Anti-American sentiment in Korea

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Anti-Americanism in Korea began with the earliest contact between the two nations and continued after the division of Korea.

1 US Military presence in South Korea
2 Apolo Ohno 2002 Winter Olympics controversy
3 Popular culture
- 3.1 The Host
- 3.2 Fucking USA
4 US beef imports in South Korea
5 References
6 See also
7 External link

[edit] US Military presence in South Korea

In both North Korea and South Korea, anti-Americanism after the Korean War has focused on the presence and behavior of American military personnel (USFK), aggravated especially by high-profile crimes by U.S. servicemembers, such as the road death two 13-year-old girls as a convoy passed their village in 2002.^[1] The on-going U.S. military presence in South Korea, especially at Yongsan Garrison (sited on a base previously used by the Imperial Japanese Army from 1910-1945) in central Seoul, remains a contentious issue.

While protests have arisen over specific incidents, they are often reflective of deeper historical resentments. Robert Hathaway, director of the Wilson Center's Asia program, suggests: "the growth of anti-American sentiment in both Japan and South Korea must be seen not simply as a response to American policies and actions, but as reflective of deeper domestic trends and developments within these Asian countries."^[2] Korean anti-Americanism after the war was fueled by American occupation and support for authoritarian rule, a fact still evident during the country's democratic transition in the 1980s.^[3] Speaking to the Wilson Center, Katherine Moon notes that while the majority of South Koreans support the American alliance "anti-Americanism also represents the collective venting of accumulated grievances that in many instances have lain hidden for decades."^[2]

[edit] Apolo Ohno 2002 Winter Olympics controversy

See also: Short track speed skating at the 2002 Winter Olympics

In Salt Lake City, Utah, Apolo Anton Ohno emerged as a popular athlete among US fans for reportedly charming them with his cheerful attitude and laid-back style. He became the face of short track speed skating in the US, which was a relatively new and unknown sport at the time, and carried the medal hopes of America in that sport.^[4] Ohno medaled in two events, although there was some controversy associated with the results.

In the 1500 m race, Ohno won the gold medal, with a time of 2:18.541. During the 1500 m final race, South Korean Kim Dong-Sung was first across the finish line, but was disqualified for blocking Ohno, in what is called cross tracking.^[5]^[6] Ohno was in second place with three laps remaining, and on his third attempt to pass on the final lap, Kim drifted slightly to the inside where Ohno raised his arms and came out of his crouch to signal that he was blocked. Fourth-place finisher of the same race, Fabio Carta of Italy, showed his disagreement with the decision saying that it was "absurd that the Korean was disqualified."^[7] China's Jiajun Li, who moved from bronze to silver, remained neutral saying: "I respect the decision of the referee, I'm not going to say any more."^[7] Steven Bradbury of Australia, the 1000 m gold medal winner, also shared his views: "Whether Dong-Sung moved across enough to be called for cross-tracking, I don't know, he obviously moved across a bit. It's the judge's interpretation. A lot of people will say it was right and a lot of people will say it's wrong. I've seen moves like that before that were not called. But I've seen them called too."^[7]^[8] The disqualification upset South Korean supporters, many of whom directed their anger at Ohno and the Olympic International Olympic Committee. A very large number of e-mails protesting the race results crashed the Olympic Committee's email server, and also thousands of accusatory letters, many of which were death threats, were sent to Ohno and the committee.^[9]^[10]^[11] Ohno shared his thoughts on the Koreans' hostile reaction by saying, "I was really bothered by it. I grew up around many Asian cultures, Korean one of them. A lot of my best friends were Korean growing up. I just didn't understand. Later on I realized that was built up by certain people and that was directed at me, negative energy from other things, not even resulting around the sport, but around politics, using me to stand on the pedestal as the anti-American sentiment."^[12]

[edit] Popular culture

[edit] The Host

The 2006 Korean monster film The Host has been described as anti-American. The film was in part inspired by an incident in 2000 in which a mortician working for the U.S. military in Seoul dumped a large amount of formaldehyde down the drain. In the film the dumped chemicals engender a horrible mutated monster from the river which menaces the inhabitants of Seoul.^[13]The American military situated in South Korea is portrayed as uncaring about the effects their activities have on the locals. The chemical agent used by the American military to combat the monster in the end, named "Agent Yellow" in a thinly-veiled reference to Agent Orange was also used to satirical effect.^[14] The CGI for the film was done by The Orphanage, which also did the CGI of The Day After Tomorrow.^[15]The director, Bong Joon-ho, commented on the issue: "It's a stretch to simplify The Host as an anti-American film, but there is certainly a metaphor and political commentary about the U.S."^[16]Because of its themes that can be seen as critical of the United States, the film was actually lauded by North Korean authorities,^[17] a rarity for a South Korean blockbuster film.

[edit] Fucking USA

"Fucking USA" is a protest song written by South Korean singer and activist Yoon Min-suk. Strongly anti-US Foreign policy and anti-Bush, the song was written in 2002 at a time when, following the Apolo Ohno Olympic controversy and an incident in which two Korean middle school students were killed under the wheels of a U.S. Army vehicle; anti-American sentiment in South Korea reached high levels.^[18]

[edit] US beef imports in South Korea

Main article: US beef imports in South Korea

South Koreans protesting Lee Myung-bak's ties with the US. Cheonggyecheon, Seoul, May 3, 2008

The Government of South Korea blocked most imports of US beef in 2003 because of fears over mad cow disease (BSE).^[19] The United States Department of Agriculture had identified two BSE-infected cows, and only one that was born in the USA (one of the animals actually came from Canada).^[20] When Lee Myung-bak was inaugurated some 5 years after the BSE infections in the US, he agreed to relax restrictions on beef imports from the US, while still banning the most risky parts of cattle (brain, spinal chord). This caused an outbreak of anti-US sentiment and even calls for impeachment.