"A" is for Bomb Pt 2

It was mentioned to me from one of my faithful readers that my blog gives the impression I'm not having a great time, or that the new and unusual oddities of Korea are dragging me down. I should make it clear that's not the case in the slightest, and I think I have enjoyed my time not in spite of the challenges and weirdness I've come across, but because of it. Heck, if there's exciting or bizarre to write about, I think I'd quickly grow bored and wonder why I came here at all.

I did have my first pangs of homesickness however, which were brought about by the trip to Japan. I really enjoyed Japan, and was a little let down at only having the time and money to stay for a 5-day whirlwind tour. There was something so honest and genuine about the country, and how despite the cultural differences I could still feel quite at home. This has a lot to do with Japanese being used to and accepting of foreigners (Koreans still stare and giggle at Shannon and I), and coupled with the interesting and deep history and culture of the country, I would really like to visit there again.

Korea has been a middle ground, a stepping stone from China to Japan for hundreds of years, and the history has been scoured with a mix of both cultures creating a strange identity crisis. Confucianism dominates personal daily life, Buddhism is hidden throughout all the nooks and crannies of the country, and everything you see always comes with the opening line "Originally from Japan/China..." In Japan, even the small farming communities had a slight air of dignity to them. Old buildings and architecture, which normally would leave villages drab and unkempt, but the tiny outskirt communities and inner city areas still had this rich and solemn colour to it that gave off an impression of culture and history rather than of a run-down neighbourhood or poorer district of town.

As everone I'm sure is well aware of by now, North Korea's recently set off an underground nuclear weapon. Pretty scary for sure, though it's strange how any economic or military insecurities are felt not so much from NK having a bomb, but from the response by the rest of the world, specifically the US. North and South Korea are separated by economic and diplomatic issues that, until a few years ago, were being worked through nicely. They both want to be reunited, and probably one day will. But when the Bush administration came into power, a very anti-North Korea sentiment came about over there (remember the "Axis of Evil" comment?) and suddenly NK goes on the defensive. Photo-ops between leaders were cancelled, botht he US and NK start making waves in the media talking down to each other, and now NK starts setting off missiles and nuclear weapons just to get attention.

North Korea's in a terrible state economically, and the idea of it going to war with anyone over anything is a little far-fetched. They pour huge amounts of money into the military, but huge is a relative term for them, as the country doesn't make much money to begin with. In fact, if it weren't for aid from China and other countries, NK wouldn't even be able to feed it's own people. In fact, it's estimated the population has decreased several million people over the past years (not sure how many).

So, a sudden war is very, very unlikely. What is possible is economic and political pressures exerted by other countries could put leaders of NK into a position where it was either step down and let the foreign powers dictate how the country should go, or show them that they have some power left too, and launch whatever they can as a last resort, probably agains SK or Japan (most likely Japan).

But, enough war talk. As exciting as it is to be this close to a possible one, it's much more fun drinking beer and not worrying about guns 'n stuff. On that note, it's time to teach some school.