Is South Korea dangerous for Americans?

[GT578]

I'm Korean but I lived here in the U.S. all my life. Korea needs to stfu and support the U.S. The U.S. saved their butts in the Korean War (U.N. really but you get my drift).......those punk Korean teenagers/young adults there don't give a sh*t about anything except to try to break into their embarrassing music industry. I'm glad I don't live there and I have no plans in the near future to visit...........

 

[AndrewR]

Originally posted by: kami333
If you act like a stereotypical American, ignorant AND arrogant? Then yes, some people may be less than happy with your prescence. If it's anything like the situation in Okinawa, then the US and its politics are hated but individuals are tolerated or even accepted. It comes down to how you act and how you act toward others.

When was the last time you visited South Korea?

There is some outright hostility toward Americans that I sensed in Seoul when I was there with my wife in October. Nothing overt, but there were certainly some people who were not happy to see our white faces walking around their country. It was fine outside of Osan AB, but the areas around Seoul were a little different.

We did meet some very friendly people, some college students and elementary school students practicing their English. Most of the shop owners were friendly as well, but many didn't go out of their way to be polite by any means. That of course could be contributed to either a "big city" mentality or to anti-Americanism or to just a few jerks in a mix of nice people. In light of other activities around that country, my opinion leans one way, but I'm not convinced.

Nevertheless, I wouldn't take my wife there now. Three Americans were attacked on the subway in Seoul (happened before we went) with one being essentially kidnapped and forced to participate in an anti-American rally. One Army officer was attacked outside of Yongsan Army Barracks by Korean assailants and cut with a knife. Another Army soldier was attacked in southern Korea while out for a run off-base. The anti-American protests have died out a little in the last few weeks, but if this crisis with North Korea continues, I wouldn't be surprised to see them start coming back.

Overall, the tone is different there than it is here in Okinawa. For the most part, the people here are friendly and engaging though I suspect typically Japanese in being slightly standoffish, for lack of a better term. Even their protests against the various facilities here are peaceful and low-key -- I've seen more than a couple already. In South Korea, there was the feeling that people resented our presence, and the news has had plenty of incidents regarding violence when protests went out of hand.

Case in point -- Yongsan has South Korean police continually stationed at its gates with clubs (not sure for how long that's been going). Okinawa has nothing of the sort at any facility.

All this boils down to you can visit and live in South Korea without any problems as an American, but it is also more dangerous there now than it has been in recent years. Even with the best precautions, intentions, and actions, you can still become a target if you're in the wrong place at the wrong time. As a member of the US military, I am more of a target than a civilian so the things I worry about are a little less troublesome for you. Learn some basic Korean at the least because most of the cab drivers don't speak English at all.

Also, I hope you like Hyundais. 😀

 

[LordJezo]

Originally posted by: AndrewR

Originally posted by: kami333
If you act like a stereotypical American, ignorant AND arrogant? Then yes, some people may be less than happy with your prescence. If it's anything like the situation in Okinawa, then the US and its politics are hated but individuals are tolerated or even accepted. It comes down to how you act and how you act toward others.

When was the last time you visited South Korea?

There is some outright hostility toward Americans that I sensed in Seoul when I was there with my wife in October. Nothing overt, but there were certainly some people who were not happy to see our white faces walking around their country. It was fine outside of Osan AB, but the areas around Seoul were a little different.

We did meet some very friendly people, some college students and elementary school students practicing their English. Most of the shop owners were friendly as well, but many didn't go out of their way to be polite by any means. That of course could be contributed to either a "big city" mentality or to anti-Americanism or to just a few jerks in a mix of nice people. In light of other activities around that country, my opinion leans one way, but I'm not convinced.

Nevertheless, I wouldn't take my wife there now. Three Americans were attacked on the subway in Seoul (happened before we went) with one being essentially kidnapped and forced to participate in an anti-American rally. One Army officer was attacked outside of Yongsan Army Barracks by Korean assailants and cut with a knife. Another Army soldier was attacked in southern Korea while out for a run off-base. The anti-American protests have died out a little in the last few weeks, but if this crisis with North Korea continues, I wouldn't be surprised to see them start coming back.

