Korea (2008 Vol. 4 No. 12)

www.korea.
net
Opening a communicative space between Korea and the world
December 2008 VOL. 4 NO. 12
8 16 28 30 48
06 Cover 41 Art
More Professionals Become Naturalized Koreans Death of Korean Student Remembered in Japanese Film
The Experience of Foreign Students in Korea Korean B-boying Performances Wow New Yorkers
Korea Becoming More Foreign-Friendly Three Renowned Film Directors Meet in ‘Tokyo!’
14 Diplomacy 46 Food
Lee Warns against Trade Protectionism at G20 Summit Making Hot Foods Hotter and Mild Foods Milder
Korea Proposes Creation of Pacific Rim Free Trade Area
48 Travel
18 Global Korea Festivals to Mark Korea’s Winter Season
Publisher Yoo Jin-hwan Korean Culture Introduced to South America
Korean Culture and Information Service
Ramsar 2008 Adopts ‘Changwon Declaration’ on Humanity 52 Events
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Daegu Biennale Shows Charms of Photography
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Design toga design Experiencing Korea’s Traditional Boudoir Culture
Seoul Lights Up for Holiday Season
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66 Foreign Viewpoints
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— Luis T. Cruz, Philippine Ambassador to South Korea 54
4 KOREA DECEMBER 2008 DECEMBER 2008 KOREA 5

COVER
The Ministry of Justice
The Ministry of Justice

Koreans do.”
He first visited Korea in 1998
when he was invited by the Korea
Institute of Science and Technology to
take part in a project with the Ministry
of Information and Communication.
After the successful completion of the
work, he came to Korea again and has
stayed here since 2000.
It did not take long for him to
make a decision on naturalization be-
cause he had already been fascinated
with Korean history, culture and food.
Of course, the country’s advanced
technology was the decisive reason. “I
have wanted to work in Korea — A family is awarded naturalization certificates
which has the world’s best technology
The Korea Herald

in the display area,” he said. He is cur-
rently working at the Research
Institute of Electrical and Computer
Engineering, which is affiliated with
Hanyang University in Seoul.
Another is Kim Myung-kuk. Kim,
Vladmir V. Saveliev (right) from Russia makes an oath at his naturalization ceremony held by the Ministry of Justice on Oct. 27 38, who was born in China and ma-
jored in animal husbandry, also be-
came naturalized in October. Since
earning doctor’s and master’s degrees
More Professionals Become at Seoul National University, he has
been working as a researcher at the
Naturalized Koreans school. He studies eco-friendly pig

raising without using antibiotics in
their feed. His research is expected to
BY LEE JI-YOON
STAFF WRITER help Korea’s livestock industry, large-
ly dependent on feed materials from
abroad, and struggling to compete
with cheaper imported products.
A
ceremony for 26 new Koreans Only 54,000 people have taken with higher education are included. Han Yeon, 35, is a naturalized
who became naturalized in Korean citizenship since the country’s Vladmir V. Saveliev from Russia is Korean citizen from China who has
October was held by the independence from Japan’s colonial one such individual. Saveliev, 54, is an exported Korean children’s books of
Ministry of Justice on Oct. 27. To be- rule in 1945. Chinese account for al- expert in the field of three-dimensional more than 100 titles. After studying
come a Korean citizen, one is required most 45,000 of that total, followed by image display and has published some the Korean language and literature at
to have lived here more than five years people from the Philippines, Mongolia 10 articles in international journals and a local university, she has been work-
and pass the naturalization test. and Pakistan — most seeking a better holds five patents. After two failures, he ing at a publishing company and has
According to Korea Immigration life here. finally passed the naturalization test written two books in Korean.
Service, over 9,000 people from for- However, as the number of natu- and made an oath in Korean at the cer- Two sisters who had Taiwanese
eign countries have become natural- ralization applicants from other re- emony representing others. nationality also became newly natu-
ized Koreans this year as of September. gions like Europe has increased, their When asked why he became a ralized citizens. Both studied pharma-
The number is expected to surpass the nationality and occupations have be- Korean citizen, he told reporters, cology at a university in Korea and
Foreign engineers work with their Korean fellows
record 13,000 by the end of the year. come varied and more professionals “Because I love Korea more than are planning to open a drug store. ■

COVER
The Experience of Foreign Students in Korea

BY KIM SO-HYUN
KOREA HERALD STAFF WRITER
H
ema Haninway started learning Korean back to India and teach Korean. I also plan to
in 2003 while doing her master’s pro- open an institution for stronger ties between
gram in political science in Delhi. Korea and India.”
She chose Korean after much thought be- Hema is one of the 64,000 foreign students
cause she was impressed by the country’s dra- studying in Korean universities. Thanks to in-
matic economic growth. creased scholarship opportunities, the number
“In order to learn about a country’s politics of students from abroad surged by more than
or culture, I believed it was essential to learn five-fold compared to 12,314 in 2003. Seventy
the language,” she said. percent of them are from China and another 12
The Korea Herald

She is now a master’s student of Korean percent are from other Asian countries.
Exchange students from
language and culture education at Korea Seoul has sought to attract more foreign stu-
abroad learn how to University. dents through its “Study Korea” project devised
make a traditional fan “Upon graduation next year, I plan to go in 2004. It plans to extend state scholarships to Female students try on Hanbok, traditional Korean clothing
3,000 students in 2012, up from 837 this year. I’m learning basic Korean now,” she said. “But
About another 3,000 foreign students are on language is the one problem I have. I like the
scholarships provided by Korean universities food and the culture.”
themselves. A Cambodian student studying urban engi-
Some, like 23-year-old Ali from Pakistan, neering signed up for English courses only. But
come as exchange students. because he is the only non-Korean in his class,
Ali, a business management student at the professor often uses Korean during the lec-
Education Minister
Seoul National University, chose SNU on the ture and gives him separate lessons.
Ahn Byung-man (left)
advice of his professor back home and hopes to “About 35 percent of the foreign students meet with 26 students
learn from Korea’s advanced industries before major in engineering,” said Sohn Sung-moon, from Asian countries.
returning to Pakistan to run his own packaging
material business.
International students are admitted to vari-
ous departments ranging from cultural proper-
ties to computer science, but not all of them
come with a good command of Korean. Still
being a fraction of the student population,
many face difficulties as minorities.
Malla Thakuri, studying atmospheric sci-
ence at Yonsei University, did not know she’d
be taking some of her courses in Korean.
After filling her lab hours from morning
through evening, the Nepalese student strives to
The Korea Herald
learn Korean and do assignments for her major.

“This semester, I’m taking five courses and
Yonhap
one is in Korean language. It is so difficult as

COVER
The Korea Herald

Korea Becoming
More Foreign-Friendly
P
olicies toward foreigners have taken on
The Korea Herald

increasing significance in Korea where
the number of foreign residents has
topped the 1 million mark, accounting for over
2 percent of the total population.
Expatriates who have stayed here for more
than 90 days accounted for 1.8 percent of the
Korean population estimated at 49.35 million,
according to the recent data released by the
Ministry of Public Administration and Security.
Students listen to a lecture at a university Migrant workers totaled 437,727, nearly
half of the immigrants. The numbers of spous-
es and children from international marriages
“I found that knowledge of economics was are 144,385 (16.2 percent), and 58,007 (6.5
Yonhap
required to be a good interpreter for companies percent), respectively.

and decided to study economics in Korean,” Together with short-term foreign residents
she said. here, non-Korean residents totaled 1,145,660,
“I learned Korean before coming to Korea over 2 percent of the total population, accord-
but I’m the only foreign student and it is hard ing to the Korea Immigration Service. The
to make friends in school.” number is expected to rise to 2.9 million in
Education Minister Ahn Byung-man met 2020, or about 5 percent of the population.
with 26 students from Vietnam, Mongolia, In recent years, the Korean Government
Pakistan, Indonesia, Uzbekistan, Thailand, Nepal, has introduced plans to relax immigration and
Cambodia, Malaysia, India, Bangladesh and naturalization rules in a bid to sharpen global
Kazakhstan on Monday. The minister had a competitiveness with foreign human resources.
lunch meeting with Chinese students last month. Under the banner of “multiculturalism,” it has
In addition to the limited English courses, also crafted various policies to promote social
students raised several issues such as the need integration among non-Koreans.
for cheaper dormitories and childcare facilities The Justice Ministry established the Korea
Students from abroad play Yonsei University’s coordinator of interna- as well as diversity of the school cafeteria menu. Immigration Service last year to comprehensive-
traditional shuttlecock tional affairs. “We will include the assistance of interna- ly deal with social integration, immigration and
“Unfortunately, not all professors in all de- tional students as an evaluation factor for uni- naturalization. The ministry also enacted the na-
partments are ready to teach entirely in versities to encourage them to work more on tion’s first law aimed at guaranteeing better
English. Most international students studying that,” Ahn told the students. treatment for foreigners in Korea in July 2007.
for a degree are required to learn Korean to a “We will also improve the quality of
certain level.” English-only courses as well as Korean lan- Efforts for Expat Families
Tran Thi Thuy from Vietnam plans to work guage programs, provide more international
A female tourist learns traditional
as an interpreter upon graduation for Korean students with dorm rooms, job finding services The Ministry for Health, Welfare and Family
Korean oil painting
businesses operating in her home country. and a chance to experience Korean culture.” ■ Affairs is currently implementing a support

COVER
The Korea Herald

U.S. Engineer Starts
New Life at KAIST
BY KIM SO-HYUN
KOREA HERALD STAFF WRITER
As part of efforts to boost interna- ber, others make special efforts to

tional competitiveness, the Korea help me.”
Advanced Institute of Science and Morrison was happy to hear that
Technology (KAIST) offers more than the Korean government is planning
half of its courses in English. to provide large grants for universi-
Seventeen percent of full-time ties to hire academics from abroad.
teaching staff at the state-funded He was involved in his depart-
university are non-Koreans, most of ment’s proposal for the “World-
whom are engineering experts or Class University” state funding to
scientists. create a research group focusing on
James Morrison, a former advisory the design of next-generation semi-
engineer at IBM in Vermont and as- conductor wafer/LCD fabrication
sistant professor at Central Michigan plants.
University, joined KAIST early this “We identified several internation-
Expats make kimchi for the needy Children from various countries show their national year as an assistant professor of in- ally famous world-class scholars in
flag-shaped cakes dustrial and systems engineering. the United States who expressed a
“KAIST offers a competitive start- willingness to participate,” he said.
project for the families of foreign residents, the roles of parents and communication meth- The Ministry of Education, Science and up package, salary and benefits “In addition, I played a minor role
which is divided into four major stages. ods — for the Korean spouses are also held at Technology set aside a budget of 200 billion comparable to large state schools in in reviewing another WCU proposal
The four stages are: preparation ahead of the 80 branches of the Transnational Marriage won (about $13.2 million) for the WCU project the United States. The start of a to create a new department at KAIST
arrival; starting a family; settling and raising and Family Support Center located nationwide, to be invested between 2008 and 2012. tenure system is also similar to that — the Department of Intelligent
children; and helping those families develop its officials said. Private visits are also made by The applications for WCU grants are cate- of the United States,” Morrison said Service Engineering. I am concur-
useful skills. Korean language instructors for foreign brides gorized into three types. Type 1 is to set up new in an email interview. rently appointed to that department.”
Before foreigners arrive, they will be able and they will be encouraged to form their own academic departments or specialized majors “As one of my areas of interest is The professor has clear goals for
to obtain information about life in Korea groups to help keep their identity. with at least 30 percent of the faculty from semiconductor manufacturing au- himself — to design and evaluate so-
through consultations with international mar- To provide a wider range of information abroad. Type 2 is to hire researchers from over- tomation or high-tech manufactur- lutions for problems of substantial
riage or immigration management officials in for foreigners, a quarterly magazine that con- seas universities, think tanks and companies as ing, the fact that Samsung is based importance, publish the results, ob-
the Philippines and Vietnam, according to the tains essential living information for foreign full-time teaching staff for existing depart- in Korea is also appealing.” tain grant money to support his work
Morrison chose KAIST also be- and serve his academic community.
ministry. residents is being published in different lan- ments. Type 3 invites renowned academics,
cause he knew the students would “In particular, as electronics is a
Cultural classes — regarding understanding guages — with the goal of translating it into such as Nobel laureates, who will be required to
be excellent. He described his stu- cornerstone industry in Korea, solv-
the differences in cultures, conjugal relations, five different languages — and an interpreta- stay in Korea for at least two months a year.
dents as “driven to succeed, well- ing problems in semiconductor
tion and translation hotline is expected to be As the result of the type 3 evaluation, the
Expats learn how to play
The Korea Herald
prepared and smart.” manufacturing automation can have

Janggu, traditional Korean launched by next year, the ministry said. Education Ministry announced in November
“As my Korean is very poor, I am significant value — increasing mar-
drum that a total of 81 academics have been ap-
fortunate that most students and vir- ket share and improving efficiency,”
Policies to Attract More pointed by 30 universities. Starting next year, tually all faculty have a command of he said.
International Brains they will teach students and take part in 79 English to such a degree that com- Morrison is a part of the KAIST
projects with their Korean fellows. munication is always possible,” said Mobile Floating Port project which
Through the “World-Class University” (WCU) They include nine Nobel laureates, 18 the American, who has a Korean wife. seeks to develop next-generation
project, Korea seeks to nurture promising new members of the U.S. National Academy of “I feel that KAIST has welcomed port service concepts with an eye to-
fields in basic sciences and develop interdisci- Engineering, 12 members of the U.S. National me. In some ways, I think that be- ward extending Korea’s strengths in
plinary studies by attracting more academic Academy of Sciences and three members of the cause I am a foreign faculty mem- this area. ■
from abroad. American Academy of Arts and Sciences. ■

