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Opening a communicative space between Korea and the world
October 2008 VOL. 4 NO. 10

10 24 34 44

6 National 46 Food
Korea Focuses on Green Energy Industry Provincial Delicacies
2008 Ramsar Convention Coming to Korea
48 Cultural Figure
13 Diplomacy ‘A Poet on the Piano’ — Pianist Paik Kun-woo
Korea Enhances Economic Ties with Romania and Uruguay
Seoul and Moscow Agree on Strategic Economic Cooperation 50 People
Chinese Actress Named Goodwill Ambassador for Korea
Cover Photo
Uponeup in 16 Global Korea Castro Praises Korea’s Olympic Baseball Team
Gyeongsangnam-do
Korea’s Public Servants Training Offers Top-notch
Publisher Yoo Jin-hwan International Program
52 Topic
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4 KOREA OCTOBER 2008 OCTOBER 2008 KOREA 5

NATIONAL
Korea Focuses on
Green Energy Industry
K
orea is fast turning the green energy industry into a
new growth engine after world leaders vowed to cut
CO2 emissions to address global warming issues dur-
ing the G8 summit in Hokkaido, Japan, in July.
The Government has decided to spend 3 trillion won
($2.6 billion) until 2012 on researching and developing new
and renewable energy in cooperation with the private sector.
It also said it will increase production of “green” energy
nine-fold, from $1.8 billion last year to $17 billion.
The Ministry of Knowledge Economy unveiled the am-
bitious project to build a “Green Korea” and reported this
6 KOREA OCTOBER 2008
Windmills in Daegwallyeong, Gangwon-do
plan to President Lee Myung-bak on Sept. 11.
The ministry highlighted nine key sectors: solar and
wind power, light-emitting diode (LED), hydrogen fuel cells,
gas-to-liquid and coal-to-liquid energy, integrated gasifica-
tion combined cycle (IGCC), and energy storage.
If the Government’s investment project proceeds as
planned, the output of the green energy industry will likely
reach $17 billion by 2012. Besides that, about 105,000 new
jobs will be created by 2012.
The ministry’s “development strategy for the promotion
of the green energy industry” is an action plan to imple-
President Lee Myung-bak looks at a product related to
generating wind energy before he participates in a
“green energy” meeting at Cheong Wa Dae on Sept. 11
ment President Lee’s vision for “low carbon, green growth.”
Speaking at an Aug. 15 event to mark the 60th anniver-
sary of the nation’s founding and the 63rd anniversary of
national liberation from Japan’s colonial rule, President Lee
said, “We will support job creation and overcome chal-
lenges from climate change and high fossil fuel prices
through green growth, which helps reduce greenhouse gas
emission and environmental pollution.”
“Green growth is also a new national development par-
adigm that nurtures new growth boosters and creates jobs
with green technology and clean energy,’’ he added.
The Government will also concentrate on developing a
variety of new renewable energy sources. It plans to in-
crease supplies of solar energy to 400 megawatts and wind
energy to 1 gigawatt by 2012.
To utilize maritime energy resources, including tidal
power and currents, the Government will complete the con-
struction of Sihwa Power Plant in Gyeonggi-do with a ca-
pacity of 254 megawatts, the world’s largest tidal power
plant, by 2009.
The Government will also build a 1 megawatt-class ex-
perimental tidal current power plant at Uldolmok in
Ssangyong Motor’s diesel
hybrid technology
Yonhap
Jeollanam-do by the end of this year, and build a commer-
cial power plant with a capacity of 90 megawatts by 2013.
The Government plans to establish a pan-national im-
plementation system for the green energy industry, while
forming a “committee for the promotion of the green ener-
gy industry” under the joint sponsorship of economic orga-
nizations and the Ministry of Knowledge Economy.
Along with the Government, a growing number of busi-
nesses are choosing environmentally friendly management
as a priority to maintain growth. Consumer patterns are al-
so changing in favor of the environment, and awareness is
growing that buying environmentally friendly products
benefits consumers.
Big companies like POSCO and Hyundai Motor are also
joining the efforts. Since two years ago, POSCO has been pur-
suing fuel cell and solar panel technology that emits no car-
bon dioxide as part of projects to secure new growth engines.
E-Mart, Homeplus, Lotte Mart, GS Retail and other large
retailers have already linked with manufacturers of food
and household products to launch a green mileage program
that aims to reduce the amount of packaging used in con-
sumer goods. ■
Solar power panels in Taean, Chungcheongnam-do
Yonhap
OCTOBER 2008 KOREA 7
NATIONAL

T
he 10th meeting of the con-
tracting parties of Ramsar
Convention will take place in
Changwon, Korea, in October.
Under the theme “Healthy Wetlands, Healthy People,”
the meeting will be held for eight days from Oct. 28 to Nov.
4 at the Changwon Exhibition Convention Center. More

2008 Ramsar Convention than 2,000 representatives of contracting parties, profes-

sionals and NGOs devoted to wetlands will participate.
Ramsar Convention was first organized as the

Coming to Korea
International Environmental Convention in Ramsar, Iran, in
1971. The purpose of the convention is to protect disap-
pearing wetlands. A total of 1,752 lands from 158 countries
are registered on the Ramsar List and are being managed.

Gyeongnam Provincial Office

BY PARK MIN-YOUNG
STAFF WRITER
Wetlands, known as the “Kidney of Nature,” are essen-
tial for the ecosystem. Wetlands purify water by eliminating
nitrogen and phosphor in it. They prevent floods, droughts
and storms by controlling the amount of water on the land.
Many lives depend on wetlands.
At this year’s convention, plenary sessions and regional
and standing meetings will take place as usual. Aside from
the official conferences, there will be a world NGO meeting,
exhibition booths of participating countries and an exposi-
tion of IT technology for wetlands.
One of the important goals of this convention is to es-
tablish the “Ramsar Strategic Plan 2009-2014.” Participants
will discuss 31 different agendas, such as “Wetlands and
Human Health,” “Wetlands and Urbanization” and “Wet-
lands and Climate Change.”
Excursions and ecological tour programs are part of the
program. Famous wetlands in Korea, such as Uponeup and
Junam, are included.
Participants can also learn about Korea’s unique culture
along the way. The official excursion will be held on Nov.
2. For more details, visit www.ramsar2008.go.kr. ■

8 KOREA OCTOBER 2008 OCTOBER 2008 KOREA 9

 NATIONAL

Muan Tidal Flat

Major Wetlands in Korea A mudflat in Muan-gun,

Jeollanam-do. A total of 324
species of birds, animals and
BY PARK MIN-YOUNG insects are known to live there. It
STAFF WRITER was registered as a Ramsar site in
January 2008. Area: 35.59 square
kilometers.

Junam Wetland Park

A reservoir in Changwon, Gyeongsangnam-do. This is a famous spot where
migratory birds flock. Area: 2.82 square kilometers.
Mulyeongari-oreum
A parasite volcano crater lake in Namjeju-gun, Jeju-do. It is the only wetland in
Korea on the peak of a mountain. It was registered as a Ramsar site in October 2006.
Area: 0.309 square kilometers.

Uponeup
A swamp in Changnyeong-gun,
Gyeongsangnam-do. It is the
oldest natural swamp in Korea. It
was registered as a Ramsar site in
March 1998. Area: 8.54 square
kilometers.

Yongneup of Mt. Daeam

A swamp in Inje-gun, Suncheon Bay
Gangwon-do. Composed of two A mudflat in Suncheon,
bogs and surrounded by a Jeollanam-do. It is well known
deciduous broad-leaved forest, it is as the habitat of hooded cranes.
the only swamp in Korea formed It was registered as a Ramsar
in a high hilly section. It was site in January 2006. Area: 35.5
registered as a Ramsar site in square kilometers. ■
March 1997. Area: 1.06 square (Photos courtesy of
kilometers. Gyeongnam Provincial Office)

10 KOREA OCTOBER 2008 OCTOBER 2008 KOREA 11

NATIONAL
Preparation for 2012 Yeosu Expo
Gets Started
BY JEONG HYEON-JI
STAFF WRITER
The Korean delegation of the 2012 Yeosu Expo receives the BIE flag at the closing ceremony of the 2008 Zaragoza Expo on Sept. 14 in Spain
P
reparation for the 2012 Yeosu
Expo is expected to go into high
gear since the 2008 Expo closed
its curtains and Yeosu has officially
taken its place as the future host.
At the closing ceremony of the
2008 Zaragoza Expo held in Spain
Sept. 13-14, Chang Seung-woo, the
committee chairman of the Organizing
Committee of 2012 Yeosu Expo, re-
ceived the BIE (Bureau of International
Exposition) flag from the BIE
Secretary-General Vicente Loscertales.
“By receiving the BIE flag, Yeosu
reclaimed its position as the next host
of the global exposition. We will do
our best to make this a successful
event during the next four years,”
Chang said upon receiving the flag.
The closing ceremony was attend-
ed by high-level delegates such as
Juan Carlos I, the King of Spain, and
Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero, the
Spanish prime minister. To celebrate
this special occasion, Korea’s national
12 KOREA OCTOBER 2008
folk music group performed the tradi-
tional Korean music “nongak.”
Korea successfully won the bid to
host the 2012 International Expo in
the southwestern coastal city of Yeosu
last year with its timely theme “The
Living Ocean and the Coast,” which
focuses on the growing concerns on
global warming.
The 2012 Yeosu Expo seeks to pro-
Zaragoza Expo Committee
Yonhap
President Lee Myung-bak with Romanian President Traian Basescu (left) and Uruguayan President Tabare Vazquez
Korea Enhances Economic Ties with
Romania and Uruguay
mote sustainable development of the
seas and oceans and to cope with mar-
itime problems and environmental is-
T
sues faced by many developing coun- he leaders of Korea and Romania
tries. have agreed to boost economic
The expo is slated for May 12 cooperation between the two
through Aug. 12, with over 80 partici- countries in the fields of nuclear pow-
pating countries and 10 international er, seaport construction and energy re-
organizations. An estimated $8 mil- sources.
lion will be invested in this project. ■ Presidents Lee Myung-bak and
Traian Basescu signed a joint declara-
The masterplan for the 2012 Yeosu Expo venue tion to upgrade bilateral ties to a strate-
gic partnership at the conclusion of a
summit at Cheong Wa Dae on Sept. 11.
During the summit in Seoul,
President Lee asked the Romanian gov-
ernment to include Korean companies in
projects to build infrastructure, nuclear
plants and container ports. Basescu wel-
comed Korean firms’ participation.
Korea is the world’s sixth largest
generator of nuclear power and is run-
ning 20 commercial nuclear-power re-
actors. Ten more are planned to be in
Yonhap
operation by 2020. Another eight are
under construction or are planned for
completion by 2016.
“The two sides aim to further
strengthen bilateral economic cooper-
ation, taking into account the contin-
ued growth of economic relations be-
tween the two countries in recent
years,” the joint statement said.
Two-way trade was estimated at
$930 million last year. Korea’s exports
to and imports from Romania were
$850 million and $80 million, respec-
tively, in 2007.
Korean companies such as ship-
builders, electronics firms and steel-
makers invested $340 million in
Romania last year.
A Cheong Wa Dae official said
Romania will provide Korean compa-
nies with a gateway to expand into
European markets. Romania has
emerged as a major logistics, distribu-
DIPLOMACY
tion and manufacturing center in
Europe since its admission to the
European Union in January 2007.
On Sept. 1, President Lee held sum-
mit talks with Uruguayan President
Tabare Vazquez and agreed to promote
bilateral cooperation in agriculture, fish-
eries, forestry and other economic fields.
Vazquez became the first
Uruguayan president to visit South
Korea since the establishment of bilat-
eral diplomatic ties in 1964. During
the summit, Vazquez stressed the need
to boost cooperation in trade and en-
ergy fields and asked South Korea to
increase its investments in the South
American country.
After the summit, the two leaders
observed their Cabinet ministers sign
memorandums of understanding on
closer cooperation in forestry and fish-
eries businesses. ■
OCTOBER 2008 KOREA 13
DIPLOMACY President Lee Myung-bak and Russian President Dmitry Medvedev talk at the Kremlin in Moscow on Sept. 29

Yonhap

The Korea Herald

Seoul and Moscow Agree on quarter of the world’s reserves of nat-
President Lee Myung-bak reviews Russian honor guards, upon his arrival at a Moscow airport on Sept. 28

Strategic Economic Cooperation ural gas.

