Asian Outlook Spring 2014 Issue #2 by Asian Outlook

ASIAN OUTLOOK

volume XXVII, issue 4

INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS

ASIAN

Volume XXVII, Issue 4

contents OUTLOOK 2

ASIAN OUTLOOK

conscience 28 | Max Lin 30 | YaeJin Oh 31 | Frank Tiu

Cover image sources: http://i.imgur.com/IusXy.png

ASIAN OUTLOOK EXECUTIVE BOARD SPRING 2014

letter from the editor...

t’s the final stretch! Only a few more weeks and we’re done with the school year! Time passes in a terrifyingly quick manner, and although it’s not a new thought (and definitely not an uncommon one) I’ll always be exclaiming about it, so sorry about that. I don’t think it’s really hit me yet, the fact that life as I know it is about to completely change in less than a month, but before I end up having a panic attack about post-grad plans, I’ll get right on to introducing this issue of Asian Outlook. As you can see from the cover, this issue has a large focus on international news from this first quarter of the year. A few examples include two articles on Dennis Rodman in North Korea (hence the minimalist Kim Jong-un cover, credits to my sister for throwing it together), Obama’s attendance at the nuclear summit with South Korea and Japan, and the ongoing happenings in Ukraine. Also featured in this issue are “China’s Other Panda” which touches upon mental illness – an important, but often overlooked issue for the AAPI community – in China, and “The Family Reunion Between North and South Korea,”and some lighter articles like Wong Fu’s movie and South/South East Asia’s water festivals. It’s a little on the shorter side this time, but don’t worry, this is only issue two. I’ll save my college/AO reflection – which I know everyone is dying to read – for the third issue, so get ‘em while you can! There are only 1000 (hard) copies! . . .No? Well, I suppose another reason why you should check the special issue is because it features the work from students taking courses in the Asian and Asian American Studies Department! This was a collaborative effort between the magazine and supportive AAAS faculty members which produced very engaging and informative results. If you have never considered taking a AAAS course, you certainly will after reading some of those articles! In other news, you may have noticed a couple of new names on our E-board over there on the right. We have a historian and blogger now! Hooray! This would be Asian Outlook’s third attempt at keeping a blog, but we have faith that this time it will be a success. The idea is that it would not only provide readers with an opportunity to engage in dialogue about news articles, but also keep people updated on what’s going on in AO, allow you to give us feedback, and more! Very exciting stuff. You’ll also get to see the photos taken by our new historian up there too! Pop on on over to www.asianoutlook.wordpress.com and let us know what you think! As always, thank you for picking up this issue, we hope that you enjoy it!

Claire Chang Co-Editor-in-Chief, Spring 2014

editors-in-chief conscience editor copy editors

layout editors

secretary business manager publicity manager historian blogger staff writers

Claire Chang Kayla Natrella Rudy Kuang Adam Mei Joe Park Tina Yu YaeJin Oh Amanda Lau Ashley Lau Cyndi Chin Jimmy Zhang Calvin Chan Dale Gao Frank Tiu Jaehoon Kang Shelley Shin Jinhua Hu Sharon Lau

EDITORIAL POLICY Asian Outlook is the art, literary and news magazine of the Asian Student Union of SUNY’s Binghamton University. Originally conceived and created to challenge, redefine, re-imagine and revolutionize images and perceptions associated with Asians and Asian Americans, Asian Outlook also serves to protect the voice of those in the minority, whether by ethnicity, gender, and/or political orientation. All matter contained within these b`eautiful pages do not necessarily reflect the views of the editorial board. Asian Outlook reserves the right to edit submissions and publish work as deemed appropriate. Prospective contributors are encouraged to discuss their work with the editors prior to submissions. Articles may be submitted as an e-mail attachment to ao.editor@gmail.com. All artistic and literary pieces may be submitted to aoconscience@gmail.com.

CONTACT POLICY Uninvited contact with writers and contributors is forbidden under punishment of pain. Please direct all questions, comments and complaints to ao.editor@gmail.com.

interested in contributing?

E-mail us at:

ao.editor@gmail.com

Or come to our weekly meetings held in the Asian Student Union office (UUW-329) every Wednesday at 8:00 p.m.

Vol. XXVII, Issue 3

UKRAINE is being Crimea is located in the southeastern portion of Ukraine, with historically Russian ties. Like most of the south and east of Ukraine, it supports the Russia-Ukraine relationship, and voted for President Yanukovych in the 2010 elections. Crimea was given to Ukraine by Krushchev in 1954, and is often seen as a sign of intended good will. While Ukraine has the most direct path to Crimea and the Black Sea, Russia is still geographically close to Crimea on the eastern flank. When the Soviet Union disbanded in 1991, Crimea stayed with Ukraine although many expected Boris Yeltsin to take it back. In 1997, Ukraine and Russia signed a 50 year lease allowing Russia to keep its fleet in Sevastopol, although Crimea still belonged to Ukraine.

split APArt By Alex Ching

Soviet Union allowed Ukraine to become its own sovereign state, strong geo-political differences have resulted in its current political tensions. Specifically, Ukrainians have recently been split between supporting an economic agreement with the European Union, or one with the Russian led Customs Union. Central and Western Ukraine strongly believe that Ukraine’s economic future lies with the European Union— however, Southern and Eastern Ukraine believe the opposite. These geo-political differences have been the result of ethnic and cultural clashes. Ukrainians located in Central and Western parts of the state favor Ukrainian nationalism, wanting to be distinctly different from Russia. However, Ukrainians located in the other two aforementioned areas have held on to their Russian roots. These differences strongly affected the 2010 Ukrainian elections, when pro-Russian legislator Viktor Yanukoych was elected as president due to overwhelming support from the Eastern and Southern areas of the country. For many Ukrainians in the Western and Central sections of the country however, Yanukoych’s election represented the continuation of the status quo—of corrupt politicians who sacrifice the future of the country in favor of personal financial gains, by doing business with Russia. This belief

ASIAN OUTLOOK

Photo of Ukranians holding their flag to express nationalism.

