South Korea, Revolution? - Can there be?

[ComradeJunichi]

Do you guys think there could be a revolution in South Korea? You have a dictatorship which is covered up by using the word communism right above(North Korea), but do you think?
Korean people (not to generalize) are very devoted...if anyone has watched the Worldcup and seen the stadium, city hall, major roads...filled with thousands...THOUSANDS...

[MJM]

The north and south had it's best chance for freedom in the civil war. Then the US invaded and fucked it up for all koreans. North Koreas in a bad state, the true leader is dead now with his son in his place. Not a very communist system of governing.
The south may rise, but with the US military presence I'd say it'd be a disaster, the north may come to the aid of the rebels, but that's not really what the goal should be - a unified korea under the leadership of the north.
I think get rid of the US presence first, then think about reunification, then think about revolution.

[Nateddi]

South Korea doesn't have the greatest capitalism by any means, they are almost in an argentina-like situation; a place where a revolution could theoretically take place. I don't think with PDRK at the top, the south would not be very fond of communism.

[gee q]

america wasn't the only that fucked it up in korea. china went along for the ride. when you come to think about it, korea was just abother war fought by others for others. china and america took advantage of the korean war to fight each other. poor koreans...

[Gavin]

south korea is a better state than north korea

[komsomol]

China only entered the war beacause of the Americans taking land in the North. The Chinese soon ot it back. :biggrin:

[ComradeJunichi]

You guys are underestimating the South Korean economy. Yes, they were in a IMF situation like four years ago, but now their economy is up and very strong.

The North is doing horrible from what it looks like to me. I've never been there but yeah. There were many clashes through the last 50 years. I think there will be a war, and I don't want to die...but in war South Korea is gonna win especially with the US army on their side, North Korea has no allies from what I understand.
That is the question I ask myself, without the US army on our side North Korea will attack as soon as they can(The latest clash was a week ago, South and North navy clash. North asked for peace talks and South rejected because they know its bullshit.) I don't know what to think.

[Nateddi]

Why would the PDRK wish to invade? They would be crushed immediatly.

[Conghaileach]

from the KCNA, July1...

U.S. forces side urged to stop provocations in Panmunjom
Pyongyang July 1 (KCNA) -- The security officer of our side in
the joint security area in Panmunjom answered a question put by KCNA
today as regards the U.S. forces side's frequent provocations against
servicemen of the DPRK in the area. He said: As widely known to the
world, Panmunjom is the place where soldiers of the two belligerent
sides stand in acute military confrontation with a just 50 cm wide
demarcation line in between. Therefore, not only military
provocations against the other side but a trifling act of getting on
the nerves of soldiers on duty in this area may immediately lead to a
military clash.

It is clearly evidenced by the "Panmunjom incident" in the 1970s
and the "Panmunjom firing incident" in the 1980s. The U.S. forces
side frequently committed provocations which might spark clashes
between both sides. Some days ago, it seriously threatened our soldiers
on routine guard duty over the front line radio near the joint security
area in Panmunjom, saying "We will use arms unless KPA soldiers
are withdrawn." and they behaved themselves disgracefully in front of
our soldiers in the joint security area. The U.S. forces side seems
to be forgetful that the merciless arms of our security officers in the
area are always fully ready to fire as they are on highest alert.

It stoops to such infamy to provoke our side as displaying the
flags of Denmark and Norway, which did not participate in the Korean
War, in the conference room of the "military armistice commission"
jointly used by both sides. Not only our army and people but the
foreigners visiting Panmunjom are angered at the base acts of the U.S.
forces side. The U.S. forces side should immediately stop the
political and military provocations against our servicemen in
Panmunjom, bearing in mind what a high price the aggressors,
provocateurs were forced to pay by our army.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------

U.S. is to blame for armed clash in West Sea of Korea
Pyongyang, July 1 (KCNA) -- A spokesman for the DPRK Foreign
Ministry gave the following answer to a question raised by KCNA today
as to the smear campaign launched by the united states against the DPRK
over the armed clash that occurred in the West Sea of Korea recently:
The United States groundlessly pulled up the DPRK, claiming that the
armed clash which occurred in the West Sea of Korea on June 29 was an
"armed provocation" made by the Pyongyang side. This incident
occurred as the South Korean naval vessels intruded into the
territorial waters of the north side and fired first hundreds of
bullets and shells at the patrol boats of the navy of the Korean
People's Army on routine coastal guard duty.