DIPLOMACY
Korean President Lee Myung-bak

(second from right, front row)
and other world leaders pose for
a group photo during the G20
Summit on Financial Markets and
the World Economy in
Washington on Nov. 15
“Beggar-thy-neighbor policies”
refers to international trade regimes
that emphasize competitive devalua-
tions and increased protective barriers
that one country institutes to gain at
the expense of its trading partners.
Lee Warns against Meeting Korean journalists after

the economic conference, Lee catego-
rized the G20 summit as a major pow-
er shift from a handful advanced
Trade Protectionism at G20 Economic Summit countries to a number of countries
representing a variety of economic de-
velopments.
“This summit should be seen as a
historic one that can happen only once
in a hundred years as emerging
Yonhap
economies were taking part in the
process to discuss major global issues,
which were monopolized by G7 ad-
P
resident Lee Myung-bak called “G20 nations must lead the way declaration in which they would no on economic fundamentals, although In a speech at the working lunch, vanced economies,” Lee said.
on world leaders to conclude a for the stalled WTO Doha Agreement longer create new barriers to trade and today’s session was supposed to deal Lee urged global leaders not to repeat Lee expected that the summit of
long-delayed accord to reduce to be concluded as soon as possible,” investment. with reform of the international finan- the “beggar-thy-neighbor policies” of the world’s 20 biggest economies will
subsidies and tariffs, warning that he said, referring to the World Trade Lee, French President Nicolas cial systems to prevent recurrence of the Great Depression days in order to develop into a major forum to discuss
trade protectionism will hurt emerging Organization’s seven-year-old talks. Sarkozy and several other heads of the financial crisis.” bring about a speedy recovery from energy, global warming and other ma-
markets. “What we are concerned about is state have called for sweeping reform Lee also urged the world’s leading the ongoing financial crisis. jor global issues as well as the global
In a keynote speech at the G20 spread of protectionism due to the cur- of the IMF and the establishment of a economies to establish currency swap “Going further back in history, we financial crisis.
economic summit in Washington, he rent difficult economic situation.” new global financial system to keep lines to help provide foreign currency also learn that during the Great “From now on, such global issues
also suggested currency swap lines be- He said any spread of protection- pace with recent changes in the global liquidity to emerging economies. Depression of the 1930s, countries de- should be discussed both by developed
tween advanced and emerging ism will make the global economy economy. Korea currently has a $30 billion cided to increase tariffs and raise trade and emerging economies, and I pre-
economies and more funds to devel- more susceptible to recession and Lee told the summit forum, “I think currency swap arrangement with the barriers, which inevitably stifled trade sume that they will be,” he said.
oping countries to help alleviate a harm weak emerging economies. this short session should prioritize sta- United States, a currency line of $13 and prolonged worldwide economic The President noted that Korea will
credit crunch in the global financial In this context, Lee called for glob- bilization of the global financial mar- billion with Japan and a $4 billion stagnation. We must not repeat such be the chair country of the summit in
markets. al leaders to agree on a “Stand-Still” ket and minimizing its adverse impact currency deal with China. beggar-thy-neighbor policies.” 2010, after Britain next year. ■

Yonhap
DIPLOMACY
“Sets of bilateral and multilateral FTAs will help accelerate the

WTO’s bid for global trade and investment liberalization,” Lee said,
noting that Korea, Peru and Indonesia conducted a preliminary
joint study on the FTAAP earlier this year.
The Asia Pacific leaders wrapped Bilateral Summit Meetings Zealand, Singapore, Brunei, the United
up their two-day summit in the States, Australia, India and Peru.
Peruvian capital of Lima after adopting Korean President Lee and his Peruvian Before flying to Peru, the Korean
a 12-point joint declaration calling for counterpart, Alan Garcia agreed at a President visited Brazil and held sum-
“quick and decisive action” to prevent summit in Lima on Nov. 21 to begin mit talks with Brazilian President Luiz
a severe global economic downturn. negotiations on a two-way free trade Inacio Lula da Silva. The two leaders
They also warned against sealing agreement in the first half of 2009. agreed to closely cooperate in combat-
trade borders in the face of financial In addition, Lee also separately met ing the global economic crisis and
turmoil and also called for a “prompt, with Colombian President Alvaro Uribe widen bilateral economic and commer-
ambitious and balanced conclusion” and Singaporean Prime Minister Lee cial exchanges during their summit
to the WTO’s stalled Doha round of Hsien Loong to discuss ways to expand talks in Brasilia on Nov. 19. In Brasilia,
global trade liberalization talks. bilateral economic cooperation. Lee also held unscheduled summit talks
Notably, the leaders voiced hope that President Lee and Chilean with his Indonesian counterpart, Susilo
Leaders of the countries that belong to the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) including the ongoing financial crisis could be President Michelle Bachelet also met Bambang Yudhoyono. They discussed
Korean President Lee Myung-bak pose for a group photo after attending the APEC summit conference in Lima, Peru, on Nov. 22 overcome in one-and-a-half years. just ahead of the APEC summit and ways to deepen bilateral cooperation in
agreed to cooperate to form a new energy and resources and agreed to co-
Summit Talks among Lee, multilateral FTA involving about 10 operate more closely in overcoming the
Bush and Aso Pacific Rim countries, including New global financial crisis. ■
Korea Proposes On the sidelines of the APEC summit
Yonhap
in Lima, President Lee, U.S. President
George W. Bush and Japanese Prime
Minister Taro Aso held a three-way
Creation of Pacific Rim Free Trade Area summit meeting on Nov. 22 and
agreed to resume the six-nation talks
on North Korea’s nuclear program ear-
ly December.
K
orean President Lee Myung-bak of the Asia-Pacific Region (FTAAP), a President Lee’s spokesman Lee
proposed launching discussions proposed free trade area involving al- Dong-kwan told reporters that there is
on concluding a multilateral most all APEC member economies, a consensus among all participants
free trade agreement among Pacific which account for more than half the that the North Korean nuclear problem
Rim countries. world economy and almost half of should be discussed within the frame-
He made the proposal in an ad- world trade. work of the Six-Party Talks.
dress at the closing session of the Asia “Sets of bilateral and multilateral Following the three-way summit,
Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) FTAs will help accelerate the WTO’s Lee and Bush held bilateral talks for
forum in Peru on Nov. 23. bid for global trade and investment discussions on North Korea, the ongo-
He said the 21 APEC member na- liberalization,” Lee said, noting that ing financial crisis, the long-delayed
tions need to conduct an extensive Korea, Peru and Indonesia conducted legislative approval of the Korea-U.S.
study on the potential economic im- a preliminary joint study on the free trade agreement (FTA) and other President Lee (left) shakes hands with Brazilian President Lula before holding summit talks in
pact of the so-called Free Trade Area FTAAP earlier this year. pending issues. Brasilia on Nov. 19

GLOBAL KOREA
Korean Culture
Introduced to South America
A
Korean Music and Film Festival, held in Sao Paulo
Traditional musician Ahn Sook-sun
on Nov. 11, ended with a positive response from au-
‘These cultural events were
diences. Sponsored by the Korean Culture and
Information Service (KOIS), the event was attended by 350
prepared to reaffirm the
guests including Brazilian government officials, diplomats
and Korean expatriates living there.
friendship with those three
Renowned traditional musician Ahn Sook-sun per-
formed “Shimcheong-ga,” one of the most well-known
South American countries
Korean pansori songs, which was also designated as part
of UNESCO’s world cultural heritage category. Amid the
before the APEC summit.’
cheers of the audience, she also sang the song “Arirang.”
Pianist Kim Sun-wook, who is currently working in
London, played Schumann’s Kinderszenen (Scenes from
Childhood) and Beethoven’s Sonata No. 31. The audience
applauded the 20-year-old piano prodigy for his brilliant
performances.
During the event, Korean traditional food was also pro-
Pianist Kim Sun-wook vided for participants to experience Korean culinary culture.
Several cultural events were held to introduce Korean
culture to South American countries to commemorate the
16th Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit,
which took place in Lima, Peru, in November, with the
participation of President Lee Myung-bak.
Before the Lima event, some Korean films screened on
Oct. 30 and 31 and performances by the National Theater
were presented on Nov. 3, both in Santiago, Chile.
“Chile, Brazil and Peru have a 50-year history of diplo-
matic relations with Korea,” said Chung In-kyu, an official
at KOIS. “These cultural events were prepared to reaffirm
the friendship with those three South American countries
before the APEC summit.”
On Nov. 7 and 8, Korean films were also shown to
Peruvians at the Korean Cultural Center. ■

GLOBAL KOREA
Yonhap
Ramsar Changwon 2008

Jogaedongneup in Odaesan,
Gangwon-do, a newly
designated Ramsar wetland
Books containing artwork by 4,400 students depicting the nature and culture of the 158
Ramsar member countries (top), volunteers wave hands on the closing day
ture by highlighting positive actions under the
themes of water, climate change, people’s liveli-
hood and health, land use and biodiversity.
Officials of the Ramsar Convention including Environment Minister Lee Maan-ee (second from right) and Anaga Tiega, secretary “The declaration is different from the other
general of the Ramsar Convention (middle) celebrate at the closing ceremony in Changwon
issues discussed during the session, as it offers
practical measures to assure it will have an im-
pact,” a Korean delegate said.
A joint resolution by South Korea and
Ramsar 2008 Adopts ‘Changwon Declaration’ Japan on the preservation of rice paddies, titled
“Enhancing biodiversity in rice paddies as wet-
land systems,” was also adopted. The goal is to
on Humanity and Nature promote proper water management of rice
paddies to ensure conservation of biodiversity
BY PARK MIN-YOUNG and sustainable food production.
STAFF WRITER
The meeting was an opportunity for citi-
zens to take another look at the wetlands. More
than 20,000 people participated in the various
T
he 10th meeting of the contracting par- both participants and citizens, chipped in for events held at the convention center. The high
ties of the Ramsar Convention — an in- the carbon offset funds. interest led to the revitalization of wetland
ternational gathering to protect wetlands Personal stainless steel cups instead of pa- tours. More than 135.000 people visited Upo
— closed amid cheers on Nov. 4. per ones were used. Also, USB flash drives took wetland and the Junam reservoir during the
A total of 2,288 government and NGO offi- the place of paper. meeting period.
cials from 140 countries attended the meeting Of the 33 draft resolutions discussed during “The meeting elevated Korea’s status as an
at Changwon Exhibition Convention Center. the session, 32 were adopted. The one regard- environmentally advanced country,” said Kim
The participants said the meeting was about 10 ing a change in the frequency of meetings was Tae-ho, governor of Gyeongsangnam-do. “We
years ahead of its time, with its thorough rejected. need to keep the interest up in order to pre-
preparation and stable management. The “Changwon Declaration,” which was led serve wetlands in the future.”
The meeting was an eco-friendly one, befit- by the Korean government, was adopted. It en- The next Ramsar Convention is to be held
Yonhap
ting its goal. A total of 2,500 people, including visions a way of harmonizing humanity and na- in Romania in 2012. ■

GLOBAL KOREA
The Museum of Korean Embroidery

Experiencing Korea’s Traditional
Boudoir Culture
BY PARK MIN-YOUNG
STAFF WRITER
Korean traditional five-sided cushion
The Museum of Korean Embroidery
F
ifteen foreign women gathered at The Museum of them before they all get lost.”
Korean Embroidery in Nonhyun-dong, southern Thanks to their efforts, attention has increased on
Seoul, on the last day of October to learn how to the culture of Korean women’s handicrafts.
make “bojagi,” a Korean traditional wrapping cloth. “About 80 percent of the visitors are foreigners,
The museum held sewing classes from Oct. 28 to since the museum is more famous overseas than in
Nov. 3 for migrant women who are married to Korea,” says Lee. “This museum is a must-stop spot for
Korean men. A total of a hundred women participat- tourists. Including those held overseas, more than 7
ed in the program, in which they made five-sided million people have come to our exhibitions.”
cushions and bojagi. The museum has held about 50 exhibitions in oth-
“We wanted to teach them Korean culture and his- er countries, including the United States, England,
tory so that they can better adjust to Korea,” explained France, Germany, Belgium, Italy, Australia, New
Lee Hye-kyu, the curator of the museum. “Plus, it will Zealand and Japan.
also help them raise their children. Their children will “Western countries don’t have bojagi culture, so
be Korean. It would be a shame if the mothers didn’t Western people simply think that it is another kind of
know anything about Korean women culture.” painting,” says Huh. “But the thing is that they think
The women were eager to learn. Every minute of the our bojagi is more beautiful than the paintings of fa-
class was vigorous, with all the sewing, fluffing and ask- mous Western artists. That is why they get drawn in-
ing of questions. No translators were needed — being to bojagi.”
wives of Korean men, — most were fluent in Korean. Huh assumes that bojagi started about 1,500 years
A Japanese lady who brought her daughter along ago in Korea, during the Goguryeo Kingdom. “Chinese,
to the class stopped her sewing several times to ex- Japanese and Korean bojagi all have their unique styles.
claim “So beautiful!” in Korean, holding up her cush- But Korean bojagi is best at pulling out what is supposed Migrant wives concentrate on making five-sided
ion with a huge smile. to be the original charm of cloths quilted together — by cushions (top) pose with their work
Established in 1969, The Museum of Korean delicately showing the stitch marks,” he says.
Embroidery is practically the only institute in Korea Now, according to Huh, bojagi is practically con-
that displays the cultural assets of Korean women’s sidered a proper noun, like kimchi. “Bojagi is the most March 5. A total of 150 spools made of various mate-
boudoir, such as bojagi, needles, spools and embroi- environmentally friendly wrapping material that can rials, such as stone, cow bone, ivory, straw and em-
deries. It holds more than 3,000 cultural assets includ- be reused more than a hundred times. It was recently broidered cloth, are displayed.
ing a couple of treasures. chosen as the main item in many design shows. As far Some were used by the common people, and some
The founders of the museum busily ran back and as I’m concerned, it is time for revolution of bojagi.” were only used inside the palace by the royal family
forth between antique art markets to make the collection. The museum plans to hold the education program and aristocrats. People carved in little passages hop-
“These are very precious items, but Koreans didn’t every year. “Next year, it will be bigger and we will ing for happiness in the family or a baby boy.
seem to realize that,” say Huh Dong-hwa, one of the invite people from more countries,” says Huh. To get to the museum, get off at Hakdong Station,
founding members and the current director of the mu- Meanwhile, the museum is holding “The subway line No. 7, and come out of exit No. 10. For
Korean traditional spools seum. “So we decided to collect them, and preserve Exhibition of Korean Traditional Spool” through more information, contact www.bojagii.com ■

