I totally agree with Dr. Lankov that the recent Kim-Moon Inter-Korean Summit was more marketing and hype than actual substance:
Andrei Lankov
It was, frankly, quite striking to see the tidal wave of unwarranted optimism in South Korean media that accompanied the April 27 summit.
To be more precise, this tidal wave began to rise shortly before the summit actually took place, and reached a truly remarkable level after its (modest and predictable) results were announced.
To a very large extent, this optimism has been deliberately manufactured by the South Korean bureaucracy. The Moon administration has spared no expense creating the impression that a historical breakthrough was made at Panmunjom.
These marketing efforts are eagerly supported by left-leaning media outlets, with the Hankyoreh Sinmun and Kyonghyang Sinmun being arguably the most vocal participants in this state-led enthusiasm building campaign. (…………)
One op-ed author, for example, assured his readers that in the near future, they will be able to take “the unification train” from Busan all the way to Moscow and Paris.
Another contributor shared his dreams about hiking in the North Korean mountains and buying freshly boiled corn from locals and assured readers that now, after this supposed breakthrough, these dreams are certainly about to come true very soon.
It has even been suggested that the architects of this supposed breakthrough should be considered as candidates for the Nobel Peace Prize.
These flood of naivety and self-imposed amnesia might sound comical, but there are good reasons why the Moon administration is working so hard to manufacture this optimism and to maintain it at a sufficiently high level. [NK News]
You can read more at the link, but the Moon administration is building this hype like I have previously posted about, to influence President Trump during his upcoming summit with Kim Jong-un. They need to get Trump on board with the Great Charade of 2018 and get him to also pretend that things are going to be different this time and that the North Koreans really do mean to denuclearize.
Rebuilding Kim’s image with the Inter-Korean Summit was part of this effort. The upcoming demolition of the nuclear test site will be the next dramatic optic of little substance that will happen before the Kim-Trump summit. If President Trump sticks to his demands of denuclearization with strict inspections before dropping sanctions than the Great Charade of 2018 will likely implode and Moon will likely blame Trump for its failure instead of the real source of the peninsula’s problems, Kim Jong-un.
Paywall so I can’t read the rest of the article which sounds very interesting.
He’s got it right. The left-leaning media frenzy in South Korea over this truly off the board right now. The right-leaning media is a bit more cautious in that they don’t want to piss off the readers by being too critical of this summit. The main opposition Conservative Korea Liberty party is in flailing as the public criticism against them mount (for being too critical and pessimistic of this summit). The main Conservative media, the TV Chosun is also under attack as the South Korean left – with the South Korean populace on their side, are mounting a petition to the government to dissolve this media station for supposedly spreading lies to the public (meaning they are too critical of the Moon government and skeptical of the North Korean appeasement policy). As Andrei wrote, the Moon government is effectively waging a massive covert operation to weaken the Conservative forces through disguised online mobilization campaigns. The Korean left has a massive online army mobilized to praise the song of Moon Jae-in, while like a pack of dogs, attacking any critics of Moon’s policies. The South Korean media which is leftwing oriented is just a tool of the government.
AppeasingNorthKorea
6 years ago
If and when Trump puts the screws to this insanity finally (which will happen as soon as the US and NK meet), I can certainly see all the South Korean blame going to the United States. Moon will whip up the masses to encourage anti-American feelings amongst the Koreans. The South Korean left firmly behind Moon, will use this opportunity to once again use the US as a punching bag, blaming the US for the failures at the talks. Mark my words.
Flyingsword
6 years ago
Appeasing, dead on! Moon set it up, any failure will be blamed on America. By the time that happens. If we thought it was bad in 2002-03, that will be nothing compared to what the South Korean leftist will whip up WHEN this round of rapprochement with north fails.
ChickenHead
6 years ago
It won’t fail.
…at least not like we expect.
setnaffa
6 years ago
If Moon gets ants in his pants, Trump pull USFK back to Okinawa and Guam. Then the Katusas an Sam whathisface can be their own tripwire.
And there won’t be anything stopping Trump from taking out the Norky nukes.
But I’ll miss Mike’s Arcade and the Blue Mountain Cafe…
@Appeasing North Korea, I fully expect that if President Trump does hold the line on real denuclearization and not the current pretend denuclearization that President Moon will allow the Korean left to go crazy like it did in the 2002 and the 2008 timeframes with their anti-Americanism. Trump however, I suspect will have little patience for the nonsense.
Who knows maybe Kim Jong-un will surprise us and actually agree to real inspections and denuclearize. 🙄
Do the Commies come after Dr. Lankov next?
Paywall so I can’t read the rest of the article which sounds very interesting.
He’s got it right. The left-leaning media frenzy in South Korea over this truly off the board right now. The right-leaning media is a bit more cautious in that they don’t want to piss off the readers by being too critical of this summit. The main opposition Conservative Korea Liberty party is in flailing as the public criticism against them mount (for being too critical and pessimistic of this summit). The main Conservative media, the TV Chosun is also under attack as the South Korean left – with the South Korean populace on their side, are mounting a petition to the government to dissolve this media station for supposedly spreading lies to the public (meaning they are too critical of the Moon government and skeptical of the North Korean appeasement policy). As Andrei wrote, the Moon government is effectively waging a massive covert operation to weaken the Conservative forces through disguised online mobilization campaigns. The Korean left has a massive online army mobilized to praise the song of Moon Jae-in, while like a pack of dogs, attacking any critics of Moon’s policies. The South Korean media which is leftwing oriented is just a tool of the government.
If and when Trump puts the screws to this insanity finally (which will happen as soon as the US and NK meet), I can certainly see all the South Korean blame going to the United States. Moon will whip up the masses to encourage anti-American feelings amongst the Koreans. The South Korean left firmly behind Moon, will use this opportunity to once again use the US as a punching bag, blaming the US for the failures at the talks. Mark my words.
Appeasing, dead on! Moon set it up, any failure will be blamed on America. By the time that happens. If we thought it was bad in 2002-03, that will be nothing compared to what the South Korean leftist will whip up WHEN this round of rapprochement with north fails.
It won’t fail.
…at least not like we expect.
If Moon gets ants in his pants, Trump pull USFK back to Okinawa and Guam. Then the Katusas an Sam whathisface can be their own tripwire.
And there won’t be anything stopping Trump from taking out the Norky nukes.
But I’ll miss Mike’s Arcade and the Blue Mountain Cafe…
@Appeasing North Korea, I fully expect that if President Trump does hold the line on real denuclearization and not the current pretend denuclearization that President Moon will allow the Korean left to go crazy like it did in the 2002 and the 2008 timeframes with their anti-Americanism. Trump however, I suspect will have little patience for the nonsense.
Who knows maybe Kim Jong-un will surprise us and actually agree to real inspections and denuclearize. 🙄