The gang deals with the North Korea situation... UPDATED...

In light of recent events the situation in Korea should be a lot more tense than it is. There is a lot going on here at this point. I’m about to start another school session. I’ve shipped home pretty much all of my money, being forced to eat hot pockets out of the trash. What are your thoughts about that?...um… perhaps I should just talk about the North Korea situation.

If you’ve read some of the media reports you might expect the air of caution and fear in the streets of Seoul. Well, I hate to inform you that things have barely changed here. A couple teachers have noticed an increased police and military presence in the city, but for the most part its life as usual. Could CNN be lying to us, and over hyping the situation. NO WAY!!

Last Thursday I read an article on CNN that proclaimed the DMZ was ‘the scariest place on earth’. Yet I knew of a couple people on Saturday that went to visit the DMZ, none of which came back spewing tales of horror. In the end it appears CNN was doing a pretty good job at creating an online aura of fear in Korea. I wonder if people read it and didn’t care, or didn’t read it and are acting obliviously. OR just perhaps fear mongering only works in the US?

The situation surrounding the Chonan definitely does create some legit concerns, don’t get me wrong. Yet a war between the North and South wouldn’t really benefit anyone. China is the North’s only ally and they aren’t saying anything. The Americans have openly backed the South, yet can they afford to fight ANOTHER country? If there is an attack, the North would probably no longer exist and the Seoul might have some rebuilding to do. The part that makes this whole situation troubling is that the North isn’t really that predictable. THAT creates a little tension, but things are relatively normal here. There is some banter between some of the waygook teachers at work. There is however, a lack of a Korean presence in this banter, I can’t really explain that.

Read what you will about the situation; know this, I’m not really that worried. I’m reading the same articles you are, and Hey! CNN has already moved on to more coverage of oil covered birds. Also see if you can find info about the ‘civil war’ in Thailand in the top stories. Things have died down there, they will here as well.


*****UPDATE*****

Okay i wrote that.. and the day after the Korean teachers started talking about the situation. When that happened i have to be honest that it freaked me out a little bit. The tight lipped Korean's opened up about their fears.

Tension definitely appeared to be a little high there for a bit, things have calmed down in the recent days. ALWAYS good, but i had to mention that the situation changed a little, and the koreans spoke. my attitude remains pretty steadfast, i don't think anything will happen, and that its mostly political posturing.

Yo!