A lightly attended panel discussion on U.S.-Korean relations became contentious at times as the views of the panelists proved at odds with those of some members of the mostly Korean audience.
The Tuesday discussion, entitled "An Engaged Confrontation: The Korean Peninsula in 2005," scholars from various Korean and American politically minded groups gathered before an audience of about 20 in Houston Hall's Golkin Room.
Some of the panelists pointed to cracks in the long-standing relationship between the United States and South Korea. Balbina Hwang of the Heritage Foundation -- a Washington-based conservative think tank -- expressed anxiety about a potential rift between the two nations.
"Although the U.S. government tries its best in maintaining the alliance, the Korean government and its people are trying to break off," Hwang said. She attributed this to "traditional nationalism in Korea."
Nevertheless, Hwang added, the alliance is thought to be among its most important by the U.S. government.
Such a potential failure "is just an assumption," she said. "If Americans were to further understand and respect the Korean stance," relations might be put back on track, she added.
Hwang compared the alliance between the United States and South Korea to a marriage: two very different partners pursuing common goals and sharing emotions.
Emanuel Pastreich of the Korean Culture Service -- a visiting scholar at Penn -- said that a break in relations is imminent and ascribed the situation to the negligence of the U.S. media. "Korea sent $30 million for the U.S. Katrina disaster. They sent ... troops to Iraq," Pastreich said.
"These highly diplomatic events did not appear in the U.S. media," he said, adding that while no Korean movies become mainstream American fare, "every single [aspect of] American culture" affects Korean life. He emphasized that recent anti-Americanism in Korea is also, he believes, rooted in the prevalence of American culture there.
A Korean businessman in the audience was not fully satisfied with the discussion or the speakers' comments. An active debate ensued between the panelists and the audience member as to which country is at fault in the weakening of ties.
Hwang's statement during the argument that Korea will never gain equal footing with the United States seemed to do little to resolve the argument -- though it did elicit some displeasure from audience members -- and the debate ended up without a solution.
Hwang concluded the panel discussion by saying that the U.S.-Korean alliance is no longer simply a governmental concern. She added that it is important for each nation to show respect and understanding for the other's interests.
The panel discussion was hosted by Penn's Center for East Asian Studies.
