South Korean seaman killed attempting to defect

(Source - 열린공감TV, 9.28 ) Victim officially reported missing at 1251 pm Sep 21. Missed his 1200 to 1700 pm wheelhouse watch.

(Source - 열린공감TV, 9.28 ) Position of Mugungwha maritime patrol ship south of Yeonpyeong Island, at point where shoes were found on stern. Red star 2.2 km south of the smaller Yeonpyeong Island, (below the pointer), 13 km south of NLL.

(Source - 열린공감TV, 9.28 ) An unidentified fire light estimated at 10 pm, Sep 22 north of Northern Limit Line. Believed killed by North Korean gun fire while adrift in water.

Lee was a crewman on the Mugunghwa number 10, West Sea Division of Fisheries Regulation cutters, Ministry of Maritime and Fisheries Affairs. He intended to defect to North Korea. There are several circumstances pointing to this. One deck CCTV camera was inoperative on the vessel on Sept 18. Later, it was determined that the other deck camera was also inoperative. Lee left the steering house watch for unexplained reasons during early morning hours of the midwatch on September 21. At 1135 am, when shipmates noticed he didn't show for mess, they searched the ship and surrounding waters. Man overboard was reported to maritime authorities at 1251 pm. His shoes were found on the deck, stern starboard side. He was wearing a life jacket. He took another floatation device with him large enough to support his upper body above the water. Military authorities confirmed later from unspecified classified communications that Lee had indicated he intended to defect to North Korea. It was widely known by relatives and acquaintences that he was deep in gambling debts he was unable to pay, and that his wife was separated from him pending divorce.

(Source- Channel ANews Top 10 7.27)
Route of South Korean defector to North on July 19, 2020.


In Sept 2013 South Korean sentries observed a South Korean male approaching the Imjin River in an attempt to defect to North Korea. He failed to obey their commands to stop and return to the south and ran into the river. They shot him dead as he tried to cross to North Korea. On July 19, 2020, a former North Korean defector did successfully cross the Han River from Gangwha Island back into North Korea and was accused of bringing the corona virus with him by the North Koreans.

가야지 I Must Go

박범훈 곡 (Pak Beom-hun music) /김영임 노래 (Kim Yong-im lyrics)


가야지~ 가야지~~ 꽃 피고 새 울면 나는 가야지
I must go, I must go, as the flowers bloom and birds cry
산 넘고 물을 건너서 혼자 가야지
Crossing over the mountains, and crossing the waters, alone I must go
꽃이피면 꽃에서 자고 바람불면 바람에 자고
If flowers bloom, I sleep among them, when the wind blows I sleep in the wind,
머나먼 길 울며 불며 혼자 가야지
The distant path cries and calls, I must go
우리 절 부처님은 마음씨도 좋아
Our season in Buddha's spirit is good
오냐 오냐 잘가라고 나무~ 아미~ 타~불 아~~~
Come, Come and go well, Buddha bring peace to my soul

가야지~ 가야지~~ 꽃 피고 새 울면 나는 가야지~
I must go, I must go, as the flowers bloom and birds cry
산 넘고 물을 건너서 혼자 가야지~
Crossing over the mountains, and crossing the waters, alone I must go
속절없는 세상살이 소리없이 지고마는
Inevitably, life of this world, without sound, sets and finishes
꽂잎처럼 훠이~ 훠이~ 홀로 가야지~
Like the leaves of a flower, go! go! I must go
우리 절 부처님은 마음씨도 좋아
Our season in Buddha's spirit is good
오냐 오냐 잘가라고 나무~ 아미~ 타~불 아~~~
Come, Come and go well, Buddha bring peace to my soul



Saw a beautiful performance by Bohyun Seunim (monk) of I Must Go on a S.Korean interview program. Hoped to capture the essence of the song in the translation.* How does a song about death and the impermanence of life provide comfort? This is something Bohyun Seunim tried to explain in her interview. It is not dwelling on fate or as sadness, but to provide comfort. As a top musical performer with an aspiring career 27 years ago, how is that she gave up the interests of the material world for the asceticism of the temple? It was her path (My Way), After many years she returned to performing to provide comfort for charitable benefits.
* https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CJWu5EQs3_A

Abe's brother Kishi Nobuo appointed Defense Minister

The South China Morning Post covered Kishi's appointment well in their September 16 article:

"Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga’s decision on Wednesday to appoint his predecessor’s brother as defence minister sparked an immediate reaction from China over his Taiwan ties.

