#south korean politics

[allthebrazilianpolitics]

Brazil and South Korea discuss tariff cuts for grapes and strawberries

Senior officials have held bilateral talks in Seoul aimed at boosting agribusiness trade between the two countries

Table grapes from Brazil could soon be granted tariff-free access to the South Korean market, with import duties on strawberries shipped from South Korea to Brazil also removed, after representatives from the two countries met to discuss potential ways to bolster bilateral trade relations.

Brazil’s Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock (Mapa) said it had made “significant progress” on the topic of agribusiness exports to the Asian country during a mission last week in Seoul.

“This mission further strengthened the commercial ties and cooperation between Brazil and South Korea,” said Mapa’s Secretary of Trade and International Relations, Roberto Perosa.

Continue reading.

[mysmorgasbordoffantabulosa]

I'm not sure if it will pass, but it shows there is a growing movement in SK to expand LGBTQ+ rights.

[whatisonthemoon]

On the Unification Church in Japan and its political (KCIA) origins

Excerpted from the FAR EASTERN ECONOMIC REVIEW, pp. 19–22 - an article by John Roberts

In Japan...The Unification Church is known variously as SEKAI TOITSU KYOKAI, TOITSU GENRI, OR GENRI UNDO, with numerous variations. The main adjuncts or manifestations of the Church are the KOKUSAI SHOKYO RENGO (International Federation for Victory over Communism of IFFVOC), which is essentially the Japanese chapter or counterpart of the World Anticommunist League/Asian People’s Anticommunist League (WACL/APACL): and the Genri Group under which various student activities are conducted.

In a top position is Professor Juitsu Kitaoka, a leader of the United Nations Association and member of several pro-American rightist organizations. He is described as a violent anti-communist advocating rearmament...Kitaoka is a long-time associate of Dr. Tetsuzo Watanabe, a former film tycoon whose ideas are no less violent.

Organiser of the APACL in Japan, Watanabe became international president of the WACL/APACL, the IFFVOC’s alter ego. Watanabe was closely connected with US Army intelligence and maintained relations with prominent McCarthyites in the U.S.

GENRI leaders, by their own admission, have been collaborating with the KCIA, and their movement worked in alliance with other organizations, notably the centrist SOKA GAKKAI and ultranationalist groups such as underworld boss Yoshio Kodama’s Youth Thought Study Society, and of course the IFFVOC, established jointly by Moon and gambling czar Ryoichi Sasakawa in 1967...Later, however, under president Sasakawa, a more presentable line-up of complaisant politicians, businessmen and scholars was mustered.

The IFFVOC was based originally on Sasakawa’s Federation of Motorboat Racing Associations...It appears that the IFFVOC serves Sasakawa as a private police force for his motor-boat courses...Sasakawa’s remarks indicate that he considers it as patriotic militia in reserve for political crises, similar to Hitler’s brownshirts and the uniformed militarist party that Sasakawa, a self-proclaimed fascist, organised during the 1930s.

...the Moon Machine established the World Peace Academy (WPA) in South Korea, Taiwan, and Japan. The Japan Chapter, set up in 1974, is reported to include among its consultants James Stewart of the Asia Foundation (an old CIA front) and Masahide Kanayama, a paid lobbyist of the South Korean Government and allegedly of the KCIA. One of the WPA’s activities is the International Congress for World Peace, to be held in Japan this summer under the co-sponsorship of the International Cultural Foundation, another Moon front. The WPA seems to have enlisted the active support or participation of the potent Japan Federation of Employers Associations, the Japan Productivity Centre, the Nomura Research Institute and the Mitsubishi Research Institute in its National Goals project for the study of Japan’s strategy in the 1980s.

The Moon Machine in Japan operates a...trading firm known as TOITSU SANGYO (Unification Industries) which raised eyebrows several years ago by importing several hundred shotguns and powerful air rifles manufactured by the Reverend Moon’s munitions factories in South Korea which assemble M‑16 rifles on a knockdown basis under US license and manufacture parts for the same weapons. Significantly, the shotguns and air rifles mentioned above were imported for the militant IFFVOC...

The picture is admittedly no more than an out-of-focus snapshot of the tip of the iceberg. Some of the Japan connections have been revealed or hinted at in the Koreagate investigations, but so far there has been no general expose...However, it has been reported that 200 Japanese right-wing politicians receive financial support from the Unification Church and its affiliates, or directly from the KCIA. This may be an understatement since at least 2,000 prominent Japanese politicians, businessmen and scholars as well as underworld bosses lend their support to Moon’s movement.