World Ocean Forum 2008
GLOBAL KOREA
Korean and foreign experts attending the seminar at the Korea Press Center
Ministry of National Defense

Busan Hosts World Ocean Forum 2008
BY PARK MIN-YOUNG
STAFF WRITER
Lecturers of the World Ocean Forum 2008
T
he “World Ocean Forum 2008” Prospect through Port Networks,” re-
was held Nov. 11 to 12 at the spectively.
Lotte Hotel, Busan. More than The rest of the forum was com-
2,000 participants from around the posed of three sessions — “Ocean
world gathered at the forum, and 10
world renowned scholars gave speeches.
Resources and Energy of New Growth
Engine,” “Creating National Wealth Defense Experts Discuss
This is the second time the forum through Shipbuilding and Logistics
was held in Busan. It is the first inter-
national forum that specializes in the
marine field. It aims to become the
Industry” and “Future Vision toward a
Marine Power.”
The participating scholars gave
A participant speaks at the forum
Korean Peace at Global Forum BY PARK MIN-YOUNG
Davos Forum of the marine field. positive remarks about the forum. international maritime economist who STAFF WRITER
Under the theme “Toward the Future “The forum is filled with enthusiasm,” is contributing to the development of
of Wealth in the New Ocean Era,” the said David Lincoln Fluharty, professor the marine industry.
T
participants sought ways to best gener- of ocean fishery science at University “The many suggestions discussed he Ministry of National Defense local and foreign experts while work- will change from the current as-
ate national wealth through the ocean, of Washington, who gave a speech on during the forum should be reflected in hosted an international seminar ing to develop various policies to es- saultive control policy to a defensive
to overcome global risks and to preserve “Ecosystem Based Management” dur- the government’s future policies and on “Global Trend of Arms tablish military trust and set up an one — if its government changes.
the sustainability of the ocean. ing the second session. should gain commercial interest,” said Control and Peace on the Korean arms control system between the two James Acton, an associate in the
The first day started with the spe- “Busan’s status as a maritime city Lee Jin-bang, co-chairman of the World Peninsula” at the Korea Press Center Koreas, which is one of the 100 main Nonproliferation Program at the
cial session “Stories on Future Values will emerge, and its marine industry Ocean 2008 Committee and president of from Oct. 29 to 30. policy goals of the government,” said Carnegie Endowment for International
of Ocean by World Leading Scholars.” and forum will also rise international- the Korea Shipowners’ Association. Nineteen experts, including six a ministry official. Peace, said the cases of North Korea
Karl Laustein, president of World ly,” Fluharty said. “This forum will be able to move our foreign ones, attended the seminar and On the first day, the participants and Iran show the serious weak points
Maritime University, Michael M. One of the forum’s achievements maritime industry to an advanced level. introduced 10 new papers and held discussed many subjects regarding of the existing Nonproliferation Treaty.
Bernitsas, professor of naval architec- was the inauguration of the MITO We aim to keep the forum growing.” discussion sessions. The 18th MND arms control. Debates on “Building He asserted the need of a new fo-
ture and marine engineering at award. The forum was hosted by the Arms Control Seminar and the 26th Peace on Peninsula and Arms Control” rum to enable discussions of a non-
University of Michigan, and O.C. Kim Jong-ryeol, president of the Ministry of Land, Transport, and International Conference of the followed the next day. governmental level.
Phang, president of International Ports Marine Industry and Technology Maritime Affairs, Busan Metropolitan Research Institute on National Some significant arguments were The MND has annually held a sem-
and Harbours Associations, gave Organization, and Peter Marlow, pres- City, and the Marine Industry and Security Affairs were also held on the introduced during the seminar. inar on arms control since 1991. This
speeches on “The Importance of MET ident of the International Association Technology Organization. occasion. Narushige Michishita, a professor at is the first time the ministry hosted an
and National Development,” “Marine of Maritime Economist, created an More information can be found at “The seminar is organized to grasp the National Institute for Defense international seminar on the issue
Renewable Energy” and “Future Co- MOU to present 1,000 pounds to an www.wof.kr ■ the vast knowledge and experience of Studies in Japan, said that North Korea with this many participants. ■

CULTURE
National Museum of Korea

1 Changgyeonggung Yanghwadang, a former building of the museum which was used from 1908 to 1938
2 The renovated capital building, which was used as the museum from 1986 to 1996
3 A building in Gyeongbokgung, which was used as the museum from 1972 to 1986
historical significance of the 100th an-
niversary of the Korean museum.”
Many cultural figures participated,
including Lee, Kim Jang-sil, vice-min-
ister of culture, sports and tourism,
and Go Heung-gil, chairman of the
Culture, Sports and Tourism and
Broadcasting and Communications
Committee of the National Assembly.
After the seminar, the participants
looked around “Autumn in Art,” a spe-
cial exhibition of the museum. A total
of 140 pieces of landscape paintings,
genre paintings and other cultural as- 1
sets regarding autumn were displayed.
2 3
An emblem to commemorate the
centennial was also unveiled. It con-
sists of the Korean letters “Bak Mul
Gwan,” or “museum,” and the colors
are inspired by “bojagi,” or Korean tra-
ditional wrapping cloths. It implies
that it will carefully wrap and preserve
Visitors take notes at the National Museum of Korea various Korean cultural artifacts.
The first Korean museum that was
open to the public was the Imperial
Museum Prepares to Celebrate Museum, founded on Nov. 1, 1908, at

Changgyeonggung Palace. It was
100th anniversary of the Korean mu-
seum, the National Museum of Korea
2009. It will host three international
conferences before that, all regarding the
opened to the public for the first time in will hold various commemorative meaning of the centennial year.
Centennial Next Year 1909 by Sunjong, the last emperor of
the Empire of Korea, who hoped to
events along with the Korean Museum
Association.
A special exhibition with 200
pieces of cultural assets is planned
BY PARK MIN-YOUNG share cultural assets with the people. It plans to hold a ceremony and an from November 2009 to February
STAFF WRITER
Next year, to commemorate the international conference in November 2010. The museum will also publish a
book on the history of Korean muse-
The National Museum of Korea Visitors take a look at a collection in the National Museum of Korea ums and start a donation fund.
M
ore than 200 museum offi- “We hope to make next year a start-
cials gathered at the National ing point to raise the importance of
Museum of Korea on Nov. 3 museums and make them more familiar
for a ceremony to proclaim 2009 as to the people,” said Choe Kwang-shik,
“the 100th anniversary of the Korean the director of the National Museum of
museum.” Korea, during the ceremony.
Lee O-young, chairman of the “We will look back on the
Commemoration Promotion Committee achievements of Korean museums
and the former minister of culture, and prepare for the next centennial —
sports and tourism, gave the procla- all the while preserving and boosting
mation. Korean culture.”
National Museum of Korea
“It has been 100 years since the To visit the National Museum of
first Korean museum opened. We need Korea, get off at Ichon Station, sub-
to preserve our cultural assets and their way line No. 4, and come out of exit
value in their original form,” he said. No. 2. For more information, visit
It was held under the theme “The www.museum.go.kr ■

loset
hy on a c
CULTURE Emograp
Huh Hoi-tae
Calligraphy of Kim Jeong-hee
black Chinese ink, but the thickness of
the ink varies. Calligraphers adjust the
strength put into each stroke, creating
a spectrum of brightness from com-
plete black to nearly white, even on
one single letter.
The unique thing about Korean
calligraphy is that it uses “Hangeul,”
or Korean characters, as well as Hanja.
It has even a wider range of letters to
express the art with. Great Korean cal-
ligraphers, such as Kim Jeong-hee, are
considered some of Asia’s best.
Calligraphy Museums in
The World of Korea
The Korean Museum of Calligraphy
Korean Calligraphy opened in Suwon in October 2008. It is

the first museum specializing in callig-
raphy to be established by a local gov-
Contemporary Korean
Calligraphy
BY PARK MIN-YOUNG
STAFF WRITER
ernment. Some calligraphers seek to modernize
At the museum, visitors can see Korean calligraphy in a creative way. Emography
how Korean calligraphy changed and Huh Hoi-tae, a veteran calligrapher of on a Korean
developed over time. The museum 47 years, is one. He recently held the traditional
costume
Calligraphy of King Hyojong of the Joseon Dynasty holds more than 6,000 works by fa- exhibition titled “Emography” at
F
oreigners are often puzzled mous calligraphers from various dy- Seoul Calligraphy Art Museum.
Huh Hoi-tae
when faced with Korean callig- nasties. The works of King Youngjo “Emography” is a new concept of
raphy work. “Is that a piece of and Jeongjo of the Joseon Dynasty can calligraphy that Huh created. It signi-
art or a document?” they would say. be found there. fies the collaboration of emotion and
Even though it is unfamiliar in the Before the museum in Suwon calligraphy.
West, calligraphy is a traditional form opened, the Seoul Calligraphy Art Huh’s works not only stay in expo-
of art in Asia. Originating in ancient Museum at Seoul Arts Center in sitions and museums but are used as
China, calligraphy caught on in many southern Seoul was the sole place that designs for closets, beds and even
Asian countries that use “Hanja,” or held expositions on calligraphy. It has Korean traditional costumes.
Chinese characters, such as Japan, held nearly a hundred expositions “I tried to push Korean calligraphy
Vietnam and Korea. since its establishment in 1988. out into the open rather than to leave
The Seoul Calligraphy Art Museum it isolated from the public — stuck in
Charm of Korean Calligraphy contains more than 1,300 works of the frame called ‘tradition’ or ‘orien-
calligraphy. Some works of foreign tal,’” Huh explains.
The Seoul Calligraphy Art Museum at Seoul Arts Center
No matter how simple it looks to stroke calligraphers are also included in the “If it comes out into the open, peo-
letters on a paper with a big brush, cal- collection. ple will know that Korean calligraphy
ligraphy is a complex genre of art. is like a creative treasure box.”
It is the art of shape. Just the right Huh’s unique style is gaining in-
accordance of dots and lines are needed. terest around the world.
Regarding this, each calligrapher has his Huh Hoi-tae writes “The idea of expressing emo-
calligraphy with
or her own style. Little variances, even a tions within the smallest forms of
a big brush
simple shift in the order of writing each letters — such as a dot or a stroke
letter, make a big difference. — can be highly attractive to every-
The works are usually done in Huh Hoi-tae one,” he says. ■

CULTURE
A Look at
Contemporary Korean Artists
in Paris
BY LEE JI-YOON
STAFF WRITER
stand and accept any forms of artistic

trials. So artists can attempt anything
regardless of the trend at the time,”
said Kim Mi-jin, art director of the ex-
hibition “Contemporary Korean Artists
in Paris,” which was held in November
“METRONOME II” by Park Soo-hwan
at Seoul Arts Center in southern Seoul.
Last year the museum launched a
city-themed project introducing art- Kwon Sun-cheol, 65, focuses on take,” she said. For Yoo, France has of hearing along with imagination,”
works of Korean artists doing art in faces of ordinary Koreans by using been a space where she is able to con- Park, who has been in Paris for 13
overseas countries. Following the first thick and rough matiere. Kwon stayed centrate solely on herself and under- years, said in an e-mail interview.
New York exhibition, this year’s exhibi- at an atelier building, called “Sonamu” stand other people and things, she said. Park pointed out the family atmos-
tion featured 21 artists based in France (pine trees in Korean), located in Elssy- The photography of Park Soo- phere of the city’s Korean art commu-
coming from different generations. les-Moulineaux, southwestern Paris, hwan, who majored in composition, nity as the most special thing about
The first section “Root of a Myth” in the 1990s. Some Korean artists visualizes city landscapes through Paris. “Unlike New York, Korean artists
showed works by the first generation transformed a steel structure, once a musical images. “We are living in a in Paris get along with one another like
“Deux Sceurs-Tricoteuse (A Woman Who is
of artists who were sent to the country military hangar during the Second world where visual images are domi- family members. We don’t hesitate to
Knitting)” by Sung Ji-yeon
as government scholarship students in World War, into an artistic space nant. I want to revive our losing sense talk about the works of others and ac-
the 1950s and 1960s, the artistic hey- housing 46 ateliers — 20 for Koreans. cept their advice very sincerely.”
W
hile New York is a dynamic day of Paris. They explored the root of Until its dissolution in 2001, it had “Le Visage (The Face)” by Kwun Sun-cheol Contemporary Korean art has been
art market where artists com- contemporary Western art based on been a beloved space where expat overshadowed by Japanese and
pete fiercely for artistic op- Asian identity. artists from around the world used to Chinese art in the international art
portunities, Paris has long been an in- Rhee Seun-dja, now in her 90s, ex- exchange artistic ideas. scene. Compared to those of the other
spiration in itself for many renowned presses beautiful nature treasured in Much attention was paid especially two countries, Korean artists have ex-
artists around the world. Korean artists childhood memories through trees and to the “Temperate Desire” section, which pressed Asian identity less openly and
are no exception. light. showed unique and exciting artworks of people regarded Korean art as not
According to the Korean Embassy Inspired by Buddhism and Taoism, young artists ranging from those who unique, said Kim, the art director.
in Paris, there are some 1,000 Korean Kim Tschang-yeul, who has stayed in worked in the 1990s to 20-somethings “Times have changed. Old bound-
artists officially registered in its data- Paris since 1969, examines the move- who recently arrived in Paris. aries that divided and defined the art
“A High Place” base. Many belong to local galleries ment of water drops that change and Yoo Hye-sook, who moved to world have disappeared. Ironically, the
by Oh You-kyeong and are helped financially by the disappear as time goes by. France in 1987, takes everyday objects high quality of Korean art and the
French government, which supports The next generation has pursued such as towels and clothes, turning newness of ideas started to be reap-
artists regardless of nationality. the essence of art by dealing with the them into a black mass. With countless praised and are gaining attention. And
“France is a country that has a issue of abstractness and representa- pencil touches on them, the mass be- that is best represented by Korean
long artistic tradition of respecting tion, as presented in the “Exploring comes a lively fur-like creature. “A artists in Paris,” she said. ■
artists and art. People there under- Expression as the Material” section. pencil was the most humble tool I could (Photos courtesy of Seoul Arts Center)