The Russian President welcomed
South Korea’s participation in devel-
BY HWANG JANG-JIN
KOREA HERALD STAFF WRITER opment projects in the Far East and
Siberia.
Russia seeks foreign investment in
President Lee Myung-bak (right) and his Russian counterpart Dmitry Medvedev shake hands prior to their summit
the eastern regions to develop energy
resources, build industries and expand

P
resident Lee Myung-bak and his
Russian counterpart Dmitry
Medvedev held a summit at the
Kremlin on Sept. 29 and signed an
agreement to forge a strategic partner-
ship, which is now mainly economic,
and pursue closer coordination in se-
curity, diplomacy and global issues,
Seoul officials said.
The countries will launch a vice-
from Vladivostok after 2015.
The state-run Korea Gas Corp. and
Russia’s Gazprom signed a memoran-
dum of understanding for the import
deal. They also agreed to study the
its transportation and infrastructure.
The two leaders promised to contin-
ue to cooperate in developing gas pro-
jects and building a LNG plant and a gas
chemical complex in Russian Far East.

ship, promote various joint business
projects, and cooperate to dismantle
Pyongyang’s nuclear programs.
Lee arrived in Moscow on Sept. 28
for a three-day visit.
He and Medvedev agreed to up-
grade their ties to a “strategic cooper-
ative partnership.” Their predecessors,
Roh Moo-hyun and Vladimir Putin,
established a “mutually trustful and
comprehensive partnership” in 2004.
Under the agreement, the two
countries will enhance their relation-
minister-level strategic dialogue on
security matters soon, and promote di-
verse exchange programs through
their existing bilateral channels, the
statement said.
On the sidelines of the summit, the
nations signed 26 agreements to coop-
erate in the oil, gas, minerals, trade,
science, information technology, aero-
space, education and other fields.
The leaders agreed on a deal under
which Korea will import 7.5 million
metric tons of natural gas per year
creation of a pipeline though the
Korean Peninsula for the gas delivery.
The amount of natural gas will ac-
count for 20 percent of Korea’s gas
consumption. The nation imports most
of its gas from the Middle East and
Southeast Asia and is seeking to diver-
sify its supply sources.
The two sides also agreed to restart
a suspended joint oil drilling project off
the far eastern Kamchatka peninsula.
Russia is the second-biggest oil ex-
porter in the world and controls a
Medvedev also backed South
Korean companies’ bids to participate
in infrastructure construction in
Vladivostok and Sochi, scheduled to
host the Asia-Pacific Economic
Cooperation summit in 2012, and the
Winter Olympics in 2014.
The two presidents also affirmed
their willingness to promote linking an
inter-Korean railway with Russia’s
trans-Siberian line.
In late August, Russia and North
Korea agreed to launch reconstruction
of the railway section between North
Korea’s port Rajin and Russia’s station
Khasan in the Primorye territory Oct. 3.
Russia will help rehabilitate the
54-kilometer railway section and
pushes to construct a container termi-
nal and related infrastructure in Rajin.
Lee proposed joint projects to devel-
op ports in Russian Far East in connec-
tion with the continental rail projects.
The two leaders concurred that the
Yonhap
railway links will not only develop lo-
gistics industries in eastern parts of
their countries, but also will deepen
economic interdependence among
those three nations and thus con-
tribute to regional peace and stability.
This is the second meeting be-
tween Lee and Medvedev. They con-
ferred in July on the sidelines of the
expanded G8 summit in Toyako,
northern Japan. ■

14 KOREA OCTOBER 2008 OCTOBER 2008 KOREA 15

GLOBAL KOREA

COTI
sik, COTI president.
COTI’s international programs
kicked off in 1984 and in the last 24
years, over 3,000 government officials
from 165 countries have received train-
ing here. The length of the program
varies from two to three weeks. During
those weeks, officials are expected to
take courses on Korean culture, society
and legal system, as well as administra-
tion and economic development. The
highlight of the program will be the
field trips and excursions to industrial
and cultural sites of Korea where par-
ticipants can see and feel what they
have learnt in the classroom.
COTI’s international programs in
recent years have evolved to meet the
needs of modern days. “It is important
to identify new training needs to cope
with the new challenges of the chang-
ing global environment,” the presi-
dent said.
COTI works closely with the Korea
International Cooperation Agency
(KOICA). Together, they invite officials
from developing countries to impart
useful information and educate them
on implementation capabilities to help
advancement of their countries and
new development system, often sup-
ported with funding of the Korean
Government. Recently, however,
many countries like Japan, Russia and
China are voluntarily taking cus-
tomized programs to train their offi-
cials. A customized program of 15
participants is estimated to cost ap-
proximately 20 million won ($17,500).
Not only working-level staff but
senior executive officials of participat-
ing countries have received training
here including Partha Sarathi Ray,
India’s foreign affairs senior director,
Nguyen Phu Biah, Vietnamese vice

Customized Program
Participants take a lecture at COTI’s seminar room Key to Official Training:
COTI President
Korea’s Public Servants Training Offers
Top-notch International Program After 35 years of service in the local and
central Government, Chung Jang-sik now
BY JEONG HYEON-JI heads the Central Officials Training
STAFF WRITER
Institute (COTI).
He says the greatest reward from work-
ing for COTI is the feedback from former

A
group of Paraguayan govern-
ment officials were intently lis-
tening to a lecture on Korea’s e-
government system in Gwacheon,
Gyeonggi-do on Sept. 22. These 15
high-ranking officials from the remote
South American country were here on
a 10-day program to learn about
Korea’s e-government system in an
aim to facilitate the implementation of
the system in their homeland.
The Central Officials Training
Institute (COTI), under the Ministry of
Public Administration and Security
(MOPAS), operates training programs
for both local and foreign government
officials. Its international program has
Korea and developing countries. And
it recently turned itself into a revenue-
producing engine inviting officials
from developed countries as well.
This year alone, there are 14 train-
ing programs scheduled for some 240
public servants of countries like
Malaysia, Vietnam, Japan, Russia,
Afghanistan and Tunisia.
The e-government program is one
of the recent curriculums and is in
high demand by South American,
Southeast Asian countries and Russia.
“We lack in general infrastructure and
know-how in establishing e-govern-
ment. With Korea International
Cooperation Agency’s help and the
great progress in the IT sector in
Paraguay,” said Nicolas Pereyra
Molinas, Civil Cabinet of the
Presidency in Paraguay, who’s partici-
pating in the program.
“What’s happening in Korea’s IT
sector is splendid and we’re here to
learn about it. Only 4.2 percent of
Paraguayans are using the internet
daily and only 0.3 percent of them are
using the broadband service,” he said.
“Korea’s advanced IT technology is
setting a role model for other coun-
tries. But really, it’s a win-win for both
Korea and the participating country.
Korea’s trade and overseas investment
greatly benefits from these Korea-
participants.
“COTI’s international programs are
aimed at mutual development of partici-
pating countries and Korea. It is great to
see how the former participants are taking
advantage of the techniques they have
learned here in their own countries,” he
said.
He said many former participants come
back to Korea for a second trip, many
times with their family members.
“It is true that they become representa-
tives of Korea in their respective countries.
Last December, former Malaysian partici-
pants and their families visited Korea for a
week, and we threw them a welcome-back
party. That is now a great memory.”
So, what’s so special about COTI’s pro-
grams? He says COTI stands out because it
encourages each participant to see and feel
from the curriculum outside the classroom.
“Our lectures and field trips to various
industrial and public sites make the partic-
ipants see and feel for themselves where
Korea’s growth came from,” he said.
Chung said he and the COTI crew feel a
great responsibility as civil ambassadors.
“Each of us at COTI considers ourselves
civil ambassadors. And interacting with
government officials of other countries has
helped us improve our global awareness
Chung Jang-sik, COTI president
as well.”
He envisioned that the institute’s pro-
grams will become more user-friendly. IT
education, human resource development
and government administration are some
of the most sought-after sectors by partic-
ipating countries, he said.
“We will expand our official develop-
ment assistance programs in cooperation
with Korea International Cooperation
Agency to provide developing countries
with a chance to come here and learn. We
hope more countries will benefit from the
study-visit programs at COTI.” ■

played a significant role in connecting program here, I think we can make a friendly officials,” said Chung Jang-

16 KOREA OCTOBER 2008 OCTOBER 2008 KOREA 17

 GLOBAL KOREA

The National Folk Museum of Korea

foreign minister, and Wang Xiachu,
COTI

China’s vice human resource and se-

Participants in the international program
Visit to a shipyard
curity minister.
“Korea has already gone through
the development stage. And we can
share our experience and mistakes
with the officials of other countries so
they can lead a pragmatic govern-
ment,” Chung said.
Korea’s official training program is
significant to Korea as well, since it
helps establish and maintain the close
partnership Korea has built with the
participating countries over the years.
“A significant amount of budget is
spent on running this program. But all
the participants leave here with good
memories and this has helped the na-
tion to consolidate its diplomatic rela-
tions with participating countries. I
would say it is over 100 percent effec-
tive,” said Park Kyung-bae, director
general of COTI.
He also added that this positive im-
age of the country is helping Korean
Officials of the national folk museums of Korea and Japan at their annual conference in Seoul on Sept. 4
products and companies project a pos-
itive image abroad, which is crucial for
the success of the nation’s firms as
they highly depend on exports and
overseas natural resources.
Folk Museums in Korea and Japan
Since the turn of the millennium,
COTI’s programs have become even Enhance Exchanges
more diverse as the need rises in the IT
sector and business area. Korea’s prag-
matic government system is especially

I
popular in Japan and other Asian na- n a recent event, the National Folk
tions. In Southeast Asian and African Museum of Korea and its Japanese
countries, economic and human re- counterpart have consolidated their
source development is the key subject. partnership to better promote each
“We consider ourselves as civil other’s folk culture.
diplomats as we believe what we do At an annual conference held on
here greatly contributes to our global Sept. 4 at Seoul’s National Folk
competence. COTI’s international pro- Museum, researchers from the
grams will get more customized to suit National Folk Museum of Japan pre-
each participating country’s need,” sented their studies on Asian fairy-
Park said. tales and animal characters in folk-
More information is available at lores. This year’s conference touched
www.coti.go.kr. ■ on subjects ranging from the moral
values of leading animal characters
Cultural immersion program
to the origins of snake and feline
fairytales.
The two groups began having ex-
changes during the 2002 Korea-Japan
World Cup. In celebrating the global
event, the two museums held exhibi-
tions to promote better understanding
of each other’s culture and lifestyle.
Followed by this successful exhibi-
tion, they signed a memorandum of
understanding in 2003 to further con-
solidate their relations to continue the
promotion of each other’s folk culture
and to increase exchanges. Since
2003, the activities have ranged from
itinerant exhibitions and conferences
to cultural education programs and
performances.
Yi Ki-won, the deputy director of
cultural exchange and the education
division, said these exchanges provide
good means to promote mutual under-
standing of both cultures.
“Folk culture provides a good ref-
erence to understand each country’s
spiritual culture and its people.
Exchanges between Korean and
Japanese folk museums will provide
the people of both countries with a re-
liable source in learning about each
other’s culture.” ■

18 KOREA OCTOBER 2008 OCTOBER 2008 KOREA 19

GLOBAL KOREA

‘My Friend Vietnam’

Brings
Korea, Vietnam Closer
BY JEONG HYEON-JI
STAFF WRITER
A Vietnamese performer in the Thang Long Water puppet Troupe

A Vietnamese band performs traditional Vietnamese music
A
mid the nation’s growing efforts to promote multi-
cultural communities, a three-day event dedicated to
Vietnam offered citizens a chance to better under-
stand Vietnamese culture.
The National Museum of Korea and Hana Financial
Group hosted “My Friend Vietnam” event from Sept. 5 to 7
in a bid to provide the public with a place to learn about
Vietnamese culture and traditions.
The events included a famous Vietnamese puppet show
performed by the Thang Long Water Puppet Troupe. The
puppeteers control the puppets underwater during the show,
which farcically demonstrates a Vietnamese farmer’s life.
Pham Tini Phuong, a Vietnamese who immigrated to
Korea for marriage, said, “I always heard about the puppet
show back at home but I never had a chance to see it until
now. I’m glad I could see it with my son.”
Following the puppet show, there was a children’s play
based on the Vietnamese nursery tale “Taam va Caum.” The
play received positive reaction from Koreans who were
pleasantly surprised to find out how similar Vietnamese
and Korean sentiments are.
Along with other events and performances, classes on Children decorate a board after watching a Vietnamese play
Vietnamese history and culture were offered by renowned
professors.
The three-day event was attended by some 3,000 peo-
ple, including Vietnamese immigrants, their families and
local citizens interested in Vietnamese culture.
The National Museum of Korea runs programs dedicat-
ed to multicultural communities through the year. The pro-
grams not only target the foreign community, but also chil-
dren of multiracial parentage.
Each year, the museum hosts three events dedicated to a
particular country. This year, the museum dedicated an event
to Mongolia and a festival for multicultural families. ■
(Photos courtesy of the National Museum of Korea)