It may be recalled that Kishi, once a key figure in General Tojo’s World War II cabinet, became one of the most passionate spokesmen for Dr. Frank Buchman’s MORAL REARMAMENT (MRA) in the 1950s and 1960s. The striking similarities between the moral precepts and secular programmes of MRA and Moon’s church is of interest here because the latter was born as an international movement at the very time when MRA was swiftly declining in Japan. Following the upheaval over the Security Treaty in 1960, which forced his resignation as prime minister, Kishi declared with characteristic hyperbole: “But for MORAL REARMAMENT, Japan would be under communist control today.” Curiously, little heard about MRA after the early 1960s. Instead, there was much bombast about the Asian People’s Anticommunist League, in which Kishi played the same role as elder statesman and spokesman. There are reports that in 1959 or thereabouts Moon played go-between for an alliance between the MRA leadership and the APACL. When the World Anticommunist League and IFFVOC were formed in late 1966 and 1967 respectively, Kishi again came to the fore...

Revelations of the Fraser and Jaworski committees somehow stopped to exposing well-documented Korean depredations in Japan. Perhaps for diplomatic reasons, the US Government preferred to confine its investigation to events that occurred in the US, ignoring the fact that the Korean scandal is trilateral, with operations that involve and affect all three countries.

Also conspicuously absent from the investigation is evidence linking the CIA with the KCIA, its creation, and its grandchild, the Unification Church.

In court of law, the existence of such a link could not be proved but clues are everywhere. One of them is a series of documents (Supplement to Part 4) submitted in the March 1968 hearings of the Zablocki Committee. The concern a William A. Curtin Jr. and the Korean Freedom and Cultural Foundation. Curtin, an Army intelligence colonel, had been attached to the office of the Secretary of Defense. In 1959–60, he served a tour as adviser to the South Korean Army. In September 1960, he made a brief official trip to Japan and South Korea “where he met various ranking Korean government officials.”

His activities until his retirement in 1962 are not specified, but thereafter he devoted his time conning prominent Americans into lending their names or financial suport to the non-existent Korean Cultural and Freedom Foundation (KCFF). This was nominally to promote friendly relations between the two countries in commemoration of the Korean War, but in practice it was used to raise funds for propaganda, suborning of American politicians and funding KCIA operations in Japan and Korea as well as the U.S., according to Department of Justice reports.

The foundation was formally registered in 1964 by Curtain (vice-president) and two American dummy directors. Astonishingly, the two honorary predsidents were REAL presidents — Harry Truman and Dwight Eisenhower — and the KCCF president was Admiral Arleigh Burke of World War II fame.

The honorary chairman of KCFF was Kim Jong Pil, founder of the KCIA who used the Unification Church as his tool. Serving as vice-presidents were Dr. Yang Yu Chan, ROK ambassador to Washington, and (later) Pak Bo Hi, the Reverend Moon’s right-hand man. The board of directors and advisory board — more than 100 persons in all — is a veritable roster of the American political and financial elite. How Curtin, reported by the FBI to be a dipsomaniac and a sick man (he died in 1965), could have assembled such a brilliant array of supporters is puzzling indeed. Probably, the dignataries did not inquire too deeply into the affairs of the organization whose overt activities included the promotion of the Little Angels of Korea choral group and financial support for the APACL Freedom Centre (APACLFC) in Seoul, Korea, which was also a client of Asia Foundation...

Another project of KCFF was Radio of Free Asia (ROFA), established in 1966 with General Dwight Eisenhower, Admiral Burke, and Ambassador Chang as honorary heads and Pak Bo Hi as executive director. On the advisory council were six senators, 12 congressmen and eight state governors as well as Richard Nixon and Ed Sullivan. ROFA raised political funds for dubious destinations and beamed pro-American propaganda to Asia during the Vietnam War. The US Department of Justice heard many complaints about ROFA...and in 1971 showed signs of investigating it on suspicion of violating the Foreign Registration Act and abusing its privileges as a tax-free foundation.

Through divine providence or other means, Pak Bo Hi secured the legal services of Robert Amory Jr., former deputy director of the CIA and a law partner of Thomas G. Corcoran, an adviser to the CIA and a prominent lobbyist for the ROK and Taiwan. The Justice Department dropped the investigation like a radioactive potato, and the KCFF and ROFA continued their work for the KCIA unmolested until the Koreagate investigation brought them out into the shrivelling glare of public opinion.

These revelations do not tell us who or what is behind the Moon Machine’s brash operations in Japan. However, the Fraser Committee in Washington has been under increasing pressure from some quarters to investigate not only the US angle but also corrupt US-Tokyo-Seoul connections.