CULTURE
Royal Protocols
of the Joseon Dynasty
Palace Records Revived in Digital Form
BY SHIN BYEONG-JU
HISTORY PROFESSOR AT KONKUK UNIVERSITY
and concerned offices as references for organiz- Institute of Korean Studies at Seoul National Protocols of the daesarye
by King Yeongjo (daesarye:
ing similar events. Hence they were called uig- University, the Jangseogak Archives at the
a rite where a king shoots
we, literally the "exemplary protocols." Academy of Korean Studies, the Japanese an arrow after paying
Among the recorded state and royal house- Imperial Household Agency and the French respect to his ancestors)
hold events were weddings of kings, investi- National Library. In 2006 the Korean govern-
tures of crown princes, feasts and funerals for ment nominated the entire uigwe collections at
the royal family members and construction of the two Korean national archives for inscription
palace pavilions. Detailed records were made on the UNESCO Memory of the World Register.
(Left) Protocols of the on the entire procedures of these events and af- In 2007, a total of 2,940 volumes of 546 kinds of
investiture of King terwards, a temporary office was set up to Joseon royal protocols at the Kyujanggak
Gojong’s two sons (for the compile the records into a full report. Institute of Korean Studies and 529 volumes of
king’s perusal)
What singles out these reports is a strong 287 kinds at the Jangseogak Archives were
(Right) Protocols of commitment to documentation. The reports fully placed on the UNESCO list of documentary liter-
Gyeongmo Hall for Crown described the procedures of an event, and listed ature of "outstanding universal value."
Prince Jangheon (for the all the participants and logistics as well as left-
king’s perusal)
over goods, thereby ensuring thorough trans- Suffering of Palace Documents
parency and openness in state management.
S
ince June 2008 the Cultural Heritage Expatriation of the displaced royal documents Another prominent characteristic is the rich As one of the first projects upon his accession
Administration web site has featured has been a prominent pending issue between visual material, including illustrations and dia- in 1776, King Jeongjo, the 22nd ruler of the
digitalized palace records of the Joseon Korea and France over the past decades. grams. Most of the reports were actually fan- Joseon Dynasty, established Kyujanggak as a
Dynasty (1391-1910). These fascinating digi- tastic picture books that featured realistic de- royal library and palace institution for acade-
tal files cover part of some 300 volumes of of- Official Reports on State Events pictions of grand processions of officials of all mic research. When Kyujanggak was set up
ficial records on court events of Korea's last ranks as well as diagrams of ritual objects and completely in Changdeok Palace, he ordered
monarchy, which are currently kept by the The Joseon Dynasty maintained a unique tradi- pavilions. The colorful illustrations offer vivid the construction of another royal archive
French National Library (Bibliotheque nation of compiling detailed reports on major state glimpses of the circumstances of the events building on Ganghwa Island, where he be-
tionale de France). rites and events in the royal household through- and the equipment and objects used, which de- lieved the valuable books and documents of
The Joseon palace documents were carried out its five-century rule. These reports were usu- fy accurate description through words alone. the royal palace could be preserved in a safer
away from the royal archives in Ganghwa ally accompanied by colorful illustrations. They The Joseon royal protocols are now scat- environment. In the second month of 1782, the
Island by invading French troops in 1866. were primarily intended for use by the throne tered at several places such as the Kyujanggak sixth year of the reign of King Jeongjo, the

CULTURE
documents of the Joseon period. She made a producing digital files from 30 out of the total
list of all the uigwe volumes at the library. 297 volumes in the French government posses-
Thanks to her efforts, the valuable Joseon court sion, that are the only extant copies. The digital-
relics became known a century after they had ized protocols are provided through the Cultural
been taken away. Heritage Administration web site.
The Korean royal documents at the French The digital files include the 30 exclusive
National Library again drew public attention in copies in the French collection as well as the
1993, as then French President Francois original silk covers of 12 volumes. These luxu-
Mitterrand said the French government would rious editions have green silk covers and
return them to Korea. Mitterrand made the re- bronze ornaments with the chrysanthemum
marks during his visit to Seoul to promote the emblem of the Joseon royal household. Also,
French high-speed train TGV. France won the the digitalized documents include 50 pages
bid but its leader's commitment still remains from The Protocols of the Wedding Rites of
unfulfilled on the grounds that it had not been King Yeongjo and Queen Jeongsun (Yeongjo
officially discussed. The two governments have Jeongsun Wanghu Garye Dogam Uigwe), de-
since undertaken several rounds of negotia- picting grand ceremonies attended by officials
tions on the repatriation of the Joseon royal of all ranks and files.
protocols, with the conclusion not in sight yet. The resplendent ambience of palace cere-
monies vividly comes alive, even in digital
Digitalized Royal Protocols files, successfully conveying the uncompro-
mising principle of thorough documentation
The two uigwe volumes brought by the visiting that ran through the Joseon bureaucracy.
French president aroused great interest in their These files will be useful sources for research in
regal style of calligraphy and bookmaking a variety of fields, including the general histo-
techniques. They were made of excellent paper ry of the Joseon period as well as art history,
and mineral and plant pigments were used for costume history and bibliography. As many re-
illustrations, which all contributed to their per- searchers find them a crucial trove of knowl-
fect preservation. edge, it will gradually become apparent within
The Korean government has persistently and outside the academic community where
Protocols of the wedding magistrate of Ganghwa reported the comple- of silver ingots and luxurious copies of royal tried to persuade the French authorities to return the invaluable documents should properly be-
ceremony (for preservation tion of the outer royal archive, named protocols specially produced for perusal by the the Joseon royal protocols. Since 2001, the long — why the displaced documents should be
at state archives) Protocols of Jongmyo
"Oekyujanggak." It was 11 months after the kings. Among other archive holdings the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade has con- returned to their place of origin. ■
Shrine and Jongmyojerye
king ordered the construction. French soldiers focused on pillaging the royal ducted surveys on the records kept at the French (Source : Cultural Heritage Administration, Ritual (for the king’s
Joseon made remarkable cultural advance- protocols. They probably discerned the out- National Library. In 2005 both sides agreed on Korean Heritage) perusal)
ment under the reign of Jeongjo. Kyujanggak standing value of the beautiful books made of
served as a bastion of academic research and top quality paper and bound in silk covers with
publication under his leadership. In the next bronze ornaments.
century or so the royal archive in Ganghwa
took firm root as a treasure trove of Joseon Negotiations for Return of Royal
royal culture, where the personal profiles and Protocols
writings of kings, official records of court
events and books written by prominent au- Most of some 6,000 volumes of books at the
thors were systematically preserved. Ganghwa archive were burned. Only about 340
Particularly, the uigwe kept there were special volumes of uigwe and some maps were carried
copies produced for review by the kings. away by the retreating French troops. Most of
However, the royal archive on Ganghwa the plundered books and documents are pre-
was completely lost when a French flotilla in- served at the French National Library but clas-
vaded the island in 1866. The French troops sified under the Chinese collection. In 1975, Dr.
encountered fierce resistance from the Joseon Park Byeong-seon, a Korean librarian working
army and retreated but carried away 19 boxes for the library, found they were Korean palace

CULTURE
Hanbok Artist
Makes Style
Simple and Easy
BY LEE JI-YOON
STAFF WRITER
Hanbok artist Lee Hyo-jae A tea room at the corner of her dining room (left) and her artworks
L
ee Hyo-jae, traditional clothing After her house and homemaking idence of a foreign ambassador, has of white linen, which would become a were focused on Korean-style orna- “It was a symbolic performance
artist, had no idea when the me- activities based on tradition were fea- transformed it into a beautiful home dishcloth with delicate embroidery. ment making, gift packaging and table breaking the borders between two
dia first introduced her as tured in several publications and tele- with a Korean touch. Another important reason her setting for Christmas. worlds and connecting them.
Korea’s Martha Stuart or Korea’s Tasha vision programs, her name “Hyojae” Even though it is rented, her care ideas are spotlighted is they are eco- Along with Koreans who started Although it’s physically difficult, I will
Tudor — both internationally well- became a household brand that rein- reaches each corner of the house. The friendly. When serving food, she puts sensing a new aspect of Korean style, continue to do similar experiments —
known for their dexterity in home- terprets Korean style in a simple and empty walls of the house were covered pine needles on the plate. And she al- many people from abroad such as like wrapping a building — to make
making and gardening respectively. practical way. with ivy. A small space in the corner ways reuses empty plastic bottles or wives of foreign ambassadors to Korea people think differently,” she said, still
“I learned about Martha from her “People easily misunderstand that of a living room turns into a tea room boxes with a little design. visit her house and workshop to expe- sewing, with her left hand bandaged.
book, which was sent by a reporter. I’m good at decorating. But I pursue an with a small pond. Electronic devices “I don’t think I’m special. Mothers rience Korean culture. “I’m trying to enjoy every mo-
And Tasha’s book is what I receive extremely simple and practical style. I are covered with a white cloth hand- are professional. You know, people al- Among her several lectures, the ment of my life. If I’m not happy, I
most frequently as gift,” she said. just put some hint of tradition and my embroidered with colorful flowers. ways say their mother’s kimchi is the most favored is bojagi wrapping, a tra- couldn’t do things with this much
Now 51, she runs a Hanbok work- style to hide some ugly things like a And she relocated her Hanbok best. People pay attention to me just be- ditional way of packaging by using passion,” she said.
shop which was passed on by her nail on a wall,” she said. “For me, ros- shop and showroom to a garage at the cause I’m a designer who does daily ac- bojagi, square-shaped clothes made of “I will keep doing what I’m doing
mother nearly twenty years ago, along es are too complicated.” entrance of the house, which has be- tivities artistically and happily,” she said. a variety of materials. She has some 60 now, such as Hanbok design, giving
with sewing skills. She usually creates She has recently moved to a new come a popular spot for visitors. Despite her humble remarks, the patents for unique and different styles lectures, writing books and home-
Hanbok, traditional Korean dress, and house and a TV channel aired a one- “My friends and husband say I’m seats for her living class, which takes of wrapping and knotting. making. And I want my creations to
other goods such as bedclothes and hour program featuring her moving addicted to working, but for me it is a place at her house sponsored by a lo- Recently, she has taken part in an be not only praised for high quality,
Hanbok accessories, used especially process in May. Located in kind of time to reflect and conceive de- cal home decorating magazine, have eco-friendly product exhibition, wrap- but also enjoyed widely by ordinary
for wedding preparations, called Seongbuk-dong, northern Seoul, the signs, concentrating solely on my inner already been fully-booked until next ping a Volkswagen’s New Beetle with people,” she said. ■
“yedan” in Korean. two-story house, once the former res- self,” Lee said as she kept sewing a piece spring. Recent lectures in November bojagi clothes. (Photos by Eric Gillet)

PEOPLE
Yonhap
Yonhap
Kim Yu-na responds to cheers after winning the Cup of China in Beijing
Kim Yu-na
Set to
Dominate
Figure Skating K
orean Kim Yu-na is set to dominate the figure skating
world as she advanced to the Grand Prix Final.
quence of near-perfect jumps except for a single attempt in
which she landed in a faulty step.
“I performed feeling less nervous than during the short
World The 18-year-old Korean top figure skater defended her

Cup of China title in Beijing on the International Skating
Union’s Grand Prix of Figure Skating circuit Nov. 8. It was
program,” Kim told reporters. “I was confident. Even though
I was shaken in one of the jumps, I got good results. I’m
glad to have won a chance to compete in the Grand Prix
her fifth straight Grand Prix win. Final.”
In the competition at the Capital Gymnasium in Beijing, “Many have played against the backdrop of
Kim scored 191.75 points, defeating her Japanese rival Miki Scheherazade, but I have tried to lead a performance of my
Kim Yu-na performs at the Ando by 20.87 points. That victory followed her winning own,” she added, following her performance which won loud
women’s free skating gala the Skate America title in October. applause from the crowd that included a throng of her
show in the Cup of China in With her latest win, Kim has qualified for the Grand Prix Korean supporters.
Beijing on Nov. 9, after
of Figure Skating Final to be held in Korea in December. The Kim, a high school student who was recently granted
winning the competition the
previous day. The Cup of event is open to the top six skaters after their performances admission to a top university in Seoul and commands a
China is the third of six events in two Grand Prix events. wide fan base, has won gold in the last five consecutive
in the International Skating Dancing to the rhythm of Russian symphony suite Grand Prix events she has competed in, including the 2006
Union’s Grand Prix series
Scheherazade and dressed in vivid red, Kim pulled off a se- Trophee Eric Bompard and the 2007 Cup of Russia. ■

