Hwang Jang-yop, may he rest somewhere else.

From The Marmot's Hole comes news that noted defector Hwang Jang-yop, an architect of North Korea's Juche philosophy, has been awarded a state medal, the first-class Order of Civic Merit, and will be buried at the National Cemetery in Taejŏn, a fact with which South Korea's liberal parties are not happy.

As you can imagine from this post, I sort of agree with The Marmot on this:

While I find the Democratic Party’s attitude regarding Hwang’s passing suspicious at best, I do agree with what some DP lawmakers are saying: the man was still one of the fathers of North Korea’s Juche ideology. To me, this means anything positive he might have done in his latter life (and he was an elderly man when he left North Korea) only begins to make up for what he did prior to his defection. I’m not judging him personally — I appreciate he might have been a changed man. The National Cemetery, however, is a very special place, and I just don’t think he belongs there.

Hear! Hear! As I noted at Destination Pyongyang, Mr Hwang's continued defense of Juche underscored a lack of culpability for the murderous regime up north:

But if we are to make such people poster boys for the cause, as many did with Hwang, some serious semblance of acknowledgement and even contrition for his crimes would be in order.

That disconnect between the lack of acknowledgement and contrition on the one hand, and the prominent role he played in condemning a system he helped create on the other, was what always made me uneasy about him. And to me, that tainted his otherwise worthy (and valuable) post-defection life.

Now this may seem harsh, but I think interring Mr Hwang in the National Cemetery is akin to enshrining the Yasukuni-14 at the ostensibly peace-promoting Yasukuni Shrine, an act performed by the shrinekeepers in the late 1970s. Not exactly the same, but with some very serious parallels.

No, National Assembly, please find somewhere else for Mr Hwang's remains.

Red State welfare?

Over at The Marmot's Hole, D.L. Barch and WeikuBoy are talking about how "blue states" such as California prop up "red states" in terms of Federal taxes. Here's what they're talking about:

[source]

This site has a list with relative dollar amounts per dollar sent to Washington. This site has total dollars sent. Here's a similar report from 2004, and a news report on this from 2005.

I have no dog in this fight, being a resident of both California (a propper-upper) and Hawaii (a welfare queen). Frankly, I can see why some states may need more money than others, so I don't have a big problem with it, but I do see the STFU disgruntlement of those in blue states when red state voters complain about taxes.

Backlash against King Jong?

Echoing the idea I've been putting forth that the ascension of the young and inexperienced Kim Jong-un is not a done deal (despite the Western, Japanese, and even South Korean media running with that idea as if it's a given), there have been some indications of blowback against Kim Jong-il's third son assuming dynastic leadership.

One such story is found over at Ask a Korean, where The Korean has translated a Dong-A Ilbo piece on the subject:

As the North Korean regime embarked on a massive project to deify Kim Jong-Un, it is being met by jeers and ridicule from the people as it relies on absurd propaganda defying common sense. As the regime strains to package a 27-year-old man without any achievement as a "great leader," the tactic is backfiring.

On the 11th of this month, Open North Korea Radio, a radio station broadcasting toward North Korea, made public the material for lectures held late last year against Labor Party officials and members. The propaganda material, titled "Material on the Greatness of Young General Comrade Kim Jong-Un", claimed that "Comrade Young General was an expert marksman since the age of three, and this year hit a row of light bulbs and bottles 100 meters away with a semiautomatic rifle, firing at three shots per second." It also claimed that Kim fired 20 shots at a target and hit all of them within the 10-point circle. In addition, it claimed that Kim "figured out all renowned generals through the East and the West and throughout history by his teens, is proficient in all areas of military affairs including the army, navy and the air force, and only took a few days to complete the 'automatic ceremonial cannon firing program,' which not even engineers could not accomplish."

Knowledge of military history is the Chosŏn-era equivalent of the SAT, so good on him.