Related links below

Yasue Erikawa: An Often Unrecognized Asset

The Imperial Ghost in the Neoliberal Machine (Figuring the CIA) by Koichiro Osaka

On the Unification Church Inheriting the Moral Re-Armament Movement’s Role (and Resources on the MRA)

A Japanese Import Breaking through in Korea - Yasue Erikawa in a FFWPU (UC) publication in November 2009 about working in South Korea. Erikawa on Kook Jin, “"Kook-jin nim is very spiritual, and at the same time, very intelligent. Whom could I introduce to him? It was so difficult to think of a person who could interact with and work with Kook-jin nim…“

“Japanese Bridgehead” - on how the UC gained power in and through Japan

The IFVOC in Japan, and the UC’s Presence in Okinawa

CIA’s Front Organizations: Unification Church And WACL

The CIA in Japan After WWII

On the Unification Church in Japan - excerpted from Moonwebs

IFVOC’s Founding (According to the UC)

On the 1962 Reorganization of the Unification Church as a Political Tool of Japan, South Korea, and USA

The CAUSA Kingdom

The Unification Church and KCIA: Some Notes on Bud Han, Steve Kim, and Bo Hi Pak

[alterbunker]

Before you talk shit on the 4B or korean feminists, educate yourselves from korean women themselves

[read-marx-and-lenin]

A new DPRK News Room documentary after many years! Just as good as their others. I recommend giving it a watch to learn about the ongoing US military occupation of South Korea and the collaboration of the ROK government.

[memento-mariii]

There's something I find hilarious about this perjorative korean incels (and honestly just about any korean website whose userbase tend to lean male; the incel problem is depressingly widespread and normalized here) use for non-misogynist men, "스윗남 (pronounced "sweet-nam")", that translates literally to "Sweet Man".

Like, that's just objectively not a bad thing to be??? Sorry that guys who actually respect women and have actual personalities get more pussy than you, bro. Maybe if you were a better person you'd get laid more.

It's just so embarrassingly obvious that they're just seething in jealousy 😂

EDIT: a TERF reblogged this so here's a reminder that trans women are women, trans men are men, and punching down at a group of fellow marginalized people who are *also* oppressed by the cisheteropatriarchal gender roles will not free us from the patriarchy.

[nando161mando]

Murika

[ameliafuckinjones]

I have such a strong repulsion toward American men as a whole right now that the very thought of them disgusts me, literally makes my skin crawl. And this is the last thing I'll say about this election.

[tinyreviews]

Tiny Review: Hijack 1971. Character-driven disaster flick.

Popular reviews are mixed on this. But I enjoyed it. Drifting from beat to beat at times. Historical, allegorical, good contrasts, character-driven, hits a lot of the notes of a good story imo.

Hijack 1971 is a 2024 South Korean disaster film written by Kim Kyeong-chan and directed by Kim Seong-han, starring Ha Jung-woo, Yeo Jin-goo, Sung Dong-il and Chae Soo-bin. 

[troythecatfish]

[allthebrazilianpolitics]

South Korea and Brazil developing space rocket industry; first launch next month

A South Korean space startup for small launch vehicles, Innospace has signed a commercial contract to launch a Brazilian military payload, a symbolic win for the burgeoning space exploration industry from the Asian country.

Under the contract signed with the Brazilian Department of Aerospace Science and Technology (DCTA), Innospace will conduct its first suborbital test flight of HANBIT-TLV to carry an inertial navigation system called SISNAV for the Brazilian Air Force at the Alcantara Launch Center in Brazil in December this year.

Precisely during the first week of November, a break bulk operation was carried out to unload rocket parts, a cargo that had never been seen in the Port of Santos. About 15 professionals from the DP World terminal assisted in the unloading of the cargo, which was hoisted from the ship.

The goods arrived in Brazil on November 3rd on Hyundai Grace, owned by Hyundai, weighing more than 100 tons. It was placed in flat rack containers (specific containers for overweight loads). The freight contained launch pad parts, toolkits, lifting structures, and vehicles.

Continue reading.

[workersolidarity]

🇺🇲🇰🇷 🚨 ✈️💥AMERICAN F-16 FIGHTER JET CRASHES IN SOUTH KOREA DURING TRAINING EXERCISE 💥

A U.S. F-16 Fighter is alleged to have crashed during a training exercise in the west of South Korea, Yonhap News Agency reported Monday.

According to the report, a fighter jet belonging to the U.S. Forces, Korea (USFK) crashed Monday morning somewhere near the Kunsan Air Base in Gunsan, about 180km (112mi) south of the South Korean capital, Seoul during a training exercise.

No casualties were reported.

#source

@WorkerSolidarityNews

[whatisonthemoon]

Excerpt

An estimated 25,000 union members took part in the rally in downtown Seoul, causing massive traffic congestion and leading to some 80 noise complaints being filed with the police.

