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You are here: Home / Open Threads / Day After – South Korea

Day After – South Korea

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I don’t know anything about South Korean politics, and I certainly don’t want to draw parallels between yesterday’s coup attempt in a country where people my age have memories of demonstrators being killed in the struggle for democracy.  That said, one thing driven home by the coverage of the event is that BlueSky has matured to the point that it’s possible to follow breaking news there.

Here’s the Guardian explainer on what comes next, and here’s their story about yesterday’s events.

Jay Rosen’s definition of reporting is “I’m here, you’re not, here’s what I see.”  In that vein, Sarah Jeong of the Verge, who I think is Korean-American, happened to be in Seoul that night.  Her report from the scene is worth a read, especially because of her honesty about being drunk, and her difficulty with the Korean language.

Reader Interactions

49Comments

  2. 2.

    Baud

    Seeing a lot of compare and contrast with the US on Blue sky. Sometimes I wish we could avoid centering ourselves when it comes to international events.

  3. 3.

    comrade scotts agenda of rage

    The Jeong piece was a great read.  I would have known some of those “old” men back in their 30s and they haven’t changed one bit.

    Staggering around Seoul, cold and drunk, I remember doing that a couple of times before I learned to not drink with Koreans as it was a death sentence of sorts the next day.

  13. 13.

    catclub

    @Belafon: overwhelming majority of opposition parties in Korean Legislature means impeachment happens rapidly. I figure ours will be busy impeaching Chris Wray.

  14. 14.

    RevRick

    From what I understand about the situation in S. Korea, the President declared martial law at 11 pm., crowds showed up within an hour outside Parliament to protest, the Parliament snuck back into the building through some windows and then voted to undeclare martial law, the military decided they weren’t in the mood to gun down protesters, and the President caved in the morning. His autogolpe failed.

  15. 15.

    Gin & Tonic

    @rikyrah: ​
    It was 7:00 am in front of the Hilton on 54th St as he was heading in to an investor meeting. Of course it was targeted. People don’t get shot at random on west 54th St at 0700.

  16. 16.

    Starfish (she/her)

    There is a journalist covering United States v. Skrmetti case before the Supreme Court today. This is the first time a trans attorney has presented a case before the supreme court.

    The journalist is getting grief from right wingers for using the bathroom.

  18. 18.

    karen gail

    South Koreans have deep memories about dictators and if they forget all they have to do is look at North Korea to remind themselves of what could be.

    US citizens don’t have that memory, most believe “it can’t happen here;” while ignoring that Trump and company are promising that very thing will come to pass as soon as he is sworn into office.
    We need to also remember that Abrahamic religions are pointed to a male dictator with punishments for those who fail to follow and believe; yes, they say it will be “son of god” returning but it is still male dictator ruling over all.

  19. 19.

    Marcopolo

    Was great reading Sarah J yesterday re South Korea.  Loved all the “with the caveat that I’m drunk & not 100% sure I’m catching all the slurred words & slang these old drunk Korean men are shouting” here’s what I’m seeing reportage.  Think her last post was about going back to drinking, lol.

    As for the United Healthcare assassination, wouldn’t be surprised if it weren’t somebody who was shafted (directly or indirectly) by the company on a healthcare issue.

  21. 21.

    YY_Sima Qian

    Posted the following in the previous thread, but it is more relevant here.

    If the South Korea media reporting is true, then Yoon was not doing the autogolpe as a PR stunt out of frustration w/ the opposition majority in the National Assembly obstructing his plans:

    Darcie Draudt-Véjares
    @darciedraudt

    Korean media is now reporting that there were special forces scheduled to be sent to arrest Yoon’s political adversaries, including Lee Jaemyung, Han Donghoon, Woo Wonsik
    https://www.chosun.com/politics/politics_general/2024/12/04/UFPOPRHYGJGLTDRCGJDR3AAAS4/?utm_source=twitter&utm_medium=share&utm_campaign=news

  23. 23.

    YY_Sima Qian

    The older citizens of Beijing that came out onto the streets in the evening of Jun. 3 – 4, 1989 shared the sentiments shown here, wrt the students holding out in Tiananmen Square:

    The Blue Roof
    @BluRoofPolitics

    Report from a protester last night. An elderly protester in the subway station near the Assembly Hall told her group that the seniors should be at the front of the scrum in case the military starts shooting, to protect the youth.

  24. 24.

    Quiltingfool

    As to the United Healthcare CEO being murdered, I suspect we might be seeing more of these types of killings.  We know we live in a violent country, awash with guns.  We know that violent people have been given a “go ahead, indulge your murder fantasies” by the Trump/Republican regime.  So, stands to reason that someone will take very personally if a loved one dies because of the actions of another, and will kill that person.

    Will it happen right away?  No, but if things go the way the Republican Regime wants them to, when people start feeling the pain, who knows?

  25. 25.

    Shakti

    I yelp laughed when I saw the news. People were speculating it’s a hit

    Besides people out for revenge:

      United HealthCare has been dealing with a ransomware cyberattack in April that cost the company $872 million dollars. I’m not sure if any ransom was paid:

     

    The health insurance giant on Tuesday noted $872 million in “unfavorable cyberattack effects” in its report of first quarter operations earnings. Those unfavorable effects refer to the February 21 cyberattack on Change Healthcare, which shut down operations at hospitals and pharmacies for more than a week. The $872 million includes “the Change Healthcare business disruption impacts and exclude the cyberattack direct response costs,” which likely excludes any amount UnitedHealth may have paid to hackers in ransom. 

