'Cultural terrorism' Vs 'civic movement'

Local civic organization members boycott a concert commemorating U.S.-Korean military partnership, Saturday, in front of the Uijeongbu Sports Complex. / Yonhap

Civic groups face suit over disrupted concert

By You Soo-sun

The Uijeongbu city government will file a lawsuit against civic organizations that led a boycott and the eventual cancellation of major performances for a concert to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the U.S. Army 2nd Infantry Division, which is stationed in the city.

Mayor Ahn Byung-young also apologized at a press conference, Monday, blaming civic organizations for disrupting the event meant to honor U.S. soldiers who served in the Korean War.

Some go as far to call the incident “cultural terrorism” and a “leftists’ blacklist,” while others caution this reflects a heightening sense of anti-U.S. sentiment.

For weeks, some civic organizations urged the government to cancel the concert, reasoning it is too close to the anniversary of the Yangju highway incident of June 13, 2002, in which a U.S. military vehicle ran over two female middle school students on a street in Yangju, Gyeonggi Province. Anti-U.S. sentiment swept the nation when it was revealed the two GIs held responsible were acquitted at a U.S. courts-martial.

The boycott quickly spread online, becoming violent as citizens posted vile comments against the musicians who were invited to perform at the event. Six main acts, including soloist Insooni, K-pop bands EXID, Oh My Girl and Sweet Sorrow, punk band Crying Nut and rapper SanE, ended up canceling their performances.

According to a Uijeongbu city official, protesters flooded the phone lines in the days leading up to the concert. They demanded the government cancel the concert as it was untimely and inappropriate, threatening to “keep a lookout.”

The official also said the city is currently seeking legal consultation regarding possible lawsuits against the civic organizations that boycotted the event as well as the company that failed to deliver on the planned event. The official stated nothing is yet certain.

Conservative political parties including the Liberty Korea Party (LKP) and the Bareun Party called the incident, “a liberal-style blacklist,” and “rude behavior by extreme leftists.” They further raised concerns that such behavior could worsen Korea-U.S. ties.

Kim Jong-wook, president of the Korean Augmentation to the United States Army (KATUSA) Veterans Association, called the incident a “diplomatic humiliation” and chastised civic organizations for politicizing the 2002 tragedy.

“Even the parents of the victims do not want the tragedy to be politicized,” Kim said, referring to news sources. “Civic organizations are abusing the 2002 event for their own political goals, in my opinion.”

Kim said the concert was a meaningful event meant to honor about 7,000 U.S. veterans who died in the Korean War.

“As president of the KATUSA Veterans Association, I’d like to send my apologies to the U.S. military on behalf of all Korean citizens who share my opinion,” Kim said. “Please know that not all Koreans think this way.”

Sungkyunkwan University sociology professor Koo Jeong-woo, however, believes the core of the problem lies with the Yangju highway incident, and hence justified the boycott on the part of the civic organizations.

He sees the incident as being in line with heightening anti-U.S. sentiment that have built up, beginning with the 2008 U.S. beef protest and the current row over the deployment of a U.S. Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) missile system.

“It was a socially significant incident that ignited antagonistic feelings toward the U.S.,” Koo said, referring to the 2002 Yangju highway incident.

Koo believes the event host, the Uijeongbu city government, should have taken this into consideration.

“It’s a sensitive issue that still enrages many. The host should have come to terms with the civic organizations in their community,” he said.

“I think the civic organizations taking issue with the incident was inevitable, given the timing of the event.”

Regarding the citizens’ online reactions, he said they crossed a line. “Nothing can legitimize such methods, even for a just goal.” Koo said.