Nobuo Kishi, 61, is the younger sibling of former leader Shinzo Abe, although he was adopted by his maternal uncle as a baby and carries his surname.

Kishi is known for his close ties to the self-ruled island of Taiwan, having represented the ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) over the years in engagements with current Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen and other Taiwanese leaders." *

*Taiwan ties of Japan's new defence minister Nobuo Kishi spark reaction from China, SCMP, by Julian Ryall and Maria Siow, Published: 8:45pm, 16 Sep, 2020; https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3101818/taiwan-ties-japans-new-defence-minister-nobuo-kishi-sparks

( Source- 호사카유지TV youtube 9.20; photo NHK 9.15 ) Defense Minister Nobuo Kishi

Hosaka Yuji, political science professor at Sejong University in Seoul did a commentary on the appointment of Kishi as defense minister on his youtube channel September 20. Due credit to the professor as the source of the analytical interpretation loosely summarized in the next two paragraphs.

This appointment of Abe's brother suggests a balancing act by Japan's new Prime Minister Suga. Kishi is regarded as not really senior enough to be Defense Minister and may reflect Abe's continued influence in the new cabinet. Kishi is a hard liner and part of the Abe-Aso (anti-China) faction. Before Kishi's appointment there was public discussion in media that an anti-ballistic missile system wasn't enough of a deterrent to protect Japan, implying that the new cabinet might be receptive to the installation of ballistic missiles possibly in Okinawa.

( Source- 호사카유지TV youtube 9.20; photo news.livedoor.com ) Nikai Toshihiro, with Chairman Xi

Nikai Toshihiro, as the Secretary General of the Liberal Democratic Party on the other hand is said to lean toward mainland China. His retention as LDP Secretary General reflects a priority concern for the Japanese economy and a desire to encourage tourism and to maintain a positive economic relationship with mainland China. Nikai was an early supporter of Suga for the Prime Minister's office. Economic retaliation from China could be expected in the event of deployment of offensive ballistic missile systems, similar in nature to the response South Korea experienced after the US deployment of a THAAD battery allegedly directed against the North Korean threat.


Soon after Abe stepped down he visited the Yasukuni Shrine. One of the accounts said Abe visited to apologize to Japan's war dead for not completing his mission to amend the Japanese constitution to change restrictions on Japan's use of military force. The SCMP article cited above points out Kishi's ties to far right groups, and concludes with the observation that Kishi agreed "there should be debate on Japan deploying nuclear weapons." China's discomfort with Kishi's appointment is understandable. Kishi Nabusuke the maternal grandfather and model figure to Abe and his brother, was an accused war criminal, never tried, who became prime minister of Japan under US sponsorship. So the current defense minister, like his older brother, is a historical revisionist who rationalizes Japanese invasions, occupations, and crimes against humanity in East Asia during the 20th Century. This remains a source of rancor in relationships with China and other East Asian states. The latter understandably are wary of Japan's intentions.

The potential problems and risks of Japanese historical revisionism, incident to the right wing revival of Japan's imperial legacy, to coin a phrase, "to make Japan great again," is seldom acknowledged in US media.

