The anti—American protests that have rocked South Korea over the years have prompted questions of the type "Who lost South Korea?". This issue is particularly important as we deal with the North Korean nuclear weapons program.

This op—ed in  the Chicago Tribune traces much of the animus to the scandal ridden ex—President Kim Dae Jung, who was initially lionized in the West as a democratic reformer but ended up ruling as an "Oriental despot" (shades of Aristide?). He used anti—Americanism to buttress his power: silencing a press that threatened to be pro—American and using the communist—controlled Korean teachers union to spread anti—American propaganda to  students.

The recent book "History Lessons:How Textbooks from Around the World Portray U.S. History" also points out how overseas schools—not just madrassas, either— often become nurseries for anti—American attitudes. The brief editorial makes worthwhile reading.

Ed Lasky  10 04 04