The union falls under the umbrella Korean Confederation of Trade Unions (KCTU).

"Our Constitution guarantees the freedom of assembly and demonstration, and as president, I, too, have respected this," Yoon said.

"However, guaranteeing the freedom of assembly and demonstration does not mean infringements on another person's freedoms and basic rights, or acts disturbing the public order, are justified."

Yoon said the previous administration effectively abandoned its law enforcement duties with regard to illegal rallies and demonstrations, leading to intolerable levels of inconvenience for the people.

"It will be difficult for the people to tolerate the actions of the KCTU during the rally that infringed on people's freedoms and basic rights, and disturbed the public order," he said. "Our government will not neglect or tolerate any form of illegal action."

Related links and notes

South Korean Government Program to Import Filipina Maids - May 2023

Korea: union offices raided - January 2023

The Korean Confederation of Trade Unions (KCTU) had their offices raided twice this week, by the National Intelligence Service (NIS), alleging that members of KCTU violated the National Security Act.

No Letup in Strikes as KCTU Mobilizes - June 2003

The KCTU also held rallies in 18 regions all over the country, demanding the abolition of the National Education Information System (NEIS). The Korean Public Officials Union’s 500 members also held a rally at Jongmyo Park, demanding three labor rights—to organize, negotiate and to take group action.

The 25,000 day and night-shift employees of the Hyundai Motor Company Union each held a four-hour strike. They plan to hold another six-hour strike and to refuse overtime work for two hours on June 26.

The Ministry of Labor said that the two-day strike is predicted to cause a total of W73.6 billion in losses for Hyundai Motors. A Kia Motor factory in Hwaseong will suffer from W1.2 billion in losses, and Ssangyong Motor will suffer a W3 billion loss, for a total of W88 billion in damage to the three firms, the ministry said.

Furthermore, this strike is expected to affect large-scale manufacturers such as Doosan Heavy Industry, Tongil Heavy Industry, Hanjin Heavy Industry, and Hyundai Samho Heavy Industries. The labor unions of most of the companies are to participate in another KCTU general strike on July 2, which could sink the firms’ export plans.

Union Is Ensuring Its Own Demise - January 5, 2003

Workers of Tongil Heavy Industries Co. and Kohap Corporations, which are under court receivership and a debt restructuring program, respectively, are on strike, demanding pay raises and protesting restructuring.

Tongil/S&T?

Tongil was well known for its militant labor union, which led Choi to hesitate about an acquisition at first.

South Korea: More than 100 Trade Unionists Detained - October 2, 1998

Even in South Korea, Few Know Extent of Rev. Moon’s Empire (1988)

Kishida continues shallow MRA-style apologies for war crimes Catholic mass in South Korea demanding President Yoon to resign for “selling out Korea to Japan” The Imperial Ghost in the Neoliberal Machine (Figuring the CIA) - Koichiro Osaka

[without-ado]

2024 South Korea's 22nd General Election

Update:

SEOUL, April 11 (Reuters) - South Korea's liberal opposition parties scored a landslide victory in a parliamentary election held on Wednesday, dealing a resounding blow to President Yoon Suk Yeol and his conservative party but likely falling just short of a super majority. more at Reuters

Pan-Opposition won 189 seats out of 300: Democracy party & its satellite party 175 l the Rebuilding Korea Party(leader: Cho Kuk) 12 l New Future 1 l Progressive Party 1

______________

SEOUL, April 10 (Reuters) - South Korea's main opposition Democratic Party and its allies were projected to retain a majority by winning up to 197 seats in Wednesday's elections for the single-chamber, 300-seat legislature, an exit poll conducted jointly by three television networks showed.

According to the exit polls, Democratic Party(blue) is expected to win an overwhelming victory for the election;

민주당 압승 예상 l 조국혁신당 12-14 예상(비례)

[nine-frames]

"Your banquet is over."

더킹 (Deoking / The King), 2017.

Dir. & Writ. Han Jae-rim | DOP Woo-hyung Kim

[metanarrates]

I only know the rudimentary basics of japanese imperialism in south korea but i am finding the way the novel handles it interesting 👍 orv clearly is a novel very interested in and concerned with the history of its country, and I like how frequently korean historical figures and conflicts show up in the text, since it does push me to learn a lot more about a culture and history I've never known much about. I'm curious how this stuff ends up reading to korean readers - is it a normal and even inspiring level of national pride, or does it end up reading as a little nationalistic? given sk's history of facing horrifically violent imperialism, I really would understand a novel writer's urge to invoke a sense of pride and importance in their country's historical figures, but idk enough to say much one way or the other