President Roh’s Public Information Secretary Speaks Out

The Korea Times has an interesting interview with President Roh Moo-hyun’s Senior Secretary of Public Information, Dr. Cho Ki-suk. I have chosen to respond to a few of her comments below:

Third, incidents like the attempt to demolish the statute of General McArthur are a source of misunderstanding about public opinion in Korea. Public opinion should be understood through objective indexes rather than dramatic events. If people perceive an unusual event launched by an extremely small number of people to attract public attention as representing the whole, it is quite dangerous as we may reach an erroneous policy decision. Psychologists call this phenomenon “subjective probability.”

Yes the protesters were composed of a small number of hate groups. However, if their views are so off the wall then why hasn’t the Korean government spoke out strongly against them and defend General MacArthur’s contributions to freedom and democracy in Korea? It is because deep down the Uri Party types sympathise with their cause and won’t crackdown on them and limits them to only making ambigous statements about the protesters that does not condemn their activities.

Fourth, interpreting rallies in memory of the two schoolgirls killed by an armored military vehicle of the U.S. as an expression of anti-Americanism or anti-American sentiment may be another cause of confusion. It is my understanding that American officials were stunned at the seemingly anti-American street rallies in the course of the 2002 Korean presidential election.

It is true that a handful of the participants burned the US flag and chanted Yankee Go Home slogans. Yet their extreme behavior could not be sustained because other participants who witnessed such conduct strongly protested and left the rally.

What? A handful of protesters burned or destroyed the US flag?! Is this considered a handful of protesters?:

Or maybe this protest in 2002 at Seoul City Hall that drew tens of thousands of people together in an anti-American hate orgy:

Yes folks, the Korean government wants you to think this is the work of a handful of malcontents that shouldn’t be taken seriously.

Go ahead and read the rest on your own, because I think I have made my point.

I’m sure USinKorea will have fun with this one.