Meanwhile, the Los Angeles Times (which spells the Brilliant Comrade's name incorrectly as Kim Jong Eun) reports that local farming officials are annoyed about the construction of a villa for the presumed future leader of North Korea:

The construction of Kim Jong Eun's new villa was begun in late July. Soon after, nearby farmers began complaining.

When farm officials requested that commanders assume responsibility for their soldiers' behavior, they were beaten, according to the humanitarian group's report. "Although complaints ceased after this incident, news of this mishap has spread throughout the region resulting in civilian mistrust of soldiers who are believed to be connected to the suspect leadership of Kim Jong Eun."

Analysts say it's unclear whether either Kim Jong Il or his youngest son have been told of the issue.

This is a long and possibly boring
post, so I thought I'd throw in a
picture of Kim Jong-un's mom,
Ko Yŏnghŭi, who was kinda hot.

Low-boil disgruntlement over issues affecting livelihood (like with last year's currency obliteration) can be the regime's undoing in the long run, so if this is true, it could be significant.

If it's true. All of this could be the fanfic of some psyops folks in Sariwon for all we know. But we are getting a steady supply of such news.

Meanwhile, as I reported earlier, the KCNA reports still do not support the idea that Kim Jong-un has been pushed into the limelight:

• Chongryon, the North Korea-friendly association ethnic Koreans in China Japan, congratulated Kim Jong-il on his re-election but didn't say a damned thing about his son.

• Kim Jong-il gave on-the-spot guidance at a new state theatre with a large entourage that did not include Kim Jong-un. 

• PRC President Hu Jintao sent greetings to Kim Jong-il, praising his father Kim Ilsung but not mentioning Kim Jong-un whatsoever. Passive-aggressive bastard!

• Foreign delegations congratulated Kim Jong-il on his re-election; no mention of his son. Another article on foreign celebrations of the Workers Party of Korea meeting and re-election of Kim Jong-il also failed to mention Kim Jong-un. Neither did this one about communist figures in the Soviet Union (yeah, that's what they said).

• A Rodong Shinmun editorial called for new victories in the wake of Kim Jong-il's re-election, but neglected to mention Kim Jong-un. A report on Sunday morning editorials about the Workers' Party of Korea anniversary also failed to say anything about him.

• South Africans and Indians are holding seminars on Kim Jong-il's writings, but the Juche book clubs haven't studied anything by Kim Jong-un. 

• Kim Jong-il's Songun policies are lauded, but they don't carry over to Kim Jong-un, who's not mentioned in the article.

• Phoenix Satellite TV Holdings gave Kim Jong-il a present, but they didn't bring anything for Kim Jong-un. Ditto with Inoki Genom Joint Company of Japan. Not even a Wii (and he could use a Wii).

• A university in Ecuador gave honorary professorships to Kim Jong-il, his father, and his mother, but Kim Jong-un will have to attend class just like everybody else.

• The Central Commission and the Central Military Commission of the Workers' Party of Korea sent a message of congratulations on the re-election of Kim Jong-il, but didn't say anything about his son. A report on their banquet also failed to mention the young general.

In short, since my last report, there were only two mentions of Kim Jong-un. One was in an article about a photo shoot with commanding officers of the military, where Kim Jong-un's name was buried in the last paragraph. He wasn't even the first officer mentioned. 

The second was in a report about the big parade the other day marking the 65th anniversary of the Workers Party of Korea. Kim Jong-un was mentioned in the third paragraph, the fourth one listed, which hardly befits a presumptive heir being promoted to the people. The article was primarily about his dad.

In other words, KJU's visibility has been going down, not up, and it wasn't that high to begin with. Try squaring that with the Western media's message that Kim Jong-il is practically already wearing the crown.

Now what is interesting is that the KCNA reported on economic developments between North Korean and China, particularly the Northeast China region. There was the signing of an economic and technological cooperation memorandum that included Heilongjiang Province, as well as Kim Jong-il receiving a delegation form the Communist Party of China (without mention of Kim Jong-un, of course). These kinds of developments, as I've mentioned before, are probably where the real story lies.

