Being stabbed in the back and letting it go

Making a precedence of being stabbed in the back and letting it go is something to think about, especially if someone like the former U.S. president comes into power.

KIM PIL-GYUThe author is a Washington correspondent of the JoongAng Ilbo. I went to Savannah, Georgia, to cover Hyundai Motor’s electric car factory last month. I parked my car in the management section of the highway to take a photo of the factory site, and a police car approached me as I was setting up my equipment. Based on past experience, I was sure I would be told to move it.

But my presumption was wrong. With a big smile on his face, the police officer asked me if I was from Korea, gave me a thumbs up and wished me good luck with my coverage. The friendly mood continued with the locals. The officials and city council members I met at the event were willing to be interviewed and offered to take selfies together even though I was not affiliated with the automaker. Upon returning, I even received an email inviting me to dinner someday if I ever return to Savannah. It was hospitality at its finest.

The experience may be trivial, but I felt the power of $5.5 billion. Probably thanks to the economic impact, major politicians who attended the event and took the first shovel in front of the camera looked good regardless of their party affiliations. Republican Gov. Brian Kemp was successfully re-elected despite going against former President Donald Trump. While a runoff vote still remains, Democratic Senator Rafael Warnock defeated his opponent who was on his heels.

President Joe Biden also leveraged the investments. Whenever he had a chance in his speech, he boasted that Korean companies highly rated American labor and invested in the U.S. While he also praised the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) as a historic bill despite its penalizing nature to Korean companies, we had no choice but to watch it since it is the election season.

After the midterm election, the European Union raised an issue. The discrimination clause in the IRA also applies to German carmakers such as BMW, which plans to build electric car plants in America. The EU is demanding at least the same treatment for cars made in Europe as the ones made in America. But Korea has been silent after the election. Washington had been “listening to Korea’s concerns,” but now the mood has changed that the IRA is not necessarily a loss on Korea, and only Hyundai Motors would have to suffer a year or two.

It may be the case indeed. But making a precedence of being stabbed in the back and letting it go is something to think about, especially if someone like the former U.S. president — who saw the high-rises in Korea and said Korea existed thanks to the U.S. and America was paying all the expenses — comes into power. Korea’s good will to swallow its disadvantage could only be deemed a right the U.S. deserves.