lthough the breakup of the

was highlighted on Nov. 21, 2013 when Yanukovych abandoned a trade deal with the European Union. While the Office of Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), an outside political group that monitors elections, have stated that the 2010 election of Yanukovych was fair, many have claimed that his tenure as President was rife with corruption, specifically pointing to the jailing of his opposition leader. Thus, after Yanukovych’s trade deal decision was announced, many pro-EU supporters decided to take to the streets and protest. Nine days later, images of police brutality surfaced, leading to a 300,000 person protest in Kiev’s Independent Square on Dec. 1. While the protests continued, Ukraine’s financial problems continued to aggregate, totaling to a $30 billion debt crisis. With no fix to the crisis, Russian President Vladimir Putin stepped in and pledged $15 billion in aid, as well as a discount to Russian gas. However, this reinforced the image that government officials were working with Putin, and only exacerbated the strife. Following the decision by Putin to grant aid to Ukraine, and amid increased protest, Yanukoyvch signed an anti-protesting bill on Jan. 16 of this year, which also limited the freedom of speech of Ukrainian citizens. This ultimately backfired as protesting intensified, increasing the violence between the civilians and police. This

led to the Prime Minister of Ukraine resigning on Jan. 28, although the Ukrainian parliament repealed the anti-protesting bill. Finally, on Feb. 23, Yanukoyvch fled for Russia, where he currently has protection. Following this, Ukraine issued warrants for Yanukoyvch, and the interim President Oleksandr Turchynov took over. Yanukoyvch’s fleeing of the capital signified a huge win for pro-EU supporters. The current interim government—presidential elections are scheduled for later this year—has been strongly supportive of an economic agreement with the European Union. The EU have offered a deal of up to $15 billion in financial aid, with the United States promising $1 billion in loan guarantees: a deal that benefits both Ukraine and the EU. This is a symbiotic relationship and EU’s interest with Ukraine is not just one of political interest. Ukraine produces over 40 million tons of grain per year, with Europe being the main beneficiary of this agricultural production. Ukraine is often regarded as “the breadbasket of Europe,” and by strengthening ties with it, Europe is guaranteeing a sustainable food supply. However, Ukraine’s political problems did not end with the change of government; its departure from the Customs Union weakened Russia’s political goals in the region, and the Putin administration’s response to the Ukrainian situation resulted in the Crimean region becoming a central focus in international politics. Before moving further though, it is important to understand Putin’s goal in Eastern Europe. First of all, Russia considers itself the defender of Slavs, an idea that dates back to the Pan-Slavism movement in the 19th century. Ukraine has been a key region for this movement, not just because of its geographical proximity to Russia, but also because of the ethnic history between Ukrainians and Russians. In the past months, Vladimir Putin had said that Ukrainians were “brothers-in-arms”. Secondly, Russia has always needed a warm water port, a desire that has its roots with the reign of Peter the Great. Russia’s current warm water port, called Sevastopol, is located in the Black

Sea off the coast of Crimea. This port was acquired by Russia in the mid 19th century, but the issue of its authority in Crimea, and whether Russia or Ukraine controls the region, has been in dispute since the Cold War (see text box).

“RUSSIA IS THE ONLY COUNTRY IN THE WORLD WHICH IS REALLY CAPABLE OF TURNING THE USA INTO RADIOACTIVE ASH.” With the change in the economic direction of Ukraine, one that left Russia behind, Vladimir Putin was left with a problem. Specifically, Russia needed control of the warm water port in Sevastopol— however, the Crimean region was under the authority of Ukraine, a country that had just cut its economic and political ties with Russia. Still, there was a potential solution. Going back to the geopolitical divide within Ukraine mentioned at the beginning of this article, Crimea had always been a strong supporter of maintaining relations with Russia instead of Western Europe. After the political change in the government, pro-Russian supporters in Crimea as well as other parts of Eastern Ukraine began a counter-protest against the new government. The citizens began to take over local government buildings, and hung banners stating, “Crimea is Russia.” Citizens also began replacing Ukrainian flags with Russian ones. Amidst the counter-protesting, the Ukrainian police which was now under the control of the pro-EU government, had to deal with a new wave of protest— this time from the opposite end of the political spectrum. This allowed Putin to intervene. He not only warned Ukraine to abstain from interfering with the

counter-protests, but he also moved troops within the region as an act to protect Crimean citizens. Although one could question whether Putin’s move was an idealistic belief of helping the people, or a move based on political motivation, Crimean citizens welcomed the Russian involvement and decided to hold a referendum to decide whether it should leave Ukraine and join Russia. Before the referendum on March 16, international journalists noticed huge waves of Russian citizens traveling into the region to participate in the protests; furthermore, these journalists observed heavily armed troops occupying the area and enforcing security. President Putin claimed that these troops were “local militia” and in no way associated with Russian military. However, these personnel were carrying standard-issue Russian military firearms as well as wearing uniforms that matched Russian military gear— right down to the insignia. With Ukraine unable to enforce order in Crimea, Crimean citizens voted overwhelmingly (93%) to split with Ukraine and join Russia. All the while, although Europe and the United States have decried the move by Russia, the restrained reaction of these leaders have left many calling them weak. However, the situation of these countries is very delicate. Europe relies heavily on Russian gas, which supplies 25 to 30 percent of Europe’s gas consumption; therefore any significant European threat is also buoyed by the threat of an energy crisis. The United States also has very limited options in responding to Putin’s takeover of Crimea. Putin’s administration has been very critical of the United States, and propagandist Dmitry Kiselyov has openly stated, “Russia is the only country in the world which is really capable of turning the USA into radioactive ash.” Despite economic sanctions by the EU and US on Russia, it seems that Russia’s stance against Western influence means that the sanctions serve only as political motivation for Vladimir Putin.

Sources: http://www.bbc.com/news/world-middleeast-26248275

Vol. XXVII, Issue 3

LET’S

AGREE The collaboration of Park Geun-Hye,President Barack Obama and Shinzo Abe (from left to right).

On One

Thing By Shelley Shin

ASIAN OUTLOOK

ack in march of this year,

President Obama hosted the first meeting between South Korean President Park Geun-Hye and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe— both leaders came into office last year. Meeting on the sidelines of a nuclear security summit meeting, the three leaders discussed the issue of North Korea’s nuclear threats. At the conclusion of the summit meeting, all three leaders expressed the importance of the three countries’ closer coordination with regard to North Korea and the nuclear issue. This trilateral meeting represents the large effort of President Obama to bring together the United States’ closest Northeast Asian allies against the North Korean nuclear issue. However, given the past histories of the two countries, South Korea and Japan, much tension circulated around the arrangement of the meeting. Under the Japanese colonial rule during the early 1900s, the Korean people had endured hardships, most notably in the forms of forced labor and comfort women. In 1945, South Korea and Japan agreed upon

a normalization treaty (Treaty on Basic Relations between Japan and the Republic of Korea). With this treaty, the Japanese government provided compensation for its wrongdoings. In 1993, the Chief Cabinet Secretary Yohei Kono released a formal apology to the comfort women; now referred to as the Kono statement. Following the 1993 apology, another apology to nations that suffered from Japanese aggression was issued in 1995. Despite Japan’s history of compensation and apology, the Korean public still calls upon the Japanese government to compensate all those that had suffered under Japanese rule and to sincerely apologize to the victims. The issue is complicated by the fact that in early 2005, the release of declassified documents tied to the KoreanJapanese normalization negotiations show that South Korea had received compensation from Japan but had used it to fuel economic growth at the time. As a result, some Korean victims target their fight against private companies that benefited from the 1945 compensation and the South Korean government. However, many Korean victims still seek sincere apologies from the Japanese government. In the past, the Japanese government, in pursuit of restoring national pride, rewrote its textbooks to portray a more positive light on Japan’s history— “whiting-out” the unpleasant history. On the issue of comfort women, there are politicians, particularly those belonging to nationalist parties that argue “there is no evidence that people called comfort women were taken away by violence or threat by the military.” This along with speculation that the 1993 Kono statement may be altered or retracted due to nationalist pressures, leave the Korean people to question the sincerity of past apologies.