A scene from a Vietnamese water puppet show A scene from a water puppet show

20 KOREA OCTOBER 2008 OCTOBER 2008 KOREA 21

GLOBAL KOREA

World-class
Ships
Coming to
Busan stroyer Suzunami, while from China,
Harbin, a destroyer, will participate,
BY KIM JI-HYUN
KOREA HERALD STAFF WRITER the Navy said. The October fleet re-
view will be China’s first experience in
the international event.
60th anniversary of the foundation of Russia, which hopes to revive its
the Korean Armed Forces this year. naval powers based on its growing
This is the second time Korea has economic prowess, will participate
hosted such an event. The 7,600-ton with its destroyer the Mashal

A
n assortment of top-notch naval
vessels, including a Korean
aegis destroyer, will take part in
an international fleet review in Busan
in October.
Around 50 vessels and 30 aircrafts
from up to 12 countries are slated to
show at the fleet review, which will be
held between Oct. 5-10 to mark the
Sejong the Great, a top-of-the-line de-
stroyer equipped with the Aegis com-
bat system, will be among the ships to
take part, along with United States air-
craft carrier George Washington and
its aegis destroyer John S. McCain.
Japan, ranked as owning the
world’s second most powerful navy,
will participate with its 4,650-ton de-
Shaposhynikov.
The Navy predicted that the review
will be an opportunity to view a wide
assortment of world-class ships.
More information can be found at
its official website at http://fleetre-
view.navy.mil.kr. ■
(Photos courtesy of
the Republic of Korea Navy)

Korea’s Gwanggaeto the Great destroyer

The U.S. aircraft carrier George Washington The Chinese destroyer Harbin The Japanese destroyer Suzunami The Russian destroyer Marshal Shaposhynikov

22 KOREA OCTOBER 2008 OCTOBER 2008 KOREA 23

GLOBAL KOREA

The opening ceremony of the International Tattoo Festival in Wonju, Gangwon-do on Sept. 5 A performance by Korea’s Defense Ministry marching band A traditional Korean drum performance

International Tattoo Fest Brings Global Marching Bands to Korea

BY JEONG HYEON-JI
STAFF WRITER

M
usical groups of East and
West became one during a
five-day festival held in
Wonju, Gangwon-do, in September.
Participants and local citizens of
Wonju city had a great time enjoying
street parades and concerts during the
2008 Wonju Tattoo International
Festival, which was held Sept. 5 to 9.
The annual international military
and marching band festival is famous
for its uniqueness, which range from
Western genres of orchestra and clas-
sical music to Korean traditional mu-
sic — gukak, pop music and b-boy per-
formances.
Teams from home and abroad
joined the festival this year — O’Shea
Ryan Irish Dance Team from Australia,
Pipe & Drum Marching Band from
Canada, Lampang Kanlayanee student
band from Thailand, the 8th army mil-
itary band from the United States, and
Korea’s national military bands, stu-
dent bands and local musicians.
Both Koreans and immigrants
joined the street parades and festivals,
which involved traditional wedding
ceremonies of various countries, tradi-
tional performances of the participat-
ing countries and samulnori perfor-
mances.
Kim Chan-soo, the secretary-gen-
eral of the Wonju International Tattoo
Committee, said the annual festival
was conceived in Wonju but has truly
become an international event in only
five years.
“This year’s festival featured many
global teams and local citizens. This
has truly added to its uniqueness. It is
our goal to make Wonju a center of
international culture through the na-
tion’s only military marching band
festival,” he said.
More information on the festival
can be found on its multilingual web-
site at www.wonjutattoo.com. ■

A street parade in Wonju on Sept. 6 Australia’s O’Shea Ryan Irish Dance Team

24 KOREA OCTOBER 2008

GLOBAL KOREA
Dokdo
in the Eyes of
Foreign Reporters
BY KIM HEE-SUNG
KOREA.NET STAFF WRITER
F
or such a small island, Dokdo has evoked much
hard feeling and discomfort between Korea
and Japan for over a century. Once seen as a
silly dispute over “a few pieces of rock” from over-
seas perspectives, these days, even the world’s press
is taking a peek into the rocky site that Korea is so
fiercely defending.
In a recent trip by foreign correspondents to
Dokdo, sponsored by the Korean Government, much
emphasis was given to local sentiment toward the is-
land that goes beyond mere questions of territory or
resources.
“It is hard to overstate the emotional impact the
dispute over the tiny islets — which if placed in New
York’s Central Park would occupy just 0.5 percent of
its total area — has for South Koreans,” wrote Kim
26 KOREA OCTOBER 2008
Dokdo islets on Korean east coast
Hyung-jin in an Aug. 27 AP article entitled “S.
Korean emotions run high over island dispute.”
The article describes the painful past of Japan’s
annexation of Korea from 1910 to 1945 and gives
quotes from policemen, Dokdo residents and a pro-
fessor, who all express bitter sentiments toward
Japan.
“I explode with anger whenever they say it’s
their territory,” Kim Sung-do, 68, a resident of
Dokdo was quoted as saying. Kim is one half of the
only couple residing on the island. His house dis-
plays seven Korean national flags.
The piece goes on to explain that for Japan “the
dispute appears not to arouse anywhere near the
same level of public emotion as in South Korea” ex-
cept as a “favorite cause of the vocal right wing and
KOIS
among fishermen on Japan’s western coast who
want greater access to the rich waters between Japan
and the Korean Peninsula.”
The article introduced the island as “South
Korea-controlled Dokdo.”
A more intense article was posted in the Aug. 28
edition of the International Herald Tribune — “A Reporters from abroad interview a Dokdo resident
fierce Korean pride in a lonely group of islets” by
Choe Sang-hoon.
The article begins with the description of Dokdo
as a not-so-attractive place with unpredictable
waves and lack of conveniences, including a public
toilet. Choe stressed, however, that over the past
three years Dokdo has emerged as a “highly popular
pilgrimage for Koreans” frequented by 80,000 peo-
ple this year alone.
The article explains the historical entanglement
between Korea and Japan since the latter’s colonial
rule from 1910 to 1945 and its takeover of the island
five years earlier. Even after Korea’s liberation, the
article writes, “the postwar peace treaty between a
defeated Japan and Allied powers did not resolve
sovereignty over the islets.”
“When Japan claims Dokdo as its own territory,
we Koreans feel as outraged as if someone pointed at
our wife and claimed that she is his own,” the article
quoted Cho Whan-bok, secretary general of the
Northeast Asian History Foundation in Korea, as
saying.
Another example of Korean fervor about the is-
land surrounds the U.S. Board on Geographic
Names, which recently changed the island’s status
from “South Korean” to “undesignated sovereignty,”
until President Bush intervened before heading to
Seoul for a summit. The change was reverted back to
its earlier status.
In Marie-France Han’s article “S. Korea steps up
defense of disputed islets,” Reuters reported on the
Korean coastguards keeping an even closer eye on
Dokdo. It said, “South Korea has responded by form-
ing [a] research institute, sending ships to fortify
Dokdo’s defenses and saying it would build even
A Korean landmark in Dokdo
more structures on the islands it controls.” ■
OCTOBER 2008 KOREA 27
Woongjin Foundation
GLOBAL KOREA THE BEAUTY OF KOREA-15

New Radio Station Lobed Celadon Bottle

Launched for Inlaid with Peony and Chrysanthemum
Foreigners National Treasure No. 114
BY JEONG HYEON-JI
STAFF WRITER

DJs with the Multicultural Radio: (From top) Laddawan Sattathamkul
from Thailand, Peng Li Ying from China, Maria Regina Panol Arquiza
from the Philippines, and Hoang Minh Ngoc from Vietnam
K
orea’s first multilingual radio station targeting immi-
grants started service on Aug. 15. Korea is home to
over 1 million immigrants as of 2007.
“Multicultural Radio” currently offers programs in four
languages — Chinese, Vietnamese, Tagalog and Thai — to
accommodate the immigrant groups. The shows are aired
via the local satellite TV operator Sky Life and C&M Cable
TV 24 hours a day.
Next year, the service will be available in eight lan- This bottle from the Goryeo
guages, including Russian, Arabic, Mongolian and Dynasty (918 - 1392) is well
Japanese. balanced with a voluptuous
Woongjin Foundation, the sponsor of the radio station, body and a long neck.
hired native speakers of the respective countries as the The bottle’s mouth is shaped
show hosts. They are themselves immigrants. like a flower, and the body,
“Native speakers host the programs, most of which will separated into eight parts with
be presented in their language with short Korean transla- bold lines, is inlaid with peony
tions at the end of each program. It will help foreign audi- and chrysanthemum patterns.
ences learn Korean, and it will also help Korean listeners The bottom is decorated with a
learn other languages,” said Park Byung-bai, the founda- lotus flower pattern.
tion’s secretary general. This type of bottle originates
The shows include traditional and modern music of from the Tang Dynasty, but it
adopted the features of Korean
each country. There are also educational and cultural pro-
celadon during the Goryeo
grams, which give information on medicine, legal counsel-
period. This bottle, in particular,
ing and jobs. The shows introduce Korean culture and cus-
exudes balance and warmth
toms, the foundation said.
with its rounded lines.
Getting information in a foreign country would be eas-
It is on display at Seoul’s
ier if it was provided in their mother tongue, the foundation National Museum of Korea.
said of the endeavor. National Treasure No. 94 is
“Our program aims to help immigrants maintain their similar to this bottle, but it has
cultural individuality while becoming part of our society,” no decorations.
said Park. (Photo courtesy of the National
Radio stations in China, Vietnam, the Philippines and Museum of Korea)
Thailand have signed memoranda of understanding to pro-
vide long-term support for the programs. Authorities at
embassies and culture ministries are also working together
to provide useful content for the programs. ■

28 KOREA OCTOBER 2008 OCTOBER 2008 KOREA 29


SPORTS
Korean national team enters
the main stadium of the 2008
Beijing Paralympics
Park Keon-woo, a gold medalist in boccia
30 KOREA OCTOBER 2008
Culture Minister Yoo In-chon (center)
Yonhap
Korean Athletes
Shine
at 2008
Paralympics
A
ugust and September were
months to cheer in Korea as
athletes provided outstanding
performances at both the 2008 Beijing
Olympics and the Paralympics.
Korean athletes in the Paralympics,
held Sept. 6-17 in Beijing, garnered a
total of 31 medals, including 10 gold
medals. But what was more significant
than the number of medals was their
courageous performances and true
sportsmanship during the 12-day
event. They all overcame their physi-
cal and psychological obstacles.
Korea dispatched a team of 131
members, including 77 athletes for 13
events in this year’s Paralympics.
Some 4,300 athletes from 148 coun-
tries and regions participated in the
Beijing Paralympics, the largest num-
ber of participating nations in history.
Korea gained four gold medals in
shooting, and two golds in archery
and boccia each. Table tennis and
track events also each brought one
gold medal.
Korea’s medal rally started on
Sept. 9, as female shooter Lee Yun-ri
won the women’s 50-meter sport rifle
competition, bringing Korea its first
gold medal.
Lee, 34, shot a world record total
Lee Hwa-sook, of 676.9 points, edging out her com-
a gold medalist in female archery
patriot rival, Kim Im-yeon, by 5.9
BY JEONG HYEON-JI
STAFF WRITER
points. Lee, who lost use of her legs in
a car accident in 1996, began shooting
just two years ago with the help of her
fiancée, a career soldier and sniper.
She finished second in a world compe-
tition in Germany last year.
Lee Ji-seok also won gold in the
men’s mixed R5 10-meter air rifle
competition on the same day.
Park Keon-woo, 18, won gold in
the mixed individual BC3 boccia class.
Boccia, similar to curling, is played by
athletes with cerebral palsy and other
locomotive disabilities. Park, the
youngest athlete on the national team,
has the most serious case of cerebral
palsy among participants. He con-
tributed to his team in garnering gold
in the group event, defeating Spain 8-1.
Park attributed his victory to his
current high school teacher, who sup-
ported his sporting career with finan-
cial aid.
“I would’ve never made it this far
without the support of my school
teacher who, despite his low salary,
supported me immensely,” Park said
in an interview.
In the wheelchair racing event, Hong
Suk-man won gold in the men’s 400-
meter T53 with 47.63 seconds to set a
new world record on Sept. 11. He also
brought home a bronze in the men’s
200-meter T53 category on Sept. 15.
OCTOBER 2008 KOREA 31
 Yonhap
SPORTS
Hong Suk-man after setting a new world record
in wheelchair racing on Sept. 11