Correction Sep 23- The original version of this article mistakenly identified Nikai Toshihiro as the Chief Cabinet Secretary when he was in fact, retained as LDP Secretary General. Katsunobu Kato, serves as new Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga's chief cabinet secretary. One of his initial concerns appears to be Chinese military operations in East Sea.*

* Japan should hold Senkaku defense drills with US, LDP says Lawmakers call for stronger presence around East China Sea islands; Nikkei Asian Review, Sep. 23, 2020; https://asia.nikkei.com/Politics/International-relations/Japan-should-hold-Senkaku-defense-drills-with-US-LDP-says

Deceased Mayor Park Won-soon- Trial by Media in South Korea

Kim Jae-ryun is the attorney spokesperson who represents the alleged victim of deceased Mayor Park Won-soon. She has accused the former mayor of indecent assault and sexual harassment against her as yet unnamed client, the mayor's former personal secretary. The client was referred to Kim Jae-ryun, after receiving mental health treatment after her alleged rape. For as yet unexplained reasons the investigation which initially focused upon unknown Mr. A from the mayor's protocol office was then turned to target the mayor.

Attorney Kim has a questionable background as a bona fide representative of women's rights and the "me too" movement in South Korea. As a former public official at the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family, Kim Jae-ryun, berated, insulted and threatened a mother whose daughter had been murdered in connection with workplace sexual harrassment. Kim's response suggests she was protecting the employer's interests against those of the wronged surviving mother. There is a witness to the meeting which occured during the prior administration. There is a recording of the conversation of the victim's mother with Kim Jae-ryun in which the latter repeatedly yells rudely, berates the mother, and then threatens her with legal action.

( Source- 열린공감TV 09.14 ) Attorney Kim Jae-ryun presents doubts and presumptions as certainties (narrator).

Kim Jae-ryun is a conservative having served as a public employee during the conservative Park Geun-hye administration. She had a role as a director in the Peace and Reconciliation Foundation which was established with funds provided under the agreement between Japan and the Park Geun-hye administration to settle the outstanding claims of the survivors of the wartime sex slaves of the Japanese Imperial Army. Survivors weren't consulted. The claims were allegedly settled for a sum equivalent to about nine million dollars. Kim's husband Ryu Je-woong, in a supervisory role at YTN News, was alleged to have edited reporting about the Park settlement to paint it in the best possible light. Ryu is also alleged to have improperly supressed a news report in 2015 implicating Samsung Chairman Lee Gon-hee in a sex scandal where there was video evidence of him engaging prostitutes. Several months later in 2016, the independent investigative journalism group Newstapa reported the Samsung Chairman's sex scandal. In another instance, Ryu allegedly chose an editorial policy of painting survivors of the victims of the Sewol Ferry Disaster during the Park Administration as gold diggers rather than grieving family members. The workers union at YTN demanded his dismissal.

( Source- 열린공감TV 09.12 ) The accuser appears friendly to the mayor at the office Christmas party. She decribed a happy fourth year Christmas at the mayor's office, and wished the mayor "man se!" on social media.

Something that hasn't been made clear during the Kim Jae-ryun press conferences during the funeral services of Mayor Park, nor in her recent public statement is that the client she represents left the deceased Mayor's office in July 2019. At that time she left a turnover file describing the duties of her office for the benefit of her successor. It is clear from her personally recorded statements in the file, that she held the mayor in the highest esteem, regarded him an honorable man, and as a three term mayor of Seoul, a figure of historic importance. Further she said it was a privilege to serve him as personal secretary, and that the smallest tasks were to be viewed in the role they played supporting the mayor's office. The record of the secretary's own words belie the accusations that "she suffered for four years" because the mayor indecently assaulted her and sexually harassed her.

( Source- 열린공감TV 09.12 ) Who is holding onto whose arm? Picture of the complainant with Mayor Park on the office hiking outing.

Beyond this, Attorney Kim's statements initially failed to make it explicitly clear that after she transferred to a different city office, in July 2019, her client accused a different city employee, Mister A, of raping her after an office party April 14, 2020 at which she had became intoxicated. Many viewers of news reports were left with the mistaken impression that the mayor was a rapist. Attorney Kim's client claims, without her consent, she was taken to a hotel room and raped by this employee from the mayor's protocol office. Apparently, after the hotel CCTV video showing their interaction in front of the hotel, authorities concluded that there was a "relationship" between the parties, and that Ms. Kim's client accompanied the alleged rapist to the hotel room willingly. Attorney Kim calls internet presentations of the video "fake news."