This trilateral meeting represents the large effort of President Obama to bring together the United States’ closest Northeast Asian allies against the North Korean nuclear issue. Further straining South KoreanJapanese relations is Prime Minister Abe’s visit to the Yasukini Shrine last year. Though the shrine symbolizes the honor of dying for the Emperor to the Japanese people, it is a symbol of Japanese militarism for the families of Korean soldiers that are enshrined at Yasukini. These Korean soldiers were not only forced to fight for the Japanese military but they are also enshrined with war criminals. Many Koreans have called for the de- shrining of loved ones however this issue conflicts with the right to practice religion. In February, a breakthrough in the tense relations occurred when Prime Minister Abe announced that he would not try to revise the 1993 Kono statement. President Park warmly regarded his decision, raising U.S. hope in the eventual reconciliation of the two countries. Though, it will take more than that to reconcile the deeply ingrained history of the two nations. After

all, public memory is not so easily disposed of. For the meanwhile, the two nations agree upon the need for closer coordination in addressing the North Korean nuclear issue. Sources: http://www.globalpost.com/dispatch/news/ afp/140325/obama-host-landmark-japanskorea-summit http://www.japantimes.co.jp/ news/2012/08/23/news/no-evidence-sexslaves-were-taken-by-military-hashimoto/#. UzuYLa1dWRw http://www.nytimes.com/2013/05/08/world/ asia/japan-says-it-will-abide-by-apologiesover-war.html?_r=0 http://www.nytimes.com/2014/03/11/world/ asia/japan.html?action=click&module=Searc h&region=searchResults%230&version=&ur l=http%3A%2F%2Fquery.nytimes.com%2Fse arch%2Fsitesearch%2F%23%2Fjapan%2Bko rea%2F&version=&url=http://query.nytimes. com/search/sitesearch/ http://english.chosun.com/site/data/html_ dir/2005/01/17/2005011761025.html http://www.nytimes.com/2014/03/22/world/ asia/south-korea-and-japan-agree-to-summit.html http://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2014/03/25/remarks-president-obamapresident-park-republic-south-korea-andprime-mi

Vol. XXVII, Issue 3

JAPAN ALLOWS U.S. TO ASSUME CONTROL OF

Nuclear Cache By Russell Tobias

The transaction between Japan and the U.S. marks a significant milestone in the campaign to procure harmful nuclear components.

even hundred pounds of weapons-grade plutonium

has been sitting for over 50 years in a Japanese research laboratory. Just thinking about this magnitude of atomic potential is enough to make most people a bit uneasy. In accordance with an agreement between U.S. President Barack Obama and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, a supply that includes over 700 lb. (315 kg) of plutonium and 450 lb. (200 kg) of enriched uranium will be removed from the Fast Critical Assembly at the Japan Atomic Energy Agency (JAEA). Transport to a secure plant within the United States will ensure maximum protection as it is broken down and converted to a less reactive state. This agreement, reached during the Nuclear Security Summit at The Hague, Netherlands on March 24 and 25, is part of a global effort spearheaded by President Obama to mitigate the risk of nuclear material being allocated to terrorist militant organizations. Back in the 1960s, the radioactive supply was purchased from the UK by Japan for research purposes. The intent was to achieve more efficient energy solutions through study of fission chain reactions, as applied to the nuclear physics of fast reactors. When uranium atoms absorb neutrons they become isotopes that eventually decay to create plutonium, which can fuel nuclear reactors. At present, Japan has still not developed the number of advanced reactors required to consume all of its plutonium byproduct. This expanding stockpile of plutonium has resided within the JAEA for decades, with relatively minimal security. A reporter from “The New York Times” visiting the plant at Tokaimura in the early 1990s reportedly

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encountered unarmed guards, and while security has since improved, the vulnerability of such a site is somewhat disconcerting. The transaction between Japan and the U.S. marks a significant milestone in the campaign to procure harmful nuclear components. “This is the biggest commitment to remove fissile materials in the history of the summit process that President Obama launched,” Elizabeth SherwoodRandall of the National Security Council told “The New York Times.” “It is a demonstration of Japan’s shared leadership on nonproliferation.” As of Feb. 2014, Japan was under heavy scrutiny from China regarding the large supply of mainly weapons-grade plutonium. The supply was estimated to be capable of yielding 50 nuclear bombs. Iran also spoke of Japan’s vast nuclear arsenal capability as an inherent double standard as to which nations could be trusted to hold on to their stockpile. South Korean President Park Geun-Hye, host of the second Summit on Nuclear Security, said it is “well known that terrorist groups have been keen on acquiring nuclear weapons and materials.” Nevertheless, Japan was adamant in maintaining its plutonium reserve, despite the 2011 Fukushima nuclear accident, when a tsunami damaged the cooling systems for three Fukushima Daiichi reactors. This resulted in swift nuclear core meltdown, with 100,000 Japanese civilians being forced to evacuate the area. China voiced that it was “extremely concerned” to learn of Japan’s resistance in turning over its plutonium to the U.S. , especially within the last month. For this reason, the recent agreement is

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and U.S. President Barack Obama at Nuclear Security Summit (Netherlands) March 24, 2014.

prompting some to wonder why Japan was so reluctant to do so. Japan’s prior reservation about releasing its nuclear stockpile is understandable when considering the concept of Nuclear Deterrence. The idea is that one nation’s knowledge of another’s capability to retaliate in kind when threatened with nuclear weaponry is sufficient in preventing nuclear warfare. This is also known as the Mutually Assured Destruction (MAD) theory; the earliest known reference was made by English novelist William “Wilkie” Collins. An 1870 excerpt of this, written during the Franco-Prussian War, states: “I begin to believe in only one civilising influence – the discovery one of these days of a destructive agent so terrible that War shall mean annihilation and men’s fears will force them to keep the peace.” It was not until nuclear warfare was introduced during World War II with the bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki that MAD became a doctrine of military strategy and national security policy. MAD is studied largely by game theorists as a representative game in which two opposing players, or nations in this case, who have amassed nuclear arsenals may play one of two strategies, namely, “launch” or “not launch.” The Nash equilibrium, or best possible outcome for this game, is for both players to not launch. It is in neither player’s best interest to attack the other, as this would

