How Much Good is Korea Doing in the World?
Here is an article in the Korea Times that lists all the good things Korea is doing in the international community. I can’t argue that Korea is not doing good things internationally because they are, but I have to wonder about this passage here concerning refugees:
Our office, United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, the UN refugee agency mandated to lead and coordinate international actions to protect refugees and provide emergency assistance worldwide, will receive $1.5 million US in 2006 from the Korean government, an increase of 35 percent from 2005. The contribution is expected to be increased further. Although Korea, as the 11th largest economy in the world, has belatedly taken long delayed action to increase its fair contribution, the actions themselves deserve much credit.
He must mean all refugees that are not North Korean because it is well known how little South Korea does to protect North Korean refugees in China and the Unification Minister Chung Dong-young has actually spoken out against the North Korean refugees. So that passage rings very hollow to me. Here is another statement that got me thinking:
Now is time for Koreans to do more for the world and to be proud as Koreans.
Should Korea do more in the world just so people can feel proud to be Koreans? How about just doing more to simply help people even North Korean refugees?
