Huge Pro-US Rally In Seoul, S. Korea Planned for 3/1/03: One Million Attendees Projected

Choson Ilbo Daily Newspaper in Seoul (English Version) ^ | 10 February 2003 | Choson Ilbo Newspaper in Seoul

[AmericanInTokyo]

Huge Pro-USA Rally to Be Held March 1 in Seoul, South Korea

by Choi Hyung-seok (cogito@chosun.com)

The organizing committee for the 'March 1 People's Rally' held a press conference Monday and announced that they will hold an "Anti-nuclear, Anti-Kim (Jong il), Free Unification" rally on March 1 in front of City Hall in Seoul with one million participants. The committee consists of 33 representatives including former Prime Minister Kang Young-hun, Korea-United States Friendship Association chairman Park Keun, and Korean Veterans’ Association chairman Lee Sang-hoon.

They declared that the current administration gave Kim Jong Il billions of dollars in secret funds for the price of the North-South summit meetings, but the money was probably used exclusively to develop nuclear weapons." The Roh Moo-hyun administration must find the persons related with the secret funds sent to Kim Jong Il and protect Korea's national interests and freedom," they said.

"Extreme anti-US sentiments have led to talks of withdrawing the US Forces Korea. We fear for this situation. The Kim Jong Il administration in North Korea have taken the 70 million Koreans on this peninsula hostage and are developing nuclear weapons, but those who follow him protect nuclear development and stir up anti-US emotions. They are trying to break up the alliance between Korea and the US," claimed Bong Du-wan, chairman of the Catholic Association to Aid the Korean Nation.

In related news, the Christian Council of Korea will hold another prayer meeting in Yeoido on February 28 with 200,000 participants. Christian groups already held mass prayer meetings in front of City Hall last January 11 and the 19th. The prayer meetings spread to local areas as well. On Sunday, 3,000 gathered in front of Busan Station and another 3,000 in front of Seomun Church in Daegu to pray for the country and the people. Other meetings of a similar nature are also being prepared in cities such as Wonju.

[AmericanInTokyo]

Opposed to the efforts of pro-US S. Koreans above, anti-American demonstrations against policy on Iraq, and on US policy on North Korea are also expected in Seoul. It will be interesting to see where the vast middle of S. Korean society ends up. My guess is the more nasty Kim Jong il gets, the less support the radical students on the left will have, contrary to what they were able to whip up last Fall against the USA.

[biblewonk]

I'm still interested in Rumsfeld's statement about pulling our military out of S.Korea. What a cool chess move!

[DoughtyOne]

I agree, and as BibleWonk voiced, the very mention of our troops pulling out will certainly put SK on notice. Support us if you want us to support you.

[elhombrelibre]

You could never get a pro-US rally in Germany.

[xzins]

With the name bible in your name, you should know that the Christians in S. Korea are solidly behind the US with some, but few, exceptions.

Christianity is the largest religion in S. Korea. They know that a society premised on any N. Korea plan would bring persecution on them in a heartbeat!

They've ALWAYS supported US presence.

[biblewonk]

With bible in my name I might not know who many Christians live where. He might be too busy reading the bible and raising and homeschooling his 8 kids to count Christians in other nations.

But apart from that, I had always assumed that S Korea loved us being there. Until I heard otherwise here on the FR. If that is the case and if the S Korean government is not supportive of our efforts in Iraq then the discussion about our arms there sounds like it may be a worthy one.

[TBall]

I'm sure the Washington Post, NyTimes, CNN ect.. are planning to give full coverage for this event.

[DoughtyOne]

That may be true. After all we treated them so poorly with the Berlin airlift and all. ;)

[stlrocket]

Do you think they will take down this sign in Seoul?

[537 Votes]

He might be too busy reading the bible and raising and homeschooling his 8 kids to count Christians in other nations.

Maybe then he shouldn't be making comments on foreign policy. Homeschooling eight kids doesn't qualify you to fly jet planes, perform brain surgery, or make informed comments on foreign policy. Just like your kids, you have to do the homework!

[AmericanInTokyo]

I don't know. Why don't you ask them yourself? I am sure they can read English.

www.e-zeno.co.kr

[John Valentine]

I want to tell you that therr is not one American in Seoul that gives a rat's ass what kind of sign Zeno's Fusion Bar puts on their door..

[AmericanInTokyo]

http://www.e-zeno.co.kr/contact.htm

[AmericanInTokyo]

I went into one of those places and had a nice coffee and ordered it in fluent Korean, and they knew I was American, and there wasn't a damned thing they could do about it. :-)

[Cicero]

One of my graduate students teaches at a Christian college in Korea. He's an Evangelical. When he wrote his dissertation I was impressed by his faith as well as his fine scholarship.

I recommend a novel by Richard E. Kim, "The Martyred," which appeared after the Korean War and portrays the faith of the Korean Christians under persecution.