result in a counterattack equally devastating, and in turn total annihilation. MAD theory is largely what prevented the Cold War between the U.S. and former Soviet Union during the 1950’s from becoming “hot,” so to speak. The 1150 lb. (520 kg) of combined plutonium and uranium turned over to the U.S. represents only a small fraction of Japan’s total accumulation, presently estimated at nine tonnes. Robert Kelley, a nuclear expert at the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute, believes that the Japanese decision to hand over control of its nuclear cache is for the most part, only a symbolic move. “This isn’t a game changer,” said Mr. Kelley. “It will certainly please the Americans but you need to remember that Japan will continue to have a lot of plutonium.” Even as a symbolic move, the decision is considered a huge success in President Obama’s five-year-long push to secure the world’s most dangerous nuclear materials. Thirteen nations, including Italy and Belgium, have chosen to release their nuclear matter to the U.S. since the conferences among world leaders began on the issue in 2010. While this may not be anywhere near the realization of a world without nuclear weapons, it is an appropriate first step, and fundamental in helping to avoid reoccurrences of accidental nuclear catastrophes that have been paid for with many innocent lives.

Vol. XXVII, Issue 3

China’s Other Panda By Calvin Chan

Only 1 in 12 Chinese who need psychiatric care ever sees a professional—and the problem is getting worse. In this rapidly changing society, there has been an estimated 50 percent increase in the incidence of mental disorders from 2003 to 2008. While the number of people afflicted with a mental disorder has substantially increased, the quality of the mental health care system has not.

ast month, seven female mental health patients were abandoned by their caretakers at a bus station for

25 hours in Dongguan China. The allegedly recovered patients were sent home by the hospital, but were obviously not ready to go home, as they exhibited delirious behavior at the bus station. They searched trashcans and grabbed food from commuters that passed by until confronted by employees of the bus station. The two medical workers in charge of transporting the mental patients said they accidentally “lost” the women at the station while buying tickets, and “forgot” to report to the police. One of the patients denies this account, and they were all found a mere more than

city of southern

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hundred meters away from where they were left. Unfortunately, such acts of neglect by caretakers happen far too often to China’s mentally ill. As of 2009, over 100 million Chinese have suffered from mental health problems, with more than 16 million of them suffering from serious mental illnesses, such as schizophrenia or paranoid psychosis. These figures indicate that 1 out of every 13 Chinese suffers from some form of mental illness. Due to the absence of mental health policy and programs, most of the afflicted will not get the treatment they need. In fact, a study by “The Lancet,” a British medicinal journal, shows that only 1 in 12 Chinese who need psychiatric care ever sees a professional—and the problem is getting worse. In this rapidly changing society, there has been an estimated 50 percent increase in the incidence of mental disorders from 2003 to 2008. While the number of people afflicted with a mental disorder has substantially increased, the quality of the mental health care system has not. The main reason for this stagnation is from the lack of professionals in the psychiatric field. The Chinese Health Ministry’s own mental health bureau in Beijing, for example, consists of only three employees and the director of the bureau is not even a psychiatrist. The problem only worsens when you leave the major cities. The five doctors at Hepu County Psychiatric Hospital, a row of decrepit one-story buildings outside the city of Beihai, serve a region with over a million individuals. In Tibet, a region in China that is over three times the size of California, there is not a single psychiatric institution to be found. Worldwide, there are four psychiatrists and 13 nurses for every 100,000 people, but in China these figures dip to 1.5 psychiatrists and 2.2 nurses per 100,000. That means there is roughly only one psychiatrist for every 83,000 people in China compared to the United States which has 12 times the ratio. Furthermore, many of these psychiatrists have never finished college, much less medical school. “Professional psychiatrists in China are like pandas,” says Zhang Yalin, assistant director of the mental health research

A mental patient tied down at a mental hospital in China. The people of ancient China attributed mental disorder to divine rule or evil spirits.

institute at Central South University’s medical school, “There are only a few thousand of us.” Many Chinese do not want to work with the mentally ill because they still have outdated views on mental health. The ignorance goes back to ancient tradition and more recently, misguided policies by China’s Communist rulers. The people of ancient China attributed mental disorder to divine rule, bad karma, or evil spirits. During the Cultural Revolution, Communist Party officials dismissed psychology as bourgeois Western nonsense. Some people in China still do not realize that mental illness is a real problem and that psychology is a viable profession, because they cling to their superstitions and fanatical communism. The stereotype that mentally ill people are more violent than “normal” people, and that they are a threat to society is still common in China. Although no links have been found between mental illness and violence, the Chinese media’s negative coverage of mental illness in the news and its portrayal of mental patients in film or television has given rise to and perpetuated a stigma.

Whenever one of these news stories breaks, nasty comments such as, “Why let them out [of asylums or homes] to injure people,” litter the internet. This discrimination against the mentally ill also extends to their caretakers. “People worry that my mental status is also disordered because I am dealing with mental patients every day,” says Wang Di, a psychiatrist at Beijing’s An’ding Hospital, in an interview with the Beijing News. Later in the interview she retells stories of being stood up at blind dates, because the other party had found out she was a psychiatrist. Compared to other medical professionals, the psychiatrist job is low pay, high risk, and commands no respect in Chinese society. Doctors are usually given “hongbao” or red envelopes filled with cash in exchange for better treatment or as a sign of gratitude, but psychiatrists receive neither money nor gratitud`e. These “hongbao” are important because they can make up to a third of a doctor’s income. Additionally, inadequate treatment options and the lack of professional psychiatrists have left many in the field

underpaid and overworked. Mental health professionals earn among the lowest salaries of China’s physicians, as low as $125 a month. Many medical school students or interns switch to different specialties once they notice that psychiatrists are not treated or rewarded as well as “real” doctors. Although the situation may look bleak in China, the Chinese government has recently stepped up and committed itself to combating mental illness. Recognizing the severity of the situation, the government has introduced new programs and policies in recent years to remedy the lack of psychiatric services. In Shanghai, mental health has been prioritized by public health departments in a new round of health reform. Shanghai’s first 24 hour suicide hotline will expand its services to five new locations to meet the demand for psychological aid. The Ministry of Health in Beijing plans to establish a mental illness treatment network that would cover 95 percent of counties throughout the country. An estimated 300,000 people have recently received licenses to work as a psychological counselor.

Vol. XXVII, Issue 3

Establishing China’s One-Child Policy:

GOOD

BAD?

