One day prior to 2006 Election in the U.S., and one day after Saddam Hussein got sentenced to death by hanging, this morning the climate in Seoul was dropped down to around 3~4℃, a huge change only within a few hours of time. One of my friends who live just outskirt of Seoul sent a text message through cell phone this morning to welcome the first snow of the year, which wasn’t actually happening in the city I live. Indeed, the winter has arrived.
How are you? I am sure the weather change there won’t be as dramatic as the one here, but since the whole northern hemisphere now turns into the opposite side from the sun, it’s probably a good idea to prepare a scarf, gloves, and some of usual winter gears, oh, not to mention your umbrella.
North Korea’s nuke issue seemed to be relatively sunk below the surface, well at least for now since the Bush administration is so busy with defending itself for the coming election. The polls indicate, according to the New York Times, democrats will overweigh the republicans, which seems rather predictable even for me. The current administration has provided enough reasons for people to be against; suspension of Habeas corpus during “war on terror,” which led the U.S. to violate some fundamental concepts of human rights and eventually deprive its persuasiveness when it denounced the human rights violation in the North Korea; abyss created by the U.S. military involvement in Middle East; accordingly increasing American casualties, not to mention the casualties of the indigenous; substantially neglecting the nuke development of NK by failing its hawkish foreign policy therein; causing a devaluation of the currency; etc. This can go on and on. In accordance with the consequence of the election, the Korean politics will inevitably be influenced, like most of the other nations in the world, hopefully for the better. In case the democrats win, the “sunshine policy,” which has been pursued by the former president Kim, Dae-jung and the current president Noh will find its way out from the mudhole elaboratively planned by the hardliners in the nation. You wouldn’t believe how disgraceful these political games prepared by the hawk look at the moment. For example, last week, the main opposition party, Grand National Party that used to be led by the daughter of the notorious deceased general Park, Jeong-hee, claimed that a few lawmakers of a progressive party are guilty of being espionages of the North Korea, for the god’s sake, the MCcarthyism is reviving in this country, and you will be awed how powerfully destructive to be labeled as a communist is here.
Apparently, not being able to hermit himself in the critical moments, the former Nobel Peace laureate, Kim Dae-jong broke the silence and publicly has had some meetings with some important political players domestically and internationally. It is true the current administration has lost significant voting power since it has not been so successful in some fields, most significantly, not able to meet the expectation of his main supporting group consisting of youth, farmers, and other relatively left-wing tendency voters. What I am afraid is the nation may soon turn back to its authoritarian-like era that everything was so rigid mostly in very unproductive ways.
I occasionally hear about Vancouver through friends visiting here from time to time, and every time I encounter them, I become very awed how fast time goes by. Can you believe it has been almost a year and nine months since I left the city if not counting the short visit there last winter?
I hope all are fine with you, and talk to you soon.
Truthfully yours,