Hong, whose legs became disabled

after a bout with polio at age 3, start-
ed wheelchair racing in college.
“I ran for my son’s 4th birthday. Prime Minister Han Meets
This gold medal will be a good present
for him,” he said.
the Chinese Premier
Paralympics is particularly special
for Hong as he met his Japanese wife, Prime Minister Han Seung-soo visited long-term, stable relationship. Han
a former volunteer for the China on Sept. 6 to 7 to attend the said Korea will work more closely with
Paralympics, during the 1998 opening ceremony of the 2008 Beijing China to carry out any consensus
Paralympics in Japan. He is now the Paralympics and meet Korean athletes reached at the meeting held during the
and sports officials. Beijing Olympics.
father of two sons.
During his two-day stay, he also On the economic front, Wen said
In table tennis, Cho Jae-kwan took
met with Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao China would like to step up coopera-
the silver in the men’s individual class
to discuss concrete ways to enhance tion with Korea in environment, Korean shooter Lee Yun-ri (left) The men’s archery team wins gold
1 table tennis on Sept. 11, while Moon
Korea-China ties. telecommunications, finance, logistics
Sung-hye secured bronze in class 4 by
On Sept. 6, Han attended a wel- and energy. Wen also pledged to ac-
overcoming Monika Sikora-
coming luncheon hosted by Chinese celerate the establishment of a Korea-
Weinmann of Germany, the 2004 President Hu Jintao. Following his China Free Trade Agreement.
Athens champion and No. 4 seed. meeting with Hu, he took a tour of the In response, Han said Korea will ex-
In powerlifting, Jung Keum-jong athletes’ residence, archery field and pand its comprehensive cooperation
lifted 180kg to take the bronze on the shooting range. with China. He also hailed China’s im-
same day. During the meeting with his Chinese portant role in promoting the six-party
Archer Lee Hwa-sook earned a counterpart, Han delivered President talks, regarding North Korea’s nuclear
gold medal in the women’s individual Lee Myung-bak’s congratulatory mes- issue.
recurve event on Sept. 13. The Korean sage on the successful hosting of the This was the first premier-level
team also won gold in the men’s team Olympics. Korea-China talks since Han took of-
recurve open category two days later, The two premiers agreed that high- fice earlier this year.
outperforming China. In the women’s level visits between the two countries Han is the first Korean prime minis-
Cho Jae-kwan wins a silver medal in table tennis on Sept. 11
team competition on the same day, have enhanced mutual trust and ce- ter to attend the opening ceremony of
Korea came away with a silver medal, mented the political foundation for a the Paralympics. ■
losing to their Chinese counterparts.
In swimming, Min Byeong-eon Korea’s Prime Minister Han Seung-soo (left) and his Chinese counterpart Wen Jiabao
earned a silver medal in the men’s 50-
meter backstroke and a bronze in
freestyle. Min, who suffers from an in-
curable neurological condition called
Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease, started
swimming in 2003 to overcome his
fear of water.
“I started swimming for rehabilita-
tion in primary school, but I soon quit
because I was scared to death. But I
feel more strength in my legs and
hands in the water. And it has made
me realize that I can, maybe, win the
fight against this disease,” he said.
Min is gunning for a gold at the
London Paralympics in four years. ■

32 KOREA OCTOBER 2008 OCTOBER 2008 KOREA 33

Lie Sang-bong
CULTURE
Fabric featuring hangeul
H
angeul, or the Korean language,
is one of the most distinguished
features of Koreans and their
culture. As the Korean Wave, or hal-
lyu, took over many Asian countries,
the popularity of the Korean language
also saw a huge boost.
Hangeul was promulgated in 1443
by King Sejong the Great in a bid to
increase literacy among Koreans who
could not read nor write Chinese char-
acters, the medium of writing in those
days. It is so important that Oct. 9 is
designated as a day wholly dedicated
to the language.
Korean is now the world’s 13th
most-spoken language. It is spoken by
over 77 million people around the
world, including South and North
Korea, North and South America and
various Asian regions, according to
Korea Educational Development
Institute data.
The number of Korean speakers
has also grown among non-ethnic
Koreans. Applicants for the Test of
Proficiency in Korean (TOPIK) grew to
some 150,000 people in 2008, up over
100 percent from 72,300 a year earlier.
The test, which started in 1997, is con-
ducted twice a year in 31 countries, in-
cluding Turkey, Laos and Indonesia.
These days, Korean is not only a
means of communication but also an
inspiration for artists and manufac-
turers. And wearing a T-shirt or a
dress with Korean on it is now consid-
ered cool among many hipsters.
Lie Sang-bong, a renowned fash-
ion designer based in Seoul and Paris,
features hangeul in his design. He said
hangeul is not only a language but al-
34 KOREA OCTOBER 2008
The Korea Herald
so an entity that represents the nation
and its civilization.
“When I was at the Moscow collec-
tion last year, clients came to see the
show in clothes featuring hangeul. I
can’t express how touched I was to see
them. Can you imagine people walk-
The Beauty of ing around with our language printed
on their shirts and pants?”
Hangeul Transcends Local media in France referred to
his white gowns adorned with black
calligraphy of Korean language during
Modern Designs the 2007 Paris Pret-a-Porte as the
“representation of oriental yet modern
BY JEONG HYEON-JI aesthetics,” and “balance between
STAFF WRITER fashion and geometric beauty.”
Hangeul gained the world’s spotlight
through his design and put Korea on
the fashion world map.
“I wonder how many nations have
their own writing system and lan-
guage. I think sometimes Koreans for-
get how precious and beautiful their
language is because they take it for
granted. I wanted to let all the people
in the world know its beauty through
my design,” Lie said.
His attempt took off commercially
as well. Variations of hangeul designs
are now found everywhere — on lavish
mobile phones, diaries, kitchenware,
building exteriors, wrapping paper and
street signs. This popularity gave birth
to the online shopping mall Tiummall,
which specializes in products and sou-
venirs inspired by hangeul.
Seok Geum-ho, CEO of Sandol
Communications Inc., a company that
“Power of Youth,” by Korean artist Kang Ik-joong, is on display at Paris-based UNESCO building specializes in corporate contents de-
velopment and typography, said the
potential of hangeul-inspired design
lies in its cursive lines.
“The lines found in Korean lan-
guage are very different from those of
Japanese or Chinese. They are subtle
and elegant. And these are great advan-
tages when developing a typography
and other product designs,” he said.
Lee Sang-gyu, director-general at
Hangeul-inspired designs and products the National Institute of Korean
Language, says the geometric beauty
of the Korean language is broadening
the influence of Korean culture.
“As the imaginative power of
Korean artists is exploding, now the in-
terest toward Korean language is grow-
ing in various sectors of Web content,
performing circles and fine arts. I think
it is important to share Korean with the
rest of the world and provide more
places to learn the language,” he said.
He also urged the need to preserve
and protect the language amid an era
of globalization and multiculturalism.
“It’s a pity that there are few pub-
lications dedicated to the Korean lan-
guage. Korean is changing with the
growing multicultural society, and the
nature of the language and vocabu-
lary are going through transitions as
well. Collecting data and establishing
a solid database are some of the urgent
tasks we face,” Lee said.
Meantime, a series of events and
celebrations are scheduled in central
Seoul on Oct. 9 to celebrate the birth
of hangeul. More information can be
found on the Ministry of Public
Administration and Security’s web-
site at www.mopas.go.kr and the
Hangeul Organization’s website at
www.hangeul.or.kr. ■
American actress Lindsay Lohan in designer
Lie Sang-bong’s T-shirt featuring hangeul
Lie Sang-bong
OCTOBER 2008 KOREA 35
CULTURE
Korea’s Dynamic and
Unique Megacity
Setting a New Trend in Architecture
BY JEONG HYEON-JI
STAFF WRITER
T
o many foreign eyes, Korea is an
iconic country of rapid econom-
ic growth and the home of af-
fordable household electronics and
high-tech gadgets.
The country’s artistic and aesthetic
sides, however, have long been under-
appreciated, partly due to lack of ex-
posure. Recent exhibitions in
Germany, however, have brought
Korea’s modern architecture into the
spotlight.
The “Megacity Network, Contem-
36 KOREA OCTOBER 2008
“Megacity” by Ahn Se-kweon
porary Architecture in Korea” exhibi-
tion, held in Frankfurt in 2007 and
Berlin earlier this year, showcased the
nation’s 16 leading architects and
their most significant projects through
the lens of renowned photographer An
Se-kweon.
Ursula Kleefisch-Jobst, a German
architectural historian and critic,
called Seoul a city dominated by
breathtaking diversity.
“The buildings in Seoul are needles
in a haystack in search of their own “Boutique Monaco” (right) in southern Seoul
OCTOBER 2008 KOREA 37
CULTURE

Gahoeheon, a modern take on hanok by Hwang Doo-jin
identity and a balance between the
past and present, men and nature,
public and private and also Eastern
and Western architectural language,”
she said.
In fact, Seoul has become one of
the most populated cities in the world.
The city is home to some 10 million
Korean with a critical attitude. But
Korea’s charm really is found in those
Korean Architects Aim to Set
specifically ‘Korean’ things. The mas-
sive expansion of the city, the com-
New Global Trend
plexity and dynamic nature found in BY JEONG HYEON-JI
STAFF WRITER
Korean architecture has a potential
that can’t be found in other places in
the world,” he said.

The Korea Herald

The Seoul Central Post Office
people — with about 20 million living
in the general metropolitan area. This
enormous population explosion and
rapid industrialization have chal-
lenged modern Korean architects, said
Kim Sung-hong, professor of archi-
tecture and urbanization at the
University of Seoul.
Today’s Seoul was born as a solu-
tion amid high densification of urban
areas on one side and the preservation
of small traditional structures and cul-
tural identity on the other.
Interestingly enough, the city has
been designed by a generation of
young Korean architects who have
mostly studied abroad, mainly in the
United States and Europe.
“Korean architecture shows the
universal traits of modern architecture
and the unique nature created under
the nation’s circumstances. It’s the na-
tion’s dynamic potential and com-
plexity that bring about the ‘wow fac-
tor’ from architects of other coun-
tries,” Kim said.
The humble back streets of
Namdaemoon market, the hanoks at
Bukchon village and the resurrected
Cheonggyecheon stream and prome-
nade in central Seoul are examples
that demonstrate the unique aspects
of modern Korea.
“Now is the time for diverse points
of view. And the energetic nature of
Korean architecture deserves to be
recognized.”
He said many Koreans view
Western architecture as something su-
perior, while looking down on local
architecture.
“Koreans tend to look at things
The exhibition showcased Seoul in
its own skin. This attracted both
Europeans and Americans. The exhibi-
tions are scheduled in Estonia and the
United States in 2009.
Another fruit of the exhibition is
the book “Contemporary Korean
Architecture,” which was published by
the international publishing firm
JovisVerlag last year.
Kim, who was the vice commis-
sioner of the 2004 International
Venice Biennale and an organizer of
the Megacity Network exhibitions,
can’t emphasize enough the impor-
tance of international exposure.
“After all, it’s exposure that
Korean architecture really needs. The
publication of the book, therefore, was
meaningful considering there aren’t
many books solely dedicated to
Korean modern architecture,” he said.
So, why the sudden flow of inter-
est from the Western world? Kim says
Korea’s open atmosphere and high ed-
ucation level give a unique style to its
architecture.
“Korea’s modern architecture
started to gain interest from the out-
side world at the turn of the millenni-
um. The architects here are well edu-
cated and their working style is more
challenging compared with other
places in the world.”
He envisions the nation’s archi-
tects will set a new trend of modern
megacities in the future.
“It is getting harder to apply one
model of architecture into all of the
world’s big cities. More metropolitan
cities will become like Seoul.” ■
(Photos courtesy of Kim Sung-hong)
Sleek high-rises and tall apartment
buildings represent modern-day Seoul,
the very city where most Koreans would
like to work, live and see their careers
take off.
While corporate-type architects were
busy constructing these skyscrapers,
Hwang Doo-jin brought a new look into
Korea’s modern architecture, which in-
volves the traditional Korean house,
hanok.
Thanks to Hwang, living or working in
a hanok building is now considered fash-
ionable among contemporary Koreans.
Since the turn of the millennium,
Hwang has worked on hanok renovation
projects in Bukchon, central Seoul.
Bukchon, or North Village, is nestled be-
tween the nation’s two major royal
palaces, Gyeongbokgung and
Changdeokgung, and was a highly pres-
tigious neighborhood of aristocrats and
high-ranking government officials during
the Joseon Dynasty (1392-1910).
The hanok style became almost ex-
tinct in modern architecture circles. But
through Hwang, it came to life as a place
of high flexibility, which accommodates
the needs of today — whether it is an of-
fice, a residence, a gallery or a photo
studio.
Hwang, who was educated at Seoul
National University and Yale University,
says he loves modern Korea. And he
likes to tread on both lines of modern
and traditional lifestyles.
“The 21st century is an era of com-
plexity. And architects should be able to
reflect the complex thoughts of contem-
porary Koreans. Hanok is like a vessel,
and only Korean modern architecture
can see such a vessel,” he said in an in-
terview.
He thinks working in 21st-century
Seoul is not only unique on its own but
also very meaningful.
“Soon, all of the world’s architects will
follow Seoul’s architectural style. Here,
the architect’s judgment is very impor-
tant. Korean architects have always
struggled between urbanization and the
preservation of nature — and now, this is
becoming a global trend,” he said.
As an architect, he believes he bears
the responsibility of inheriting tradition
and going one step further.
“It is important to understand tradition
and to also enjoy the conveniences of
modern times. Hanok is just a starting
point. Through new ideas and experimen-
tation, hanok can become modern and
global. That’s our job, as architects.” ■