It is conceivable that there is a sexist element to the treatment of the April 14 case by the authorities. The CCTV video alone doesn't seem dispositive. It is evident that the female employee felt wronged by an unfair official disposition of the case. As the former secretary of the mayor, she must have felt especially wronged by the handling of the matter. According to Attorney Kim's faulty logic, there is a connection between the April 14th alleged rape incident, and the case against the mayor, because they reveal a common fundamental problem in the treatment of sexual offense matters by the Office of the Mayor. But the investigation was a police matter. Oddly, the putative victim of the mayor's unwanted actions, never timely followed the procedure for filing an official public complaint against the mayor. Legally, the impact of the April 14, 2020, incident on the state of mind of the victim actually undermines the case presented against the deceased mayor, and affords an ulterior motive to bring actions against him, directly and indirectly, in terms of the specific allegation that he had sexually assaulted and harassed her and caused her "suffering for four years."

( Source- 열린공감TV 09.14 ) An undated picture of Mayor Park at the office celebrating his birthday. The complainant initiates body contact in an overly familiar manner.

Initially, there were three separate criminal complaints filed by attorney Kim on behalf of her unnamed client. The first one alleging sexual assault against her client by the Mayor is going nowhere because the accused mayor is dead. The second suit involves so called secondary damage to her client by spreading information against her and subjecting her to threats aimed at inhibiting investigation of the her charges against the mayor. The problems with this second complaint are multiple. It is those close to the complainant who are spreading information about the victim on the internet. It is the attorney for the putative "victim" who is conducting a one sided campaign in the media. The mayor is dead, there is no material connection to the mayor in the so called secondary damages suit. There is a third cause of action against three individuals who are charged with aiding and abetting the mayor's alleged crime of sexual assault. This suit indirectly seeks to obtain compulsory process to unearth the facts related to the underlying allegations agains the mayor by investigation of the mayor's actions over the past four years, which the court has already stated it will not investigate, by alleging a cover up. In proceedings related to the third criminal complaint, a Seoul court decided July 22, that it would not issue a warrant to seize and search the mayor's hand phone because the investigators presented insufficient evidence that the mayor had committed any of the underlying crimes described against the alleged victim.

In her interview today September 14 on KBS 1 Radio, the attorney refers to an April 14th incident complaint, filed September 9th. She alleges the April matter is related to an alleged course of conduct of sexual assualt and sexual harassment by the mayor. She suggests the unfavorable dispositon of the investigation by authorities somehow suggests collusion by the mayor's office. What makes for a good conspiracy theory does not make a viable theory at law. The mayor had nothing to do with this alleged April crime, a rape which was committed by an employee of the mayor's protocol office after an office party, two months after the mayor's last known contact with the putative victim on February 6, 2020.

So it appears that the one sided publicity campaign aimed at libeling the mayor's reputation continues unimpeded in the media by the alleged victim's attorney and right wing allies in the press while the investigation stalls in the courts for lack of evidence. Reporting on the case, investigative critics have noted that Attorney Kim, does not follow the regulations provided in the Seoul City Manual for reporting sex crimes when evaluating measures not timely taken by her client before she was allegedly raped by an office worker in the unrelated April incident. Attorney Kim and her client have disclosed scant evidence of criminal wrongdoing by the deceased mayor. Further the attorney speaks in conclusory terms about accused parties and the complainant, when no judgement has ever been reached at law. In other words, the mayor is referred to as the offender instead of the accused. Likewise, she refers to her client as the injured party rather than complainant. This is not consistent with the professional practice of law in South Korea. All this leads to the conclusion that this whole venture is a political media play, rather than a legitimate search for justice.

