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Saturday, October 23, 2004
Roperos: Koreans
By Godofredo M. Roperos
Politics Also
There are good and there are bad Filipinos. By the same token, so a close friend said, there are good and there are bad Koreans.
Since we know intimately our own people, we would like to talk about the prospect of an influx of Koreans into our island following the visit of our own mayor Tom Osmena to South Korea early this week. How had been the stay of Korean nationals in Cebu, many of whom have businesses here or work as tourist guides?
In a chance meeting at an uptown coffee shop a few days ago, a friend who works in Lapu-Lapu City expressed concern over the influx of South Koreans here, saying he would rather have Chinese or Japanese coming to Cebu anytime.
The reason is behavioral. In the past months, many incidents involving Korean nationals happened in Lapu-Lapu City. In most cases, both parties in the incidents were Koreans.
My friend said that the sad thing about the incidents is that the Filipinos involved were merely used by a Korean against another Korean. It shows that Koreans are quarreling among themselves and because they have the resources, they use the locals to do the dirty job for them.
In one instance, my friend said that the Korean Embassy complained about the manner in which the local police handled the particular case. But when the embassy staff was shown the personal background of the Korean nationals involved, they became silent.
Many South Koreans who are here are reportedly members of syndicates back home. The fact that they opened certain businesses does not negate their erstwhile connections back home. And many of them tend to be violent compared with the Chinese.
This latter observation by one friend from Lapu-Lapu City reminds us of the Japanese armed forces who were sent to the Philippines in World War II. Some contingents of the invading army included Koreans.
And they were the ones Filipino civilians came to fear and to hate because they were the most violent. They raped women and tortured with undue violence the men they captured. In fact, it was not unusual in those days for mothers to threaten to give their errant kids to the Korean soldiers.
But that is no longer of any moment now. What seems relevant is the complaint of my friend regarding the many Koreans in Cebu now working as tourists guides to Korean tourists, something that Filipinos could do. And yet, there is no similar privilege extended to Filipinos in South Korea.
This is rather unfair in the face of recent developments when it was reported that South Koreans will be coming to Cebu in droves to learn to speak English from local tutors.
“And one more thing, Bay,” my friend said, “if you do not know it yet, the Koreans are the most kuripot among Asians, even worse than our Ilocanos and Boholanos.” But the latter two’s notoriety could be more illusory than real, since I believe their “dubious fame” as tightwads is more likely just an aspect of our traditional sense of humor. But the one of our South Korean guests is based on actual observation of our people on their (the Koreans) behavior as they associate and conduct their business with our people.
All in all, it is my friend’s considered opinion that Cebu and Cebuanos would be better off if they have the Chinese or the Japanese as dominant tourists rather than the South Koreans, with due respect to Mayor Osmeña, whom they have found to be the new champion of the Korean’s cause in the island.
(October 23, 2004 issue)
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