Today was a drama filled day in the South Korean legislature.\u00a0 Picture this: a man in a suit blocks the doorway to the parliamentary meeting room, another man gets a sledgehammer to pry the door open, a security officer uses a fire extinguisher to stop the man with a sledgehammer.\u00a0 No, it’s not what you’re thinking, it wasn’t a rendition of a Korean play in a theater.\u00a0 More importantly, when did fire extinguishers become weapons used on people?<\/p>\n
So what was the cause of all this commotion?\u00a0 Well it seems that the Hanaradang (\ud558\ub098\ub77c\ub2f9<\/strong>) a ring wing conservative party in Korea, submitted a proposal that would reduce tariffs in a trade agreement with the U.S.\u00a0 This trade proposal will be the biggest since NAFTA for the U.S. and the biggest ever for South Korea.\u00a0 Both countries have a lot to lose if this agreement isn’t approved in the kuk-he (\uad6d\ud68c<\/strong>), or the Korean legislature.<\/p>\n Everyone wants free trade right?\u00a0 So why is the Minjudang (\ubbfc\uc8fc\ub2f9<\/strong>) and the Minju-nodong-dang (\ubbfc\uc8fc\ub178\ub3d9\ub2f9<\/strong>), both of which happen to be the opposition parties to the Hanaradang (\ud558\ub098\ub77c\ub2f9<\/strong>) so against this trade agreement?\u00a0 Well, it seems that the trade terms will negatively affect farmers, auto makers, and trade unions.\u00a0 Anticipating the Minjudang (\ubbfc\uc8fc\ub2f9<\/strong>)\u00a0and Minju-nodong-dang (\ubbfc\uc8fc\ub178\ub3d9\ub2f9<\/strong>) reactions to the trade agreement, the Hanaradang (\ud558\ub098\ub77c\ub2f9<\/strong>) locked the legislative door to the opposition parties.\u00a0 Well it looks like the Minjudang (\ubbfc\uc8fc\ub2f9<\/strong>) wasn’t too happy because they got some sledgehammers to pry the door open.<\/p>\n However, it looks like the Hanaradang (\ud558\ub098\ub77c\ub2f9<\/strong>) won.\u00a0 They thought ahead and got some security officers to\u00a0hose down\u00a0the members of the Minjudang (\ubbfc\uc8fc\ub2f9<\/strong>) with a fire extinguisher.\u00a0 Hmmm… I wonder if this is what they mean when people say they want to be ACTIVE in politics.\u00a0 It also seems Hanaradang (\ud558\ub098\ub77c\ub2f9<\/strong>) has another trump card: the president.\u00a0 No, we’re not talking about Bush, but rather the newly elected President Lee Myung Bak (\uc774\uba85\ubc15<\/strong>) of South Korea.\u00a0 He happens to support the Hanaradang (\ud558\ub098\ub77c\ub2f9<\/strong>).\u00a0 It’s going to be a uphill battle for the opposition party, that’s for sure.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Today was a drama filled day in the South Korean legislature.\u00a0 Picture this: a man in a suit blocks the doorway to the parliamentary meeting room, another man gets a sledgehammer to pry the door open, a security officer uses a fire extinguisher to stop the man with a sledgehammer.\u00a0 No, it’s not what you’re…<\/p>\n