By Amanda Lau

Couples are now allowed to have two children if at least one spouse is an only child.

of Nov. 2013, critical reforms were approved regarding China’s One Child Policy. At the Third Plenum of the 18th Communist Party of China, a platform at which Chinese officials declared crucial reforms, President Xi Jinping announced that the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress passed resolutions relieving the restrictions of China’s long overdue One Child Policy. Couples are now allowed to have two children if at least one spouse is an only child. Other exceptions were made for rural families whose first child was a girl or disabled and China’s officially recognized ethnic minorities. “Even if China’s population multiplies many times, she is fully capable of finding a solution; the solution is production. Of all things in the world, people are the most precious.” Beginning with Mao Zedong’s proclamation in 1949, population growth became an important ambition for the country. The communist government went as far as to ban birth control and other forms of contraceptives. This transformation proved to be detrimental with food supply shortages, forced abortions, sterilizations and female infanticide. The identification of the toll that population growth had on the community was s

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the birth of the one-child policy. In 1979, the policy was announced allowing couples from China’s Han majority to have only one child. However, things were not, and still are not, easy when a couple plans to have a child. The couple must obtain a government issued “family planning service certificate,” to confirm that the baby is born legally. To get the birth permit, the process starts with a collection of official stamps from neighboring committees, family planning departments and agencies in their hometowns. The private life of the couple is jeopardized as they must present marriage licenses, birth certificates, residency permits, and other documents to employers to receive the appropriate stamps. Gaining approval from officials takes so long that couples begin applying the moment the baby is conceived. Since it has been in effect, China’s one child policy has been credited with China’s economic boom. While it appears that China is doing well externally, there are many internal issues, some pointing back to the one child policy. According to a CNN news report on Dec. 28, 2013, there was a 3.8% gender gap in the 2011 population with 51.9% males and 48.1% females. In 2012, the ratio of boys born in comparison to girls

born was 118:100, estimating that by 2020, the gender gap will expand and the population will have thirty million more men than women. Besides the problem with men finding spouses, advanced technology allowing couples to fix the gender of the fetus, and additional methods of abortion and sterilization will be used even more to have a boy who can pass down the family name. The “demographic crisis” does not stop there. The evergrowing disparity between the rising elderly population and the diminishing workforce is an even greater concern. Last year, China held the record for the largest population of people over the age of sixty with 194 million people. A proposition that China has to counteract this is to raise the retirement age in efforts to downplay the shrinking workforce. Currently, the enforced retirement age is 50 for most women and 60 for most men. It is projected that by 2020, the numbers will rise to 55 and 65 for women and men respectively, according to a Bloomberg News survey. Delaying retirement will slow the process of China’s labor surplus becoming a deficit, said Zhu Haibin, Hong Kong-based chief China economist at JPMorgan Chase & Co. The shift “will have a much bigger impact on the economy than the change on the one-child policy, because that will only start to affect the labor force in twenty years’ time,” Zhu said.

These causes are probably what led the Chinese government to go ahead with this reform. The requirement used to be that both spouses had to be only children in their families in order to gain permission for a second child. Now qualified couples include those in which one spouse is an only child. Given this chance, many parents are unwilling to take the opportunity because of financial drawbacks. Mao Xiaodan, a Beijing lawyer seven weeks into her first pregnancy, rejected the idea of having a second child, “My husband’s co-worker has twins and just paying for elementary school has nearly bankrupted him.” The rising cost of living and the cultural norm in which the husband makes the money to provide a roof over the family’s head and food on the dinner table work against many couples’ wishes. Of course there are others who do not seem to be bothered by inflation. Zhang Yuan, a mother who is thinking of having a second child in two or three years said, “I’m not concerned about the financial pressure. Rich or not, you can raise the kids either way.” Many parents who are only children do not want their own children to experience the loneliness they felt growing up as a child. They also want more children so they get m o r e support when they are old. China’s onechild policy is

definitely taking a turn for the better with this addition. The prospects are that the demographics will hopefully become more balanced between age groups while not affecting the economy. Wang Feng, a demographer teaching at the University of California, Irvine, said, “Adjusting and improving familyplanning policy is not tantamount to relaxing the policy. In the longer term, allowing all urban couples to have two children would create a cyclical surge in births, so the population would experience sustained growth, and the arrival of the population peak would be delayed. Still China has made one step forward, albeit a few decades late. “The real significance is that it’s a positive signal – the first major change in family planning after many years,” says Professor Hua Sheng, an economist at Southeast University in Nanjing. Sources: http://content.time.com/time/world/article/0,8599,1912861,00.html http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2013-12-24/ china-confronts-workforce-drop-with-retirement-age-delay.html http://www.nytimes.com/2013/11/18/world/asia/ chinas-vow-to-relax-one-child-policy-facesreality-check.html?_r=0 http://www.nytimes.com/2014/02/26/world/asia/ many-couples-in-china-will-pass-on-a-newchance-for-a-second-child.html http://www.cnn.com/2013/12/28/world/asia/ china-one-child-policy-official/

Vol. XXVII, Issue 3

NORTH KORE By Eric Liang

A photo of Dennis Rodman hugging Kim Jung-Un.

ASIAN OUTLOOK

As the constantly vacillating personas that North Korea presents have begun to take on an almost ironic ridiculousness and familiarity, perhaps even more bizarre is the relationship that Kim Jong-un, the nation’s beloved leader, has fostered with American ex-professional basketball player Dennis Rodman.

Korea’s recent attempts to stay relevant on the global politics stage run the gamut from belligerent to benevolent, as can be seen with their interactions with South Korea and the United States as well as with the global community. Recent headline worthy events include how while no North Koreans qualified for the 2014 Sochi Winter Olympics, North Korea’s head of state, Kim Yong-nam, was present at the opening ceremony; the family reunions for families separated across the North/South Korean border that were given a green light in just the past week; and the threats of nuclear war with the United States, South Korea, and other “enemy” countries that are regularly refreshed in our minds with their test missile launches, the latest of which occurred just a few days previously. As the constantly vacillating personas that North Korea presents have begun to take on an almost ironic ridiculousness and familiarity, perhaps even more bizarre is the relationship that Kim Jong-un, the nation’s beloved leader, has fostered with American ex-professional basketball player Dennis Rodman. North Korea is widely known for its isolationist policies; tourism is highly controlled, and citizens are very rarely allowed to leave the country. Refugees who have managed to make their way to China or South Korea regale the world with tales of their escapes and the extreme conditions and human rights abuses their fellow orth

countrymen endure. As such, it came as a surprise to the world when Dennis Rodman, who made his way to North Korea as part of a group whose purpose was to “entertain and inspire” with a basketball exhibition, quickly joined Kim Jong-un’s inner circle, even declaring Kim a “friend for life.” Rodman and his companions are the only Americans known to have met Kim, who has been described by a former classmate as a huge basketball fan. Since that first meeting, Rodman has since made several trips to North Korea, even going so far as to participate in a formal training session with North Korea’s basketball team. Upon his most recent trip in January, he was presented with bottles of vodka featuring a depiction of him laughing with Kim Jong-un. However, reports from South Korean news sources reveal that Rodman “was drunk the whole week of his stay. And the night before he left for the U.S. , he was drunk unconscious, and vomited everywhere he turned. He even “urinated and emptied [his] bowels in the hallway.” Nor has he kept his image clean in the eyes of Kim, who is reported as saying “No one in a right mind would be a friend with Rodman. An animal he is,” in addition to having a warning issued to Rodman informing him that he would not be welcomed in North Korea until he cleaned up his act. Complicating Rodman’s relationship with North Korea and Kim Jong-un even further is the case of Kenneth Bae. Bae,

