Since 2012, the Obama administration demands South Korea to build THAAD (terminal high altitude air defense), a missile defense system in our land. Although the conservative government of President Park Geun Hye agreed that South Korea needs to protect itself from North Korea’s missile threat, THAAD was built to protect the US from getting hit by the missiles of China or North Korea. South Korean public protested against America’s exploitation of our land for their safety and against our Korean government failing to prevent disruptions in all trade and communication between our country and China.

In 2014, South Korea signs another agreement with the US on handing them our country’s Wartime Operational Call (WT-OPCON) for an infinite period, making South Korea lose the ability to direct its own military independently forever and to end the Korean War ourselves. (See the years 1950 and 2010)

On 27 June 2010, President Lee Myeong-Bak signs an agreement with the Obama administration on extending the right of the US to take over South Korea’s Wartime Operational Call (WT-OPCON), giving the US to oversee South Korea’s military troops and the right to initiate and to end wars Korea is involved in. (See year 1950 and 2014)

South Korea had a Beef Crisis in 2008. Our former President Lee Myung-bak lifted all restrictions regarding American beef import when a series of dairy cows in the US were diagnosed with Mad Cow Disease, and South Korean society, upset about how our conservative government gave up our country’s food security, held candlelight protests for months as forms of resistance. It was later found out in 2011 how our country’s three largest conservative press – Chosun Ilbo, JungAng Daily, and DongA Ilbo – had unofficially met up with the US ambassador in Seoul constantly to discuss the South Korean public opinion through a release of classified US documents. In 2008, the US Ambassador had written in his report to the US Department of State that he had spoken with the general managers of the three largest Korean press, where they promised him that they “won’t let the public opinion sway to blame the US like the last time,” which they were referring to another large South Korean protest criticizing US military on driving over two middle school female students with their armored vehicles, leaving the two bodies killed (Uhm, 2011, p. 79).

On 9 September 2003, the Bush administration requested South Korea’s military troops join the Iraq war. Earlier in 2002, the US labeled North Korea as a part of the ‘axis of evil’ and began to debate over a preemptive attack on North Korea. Despite huge debate among South Korean politicians and the public, the Roh administration accepted the request and persuaded the US to stop planning an attack on North Korea to avoid another war breaking out in the Korean peninsula. Our government deferred the dispatch until February 2004, and South Korean troops stayed in Iraq until 2008 to help in reconstruction and peacekeeping.

Two middle school students in Yangju get crushed by armored vehicles of the US military. Upset about how the US military did not apologize for killing two of our civilians, our public gathered and held a candlelight protest. The US viewed this as an incident that caused the liberals to continue their administration in the presidential election in 2003.

On 23 May 1985, University students in Seoul occupied the US Cultural Center in Seoul for three days to protest, demanding the US military’s apology for their support in the Gwangju massacre and withdrawal from South Korea. (See 1980)

University students in Daegu threw explosives at the US Cultural Center in Daegu to protest, demanding the US military’s apology for their support in the Gwangju massacre and withdrawal from South Korea. (See 1980)

The 1982 Busan arson attack - University students in Busan set the US Cultural Center in Busan building on fire on 18 March 1982 to protest, demanding the US military’s apology for their support in the Gwangju massacre and withdrawal from South Korea. (See 1980)

On 18 May 1980, Gwangju Uprising occurred in South Korea. Our public in Gwangju protested against the Chun Doo Hwan dictatorial government for arresting his political opponents, closing down universities, and oppressing domestic press and political activities. The protesters in Gwangju were killed in the military’s open fire under Chun Doo Hwan’s order. The South Korean public did not know about this massacre until a German journalist later published articles in his home country about what he witnessed in Gwangju.
During this period, the US military controlled South Korean military troops. South Koreans blamed the US military for trading their longer stay in South Korea in exchange for supporting Chun Doo Hwan’s suppression of our public. South Korean university students continued to protest, demanding the US military an apology and withdrawal from South Korea and for Chun Doo Hwan to step down from the presidency he gained through a military coup.

In May 1960, Rhee Syngman sought asylum in Hawaii after a month of the South Korean public protesting wildly against the rigged presidential election in March 1960 that tried to make Rhee president of South Korea for the fourth consecutive time.

As Rhee was brought by the US from Hawaii in 1945 and ran away to Hawaii again in 1960, South Korean historians have described Rhee Syngman as a man of the US, or America’s puppet.

Korean War broke out on 25 June 1950, and has never ended; North and South Korea are currently at a ceasefire with DMZ (demilitarized zone) acting as the boundary between the two countries.

On 14 July 1950, Rhee Syngman signed the memorandum stating that Korea hands its Wartime Operational Control to the UN Forces Commander, General McArthur of the US. Since then, South Korea has lost its right to direct its own military independently to the US. Thus, ending the Korean War is at the hands of the US, and not on the two countries of Korea.

In the US, McCarthyism sweeps across the country, and the red scare begins to spread fast in other countries that follow democracy and free market ideology. Until today, this red scare acts as national propaganda that is embedded in and directs South Korean society.

The UN allows the US to oversee the first presidential election in Korea. As tension between the ideologies of the US and the Soviets was clashing in this period, The leaders in the North disagrees to participate in an election organized by the countries that shares America’s ideology. Despite several countries of the UN disagreeing to hold an election in Korea that only applies to the South, the US pushes forward their proposal of electing a separate leader for the South.

The first government in Korea recognized by the UN was formed on 20 July 1948. President Rhee Syngman, who had a Pro-US stance, was inaugurated as South Korea’s first president on 24 July.
Electing a leader that only represents the South solidifies the division regime of the North and South.

World War II ends. Japan surrenders to the US and withdraws from its colonies. The 30 years of Japanese Occupation in the Korean peninsula ends.

The UN (the Allies of WWII) recognizes Korea as a part of Japan - a defeated country from WWII. Under the narrative of overseeing the defeated countries, the UN allows the US and Soviets to intervene in Korea, and their troops begin to flood in.

In July 1945, Potsdam Declaration is made to confirm the following: 1) To not lose all of Manchuria, the Philippines, Japan, and Korea, the US draws the 38th parallel and negotiates with the Soviets having the lands north of, and the US having the lands south of the 38th parallel. Until Korean War ends, this parallel acts as the boundary splitting Korea and giving the two pieces of land 이북 (North of the 38th parallel) and 이남 (South of the 38th parallel). 2) The US, UK, and China announces building temporary governments in the countries that used to be colonies of Japan until they become apt to stand independent. Such intervention becomes an extension of their imperialism in Asia.

In September 1945, the US military government regime in the South of the 38th parallel of Korea begins.