South Korea remains a true ally
Re “The freedom to be ungrateful,” Opinion, Oct. 21
Peter Brookes implies that the general Korean public wants to pull down the statue of Gen. Douglas MacArthur and that a majority of Koreans is involved in anti-American campaigns. This is not correct.
President Roh Moo-hyun explicitly expressed his opposition to the removal of MacArthur’s statue when he spoke to Korean Americans at the 60th session of the U.N. General Assembly. Roh cited MacArthur’s contributions to the country’s freedom through the successful landing of U.N. forces at Inchon in 1950 and called it an “undeniable part of the Korean history.” Almost nine out of 10 Korean adults said the MacArthur statue should not be removed, according to a recent Korean newspaper survey.
The Korean government has deployed forces in direct support of the United States in most of its wars since 1953. The Korean government will continue to work in partnership with the United States for peace in the Asia-Pacific area, per our alliance, and in other regions around the world. This is what true allies do, and we are a true ally.
SOCK-JOONG YOON
Korean Embassy, Washington
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