[LETTERS to the editor]Gwangju’s Mayor Park

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[LETTERS to the editor]Gwangju’s Mayor Park

Published: 11 Nov. 2005, 22:08

The mayor of Gwangju was recently subjected to a body search at San Francisco’s international airport. He complained that if even travelers carrying official passports were insulted like that, imagine what kind of treatment ordinary Koreans get. He then goes on to blame the Korean government’s “submissive attitude” toward the U.S. for the incident and further states, “According to the diplomatic principle of recoprocity, Korea should carry out more thorough security inspections of Americans who come and go in Korea.” My wife is a Korean national who has been treated well when entering and leaving the United States.
Although I do not agree with Mr. Park’s 18-member group being chosen for a random search and his anger may be understood, his comments with his additional vow to demand that the U.S. withdraw Patriot missiles deployed near Gwangju airport will do nothering to enhance goodwill between Americans and Koreans.

by Michael Blais