As the truth of the incident shows, the intrusion into the
territorial waters of the north side and preemptive firing made by the
South Korean forces was an outright provocation and the north side's
retaliatory firing was a self-defensive step and legitimate self-
defence. The "northern boundary line" which the south side claimed
was crossed by the patrol boats of the KPA navy is not mentioned in the
armistice agreement and it is a bogus line illegally drawn by the U.S.
as it pleased in the territorial waters of the DPRK side without any
agreement with it after signing the aa.

The intrusion of many warships and fishing boats of the south side
deep into the territorial waters of our side under the pretext of such
bogus line was a grave act of aggression. The U.S. that has the
prerogative of supreme command over the South Korean forces must know
about such intrusion and provocations perpetrated by the warships of
the South Korean navy and can never flee from the responsibility for
them. It is, therefore, preposterous for the U.S. to take issue
with the DPRK and it is just like the thief turning on the master with
a club.

All facts clearly prove that the incident was orchestrated by the
United States to drive a wedge between the north and south of Korea
because it was displeased with the progress made in the inter-Korean
relations and has put a brake on it from the outset. The third
parties concerned with the peace and security on the Korean Peninsula
should pay due attention to the illegality of the "northern boundary
line", the basic cause of the incident, before telling this or
that about the incident without knowing well about its truth.
Oherwise, they will get embroiled in the base plot-breeding
operation, unable to discern between lies and truth.

The issue of sovereignty is quite different from the issue of
dialogue. We will in the future, too, not pardon anyone encroaching
upon the sovereignty of the DPRK but take a decisive retaliatory step
for self-defence by all means.

[ComradeJunichi]

If North Korea invaded, they certainly would not be crushed. The North Korean Army is powerful. And since Seoul is so close to the border, I'm sure I would die as soon as they invaded. I'm scared...

The Panmunjum Incident, that was the one with the Axe's, am I correct? From what I have heard(I have only heard from the U.S. Army), they were cutting down a tree together because it was blocking a view. Both sides were not allowed to bring any weapons (guns). Then the North Koreans attacked the Americans and Koreans with axes. Ouch, I saw a picture when I visited Panmunjum: You can see the axe stuck in the one of the guys neck.
When I visited your not allowed to stop walking, because if you do then they are capable of shooting you. It's very tense, I went last year; I was scared as hell. I saw the North Korean soldiers face to face (one meter away). It's quite an experience.


CiaranB, Thanks for that post.

[antieverything]

How is the democratic socialist movement in South Korea? I think that South Korea (like Japan) would be an excelent place to build a real socialist country. I don't have any hopes for a "revolution" as in castroism or leninism anywhere in the world. You can not have an elite taking control in the interest of the masses.

[MJM]

ComradeJunichi, did you go there with military service?

Why are there soldiers taking pictures of things in seoul?
I saw one guy standing in the same place for 3 days just taking pictures of the traffic or something??

I was getting worried they were keeping tabs on me LOL.

[Nateddi]

Quote: from antieverything on 3:36 am on July 18, 2002
How is the democratic socialist movement in South Korea? I think that South Korea (like Japan) would be an excelent place to build a real socialist country. I don't have any hopes for a "revolution" as in castroism or leninism anywhere in the world. You can not have an elite taking control in the interest of the masses.


LOL

Until there is a massive movement in the west (including US); "Democratic socialism" and other similar ideologies will never work. History has prooven that.

[ComradeJunichi]

I went there for a visit, I wanted to see what it was like. There were a bunch of minefields...scary. Also I saw a North Korean town. I think or heard that it was a fake town. They made it look real nice to impress the other side (South Korean towns are MUCH better). Theres a huge North Korean flagpole, and theres a really really loud propaganda radio on all day and night.

I would love to have a communist state here. I doubt if there was a revolution here it would be as bloody as one in the States. But here is much too complicated.
Revolution>US troops pull out>North Korea invades>No allies because we are trying to become a communist state>North Korea takes over and I live in fear of being killed or am already dead..
I do think it should start somewhere else, or get rid of the dictatorship in North Korea. I don't know its too complicated. But there are riots all the time, you see riot police everwhere (probably once a week). And its always students.

[antieverything]

There is no such thing as non-democratic socialism. What history has, in fact, proven is that when a small group of elites takes power "on behalf of the people" the government becomes fascist.