48% of youth aged 18 to 23 in South Korea would support North Korea if the US were to bomb key nuclear sites.
A South Korean political expert is quick to say that the poll results should not be interpreted as meaning that young South Koreans are anti-American. He believes they are pro-peace and are opposed to any armed conflict.
Yeah, OK, fine. I think there’s a deeper problem in South Korea, one that was highlighted by a discussion I had with a colleague of mine who lives there. He said the problem is the older generation hasn’t effectively taught the younger generation about their neighbors to the north. Teens either don’t know about or cannot relate to the experiences of real people who lived through the Korean War. They are far removed from that time, and as such, they don’t fear a future attack. They don’t fully appreciate how the regime in Pyongyang treats its inhabitants. They misjudge Kim Jong-il to be as reasonable as most other modern day leaders.
Perhaps worst of all, they take their freedom for granted. They don’t believe in the boogyman.
So, what should the US do? Should we continue to prepare to defend South Korea in the event that Kim goes nuts and starts his tanks a-rollin’? We know he already tells his people that North Korea is at war with the United States. He can launch a missile at any moment and claim he was provoked.
Should we worry about that?
Bill Quick says “Let ‘em Hang”. I’m not so sure.