And speaking of cars...

The NYT also has a piece on a museum in Madison, Georgia, dedicated to European microcars. There's a slide show here.

I wouldn't mind if Hyundai or Kia or some other upstart car company found a way to bring back these things. It might be a safer (and more comfortable) alternative to motorcycles.

Heck, I'd be happy if there were just more Mini Coopers or SmartCars on the streets of Seoul.

Hyundai takes on BMW. Yes, Hyundai.

The New York Times has two interesting car pieces. The first tells us that more and more car buyers in the US "are reconsidering American cars because of improved fuel economy, good quality, and high-tech features":

“Ten years ago, the younger, more cutting-edge buyer was mostly interested in cars from Japan and Germany,” said Art Spinella, president of the consulting firm CNW Research in Bandon, Ore. “That is changing and changing fast. Detroit all of a sudden seems fresher than the competition.”

This revitalization has little to do with the government bailouts. People are considering American cars because of their improved quality and fuel economy, and high-tech features that are equal to or better than those offered by overseas manufacturers.

“Detroit is building its comeback the old fashioned way — with competitive products,” Mr. Spinella said.

And this is not just about impressions. There are real numbers behind this:

Ford’s surge in quality has been particularly impressive. It trailed only the luxury brands Porsche, Acura, Mercedes-Benz and Lexus in initial quality.

And Ford has blown past Toyota, once considered the paragon of reliability for new-car buyers. While Ford registered 93 problems per 100 cars in the survey, Toyota had 117. The improvements at Ford have managed to change consumers’ perception of American vehicles in general.

“Ford has become almost the ‘halo brand’ for G.M. and Chrysler,” Mr. Spinella said. “Because of Ford’s success, people are less resistant in general to considering all of Detroit’s products.”

The second NYT article of note focuses on Hyundai, which took on Toyota and now has its sights set on BMW:

John Harmon used to drive high-end models by BMW, Cadillac, Mercedes and Jaguar.

They already own two — a 2008 Santa Fe sport utility vehicle and a 2005 Elantra — and Mr. Harmon, a Chicago-area electrical contractor who owns several construction companies, has his eye on the Equus, a nearly $60,000 sedan that arrives in November.

“This will go head-to-head with the BMWs and Mercedes,” Mr. Harmon said. “If you test-drive all of them with your eyes closed, you’re going to pick the Hyundai.”

The idea that Hyundai could compete with luxury automakers would have seemed absurd two decades ago, when its low-quality cars made the South Korean company a laughingstock in the United States.

These days, rivals know not to underestimate Hyundai and its affiliate, Kia, which have been posting record sales during one of the auto industry’s most difficult periods.

“The challenge for the Korean companies is just to keep this winning streak going,” said James Bell, executive market analyst with the automotive information firm Kelley Blue Book. “In a lot of ways, they followed the Japanese model of how to succeed in the marketplace.”

But they are diverging from the Japanese model a bit:

But while Toyota and Honda built their empires largely on reliability and fuel economy, Hyundai and Kia have taken that formula a step further with a focus on making their vehicles attractive.

“You didn’t really buy a Toyota Tercel because it was a beautiful car,” Mr. Bell said. “The factor that the Koreans have added to that mix is styling.”

As a result, Hyundai and Kia are becoming a serious threat to the Japanese dominance of most passenger car segments. Hyundai’s midsize car, the Sonata, was the most researched vehicle in the country in May, according to Compete, a Boston research firm.

All this despite last month's recall. I guess it really is good to catch those things before they become a serious (even lethal) problem.

But that underscores the uphill battle Hyundai and Kia still face:

But for all their strides, the Korean companies still have work to do before they are broadly perceived to be among the industry’s elite brands.

