page Top

#3 I believe that South Korean presidents are limited to 1 5-year term, so Roh is a lame duck by definition. I think venting like this is pretty typical in East Asia. Others who have done so include China's Zhu Rongji and Hong Kong's Tung Chee-Hwa. Just a difference in style, I guess. It's a pretty dramatic contrast with what we get here in America, where most pols adhere to the adage "Never let 'em see you sweat".

Posted by Zhang Fei 2003-05-21 13:29:10|| 2003-05-21 13:29:10|| Front Page Top

#4 Sounds to me like the boy's not quite up to the task.

Posted by Bomb-a-rama 2003-05-21 13:35:48|| 2003-05-21 13:35:48|| Front Page Top

#5 If this guy was an American politician he would be a far-left democrat. He has no answers because all he believes is not true. He has misjudged the DPRK, labor parties, the economy, President Bush, EU, PRC, etc. Poetic justice for a quasi-socialist, he seemed to have all the answers before the elections. Where are they now?

Posted by Cyber Sarge 2003-05-21 15:29:01|| 2003-05-21 15:29:01|| Front Page Top

#6 Roh decided to take a three day weekend (on an island his brother owns a chunk of) starting Friday, so he could "think over" his policies and plans. I wonder if he is going to come back Monday morning and shock SKor by resigning?

Posted by Watcher 2003-05-22 02:34:56|| 2003-05-22 02:34:56|| Front Page Top

#7 Zhang Fei-

I live in Korea and have spoken to several well-educated Korean friends on this topic. They all agree, what he said sounds much worse in English and that in Korean there is a different nuance to it, however, as President he should not say it.

Simply put, its not quite as bad as it sounds to us, but it's still pretty bad.

Posted by ZeroAngel 2003-05-22 07:09:01|| 2003-05-22 07:09:01|| Front Page Top

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