I yawned at this weeks protest on the beach against joint US-ROK military drills.

Small protests of a dozen or couple dozen members happen all the time. They are always led and 90% made up of the same faces -- whatever the issue and whatever the name of the group wears that day.

----You will find protest letters and similar things mentioned on the anti-US/USFK websites that list 25, 50, 75 different "groups" that have "joined together" to protest this or that offense ---- in reality, all the groups are basically the same with the effort directed by a handful of "civic leaders" like The Priest and The Priest II and The Monk and a few more. Creating new names just makes it read better on paper-----

It was mildly significant that the protesters were able to stand toe-to-toe with GIs. The chance for a big incident to happen then goes up dramatically. It is a credit to the soldiers that they don't retaliate when accosted. (In this video of a training range break in in 2003, the unit was not stationed in Korea (I believe) but was the Stryker vehicle unit brought in to demonstrate the thing for the ROK military as part of USFK's effort to convince the Koreans downsizing the number of GIs on the ground but upgrading equipment would not lower capability.)

The most significant feature of the beach protest - in my opinion - has been the Korean press (at least English versions - but I would give an educated guess the Korean ones too) and their reaction to this small event.

Here is an example from the Joongang Daily.

It is a poorly written editorial from the staff, but it is similar to other editorials and articles in the Chosun Daily and more.

This is a key element in the anti-US process.

I define a "spike" in anti-Americanism in Korea in two forms

1. The amount of activity in the street --- as more average Koreans join together (or tolerate) fairly large and often semi-violent protests by university student groups and/or labor unions.

This is what most people focus on when they talk about "the level" of anti-Americanism in Korean society --- but the second type of spike is more important and far reaching

2. A period of increased public dicussion about the evils of the US-SK alliance or how GIs are so bad or how the US has been a cancer on Korean society. ---- In short ---- what I call water-cooler talk.

When I was teaching adults in Korea, I could spot one of these spikes - that take place off the street - easily by what class after class after class wanted to talk about that week.

The press plays a crucial part in both defining such a non-street oriented spike in activity and alerting us to the fact we are in such a period.

In short, the press often either starts such a spike or fuels the fire.

On the other hand, when the media fears anti-US activity could do damage to Korean society (either its global image, exports to the US, or causing the US to pull more troops out) ----

-----it will write editorials like this telling not only the anti-US groups, but average Koreans too, to shut up.

And the average Koreans almost always listen.

Even frequent, pretty large demonstrations in the street can dry up over night when the media puts the message out.

That is why this small protest on the beach is important to note --

Pyongtaek is THE Issue of the moment and for the foreseeable future. Everyone knows this.

The press has already been putting out warnings to the rest of the society to not let Pyongtaek get out of hand.

This reaction to this small beach protest is designed to do the same.

The media knows the anti-US groups are going to do what they do no matter what.

But, the press does know it can have some influence on the government and the people with a message like this.

And, the anti-US groups DO pay attention to the mood of the society as a whole. They know their effort can be set back if they do the wrong thing at the wrong time and generate a backlash in the society.

For example, in 2002, as someone reminded me with an emailed article today, when some 500 protests outside the US base the armored vehicle crew was stationed at were very violent --- injurying some 9 US soldiers by pelting them with cobble stones and pieces of concrete ---- and they cut a whole in the fence and ran on base clashing with more soldiers ----

---- the media did NOT ---- NOT NOT NOT NOT NOT NOT NOT NOT NOT --- protest these actions.

Instead, it told the reading audience that the US MPs had been brutal to two "internet reporters" who went through the fence. The media said the MPs used "wire" to tie the "reporters" up and abuse them ---- the wire in question being flexicuffs used by American police in riot duty control....

A year later, after the US media started running 2 or 3 items a week on anti-US activity in South Korea during the tail-end of the orgy of hate of 2002/2003 ---- the press strongly condemned those involved in the training range break in (where no GIs were injured) and they even called for prosecution of the student demonstrators and their leaders.

So, my point is --- the reaction to this small beach protest is a sign of how the press is likely to work the Pyongtaek Issue.

The government has shown clear reluctance to get involved there to stop the build up of protests that are surely to come.

But, the media has been out front of them warning the government to do something and the people to avoid helping the anti-US groups --- (this time at least).

This is a good sign if you are a soldier or an American expat who doesn't want to see a repeat of 2002 or 2000.

We will see how it evolves....