a South Korean born American citizen and Baptist minister, ran a travel agency that specialized in taking tourists and prospective investors to North Korea. Even though Bae had visited North Korea on several occasions beforehand without incident, he was detained on a trip in early November and charged with intent to undermine and overthrow the North Korean government through anti-North Korean religious sermons and organizations. Bae has since been sentenced to fifteen years of manual labor, causing an outcry from human rights activists around the globe. In addition to severe health problems, as well as several hours of forced farm labor daily, Bae has diabetic complications that may result in permanent vision and kidney damage. Dennis Rodman, noted for his close relationship with Kim Jongun, has been asked several times about Kenneth Bae’s situation and the options Rodman has available to free and return Bae to America. While Rodman has stated that he is “not an ambassador” and knows little to nothing about Bae’s case, he is sympathetic and has asked Kim through Twitter to release Bae. On a separate occasion, Rodman has even gone so far as to offer to “let [him] take Bae’s place” on his next trip to North Korea. However, seeing as he made this statement immediately following his disastrous January trip, he is not likely to be taken up on it.

Vol. XXVII, Issue 3

In Defense

of the Least Influential Man of 2013 By Robert Huang

riting is an

about

politics

turning

electromagnet;

people. Writing about eccentric figures can yield the same response. I suppose these are the reasons why the media harped on the subject of Dennis Rodman visiting North Korea like bloodhounds. In February of 2013, Rodman visited North Korea for the first time and I wanted to defend him against the barrage of satire and cynicism that the media plastered. He was deemed an ignorant traitor, named the least influential person of 2013 by GQ magazine for being “willing to commit borderline treason just to hang out with a dictator,” and much worse. That same month, when I had encountered a TED conference video by Jonathan Haidt on Youtube, which I used to formulate my defense, Binghamton University was also abuzz about the upcoming TEDx conference on campus and I was in a prime position to have my piece published with the utmost it

polarizes

relevance. However, I did not write about any of it. Luckily, Dennis Rodman, the eccentric figure that he is, decided to visit North Korea again in September. Jonathon Haidt, a social psychologist from NYU, gave an enlightening talk on TED about how to deal with the increasingly partisan political parties in the United States. Creating unity to solve imminent problems, like global warming and income disparity is almost impossible. As Haidt says, “When one side says there is a meteor headed our way, the other side is not even willing to look up.” Finding common ground is difficult, but finding common links between different threats may not be. Republicans, mainly Evangelical Christians, have been promoting healthy, lasting marriages since the divorce rate started to rise decades ago. Not many on the left, however, are willing to support marriages because of their staunch pro-choice stance. Meanwhile, the liberals have been trying

to combat income inequality, an issue which conservatives tend to ignore. But if we take a closer look, the increase in non-marital births and divorces are prime causes of the income disparity we see today. Many polarizing problems are better solved together, as solving either problem individually is impractical, since they are closely related and feed off the success of each other. This could bring the factions together, hence the title “How Common Threats Make Common Ground”. However, Haidt’s idea applies mainly to polarization within a country, or possibly within structurally similar political systems. How can we solve polarization between t w o countries with different political systems like the US and North Korea? Bringing t w o polarized countries together is like befriending someone whom has much animosity

Rodman and Kim at a basketball game

towards you. The repairing of such relationships begins with lines of dialogue. Small talk, while trivial, opens up two people to conversation. Therefore, borrowing from Jonathan Haidt, I say, “Common interests make common ground.” The common interest of basketball between Rodman and Kim may be the beginning of a mending relationship between the US and North Korea. This may be a stretch, but the idea is not new. Common interests have brought rival nations together before. During the Cold War, when American and Chinese relations were strained, an unintentional act of kindness brought the two countries together. Glenn Cowan, an American ping pong player stranded after practice in Nagoya, Japan after missing his team’s bus, was invited onto the Chinese team’s bus. After some talking with a translator, Zhuang Zedong—who died in February, the month of Rodman’s visit— a Chinese ping pong player, presented Cowan with a silk screen portrait of the “Huangshan” out of respect and admiration for both Cowan and his game. Wanting to give something back, Cowan bought a T-shirt with a red, white and blue peace emblem and the words “Let It Be”, presenting it to Zhuang at another chance meeting. Japanese reporters photographed the two table tennis players together. After seeing the photographs, Mao Zedong decided to invite the US table tennis team to play in China, after the Department of Foreign Affairs originally rejected the US team. This eventually led Richard Nixon to invite the Chinese table tennis team to play in California and started the thawing of US-China relations. The event was dubbed Ping Pong Diplomacy. When Rodman visited North Korea for the second time, US politicians pressured him to ask for the release of American Kenneth Bae and to question Kim Jung Un about his crimes against humanity. Rodman, on the other hand, wanted to talk to Kim about their love of basketball, start a national team, and build basketball camps for North Korea. While getting answers about Kim’s crimes and securing the release of Kenneth Bae are of the utmost importance, it is not Rodman’s job. Rodman is not a politician or a medium for which to get these things done; nor does Rodman have intentions of resolving political issues. Reporters are urging Rodman to mend political relations and start world peace when Rodman is only starting to build a relationship with Kim. They want basketball diplomacy, without talk of basketball! Trying to achieve political goals without first opening up a line of dialogue is like trying to befriend a rival by skipping the small talk. It is forced, disingenuous, and repulsive. Cowan and Zhuang’s relationship was spontaneous, with no political puppeteering behind either person’s actions. The two shared a common passion for ping pong that transcended national political rivalry. Rodman and Kim share a similar passion for basketball. Rodman played for the Bulls during their golden age and Kim grew up watching the Bulls during that golden age. In Rodman’s interview with George Stephanopoulos, Rodman mentions that he told Kim

that Obama loves basketball too. Not only do Obama and Kim both love basketball, but they both love the Chicago Bulls! Rodman even said that Kim wants Obama to call him. Stephanopoulos, on the other hand, tells Rodman “But that is one tiny bit of common ground. Did you get any sense from him [Kim] that he is looking to change the relationship with the United States?” It is preposterous and laughable that Stephanopoulos disregards “a tiny bit of common ground” while asking Rodman to achieve long term goals. Rodman is successfully establishing common ground, but he has only carved out a small stepping stone to cross an ocean of animosity. If he can somehow create more common ground, whether through development of basketball camps or a national team for North Korea, he is doing multitudes more than what anybody can expect from a tattoo coated, piercing covered, flagrantly fouling basketball player. Ultimately, the responsibility of mending relations will fall on Obama, just as it fell on Nixon. The medium for finding common ground may be better achieved through nonpolitical means, like through mutual love of sports, but the medium for political change must be state leaders.

