Reviving the Korean right-wing in Los Angeles

This shocking event took place in Los Angeles on July 24, 2015. It’s a launch event for the US headquarters of the recently revived ultra-right-wing Northwest Youth League, a paramilitary gang known for massacring Korean civilians between 1947 and 54. The newspaper ad below announces the re-emergence of this horrific group, ostensibly formed to counter the “spread of pro-North Korea forces in South Korea and abroad,” with Los Angeles as “the international headquarters for pro-North Korea activism.” Note that the event was held at the Korean American Federation of Los Angeles, a political representative of the immigrant Korean community, and that the event was co-sponsored by a veterans association and a group dedicated to commemorating the former President Syngman Rhee (1948-1960) as South Korea’s “founding president,” part of a growing right-wing movement that denies Rhee’s horrendous legacy of violent political repression among others.

Note that the event was held at the Korean American Federation of Los Angeles, an official political representative of the immigrant Korean community, and that the event was co-sponsored by a veterans association and a group dedicated to commemorating the former President Syngman Rhee (1948-1960) as South Korea’s “founding president,” part of a right-wing movement that denies Rhee’s horrendous legacy of undemocratic rule and violent political repression.

Northwest Youth League Los Angeles - cleaner scan2015

Also see the Korea Exposé article, “South Korea’s angry young men.”

The LA event appears to have been full of angry old men, seeing from subsequent news coverage here and here. Their platform for action is as follows:

  1. We love the Republic of Korea and the United States of America, and respect their history and tradition.
  2. We have faith in the USA and ROK to protect our lives and property.
  3. We fight against treason and corruption, and protect the weak.
  4. We support the rule of law and advance liberal democracy.
  5. We hold the truth, the Constitution, and the national interest as the basis for our actions.
  6. We will sacrifice until the collapse of the Communist North Korean juche regime.

Looking forward to being in LA! :-O