Moon Young Doo
Credia
PEOPLE
Japanese Artist Focuses

on Beauty of Korean
Traditional Culture
BY PARK MIN-YOUNG
STAFF WRITER
Jang Han-na
Shows
New Side of
Vivaldi
BY KOH YOUNG-AAH
Watanabe Tsuneko KOREA HERALD STAFF WRITER
N
ot many people know much “Enduring Traditional Art and Crafts of Japan and troduced in one of Japan’s major mag-
about their own traditional cul- Korea,” by Watanabe Tsuneko azines and gained a great reputation.”
ture, and fewer have in-depth From traditional food and clothing
knowledge about it. That is why it is to musical instruments and
shocking and even grateful when a “Hahoetal,” Korean mask, her collec-
foreigner is so into your culture. tion holds practically every cultural
Watanabe Tsuneko, a Japanese asset in Korea.
M
artist, has more interest in Korean tra- She added explanations on the his- ost of us know the Italian an accompaniment instrument to a so- Performing the music was another
ditional culture than most Koreans. tory and origin of each item to help composer Antonio Vivaldi lo instrument,” said Chang at a press challenge. Not only were the musi-
She studied the culture for years and Japanese readers better understand. (1678-1741) from his “Four conference held October in Seoul. cians unfamiliar with the concertos,
recently published the book “Enduring “Japanese readers are shocked to Seasons.” Even those with only a pass- Compared to Bach’s serious and but the many high-pitched passages
Traditional Art and Crafts of Japan realize that Korean metal craft started ing knowledge of classical music en- rigorous music, Vivaldi’s works are made playing it a technical challenge.
and Korea.” in 7 B.C. and that Hahoetal was first joy its melodic, hummable score. rhythmic and colorful. Chang said that It is the first time Chang, one of the
Her 240-page book is filled with made in the 12th century — during the On the other hand, few know while Vivaldi’s nearly 30 cello concer- best classical musicians to hail from
photos and explanations about the Goryeo dynasty,” Watanabe says. about Vivaldi’s other works. With her tos were known to sound similar to Korea, has recorded Baroque. Chang,
two cultures. The first half contains The book contains huge photos and new album, “Vivaldi Cello Concerto,” one another, they can be differentiated who won the 5th Rostropovich
Korean culture in step with the specific details about each cultural asset, however, Korean cellist Chang Han-na by the performer’s interpretation. International Cello Competition at age
changes of the seasons. The other half including human beings themselves. is set to bring to light this side of “I think depending on the per- 11, is better known for performing
is on Japanese culture, talking about even though it was tucked away in Watanabe says that she covered Vivaldi — which is still largely unex- former’s interpretation, a certain tune work by composers like Prokofiev and
Hakata dolls, kabuki and Japanese tra- deep corners. She decided to write both cultures in the book to help both plored, even by the majority of classi- can enrapture the audience or make Shostakovich.
ditional plays. about Korean culture. Koreans and Japanese better under- cal music insiders. them fall asleep,” said Chang. Chang, 26, is currently on leave from
It was in the late 1980s when During the last two years, Watanabe stand each others’ culture. In June, Chang shrugged off a fin- Chang recalled the recording Harvard University where she is major-
Watanabe first set her foot on Korean visited Korea often to study and collect “I found out that the cornerstone ger injury amid a sweltering London process as being far from easy. Because ing in philosophy, but she said at the
soil with her husband. She was fasci- items to include in the book. Korean of Japanese traditional culture was in- summer to record seven of Vivaldi’s of the scarcity of existing records, it press conference that she would also like
nated by Korea’s cultural assets in staff helped with the collection. fluenced by Korea,” says Watanabe. cello concertos. took Chang and the organizers more to study conducting in New York.
Gyeongju, Gyeongsangbuk-do, and “I am very happy to have made “The Japanese should be thankful for “I wanted to go back to the begin- than eight months just to find the Conducting, according to the cellist,
Insa-dong, Seoul. this book through the cooperation be- this. Korean traditional culture has left ning of classical music, which was scores. The concertos were not pub- helped her gain a better understanding
Watanabe was also relieved to see tween two countries,” she said. “The a deep echo in the hearts of the Baroque music, and chose Vivaldi, who lished while Vivaldi was alive and have of the timbres of different instruments,
that tradition still remained here — work done by the Korean staff was in- Japanese.” ■ was the first to convert the cello from survived only in manuscript form. and the harmony they create. ■

PEOPLE ART
A
loud applause from the audience filled the
Young Korean Gala concert hall of Concours Long-
Thibaud in Paris on Nov. 15. It was for Shin Death of
Violinist Impresses Hyun-su, a Korean violinist who won first prize
there, one of the 10 prestigious concours of the Korean Student
world.
the World There was no second place winner this time.
Instead, the 21-year-old violinist was awarded
Remembered in
BY PARK MIN-YOUNG
STAFF WRITER
with two more, the Prize of the Orchestre
Philharmonique de Radio France and the Prize of
Japanese Film
the Prince Albert II of Monaco. BY LEE JI-YOON
STAFF WRITER
Shin’s talent is especially praiseworthy be-
cause it was very hard for her to maintain it. After
her father’s failure in business, she managed to
keep practicing violin. Her entire family lived in a
dim single room that let in little sunlight.
Studying overseas was out of the question for
A scene from the film “26 Years Diary”
her. Her family could not even pay for her own
violin.
“I tried to make good sounds with cheap vio-
B
lins, and I think that helped me improve,” Shin ack in 2001, a Korean university student Japanese Maki Onaga, from gangsters, and the
said after the Gala concert. was killed by a train at a subway station two become close through music.
Shin still uses rentals or her teacher’s instru- in Tokyo. Lee Soo-hyun, then 26, was His Tokyo life sometimes faces prejudice
ment. Now, she uses a Guadagnini, one of the best trying to rescue a drunken man who had fallen from Japanese, especially Yuri’s father, who
in the world, which is also borrowed. onto the track, but he could not dodge the train hates Korea. But Lee’s sincerity starts to change
She was able to borrow it after winning second and three people, including a Japanese photog- his attitude.
place in the Hanover Concours last October, but rapher who was helping Lee, all died at the As in real life, his short life ends as he
has to give it back next year. scene. throws himself on a train track.
Fortunately, Shin had many people who cared Based on this story, the Japanese film “26 “The movie shows well what my son used
for her. Her mother never mentioned their financial Years Diary,” which was released here in to be. Whenever I see the movie, it reminds me
situation to her daughters, so that Shin and her old- October, traces the young hero’s short life and of my son,” said Lee’s parents, Lee Sung-dae
er sister, Shin A-ra, who is also a violinist, could dream. The movie opened first in Japan last year. and Shin Yoon-chan, at the movie’s Seoul pre-
concentrate on practicing. In early 2000, Lee Soo-hyun, played by miere on Oct. 27.
Kim Nam-yun, a well-known violinist in Korea Korean actor Lee Tae-sung, who has recently Even though Lee’s unfortunate death is
and the principal of the School of Music at the come back to school after completing his mili- tragic, his courageous act has inspired people
Korean National University of Arts, acknowledged tary duty, moves to Japan to study. One day he of both Korea and Japan. And still many peo-
the Shin girls’ talents. Knowing their heartbreaking saves a female street-band singer, played by ple are making efforts to remember him in var-
situation, Kim taught them free for 10 years. ious ways. About 280 students from 16 Asian
www.soohyunlee.com
“I could never thank her enough,” Shin said. countries are helped by the LSH Scholarship
Whenever her mother brought up the idea of Foundation, which was established in Japan by
studying abroad, she replied, “Where I am is the donations in memory of Lee.
best place to learn.” The film’s premiere in Tokyo last year was
Shin is passionate, optimistic and hardwork- attended by many celebrities, including the
ing. She went back and forth from Seoul and Japanese royal couple, who had invited Lee’s
Jeonju, in Jeollabuk-do, every day for her lessons. parents to their palace.
She did that for years but never complained. In 2001, a month after the accident hap-
“When I’m down, I convince myself into pened, Korea University awarded Lee an hon-
thinking that things will get better if I work hard- orary diploma, the first in its history. Lee was
Yonhap
Shin Hyun-su er,” she said. ■ The late Lee Soo-hyun studying trade at the school. ■

ART
A scene from “A Ballerina Who
Loves a B-Boy” (top) and the show
“Break Out”
Three Renowned Film Directors

Meet in ‘Tokyo!’
BY LEE JI-YOON
STAFF WRITER
ed the famous “Les Amants du Pont-

Neuf (The Lovers on the Bridge)” in
1991, mocks society in the eyes of a
strange man who is living in under-
ground sewers and appears out of a
B-boying manhole to scare people. French actor
Denis Lavant, who appeared in Carax’s
Performances 1991 film plays the unusual character.
Director Bong Joon-ho completes
Wow New Yorkers the three-segment project with “Shak-
ing Tokyo.” It explores the problem of
BY LEE JI-YOON
STAFF WRITER hikikomori, a Japanese term referring
to those unable to adjust to society and
never leave their homes. A hikikomori
man falls in love with a pizza delivery
K
orean b-boying theaters made a girl, played by a famous Japanese ac-
successful U.S. debut by per- (From left) Renowned directors Michel Gondry, Leos Carax and Korean Bong Joon-ho tress, Yu Aoi. The man, after locking
forming on Off-Broadway himself in his home for 10 years, de-
T
stages in New York. The longer, staged he film “Tokyo!” an internation- “The Gondry World,” unfolds as he cides to go out to find her, but on that
form has yet to take hold there. al collaboration of Korea, Japan shows a woman suffering from social day an earthquake shakes the city.
With victories at world competi- and France, was released on Oct. indifference and isolation and finally The movie was first opened to the
tions and some crews becoming well 23 here, following its French premiere turning into a chair. public at the Cannes Film Festival in
known too, b-boying has exploded in in April and in Japan in August. Set in In “Merde,” Leos Carax, who direct- May. ■
popularity. While many new attempts Tokyo, the 107-minute omnibus
are being made to incorporate other movie was produced by three Scenes from the movie “Tokyo!”
artistic genres into b-boying perfor- renowned directors Korean Bong
mances, staged works are trying to Two kilometers away from the the- year at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival in Joon-ho, Michel Gondry and Leos
branch out to overseas audiences. ater, another Korean performance, Scotland, the world’s largest arts festi- Carax both from France.
One of the first such pieces is “A “Break Out” was shown at the Union val, gaining great attention from partic- There is nothing in common
Ballerina Who Loved a B-Boy,” which Square Theater from Sept. 18 to Nov. ipants. Their first showings in New York among the films — except the genre
was staged at 37 Arts theater in New 30, extended one month thanks to are expected to stimulate other Korean and the fact that they were shot in
York October. As the title suggests, it positive responses. b-boying staged works to reach to the Tokyo — reflecting their different
follows a ballerina who falls for a b- Three prisoners — Tricky, Lump and world’s performing arts scene. styles and ideas of filmmaking.
boy in a record store. After he shows Dandy — attempt a prison break, and a The Korean Government has host- In the first segment, “Interior
his b-boying moves, they end up magic book falls from outer space and ed the annual International R16 B-boy Design,” Michel Gondry, who has
dancing together. gives them the gift of breaking and beat Championships & Urban Arts Festival been recognized internationally for
Featuring Extreme Crew, a group boxing. The show climaxes with a heli- since last year to support youth culture his previous films “The Science of
of Korean break dancers who won the copter chasing them in the last five min- by offering a healthy environment for Sleep” and “Eternal Sunshine of the
2007 World B-Boy Championship, the utes. Before the U.S. debut, it was per- them. For more information on the Spotless Mind,” features the increas-
show offers a visual pleasure to expe- formed in Malaysia, China and Thailand. competition and Korean b-boys, visit ing problem of irregular employment
rience the collision of the two worlds The U.S. debuts of the two works the multilingual website www.r16ko- among young Japanese. His unique
of ballet and break dancing. were possible after they were shown last rea.com ■ explanation of the world, so-called

FOOD
Making a delectable meal requires a lot of time and effort. In Korea, new tastes
are continuously being created. Recently, fusion foods have become a trend.
Fusion food blends Korean ingredients with Western spices, captivating the
palates of Koreans and non-Koreans alike. Recent trends in Korean cuisine are
Making Hot Foods Hotter to make hot foods hotter and mild foods milder.
and Mild Foods Milder

Saessak Bibimbap
Saessak bibimbap is a leading health food in Korea. Instead of using stir-fried or
Buldak charbroiled mountain greens, (the traditional ingredients of bibimbap), young
Buldak (literally fire chicken) has become a standardized term in the dictionary broccoli sprouts, turnips, lettuce, and other greens are mixed with gochujang (red
of Korean foods. Chicken is steamed to remove the fat and then basted with a hot pepper paste), sesame oil and steamed white rice. The sweet scent of sesame oil
and spicy sauce made with kimchi and gochujang (red pepper paste). The bone- enhances the taste of the fresh greens and rice.
less chicken is then barbecued over charcoal.
Osam Bulgogi
Wine Samgyeopsal This fusion dish is a combination of squid (ojing-eo) and Korean bacon (sam-
Samgyeopsal, or thick slices of bacon, is a favorite for many Koreans. The pork gyeopsal). Pork is sliced into small bite-size pieces and mixed with slices of squid
is grilled over charcoal or on a hot iron grill, dipped in bean paste and wrapped and gochujang (red pepper paste) before grilling on a hot iron plate. This hot and
in a lettuce or sesame leaf. Methods of eating samgyeopsal vary by regions and spicy dish is very tasty, as it is also fiery hot. ■
restaurants. Wine samgyeopsal is marinated in wine overnight, which makes the (Source: Korea Tourism Organization)
meat soft and odorless.
Sundae Town in Sillim-dong Sindang-dong Tteokbokki Bukchang-dong Alley

Sundae is cow or pig intestines stuffed with seasoned rice, onions, About 30 small restaurants are gathered around Sindang-dong’s Bukchang-dong Alley consists of small back alleys lined with
Exploring noodles, and other ingredients. It can be eaten steamed or as a
soup. Located in the southern part of Seoul, Sundae Town in
Tteokbokki Alley. Thin, cylinder-shaped rice cakes are mixed in
gochujang (red pepper paste) to make tteokbokki, a favorite fast
about 500 restaurants. From traditional Korean cuisine to formal
Japanese sushi and casual Western dining, there is a wide
Seoul’s Food Alleys Sillim-dong consists of small restaurants, which have been
operating for more than 30 years.
food in Korea. Tteokbokki is commonly sold on the streets by street
vendors. Sindang-dong has also become a highly popular area, and
selection to choose from. This vibrant area is also close to many
downtown hotels.
pop songs have been dedicated to this special area.
A 500-meter walk from Exit 4 of Sillim Station on Seoul Exits 7 or 8 of City Hall Station on Seoul subway Line 1 and 2
subway Line 2 A 300-meter walk from Exit 8 of Sindang Station on Seoul
subway Line 2