    UnitedHealth confirmed on the day of the breach that the cybercriminals behind the attack was a Russia-based ransomware gang known as ALPHV or BlackCat. The group itself claimed responsibility for the attack, alleging it stole more than six terabytes of data, including “sensitive” medical records. 

    UnitedHealth did now reveal how much — if at all — it paid the hackers to have their systems restored. However, multiple media sources at the time, including Wired Magazine, reported that a ransom payment for the amount of $22 million was made to BlackCat in the form of bitcoin.

  26. 26.

    Geminid

    @RevRick: This event has similarities with the attempted coup in Turkiye, July of 2016. That one ended after a little more than a day, and mass demonstrations were a factor. There was bloodshed though, with over 240 people killed including some from live fire by troops defending a Bosphorus bridge from anti-coup protesters.

    One difference is that while just about everybody in the US wanted to see President Yoon fail yesterday, there was much more ambivalence towards the Turkish coup. That may because many people here don’t like R.T. Erdogan, and many do not much like Turkiye either.

  29. 29.

    TBone

    @Shakti: now I wonder who holds a life insurance policy on that guy, also too…

    Years back I read that people you don’t know can take out life insurance policies if they have enough of your info (especially employers).  I never looked closely at how true that is.

  30. 30.

    Shakti

    @TBone: …there’s always the possibility United Healthcare had a life insurance policy on the CEO just like Walmart had dead peasant insurance on some low level employees twenty years ago?

    …but that raises the question, which life insurance company, and would they even pay out? Because this is insurance.

    Relatedly,  the PI companies around here do work for auto insurance companies looking to catch fraud from people on disability. Saw a company job ad. The vibes were horrible and everyone said they loved the insurance benefits like they had a gun to their head in the “why work for us” video.

  31. 31.

    TBone

    @Shakti: maybe the Russian cyber attackers are on to this phenom.

    It all gives me the willies!  One of the first questions a relative asked me after my mom died was “official cause of death and social security number, please.  Need death certificate.”  I was like “are you fucking kidding me with this?”  How did YOU get a policy?  I don’t think Mom listed anyone outside immediate family as beneficiary.  And, that person already had her SS# so it was a special kind of dig at my raw emotion.

  33. 33.

    Quiltingfool

    @rikyrah: I agree, not random at all.

    Honestly, if I were a Republican Congressperson (fed and state), I’d be more worried about a MAGA coming after me than a Democrat.

    I live in Missouri, and I would not be shocked if some redneck went after a Missouri lawmaker who voted to deny lifesaving care to a pregnant family member.  Well, that would be after they gut Amendment 3 abortion policies, which they will try to do.

    We live among violent white people, as you well know.  Trump loves to stoke them up, not understanding that the gun can be turned against him.

  34. 34.

    Misterpuff

    @Quiltingfool:

    We live among violent white people, as you well know.  Trump loves to stoke them up, not understanding that the gun can be turned against him.

     

    Well if that’s the case, he is really far gone. I seem to remember some kid in PA that turned one against him, and another in FL who seemed to have plans to (or maybe he just thought Trump should be on the campaign trail and not golfing).

  38. 38.

    Layer8Problem

    Oh, and since this is a thread that is open, anybody have any pointers or recommendations for cat health insurance?

  40. 40.

    Jackie

    @Gin & Tonic: More info is trickling out: The gunman was there waiting for approximately 10 mins for Thompson to appear. The shooter wore a mask and used a silencer, shooting Thompson multiple times at close range.

  41. 41.

    RevRick

    @rikyrah: Given the nature of the murder I can only think of two possible reasons: either Mr. Thompson was involved in a sexual triangle, or his company, which has the greatest level of denial of claims, denied a claim that led to the death of a loved one. The calculated nature says the shooter was enraged.

  43. 43.

    Gin & Tonic

    @Jackie: ​
      Professional job?

    N.B. I used to work right above Sparks Steakhouse, where Paul Castellano was taken out by John Gotti.

  44. 44.

    p.a.

    There are executives who make decisions that can destroy towns, regions, poison the air, water, and land, and politicians and state entities that allow and encourage these actions, and they go about enjoying their lives like they’re Roman princes.  Most of the time.

    Just sayin’…

  45. 45.

    Philbert

    Sarah Jeong’s story was great, thanks! The last paragraph and especially the last sentence:

    “Yoon tried to take power with soldiers, police, and helicopters — to take the country back to the 1980s. But these aren’t the 1980s. He should have seized cell service first.”

  47. 47.

    currawong

    I heard that it was over on Bluesky before I even heard it was on anywhere else.

    I deleted my Twitter account a couple of weeks ago – I’d been on there since 2009. I now use Bluesky exclusively and most of what I used to follow is now there – come on Norwich City FC! You’ve set the account up, now start using it and get off the Nazi place.

    You’ll find me here in interested in, apart from your own shitshow, Australian Politics, UK politics, climate change, sport and occasionally my rescue dog Freya – @dbranch9.bsky.social

  48. 48.

    steverinoCT

    @Layer8Problem: I used the “layer 8 problem” line on a long-time customer this morning. He didn’t get it– more interested in getting his branch back online. Some people have no sense of humor. (It was a routing issue).​

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