“If Rodman decides to never go back, I would like to thank him for being crazy enough to try something so absurd, but with so much potential.” All the taunting and negative publicity has recently caused Rodman to rethink visiting North Korea. “I don’t want to be a hero…I just want to be,” he said. “I don’t want people to look at me as the devil or evil person. If you don’t want me to go back there [North Korea] ever again, I won’t go back.” I hope Rodman will not be deterred by the publicity and return to North Korea, because any line of dialogue is better than no dialogue. If Rodman decides to never go back, I would like to thank him for being crazy enough to try something so absurd, but with so much potential.

Calamur, Krishnadev. “Chinese ‘Pingpong Diplomacy’ Player Dies.” NPR. Web. 10 Feb. 2013. http://www.npr.org/blogs/thetwo-way/2013/02/10/171628480/chinesepingpong-diplomacy-player-dies “Dennis Rodman ‘This Week’ Interview: NBA Basketball Star Discusses Kim Jong Un, North Korea Visit.” YouTube. Youtube.com. Accessed on 20 November 2013. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GixKLkai6uA Devoss, David A. “Ping-Pong Diplomacy.” Smithsonian. Web. April 2012. http://www.smithsonianmag.com/history-archaeology/pingpong.html “Jonathan Haidt: How common threats can make common (political) ground.” YouTube. Youtube.com. Accessed on 20 November 2013. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v3o-F94S4FI Mandell, Nina. “Dennis Rodman on North Korea: ‘If you don’t want me to go back there ever again, I won’t go back’.” USAToday Sports. USAToday. Web. 10 Mar. 2014 https://owl.english.purdue.edu/media/pdf/20110928111055_949.pdf

***

Vol. XXVII, Issue 3

THE FESTIVITIES OF

Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Sri Lanka, Thailand, India, Singapore, Malaysia and Mauritius celebrate their New Year celebrations with water to symbolize purity.

t's that time of year, again when spring has finally arrived.

Although spring started a while ago, between the city becoming an ice box for much longer than expected and the sub-zero temperatures in March, I can say that it feels like spring has arrived. Now that the snow is melting and the rainy season is starting, what should we do with all this water? Well, why not spray it at each other since that has been going on in South East Asia. The water festivals are part of New Year celebrations and take place from one to three days in Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Sri Lanka, Thailand, India, Singapore, Malaysia and Mauritius. These festivals all have water in them, but it is the Buddhist influence and the timing, since they all take place around the same time in April, that really binds them together. In Cambodia, it is known as Chaul Chnam Thmey, or as the Cambodian New Year where the water is used to wash people on the third day because water is a symbol of purity. Spring is a season of growing and life, so why not start off the New Year with some spiritual cleansing? The Cambodian New Year is for people of all ages and includes games, such as Klah Klok, which is a gambling game where you put money on an object and if the dice rolled has that image on its top face, you win double. Gambling might not seem appropriate for children, but the New Year is supposed to

bring luck and what better way to test it? (Still, you shouldn't push your luck). In Laos and Thailand, the New Year is called Songkran and both have water as an important part of the celebrations. Water is again thrown in these celebrations with similar religious ideas, but keep in mind that in April, it is one of the hottest times in South East Asia, so it helps people cool off, kind of like going to the beach in the summer. Songkrans also features a beauty pageant, as well as putting fragrances into the water because who doesn't want to smell good and feel energized for the New Year? Over in Myanmar, they have their own version of the New Year known as Thingyan, in which people splash each other with water with more extreme conditions, such as a water hose or even water guns since it is quite hot. So, don't be surprised if you get a good dose of water in your face if you visit during this time since everyone is invited to participate. Similar to Thailand and Cambodia, in Myanmar, this is a time of giving to charity such as food to the poor or the Buddhist monks since Buddhism plays a major role in these South East Asian countries and Buddhism stresses compassion. In Sri Lanka, the New Year is known as Aluth Avurudda and water is not as emphasized so much as the harvest season, as

By Paul Chen well as the community gatherings which ties it to the other festivals. Aluth Avurudda is influenced by Buddhism like the other festivals, but it is influenced by Hinduism as well. After the initial celebrations, the community really gets together to bring in the New Year, this is a good opportunity to get to know community members since everyone participates. In India, Malaysia, Singapore, and Mauritius, the New Year celebrations are known as Puthandu, which is the Tamil New Year because the Tamil ethnic group has prominent communities in those countries. Once again, while water is not emphasized, though it is used for bathing with fragrances, the sense of community and the belief that the New Year will bring good luck binds it to the ideas of the other New Year celebrations throughout South East Asia. The games between people, especially children or young adults, are played to promote this community bond much like the Cambodian New Year. The water throwing, communities coming together and the

fun nature of the Water festival seem familiar. Those qualities are also present in the Indian holiday of Holi, which just took place in March. This is a festival of throwing colors along with water. Holi is a fun holiday since you get to look like a rainbow while making others look like rainbows, as well. It is not hard to see how the customs of South Asia influenced South East Asia especially with water being thrown and the whole community participating. Reading about these festivals while being in Binghamton makes me want to participate in them. I know that temperatures are up to where they should be in spring, but I would like to enjoy an early summer since my legs have felt like noodles after walking in a Binghamton winter for much longer than I anticipated. Sources http://www.academia.edu/4185606/Water_Festivals_in_Southeast_Asia http://www.esrilankans.com/page.do?id=167 http://archives.dailynews.lk/2008/04/12/fea04.asp

Photo of a child celebrating the water festival with his parents.

Vol. XXVII, Issue 3

MOVIE

By Dale Gao

ASIAN OUTLOOK

Philip Wang, Wesley Chan, and Ted Fu (left-to-right) looking at a light bulb.

Fu Productions is making a movie! Ten years have passed since Wesley Chan, Ted Fu and Philip Wang met at The University of California, San Diego where the trio started their own independent media production company, Wong Fu Productions. Many of Wong Fu Productions’ work include dramatic short films, comedic sketches, music videos and video vlogs which can be found on their Youtube channel. Since then, its channel has grown to over 2 million subscribers and 300 million views. With over ten years of experience and a large fan base, “It’s time to make our very first movie,” Chan said. “This time, it’s for reals, for real,” Fu confirmed. Recently Wong Fu Productions undertook a fundraising campaign through Indiegogo on Feb. 6, in hopes of garnering funds, contributions and support to help make their dream project into a reality. Wong Fu Productions is making a movie and they needed the viewers’ help to make it happen. Compared to making YouTube videos, a feature-length film requires a lot more money, $200,000 worth. Although they considered having a benefactor, the trio believed many aspects, such as storyline and casting, would be compromised. As a result, crowd funding was the best option for Wong Fu Productions ong

Won

g Fu

MOV

“This time, it’s for reals, for real,” Fu confirmed.