TRAVEL
Inje Ice Fish Festival
The 12th Inje Icefish Festival will be held this winter on Soyangho in Inje,
Gangwon-do. Soyangho is the largest fresh-water lake, formed by the water
flowing from Seoraksan and Naerincheon. Icefish, also known as smelts or sweet
fish, are small silvery fish that only live in cold water. The winter is the best sea-
son to experience the taste of icefish. The festival holds various events such as a
Night view of the Sancheoneo Ice Festival
fishing competition, ice bowling and ice soccer tournaments. The festival offers
English, Chinese and Japanese translation services and many events that both
locals and foreigners can enjoy. Programs for foreigners include a fishing con-
test and a sleigh ride on the frozen lake. The festival runs from Jan. 30 to Feb. 2.
For details, call (033) 460-2082 or visit www.injefestival.co.kr
How to Get There:

Take a bus to Sinnam Terminal. It takes
about three hours. A free shuttle bus runs
Sancheoneo (mountain from there to the Inje Icefish Festival.
Sancheoneo (mountain trout) Ice Festival

trout) Ice Festival
Gangwon-do invites visitors to

fish mountain trout in
Hwacheon-gun. Mountain trout,
also known as cherry salmon or
masou salmon, is a native Korean
fish that lives in freshwater. At
the festival, visitors can enjoy
the unique experience of catch-
ing the fish by sticking their bare
hands into a hole on the frozen
Festivals to Mark Hwacheongang. The festival

holds many events such as a
fishing contest, ice sleighing,
Korea’s Winter Season

BY PARK MIN-YOUNG
bobsleighing, ice biking and
bumper car rides. There is also a
creative sleigh-making contest.
Snow sculptures and fireworks
STAFF WRITER
at night add to the merry ambi-
ence. The festival runs from Jan.
10 to 27. For details, call (033)
441-7575 or visit www.narafes-
Some may think that the best way to enjoy winter is to curl up on tival.com/icenara/
the sofa. But even for couch potatoes, it will not be easy to resist How to Get There:
the many fun fetes Korea offers. Gangwon-do, famous for its There is a bus that runs from Seoul to
Hwacheon. On train, get off at
beautiful snow-covered scenery, allures tourists with its fabulous Chuncheon station and take a bus
Inje Ice Fish Festival

winter festivals. They vary in theme and features — from ice fish- from there. In both cases, it will take
about three hours from Seoul to
ing to sleigh rides. Hwacheon.
Kids fish at the Inje Icefish Festival

TRAVEL
Goseong Myeongtae Festival

Daegwallyeong Snow
Festival
The Daegwallyeong Snow Festival, ar-

guably the biggest winter festival in
Korea, will take place in
Pyeongchang, Gangwon-do, in
January. More than 20 events will be
held, including ice fishing, hunting,
dog sleigh rides, igloo experiences and
half-naked marathons. More than a
hundred snow sculptures will be dis-
played all over Daegwallyeong. There
will also be events at sheep ranches
nearby. The festival runs from Jan. 15
to 19. For details, call (033) 330-2761
or visit www.snowfestival.net
Daegwallyeong Snow Festival
How to Get There:

By bus or train, get off at Hoenggye Bus
Terminal. It takes about two and a half hours
from Seoul.
A participant enjoys dog sleigh ride in Daegwallyeong Snow Festival
A snow sculpture at Mt. Taebaek Snow Festival

Taebaeksan Snow Festival
Various events will be held in the Kids hold up Myeongtae they fished at the Goseong Myeongtae Festival
highlands of Taebaeksan, 800 meters
above sea level, at Taebaeksan
Provincial Park, Hwangjiho and the
city of Taebaek, Gangwon-do. The Goseong Myeongtae Festival
16th Taebaeksan Snow Festival in-
cludes a snow sculpture exhibition, The Goseong Myeongtae Festival is to be held around Geojin har-
Goseong Myeongtae Festival

an outdoor concert and a fireworks bor, the only Myeongtae fishing spot in Korea, located northeast-
show. It also offers various family- ern Gangwon-do. Myeongtae, meaning Alaskan pollack, is a fish
friendly programs such as dog sled mostly caught during the winter season. The festival is all about
rides, a curling competition and snow myeongtae, promoting events like the myeongtae throwing game,
train rides. The festival runs from Jan. a street parade with people wearing costumes made of myeongtae
30 to Feb. 8. For more information, and the myeongtae tower game. The festival’s edge comes from the
call (033) 550-2081, 2828 or visit fes- beautiful scenery of the winter sea. It will have a fireworks show
tival.taebaek.go.kr/part2/home/html/ by the sea each night, creating a romantic mood for couples visit-
main.html ing Geojin harbor. The festival will operate free boat rides. It runs
Taebaeksan Snow Festival
from Feb. 21 to 24. For more information, call (033) 680-3221 or

How to Get There: visit www.myeongtae.com ■
By train or bus, get off at Taebaek. It takes Goseong Myeongtae Festival
four and a half hours by train and three and How to Get There:
a half hours by bus from Seoul. Take a bus to Geojin terminal. It takes about four hours from Seoul.

EVENTS
Daegu Photo Biennale 2008

1 “Gyeongbok Palace,” 1888
2 “The Night Prior to an Event,” Yang Jae-kwan
3 “Another Episode,” Liu Lijie
4 “The Three Fates,” Yanagi Miwa
Daegu Biennale Shows Fifteen Chinese and Taiwanese tos of Korea from that time that we 2
photographers expressed their unique could collect. Actually, I wanted the
Charms of Photography thoughts about life in the exposition
“While Alive.” The photos reflect the
viewers to realize that,” Koo said.
“The original role of photography is
BY PARK MIN-YOUNG
STAFF WRITER
various changes China went through to record. If we can’t see that, then in
in the last 20 years. Liu Lijie ex- another 100 years we might still be
pressed her feelings about the miscel- lacking photos.”
Visitors look at photos at Daegu Biennale
laneous and seductive world in the Some of the Korean photos came
series “Another Episode.” off as quite a discovery. The panoram-
3
In the exhibit “Body Images in ic photo of Gyeongbok Palace taken in
T
he international Daegu Photo Asia. Under the theme “Then & Now — Digital Era,” 12 Japanese photogra- 1888 was shown to the public for the
Biennale 2008 photo festival end- Memories of the Future,” the biennale phers displayed bold and provocative first time.
ed on Nov. 16 after a 17-day run. sought a balance between the two photos. In “The Three Fates,” Yanagi More exhibitions were held
It placed the spotlight on Asia, fea- roles of photography: art and record. Miwa visualized the Moirae, who are throughout Daegu. “Changing Social
turing some 1,500 photos by 200 lead- “Memories of the Future,” one of the three sisters of Greek mythology in Landscape: Democratic People’s
ing photographers from 10 countries. the two main expositions, held 400 charge of fate. The oldest, Cloto, spins Republic of Korea 1950-2008,” at the
“We have a lot of interest in works by modern Korean, Chinese, human life out of her hair but grows Daegu Culture and Arts Center,
Western photos but don’t really know Taiwanese and Japanese photogra- old and miserable because she can no showed pictures of people and land-
about Asian photos, even though we phers at the EXCO in Daegu. Each had longer control her ever-growing hair. scape in North Korea. They were taken
live in Asia,” said Koo Bohn-chang, a unique theme related to the coun- “Photographs from 100 Years by 12 well-known photographers, in-
the biennale’s artistic director. tries’ socio-cultural backgrounds. Ago,” the other main exhibit at the cluding Margaret Bourke-White, a for- 4
The biennale attracted more inter- “The Sensibility of Life: The EXCO, displayed 350 rare photos of mer photographer for Life magazine.
est this year as Koo is one of Korea’s Reconfigured Eye” is an exhibition of the three Asian countries back when “The last 10 years have been a very
top photographers and is a well- 12 Korean photographers who offered cameras were just introduced. progressive time for Korean photogra-
known figure around the world. incisive commentary on modern The unfamiliar faces and forgotten phy,” said Wendy Watriss, a reviewer
Louis Marin Collection, Musee Guimet

“This biennale focused on three Korean society. backgrounds in the black-and-white of this biennale and one of the
Asian countries — Korea, China and In “The Night Prior to an Event,” photos remind viewers of the impor- founders of FotoFest, an international-
Japan — and it provided a chance to Yang Jae-kwan criticized Korea’s ten- tance of using photos to record and re- ly known photographic arts and edu-
“Women with Updo Hairstyle in front of a Folding
Screen before 1901,” Louis Marin Collection, learn about them,” he said. dency to put too much emphasis on member. cation organization based in Houston.
Musee Guimet The main exhibition looked at the the cause and result of an event with- However, the Korean section “The biennale exposes many photos
artistic trend of modern photographers out trying to understand the details or seemed too brief due to the dearth of that show an Asian perspective, which
as well as documentary photos in procedures. old photos. “There weren’t many pho- was not seen outside of Asia.” ■

EVENTS
Korean exhibition room at the 2008 Dubai Media & Marketing Show in Dubai
Built in a form of a giant TV, the Korean ex-
hibition room caught many eyes. English-
dubbed Korean programs were showcased
on the monitors. The exhibition team handed
out program brochures to the visitors.
The officials of the show put banners of
Korean soap operas — “Beethoven Virus”
(MBC) and “Ilji-mae” (SBS) — at the entrance
of the center, proving the popularity of Korean
programs in the Middle East.
“Dae Jang Geum” (MBC) aired in Iran last
year, taking a 90 percent share in program
Seoul Lights Up ratings. “Sorry, I Love You” (KBS), which re-

cently aired on Dubai TV, finished amid
Yonhap
cheers of local fans.
for the Holiday Season “There are Korean soap operas in the
Middle East, but no Japanese or Chinese
BY PARK MIN-YOUNG
STAFF WRITER
Korean Media Korea’s major broadcasting companies pro-
moted Korean soap operas and documentary ones,” said an official of KBS at the event.
“Korean soap operas are not just a product of
Take Aim at films at the 2008 Dubai Media & Marketing
Show, which was held Nov. 3 to 5 at the Dubai cultural content but a means to raise the
brand value of Korea,”
the Middle East International Convention Center, Dubai.
MBC, SBS, SBS Production and KBS Lee Kyeong-ja, a member of the
Media exhibited 25 soap operas and docu- Broadcasting and Communications
mentary films such as “East of Eden” (MBC) Committee, attended the show and promised
and “The Painter of the Wind” (SBS). to support the export of Korean programs. ■
mination director of the festival. digital effects.
C
entral Seoul is glowing for the
holiday season. Seoul City and “Seoul is always packed with tall There is also a skating rink in front
the Seoul Foundation for Arts buildings, flashing lights and noise. of city hall with magnificent lights
and Culture are holding the winter
version of the ‘Hi Seoul Festival 2008’
Through pure white color, we will pu-
rify this messy city and help citizens
and a giant Christmas tree. Some of
the main buildings around there, such
Korean Music
from Dec. 19 to Jan. 18.
Under the theme “Pure Seoul, Pure
experience a new light.”
Highlights include music, lights
as the Sejong Center for the
Performing Arts, are lit with different
and Dance Set to
White Winter,” the festival is all about
white light. The goal is to present a
and digital artworks, which are lined
up on the main street from Cheonggye
colors of light.
Many events are being prepared in
Impress Japan
warm ambience to citizens who are Plaza to city hall. central Seoul during this period. A
suffering from the recent economic Various illumination patterns and “Hope Tree” will be decorated with
The Korean Cultural Center in Tokyo

depression and to show a new aspect a countdown video for New Year’s are small light bulbs — each holding notes
of Seoul’s nighttime view. displayed on a big white wall which is with citizens’ wishes written on them.
“This winter festival pursues ‘emp- set up in Cheonggye Plaza. For details, visit http://www3.
ty Seoul,’” says Sohn Jang-bok, illu- Cheonggye Stream is decorated with hiseoulfest.org ■
The Korean Cultural Center in Tokyo is set to troduce the charms of Korean traditional cul- nine songs and exorcism dances will be
hold the Korean Traditional Song · Dan- ture to Japan.” showcased.
ce · Music Festival on Dec. 11 at the Yotzuya The festival also celebrates the construc- It will be a rare chance to see various
district center. tion of its new building in Shinjuku. Korean traditional instruments, such as
“The Korean Cultural Center has been do- Many human cultural assets of Korea, such “Ajaeng,” a seven-stringed Korean instru-
Seoul Foundation for Arts and Culture
ing many cultural exchanges with Japan so as Jeong Cheol-ho, who does “Pansori,” or ment, and “Gayageum,” a 12-stringed
far,” said an official at the center. “This festival Korean traditional narrative song, and Lee Ok- Korean harp.
will be a chance to commemorate what we cheon, who specializes in “Heung-bo-ga,” For more information, visit http://www.ko-
have achieved in 2008 and to once again in- which is also Pansori, will perform. A total of reanculture.jp ■