Overall, the tone is different there than it is here in Okinawa. For the most part, the people here are friendly and engaging though I suspect typically Japanese in being slightly standoffish, for lack of a better term. Even their protests against the various facilities here are peaceful and low-key -- I've seen more than a couple already. In South Korea, there was the feeling that people resented our presence, and the news has had plenty of incidents regarding violence when protests went out of hand.

Case in point -- Yongsan has South Korean police continually stationed at its gates with clubs (not sure for how long that's been going). Okinawa has nothing of the sort at any facility.

All this boils down to you can visit and live in South Korea without any problems as an American, but it is also more dangerous there now than it has been in recent years. Even with the best precautions, intentions, and actions, you can still become a target if you're in the wrong place at the wrong time. As a member of the US military, I am more of a target than a civilian so the things I worry about are a little less troublesome for you. Learn some basic Korean at the least because most of the cab drivers don't speak English at all.

Also, I hope you like Hyundais. 😀

Well that post was an eye opener...

Makes me rethink actually wanting to go there..

 

[psianime]

I can't get enough of those Korean girls.

-psianime

 

[Hammer]

i heard North Korea was dangerous for Americans 😛

 

[Random Variable]

I wouldn't call it dangerous, but every once and a while you might see a sign over the entrance to a restaurant/night club that says, "Americans not welcome."

 

[Dragnov]

😕

When did you guys go to Korea? I went like two years ago.

But then again, I'm Korean-American... but I obviously stick out. I was there when 9/11 happened, and A LOT people cared and were sympathetic.

There was also an American support rally that I saw on the news also recently....

 

[Random Variable]

Originally posted by: Hammer
i heard North Korea was dangerous for Americans 😛

North Korea is dangerous for North Koreans.

 

[Random Variable]

Originally posted by: Gr1mL0cK
😕

When did you guys go to Korea? I went like two years ago.

But then again, I'm Korean-American... but I obviously stick out. I was there when 9/11 happened, and A LOT people cared and were sympathetic.

There was also an American support rally that I saw on the news also recently....

About half of the population is very supportive of the United States.

 

[Aceshigh]

Originally posted by: GT578
I'm Korean but I lived here in the U.S. all my life. Korea needs to stfu and support the U.S. The U.S. saved their butts in the Korean War (U.N. really but you get my drift).......those punk Korean teenagers/young adults there don't give a sh*t about anything except to try to break into their embarrassing music industry. I'm glad I don't live there and I have no plans in the near future to visit...........

Thank you! I agree one hundred percent. The older generation in Korea seems to be the only one that understands right now.

It makes me sick to see these young punks with their anti-american rallies. If they really appreciated what their parents/grandparents experienced during the war they would be singing a different tune.

 

[FrontlineWarrior]

Originally posted by: Gr1mL0cK
😕

When did you guys go to Korea? I went like two years ago.

But then again, I'm Korean-American... but I obviously stick out. I was there when 9/11 happened, and A LOT people cared and were sympathetic.

There was also an American support rally that I saw on the news also recently....

i went like a month ago. it ain't a good time to be a white american dude in seoul right now. it'll die off soon though, esp. if this thing with north korea settles down.

 

[KenGr]

Originally posted by: AndrewR

Originally posted by: kami333
If you act like a stereotypical American, ignorant AND arrogant? Then yes, some people may be less than happy with your prescence. If it's anything like the situation in Okinawa, then the US and its politics are hated but individuals are tolerated or even accepted. It comes down to how you act and how you act toward others.

When was the last time you visited South Korea?

There is some outright hostility toward Americans that I sensed in Seoul when I was there with my wife in October. Nothing overt, but there were certainly some people who were not happy to see our white faces walking around their country. It was fine outside of Osan AB, but the areas around Seoul were a little different.