38 KOREA OCTOBER 2008 OCTOBER 2008 KOREA 39

CULTURE
The Beauty
of Korean Tradition
Hanbok
S
ince ancient times, Koreans have been
wearing the traditional dress known
as hanbok. This generally consists of
Hwarot, ceremonial pants or a skirt with a jacket and robe, a tri-
dress of a princess of partite arrangement that has remained un-
the Joseon Dynasty changed since ancient times. Another dis-
tinctive point is the importance attached to
the hat, known as gwanmo. Koreans have
worn different clothing according to their
social status, making dress an important
mark of rank. The ruling class, including
royalty, wore impressive costumes with em-
broidered insignia on the front and back and
adorned themselves with necklaces,
bracelets, rings, and other jewelry.
As seen in a mural of the Goguryeo
Tomb of the Dancers in Manchuria, men
and women wore jackets that came down to
their hips with pants or a skirt underneath.
Over this they wore a robe with the collar,
hem, and cuffs trimmed in a different color.
From then until Goryeo times, the king and
officials wore colorful clothing while com-
moners were restricted to an undyed plain
jacket and pants. This simple costume of the
common people was maintained through-
out the Joseon period. The official and cer-
emonial dress of the ruling class and royal-
40 KOREA OCTOBER 2008
ty were influenced by China from the of marriageable age, the wedding costumes
Unified Silla to Joseon times and the every- known as wonsam for the bride and gwan-
day dress of jacket and pants for men or bok for the groom, and the red skirt and
jacket and skirt for women remain largely green jacket worn by a newlywed woman.
unchanged. There are many varieties of hanbok, all of
This basic dress was worn by everyone which are full of dignity and elegance. ■
from royalty to peasants, but distinctions of (Source: Korea Tourism Organzization)
status were marked by official clothes, sac-
rificial robes, and ceremonial dress. The ba-
sic costume also varied with the seasons,
(Photos courtesy of Lee Young Hee Hanbok)
lined clothes being worn in spring and au-
tumn, unlined clothes in summer, and cot-
ton-wadded or quilted clothes or furs in
winter. The common people made their
clothes out of undyed material, which is
why Koreans are often called the “white-
clad folk.”
Hanbok can be classified according to
function: everyday dress, ceremonial
clothes worn on formal occasions such as a
child’s first birthday, weddings and funer-
als. Costumes were made for special pur-
poses, such as those worn by the officiants
at Jongmyo Shrine, shamans, or performers
of traditional dances. Popular forms of han-
bok included the striped costume worn by
children on their first birthday, the red skirt
and yellow jacket sported by young women
OCTOBER 2008 KOREA 41
CULTURE
Korean Wave in Argentina:
Weak Today, Stronger Tomorrow?
BY JORGE RAFAEL DI MASI
PROFESSOR OF INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS,
NATIONAL UNIVERSITY OF LA PLATA IN ARGENTINA
The popular Korean show, “Nanta Cookin”
T
he world is still surprised by the
popularity of Korean films, pop
music and TV dramas. A country
with a small territory is showing its
huge dimension in cultural terms.
After leading one of the most impres-
sive processes of economic develop-
ment in world history, Korea is now
consolidating its power in the field of
arts and culture.
Argentina is not excluded from
that influence. Being a most distant
country from Korea — the tale says
that if you are drinking ginseng tea, in
Insa-dong, downtown Seoul, and you
decide to dig a hole straight to the
42 KOREA OCTOBER 2008
heart of the Earth, after crossing it,
you will find yourself drinking our
traditional beverage “mate” in
Argentina’s Pampas. Nevertheless,
Argentina has also felt the influence of
Hallyu, or the Korean Wave.
It is also true that as distance
grows, the strength of the Wave fades.
Within the three most visible expres-
sions of this trend, pop music, TV dra-
mas and cinema, it was the last one
that has been most successful.
Special screenings in the biggest
cities of Argentina attracted the atten-
tion of the public, avid to receive new
expressions of world art. Critics ap-
plauded the quality and deep histories
shown in Korean films.
But, still, the impact of the Wave
was not strong, and nowadays it seems
like it is losing momentum. After the
first Wave, there were no more.
The peak of Hallyu was when the
films “Jibeuro” and “Spring, Summer,
Fall, Winter — and Spring” were pre-
sented in Argentina and stayed on the
screens for many weeks.
The question we have to address is
why Hallyu did not take root here, like
it did in other places. Also, why was it
only limited to cinema productions?
Let’s try to find the answers.
First of all, we should say that geo-
graphical distance is the key factor to
understanding the cultural distance be-
tween the two countries. This physical
limitation is there and nobody can
change it. A flight from Seoul to
Buenos Aires takes at least 30-35 hours,
including waiting times at airports. As
a result, both peoples do not have a
deep understanding of each other.
The themes also play an important
factor in whether or not pop culture in
one part of the world could ever catch
on in another. Sometimes, themes or
certain storylines are not understood by
people with a different cultural back-
ground. This is one of the reasons why
the most popular films were those with
themes common all over the world —
Argentinean students perform taekwondo at the Korean Cultural
Center (left), Argentines try traditional Korean wedding gowns at
the Korean Cultural Center in Buenos Aires
like relations between young and old
generations, or the difficulties of a sin-
gle or divorced mother in contemporary
societies, as was the case in “Jibeuro.”
In some cases, the public is also at-
tracted to films that shed light on an
unknown topic. One such case here
was “Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter ...
and Spring,” which contains a strong
and compelling visual story with
Buddhist influences, not so common
in Argentina.
Two years ago, while in Seoul, I
had the extraordinary opportunity to
participate in one of the most interest-
ing and peculiar expressions of Korean
Art: “Nanta Cookin.” This show is in-
novative and presents a perfect oppor-
tunity to export the image of Korea to
the world — music, acting and cook-
ing, all together. It is a great formula
to get the attention of the public. At
that time I dreamt about having them
in Argentina.
Fortunately, it turned into reality
very fast: In 2007, the Korean Cultural
Center, located in Buenos Aires, cele-
brated its first anniversary with a rich
agenda of activities. One of the events
was the performance of “Nanta
Cookin.”
Argentineans were amazed when
they saw the performance, but besides
those who attended the session, there
was no other impact on the general
public. Local media did not reflect its
presence here, and an opportunity was
missed to open our eyes and minds to
other expressions.
May I suggest the utilization of
more innovative methods, among
which I would include the promotion
of Korean cartoons. Cartoons appeal to
the eyes and imaginations of younger
generations. This should be the target
of Korean producers if they want to
create long term interest. Exposing
kids to Korean cartoons will create fu-
ture consumers of Korean films, music
and other artistic expressions. Those of
us born in the sixties spent our child-
hood watching Disney’s productions —
the only exception was Astroboy —
while our kids, born in the nineties,
watch Digimon, Pokemon, Dragon
Ball Z and other Japanese anime. In
both cases, they influenced the forma-
tion of our minds and spirits. Why
don’t we envision a future with more
Korean influence thanks to the promo-
tion of Korean cartoons?
In the end, the future expansion of
Korean culture in this part of the world
will be conditioned by the possibility
of increasing bilateral personal ex-
changes. Acknowledging the immense
distance between Korea and
Argentina, even in terms of cultural
affinity, historical experiences, politi-
cal relationships or economic ex-
changes, the development of the
Korean Wave is a real challenge.
The improvement of communica-
tion systems all over the world facili-
tates the actions taken within this con-
text. Even though there are limitations
in personal human exchanges, the use
of the latest technologies — if correctly
managed — can lead to a deeper knowl-
edge between two distant peoples.
Universities are doing their part.
We created the Argentina Association
for Korean Studies, joining the efforts
of ten Centers for Korean Studies ac-
tive in the country. The AAKS has or-
ganized its annual Congress since
2005 with unexpected success. More
than sixty researchers are studying
different aspects of Korea, including
Hallyu. This is an asset that we offer to
this shared construction.
In sum, there is a lot to do in order
to increase the presence of Korean cul-
ture and art in Argentina. Our country is
considered one of the leaders in the field
of art, education and culture in Latin
America, and the public is open to new
expressions of these. Moreover, our tra-
dition is open to the world’s influence;
we do not have a strongly nationalistic
attitude towards culture. The environ-
ment here is, therefore, fertile to in-
crease the presence of Korean culture. ■
(Photos courtesy of
Korean Cultural Center in Buenos Aires)
OCTOBER 2008 KOREA 43
TRAVEL

many travelers seeking an autumn excursion. A

15-minute drive from Sokcho City will bring you
to the main entrance valley to the national park,
which contains popular tourist spots.
The Yukdam Waterfall and the Biryong
Waterfall on the left side of the valley present a
spectacular view. The Heundeulbawi, a five-
meter high spherical rock which moves back
and forth, is also a unique attraction.
Forests of the mountain display vivid fall
hues every autumn. Travelers can find striking
autumn colors on a magnificent drive, which
How to Get There meanders along with the cliff of Hangyeryeong
By bus, it takes four Ridge.
hours from Seoul to According to the meteorological administra-
Sokcho City. Airlines and tion’s forecast, the peak season for the moun-
trains are also available. tain’s colorful autumn foliage is expected to
For more information, take place on Oct. 20. ■
visit the park’s
multilingual website at

Sea of Autumn Colors seorak.knps.or.kr/eng.

— Seoraksan National Park Hikers enjoy the autumn colors of Seoraksan

BY LEE JI-YOON
STAFF WRITER

Korea Tourism Organization

The tops of Seoraksan are shrouded with cloud
Korea Tourism Organization

A
Daecheongbong Peak round this time every year, mountains
and roadside trees in Korea turn brilliant
red and yellow showing off the beauty of
autumn colors. Among them, it is widely known
that autumn is best appreciated at Seoraksan in
Gangwon-do, eastern Korea.
As the highest mountain located in the
Taebaeksan mountain range, sometimes called
“the backbone of the Korean Peninsula,”
Seoraksan is the third highest mountain in Korea
after Hallasan on the southern resort island of
The Korea Herald

Jeju-do and Jirisan in Jeollanam-do. Its

Daecheongbong peak reaches 1,708 meters.
Every year Seoraksan National Park attracts

