바람의 노래 Song of the Wind

살면서 듣게 될까 언젠가는 바람의 노래를
During life, sometimes, I hear the song of the wind
세월가면 그때는 알게 될까 꽃이 지는 이유를
As time flies by, will I learn why the flowers fall?

나를 떠난 사람들과 만나게 될 또 다른 사람들
The persons who left me, and even those others yet unmet,
스쳐가는 인연과 그리움은 어느 곳으로 가는가
Missing those fleeting encounters, where do they go?

나의 작은 지혜로는 알 수가 없네
Of little wisdom how I couldn't possibly know
내가 아는 건 살아가는 방법 뿐이야
I only know a way of getting by

보다 많은 실패와 고뇌의 시간이
More times of loss and distress
비켜갈 수 없다는 걸 우린 깨달았네
Time is unavoidable we discovered

이제 그 해답이 사랑이라면
Yet, if it says the answer is love
나는 이세상 모든 것들을 사랑하겠네
I will love all the things in this world



https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jeCnXUjoTtI

This is an oldie originally sung by Jo Yong Pil. This the best video performance, by Ha Dong-hyun, I think on youtube, although there are several others. Writer Kim Soon-gon; Composition, Kim Jung-wook; Arrangement, Go Tae-yeong. Hangul lyrics from Bugs! (bugsmanager 님이 등록해 주신 가사입니)

The plot to resurrect Yoon like administration; coup d'etat still ongoing

The players:

(Source: 롯본기 김교수 5.9, original photo is Yonhap unknown date)

Looks like the photo took place in the presidential office while Yoon was president.

Kim Jin-pyo: long time presdiential policy advisor to three "liberal" administrations and long time legislator, former recent Speaker of the National Assembly 2022-2024. According to the Wikipedia, "He belongs to the more conservative wing of the liberal Democratic Party." (holding the microphone)

Yoon Seok-yeol, impeached former president who attempted a military coup on Dec. 3, 2024. Now free pending criminal trial for insurrection.

Cho Hee-dae, Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, who recently attempted through unprecedented hasty moves upon review en banc of Lee Jae-myung's High Court acquittal on appeal, to derail his campaign for the presidential Office. With Cho in office as Chief Justice, it seems unlikely Yoon will ultimately be found guilty, although his guilt for insurrection is as plain as day.

Han Deok-soo, former prime minister in the Yoon administration and former acting president during Yoon's impeachment trial and vacant presidential office. After an unsuccessful attempt to impeach Han for trying to obstruct Yoon's impeachment trial, Han resigned as acting president, to run as unaffiliated independent candidate for president in the June 3 election. Han now seeks to become the "unified candidate" of the People's Power Party without having participated in the party's nomination process, and to displace the party candidate, Kim Man-soo, who won the PPP nomination process.

This group is allegedly attempting to completely circumvent the constitutional government of South Korea, and place Han Deok-soo in office, as the proxy of Kim Jin-pyo and Yoon Seok-yeol.

So the conspiracy to overthrow the constitutional government of South Korea continues on behalf of the so called rotten special interests of the right. we know that Yoon, Han Deok-soo, and Cho Hee-dae are all complicit in the attempt to keep Lee Jae-myun from becoming president of South Korea.

Whether Kim Jin-pyo is complicit is conjecture; Kim Kyo-soo, who published the photo on his youtube channel is a conspiracy theorist, I don't believe that Moon Jae-in is involved, even though he's a very slick operator, like the other three snakes depicted in the photo. Kim Jin-pyo is definitely Moon-faction, in other words watermelon (DINO). If former president Moon is involved, why is he being investigated on dubious corruption charges related to his daughter and former son-in-law by current prosecutors under the caretaker administration? Just to make the democrats look like inveterate crooks after Lee's high court acquittal? The political nature of these prosecutions is well understood now, after the bizarre action taken by Supreme Court Chief Cho, to preclude Lee from becoming president or at a minimum to stigmatize his election chances, and burden his forthcoming administration with constitutional issues. Will a President Lee Jae-myung be immune after June 3? Reportedly current polls show Lee's support up around 5 percent since the Supreme Court's precipitous action, in other words 54 or 55 percent support, double digits more than Han Deok-soo or Kim Man-soo, indicating moderate voters don't like coups or a political judicial system undermining the election process. The plan basically blew up in Cho's face. These three men, Yoon, Han and Cho, aren't that bright but are overly ambitious. At any rate, they are completely insensitive to the political winds. Clearly, former speaker Kim Jin-pyo, was the smartest guy in the room. He's been around a long time.