BOOKS
Goguryeo: In Search of Its Culture and History Long Long Time Ago
Publisher: Hollym
Author: Jeon Ho-tae
Page: 128
Publisher: Hollym
Price: 15,000 won
Page: 288
Price: 35,000 won
The author explores one of the most

powerful and prosperous times in
Korean history by examining mural
paintings found on the walls of an-
cient tombs.
Located in North Korean cities of A total of 20 most loved Korean folk tales
Pyongyang and Nampo, the Complex have been collected in this illustrated book.
of Goguryeo Tombs consists of 30 in- Readers can meet a variety of beloved char-
dividual tombs from Goguryeo, one of acters that have made Korean children happy
the Three Kingdoms running from 57 and excited for generations: a rabbit who out-
B.C. to A.D. 668. wits a tiger; a brother and a sister who be-
In 2004, it was designated as the first UNESCO World Heritage site in the came the Sun and the Moon respectively; a
country. tortoise and a hare who are totally different
The tombs are assumed to have been used as a burial site for kings, queens from the ones in Aesop’s fable. Illustrator Kim
and other members of the royal family and contain beautifully colored mural Dong-sung, who majored in Oriental painting
paintings showing daily life and mythologies of the time. at Hongik University, has created beautiful il-
The author, a professor of history and culture at the University of Ulsan and lustrations by using a dreamy ink painting,
curator at the National Museum of Korea, specializes in ancient cultural histo- adding to the fun. ■
ry and has published numerous articles on Goguryeo tomb murals and ancient
Chinese art. ■
Big Bang in Capital Market

Edited by The Korea Herald
Publisher: Jimoondang
Page:
Price: 15,000 won
The recent downfall of top U.S. investment banks calls into question the validity of the Korean
Government’s scheme to foster investment banks as a catalyst for capital market growth. Isn’t
the plan based on a wrong model? Hasn’t the era of investment banks come to an end with the
ongoing turmoil on Wall Street?
To these questions, this book gives unambiguous answers. The researchers of the Korea
Securities Research Institute, who jointly authored the book, argue that it is not investment bank-
ing per se that is challenged. What has been found defective is the Wall Street model of invest-
ment banking. The authors provide a penetrating analysis of the problems of what they call Wall
Street’s “free lunch model” and offer astute policy recommendations for financial regulators.
They also stress that financial companies should foster a sound risk management culture.
What made the difference between Goldman Sachs survival and Merrill Lynch’s failure, they ex-
plain, was the attitude toward risk management.
For further information, visit www.koreaherald.com. ■

THE BEAUTY OF KOREA-17 SPECIAL SERIES
White Porcelain Jar Decorated with

Bamboo and Plum in Underglaze Iron Oxide
National Treasure No. 166
Special Contribution-1
The Republic of Korea

at Sixty
BY GUY SORMAN
The Seokguram Grotto
S
outh Korea at sixty in the Western eye has an image Japanese Fuji Mountain, the French Eiffel Tower or the
problem due to the Bengali Nobel prize winner, American Statue of Liberty. Whenever consulted on this
Rabindranath Tagore, an influential poet and a matter, I suggest the well known crossed-legged Boddhisatva,
world traveler. After he visited Seoul in the early twenti- which can be admired in the National Museum of Korea, as
eth century, Tagore wrote a poem called “The Land of the the South Korean logo and icon. This Buddha, reminiscent
Morning Calm.” The poem became famous the world over of the Thinker by the French sculptor Rodin, has no com-
and the name took. South Korea became known globally petitor; I think that through its unique aesthetics and tran-
as Morning Calm and the West still perceives the country scendental strength it could convey the spirit of the nation.
this way. These days, the name feels inaccurate, to say the My suggestion, however, has never been taken into consid-
least. This motivated former President Kim Dae-jung to eration. Isn’t it dynamic enough? Or is it too Buddhist in a
rekindle the country’s reputation, not as calm but as dy- country where religions are so diverse? So far, the logo
This jar from the Joseon Dynasty (1392-1910) is well known with a layer of underglaze iron, which burned through the namic, so far with limited success: dynamism lacks any problem for South Korea remains unsolved; probably it
for its refined charm and beautiful painting. clear glaze to form rust-colored areas that lend texture and specific Korean flavor. cannot be solved easily while Korean identity is not that
It is 41.3 cm tall, and the diameter at the widest point of volume to the painting. easy to describe nor to understand, at least for non-Koreans.
the body is 37.9 cm. The jar is an example of 16th-century Joseon white Calm or Dynamic It cannot be denied that in spite of the outstanding glob-
The technique used for the main designs — bamboo on one porcelains and buncheong wares, which are shaped like al success of South Korean brands, many buyers of these
side and plum on the other — indicates that this piece was Ming China jars of the mid-15th century. Within South Korea, the debate still lingers as how best to brands hardly know they are made in Korea. Western con-
not decorated by regular potters, but rather by the members The flowery borders on the shoulders are reminiscent of represent the country on the international stage. South sumers who esteem Samsung cell phones are not sure
of the royal painting bureau. Ming Chinese blue-white porcelains of this period. ■ Korean officials and their public relations advisers can often whether they are Korean, Chinese, or Japanese. Hyundai
The wide, thick portions of the bamboo leaves were made (Photo courtesy of National Museum of Korea) be heard complaining that they lack the equivalent of the cars have found their niche in the world market because

SPECIAL SERIES
Video artist Paik Nam-jun’s works

they are perceived as reliable and not too expensive; but he makes evident the continuity from Shamanism to the street demonstrations and strikes which take place in
they are not grasped as Korean the way a Mercedes car is Confucianism, Buddhism, Christianity and the postmodern South Korea do not surprise us: we have lived through those
bought because it is German. South Korea as a trademark, nihilism of Old Boy. kind of events before and we still live with them. In demo-
in spite of recent progress due to its leading export compa- Because of this outstanding continuity, we celebrate cratic countries, elections never fully solve social conflicts;
nies, is still moderately acknowledged. Is this weak brand South Korea’s sixtieth birthday today as well as its 3000- the purpose of elections is to quiet those conflicts so that
recognition due to insufficient efforts to promote South year-old civilization. This is a reason why, when visiting the they would not degenerate into civil war. What we now see
Korea as such? To a certain extent, yes, South Korean gov- National Museum of Korea in Seoul, I regret that it does not in South Korea is business as usual in Western democracies.
ernments never packaged the Korean identity as a clear incorporate the most recent creation of contemporary Are South Koreans disappointed with democracy? This is
message nor promoted it in a systematic way, as Japan did artists: the continuity would be for all to see. It would make common as well: democracy is always disappointing while
in the 60s and still does. True enough, the message escapes clear that South Korea does not lack identity but does suf- people expect too much of it. It is an imperfect regime but
easy definition. How to promote Korea when the country it- fer from a still weak identity promotion policy. it is non-violent and it doesn’t pretend to dictate individual
self is divided? How to promote modern South Korea alone What use would be such a policy? It would convey some life. Maybe South Koreans are not yet accustomed to the in-
as it is so different from ancient Korea? How to send a uni- economic benefits. Strong national brands sell: world con- herent modesty of democratic institutions.
fying message when the South Korean people are so great- sumers buy French perfumes because they are French, They also are not fully reconciled - no nation is - with
ly diversified by region and religion? Germans cars because they are German, Japanese technolo- the imperfections of the free market economy. Free market
The solution to these dilemmas could very well emerge gy because it is Japanese. Korean products sell for many economy brought South Koreans out of poverty; this was
from the art world. South Korea now is popular abroad not reasons but rarely because they are Korean. Among indus- hardly debated when the growth rate hovered around ten
only thanks to its industrial exports; artists do play a deci- trial advanced nations, South Korea, so far, has not yet built percent. When the growth rate plummets to four percent,
sive role. Beware of the ambiguities however. The so-called a decisive cultural advantage. enthusiasm for the market tends to decline. The very high
Korean Wave is carrying American rock music to an enthu- growth rate could absorb many imperfections of the system
siastic Chinese audience: the music is played by Koreans but Rising Expectations such as long work hours, unequal redistribution, brutal ex-
it is hardly related to Pansori. Korean television sitcoms odus from traditional activities to mass industry.
may be closer to the true Korean soul; we know how they In sixty years, however, South Korea went from one of the But a slower growth rate underlines these imperfections:
have been useful in bringing together the Japanese and the poorest countries on earth to one of the most successful. Its hard work is less well-tolerated, the gap between rich and
South Koreans in a more thorough way than many years of civilization alone would not have permitted such progress poor, between regular and irregular workers fall under
diligent diplomacy. Eventually, I consider that to really un- if the right strategy had not been followed, a free market harsher scrutiny. A slower growth rate generates social frus-
derstand the South Korean identity, the South Korean economy and a progressive shift from enlightened despo- tration from the less educated toward the better educated, Japan as well; those two countries are not enthusiastic
movies and contemporary art have been more revealing tism to full-blown democracy. For the younger generation from the less paid toward the wealthy entrepreneurs. The about Korea’s reunification.
than pop entertainment. who takes South Korea’s present status for granted, it is search for scapegoats (the Americans, the chaebol), and a The goal of a unified Korea, which is now closer than
Im Kwon-taek’s “Painted Fire,” Kim Jee-woon’s “A Tale difficult to imagine a different evolution. But a glance at fiery nationalism, close to jingoism, take root easily when ever, could be the ambition of a new generation, the success
of Two Sisters”, Park Chan-wook’s, “Old Boy”, have the neighboring countries which benefit from superior ba- expectations are not met. Shall we conclude that South of the present administration and a tremendous booster for
brought to an international audience a unique civilization, sic resources show how communism could bring nations to Korea is in a crisis, or in a transition? It seems to me as a the Korean economy. How will it happen? It is anybody’s
Asian but definitely not Chinese and definitely not their knees. transition to the next stage, when South Korea will become guess but, based on my knowledge of North Korea and my
Japanese. These movies have produced in the West a cul- History has thus proven that South Korean leaders a major global player on the world scene. memories of Russia, I bet on an implosion of North Korea
ture shock comparable to the European discovery of made the right choices at an early stage when liberal under the stress of mass poverty. The North Korean people
Japanese prints in the late 19th century. In fine arts, simi- democracy did not necessarily look like a winning choice: Global Player are no longer ignorant of the global reality.
larly, the video art pioneer Paik Nam June and his follow- whatever the rational (resist North Korea? emulate Japan? Many in South Korea fear the cost of this reunification;
er Jheon Soo-cheon have opened the eyes of art lovers follow the United States?), South Korea had it right. This South Korea at sixty has unique resources that remain un- but the benefits in terms of market opportunities and new
everywhere; thanks to these artists, South Korea has been needs to be reaffirmed as Korean society at sixty doesn’t tapped: its civilization as mentioned above is the most ev- work force would rapidly offset the costs. Moreover it
discovered as if it were a new continent. Korea was there escape the turmoil which goes with maturity. Is South ident. By promoting its cultural resources, from its muse- would bring peace to North East Asia, which remains un-
but we, in the West, could hardly see it. Korea in a crisis? Of course it is; only stagnant nations ums to its cuisine, by pursuing the globalization of its stable and very much depending on the good will of the
Can these artists, to whom I shall add the writer Yi Mun- mired in poverty, under despotic regimes, ignore crisis. economy, South Korea could be better recognized as a U.S. military. A stronger and larger Korea could balance its
yeol, help us understand who South Korea is at sixty? It is the Because it is an actual democracy, and a modern economy, global player. A stronger economy, more cultural value influence between Japan and China with the ultimate goal
Morning Calm and Dynamism simultaneously. When Jheon South Korea has entered into the cycle of rising expecta- would bring a stronger diplomatic position; South Korea of a North East Asian economic zone, following the lines of
Soo-cheon displays his installations in Seoul , Venice , Paris tion: only when life is improving do you start wondering does not need to remain dwarfed between China and the European Union. Such a grand design could become the
or New York, ancient funeral statuettes in a contemporary why it is not improving more rapidly. When free speech is Japan. More global clout would make reunification easier new national ambition of the South Koreans and overcome
light, he connects the oldest tradition with cutting edge allowed, why not become vociferous? against those who do not want it. Not only against North short-term domestic conflicts or short-sighted nationalism.
modernity: like Yi Mun-yeol’s novel , “Hail to the Emperor”, As seen from abroad, especially from Western Europe, Korea, which is an economic midget but against China and This grand design should not exclude some significant