“It’s still going to take time to get people into the cars and to spread the word of mouth,” said Mr. Champion, who described Hyundai’s foray into the luxury segments as selling “an Armani suit with a Wal-Mart label.”

Hyundai and Kia have been marketing themselves heavily to overcome outdated perceptions — in some cases filling voids left as the Detroit automakers pulled back on sponsorships and ads during big events like the Super Bowl.

“We didn’t use to see doctors and lawyers and that type of affluent buyer, because it just wasn’t socially acceptable to pull up in a Hyundai,” said Brian Malpeli, who has sold Hyundais since the brand’s early years and is the general sales manager at World Hyundai in Matteson, Ill. “But the more and more people start noticing us, the more they see the value in it.”

Though I did have a bit of Hyundai/Kia burnout — in Seoul, I've owned a used Hyundai Excel, then a Hyundai Sonata, and lately a company Kia Carnival, all of which I loved but I thought when I lived in the US again I'd take advantage of the diverse market — I would still consider a Hyundai Santa Fe, a Kia Sorento, or even a Genesis or some car like that, just on my own experience and the joy of getting a really good value. It's nice to know that ribbing about my car choice by others wouldn't really be a factor anymore.

Apple Korea replaces new iPhone4 units with refurbished ones?

[source]

I am on my second iPhone4 right now. As I reported in the second half of this post, my first iPhone4 handset went out of control and had to be put down. A few days later, it was replaced with a new one, or so I hope.

I mean, that would suck if the brand new phone I'd bought from the AT&T Store in California were replaced with, say, a refurbished unit at the Apple Store in Ala Moana. Right? But apparently that's exactly what some are accusing Apple of doing with some of its customers in Korea.

From Macgasm:

It’s alleged that South Korean iPhone users have been given refurbished phones when their devices needed to be replaced (within the 14 day replacement window), instead of providing customers with new handsets. That’s a problem for most, and I’m not going to sugar coat it. I’d be pretty annoyed about it as well, despite Apple’s positive track record for replacement phones.

If you buy a new phone, and that new phone is broken, you should be getting another new phone, not a previously loved phone.

And that's why Apple executive Farrel Farhoudi will be talking with members of the ROK National Assembly on October 21, to explain the replacement process. Of course, Macgasm couldn't help but get a dig in at the National Assembly themselves:

Hopefully we don’t seen another South Korean Parliament brawl this time around.

How lovely that's the meme so heavily associated with South Korean nowadays. M*A*S*H, Hyundai, Samsung, Kia, K-pop, Old Boy and The Host, and now donnybrooks beneath the dome.

Selig Harrison and I are on the same page; I'm scared.

Selig Harrison sees the anointing of Kim Jong-un as North Korea's future King Jong as a victory for reform in North Korea. Yes, you read that right.

From his op-ed piece in the Boston Globe:

Kim Jong-il's bold moves to strengthen his grip on the Workers Party, the Army, and the bureaucracy in North Korea mark an important victory for the advocates of economic reform and improved US ties in the Pyongyang regime. The Obama administration should quickly signal its readiness for a resumption of denuclearization negotiations, linked to the normalization of US-North Korean relations.

He arrives at this conclusion through a route that I myself laid out (hence the "same page" remark in the title): Beijing wants to see Chinese-style economic reforms in North Korea and they likely gave the green light to Dynastic Transfer 2.0 (i.e., the rise of Brilliant Comrade Kim Jong-un) only with such an understanding.

I'm not so sure I agree with Mr Harrison about Kim Jong-il's willingness to carry out reforms at China's behest (even if in 2002 it appeared he was trying to implement reforms himself, in Shinŭiju):

If Kim Jong-il should suffer another stroke and is incapacitated or dies, North Korea might well face a crippling power struggle between newly emboldened reformers and the old guard. But for the remainder of his rule, he has greatly strengthened his ability to carry out the reform and denuclearization agenda that China has been pushing him to pursue.

