This digitally edited image shows protesters at Seoul's Gwanghwamun Square in December 2016 demanding former President Park Geun-hye's impeachment, and U.S. President Donald Trump. Trump, now on a visit to the Middle East and Europe, is facing a federal investigation over possible coordination with Russia during his presidential campaign last year to affect the poll's result and the sacking of former FBI Director James Comey earlier this month. Trump actions have sparked calls in the U.S. for his impeachment. / Korea Times file



By Ko Dong-hwan

Amid calls to impeach controversial U.S. President Donald Trump, Korean netizens are quipping they can help.

They cite Korea's recent impeachment and ouster of former president Park Geun-hye following months of civic protests, investigations and parliamentary questioning as a blueprint for how it could be done.

The Republican President, on his first overseas trip ― to the Middle East and Europe ― since taking office in January, is facing criticism from many angles.

Grassroots groups have objected to derogatory remarks about women made during his presidential campaigning and the ethnically charged policies of banning travelers from some Muslim countries and building a wall on the Mexican border to keep out illegal immigrants.

Many members of Congress are also raising concerns over his sacking of former FBI Director James Comey earlier this month, possible coordination with Russia during the presidential campaign and the alleged leaking of top-secret national intelligence about Islamic State to visiting Russian diplomats.

"Maybe we can export our impeachment know-how to the U.S.?" a Korean blogger said while talking about Trump firing Comey. Another netizen supported the idea, emphasizing that Koreans "need to export South Korean knowledge about impeaching a president and how to remove the president peacefully without shedding a single drop of blood" at price of $1 billion, considering "the high demand."

Similar voices were heard on Twitter. One said: "Soon, we might be able to export candlelight vigils and the South Korean impeachment process to the U.S. free of charge ... I hope the first country to import our candlelight vigils will be the United States." Another said: "Candlelit demonstrations and impeachment. Doors to export have opened."

The Koreans' excitement comes from their extraordinary attention to the American President. Not only has Trump attracted global interest with his forthright comments on Twitter and at press conferences, and the mounting political allegations, he also shares similarities with their former president.

First, they received inheritances from their fathers: Trump from his father Fred who established and ran real estate firm The Trump Organization until 1971 when ownership passed to Donald, and Park from her father Chung-hee, a former dictator president who took over Korea in a coup and ruled for 17 years from 1962.

The other common feature is that both have "communication difficulties," according to The Washington Post. Their public comments have often brought criticism, with Trump going too far with his choice of words while his Asian counterpart used too few words, staying holed up inside the presidential residence at Cheong Wa Dae and rarely addressing her people.

The Washington Post highlighted last Friday how Koreans are keen on Trump and the issues swirling around him. The report said Naver, Korea's biggest portal site, showed over 10 auto-fills when people searched for "Trump," including "Trump impeachment," "Trump's wife," "Trump Russia," "Trump supporting rate," "Trump Saudi," "Melania Trump" and "Ivanka Trump."

"South Koreans are becoming obsessed with the political drama emanating from Washington," the report said, mentioning Korea's new President Moon Jae-in had a whopping 87 percent support in a Gallup Korea poll compared with Park's 4 to 5 percent early this year.