알리_서약 Ali: The Vow

알리_서약(드라마 황금무지개 OST) 라이브 / LIVE Ali_ The Vow(Korea DRAMA Golden Rainbow Love Theme)

written and composed by Hong Jin-young.


Let there be only one love in my life
Please give me an unwavering heart
Like an eternal flowing river
My last love will be you

Until the day I breathe my last
I intend to die loving only you
Don't let me be afraid, I believe in you
I won't let go of your hand

For the gift of my beloved, I'm thankful
I lay down my all at your feet
My promise, I will love you forever
You are my life

Until the day I breathe my last
I intend to die loving only you
Don't let me be afraid, I trust you
I won't let go your hand

If I'm able to grow old with my beloved
If we can eat together, if I sleep in your embrace
Sharing love, even when it causes pain
I'll love you, love you even if die

As time goes by, when everyone is gone, in my heart
Only my beloved blooms and falls
In time, if I'm born again, I'll meet you
Love you and die again.


The English translation doesn't do this song justice. The lyrics and sound are so beautiful in Korean.

Lonely Voyage 하윤주 고독한 항해

Happened to hear this song Lonely Voyage, performed by Ha Yun-ju, a traditional South Korean guk ak (literally country music) singer, who lends her Han style to a contemporary love lost genre, with striking results. Han is a unique Korean style reflecting deep sorrow, regret, or resentment. The song is several years old from the drama Married World OST. Original artist is Kim Yoon-a. Ha, the singer at the link below, sang this at a competition. Ha's performance is clearly superior to the original.



Lonely Voyage lyrics and melody- Gaemi

The cold wind goes right through me
My broken heart hurts all the more
Now the withered flower petals fall
I've fallen into a bottomless mire
Smothered by total darkness

My tears fall on dead leaves
By any chance will you look back on me?
A vain wish perhaps, the wind grows stronger
I stand alone on a hill where the storm gathers
My heart torn apart, so much so I can't bear it
I'm swallowed up by absolute darkness

Ah, I remain alone on this solitary voyage
Let me go into this complete darkness.

This is my own interpretation of the lyrics. I tried to change the awkward google translation from its verbatim translation to US vernacular. I hope people don't find it depressing, the song and her performance is really a work of art reflecting the Han style. imo

하윤주 가사 고독한 항해

Blinken's Confidence in the "rule of law" in Seoul...

...is based upon what exactly? Blinken evades and equivocates with blather when his support for the dictator wannabe now holed up in his bunker somewhere is questioned. The SK Foreign Minister Cho goes on about "unperceived faults" in South Korea, which he fails to specify, other than referring to a class of intellectuals in SK that need to "wake up" to the hidden threats to democracy heretofore unrecognized. This is far right/new right ideological claptrap. The threat to democracy isn't the cabinet which participated in Yoon's plan to send armed combat troops to shut down the National Assembly and planned an emergency action legislative committee to replace the National Assembly? No, according to the ROK foreign minister, it's naive intellectuals. This is a sub rosa reference to the "state enemies" line the Yoon government has followed all along. The current acting president had received a presidential memo directing him to implement emergency finances to support a new emergency action legislative committee, Yoon and the coup plotters planned to implement. (This evaluation was provided by Yoo Shin-min, in a video analysis of acting president Choi Sang-mok's behavior).

Blinken's meeting with the FM in South Korea:




"바이든 정부, 尹을 잘 몰랐나?" 외신 기자 돌직구 질문에.. (2025.01.06/MBC뉴스) "Biden government didn't understand Yoon well? Foriegn reporter straight to the point question..." Blinken's presentation is of course in English. I think it's important to listen to this dissimulation.

There were a series of other repressive martial law measures, I'm sure the current cabinet members (mostly the same as the Yoon cabinet) knew about, which after the unexpected failure to implement dictatorship, they all denied knowing about. Not likely.

Those who knew include the current acting president- minister of finance, Choi Sang-mok, who on Dec 3 had the note in his pocket from the president or someone on his staff asking the finance ministry to provide emergency funding measures for the new illegal military government/Yoon dictatorship. He denies knowing the content of the note before he delivered it to the Assistant Secretary of Finance for implementation, and denies ever discussing it with it his staff. Yet apparently there was some kind of Finance Ministry staff meeting after delivery of the note. What went on there isn't known at this point. A report I heard said the Deputy Finance Minister "only had a dim memory of the note" and what it pertained to, although he did admit it contained emergency finance measures. The acting president claimed he didn't even read it.