44 KOREA OCTOBER 2008 OCTOBER 2008 KOREA 45

FOOD
Provincial
Delicacies
Korea consists of several provinces, and each one has a
distinct culture, dialect, and custom. The cuisines from each
province are very diverse, and each area boasts unique
delicacies. These delicacies contain local ingredients and
the culture of the villages they are originally from.
1 Gyeonggi-do
Gyeonggi-do has surrounded Seoul
for over 500 years. During the begin-
ning of the Joseon Dynasty (1392-
1910), all of the provinces brought
their ingredients to the capital, which
resulted in an eclectic and elaborate
array of food.
Presentation is very important in this
region, and the table settings are
very elegant.
Seolleongtang
Seolleongtang, or ox-bone soup,
was traditionally prepared for rites
held by the Joseon Dynasty kings in
hopes of an abundant harvest season.
Beef bones are boiled in a stone pot for
a long time. The only seasoning typi-
cally used for this mineral-rich broth
is salt. However, some people choose
red pepper powder.
Japchae
Japchae, or potato noodles stir-fried
with vegetables, is made during a cel-
ebration in Korea. Vegetables and beef
are mixed with cellophane noodles.
The colors are bril-
liant and the noo-
dles are mouth-
watering.
46 KOREA OCTOBER 2008
2 Gangwon-do
This area is located near the East Sea
in the northeastern part of Korea.
There are many steep mountains in
this area. With the advantage of being
by the sea as well as having great
mountains, this area is famous for its
seafood as well as corn, potato, buck-
wheat, herbs and other grains. The
meals and table setting are usually
simple.
The dishes in Gangwon-do typically
do not include many seasonings.
Gamja Gyeongdan
Gangwon-do is known for its pota-
toes. Therefore, many recipes in the
province include potatoes as the main
ingredient. Gamja Gyeongdan, or
potato dumplings, is among the popu-
lar dishes in the province. Potato
starch powder is kneaded into a dough
and steamed. It is then
rolled in cinnamon or
soybean flour.
Memil Makguksu
Memil Makguksu, or buckwheat noo-
dles, is enjoyed during the hot summer
months. The delectable
buckwheat noodles are
mixed with red pepper
powder, green onions, garlic, sesame
oil and soy sauce. The noodles taste
best when served with ice cold
dongchimi, or watery radish kimchi.
3 Chungcheong-do
Chungcheong-do is divided into two
provinces — Chungcheongnam-do and
Chungcheongbuk-do. The meals in
Chungcheong-do are simple compared
to other provinces. Seasonings and
sauces are hardly used in order to en-
hance the natural tastes of the ingredi-
ents.
Chungcheong-do residents are known
for being generous, and this can be
seen in the serving sizes of
Chungcheong-do food.
Olgaengiguk
Olgaengiguk, or small fresh-
water snail soup, is made
from boiled, small freshwater
snails. The taste is slightly bitter
yet savory, and the broth is refreshing.
This is an ideal breakfast food.
Sanchae Bibimbap
Sanchae Bibimbap, or
boiled rice topped with
vegetables, meat and op-
tional red pepper paste, consists of
wild herbs, gathered from the moun-
tains, mixed with red pepper paste and
rice. The aroma of the fresh herbs is
tantalizing to the nose. Because san-
chae bibimbap is low in calories, it is
ideal for people on a diet.
Gulbap
Gulbap, or oyster rice, is originally from
the Yellow Sea area of Chungcheong-
do. It is prepared by adding
live oysters while the rice is
boiling, and then adding
some soy sauce.
4 Gyeongsang-do
Gyeongsang-do is situated between the
southern and eastern seas and is divid-
ed into Gyeongsangnam-do and
Gyeongsangbuk-do. The cuisines main-
ly consist of fresh seafood. The city of
Andong, which was once visited by the
United Kingdom’s Queen Elizabeth, is
the birthplace of the Joseon Dynasty’s
aristocratic culture. The aristocratic food
culture still remains today.
Andong Jjimdak
Andong Jjimdak,
or Andong braised
chicken, is prepared by
first brushing soy sauce over the
chicken before steaming it. The salty
and spicy seasoning goes well with the
tenderness of the chicken. After eating
the chicken, it is customary to mix rice
with the leftover seasoning.
Agujjim
Although not pretty
to the eye, agu, or an-
glerfish, is good to the mouth when
cooked Gyeongsang-do style. Agujjim,
or steamed angler fish, is made by
steaming anglerfish with bean sprouts,
Japanese parsley and a spicy seasoning.
Dongnae Pajeon
Dongnae Pajeon is a flat, fried pancake,
which originated from Busan. Seafood,
such as squid and clams, are mixed
with green onions in a batter to make
this pancake. This dish is very popular
as a snack or when accompanied with
alcoholic beverages, such as dong-
dongju, a traditional Korean liquor.
5 Jeolla-do
The agriculture-based Jeollabuk-do
and Jeollanam-do are well known for
their highly developed food culture in
Korea. The cuisine combines seafood
and grains, which are locally grown.
Dishes in Jeolla-do consist of a variety
of seasonings, such as garlic, red pep-
per paste and sugar.
Residents of Jeolla-do boast tradition-
al Korean table settings, which include
at least 20 different kinds of side dish-
es and a variety of pickled seafood.
Jeonju Bibimbap
Jeonju Bibimbap
consists of steamed
rice mixed with fresh
vegetables and herbs
(both cooked and raw),
fried egg, a touch of sesame oil,
ground beef, and red pepper paste.
This globally popular dish is served on
Korean airlines as a representative of
Korean cuisine.
Daenamu Tongbab
Daenamu Tongbab, or rice steamed in
bamboo, is rice cooked in hollowed
out bamboo canisters, rather than a
pot. Gingko nuts, dates and chestnuts
are added to the rice,
making this dish nu-
tritious and savory.
The aroma of bam-
boo is infused into
the rice.
Yeonggwanggulbi Jeongsik
Yeonggwanggulbi Jeongsik is a full
course meal, which consists of dried
yellow corvine fish. This meal was
typically served to the monarchs dur-
ing the Joseon Dynasty. Gulbi, a sun-
dried yellow corvine fish, was tradi-
tionally the king’s favorite. The fish is
salted and sun-dried. This
dish is served with 20 differ-
ent kinds of side dishes.
6 Jeju-do
Jeju-do Island is known for its special
food culture. Since Jeju-do is an island
located south of the Korean peninsula,
most of the foods consist of seafood
that are quite salty. People add little
seasonings to their food in order to en-
joy the natural flavor of the ingredi-
ents, most of which are from the sea.
Okdomgui
Okdom is a pink colored
fish found only in the
ocean around Jeju-do. The fish is sea-
soned with salt and then roasted over
charcoal and served with several side
dishes. No other fish can compare to
okdom in terms of taste.
Galchi Hobakguk
Galchi Hobakguk is a tradi-
tional pumpkin and hairtail
fish soup made only on islands, such
as Jeju-do Island. The residents of Jeju
typically serve this soup for honorable
guests. The pumpkin, combined with
the fish, is seasoned with salt and then
boiled for a long time. ■
(Source: Korea Tourism Organization)
To obtain information on cuisine and
famous restaurants in Korea, please re-
fer to the Korea Tourism Organization’s
website at www.visitkorea.or.kr.
OCTOBER 2008 KOREA 47
CULTURAL FIGURE - 1

B
orn in Seoul in 1937, virtuoso
Korean pianist Paik Kun-woo
gave his first concert at the age
of 10 with the Korean National
Orchestra (now the Seoul Philharmonic
Orchestra). Later he studied at the
Julliard School in New York, and in
London and Italy with Rosina
Lhevinne, Ivona Kabos, Guido Agosti
and Willhelm Kempff.
Following wins at both the
Naumburg and the Busoni
Competitions he went on to give sig-
His repertoire is nificant debuts at the Lincoln Center
extensive and and Carnegie Hall to launch his inter-
national career.
incorporates a His repertoire is extensive and in-
wide range of corporates a wide range of styles and
genres. An artist with a quiet intellect,
styles and straddling the cultures of East and
West, Paik often successfully com-
genres. An artist bines a conventional repertoire with
with a quiet the more unusual.
He is also well-known for pursuing
intellect, the entire music pieces of one compos-
straddling the er. Starting with the pieces of Ravel at
the age of 26, he has explored the mu-
cultures of East
‘A Poet and West, Paik
often
sic of renowned musicians such as
Rachmaninov, Mendelssohn and Liszt
by performing all their piano pieces. In
December last year, he performed all
32 of Beethoven’s piano sonatas at the
Seoul Arts Center Concert Hall — for
two hours a day over seven consecu-
tive days.
Paik is also the first Korean pianist
to perform in China in 2000. His pop-
ularity in the country has been grow-
ing since he performed with the KBS
Symphony Orchestra in Beijing back
in 2002. Last year he staged a highly
successful concert with the
Guangzhou Symphony Orchestra in
Guangzhou with the more than 1,400
tickets being sold out long before the
concert.
Now living in Paris, he is the artistic
director of the Emerald Coast Music
Festival in Dinard (France) and was
made “Chevalier de I’ordre des arts et
des letters (Order of Arts and Literature)”
by the French government in 2000. His
wife Yoon Jung-hee is a famous silver
screen star in the 1960s. ■

on the Piano’ successfully

combines a
conventional
Pianist repertoire with
the more
Paik Kun-woo unusual.

Universal Music Korea

Credia
48 KOREA OCTOBER 2008 OCTOBER 2008 KOREA 49
PEOPLE
Chinese actress Li Bingbing (left) and Culture Minister Yu In-chon at the minister’s office in Seoul on Aug. 20

Castro Praises
Korea’s Olympic
Baseball Team
BY LEE JI-YOON
STAFF WRITER

F
idel Castro, Cuba’s revolutionary patriarch, praised the
Korean baseball team for its stunning victory over Cuba
in the Beijing Olympics.
In his recent column titled “A gold medal for honor,” the
former Cuban leader, who is a well-known baseball fan,
said, “The final match against South Korea was dubbed the
tensest and most extraordinary that the Olympics had ever
known.”
“The adversary’s professional baseball players were like
batting machines. They had a left-handed pitcher (Ryu
Hyun-jin) who threw varied speed balls with surgical preci-
sion,” he said.
Starter Ryu Hyun-jin had pitched brilliantly despite giv-
ing up two solo homeruns. He limited the powerful Cuban
batters to 5 hits over 8 1/3 innings.
The website of Granma
the article, he also commended Cuban players’ achieve-
ments during the Olympics, especially the amateur baseball
team which, he said, is trained to serve the country, not for
profit.
Fidel Castro, 81, stepped down as president in February
this year, ending his long tenure as head of the communist
state. Castro writes regularly for the paper’s “Reflections of
Fidel” section.
The Korean baseball team came into the Olympics tour-
nament hoping for a bronze medal, and that seemed to be
an uphill task, as Japan, Cuba and the United States were

Yonhap
The column was published on the website of the the three teams generally considered favorites. But a combi-
Granma, the official publication of the Cuban Communist nation of strong pitching and timely hitting allowed the
Party, on Aug. 24, the day after the gold medal match. In Korean team to pull off upsets against all three teams. ■

C
hinese actress Li Bingbing re- pointing out Kwon Sang-woo’s “Stair-
Chinese cently accepted a new role — ways to Heaven” as her favorite

The Korea Herald

goodwill ambassador for Korea.
Actress Named Named by the Ministry of Culture,
Sports and Tourism, the 32-year-old
Goodwill actress will culturally bridge the two
countries.
Ambassador “I’ll do my best to strengthen the
friendship between two countries,” she
for Korea told reporters on her visit to Seoul on
BY LEE JI-YOON Aug. 21.
STAFF WRITER Born and raised in Harbin, the capital
city of Heilongjiang province in north-
east China, she learned about Korea, es-
pecially food such as naengmyeon, or
cold noodles, through her ethnic Korean
neighbors, she said.
“Thanks to the memories in my
childhood, I feel closer to Korea,” she
said. “Many Korean Wave stars are
warmly welcome in China,” she said,
Korean drama.
“I hope cultural exchanges will in-
crease as more Chinese entertainers
reach the Korean audience,” she added.
She received the Best Actress
award at the Singapore International
Film Festival in 2001 for her role in
“Seventeen Years,” directed by Zhang
Yuan in 1999. After the successful film
debut, she has gone on to perform in a
variety of film and television roles.
She co-starred with Jet Li and
Jackie Chan in the Hollywood block-
buster “The Forbidden Kingdom,”
which was released in April.
Reflecting her popularity among
Chinese, she also participated in the
Olympic torch relay for the opening Pitcher Ryu Hyun-jin during the final Korea’s Olympic baseball players and coaches celebrate after beating Cuba
ceremony of the Beijing Games. ■ game against the Cuban team

