The Fight to Save Korea: Part Two |
The Fight to Save Korea: Part Two
(Photo by YELIM LEE/AFP via Getty Images)
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China is gaining the upper hand in South Korea.
The presence of Chinese nationals in Korea has become a political issue, especially after Koreans alleged some participated in the impeachment rallies last year. Then these alleged Chinese participants were dismissed by the media. How did that happen?
And here’s something else unusual: Legislators from Minjoo, the ruling Democratic Party of Korea, have now sponsored legislation that will make it even harder to deport illegal migrants. Why would they want illegal Chinese migrants to stay in Korea?
In addition, President Lee Jae-myung’s government has effectively criminalized criticism of China as “hate speech.” At the same time, he allows protests against the U.S. He is virulently anti-American. While campaigning for Minjoo’s presidential nomination in 2021, he called American troops protecting Korea after World War II “occupying forces.” Lee, in even more explosive comments, also criticized the United States for enabling Japan’s colonial rule of Korea. (RELATED: The Fight To Save Korea: Part One)
Moon Jae-in, the previous Minjoo president, opened the door to China in South Korea. Lee Jae-myung is a more ruthless, more leftist, more China-loving, more North Korea-loving, more American-hating version of Moon. It seemed Moon saw South Korea as part of a broader Korea — in other words, a single Korean state. This suggests a free Korea is now at risk.
And so are relations between Korea and the United States. The military treaty between Washington and Seoul is the bond between two great peoples. Signed in 1953, just a few months after the Korean War armistice, the treaty is the fundamental basis of the relationship between the two countries.
Over the intervening years, the treaty has kept both Korea and the United States safe. For more than a century, American presidents have drawn their western defense perimeter off the coast of East Asia. South Korea anchors the northern end of that line. So defending Korea is defending the United States. And defending the United States is defending Korea.
Lee Jae-myung has publicly aligned himself with the U.S., but behind the scenes he has been undermining the mutual defense treaty and the broader relationship with America.
For instance, on July 21 last year, Lee’s government, potentially in violation of its Status of Forces Agreement with America, conducted a raid on Osan Air Base, which is around 40 miles south of Seoul. A Korean prosecutor allegedly entered the Missile Control and Reporting Center of the base and took away sensitive and classified American data.
The raid upset the United States. The U.S. later took control of entrances to the Osan base. This move shows that the U.S. no longer trusts the Korean government, because it is controlled by Lee and Minjoo. (RELATED: The Unjust Punishment Of Hong Kong’s Jimmy Lai)
Korea needs America more than it has in decades. China is building large steel structures in a Yellow Sea location that almost certainly violates its agreement with Seoul. And China’s fishing fleet, especially around Jeju Island, is operating in Korea’s waters, in violation of Korea’s rights. These actions look to be preludes to China grabbing control over Korea’s seas.
At the moment, China is threatening neighbors including Japan, the Philippines, Taiwan, Malaysia, Australia and India, in addition to Korea. China is lashing out. That means the world right now needs a strong Korea and a free Korea, but Lee Jae-myung is taking Korea in the other direction — toward China and North Korea.
Korea now faces its greatest test in more than half a century.