[KS] Re: Kim and Nobel

[C.E.Williamson]

REPLY sends your message to the whole list
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Bring democracy to Korea? Democracy was brought to Korea in 1948, but
the "Korean people" did not and many say still do not know how to
"handle" democracy.  At a time when people went hungry, begged on the
streets, and even died from starvation and lack of shelter, the hero Kim
D.J. opposed measures that lead to bringing capital to a country where
capital hardly existed, not to mention industry or "jobs."  After the
so-called "cruel" dictators implemented (or forced should I say)
policies that led to enriching the lives of the multitudes, Kim D.J. is
now able to "bring" democracy to the Korean people.  He chose to oppose
the ROK during the 60s and 70s and earned his reputation from the world
"outside" of Korea.  However, the somin, kookmin, shimin and minjoong
still lack "citizenship" and a sense of civic duty.  So, where there is
a lack of civil mentality, citizenship, civic duty and so on, certainly
democracy has a long, long way to go.  Now that Korea has the capital,
low levels of poverty and an over-all capitalist economic base, Kim D.J.
is able to ride the tide of "international" support and praise for
"internationalizing" Korea while ordinary Korean "citizens" go about
their daily lives "detached" from the international world of Kim D.J. I
wonder if Kim DJ will find it within himself to use that $900,000 plus
to continue paying off the IMF or perhaps buy some more rice for North
Korea.

An observer of Korean politics

C.E.Williamson


----- Original Message -----
From: "Donald Baker" <dbaker at interchange.ubc.ca>
To: <korean-studies at iic.edu>
Sent: Monday, October 16, 2000 1:32 PM
Subject: Re: Kim and Nobel

> If Jina Kim would check out the following web-site, it would
> become clear that Kim Daejung was awarded the Nobel Peace
> Prize not only for his Sunshine Policy but also for
> the risks he has taken over the last 30 years to
> bring democracy to the Korean peninsula. I doubt
> even the most avid supporter of Kim Jongil would
> compare Kim Jongil to Nelson Mandela.
>
> http://www.isop.ucla.edu/eas/documents/2000Peace.htm
>
> DON BAKER
> Associate Professor, Asian Studies, Univ. of British Columbia
>