From: jfe@alchemy.tn.cornell.edu (Brian Chung)
Subject: Re: <Why I was in army) Re: Service in Korea
Organization: Alchemy International
Date: Thu, 19 Nov 1992 22:48:39 GMT

In article <Nov.19.17.18.39.1992.12999@gandalf.rutgers.edu> junglee@gandalf.rutgers.edu (Jung S. Lee) writes:
>jfe@alchemy.tn.cornell.edu (Brian Chung) writes;
>
>First, before I get into the Korean military system, I would like to point
>out that Korea had been invaded over 1000 times(my wild guess based on
>what I learned in the high school) over 500 years(?) in her history.
>Strong military power matters inkeeping others from making stupid
>decisions.

	Save your history lessons.  I am fully aware of Korean history.
And yes, I've been taught how Korea has been invaded gazillion times in
her history, too.  So stop being so bloody condescending, you really have
no idea who I am.

	Strong military power mattered in keeping others from making stupid
decisions, yes, I agree.  But the world is changing.  As I've been pointing
out again and again, I do not believe that strong military power is the
only necessary condition to peace.  Strong economic power, superior technology
matters a lot more.
>
>Second, how longer do you or we want Korea depend on America for
>helping us defend from North Korea? We must to have our own people
>defending ourselves without relying on others.

	Hmm..okay, let me see here.  Right now, with the mandatory military
service, we still need American troops to defend our country.  You want to
be self-sufficient in defense.  Ergo, we should increase our military spending
and have an even larger standing army?  

	But that's not really the point that I'm interested in.  As I said,
with a superior technology and economic power to back up the army, we can
have a smaller, yet more efficient military.  It's time to change.
>
>>	It sure is the time to change the Korean military system.  If you
>>are going to go around being paranoid about every single neighbour, 
>
>This sounds to me that you don't know anything about Korean history.
>Korea had been invaded by either Japan or China up to Japanese colony
>periord.  There was short period of peace time but if you study for
>Korean history exam, you will be darn confused to memorize which
>invaded when.  Well, you can say that is just history but to people
>who went through a war, that is unforgettable tragic period of their
>lives, which they hell don't want to repeat for them and their next
>generations. 

	Condescension.  That's all I get out of these pro-military people.
Listen, I studied Korean history as much as any Korean college student.
And I'm fully aware of how vulnerable we have been in the past.  But seriously,
why don't you tell me what the chance of Japan invading our country is.  Or
Russia coming down on us?  Or China?  I fully understand that there is
some kind of generational learning process here.  Those who went through the
Korean War have a different set of mentality from those who didn't, just like
the WWII generation has a different set of mentality from the Vietnam 
generation and from the Reagan generation.  I see two choices.  We can
either choose to adapt to the new international climate, or we can choose
to stick with the old ways.  To me, the Cold War is over.  Today's wars are
not the same as those of yesterday's.  I choose to change.
>
>To me, your logics is of a 13 years of kid. Face the reality. No one
>will leave you alone because you are no harm to them. They will take
>advantage of you and intimidate you unless all on the earth agree not
>to(I wish it comes true some day). All I am saying is that we have the
>military to defend us from others, not to offend others. If necessary,
>we should spend some more our tax to defend from China or any other
>country. The war should be avoided by any mean.

	To me, your logic is that of a Cold War warrior who just cannot
face the reality that the communism is dead and we are entering a new era.
(How's that for a comeback?)  So, why is that nobody intimidates Japan and
Germany?  It certainly isn't their military strength.  What's even worse,
you actually propose increasing military spending to defend from China?
Here is a better plan.  Increase our foreign aid and foreign investment
in China.  Help China stabilize economy.  A stable country has no reason
to invade any country.  And with this plan, we actually get something
besides peace; we get a huge market.
>
>Now, let me talk about the Korean military system. I agree with you on
>this. It's about time to change it. It's making too much noisy. Some
>rich people get away with it, others don't have no choice. IMHO,
>serving in the military is one of the highest honor one can achieve in
>his life. Many of you pobably agree with me that making decision to
>serve in the military for 2.5 years is very difficult when you have
>right to choose. Ones who believe in defending their country from
>others will serve in military voluntarily. Others can contribute in
>other ways. I am not criticizing ones who don't want to serve. I am
>saying ones who served or serving inmilitary deserve their respect
>from others in the society although this isn't the case in Korea......

	You have my respect for helping to defend our country in times
of crisis.  But please, your time is over.  It's time for us, the younger
generation to take your place.  It's time to change.
>
>Jung S. Lee			junglee@gandalf.rutgers.edu
>				junglee@rucs-admin.rutgers.edu


-- 
T. H. Brian Chung                      | Happiness is...              
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