50 KOREA OCTOBER 2008 OCTOBER 2008 KOREA 51

TOPIC
The dolphin at right is dying and is being raised for air by other dolphins on Five dolphins team up in groups of two and three to bring the dying dolphin The dying dolphin stops moving as its companions keep lifting it up above
Korea’s east coast on June 27 to the surface the water
Dolphin Funeral A
dolphin funeral was recently documented by a na-
tional research team on Korea’s eastern coast, provid-
ing valuable information to cetacean studies.
On June 27, while on a routine whale watch, the
National Fisheries Research and Development Institute
(NFRDI) found a school of five common dolphins, 18 kilo-
in Korea
meters off Jeongja Port in Ulsan, Gyeongsangnam-do.
The marine mammals were helping a dolphin breathe by
bringing it to the surface. The researchers took photos and
video footage of this behavior.
Researchers said this behavior continued for over an
BY JEONG HYEON-JI
STAFF WRITER hour — until the dolphin finally died. The dolphin, some 2
meters long, is believed to have died of natural causes since
52 KOREA OCTOBER 2008
The rest of the dolphins swim for another hour around the area where the
dead one disappeared
it showed no signs of injuries.
The Cetacean Research Institute, which is under the
NFRDI, said dolphins’ altruistic behavior is common.
“Dolphins tend to establish strong bonds with each oth-
er. This behavior of bringing a dying individual to the sur-
face to help it breathe is similar to a human funeral proces-
sion,” said Kim Jang-geun, the director at the institute.
“Such altruistic behavior had only been observed in
man-made fish tanks. The video footage and photos provide
precious data to reaffirm the unique social behavior of dol-
phins,” he added.
More information can be found at NFRDI’s website at
www.nfrdi.re.kr. ■
OCTOBER 2008 KOREA 53
EVENTS
World’s Top
National
Theaters
Perform in
Korea
BY HAN ARAN
KOREA.NET STAFF WRITER
T
he National Theater of Korea, the
first of its kind in Asia when it
was established in 1950, has
been staging a wide variety of afford-
able performing arts pieces to the pub-
lic for over half a century.
Last year, it tried something
broader.
It hosted the world’s one and only
festival dedicated to stepping up cul-
tural exchanges between the national
theaters of different countries to pro-
vide the audience with opportunities
to experience the unique cultures and
trends in the international arts scene
by inviting representative performers
from several national organizations.
At the same time, it promoted
prominent Korean performing arts
troupes to the world’s top theaters.
“The Scent of Spring”
Offering a wide selection of per-
by the National Dance forming arts — theatrical drama, dance
Company of Korea and folk music — the National Theater
54 KOREA OCTOBER 2008
of Korea holds the 2nd annual
International Festival of National
Theater from Sept. 5 to Oct. 30.
The festival features 18 prestigious
theatrical performances from eight
countries — Korea, Germany, Russia,
Thailand, France, Moldova, Norway
and China.
Russia’s State Academic Maly
Theatre presented “Three Sisters,”
written by 19th century Russian play-
wright Anton Chekhov from Sept. 25
to 27.
The play, which deals with the fall
of the Russian aristocracy and finding
the meaning of life in the modern
world, was directed by Russia’s fa-
mous actor and director Yuri Solomin.
It presented the life and dreams of
a family of three sisters and a brother.
Another performance that is gar-
nering great interest is “Peer Gynt,”
which is regularly performed during
The Korean traditional performer An Suk-son in a
scene from “Cheong” by the National Changgeuk
Company of Korea
Norway’s famous Peer Gynt Festival.
It was written by the country’s
greatest playwright Henrik Ibsen in
1867, and this time it will be directed
by Svein Sturla Hungnes and per-
formed in Korea from Oct. 24 to 26.
It has been the leading perfor-
mance at the Peer Gynt Festival of
Norway for 20 years, and has tradi-
tionally been performed on open
stages but this time has been modified
for indoors.
“Raise the Red Lantern” by the
National Ballet of China will close the
festival.
It is a ballet production based on
the award-winning 1991 Chinese-
Taiwanese film directed by Zhang
Yimou.
The National Theater of Korea also
takes part in the festival, with a reper-
toire staged by its four resident com-
panies: “Terrorist Hamlet” by the
National Drama Company of Korea,
“Cheong” by the National Changgeuk
(a unique style of Korean traditional
opera) Company of Korea, “The Scent
of Spring” by the National Dance
Company of Korea and “Four Rivers
Flowing to The Sea” by the National
Russia’s State Academic Maly Theatre’s “Three Sisters”
“Four Rivers
Flowing to The Sea”
by the National
Orchestra of Korea
Orchestra of Korea.
These Korean performances have
made inroads overseas as well.
For one, “Four Rivers Flowing to
The Sea” is a combination of four or-
chestral musical pieces representing
the different spiritual worlds of Korea
— Christianity, Buddhism, Taoism and
shamanism — and has been invited to
a Korean festival to be held in Brussels
in November.
Furthermore, “Cheong” by the
National Changgeuk Company of
Korea will be staged in Norway and
the United States next year.
For more information, visit the
festival’s official website at
www.kfnt.kr. ■
(Photos courtesy of “Raise the Red Lantern” by the
the National Theater of Korea) National Ballet of China
OCTOBER 2008 KOREA 55
EVENTS
Korean
Traditional
Performing
Artists
Encounter India
A
group of Korean artists will vis-
it India to stage traditional per-
formances Oct. 1-8, aimed at
increasing cultural exchanges be-
tween the two countries.
Chongdong Theater, the organizer
of this tour, has gathered the nation’s
top traditional performers and up-
graded the “Miso (smile in Korean)”
program, which was shown in India
2006, receiving a positive response
from locals.
Themed around a love story, the
show will present traditional music
and dance performances for about 70
minutes both in India’s Mumbai and
New Delhi.
The joint performance of classical
orchestral music and traditional per-
cussion quartet, called “samulnori,”
will open the show. Various programs
and dynamic performances are pre-
pared for Indian audience.
Scenes from For more information, visit the
the Korean
theater’s official website at
traditional
performance www.chongdong.com. ■
“Miso” (Photos courtesy of Chongdong Theater)
56 KOREA OCTOBER 2008
Novelist Commemorated Amid
White Buckwheat Blossoms
BY HAN ARAN
KOREA.NET STAFF WRITER
A
round this time every year,
Bongpyeong in Gangwon-do is
dotted with buckwheat gardens
where the white flowers are in full
bloom, looking just like sprinkled salt
or snowflakes.
Every September, Bongpyeong
hosts the Hyoseok Culture Festival to
commemorate the late writer Lee Hyo-
seok (1907-1942), who was born in
nearby Pyeongchang, and who has
been praised for his unique realism-
based aestheticism.
The flowers of Bongpyeong were
made famous in his short story “When
Buckwheat Flowers Bloom,” a master-
piece of the Korean literary canon, set
in Bongpyeong and published in
1936.
People visit the Bongpyeong buckwheat field in Bongpyeong, Gangwon-do
Now in its 10th year, the Hyoseok
Culture Festival, which is unique in
combining literature with tourism,
was held from Sept. 6 to 15 with the
blossoming of the white buckwheat
flowers.
The festival offered excursions to
places mentioned in the story as well
as experiences of the rural lifestyle,
food-sampling and other literature-
based events and performances.
In the marketplace, you can savor
various kinds of dishes such as acorn
jelly, Korean-style pancakes, bibim-
bap and noodles, all made of buck-
wheat.
Even if you don’t know anything
about the writer or his works, you can
enjoy yourself just strolling along a
Yonhap
narrow path through the seemingly
endless buckwheat fields, especially
the one near the house of Lee’s birth.
In addition, performances were put
on to entertain you and there will also
be traditional folk programs — includ-
ing making meals with buckwheat,
farming, and riding on horse or ox-
drawn carts.
Other programs include tasting
meals made of buckwheat, cockfights,
and dyeing fingernails with garden
balsams.
The Bongpyeong buckwheat field,
measuring about 500,000 square me-
ters, is also magnificent when seen in
the moonlight.
For more information, visit
www.hyoseok.com. ■
OCTOBER 2008 KOREA 57
EVENTS
A scene from the opening film, “The Gift to Stalin”
Pusan Film Fest
Aims to Be the Best Yet
O
rganizers of the 13th Pusan
International Film Festival
have taken some major steps to
address past criticisms and ensure
maximum convenience for guests and
participants this year.
“The means of purchasing tickets
have been updated. One example is
the ability to buy tickets by using
your cell phone,” said Hur Nam-sik,
the festival director, at a press con-
ference on Sept. 9.
“We’ve also done our very best to
ensure that commuting to and fro
around the festival venues and vari-
ous sites hosting special events will
be as hassle-free and convenient as
possible.”
In terms of the national origin of
the films, organizers of this year’s
competition have gravitated towards
58 KOREA OCTOBER 2008
Central and Southeast Asia, in addi-
tion to inviting more selections from
non-Asian countries.
Previous editions of the PIFF were
mainly for East Asian films, with se-
lections outside of the region premier-
ing out of any competition.
“We noticed that other major film
festivals around the globe were ne-
glecting the Central and Southeast
Asian regions,” said Jay Jeon, the
deputy director of the festival.
“The quality of the films that were
submitted from Southeast Asia con-
vinced us that it’s a region which has
been unjustly neglected, so we decided
to reach out. It is also a way for us to
truly distinguish ourselves from the
rest of the festival organizations.”
A Kazakh film, “The Gift to Stalin,”
directed by Rustem Abdrashev, was
The closing film, “I Am Happy”
Yonhap
picked to open the festival, which will
run Oct. 2-10. During that time, 315
films from 60 countries will be
screened.
“We felt that this film deserved as
much exposure as it can possibly get
because it moved us to the core. What
better way for it to get that exposure
than for it to be the opening film?”
said Kim Ji-seok, who is the executive
programmer of the festival.
Yoon Jong-chan’s “I Am Happy,”
starring Hyun Bin and Lee Bo-yeong,
has been chosen to close the festival.
For more information, go to
www.piff.org. ■
(Photos courtesy of
the Pusan International Film Festival)
Chungmuro Film Festival Links
Past and Present
BY HAN ARAN
KOREA.NET STAFF WRITER
C
hungmuro in central Seoul used
to be the heart of the local film
industry, with the landmark
Daehan Cinema, one of Korea’s first
movie theaters.
However, as film production facili-
ties and movie studios have moved out
to other areas as well as multiplexes
mushrooming in Seoul, it is now more
remembered as a historic or symbolic
center of Korean cinema.
Efforts have been underway to
counter the phenomenon and an inter-
national film festival was launched
last year to restore the fame of
Chungmuro as the center of Korean film-
makers. This is the annual Chungmuro
International Film Festival.
This year’s festival featured 170
films from 40 countries at the Daehan
Cinema, ChungAng Cinema and
Myeongbo Theater in Seoul.
The festival opened with Higuchi
Shinji’s “Hidden Forest: The Last
Princess.” The film is a remake of Akira
Kurosawa’s 1958 film, “The Hidden
Fortress,” which is widely known to
The red carpet for the
2nd Chungmuro
International Film
Festival leading to the
entrance of the
National Theater of
Korea
have been an inspiration for George
Lucas’ “Star Wars.”
To focus more on current films that
have the potential to become classics
someday, the festival added a competi-
tion section this year in a bid to ex-
pand its coverage and attract more for-
eign movies for local moviegoers.
American filmmaker Michael
Cimino led the jury for the interna-
tional competition section, along with
four other jurors.
Among the 11 finalists including
Johnnie To’s “Mad Detective,”
Antonello Grimaldi’s “Quiet Chaos,”
and Amos Kollek’s “Restless,” and
“The Mermaid” by Anna Melikyan,
the $30,000 grand prize went to The poster for “The Trap,” the grand prize winner
Serbian killer thriller “The Trap,”
which was also shown at the closing
ceremony of the festival. “From Here to Eternity” and Martin
Besides Higuchi’s remake and the Scorsese’s “Raging Bull,” to more con-
International Competition winner, temporary titles such as Kim Hyun-
other movies were screened for public seok’s “Scout” and Yoon Seong-ho’s
viewing of course. “Milky Way Liberation Front.”
The movies ranged from interna- For more information, visit http://of-
tional classics such as Fred Zinnemann’s fice.chiffs.kr/eng/. ■
OCTOBER 2008 KOREA 59
Yonhap
EVENTS
The opening ceremony of the Gwangju
Binennale on Sept. 5
Gwangju Biennale Fuses
Art and Spectacle
BY JEAN OH
KOREA HERALD STAFF WRITER
60 KOREA OCTOBER 2008
Yonhap
O
ne of the nation’s biggest fine
arts events, the Gwangju
Biennale, kicked off on Sept. 5
and runs through Nov. 3 at the five
venues in the southwestern city of
Gwangju. The venues are Biennale
Hall, the Gwangju Museum of Art, the
Uijae Museum of Korean Art, the
Daein Traditional Market and the
Cinema Gwangju.
Titled “Annual Report,” artistic di-
rector Okwui Enwezor’s congregation
of exhibitions challenges viewers’ per-
ceptions of fine art.
The biennale’s “Bokdukbang
Project,” in particular, blurs the line
between art and spectacle.
Enwezor lauded it for being “con-
ceptually interesting but significant,”
saying, “Bokdukbang Project has tak-
en on the logic of the city of Gwangju,”
at a press conference in Gwangju.
Located inside the putrid and grit-
ty Daein Traditional Market, Park
Sung-hyen’s exhibition hides within a
winding series of stalls selling every-
thing from pigs’ heads — snout and
ears intact — to skatefish. Even the
market vendors find themselves fasci-
nated by the works of art, masquerad-
ing as stalls, lined up next to their
own fleshy wares.
This exhibition is not for the faint of
heart. The combination of the scent of
raw pork, chicken and fish mingles with
the fragrance of ginseng and herbs to
create a malodorous combination.
Within the Uijae Museum of
Korean Art, there is a definitive note
of pensive gravitas, save for
Venezuelan artist Mariana Bunimov’s
gleefully edible sculpture.
The moment you step inside the
museum, Bunimov’s work will greet
you with its rich chocolaty scent.
Visitors may attempt a lick or a
bite at Bunimov’s “Rancho (Chocolate
Shack)” (2008). Made out of approxi-
mately 100 kilograms of chocolate, it
is meant to change over time, either
“Bokdukbang Project” by Park Sung-hyen
by melting into decay or by being nib-
bled to death.
American artist Bruce Conner’s
collaged photographs of bands from
the 1970s are distinctly less delectable.
Tinged in silver and frayed by the pas-
sage of time, a powerful scent of stale
memories pervades his works.
Praneet Soi, an Indian artist current-
ly living in Amsterdam, depicts the hor-
rors of the abuse of prisoners at Abu
Ghraib by U.S. military personnel