It seems Mr Harrison is suggesting Kim Jong-il really wants to carry out reforms, which may be true, but something held him back, like the old guard. However, when Beijing nixed the idea of an SAR at its doorstep in Shinŭiju, North Korea seemed to go in the direction of tighter economic control, not looser. Color me unconvinced.

I'm also not sure I share Mr Harrison's optimism that Kim Jong-il's brother-in-law Jang Songtaek, the presumed regent to Kim Jong-un while he learns how to hang people with rope, is a great behind-the-scenes reformer and not someone who is just bent on holding on to power:

While little is known about the views of Kim Jong-un, who is only 27, there is no doubt about the reformist credentials of Chang Song Taek, Kim Jong-il’s brother-in-law, who will be the highest-ranking of four assistant vice chairmen of the Defense Commission as well as chairman of the Administrative Bureau, which runs the Workers Party.

Chang’s attempt to organize a reformist youth league in the Workers Party triggered an Old Guard backlash. He was in disfavor until the 1996 famine gave Kim Jong-il an excuse for winking at the eruption of private farm markets that soon began trading in consumer goods, smuggled from China and South Korea. Chang became the moving force behind the subsequent expansion of both an increasingly overt market economy and of a loosening of economic controls over small enterprises.

Indeed, I've found some of Mr Harrison's thoughts on North Korea to be downright fantastical, but oh, wouldn't it be wonderful if he were right?

But then again, that would mean engaging North Korea just as Plan B seems to be off the ground. And therein lies the dilemma: How should the Obama administration (or a future Palin or Clinton administration) react to Kim Jong-un assuming power in a post-KJI North Korea? Should we hope that the guy might be someone with compassion that we can work with? Can we hope that maybe his older brother Kim Jongnam is advising him that the DPRK should not longer be a murderous regime?

Just how much stick and how much carrot?

UPDATE (October 20, 2010):
Joshua at One Free Korea gives his must-read take on Selig Harrison's op-ed piece.

The Boston Globe indicated that this was Kim Jong-un.
Whiskey, tango, foxtrot?!

HIFF film recommendations?

I'm thinking of going to the Hawaii International Film Festival. I wonder if anybody has seen any of the following South Korean films and can suggest ones that are must-sees or must-not-sees. I think The Housemaid, Dooman River, and The Actresses are the only ones I've heard of.

• 71: Into the Fire (포화속으로)

• The Actresses (여배우들)

• Carancho (까란초)

• Dooman River (두만강)

• The Housemaid (하녀)

• The Man From Nowhere (아저씨)

• The Monster (괴물)

• Poetry (시)

• Woochi (전우치)

• Yogurt Lady (요쿠르트 아줌마)

There may be some good Japanese films, too, as well as Chinese, Taiwanese, etc. Again, any recommendations are welcome. There's a documentary on Chiune Sugihara I may want to see, too.

Michelle Rhee resigns as chancellor of DC schools

Michelle Rhee, the controversial Korean-American educator who headed Washington DC's school system, is quitting following the political defeat of her boss and biggest supporter.

From the Washington Post:

After more than three years in the job, Rhee's tenure is the longest of any D.C. chancellor or superintendent in the past two decades. Measures of student performance generally improved during her time in the job but sagged in a round of test results released in August.

Rhee removed most doubts about her future as chancellor the day after Fenty's defeat, when she told an A-list audience at the premiere of the education documentary "Waiting for 'Superman' " that Fenty's loss was "devastating" for the city's schoolchildren.

She quickly sought to recast the comment, saying that it was not a criticism of Gray. But the declaration underscored the expectation that her time as chancellor would soon end.

Rhee's goals - higher student achievement, better teachers and greater accountability for their classroom performance - were generally shared by Rhee's predecessors. But with new powers putting the struggling school system under mayoral control, Rhee pursued the goals with an unprecedented zeal.

