with friends like these

From the World Tribune yesterday: New poll sees US as top threat in South Korea.

Polls conducted here indicate South Koreans view the United States as a greater threat to their security than their communist neighbor, North Korea. The poll marks a radical departure from similar findings 10 years ago, before the current Internet generation came of age. …

Research & Research, a polling company here, reported the results of a nationwide poll on January 5, in which 39 percent of 800 respondents listed the U.S. as the biggest threat compared with 33 percent who cited North Korea. Another 12 percent cited China and 8 percent Japan while 8 percent did not answer.

There does remain a generation gap.

The Chosun Ilbo survey showed that respondents in their 20s were “most likely to harbor anti-U.S. sentiment” with 58 percent seeing the U.S. as the biggest threat, while 20 percent saw North Korea that way.

On the other hand, more than half, 52 percent, of those in their 50s cited North Korea the major national security threat, with only 18 percent of them viewing the United States as the worst enemy.

The planned US troop redeployment in South Korea can't happen quickly enough. It's about time the twentysomething ingrates took responsibility for defending their own damn country.