Glenn Beck speaks with Pastor Rob McCoy about the rapid collapse of South Korea into authoritarianism and what it means for the entire Western World. McCoy shares his firsthand experiences from the trip, detailing how the government is packing the Supreme Court, arresting opposition, and opening borders to foreign influence. With parallels being drawn to what could happen in America and Europe, this is a stark warning about the dangers of complacency and the erosion of freedom.
Watch Glenn Beck's recent episode of 'Glenn TV' which dives deeper into the current situation in South Korea HERE
Transcript
Below is a rush transcript that may contain errors
GLENN: Rob McCoy, Turning Point's faith cochair. Good friend of Charlie Kirk, and Charlie Kirk's pastor. He just got back from South Korea. Pastor, welcome back. How are you?
ROB: I'm good, Glenn, and I think you're a likable character.
GLENN: Spend some time. Get to know me. Come on. Come on.
So let's talk about what you experienced in South Korea.
We talked, I think a week ago, or maybe a little longer. Where they're starting to -- I mean, it's bad. I talked to Pastor Son last night from Korea on the TV show, and it is really becoming dystopian and authoritarian over in -- in South Korea.
ROB: Yeah, it reminds me of the Hemingway novel, The Sun Also Rises, where he said, it happens gradually and then suddenly.
And that's what's happening in South Korea.
They've packed the Supreme Court from 14 justices. Now they're going to 30.
It's no longer rule of law. It's rule by law.
GLENN: Yes.
ROB: And they just arrested the communications commissioner. It's awful. I mean, I met with Assemblywoman Na, who was a previous judge. And she's the longest serving assemblywoman in the conservative party. And she's fearful. I mean, they're making a hit list to get all these people arrested, and we're losing an ally rapidly.
GLENN: Yeah. And if we lose that ally, we don't really have a way to protect Australia, New Zealand, Japan. I mean, that is a massive strategic area for us.
And that's not my first concern. But it is a -- it is a very large concern. My first concern is: Is what's happening over there, is happening to all of the western world.
They just are a little further ahead, than seemingly everybody else.
ROB: Exactly. The Chinese. So we took a flight after I had spoken in Pastor Son's Church in Busan. And then we flew into Seoul to meet with some folks and also do a protest in front of the courthouse for Pastor Son. But on the plane, it's interesting, they had listed all visa requirements for the Chinese.
And the Koreans are the most polite people on the planet. We get on this plane, and it's packed. And as we're getting off, they're bum-rushing to get off the plane. And they said, these are all Chinese people.
And they -- they -- if they're there, I think it's four months, they have the ability to vote.
China is invading without any shots being fired, all of South Korea.
GLENN: Yeah.
ROB: And Pastor Son is a rarity in that country in that he's standing in opposition to that.
Most of the pastors are silent. They're starting to get encouragements. They're starting to stand. We did have a good attendance in the protest in front of the courthouse. But we have a lot of work to do, to get these people away.
Like I said, we will lose an ally. More importantly, this country will fall to Communism.
GLENN: That is so crazy to think.
I mean, when we think of North Korea and what they've gone through, and how close of an ally, and how they're for freedom. And they understand North Korea. They have just -- this new regime has come in and done everything that has been tried to be done in Europe by just opening up the borders. Except, they're opening it to Communist Chinese. And it's just slipping away, so fast.
How -- how long do you think before it's done!
ROB: Well, you know. I met with some business leaders. I met with politicians.
And the greatest stopgap we have. And I don't know if the administration knows this.
I'm -- you know, Glenn, you're in the book of whose who. I'm in the book of who's he?
I'm not a political operative. I don't know a lot of political names.
I don't even think we have a South Korean ambassador, appointed right now.
GLENN: We don't.
ROB: And the greatest stopgap we have is tariffs. If the president can establish two-tiered tariffs by simply saying, "Look, religious freedom and no arresting of the opposition party, this will be your tariff. If you don't, this is what you're going to get." And just smoke them.
Because these -- these business owners want their country back.
They're willing to take a hit. Because they're watching the country evaporate before their very eyes.
And the president can do that with these tariffs. He did it for two reasons. One is to bring manufacturing back and, two, is to have political leverage. And this country needs help! They've been our greatest ally.
Real quick, I spoke to Pastor Son's church on that Sunday. And it was to the day, the 75th anniversary of the UN forces liberating soul from the grasp of the communist Chinese.
And here we are. We are giving it right back to them. Because we are sound asleep at the wheel.
GLENN: You saw the pastor for, what? Ten minutes with his son. For the first time since he's been arrested.
What was that like?
ROB: You know, the man is amazing. I go in there. I sit down. His wife is there. And she's as strong as could be. She reminds me of the Korean equivalent of Erika Kirk. You know, she has this husband. But here he is in prison. And he just said, I'm standing strong.
