expat wrote:
> I'm an American living in Seoul. A friend showed me you website in
> December, and I have been reading through it. I am convinced you
> are on the right track. So, can I stay here for the Olympics an
> leave at the end of February? Or should I leave now? I wish I had
> heard of this site years ago. Could a 'bloody nose' NOT lead to
> regional or world war? Koreans are split 50-50 conservative-
> liberal.
I think you already know that I don't have an answer to your question.
There's no doubt that tensions between North and South Korea are
growing, and there's even a generational backlash among young people
objecting to North and South Korea marching together under a unity
flag.
https://www.reuters.com/article/us-olym ... SKBN1F716G
There's also no doubt that at some point there will be a war involving
Seoul, and it looks like things are going to be very tense after the
Olympics games end. But that doesn't mean that there'll be a war on
February 24. It's possible that all sides will find a way to "kick
the can down the road" again, despite Kelly saying that we've run out
of road. Maybe China will force Kim to back down rather than have a
war. It's hard to believe that a war will simply begin, but stranger
things have happened, and anyway, throughout history, many wars have
"simply begun."
If it were me, then I would leave, but I'm a total coward. If you
stay, then you probably should think about how you'll handle the
situation where things suddenly change overnight and a war seems
imminent, or the first shots have been fired. At that point, all
flights would be booked up, and people would be in a total panic. For
example, you might have a plan to quickly travel to the south of
Korea, where you'll probably be safer.
I realize that none of the above is much help. What you have to do is
evaluate your situation, how much risk you're willing to tolerate, and
how closely you and your family are tied to Seoul. All I can add is
-- Good luck!
Let us know what you decide.