through his pristine miniature paintings.
The sight of distorted, hooded fig-
ures is nothing less than disturbing.
In a nod to the great master of tra-
ditional Korean painting to whom this
museum is dedicated, Enwezor and his
team saw fit to leave several of the
painter’s works on display.
Uijae Huh Baek-ryun’s paintings
exude a vigorous energy that evokes
the verdant beauty of the surrounding
Mudeung mountains. His blossoms
and birds in flight enchant.
The core of the biennale, however,
remains firmly lodged within the
Biennale Hall. The proportions of the
five galleries that make up the space
are warehouse-worthy. A bottle of wa-
ter and a sturdy pair of walking shoes
are a must when confronted by this
Visitors check out the Biennale Hall
much art.
At times stunning and at times less
than lackluster, the uneven body of
work reverberates with themes of eth-
nicity, immigration and displacement.
Enwezor himself noted that, “By keep-
ing our minds open, a cluster of
themes emerged.”
Though the artistic director re-
frained from cluing the press in on
what those themes were, one cannot
escape the overall sense of an underly-
ing fascination with this trio of topics.
It is evident from the moment you
set foot inside Gallery 1. There, in a
profuse range of sculptural glory,
stands Kerry James Marshall’s recre-
ation of the environment of a black
neighborhood.
Right behind Marshall’s works, a
series of photographs of Asian-
American male models posing in full
Civil War regalia captivates. The odd
pairing of classic American history and
Asians makes viewers do a double take.
In Nina Fischer and Maroan El
Sani’s “Spelling Dystopia,” a split
screen video of Japanese students and
an island play out a dark and strange
tale. Alluding to the gory Japanese
flick, “Battle Royale II” that was filmed
on the island in question, the students
run around forming the Japanese
words: solid rock, coal mine and
greenless island.
But the tour de force of this bien-
nale is Isaac Julien’s five-screen video
installation “WESTERN UNION: Small
Boats.” In a bold and beautiful stroke
of cinematic artistry, he melds luscious
scenes of the Sicilian seaside village of
Agrigento with opulent shots of the
Palazzo Gangi — the location for
Visconti’s 1963 masterpiece “The
Leopard” — and fuses them with his
tragic plot.
Referencing the thousands of
Africans and Asians who escape terrible
economic and human rights conditions
by traveling from North Africa to the
southern coast of Sicily, he recreates the
horrific journey, painting a tale in
which refugees are transferred to small,
overcrowded fishing boats and left to
drift on their own until they are rescued
or they sink to a watery death.
“The core of the biennale was to
take contemporary art and place it off-
center,” said Enwezor.
Judging from the dispersed body
of work on display, he accomplished
his goal.
For more information, visit
www.gb.or.kr. ■
OCTOBER 2008 KOREA 61
EVENTS
Make Some Noise
at Seoul Drum Festival
T
he Seoul Drum Festival will be
held from Oct. 3 to Oct. 5 in
Ttukseom, eastern Seoul, attract-
ing drummers and percussion artists
both in and out of the country.
This year marks the festival’s tenth
anniversary since the city of Seoul
started the event to celebrate the new
millennium in 1999. The annual event
has been an exciting opener for im-
portant events such as the Asia-
Europe Meeting in 2000 and the 2002
Korea-Japan Soccer World Cup.
During the three-day festival, a
62 KOREA OCTOBER 2008
variety of percussion performances
will be put on stage by Korean and in-
ternational drum musicians. Other
programs such as the Percussion Art
Market will offer a good opportunity
for participants to share information
and communicate through music.
Ordinary visitors can learn playing
percussion instruments from around
the world and join surprise perfor-
mances at the festival venue.
For more information, visit the
festival’s official website at
www.drumfestival.org. ■
BOOKS
Korean Heritage
Publisher: Cultural Heritage Administration
Pages: 45
Not for Sale
The T-shaped Shrine, where the ritual ceremony for
dead royal family members was performed
The Cultural Heritage Administration, a state-run
organization which is dedicated to the preservation
and introduction of Korea’s cultural properties, has
released its quarterly magazine’s autumn issue.
Containing writings by experts and colorful
photos, this book will be helpful for overseas
readers to better understand Korea’s precious
cultural heritage.
In an article on the Sungnaemun, which was
destroyed by an arson attack in February, the au-
thor explains the history and restoration process
of the No. 1 landmark of Seoul, popularly known
as the Namdaemun.
The Photo Gallery section features the royal
graveyards of the Joseon Dynasty. Located in
Seoul and its environs, the royal tombs are har-
monized with modern buildings. And one can find
Korean ancestors’ sense of humor in their draw-
ings of animals, a unique art genre called “min-
wha,” or Korean folk paintings.
The on-line version of the magazine is also
available on http://english.cha.go.kr. ■
A royal tomb in Seoul
(Photos courtesy of Cultural Heritage Administration)
OCTOBER 2008 KOREA 63
BOOKS
Quarterly Launched on Korean Books
for Expats
BY YANG SUNG-JIN
KOREA HERALD STAFF WRITER
The state-run Korea Literature Translation
Institute introduced “List_Books from
Korea,” a quarterly magazine focusing on
Korean books and authors, in a project
aimed at offering foreign readers wider ac-
cess to Korean literature.
“The first-ever quarterly about Korean
books comes in English and Chinese, and
this project is part of the Government’s ef-
forts to promote the export of Korean intel-
lectual property,” said Yoon Ji-kwan, pres-
ident of the KLTI, at a press conference in
August.
Featuring some 100 titles, the quarterly
provides special feature stories about lead-
ing authors and publishers, while offering
brief book reviews so that foreign publish-
ers and agents can know about the latest
literary trends in Korea.
The quarterly’s Chinese version has al-
ready been released, and an English ver-
sion will come in early September, Yoon
said, adding that an electronic version in
PDF form will be available soon.
64 KOREA OCTOBER 2008
Kim Su-yeong, the managing chief edi-
tor of Moonji Publishing and head of the
quarterly’s editorial committee, said the
magazine covers mostly notable books
published in the past year, but also in-
cludes steady sellers.
“Striking a balance in terms of genre,
publication date and publishers was one of
the key issues,” Kim said.
The content of the quarterly will be re-
views by leading Korean critics, and top-
notch English and Chinese translators.
The quarterly’s editor-in-chief, Kim Hae-
seung, said the publication team took great
care to ensure a high level of translation,
targeting foreign publication experts and
critics.
“Although it was a very complicated
process, we have checked all the names
and spelling by talking to authors and pub-
lishers,” Kim said.
The quarterly’s attempt to ensure accu-
racy comes as a welcome move. There are
many different ways to spell an author’s
name, creating confusion among foreign
readers and critics.
The KLTI is currently working on a new
database that offers standard spellings of
Korean authors and their titles.
Some 3,000 copies of the English ver-
sion will be sent to major publishers around
the world, and 1,500 copies of the Chinese
version will be mailed to publishers in
China and other Asian nations.
The 84-page quarterly features an inter-
view with leading novelist Hwang Sok-
yong and top comics artist Huh Young-
man, as well as introductory articles about
14 up-and-coming Korean writers such as
Kim Ae-ran, Lee Ki-ho, and Park Min-kyu.
For further information about the quar-
terly, visit www.klti.or.kr. ■
A New National Strategy
for Korea Photo Collection on Korean Folkways
Edited by The Korea Herald
Publisher: Jimoondang
Pages: 335
Price: 20,000 won
The Korea Herald The National Folk Museum of Korea has launched a set of DVDs containing over
has published “A 40,000 photographs of Korean folkways and a guidebook.
New National The photographs were captured by the museum’s employees during their field trips
Strategy for Korea,” across the nation in preparation for the publication of the Korean folkway dictionary,
a book designed to which was released early this year.
help the nation As valuable folkways records, this collection will be useful for teachers to educate
chart a course to a young students about old customs seen in every part of the country, and for ordinary
more secure and users it can be an interesting material to trace the forgotten tradition.
prosperous future. This collection is not for sale and will be distributed to public organizations including
The book offers 36 essays focusing on the national universities and libraries. The online version is also available on the museum’s
key elements of Korea’s new strategy to website at www.nfm.go.kr. ■
safeguard national security, promote
democracy and spur economic growth.
Written by prominent Korean and foreign
scholars, the articles were all published in
The Korea Herald between February and
April of 2008.
The authors analyze the challenges facing
the Lee Myung-bak Government and suggest
ways to address them. Collectively, they de-
lineate an overarching strategy that can en-
sure Korea’s security and prosperity.
The scholars seek to formulate a new na-
tional strategy which takes into account the
changes that have occurred domestically and
internationally since 1987, the year Korea
embarked on a path toward democracy.
The approach they suggest differs not only
from the developmental-state model followed
by President Park Chung-hee in the 1960s
and 1970s, but also from its variants pursued
by the succeeding governments.
“A New National Strategy for Korea” is the
fourth book in the “Insight into Korea” series
published by The Korea Herald. Launched in
June 2007, the series is designed to produce
English-language books that can help read-
ers better understand the transformations in
The photo collection of the
Korean society since 1987. The three previ-
National Folk Museum of Korea
ous books were “Insight into Korea,” “Social contains over 40,000
Change in Korea” and “Political Change in photographs of Korean folkways
Korea.” ■ taken across the country
OCTOBER 2008 KOREA 65
FOREIGN VIEWPOINT
Diplomacy in the Internet Age
In February 2008 I returned to Seoul to start
my assignment as British Ambassador to the
Republic of Korea. Upon hearing that this is
my third posting to Seoul, Koreans often ask
me what have been the biggest changes here.
There are many to choose from but the most
striking change for me has been the dramatic
rise of the internet and online culture in Korea.
It was a Briton, Tim Berners-Lee, who in-
vented the worldwide web, so it should be no
surprise that the UK rapidly developed a love
affair with the net. Most British families have a
computer with internet access, 7.4 million
Britons visit at least one of the top 10 daily
newspaper websites every day and demand
for W3G mobile phones continues to rise.
Thanks in part to our history of creativity
and innovation, the UK has Europe’s fastest
growing ICT sector. Many Korean online gam-
ing companies have established offices in the
UK for these reasons, taking advantage of the
growing market for their products and the cre-
ativity and technical excellence of British
game designers.
The outward signs of a thriving internet cul-
ture in Korea were immediately apparent to
me on arrival. From the ubiquity of the neigh-
bourhood “PC bang” to the sight of people
watching television on their mobile phones on
public transport, in Seoul at least, one feels
that the internet has become a central part of
Korean life. Perhaps this was inevitable given
the “ppalli ppalli” culture of quick service. The
Korean people’s demands can be satisfied by
the instant access to information the internet
provides.
For both governments and diplomats like
myself, this provides exciting opportunities.
The ease of placing information online means
that everyone has the opportunity to directly
engage with the public in ways previously
unimaginable. The British Embassy’s two
66 KOREA OCTOBER 2008
BY MARTIN UDEN
BRITISH AMBASSADOR
TO THE REPUBLIC OF KOREA
websites — www.uk.or.kr and http://ukinko-
rea.fco.gov.uk — are visited by some 60,000
people every month, vastly extending our out-
reach. In addition websites come with the lux-
ury of being able to decide what content the
reader will see, without the fear that your mes-
sage will be filtered out by a newspaper editor.
It was because of this that on arriving in
Korea I was keen to start my own blog
(www.uk.or.kr/blog). This allows me to reach
out to Koreans (and Britons) from all walks of
life. I can talk about the issues I believe are im-
portant, and equally valuably, it offers a way
for my readers to share their views, concerns
and ideas with me. It is the ease of this two-
way exchange that is really striking, enabling
the public, not just politicians and diplomats
like me, to play a role in the debates that
shape national and international opinion and
eventually policy.
The internet also enables us to approach
old problems in a new way, using new tech-
nology to involve netizens in key issues. In a
recent first, the Embassy and the British
Council held a competition encouraging
Koreans to think about how they can reduce
their carbon footprints and then create UCC
clips to express their ideas. The results are a
sign of Korea’s electronic creativity and the
recognition of the need for action on climate
change. Some other countries have gone fur-
ther in their e-diplomacy. Last year Sweden
opened an Embassy online in the internet vir-
tual world “Second Life,” providing informa-
tion to avatars.
However, we also have to remember that
many other countries are not as well connect-
ed as ours. In June, I attended the OECD
Ministerial meeting on the “Future of the
Internet Economy.” It was held, appropriately,
in Seoul. It was a forum in which a number of
senior figures from governments, industry and
civil society exchanged thoughts and ideas
on what lies ahead. The conference rein-
forced my view that the internet will continue
to change many facets of our global society,
including the way we conduct diplomacy. But
it was also clear that internet-advanced coun-
tries — such as Korea and the UK — need to
work harder to reduce the information gap
that exists between the well-connected and
the millions around the world who still have no
access to the net.
So is this the future of diplomacy? Certainly
there will always be a place for “traditional”
diplomacy in Korea. No website has yet found a
way to replace the face-to-face meeting or the
trust that a handshake can build. But at a peo-
ple-to-people level, the internet has huge po-
tential to increase and extend the links between
the UK and Korea in a way that traditional diplo-
macy could not. In addition, the internet is a
great way of encouraging public dialogue, par-
ticipation and action on big issues like climate
change. For two countries as connected as
ours, that is a huge opportunity for us all. ■