SPECIAL SERIES
President Lee Myung-bak, government officials,
experts and entrepreneurs attend a mammoth
meeting to announce the nation’s new economic
growth engine industries at the the Electronics
and Telecommunications Research Institute in
Daejeon on Sept. 22
changes within South Korean society. Among those, educa- cial attention to the old and retired, safety and a more beau-
tion comes first. South Korean schools, colleges and univer- tiful environment. The beautification of Seoul under the
sities are still very much in the grip of a traditional system leadership of former mayor and now President Lee Myung-
which goes back to Confucian rote learning. This authori- bak and his successor Oh Se-hoon has demonstrated that
tarian pedagogy was perhaps well-geared to the first stage government officials can make a difference in the daily life
of South Korean industrialization when it required an obe- of the Korean people. This is a model to be followed.
dient workforce. But in a transition toward a more high-
tech and service-oriented economy, South Korea needs a Korea in Sixty Years’ Time
more initiative-based workforce and more entrepreneur-
ship-minded individuals; this requires a fundamental shift I have no doubt about Korea’s economic or diplomatic sta-
in the education style, toward a more individualistic and tus sixty years from now. But I wonder what Korean will
less Confucian type of students-teachers relationship. mean then? All nations today are torn apart between their
A more open education would be able to retain in ancestors’ roots and fusion into a global melting pot. Most
South Korea many of its best students who now emigrate probably, the recent nationalistic outbursts among young
to the United States; it would also attract students and Koreans express a disarray towards these contradictory
scholars from other parts of the world, not only from the trends. The tension between local and global will only in-
Asia Pacific region. A whiff of cosmopolitism would en- crease as more Koreans will live abroad or be exposed to di-
hance the creativity of the Korean education and its per- verse cultural experiences. Moreover, more foreigners will
formance. More and better educated, Koreans would pro- come and live in Korea; Korea cannot escape immigration
duce less “irregular” workers, while most of these “irregu- and its developing economy will need immigrant workers,
lar” workers presently suffer from a lack of proper educa- at the top as well as at the bottom of the economic scale.
tion. Better educated Koreans will be more ready to under- Will this confrontation between Koreans and foreigners,
stand the harsh process of destructive creation, which is the abroad and at home, be smooth and easy? Will xenophobia
core of rapid economic development: adaptation through prevail, or intermarriage? Probably, both will happen, like
education should be the Korean answer to the challenges of in the rest of the world. New Growth Engine Industries-1
globalization. Koreans who always defined themselves through their
This adaptation will not be a smooth nor an instanta- bloodline and family history, will then be compelled to
neous process; no country so far has been able to strike an
easy balance between the flexibility requirements of the
change their self definition: a Korean in the future could
well be Korean by culture without being Korean by genetic
Planting Seeds of Growth in Key Sectors
BY CHOI HE-SUK
global market and the collective desire for stability. Some origin. Moreover, a Korean could be Korean and something KOREA HERALD STAFF WRITER
turmoil will happen that cannot be avoided, but more open else simultaneously. This is not to be feared: we are all shift-
political debates, better public explanations, better educa- ing from a world dominated by the cult of our ancestors, to
tion and constant negotiations should lead to more consen- a world based on shared identity. Many Koreans will remain
A
sual solutions. Korean and become global citizens as well; and many glob- s the country’s economic more than 400 candidates. Although observers have comment-
To achieve such a delicate balance between competition al citizens could become Korean by choice. ■ growth rate slows, the govern- The result is 22 industries from six ed that success will depend on whether
and social stability, South Korea should not necessarily fol- ment has been seeking what it fields, announced on Sept. 22. The six or not the private sector spends as
low other models, be it Japan, the United States or Europe. Guy Sorman is a French journalist, economist, calls “new growth engines.” categories are energy and environ- much as the government is hoping for,
There is room for creativity in a still young State: South philosopher and author of twenty books on contem- In its search for new industries to ment, transportation systems, new in- the Lee Myung-bak administration has
Korean economists, state officials, union leaders, and entre- porary affairs, covering the five continents. He is a fuel economic growth, Seoul has set formation technology, industrial con- high hopes for its ambitious plans.
preneurs could experiment with new solutions such as a regular columnist for Le Figaro in France, the Wall up a special team of more than 360 vergence, biotechnology and knowl- According to the government’s es-
competitive welfare system, permanent training, negative Street Journal and City Journal in the United States, experts from the industrial, academic edge-based services. timates, the project will raise the coun-
income tax for the poorest, and social “flexi security” (flex- and other publications around the world. Sorman and research fields led by Korea Under the plans the government try’s value added production output to
ibility for the employers, security for the employees) mech- taught economics at the Paris Institute of Political Advanced Institute of Science and will inject 7.9 trillion won ($5.4 billion) 253 trillion won by 2013 from this
anisms as now practiced in Scandinavia. Sciences from 1970 to 2000. He has held several public offices, includ- Technology (KAIST) president Suh into these areas, hoping to persuade year’s 116 trillion won and increase
Beyond these still to be created public institutions, gov- ing advisor to the prime minister of France (1995-1997) and deputy Nam-pyo. Together with the Ministry the private sector to foot the 91.5 tril- exports from this year’s $120.8 billion
ernment, at the national and local levels, should focus on mayor of Boulonge, near Paris. He was appointed by President Lee of Knowledge Economy, the team lion won that remains from the total of to $306.9 billion by 2013 and to
the quality of life in Korea. The Korean people have worked, Myung-bak as a member of the Global Advisors and Friends of Korea in worked for about six months to select 99.4 trillion won investment planned $795.4 billion by 2018.
and still work, hard; they deserve reliable health care, spe- June 2008. new growth engine industries out of for its new growth engine scheme. The government also expects

SPECIAL SERIES
880,000 new jobs will be created over last year’s 43.3 percent by 2018.
the next five years and 2.26 million
jobs made available over the next 10 Transportation Systems
years as a result of the projects.
The transportation system category
Energy and Environment consists of two subcategories - envi-
ronmentally friendly automotive tech-
The Lee Myung-bak government has nology and technologies related to
placed great emphasis on promoting ships and maritime facilities.
“green growth,” and such intentions In the case of environmentally
can also be seen through the new friendly automotive technologies, the
growth engine scheme. government plans to direct 1.3 trillion
Of the 22 new growth engine in- won over the next five years with the
dustries, six are in the field of energy aim of developing the local industry
and environment, five of which are into one of the world’s top four na-
concerned with alternative or renew- tions in terms of related technologies.
able energy sources. The six industries Although local carmakers have al-
singled out are clean coal energy, mar- ready made significant headway with-
itime bio fuels, solar cells, carbon out much help from the government,
dioxide capture and recycling, fuel cell the inclusion of the subject in the new
power generation systems and nuclear growth engine plans have been wel-
power facilities. The total investment comed by the industry.
required in these areas is estimated at Hyundai Kia Automotive Group al-
30.47 trillion won over the next five ready has a number of hydrogen fuel
years. cell driven vehicles and hybrid electric be injected by 2013. In addition to the ubiquitous sensor networks refer to is 34.5 trillion won. In the biotechnology sector -
For clean coal energy, converting vehicles around the world and the com- conventional ideas such as developing the ubiquitous use of RFID tags for For robotics, the government hopes which according to the plans will re-
low-grade coal to synthetic petroleum pany is scheduled to begin commercial more advanced ships, the category in- purposes ranging from monitoring to raise the local industry to one of the ceive a 900 billion won investment
using eco-friendly methods, the gov- production of the liquefied petroleum cludes innovative ideas such as mobile pollution and environmental condi- top three globally by 2018 to capitalize over the next five years - focus will be
ernment hopes to induce investments gas-electric hybrid version of the com- harbors that move out to sea for larg- tions to military applications. on a world-wide market expected to placed on developing new medicines
worth 22 trillion won over the next pact sedan Avante next year. The auto er ships that require deeper waters, a Over the next five years, the gov- grow to $420 billion by 2020. from biological sources and nurturing
five years. giant has also succeeded in locally de- prototype of which will be introduced ernment estimates that 28.3 trillion For the new materials and nano- medical equipment technologies,
According to the government’s veloping much of the technologies used at the Yeosu Expo 2012. won needs to be injected into these ar- convergence category, Seoul has pen- much of which Korea still imports.
projections, the clean coal energy in- in hybrid vehicles allowing it to signif- eas. Of the total, 13.5 trillion won will ciled in 12.6 trillion won for the next According to the Korea Health
dustry will generate 150,000 new jobs icantly reduce production costs. New Information Technology be directed towards semiconductor-re- five years in the hopes that the coun- Industry Development Institute, of the
and produce 80 million barrels of syn- “There has been no change in poli- lated areas with the emphasis on sys- try will grow to be one of the world’s more than 2,300 medical devices cost-
thetic petroleum on an annual basis - cies concerning environmental car Under the new information technolo- tem semiconductors, the market for top four nations in terms of materials ing more than 100 million won that
or about 8 percent of Korea’s annual technologies as of yet and no support gy category, the government has in- which is about four times larger than technology and solve the country’s were in use at university hospitals in
petroleum consumption by 2018. - other than what had already been in cluded semiconductors, displays, next- that for memory chips. trade deficit problem by 2018. 2005, less than 4 percent was pro-
Maritime bio fuels - referring to place - has materialized,” said an auto generation mobile telecommunica- IT-based convergence refers to the duced by local firms. In addition, the
petroleum alternatives produced from industry official, adding that policy tions and LED lighting as future Industrial Convergence addition of information technology to Korea Health Industry Development
aquatic plants and carbon dioxide changes are likely to be implemented growth engines. telecommunications to develop IT ap- Institute’s data showed that last year
capture and recycling techniques - use within the next couple of years. The fifth and final subcategory The industrial convergence category plicable to automotive, shipbuilding the country imported $2.2 billion
carbon dioxide produced at high- “But the process of fine tuning the that comes under new information concerns areas that require two or and other key industries. worth of medical equipment, while ex-
emission facilities such as power policies takes time and many in the in- technology is RFID and USN. RFID, more industries to converge. For the broadcasting-telecommu- ports came in at only $1 billion.
plants as gas in the production of oth- dustry consider it highly significant short for radio frequency identifica- The category consists of four in- nication convergent media, which in- The final category is knowledge-
er chemicals. that the president is personally involv- tion, is a method of identification us- dustries: robotics, new materials and cludes internet protocol television and based services. It consists of four differ-
Overall, the government expects ing himself in drawing up such plans.” ing RFID tags, which is currently being nano-convergence, IT-based conver- mobile broadcasting services, 18.7 tril- ent industries: software, design, health-
the five alternative energy projects to For plans concerning ships and used in a wide range of areas includ- gence, and broadcasting-telecommu- lion won is estimated to be required in care and cultural contents business.
reduce the country’s petroleum depen- maritime facilities, the government es- ing product tracking, transportation nication convergent media. The total order to meet the target of developing The government is aiming for 6.6
dency by 13.4 percentage points from timates that 733 billion won needs to payments and in passports. USN or investment estimated for the category a world class industry by 2018. trillion won in investments by 2013. ■

FOREIGN VIEWPOINT
Multiculturalism Starts At Home

South Korea has instituted several programs particularly bullying, should be instituted.
aimed at promoting awareness of a nation ■ Foreign spouses, who are often well-
evolving towards a more diverse constituen- educated in their home countries,
cy; from local governments to the national should be given opportunity to pursue
level, laws have been enacted to ensure a higher learning in South Korea. This will
proactive approach to the challenges of a also make them become more produc-
multicultural society. tive members of society.
For the Philippines, multiculturalism takes ■ People-to-people exchange must be
on greater significance as more than 50,000 further strengthened. Government
of our countrymen reside in South Korea as agencies like the Korea Local
students, workers, missionaries or spouses of Authorities Foundation for International
Korean nationals. With this trend expected to Relations, an agency under the Ministry
continue, I wish to offer my views on multicul- of Government and Home Affairs, assist
turalism, particularly as it relates to mixed BY LUIS T. CRUZ in developing sister-city arrangements.
PHILIPPINE AMBASSADOR TO SOUTH KOREA
marriages: ■ Some local and national government
units sponsor a program where family
■ It is not enough that South Koreans help members of the foreign spouses are in-
foreign spouses adjust to life in South should be given to naturalized Koreans. vited to South Korea to get acquainted
Korea. The Korean spouses must also Many have already taken up positions as with Korean life and culture.
learn and understand the culture of their civil servants in their respective local Conversely, Korean NGOs like the YW-
foreign spouses. governments. CA, through its Migrant Women’s
Homeland Visiting Project, sponsor
■ President Lee Myung-bak once proposed ■ Foreign spouses should be encouraged
trips of Korean husbands to the country
having Korean men undergo mandatory to form interpersonal networks, particu-
of their spouses. These should be en-
education prior to interracial marriage. larly with other foreign spouses. These
couraged.
The Philippines already implements a networks provide invaluable support
similar program whereby Filipinos going systems and reduce the feeling of sad- ■ South Koreans must remember that for-
abroad as fiancés or spouses are required ness and isolation. eign countries stood by South Korea
to attend guidance and counseling ses- when it needed help. Several countries
■ The Philippine Embassy carries out a pro-
sions before their departure. rushed to its aid during the Korean War.
gram that introduces Filipino culture not
Now that South Korea is a developed na-
■ Aside from the cultural gap, Korean insti- only to children of multicultural families,
tion, it is now in a good position to pay
tutions should also address the mis- but also to Korean spouses and in-laws.
back and help others in the global soci-
match in expectations between the There should be more of these, and
ety who are also in need.
Korean husband and the foreign spouse. Korean government institutions and NGOs
The former expects his spouse to help should come up with cooperative projects ■ Koreans who study abroad are exposed
him with the family trade and take care of with embassies and other institutions that to other cultures over a period of time.
his parents, but the latter enters the mar- promote inter-cultural understanding. They should be harnessed to help pro-
riage hoping to be gainfully employed mote multiculturalism in Korea.
■ There is a need to educate educators as
and thus be in a position to extend eco- well. Because behavior forms at an early
nomic help to her own family. To be really effective, programs must not only
age, parents and teachers must be
permeate all levels of government but also be
■ Ties to the home country are nurtured aware and wary of discriminatory prac-
endemic in the grassroots. Multicultural fami-
and strengthened specially during spe- tices-including their own.
lies must themselves be active in promoting
cial festivals akin to Chuseok for ■ Some Filipino parents I talked to send
Koreans, when families take extra effort consciousness about the issue. Instead of
their kids to school overseas because of
to be together. These events include merely helping a foreign spouse become as-
the reported bullying of their children, the
Christmas, New Year, birthdays and the similated to Korean culture, South Korea will
high cost of education in South Korea
like. Recognition by the Korean spouse do even better by embracing the richness of
and the strong pressure born by young
of the need to commemorate these im- students to extend their study and extra- cultures naturally present in the homes of in-
portant occasions will go a long way in curricular sessions until late at night. terracial couples and using the knowledge
fostering mutual understanding. Programs that address the added chal- derived from multicultural families to equip
■ More opportunities for civic service lenges faced by multicultural children, the nation with a truly global perspective. ■
66 KOREA DECEMBER 2008

Korea (2008 Vol. 4 No. 12)

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Jang Han-na Shows New Side of Vivaldi

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The Ministry of Justice

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Naturalized Koreans school. He studies eco-friendly pig

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The Experience of Foreign Students in Korea

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“Sets of bilateral and multilateral FTAs will help accelerate the

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Ramsar Changwon 2008

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Ministry of National Defense

Lecturers of the World Ocean Forum 2008

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National Museum of Korea

Museum Prepares to Celebrate Museum, founded on Nov. 1, 1908, at

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The World of Korea

The Korean Museum of Calligraphy

Korean Calligraphy opened in Suwon in October 2008. It is

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stand and accept any forms of artistic

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World The 18-year-old Korean top figure skater defended her

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Japanese Artist Focuses

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Three Renowned Film Directors

ed the famous “Les Amants du Pont-

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and Mild Foods Milder

Sundae Town in Sillim-dong Sindang-dong Tteokbokki Bukchang-dong Alley

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Inje Ice Fish Festival

How to Get There:

Sancheoneo (mountain trout) Ice Festival

Gangwon-do invites visitors to