No, actually, this is not an attempted coup. Nor is it even a particularly heated debate in the National Assembly. This happened at a university symposium on a proposed high school history book.
I understand that a book that refers to the coup d’etat that brought Park Chung Hee to power this way:
“a crucial incident which gave birth to a new administrative power that led Korea’s industrialization, which was the most important national task at the time”
is significant cause for concern. But is this really the best way to conduct an academic debate?
*From an article in The Hankyoreh covering yesterday’s Textbook Forum symposium at Seoul National University.
{ 5 comments }
superkimbo 12.03.06 at 10:01 am
Great picture! Thanks for bringing this up - I am so curious about this habit of resorting to violence we always see on Star News when they cover the Korean government. What’s the deal? Why do they always come to blows? I’m an international school teacher (currently in KL, Malaysia) and we have lots of Korean students so I’m trying to figure out how their usually calm and quiet demenor can turn into fist fights on the parliment floor. Lots of our kids have told us how horrible the bullying is in Korean schools as well. Any insights?
Cat 12.03.06 at 11:50 am
I can’t really offer any insight as I am not sure this is representative of any common occurrence—(of course, I’ve just lived here for six months). I have heard of fistfights in the legislature, before, too, but I guess I attribute that (and the incident above) to people letting their passionate feelings get the better of them.
I don’t know that I’d say that disputes always result in violence, though.
And, to respond to a comment made earlier, I also wouldn’t assume any of these guys are teachers themselves.
the other seoulcat 12.03.06 at 4:37 pm
Gah, this is so damn embarrassing. Fistfights occur in legislature because we, the Korean people, have this tendency to elect IDIOTS into office. I think politicians are in cahoots with the waterworks association and they pump in brainwashing drugs in our water during elections.
Cat 12.03.06 at 10:36 pm
The more I think about it, the more I believe that–at least in this situation–the people involved are convinced that the stakes are so high that violence is warranted. (Not that I agree. I don’t think this solves anything.)
I think that both sides are convinced–and from what I know not totally without cause–that there is a concerted effort to bias the minds of Korean students to support a particular agenda. And, I think both sides believe that the other is really a threat to the stability of the democracy.
Your Brother 12.04.06 at 11:26 pm
Here is another question. Why is it when they “come to blows” it’s never in the flashy Hapkido or Taekwondo styles from the movies? Looks like a little slappy fight to me. If you’re going to set a bad example for the kids, at least “Fight with Honor” IMO.
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