We did meet some very friendly people, some college students and elementary school students practicing their English. Most of the shop owners were friendly as well, but many didn't go out of their way to be polite by any means. That of course could be contributed to either a "big city" mentality or to anti-Americanism or to just a few jerks in a mix of nice people. In light of other activities around that country, my opinion leans one way, but I'm not convinced.

Nevertheless, I wouldn't take my wife there now. Three Americans were attacked on the subway in Seoul (happened before we went) with one being essentially kidnapped and forced to participate in an anti-American rally. One Army officer was attacked outside of Yongsan Army Barracks by Korean assailants and cut with a knife. Another Army soldier was attacked in southern Korea while out for a run off-base. The anti-American protests have died out a little in the last few weeks, but if this crisis with North Korea continues, I wouldn't be surprised to see them start coming back.

Overall, the tone is different there than it is here in Okinawa. For the most part, the people here are friendly and engaging though I suspect typically Japanese in being slightly standoffish, for lack of a better term. Even their protests against the various facilities here are peaceful and low-key -- I've seen more than a couple already. In South Korea, there was the feeling that people resented our presence, and the news has had plenty of incidents regarding violence when protests went out of hand.

Case in point -- Yongsan has South Korean police continually stationed at its gates with clubs (not sure for how long that's been going). Okinawa has nothing of the sort at any facility.

All this boils down to you can visit and live in South Korea without any problems as an American, but it is also more dangerous there now than it has been in recent years. Even with the best precautions, intentions, and actions, you can still become a target if you're in the wrong place at the wrong time. As a member of the US military, I am more of a target than a civilian so the things I worry about are a little less troublesome for you. Learn some basic Korean at the least because most of the cab drivers don't speak English at all.

Also, I hope you like Hyundais. 😀

I don't think this is accurate. I'm a typical white guy who has lived in Seoul with my wife and family for the last three years. There were a couple of ugly incidents with US soldiers but they were isolated incidents. After the newspapers and politicians stirred this up for the December presidential elections, they are now trying to turn it all around because it went too far. The US Army base is Code Alpha security - essentially no threat. Yes there are South Korean police at the Yongsan gates. They've been there at least since 1987 when I first started coming here. Koreans can be stubborn, agressive, irrational, etc. but they are not violent, especially toward foreigners. It's much safer here than any large city in the US. Don't sweat the language. After all these years I can't do much past order a beer and tell a girl she's beautiful - but you don't need much more. You can learn "taxi Korean" in a half hour - left, right, straight, go, stop, here, there. Just remember "Bali, Bali, Kapsida" (Faster, Faster, Go - As if you'll ever need to tell a Korean taxi driver to go faster).

 

[308nato]

..... Don't sweat the language. After all these years I can't do much past order a beer and tell a girl she's beautiful - but you don't need much more....


So you are only there to drink and chase skirt ? Does your wife know about the drinking and beautiful Korean girls ?





😀😛😉

 

[LordJezo]

Originally posted by: KenGr

Originally posted by: AndrewR

=I don't think this is accurate. I'm a typical white guy who has lived in Seoul with my wife and family for the last three years. There were a couple of ugly incidents with US soldiers but they were isolated incidents. After the newspapers and politicians stirred this up for the December presidential elections, they are now trying to turn it all around because it went too far. The US Army base is Code Alpha security - essentially no threat. Yes there are South Korean police at the Yongsan gates. They've been there at least since 1987 when I first started coming here. Koreans can be stubborn, agressive, irrational, etc. but they are not violent, especially toward foreigners. It's much safer here than any large city in the US. Don't sweat the language. After all these years I can't do much past order a beer and tell a girl she's beautiful - but you don't need much more. You can learn "taxi Korean" in a half hour - left, right, straight, go, stop, here, there. Just remember "Bali, Bali, Kapsida" (Faster, Faster, Go - As if you'll ever need to tell a Korean taxi driver to go faster).

Are you still there now?