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CNN Live Today
Thousands Gathered in Protest in South Korea
Aired December 31, 2002 - 10:07 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CAROL LIN, CNN ANCHOR: Just hours after expelling two U.N. monitors, North Korea is accusing the United States of plotting a war against it. Washington is also facing hostilities in South Korea, where thousands have gathered to protest the deaths of two teenage girls killed in a road accident involving the U.S. military. It is the latest incident to stoke anti-American sentiment there.
CNN's Rebecca MacKinnon is in Seoul with the latest.
Rebecca, you have some fine works going on behind you there. Is it New Year's there?
REBECCA MACKINNON, CNN CORRESPONDENT: You bet, Carol.
Yes, we've just passed into 2003 here in South Korea.
What had started out as a massive street protest against the United States, against U.S. troop presence in Korea, has turned into a huge new Year's Eve celebration moving down the street there.
Now, a few hours ago, thousands of protesters had tried to surround the U.S. embassy, which is just down the street from us. They were blocked from doing so by a huge cordon of police that still continued to protect the embassy.
Now these protesters, as you say, very angry over the road accident that occurred this summer, in which two South Korean teenagers were killed. Protesters also highly critical of U.S. policies towards North Korea, calling them overly hardline. Also, criticizing the United States for creating the tense situation in the first place.
Calling for engagement, saying that South Koreans should be allowed to take the lead on this issue. Also generally critical of U.S. policy. Generally around the world, protesters with placard's saying don't attack Iraq and so forth. So definitely, we have a message of defiance towards Washington coming from the streets of Seoul today -- Carol.
LIN: Rebecca, it really gives us an idea how much has changed between South Korea and North Korea, with South Koreans really much more sympathetic to the North Koreans with their war of words against the United States over their nuclear program.
MACKINNON: Yes, that's right, Carol. Well, it's a very complicated situation here, and certainly nationalism play as lot into it. We also have a situation where over the past several years, South and North Korea have tentatively, I mean, nothing has gone smoothly, but there are some economic ties going on. There's going to be a railroad link that will start up next month. There's an investment zone with South Korean investors that will be breaking ground next month. Ties continue to go on between the north and south, despite the tensions over North Korea's nuclear program. And the belief here among many South Koreans, including the president here, is that Washington needs to give South Korea a more equal role in determining what happens in their own neighborhood -- Carol.
LIN: Rebecca MacKinnon, reporting in Seoul, where the fireworks are going off.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
Aired December 31, 2002 - 10:07 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CAROL LIN, CNN ANCHOR: Just hours after expelling two U.N. monitors, North Korea is accusing the United States of plotting a war against it. Washington is also facing hostilities in South Korea, where thousands have gathered to protest the deaths of two teenage girls killed in a road accident involving the U.S. military. It is the latest incident to stoke anti-American sentiment there.
CNN's Rebecca MacKinnon is in Seoul with the latest.
Rebecca, you have some fine works going on behind you there. Is it New Year's there?
REBECCA MACKINNON, CNN CORRESPONDENT: You bet, Carol.
Yes, we've just passed into 2003 here in South Korea.
What had started out as a massive street protest against the United States, against U.S. troop presence in Korea, has turned into a huge new Year's Eve celebration moving down the street there.
Now, a few hours ago, thousands of protesters had tried to surround the U.S. embassy, which is just down the street from us. They were blocked from doing so by a huge cordon of police that still continued to protect the embassy.
Now these protesters, as you say, very angry over the road accident that occurred this summer, in which two South Korean teenagers were killed. Protesters also highly critical of U.S. policies towards North Korea, calling them overly hardline. Also, criticizing the United States for creating the tense situation in the first place.
Calling for engagement, saying that South Koreans should be allowed to take the lead on this issue. Also generally critical of U.S. policy. Generally around the world, protesters with placard's saying don't attack Iraq and so forth. So definitely, we have a message of defiance towards Washington coming from the streets of Seoul today -- Carol.
LIN: Rebecca, it really gives us an idea how much has changed between South Korea and North Korea, with South Koreans really much more sympathetic to the North Koreans with their war of words against the United States over their nuclear program.
MACKINNON: Yes, that's right, Carol. Well, it's a very complicated situation here, and certainly nationalism play as lot into it. We also have a situation where over the past several years, South and North Korea have tentatively, I mean, nothing has gone smoothly, but there are some economic ties going on. There's going to be a railroad link that will start up next month. There's an investment zone with South Korean investors that will be breaking ground next month. Ties continue to go on between the north and south, despite the tensions over North Korea's nuclear program. And the belief here among many South Koreans, including the president here, is that Washington needs to give South Korea a more equal role in determining what happens in their own neighborhood -- Carol.
LIN: Rebecca MacKinnon, reporting in Seoul, where the fireworks are going off.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