Finally, it must be said in light of the complainant's friendly and inappropriate closeness to the Mayor and her evident infatuation with him, that the mayor may have indulged himself with her obvious affection. This is not an appropriate relationship in an office environment nor between a person in authority and a subordinate. According to the reporting cited here, the personnel of the mayor's office received ample instruction on appropriate behavior in the office in this regard. Pretending that one didn't know what was improper or how to report sexual harassment, is not credible. Yet, it appears likely, based upon the known evidence, that anything the mayor may have done with the pututive victim. which is unproven at this point, amounted to no more than unprofessional, inappropriate, or unethical behavior rather than criminal misconduct. The central premise of the complainant, that she experienced four years of suffering because of sexual assaults and sexual harassment by the mayor, based upon what one can see, is thus far, completely unsupported.

Note: the first two graphics originally posted with this story were erroneously attributed and described, so they were removed. (09.15, 1300 local)

Did South Korea's UFP conservative party lift its new name from a Nippon Kaigi slogan?

(Source- 알리미 황희두 09.08 youtube 논란 터진 '국민의힘', 발칵 뒤집혔다 )

(Source- 알리미 황희두 09.08 youtube 논란 터진 '국민의힘', 발칵 뒤집혔다 )

The new name for the Mirae Tonghap Dang / United Future Party, the conservative opposition party in S.Korea, (called Mi Tong Dong for short), has been changed to People's Power Party ( 국민의힘당 / Gukminuihim Dang), which has a possible Japanese connotation. Mi Tong Dong had a double meaning of "with America Party." Several years ago the Japan Conference, a far right organization called Nippon Kaigi, had a slogan " people's power." Many of the politicians in LDP in Japan that control the party, and the government of Japan, are members of this organization. Shinzo Abe is a member. It is so wacky to think that the South Korean conservatives adopted these words from the Nippon Kaigi slogan as their new party name, labeling themselves as pro-Japanese, which of course they are. That isn't likely to get them any more votes. More likely they wished to be identified as a "people's party," which, as the representatives of the rich and powerful special interests, they definitely are not.

(Source- 뉴스반장 , 09.08)

황조가 (Hwangjoga)-이정표 (Lee Jung-pyo)

황조가 (Hwangjopa)-이정표 (Jungpyo Lee) from KBS 바람의 나라 ost

Lee Jung-pyo is the singer/composer.

The lyrics of a poem ascribed to King Yuri ( 19 BCE- 18CE ) of the Goguryeo Kingdom ( 고구려 高句麗 ) from the three kingdoms period. The song title is Hwang Jo Ga 황조가 , Yellow Bird Song according to the Hanja explanation in naver.com. This was the theme song from the KBS historical drama Kingdom of the wind 바람의 나라 (2008). The series was a rendition of the Jumong legend. Jumong was the founder of the Goguryeo Kingdom. Yuri was the second king.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Goguryeo

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Kingdom_of_the_Winds

My translation may not do the song justice:


There fluttering oriole.
Affectionate bond
between male and female.
When a lonely feeling arises in my small body,
Who shall go together
with me?

URL for the performances by Jungpyo Lee:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=232&v=KJFpkS4fgCE&feature=emb_logo

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=giRqJTLTp6o&feature=emb_logo

Love First Church responsible for SARS-CoV-2 upsurge in South Korea

(Source- JTBC News Sep 2, uploaded youtube Sep 4) Corona 19 verified positive cases related to the Love First Church, 1117 people. Cases related to the Gwanghwamun assembly on August 15: 441. Jeon Gwang-hun, "pastor" (center) with his mask on for a change, after his release from the hospital.

In a public statement, the General Association of Korean Churches expressed support for the government's current emergency measures related to the corona virus including the temporary restriction on in church face to face worship services and encouraged churches to use online means to conduct worship services. The Christian church organization also expressed regret in its public statement that Jeon's First Love Church was supporting right wing political groups opposed to government health policies. A total of ten Christian group organizations met with President Moon in the Blue House and expressed support for the government's public health policies to address the current corona virus situation in South Korea.

Sep. 7 Update: Jeon Gwang-hun’s bail has been canceled YTN News just reported in a news bulletin. This has been confirmed by the Seoul Central District Prosecutor’s Office. It is expected he will be taken into custody by police and go back to jail today.

