On My Way To Korea

You go Doctor Kim!

SEOUL — A North Korean embassy official in Ethiopia has defected to South Korea through Seoul’s diplomatic mission in the African country, a report said Tuesday.

YTN cable news network in Seoul said the 40-year-old medical doctor, identified only as Kim, fled to the South Korean embassy in Addis Ababa and asked for political asylum last October.

It said the defection prompted the North Korean ambassador in Ethiopia to make a protest call to his South Korean counterpart.

North Korean officials used cars to stage protests outside the embassy where Kim stayed for up to three weeks, YTN said.

South Korean foreign ministry officials escorted him to Seoul in early November, it said.

The South’s foreign ministry declined to comment. “We do not confirm or deny any reports of that kind,” a spokesman told AFP.

Almost 17,000 North Koreans have arrived in the South since the end of the Korean War, with virtually all fleeing via China. North Korean officials and diplomats defect relatively seldom.

Source

In case you haven’t heard, there’s been a lot of talk about some comments David Lee has made about how ridiculous the Korean actors portrayed Koreans when “Infinite Challenge” was filmed in New York.  Here’s some of the more interesting things he said (original article):

While watching, I felt like dying from embarrassment … They were ignored like dogs on the streets by New Yorkers, for mumbling gibberish … They were treated like retards at the pizza place by being thrown a random slice to eat … Am I the only one who thinks this, or did those white boys make him into a complete fool? I wonder what those white boys were thinking. Perhaps they thought, ‘WHAT ARE THESE F–KING RETARDS DOING?’ … Keep the low-grade comedy in Korea … Of course, this episode is perfect for Koreans who think this low-grade comedy is oh-so-funny … Why don’t you get rid of the ‘food’ and just tell those New Yorkers with you gibberish that Dokdo is our land?

He then followed up trying to clear up his rant (same article):

… In America, Asians get worse treatment than black or latino people …

More recently, after deleting his Cyworld minihome, he has sent out an apology (follow-up article featuring his apology):

… I thought that I was just an ordinary commoner, so I posted on my personal mini-homepage, not knowing how big of an impact it would bring. I didn’t intend on targeting anyone specific, but I seemed to have hurt many people …  What I wrote of these people, like a rant with no basis, I did it without thinking, and I take full responsibility… I used severe expressions. For that, I give my apology …

What do y’all think?  If there’s anything I’ve learned after years of studying Korea, it’s that Korean netizens hath hell’s fury.  I have to say, after watching the video I think he was analyzing it way too much.  Throwing pizza like he was throwing pizza to a dog?  Freak, they guy just gave them some pizza.  Infinite Challenge is a comedy show and I think everything they did was for a laugh.  The fact that they couldn’t speak English was half of the joke.  They probably could have had a translator, but would that have been funny?  Maybe some people have a different sense of humor, but I think if I was Korean I would find this episode pretty funny.  Degrading?  Maybe, but comedians use that to bring out laughs.  I don’t think I blame David though.  Each of us come from different backgrounds and because of that we take some things really seriously.  Maybe he’s had enough experiences in his life dealing with the stereotype of Asians and with racism that this kind of humor just doesn’t float his boat.

Former South Korean president Kim Dae-Jung died today due to heart failure.  He’s credited with doing a lot of work for reunification and democracy.  His work with North Korea has helped earn him the Nobel Peace Prize in 2000.

Source: BBC

I’m glad to finally see an article clearing up the news from a month ago.  The Korean Herald has a piece up with the real story (hopefully unlike the previous article).  I don’t even know where to start on how or why the original news article contained completely false information (including quotes from the victim who reportedly didn’t talk to any reporters or bloggers).  I really hope whoever created that original news piece is dealt with, it really is an embarrassment to his company, the Chosun Ilbo.

Oncoming Car Causes Bus Crash Into Subway

At the end the bus driver says:

Please get off.  Is anyone hurt?