The acting president also failed to act on recent requests up till today from the CIO attempting to implement a plan for a second arrest attempt on Yoon, to order the Presidential Security Staff, and their supporting military troops, to stand down in the early morning hours today. Instead, persos or persons unknown, appear to have leaked that information to the mob of far right lunatics the day before and then ordered the security forces at the presidential residence increased to 500 personnel, additional bus walls, and barbed wire to be installed, in a multi-layered defense of Yoon's official residence. The CIO under the circumstances gave up on the second attempt plan to arrest Yoon before the warrant expired and transferred the responsibility for the next arrest execution attempt to the National Police. The CIO/PPO said they would seek another arrest warrant.

US ambassador meets the South Korean opposition

Video of Lee Jae-myung opposition leader meeting with US Ambassador Philip Goldberg. (2024.09.26 오전) Goldberg and Lee use interpreters so the whole video is understandable in English.

I recall Democratic Party Leader Lee's meeting with the Chinese ambassador some time ago, it seemed so much friendlier. Goldberg looks stiff, forced smiles, folded arms, etc. I'm sure the leader of the Democratic Party, the majority party in the National Assembly, was the last person he wanted to meet, he was probably directed to do it. "Human rights, rule of law, wherever they are under threat." How can Goldberg keep a straight face saying that? The comment at the end by Lee is a dig at the US apparent lack of interest in the extraordinarily tense relations with North Korea. The threat of "accidental" conflict breaking out along the DMZ caused Lee to request "...your deeper interest in these issues." Other than mentioning the potential for nuclear proliferation to South Korea and/or Japan prompted by the North Korean threat, Lee said zero about Japan, China, Taiwan, Indo-Pacific etc. This is by design. I wonder what may have happened during the closed meeting after the short formal public meeting.

“반민주, 반민생, 반평화, 친일 역사 쿠데타 윤석열 정권을 이대로 두고 보고만 있을 수 없다”@newsvop https://t.co/BPjKda8JZH

— 민중의소리 (@newsvop) September 28, 2024

From the large anti-Yoon demonstration in Seoul today. The tweet comment, "Anti-democratic, anti welfare of the people, anti-peace, historic pro-Japan, coup d'etat Yoon government; there is no way to sit and just let this go."


Hanging by a Thread: US-led War Drills in the Korean Peninsula and the Threat of Global Nuclear War

According to Simone Chun's recent essay in Counterpunch, the provocation of North Korea is deliberate, and part of the US anti-China strategy. I listened to some other activist leaders in an OhMyNews talk show who are seeing parallels developing to events during the latter part of the Park administration. They think an editorial take lately in the Chosun Ilbo, reflects increasing conservative frustration with Yoon, who is not a politician by nature, but is solely focused on advancing his personal interests and protecting his wife and her supporters from justice. He has of course, adopted an authoritarian manner of doing things, is uncompromising and neglecting state affairs other than the anti North Korea, US pro Japan, Indo-Pacific outlook directed against China. This was their analysis of Chosun Ilbo's editorial, they didn't give a specific reference that I could look at myself. I have seen at least one recently that suggested Yoon was too detached from public sentiment and would present challenges in future elections for conservatives if he didn't change.

오늘 [윤석열 탄핵] 집회에 참여해 주신
애국시민들께 깊히 감사드리며 응원합니다!
pic.twitter.com/8z3L6Ivy9h

— 쟝고 (@shsh7600) September 28, 2024

Although there were some impeach Yoon placards in this large demonstration, the theme of the organized labor and civic groups was, "Yoon step down!"

Simone collected a few photos over on her twitter thread of the large Yoon resign demo in Seoul today. Candlelight leadership was there, but most of bodies were from organized labor groups and civil society. Demonstrations took place in multiple South Korean cities from what I understand. I saw banners from the progressive party and justice party as well. There was a serial confrontation with police that seemed to me to have been instigated by someone lighting smoke bombs or some kind of flares in the crowd near the end of the demonstration. The senior police officers and parade staff managed the hotheads well and the trouble subsided. I'd like to see the size of this demonstration double. That will signal the end for Yoon and company.


