"But at this point, the difference in law and culture at bathing places is what is likely to be at fault."

Another piece on Michael White in the Korea Times. The lengthy article is worth a read, and contains much of what we've heard before on blogs (here too) and on the podcast interview, but here's an excerpt of the end:

Unlike America and Europe, where there is the Good Samaritan Law, which imposes no blame when a person dies while receiving emergency treatment from someone attempting to help, in Korea a person who helps can be held liable for the death. Hwang at the fire station said the law hinders people from trying to help a critically ill person ― such as Michael in this case ― as they fear punishment if the outcome proves fatal.

The sauna staff, who were not certified in any rescue related activity, only called an ambulance and waited for the emergency rescue team to arrive and begin basic resuscitation. ``We cannot blame the staff,'' Lee said.

Hwang said the staff were not trained in any emergency measures as the current law does not require them to be educated in CPR, unlike swimming pool staff. ``We are seeking ways to train staff, but unless we take away the legal burden, the effect could be questionable,'' he added.

``We all feel sorry about what happened to the boy. But at this point, the difference in law and culture at bathing places is what is likely to be at fault,'' an officer at the fire station said requesting anonymity.

*Sigh* I'm really not in the mood to deconstruct that or to, again, rehash the accounts Michael's mother has given and how they conflict with what the staff and medical personnel are saying now. I don't think I could do a cool-headed job. I also don't feel comfortable doing that because news updates have been coming almost daily and stories just aren't adding up well enough to make a post to end all posts. And, I don't want to talk too much about stories of other foreigners who died under suspicious circumstances and whose deaths were never investigated. You can find lengthy write-ups here, here, and here, to name just a few, and we can recall the case of the foreigner who died of a heart attack in Incheon Airport last October because the security guard wouldn't let EMTs enter through the exit.

I will add, though, that in addition to what's available on blogs and in the papers, a few Dave's posters have typed up a transcript of the Seoul Podcast interview and put it online here, and that they're currently getting it translated into Korean for distribution it's been translated into Korean and is posted on the same site, here.

But the topic of cultural differences is one pretty much any foreigner will hear during his or her time in Korea. Probably within, like, the first three seconds, and probably to used to justify when something doesn't go your way. Wasn't too long ago we heard about politicians who went to the States, fondled some statues, and blamed cultural differences. That may or may not be acceptable, but nevertheless that excuse was invoked. And if I weren't in school I'd have more free time to look around for other examples.

It works both ways, though, and I recall reading about this story for the first time last year. Wikipedia has a summary of "The Hattori Shooting," which happened in Baton Rouge on October 17, 1992. A 16-year-old Japanese exchange student Yoshihiro Hattori was walking up to a house for a costume party. Turns out it was the wrong house, and the homeowner shot him after the student rang the doorbell and then went around to the side of the house. The Wikipedia entry has a bit of the exchange between the D.A. and the defendant:

"You were safe and secure, weren't you?" Moreau asked Peairs during his appearance before the grand jury. "But you didn't call the police, did you?"
"No sir." Peairs said.
"Did you hear anyone trying to break in the front door?"
"No sir."
"Did you hear anyone trying to break in the carport door?"
"No sir."
"And you were standing right there at the door, weren't you - with a big gun?"
Peairs nodded.
"I know you're sorry you killed him. You are sorry, aren't you?"
"Yes sir."
"But you did kill him, didn't you?"
"Yes sir."

Rodney Peairs was acquitted after the jury deliberated for just over three hours, and had to pay damanges to Hattori's family.

Say what you will about the negative aspects of Japanese culture, the culture of guns and climate of violence that exists in the US is in stark contrast to Japan, and people there were rightfully shocked by this "difference in law and culture." A culture that permitted a man to not only own a weapon but use it with impunity. Likewise, foreigners here are shocked by the laziness, incompetence, and shiftiness of authorities over here, attitudes that differ, at least in our minds, with what we've come to expect from those responsible for our well-being.

The Hattori case garnered worldwide attention, and if people are interested in pursuing the Michael White story, and not letting it fall through the cracks like the cases of Bill Kapoun, Matthew Sellers, Jamie Penich, and the woman stabbed to death at her Suncheon school in 1998, they'd be wise to follow Stephannie White's advice and write to your hometown newspapers. As most of us know, what happens in Korea tends to stay in Korea, and is apparently of little interest to people in other countries. That may prove to be the case again, but as others have pointed out, we ought to make the effort to go global, rather than whining on English teacher blogs that nobody reads.