South Korean Far Right Extremists Plan Another Illegal Public Assembly

Promotional image for October 3, "freedom right faction" assembly "Again" 10.3, at 1400. Travel carrier logistics for attendees, and "amp" teams separately; speakers prepare. "hand phone off."


After the illegal political assemblies in Seoul on National Liberation Day, August 15, several of the organizers tested positive for sars-cov2 infection. The mass gatherings resulted in a resurgence of the corona virus throughout South Korea. There are over a thousand confirmed cases of sars-cov2 among members of the Love First Church. Despite the church's efforts to thwart public authorities ability to track their members movements, at least 399 members were confirmed to have been present at the Gwanghwamun demonstrations on August 15. The leader of this church, the demagogue Jeon Gwang-hun, has also tested positive. His attendance at the public assembly was a violation of his terms of probation. He also violated the public assembly restrictions imposed by the city of Seoul as an emergency public health measure. Jeon violated a 14 day quaratine period when members of his congregation with whom he had contact were tested positive for the virus in the period immediately before the August 15 assembly. Jeon's church allegedly concealed membership and advised members on ways to avoid public health investigations, also unlawful in South Korea. Jeon was hospitalized temporarily after August 15, and has attended public press conferences since. The question on everyone's mind is why is this individual who is threat to the public health and safety of South Korea not back in jail where he belongs?

Instead he and his right wing allies in other extremist groups have planned more demonstrations on October 3, again in downtown Seoul, in violation of the city's emergency prohibition of public gatherings of more than ten people. Before the August 15 demostration, lawyers for these groups, obtained judicial permission for public assembly despite city health measures prohibiting them. The lawyers obtained approval by representing that not more than 100 persons were expected to attend. This was a fraud on the court. To date there are no reports of any sanctions being taken against the lawyers or petitioners who committed this fraud. There is widespread public criticism of the judge who let Jeon Gwang-hun out on bail pending trial. Also the judge who permitted the demonstations to go forward in mid August has been pilloried in public media. There are calls for impeachment of both.

The scheduled unlawful demonstration for October 3, National Foundation Day, is a demonstration calling for the release of former Park Geun-hye from prison, and the impeachment of current president Moon Jae-in. It is clear that the intent of the far right is to continue the effort to undermine the Moon administration by spreading the sars-cov2 epidemic throughout South Korea.

Recently, a South Korean judge ruled in response to petitions filed by churches to overturn the current emergency measure prohibiting in person attendance at church worship services, that current government restrictions did not improperly interfere with freedom of religion. In light of the current sars-cov2 situation, and the widespread familiarity among many church members with remote attendance of religious services possible online, the temporary interest in public health outweighed the concern for the right to religious freedom. This decision, the public uproar with the August 15 unlawful assembly, and the associated resurgence of the corona virus that demonstration aggravated, renders unlikely the possibility that applications to overturn the city prohibition on public assemblies will be approved again.

The August 15 demonstrations were estimated as being about 20,000 persons in size. As many as 35,000 persons might be expected at the October 3 National Foundation Day demonstration. While large enough to generate another public health crisis for the current administration, assemblies of this size are small by Seoul standards accustomed to crowds of hundreds of thousands. The relative small size of the August 15 demonstrations indicates the relative lack of public support for public health violations in the midst of an epidemic. The lack of public support for conservatives in South Korea is why they lost the general elections on April 15. None of their extremist unorthodox tactics have succeeded in restoring their lack of public credibility. Consequently, very few United Future Party conservative politicians have openly supported the demonstrations during the pandemic.

Jeon portrays himself as a religious martyr, with a sacred vision. As such, he says, he is indifferent to the voluminous public criticism of his crusade to rid South Korea of President Moon Jae-in. He suggests that his actions will be viewed favorably in the history books and in heaven, even thousands of years from now. Clearly, he is a megalomaniac. He will be remembered in the same way that the traitors of Eulsa are remembered.

Doctors Strike in South Korea During Pandemic

(Source- 열린공감TV youtube, 8.31) 터졌다! 의사 파업 진짜 이유! 돈 받아먹었다! Disclosed, the real reason for the strike! We took the money.


