The Topsy-turvy World of Today's Korea

Today's Korea is a topsy-turvy world. People hit the road on their sad journey one after another to test the validity of the Law of Gravity. A few days ago ex-Chief Justice joined the tragic progression of 30 souls per day by throwing himself from a guardrail of the Han River Bridge.

Two colleague 'sleepers' are alleged to have died of battery by the Railroad Security Force members. Squatters by the name of "nosookja" (sleepers outdoors), living off the generosity and indifference of Seoul Metropolitan Government, have been running riot these three days, running amok by commandeering the railroad periphery, confronting the police.

Reverse is the norm. Law and order is broken everywhere. The sense of helplessness is ubiquitous. Impotence is the sure sign of political power and its leadership.

Zealots Go Too Far

An overzealous ROK Army captain of one Nonsan Boot Camp Training Site was arrested and taken to a court martial. The nation went nuts over the bizarre disciplinary action of the company commander gone too far. He is alleged to have force fed feces to every trainee of the camp, for they have dirtied barracks lavatory.

An enthusiastic high school teacher, who had been charged with overseeing students taking term exams, had gone too far, correcting wrong answers of one exam paper. The proprietor of the paper done a favor turned out to be son of a district prosecutor.

Cadre members of some labor unions are alleged to have exercised "the job allocation rights" allowed them by the management. Does it mean that labor unions, in due course, could become the management? Just like larvae turn into moths? They have turned out to have gone one step further, accepting money from job seekers. Really bizarre.

Suits, suits and more suits. In the age of litigations, 59 TV and cinema personalities are suing an advertising magnate, the Jaeil Planning Corporation, for libel and the violation of privacy, etc. Fact is that the Jaeil Planning made a survey of 99 entertainers, profiling and categorizing them and making projections. Problem is that the files, prior to building data base groundwork, were released to the Internet community of Korea (Republic of).