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Korea
South Korea’s Foreign Minister Resigns
2004-01-15
South Korea’s foreign minister resigned Thursday, a day after President Roh Moo-hyun accused ministry officials of criticizing his foreign policy.
"To hell with this. I quit!"
Roh accepted Yoon Young-kwan’s resignation, saying the Foreign Ministry was not fully backing his administration’s policy of "independence" from Washington.
So, Roh is just another America-bashing ingrate, it seems
Roh took office a year ago promising to stand up on equal footing with South Korea’s top ally. Roh’s office did not say who would replace Yoon.
"We were thinking of Kim Jong Il, but he doesn't want to take a pay cut..."
The resignation comes at a critical juncture as South Korea and the United states wrangle with North Korea over its nuclear weapons programs and discuss sending South Korean troops to help the U.S.-led coalition in Iraq.
Incredible timing on this, makes you wonder if lil kimmie isn’t already in control of s. korea
Yoon said at a news conference there were "some differences in perspective" between members of his staff and members of Roh’s National Security Council. He said the Foreign Ministry should serve to implement the president’s policy. He acknowledged people were concerned about remarks reportedly made by his officials and said he took the dispute "heavily" and was "sincerely sorry." Yonhap news agency quoted Jeong Chan-yong, a personnel affairs staffer for Roh, as saying the foreign minister was taking responsibility for failing to rein in criticism by ministry officials.
"Cheeze! That boy's crazy!"
"You can't say that!"
Local media reported that several officials in the North American affairs division, which handles U.S. relations, criticized Roh’s policy as unrealistic.
at least SOMEONE’S head isn’t completely buried in their a**
In turn, some National Security Council members accused Yoon of leaning too much toward the United States, Yonhap reported. Yoon said Thursday his nation’s alliance with the United States is "very useful" in resolving issues such as the North Korean standoff.
jeez, ya think? maybe you should find out HOW useful
Roh took office a year ago promising to stand up to Washington on equal footing.
You said that...
He has since been criticized by his prime constituency for agreeing to the Iraqi troop dispatch and taking a firmer position in talks over North Korea’s nuclear weapons crisis.
criticized by whom? the communists? I’m really beginning to think the ROK is lost, we should fall back, maybe to hawaii, and let them stew in their own juices; this is just unbelievable when we’re about to try and deal with the NORKS
Posted by:4thInfVet

#12  --He said the Foreign Ministry should serve to implement the president’s policy.--

So should our State Dept and look how well they implement W's policy.

---

I think Gweilo Diaries' archive is messed up, but there was a quote someone said along the lines of (in response to fingerprinting, IIRC), The US should not require visas from us to assuage our national pride.

And Conrad's booby embargo is still in effect.
Posted by: Anonymous2U   2004-1-15 12:16:11 PM  

#11  Roh accepted Yoon Young-kwan’s resignation, saying the Foreign Ministry was not fully backing his administration’s policy of "independence" from Washington.

Yes! So give 'em what they want - total independence, as in the you're-on-your-own type. And the sooner the better.
Posted by: Bomb-a-rama   2004-1-15 10:36:37 AM  

#10  look people, the Skor position is not crazy.

Why should they particularly care that NKOR has nukes? Nkor can destroy Seoul with conventional artillery, so getting rid of Nkor nukes doesnt buy them all that much. And taking a hardline toward NKOR risks that very outcome, the destruction of Seoul. And if all goes well, and NKOR just collapses, theyve got this huge population to absorb - a much more difficult situation than Germany. Lets face it N. Korean nukes are a threat to the US and Japan, and a threat of spread to the mideast.

Does this mean the current govts policy is the right one for SKOR - not necessarily, and it also doesnt mean we shouldnt pressure them to take OUR interests more seriously, including rebasing. But cheap attacks on a close ally, who HAS sent troops to Iraq, is not a good idea.
Posted by: liberalhawk   2004-1-15 10:27:24 AM  

#9  Hundayi cars,and Sanyo electronics.Cheap pieces of crap.
Posted by: raptor   2004-1-15 7:33:49 AM  

#8  Hundayi cars,and Sanyo electronics.Cheap pieces of crap.
Posted by: raptor   2004-1-15 7:33:46 AM  

#7  Ok, I know that the US presence there benefits the ROK (keeps the Norks out), but what does America get out of it? Anything at all?
Posted by: Desert Blondie   2004-1-15 3:49:19 AM  

#6  --He said the Foreign Ministry should serve to implement the president’s policy.--

So should our State Dept and look how well they implement W's policy.

---

I think Gweilo Diaries' archive is messed up, but there was a quote someone said along the lines of (in response to fingerprinting, IIRC), The US should not require visas from us to assuage our national pride.

And Conrad's booby embargo is still in effect.
Posted by: Anonymous2U   2004-1-15 12:16:11 PM  

#5  Roh accepted Yoon Young-kwan’s resignation, saying the Foreign Ministry was not fully backing his administration’s policy of "independence" from Washington.

Yes! So give 'em what they want - total independence, as in the you're-on-your-own type. And the sooner the better.
Posted by: Bomb-a-rama   2004-1-15 10:36:37 AM  

#4  look people, the Skor position is not crazy.

Why should they particularly care that NKOR has nukes? Nkor can destroy Seoul with conventional artillery, so getting rid of Nkor nukes doesnt buy them all that much. And taking a hardline toward NKOR risks that very outcome, the destruction of Seoul. And if all goes well, and NKOR just collapses, theyve got this huge population to absorb - a much more difficult situation than Germany. Lets face it N. Korean nukes are a threat to the US and Japan, and a threat of spread to the mideast.

Does this mean the current govts policy is the right one for SKOR - not necessarily, and it also doesnt mean we shouldnt pressure them to take OUR interests more seriously, including rebasing. But cheap attacks on a close ally, who HAS sent troops to Iraq, is not a good idea.
Posted by: liberalhawk   2004-1-15 10:27:24 AM  

#3  Hundayi cars,and Sanyo electronics.Cheap pieces of crap.
Posted by: raptor   2004-1-15 7:33:49 AM  

#2  Hundayi cars,and Sanyo electronics.Cheap pieces of crap.
Posted by: raptor   2004-1-15 7:33:46 AM  

#1  Ok, I know that the US presence there benefits the ROK (keeps the Norks out), but what does America get out of it? Anything at all?
Posted by: Desert Blondie   2004-1-15 3:49:19 AM  

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