The current strike by medical residents and doctors in South Korea during the resurgence of the corona virus epidemic statewide is the latest in bizarre opposition tactics by the far right in South Korea. The true nature of the strike and the reasons for it are misrepresented in conservative media in South Korea and the US. Articles such as the one below by Reuters fail to include the history or political context of this otherwise implausible strike and the unreasonable refusal of leaders of Korean medical organizations to suspend the strike during negotiations with the government:

SEOUL (Reuters) - South Korea ordered doctors in the Seoul area to return to work on Wednesday as they began a three-day strike in protest of several government proposals, including one to boost the number of doctors to deal with health crises like the coronavirus...


...The strikes come as South Korea battles one of its worst outbreaks of the coronavirus, with 320 new cases reported in the 24 hours to midnight Tuesday, the latest in more than a week and a half of triple-digit increases.

The walkouts on Wednesday forced South Korea’s five major general hospitals to limit their hours and delay scheduled surgeries, Yonhap news agency reported.*

*South Korea orders striking doctors back to work amid surge in coronavirus cases: Sangmi Cha, Josh Smith, August 25;
https://www.reuters.com/article/us-health-coronavirus-southkorea/south-korea-orders-striking-doctors-back-to-work-amid-surge-in-coronavirus-cases-idUSKBN25M048


There are obviously stressful conditions on residents and other doctors working in clinics and hospitals throughout South Korea as a resurgence in corona virus infections prompted largely by deliberately non-compliant churches, in particular the so called Love First Church led by far right demagogue, Jeon Gwang-hun. Government indemnity claims against Jeon now total 20 billion won for costs of patient treatment and public health measures. However, the stated grievances for the medical strike adversely affecting medical services in South Korea now, particularly at larger hospitals, are largely opportunistic and pretextual. The health reforms proposed to be implemented by the Moon Jae-in administration have been in the works since medical studies on the deficiencies in the national health system began in 2013. Studies by the Seoul National University medical school, in 2013 and 2015 during the conservative Park-hye administration recommended virtually the same policy measures the Moon administration now proposes to implement.

(Source- 열린공감TV youtube, 8.31) "Because doctor's livelihoods are being made impossible..."

The measures from the current administration aim at creation of a state medical college and a substantial expansion in the number of medical school graduates by four thousand doctors over a ten year period. The expansion in the number of doctors is directed at alleviating a serious shortage of health care providers in the countryside as opposed to large cities. Medical students attending the state medical training program would be required to provide medical services in the countryside for ten years. It is said that newly licensed doctors have no desire to move to more rural venues to provide health care because of the lack of "career development." Critics of the medical strike by residents and doctors in South Korea during the resurgence of the corona virus say the providers are acting as a special interest just "protecting their rice bowl." However the timing of the strike in current public health emergency circumstances in the face of a resurgence of the SARS-CoV-2 epidemic is extremely suspect. The real goal is a cynical political desire to bring down the Moon administration by allowing the current resurgence in the SARS-CoV-2 epidemic to spread across South Korea.


The strike is being carried out as a political vendetta against the reform minded democratic administration of Moon Jae-in. According to one investigative news source, a substantial number of senior physicians, and University medical doctors responsible for the education and training of the residents, and other providers have been under investigation by the police, for violations of anti corruption laws which prohibit receiving gifts, rebates, or other unlawful compensation from drug companies aimed at promoting sales by illegal means. The scope of the investigation is large, and has already found tens of millions of dollars in unlawful compensation, rebates, gifts and other favors from pharmaceutical companies paid to medical providers since 2016.

(Source: Media:gate News, 3.23.18) 최대집 Choe Tae-jib, the current President of the Korean Medical Association, conservative activist linked to the Taeguki movement in the past. Choi once said he would risk imprisonment to bring down "Moon Jae-in care." The Korean Medical Association and the Association of Medical Residents left the table and went back on strike, despite achieving an agreement in which proposed measures would be suspended and subject to further negotiations until the current pandemic outbreak abated and public health conditions stabilized.

