School kids singing bin Laden's praises

Elementary school students in Busan and other parts of South Gyeongsang province are reportedly singing the praises of Osama bin Laden. School authorities in the province said they are working to discourage children from singing what they called a "Bin Laden worship song."

The South Gyeongsang Office of Education reported Tuesday that 1,750 students had been punished at 15 schools for singing the song. The education office said a survey it conducted showed that in Gimhae about 1,700 of the city's 40,000 elementary school students have at least heard the song. In Busan about 10 percent of elementary school students said they have heard or sung the song.

Calling the song "potentially dangerous," the Busan Police Agency and the city's education office on Dec. 7 ordered schools to stop students from singing the song and to educate them as to why Mr. bin Laden is not someone to be admired. They are also searching for the origin of the song, but have not had any luck.

The song, reportedly sung to the tune of the theme song of a popular cartoon, goes something like this: "Osama bin Laden, the person I admire most. I also want to be a terrorist when I grow up. President Bush, the person I detest most. I'm going to blow up the 63 building."

by Kim Sang-jin