--EN mm.,
The Michigan Daily-Thursday, July 17, 1980-Page 5
vention Reportsmot
Korean writer
defends policies
of his homeland
By SARA ANSPACH
SpecialtoThe Daily
DETROIT - Kun-Jin Kim offers
some sophisticated political analysis on
the way the U.S. government functions.
He leans back in his chair, lights a
cigarette, and speculates about the
methods the Republicans are using to
manipulate the networks.
When the Korean correspondent to
the 1980 GOP convention begins talking
about his own government, he is not so'
relaxed. He is intensely patriotic and,
bristles slightly at the mention of the
repressive martial law under which his
native country has lived for the past
two months.
"I contact my colleagues every day,"
said Kim, who is the Washington
correspondent for Korea's largest news
organization, "and I get the feeling that
it is not so bad as the American press
reports. '
"You have to understand, it (the
martial law) is temporary, not per-
manent," he said, choosing his words
carefully.
Kim has lived in America for six
years. He marvels at the freedom we
have here, but says such liberty would
not be appropriate in his native coun-
try.
Seoul, South Korea's capital, is thirty
miles away from the North Korean1
border, and Kim's people are terribly
afraid of the communists. So afraid, he
,says, that most are willing to subject
themselves to a military rule that
quickly and often violently quells any
anti-government sentiment.
"The way of thinking is - how can I
say it.. ." Kim groped for words. "It's
just different from the American way."
"You see, we couldn't get the 100 per
cent freedom you have here. My per-
sonal opinion is that most of the (South
Korean) people understand the atypical
situation there. The majority of the
people love their country."
Kim, the only Washington correspon-
dent from Joong-Ang Ilbo (Central
Daily News), is responsible for
covering the White House, Congress,
and the entire pclitcal scene. Joong-
Ang Ilbo publishes a newspaper and
broadcasts both on radio and television,
so Kim must write stories and do
several broadcasts every day.
It's a lot of responsibility, but Kim
isn't fazed. Wearing an Oxford button-
down collar shirt and tie, he is a sharp
reporter who knows the Americans bet-
ter, perhaps, than we know ourselves.
See KOREAN, Page 11
Daily Photo by uAvID HARRIS
LIZ SIMMS, a delegate to the Republican National Convention from Cali-
fornia, applauds during U.S. Rep. Guy Vander Jagt's keynote address at last
night's session. Vander Jagt said "America can be great again",under the
leadership of Ronald Reagan.
GOP women seem
divided o ver ERA
By JOYCE FRIEDEN
special to The Daily
DETROIT-Guests attending a
banquet honoring the National
Federation of Republican Women here
yesterday were divided in their
opinions over the GOP's refusal to
adopt a positive stance on the Equal
Rights Amendment.
"I'm anti-ERA because I don't think
it's necessary," explained Republican
National Committee member Beverly
Gosnell. "In the first place, what the
amendment says is very vague, and in
the second place, it's really a state's
rights issue."
HOWEVER, NFRW MEMBER
Robina Smith from Massachusetts said
she was "very disappointed" by the
platform committee's treatment of the
issue. "I am going to wait a while
before I decide to take any action" such
as withdrawing from the party," she
said.
The GOP committee overwhelmingly
declined to endorse the amendment last
Wednesday, despite an emotional war-
ning by outgoing party co-chairwoman
Mary Crisp that such a move risked
losing the presidency in November. -
The platform committee left stand
wording in the documient stating the
party acknowledges "the legitimate ef-
forts" of both supporters and opponents
of ERA. The document was approved
by convention delegates at their
Tuesday night session.
"I WON'T SUPPORT the ERA until
the government puts in a modification
to eliminate young women from being
in the service," explained Vermont
alternate delegate Marguerite Ar-
mstrong. "My daughter is a really
feminine person and I just don't think
she'd fit into the army at all."
Washington-based lobbyist Tony
Perkins, when asked about the GOP's
stance on the issue, said "I think it's
terrible that the party went back on 40
years of tradition, but not endorsing the
amendment does not necessarily mean
they are against it."
Gosnell added the approved platform
plank actually broadens the traditional
Republican stance on women's rights.
"This recognizes the opinions of all
women," she said, "whereas before the
party just recognized the pro-ERA
forces."
In other developments, banquet
speaker Nancy Reagan intimated her
husband Ronald had made a "crucial"
decision on at least one quality he hoped
see in the party's choice for his running
mate.
"Just between us girls," she said,
"my husband and I decided our
criterion for choosing a vice-president.
You may know that my husband likes
jelly beans. Last night we decided that
the vice-presidential nominee would be
the person who could eat the most jelly
beans."
The luncheon was interrupted by an
unexpected visit from GOP presidential
nominee Reagan. "Really, I don't have
anything to say," he told the gaggle of
reporters and camerapersons covering
the banquet. "I'm just here to pick up
my wife."
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