Among the prohibited practices are pharmaceutical companies paying physicians' medical study abroad; attendance at conferences abroad with all expenses paid; cash rebates; paying active hospital providers and clinicians to represent the companies abroad; golf tourneys, expensive dinners, etc. Hospital administrators, pharmacists, drug company salesman, drug wholesalers, and importers, are also subject to the "Sunshine Act." Potential criminal penalties are two years in prison, a 30 million won fine, and one year suspension of medical license. The proceeds of corrupt rebates and other illegal compensation from drug companies can also be seized by the government. Apart from encouraging this strike, targeted providers have procured high priced legal representation to stall the investigations as long as possible either to exceed the statute of limitations or wait until the current administration is replaced in 2022. If a right wing administration came to power these cases would likely disappear. It is anticipated that a resurgence of the epidemic in South Korea would have an adverse affect on the fortunes of the incumbent democratic party.

So the current government is labeled as "fascist" by the medical community because of pending police investigation into their widespread corruption. Apparently the Korean Medical Association views extensive record keeping requirments and investigations to eliminate medical corruption as "totalitarian." Beyond that, promoting a public medical university education to produce additional doctors with a view toward terms of service in the countryside is regarded as "communism."

(Source- 열린공감TV youtube, 8.31) So the citizens are unaware of the matter (at hand), the professionals cover it up. Picture shows Korean Medical Association President, Choe Thae-jib smashing his head on the podium in the negotiation conference room.

Senior doctors are not openly encouraging the strike, but their organizations left the negotiating table saying the government "couldn't be trusted." Choe Tae-jib, ( 최대집 ) the President of the Korean Medical Association, said when he was running for that office that he would do everything he could including the most extreme tactics like a general strike, no matter what the sacrifices were to bring down "Moon Jae-in care." In other words his admitted objective is to destroy the current health care system in South Korea, which had been so successful until just recently in protecting public health in South Korea. Choe Tae-jib, has a known right wing resume, having supported the far right Taeguki movement and being active in other conservative movements for years.*

* 의협회장 당선자 최대집은 누구…"문재인 케어 저지, 민노총 수준 강한 투쟁" Medi:Gate News, 8.03.23 20:11최종 업데이트 18.03.24 09:45;
http://www.medigatenews.com/news/2109458116

Much like the scholar strikes and demonstrations outside the palace gates, which would immobilize the old Chosun dynasty in contentious times, there are always actors behind the scenes motivating their subordinates to carry out the actions to paralyze the government. Poisoning the well is an old Korean political strategy sure to serve as an evil omen to spread public fear and weaken, if not overthrow the presiding ruler. After the intentional infliction of the second wave of corona virus epidemic on South Korea by right wing fundamentalist demagogues intentionally violating public health rules, the general medical strike is the follow up punch choreographed by the right wing medical doctors and their sponsors unwilling to submit to the rule of law under a freely elected democratic government.

Update Sept. 4:
Today it was reported that Dr. Choe, as the head of the KMA, signed an agreement with the Korean Health and Welfare Department after conducting negotiations with a representative from the Democratic Party in the National Assembly. The Residents Association disagrees with him having conducted an agreement without first checking with the residents' organization, and criticized the move as a betrayal of his office. One of the pertinent objections is that Choe agreed to leave the issues of the establishment of a state hospital to train doctors for public service and the expansion of the numbers of doctors to be produced by the medical education system in South Korea in abeyance during the upsurge in Sars 2 Cov cases rather than obtaining a complete rejection of those proposals. In other words the issues are still subject to resumption of negotiations. It is questionable whether and how many doctors and residents will comply with the agreement that calls for them to return to their clinical duties serving the public in hospitals and clinics around South Korea. One report stated categorically that approximately 700 providers refused to return to work in Taegu.

It is believed that Choe compromised with the government because of the overwhelming public criticism of the medical community for abandoning their posts during a national emergency. Many residents seem to be impervious to the public reaction.