Ambassador Goldberg prior meeting a week earlier with PPP Leader Han Dong-hun. Notice the difference?




Anyone who thinks Han Dong-hun takes constitutional principles or rule of law seriously is suffering from delusions. Notice the difference between this meeting and Goldberg's later meeting with Lee Jae-myung (above), the opposition leader who has been prosecuted repeatedly by Yoon and this man for years. Han and Goldberg "shared many conversations" when Han was minister of justice? Why? Why does that not surprise me? Why did the translator change Han's admission to "well actually we met once before" in English? She didn't translate what he actually said. Assembly Member In Yo-han PPP aka John Linton, the "white" Korean missionary/doctor was Goldberg's physician? In a longer video near the end, Han jokes in English, that "he didn't know" In Yo-han/John Linton could speak English. At the outset, Han also joked about Goldberg being a Red Sox fan, implying that they have a difference of opinion on this. So they are all buddies.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z1kPJ524L4k (the longer video)

The banner on the wall says "Reduce the differences, widen the opportunities." Surprised they didn't adopt the "lock step, no daylight" slogan. Goldberg emphasizes the long friendship and shared values. Most of the US- South Korea relationship, up to 1987, was basically the US supporting oppressive dictatorships. Yoon's is now up to 24 vetoes* of legislation. Democracy? Rule of law? Justice? LOL.

The Yoon/Han clique of corrupt prosecutors, abusing their powers giving the ROK the name "dictatorship of prosecutors," just requested that Democratic Party leader Lee Jae-myung receive 4 years in prison on a conviction obtained with fabricated evidence. To counter the appearance of tens of thousands of demonstrators against Yoon, over the weekend, Yoon will bring out 5000 plus troops for the Armed Forces Day parade at the cost of millions of dollars giving his administration the authoritarian aura that suits it so well. Ironically this will occur on the same day as China's National Foundation Day celebration.


Note: after I wrote the first part of this post, I came across this Hankyoreh editorial, cited below, which said in part:

For Korea’s Yoon, October may prove the cruelest month

Civic movements also hint of ominous times for Yoon. National Emergency Council for State Affairs, an organization founded by veteran civic leaders and activists, announced its demands for Yoon’s impeachment or resignation on Sept. 20. A national coalition of civic groups demanding Yoon’s resignation will simultaneously hold rallies in major cities nationwide on Saturday, at 3 pm. Things are reminiscent of the writing on the wall in October 2016.

Let’s wrap this up. Will Yoon survive October, the most politically brutal month he’s ever faced? What does he need to do to survive?

Conservative papers are calling for “acute introspection” (Chosun Ilbo) and “an overhaul in policy and administration” (Joongang Ilbo). Is this possible? It will be difficult. That’s not his style.

As many of his critics in the opposition have pointed out, Yoon is incapable of changing his authoritarian approach.


*Note. October 1 correction of typographical error, it's 24 vetoes for Yoon, not 42 as previously erroneously stated. That number will increase soon enough. Apologies to the one reader who saw this post before I fixed it.

Indo-Pacific

Japanese "defensive" exercises? Or is it to practice interdiction of Chinese lines of communication?

Many member of Japanese Air Force joined the joint exercises in India this time https://t.co/B9yNWaxMGq

— Dr. Satoru Nagao(長尾　賢) (@OfficerNagao) September 20, 2024

Former Environment Minister Shinjiro Koizumi is leading in support from fellow lawmakers in Japan’s ruling party leadership race, polls showed. https://t.co/1muYcneaMV

— The Japan Times (@japantimes) September 21, 2024

Koizumi, the son of a former premier (sic), is seeking to appeal to a younger generation of voters and refresh the image of the party. He has advocated for deregulation and labor market reform to give big businesses more flexibility in laying off workers — drawing criticism from other candidates.

If Koizumi wins, he may face trouble in keeping order in the LDP, which has established systems for leadership positions being held by its senior members. It has ruled Japan almost without interruption since its founding in the 1950s.

Catapult the propaganda! The admiral's tweet got me behind the Bloomberg paywall to read his neocon views. Tim Shorrock said he likely would have been Kilary's SecDef. Stavridis is probably plugging for it now.

My latest in @Bloomberg @Opinion https://t.co/oUEEYkZ82D

— Admiral James Stavridis, USN, Ret. (@stavridisj) September 20, 2024