She closed more than two dozen schools, fired teachers by the hundreds and spent more than two years negotiating a labor contract that gives principals new control over teacher hiring while establishing a new performance-pay system that ties compensation to growth on student test scores.

It will be interesting to see where she goes next. Her tactics, even if good-intentioned, may make her too radioactive to place her in the Obama administration. Perhaps a private group, like the Bill Gates Foundation or the Clinton Foundation, can envision a role for her.

Anti-American PRC military officers, Nobel Peace Laureate Liu Xiaobo, and the new cold war with China

PRC Foreign Ministry
Spokesman Ma Zhaoxu

I was only a kid during the Cold War, but I delivered newspapers, and it seemed hotter than that euphemistic moniker suggested. So when today we have China rising up to take on the role of Soviet Union (and Russia flailing and failing as it tries to recapture the same), it's not hard to see that a new cold war pitting Beijing and Washington against each other is upon us.

Sounds paranoid? Yeah, suggesting that a major trading partner is quickly becoming a dangerous nuisance and a threat to democratic allies is a good way to make yourself sound like a crank, but from Beijing's aggressive catch-and-release program concerning North Korean refugees, to its heavy-handed attempt to suppress free speech in Seoul and its attack on Japanese interests (and hostage-taking of Japanese citizens in China) over the recent Senkaku/Diaoyu dispute, there's no mistaking the rise of an increasingly economically powerful China determined to replace the US in a Sino-centric hegemony that exists only to gratify China's nationalistic (and at times fantastic) narrative as the center of Asia.

And with that long intro, I'd like to point out a piece in todays New York Times, about the growing distrust of and animosity toward the US in the Chinese military:

The Pentagon is worried that its increasingly tense relationship with the Chinese military owes itself in part to the rising leaders of Commander Cao’s generation, who, much more than the country’s military elders, view the United States as the enemy. Older Chinese officers remember a time, before the Tiananmen Square protests in 1989 set relations back, when American and Chinese forces made common cause against the Soviet Union.

The younger officers have known only an anti-American ideology, which casts the United States as bent on thwarting China’s rise.

“All militaries need a straw man, a perceived enemy, for solidarity,” said Huang Jing, a scholar of China’s military and leadership at the National University of Singapore. “And as a young officer or soldier, you always take the strongest of straw men to maximize the effect. Chinese military men, from the soldiers and platoon captains all the way up to the army commanders, were always taught that America would be their enemy.”

With rising economic affluence, we were told in the 1990s, China's middle class would not only rein in any excesses by the Chinese authorities, they would actually effect democratic change in the PRC, eventually. But what we see is Beijing deftly using the Internet to whip up nationalistic sentiment against its neighbors (e.g., South Korea, Japan, occasionally Taiwan) and the US, in a way meant to distract the citizenry from its abuses at home.

And it is for this reason that I agree with people like Joshua Stanton (that's a must-read post, by the way) that awarding the Nobel Peace Prize to a Chinese dissident who speaks out against Beijing's anti-democratic ways was a brilliant move. The Chinese government cannot rewrite that part of history, and even if they convince most PRC nationals that Liu Xiaobo is a criminal and even Norway is out to get them, some will check out just what he has to say. And then wonder why Beijing is so against that.

Of course, they won't get any help figuring it out from me. That's because Blogger (which hosts this site) is apparently blocked from view in China, so they can't see me quote things like this from the above NYT link:

Mr. Liu, 54, a veteran pro-democracy advocate, is serving an 11-year sentence for his essays and a manifesto he helped draft, Charter ’08, that demands political reform, human rights guarantees and an independent judicial system.

Although initially signed electronically by thousands of intellectuals, students and former Communist Party officials, Charter ’08 has since been blocked on the Internet and is largely unknown to most Chinese.

It will be interesting to see if Mr Liu is released and allowed to go pick up his Nobel in person, or if he's allowed back into China after that. Maybe they'll release his wife Liu Xia from house arrest and let her go in his stead. Whatever happens, I'm expecting some ham-handedness by Beijing, and when it comes to mucking up attempts to show the world they're not a bunch of thugs, they rarely disappoint.

