Kirk on Korean Economic Stress
Donald Kirk’s assertion (“Economic Stress Makes the Heart Grow Fonder of Authoritarianism,” Opinion, Nov. 30) that Korea needs and wants the authoritarianism of yesteryear proves to be a reductive approach at forecasting the future governing process of the Republic of Korea. Kirk expresses, while simultaneously casting an ironic overtone, a yearning for more authoritarian ways and he seems to think that this is our only chance for economic revival.
Furthermore, by making light of our democratization process, calling it an “overlay of an old system,” he presumes that since we are not “perfect” now, we never will be.
He says, “There is always the risk, as the economy worsens .J.J., that generals in the name of patriotism. .J.J. impose some law and order.” The Korean people deserve more credit than this. We would never accept such a takeover, nor do we secretly hope, as some sort of masochistic desire, that such would occur for our own good. Has Kirk been blind to the recent social reforms that are indeed authentic means of “correcting the wrongs of history”?
The most preposterous of Kirk’s claims is that Korea is a “reluctant participant” in the four-party talks. The talks (jointly proposed by President Kim Young Sam and President Clinton), aimed at establishing a peace mechanism that would pave the way for reunification of the peninsula, are exactly what the Republic of Korea and its people want and we have been making every effort to see that such talks are realized.
CHANG KEE SUNG
Information Attache
Korean Consulate General
Los Angeles
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