And I told him, Pastor Son, you're the freest man in Korea. And you're here to God.
Defiance to tyrants is obedience to God.
And he is doing that. And then I told him, I said, you know, I came here because you're my friend. More importantly, to fulfill a promise for Charlie.
And I've never seen this man cry, ever.
And you don't cry in Korea. And he broke down crying. And his son even commented to me, I've never seen my dad cry like this. This is unbelievable.
GLENN: Yeah, he told me that last night.
He said, my father broke down in tears. He said, I didn't know what to think. I've never seen him cry.
ROB: Yeah. But he even said, I'm on a mission trip. And I said, you're probably going to have to stay here until the church wakes up.
He said, as long as it takes.
He's committed to getting his country back.
And, you know, most of the folks I talked to, I said, look, you guys are going to be political dissidents if this doesn't hold out.
And they said, we're not going to leave this one. We're going to fight for it.
You know, God gave us this country, it's important to us. It's important to America. And I wish our government would wake up to this, which I hope they will.
And, you know, churches because of your help, Glenn, are waking up. A lot of pastors want to go over there, but the current president has now outlawed foreign protesting.
He's doing everything he can to just stop any opposition voice.
And I'm surprised, they got out of the country. Because I turned to the police and I said, look, Romans 13 says your minister of justice to execute wrath on those who do evil.
You don't point your gun at those who are doing good. You're here to protect the people.
You know, not enslave them.
And then I walked right through with my friend Steven Martin. Pastor Steven from Texas, and we walked through those police officers, looked them right in the eye after I said that.
Five of us were looking at us like, thank you. And the others were bowing their head in shame. They're in a lot of trouble, and we have to pray for them. But we also have to activate as a government.
GLENN: I'm going to call the President either today or tomorrow, Rob. Would you just write a note to me. And tell me exactly what you need me to hear, and I will pass that on to him.
ROB: Yes, sir. I will do exactly that, Glenn.
GLENN: Yeah. How can we help?
ROB: Well, first of all, Glenn. I just want to commend you and your entire audience. You have been the pebble in the pond, and the ripples are going out. And, you know, the definition of friend is when the whole world goes out, they come in. You're that friend. And you've created this stir.
So I would say to all your radio audience. Any connection you have in your circle of influence.
Get this out. Most of the pastors I'm talking to, they're saying, we didn't do. We just didn't know.
Well, it's catching up. And it's like wildfire. And we know those are out here in California. And you're starting a fire. And I'm grateful for it.
GLENN: It's happening so -- it's happening so fast!
I mean, when you think of South Korea, you don't think of it being a country that is about be taken by the Chinese.
You know, that's about to go communist. And it's already gone authoritarian.
I mean, the things that they have done now, they are just arresting anyone who is a conservative, they're just arresting them. And throwing them in Yale. They're dismantling everything.
As you said, I talked to Alan Dershowitz about the rise and fall of democracies. And he said, the last thing, and is this the knockout punch is they change the Supreme Court.
And they usually end up, you know, doubling the size of it, or whatever. He said, when they do that, you no longer have the rule of law.
And as you started with, they've just done that.
I mean, and it's -- it's so bad, for the west!
It's so bad.
ROB: Yeah, just to give Americans an idea, especially conservative Americans, we went through the Biden administration. Imagine Kamala winning and getting the -- the House and the Senate, by filibuster. Proof majority.
Packing the Supreme Court.
That's where we are today.
They would be suppressing religious freedom. They're silencing opposition voice. They would have put President Trump in jail for 700 years. They would have imprisoned his family. Anyone who stood with him, they would be imprisoned. Just what we went through. Just imagine it exponential, and that's where Korea is right now.
GLENN: Your sign of hope from over there?
Let me ask you this: The people who did the -- and I don't even want to mention names. But I had one of the young ladies in my office. And she said, you know, we were part of this, Charlie. We brought Charlie over yada, yada, yada.
And I -- you know, I -- I said to her, you're going home, and you might be arrested. And she said, oh, yeah.
I know, but I have to go home. How are they feeling?
How is that movement?
ROB: Because of that young lady's work and these young people. There were certain times where I would be in a large mall in Seoul or I would be in Busan. People would come up with autographs because they have seen either the church service or they had seen YouTube videos produced by a number of, you know, outlying non-traditional media that we had done there.
And they were coming up for autographs. They wanted a picture. And it's young people. They want their country back. And they're looking. They started a movement there. And pastors are waking up as well.
So my -- my hope is that there is -- there is 20 percent of that nation that is committed to doing anything necessary to stand in opposition to this, even be put in jail. And we've got to come and help them.
And I told them. I said, look, you know, Churchill was completely surrounded.
All of Europe had fallen. And he held on in Great Britain until America had interpreted war. Hang on. Hang on. I'm going to go back and do my best.