Yeongam track passes inspection

In a follow-up to this post, the Korean Grand Prix scheduled for October 22 to 24 is good to go as the track in Yŏng-am (Yeongam) has passed inspection by the International Automobile Federation (FIA).

Kim Jongnam, oldest and most prodigal son of Kim Jong-il, opposed to Dynastic Transfer 2.0

That might explain why he turned down the job. From AP, via WaPo:

The eldest son of North Korea's leader Kim Jong Il says he opposes a hereditary transfer of power to a third generation of his family.

Kim Jong Nam's remarks come after North Korea unveiled his younger half brother, Kim Jong Un, as successor to their father in Pyongyang.

Japan's TV Asahi showed Kim making the remarks in footage aired Tuesday from an interview in Beijing on Saturday.

Kim Jong Nam was once considered likely to succeed his father. He reportedly fell out of favor after being caught trying to enter Japan on a false passport in 2001.

Now lest you think our buddy Jongnam has a death wish of some kind, he did hint that he could get behind it if it's a done deal:

He said that while he was against the succession, it should still be accepted if there are internal factors for carrying it out.

Smart move. Maybe now they won't be gunning for you.

Kim Jong-nam is all right in my book. Sure, he's living high on the hog thanks to his father's kleptocracy, but he doesn't seem to want any part of the murderous regime. Frankly, I think by going on the record opposing transfer of power to himself or any of his siblings, he's inadvertently positioning himself to be a transitional leader if something goes awry.

UPDATE:
The Economist is now carrying the story, which includes more of Kim Jong-nam's interview, including some kind words for his younger brother:

"As a matter of course, I think it was my father who made the decision. As I have had no interest in the matter, I don't care at all," he said.

He added that he also hope that his brother could improve living standards in North Korea which remains desperately poor as a result of crippling economic sanctions and a Soviet-style command-economy.

"I hope my younger brother will do his best to make the lives of the North Korean people affluent. For my part, I am prepared to help my younger brother whenever necessary while I stay abroad."

Yeah, if I were him, I'd stay as far away from the DPRK as possible, too.

Kicking ass in Koreatown

The Los Angeles Times has an article about a Koreatown couple who ignored the usual advice of just giving armed intruders what they want, and instead put the guy (a ROK national) in the hospital:

But the man grabbed her and put a gun to her head, demanding money, authorities said.

They returned inside, where the woman gave suspect Keon Kim, 26, her wallet, Corona said. Unsatisfied with the $120 he found inside, Kim, a Korean national, took the woman into the bathroom and demanded to know who else was home, police said. She told him her boyfriend was.

When Kim left the bathroom to find the woman’s boyfriend, the woman screamed, waking her boyfriend.

The two men, Corona said, began to fight, throwing punches and scratching. The altercation spilled into the bathroom, then back outside the apartment -– all while the suspect kept control of his gun.

The boyfriend called out to his girlfriend to call 911. On her way back outside, she came across a golf club. She dashed outside with it and struck the man twice in the head so hard that the club broke into two.

“At that point, he manages to get up,” Corona said. “And he decides it’s time to go home.”

But the boyfriend chased him down to the second floor, where they continued fighting until police arrived.

The article doesn't say whether the couple themselves are also Korean (and in Koreatown, that wouldn't be a given nowadays), but I'd say in general it's probably best for KoKos in the US to realize that going after someone who has a gun with anything less than a gun is not wise. Don't do it unless you absolutely have to (and 120 bucks or some jewelry and electronics are not worth your life).

Criminals in South Korea, thankfully, almost never carry firearms, so it's reasonable to assume you've got a good chance of fighting back using a golf club. Not so against a handgun. Just sayin'. [Also bear in mind that when the cops arrive, they don't always know who the real criminal is right away.]

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