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A group of environmental activists stage an anti-nuclear demonstration in front of Seoul city hall on October 11.
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North’s test announcement ruffles few feathers
South Koreans remained surprisingly calm in response to the mounting tensions prompted by North Korea’s declared nuclear test. This contrasts with the commotion seen in 1994, when Pyongyang withdrew from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and threatened war. The Korean stock market, which plunged on the North’s announcement of the nuclear test on October 9, regained its stability the next day. Experts see the change in attitude as proof of eased concerns among people after the South Korean government has for several years sought reconciliation with the communist country. In short, nuclear testing in the North does not necessarily mean a war in the eyes of South Koreans. "Unlike the Cold War era, people have become more objective in seeing military movements by the North and subsequently heightened tensions," said Lee Cheol-gi, professor of Dongguk University. "This is the positive outcome of the government’s engagement policy toward the North."Son Hyeok-jae, an official of the People’s Solidarity for Participatory Democracy, said the general Korean populace, unlike some conservative media, stay calm, looking at how the next developments will unfold. "Of course, they have to brace for the worst, but it is not desirable to raise tensions without proper reasoning and response to the current situation." But others expressed concerns over what they call "security apathy" among the majority of South Korean people. An investor trading unlisted stocks said, "even unlisted stocks were not affected by the latest crisis," feeling that there should be more of a reaction on the ground in South Korea to the North’s test announcement. "The engagement policy by the Kim Dae-jung and Roh Moo-hyun administrations has increased apathy among people," said Park Chan-seong, from the Citizens’ Coalition to Stop the Nuclear Development of North Korea. "It is likely that people still remain confused after being shocked by the North’s nuclear test...It seems that a dam is about to burst," he said. But the head of the very strong conservertive Internet Independence newspaper, Sin Hae-sik, countered that the South Korean reaction is not one of apathy. "People do not believe the current situation could lead to war. At this moment, they seem to be taking a wait-and-see attitude."