I wasn't going to pay much attention to the festivities with the North Korean VIPs going to Kwangju to celebrate both the massacre of 1980 and the 2000 historic Pyongyang-Seoul Summit.

For 2 reasons: 1. It was utterly predictable and old news 2. Most South Koreans don't agree with the more dedicated, further out there ideas of the South Korean groups who love to stick their heads up Kim Jong Il's keester.

But ----- all the frequent news about NK getting ready to test another ICBM like they did in 1998 and sent the world into a frenzy ---- opens a window of opportunity to understand how all this fits into South Korean society as a whole and how they like to work the US relationship.

Comments by the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions and the Korean Government Employees' Union featured statements about the military-oriented governing style that North Korea has pursued and even the lyrics of the North Korean national anthem. Placards with anti-U.S. messages were spotted in the meeting venue, including one that said we should cooperate to drive out the U.S. military from Korea and achieve reunification.

Like I said, the average Korean actively disagrees with these thoughts.

That may sound strange coming from a person who frequently says both the average Korean masses and the radical fringe share much the same core ideas about how the US has been a cancer on Korean society.

This is where the ICBMs come in.

For most of Korean society, anti-Americanism is a way to feel better about Korean society -- in a kind of masochistic sort of way ----- by viewing themselves as the victim of even their strongest ally, it makes the remarkable growth in economy and democracy seem that much sweeter --- it also makes them feel better about the, what I believe is self-imposed, sense of shame (Han) at their "5,000 years of victimhood".

They have had plenty of reason since the 1850s to feel like a victim, but I think they wallow in it too much to the point it causes them to hurt themselves now and for the future. I am referring to how they have gone out of their way to piss on Japan and the US --- two nations with the economic strength and similarities in systems (industry and democracy) that SK could really use when they do unify with the collapsed North.

But, I'm getting off topic....

The point is:

Average South Koreans do like to share common anti-US related ideas with the more radical fringe --- Kwangju Massacre, Nogunri, Cheju, selling out Korea to Japan for the Philippines (and Hawaii) so Japan could colonize Korea, economic bullying, GI crimes, SOFA, camp town culture, total disregard for Korea's natural environment, and so on.

Where they differ is on ----- how much they really believe in those items - and much more importantly ------- what they think should be done about it.

The guys who rallied with the North's elite in Kwangju to spout all this crap ---- are true believers. They really want USFK out now and believe the North is really a good nation held down by American and distorted in American and conservative Korean propaganda.

Average Koreans like to say they believe in part of it --- because it makes them feel better ----

---but they really don't believe the North is anything but despotic.

And that is where the missile come in (again) ----

The aveage Korean believes, really, deep down, that if the US were not in South Korea, Pyongyang would have invaded long ago.

And they are still too scared about an attack --- even with the North pathetically weak and South Korea strong ---- they hate the idea of Donald Rumsfeld taking out the troops.

This is where 2000 comes in ----

Too many people (outsiders) like to say 2002 was the major "rise" in anti-American thought in South Korean society.

2000 was just as much a year long hate-fest of major proportions if somewhat smaller at its peak in frenzied activity than Nov. and Dec. 2002.

In 2000, South Korean society spent week after week, month to month -----

----absolutely going out of its way to find ----- anything ----- to rant about in the US-SK relationship.

Maehyangri became the fable it is today in this period ---- when all that happened was an unannounced bomb droppage occured ON THE RANGE when a US plane had engine trouble on the way to another range.

But, Korean society went nuts with it ---- and the myth that survives to this day is that the bombs fell outside the range --- some news people even still say things like "in the heart of the town" --- and many people were injured and much property damage done.

But, even more outrageous was how much Korean society from top to bottom ---- went absolutely batshit over 20 gallons of fromaldhyde poured into the Yongsan sewer system.

B-A-T S-H-I-T

The whole society.

From top to bottom.

And all major social institutions.

It was one of the rare times other Western expats in Korea found sympathy for the US in Korea....it was so bad and nuts....

Why?

It is the most telling answer about the nature of the US-SK relationship and anti-Americanism you can find ---

Why? --- Because all of Korean society, including conservatives --- were giddy over the prospect of peace in our time ---- thanks to the truly historic summit between President Kim Dae Jung and Kim Jong Il.

I don't blame the Koreans for being giddy. After 50 years of doom and gloom looming over their heads ---- they should have been very excited about the chance it was all going to end.

It should NOT however ---- have translated instantly into rabid unleashing of pent up anti-US feeling ----- throughout the society.

But it did.

But ------ as time passed and NK broke promise after promise ----

the strong euphoria for the Sunshine policy faded.

Now, I'd say most Koreans still like to view it in a positive manner --- again to feel better about South Korean society ----

----but ----------------- and this is key -------- they don't believe peace in our time is at hand.

They don't trust NK.

They see NK making moves like preparing for the ICBM test enough to have strong doubts about NK's "friendship" with the South.

So ---------------

-------------------the average South Korean of today --- 2006 --- frowns on such rhetoric/propaganda and ideas expressed this week in Kwangju by the North and those small percentage of Koreans who like to shove their heads up Kim Jong Il's bum.

And what I mean is ------------------- what this whole post is about ---- is

if this were 2000 --------------

if this meeting were taking place as part of the historic summit -----

you WOULD SEE most South Koreans joining in with these very same radical elements.

You WOULD be seeing average Koreans in a more positive way.

You WOULD NOT see the Joongang Daily writing editorials like this one.

This is 2006.

1/4th of USFK is either gone or in the process of packing.

Rumsfeld and others have been hinting since 2002 they might actually want more if not all of the troops out.

Just yesterday, for the 2nd or 3rd time, major USFK leadership has said Air Force assets could be relocated if Maehyangri isn't replaced.

Also, every Korean knows the Pyongtaek expansion could turn into a major issue and further piss off the US policy makers because it will be so easy for the radical groups --- who do want USFK out --- to cause significant trouble and delays.

And NK is playing like it is going to shoot off ICBMs and just might do it....

So, rather than support the radicals ---- as they did in 2002 and 2000 and on much smaller scales routinely all the time year to year ---

the media is condemning them ---- and average Koreans aren't happy with them.

What does all of this mean?

You can't judge how much or little South Korean society is anti-American by counting heads at the street protests

or even by what the media or even average Korean is saying at this or that moment.

But, if you look at this over a period of a good many years

you start to see the patterns.

And you start to see how the pattern fits the society as a whole.

And that is what I've tried to show at www.usinkorea.org