IE I N THE MA KIN G .. . FIN ALLY

in providing them financial support and creative mobility. Contributors can receive perks for donating at least a $1 to the film project. The higher the contributions, the better the perks which include but are not limited to a personalized jingle, a movie pack, or the highest, executive producer credit with full access to set, premiere, and more. With their fan’s support and contributions, Wong Fu Productions reached more than half their goal within a week. On March 3, they finally hit their goal of $200,000 to initiate their production. So, what’s the movie about? In the film, the “relationship score” is underlined as an important factor of the story. Based on one’s relationship history, the score is documented and monitored by the Department of Emotional Integrity, or DEI. Public for all to see, this score can affect different parts of a person’s daily life. Two couples are followed in the film where we see the different challenges experienced in both their relationships. One couple, Seth and Haley, are two high school students registering their relationship to the DEI for the first time while Ben and Sarah, a former couple in their mid-twenties, are returning to the department to “settle an old score.” “Through these two stories, we’re going to explore how love changes over time and how to believe in your heart again after it’s been hurt,” Wang said. Although they reached over their goal of $200,000, Wong Fu Productions still urged viewers to continue donating so they can take advantage of the perks. Establishing new stretch goals, the additional funds would allow them to finance their other projects: With over $250,000, an exclusive new short film based on the film will be created; over $300,000, a new season of Wong Fu Weekends will return; and over $310,000, Wong Fu will go on a national movie tour and bring its film on the road to major cities like Boston, New York City, D.C. , Chicago, Dallas, Houston, Seattle, San Francisco and Los Angeles. When the campaign ended on March 18, the group raised over $350,000 through Indiegogo. With more than enough money, Wong Fu looks forward to its first shoot in May. According to Chan, “Expect good laughs, emotional drama and some relatable themes [from the film].” On behalf of the fans, we can’t wait till the Wong Fu movie premieres and best of luck! To see more of Wong Fu’s work, check out wongfuproductions.com and youtube.com/WongFuProductions Sources: http://blog.angryasianman.com/2014/03/fundthis-wong-fu-productions-first.html http://www.indiegogo.com/projects/wong-fuproductions-first-feature-film http://wongfuproductions.com/movie

Vol. XXVII, Issue 3

The Family Reunio and south korea [ [ Although there are over 70,000 South Koreans on the wait list to meet relatives in North Korea, only 439 South Koreans were granted the opportunity to participate in the reunion meeting.

Wednesday, Feb. 5, North Korea and South Korea finally agreed to hold family reunion between Feb. 20 and 25. As a result of holding the family reunion, hundreds of relatives in North Korea and South Korea divided by the Korean War were able to reunite at Diamond Mountain resort. On Feb. 5, an advance group from South Korea successfully headed to Diamond Mountain resort to decide the specific date of the family reunions in spite of fierce snow in North Korea. The Korean War broke out on June 25, 1950 because of different ideologies and ended after three years with an armistice agreement that resulted in two divided Koreas and millions of separated families. Since the war, the two Koreas have been divided for over 60 years. However, family reunions have been held 18 times between 1985 and 2010 in which approximately 22,000 Koreans reunited for the first time since after the war. The last reunion was held in 2010. Moreover, phone calls, mail and letter exchanges have never been allowed. Since the last reunion in 2010, relations between the two Koreas have deteriorated because of North Korea’s nuclear testing and arbitrary decisions. In addition, this aggravated relationship between the two Koreas has been disastrous to members of divided families. One example is Kang Neoung-hwan, a 93 year old man who has never seen his son because of the Korean War. He could not meet his son because the last reunion was cancelled due to North Korea’s nuclear test. He said, “I felt that my heart was torn when the last year reunion was cancelled and I wish I can see my son at the approaching reunion.” Ministry of Unification in South Korea suggested that over 70,000 people in South Korea have been waiting to meet their separated family members in North Korea after the 2010 reunion was postponed indefinitely. There are big three assumptions why North Korea agreed to hold the family reunions with South Korea. The first reason is political and international isolation. North Korea continues to have poor relations with other developed countries, such as the United States and Japan, because of their insistence on nuclear power. However, China, which has been supporting and associating with North Korea, recently announced that it supported “denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula over the long run” and was prepared n

ASIAN OUTLOOK

to take “additional steps” if North Korea was not willing to stop its nuclear effort. This assertive action by China against North Korea might press North Korea to rethink its relationship with South Korea. The second reason is the recent political uncertainty

within North Korea. Kim Jung-un, who is the third and youngest prime leader in North Korea and the successor of Kim Jung-il, executed his uncle and the country’s

on Between North By Jaehoon Kang

second highest ranking official, Jang Sung-thaek. The reason for the execution was a plot to overthrow his nephew’s government. This execution has accelerated the growth of fear and political uncertainty for people in North Korea. In addition to the execution, according to Yoo Seoung-gyun, a political analyst in South Korea, Kim Jung-un’s political system is not strong and stable enough to reign over his people

as another way to alleviate people’s fear and to help build confidence in the current political system. The third reason is an active gesture toward improving the relationship between North and South Korea. On Jan. 6, 2014, Park Geun-hye, president of South Korea, stressed “action to North Korea” during her New Year’s Day address. In the address, she urged North Korea to agree to the family

An emotional reunion between two Korean men captured on camera.

since he is the youngest prime leader in history. In this sense, North Korea would choose the family reunions

reunions, suggesting that if North Korea agreed to hold the reunion, South Korea would increase its

support through humanitarian aid shipments to the North. This gesture could have been a big impetus for North Korea to agree on the family reunions. The Red Cross coordinated the 19th family reunion between South Korea and North Korea which was held successfully between Feb. 20 and 25. However, Red Cross in Korea suggested that three out of ten people in Korea who have separated members in North Korea have had some problems going back to their work, such as depression or insomnia. Those surveyed cited concern for the welfare of family members across the border and ideological differences as reasons for the psychological trauma. Although there are over 70,000 South Koreans on the wait list to meet relatives in North Korea, only 439 South Koreans were granted the opportunity to participate in the reunion meeting. Those who experienced severe stress and depression after the meetings, thought that having reunions and meeting their relatives was still better than not, despite the pain involved. This response, along with the significant number of people not even afforded the opportunity to reunite with family members on the other side of the DMZ shows that it is important that family reunion continue based on the agreement between the government in the two Koreas and politicians must continue to keep that relationship intact and healthy. Sources: http://www.nytimes.com/2014/02/06/world/ asia/north-and-south-korea-set-dates-forfamily-reunions.html?ref=world http://www.nytimes.com/2014/02/15/world/ asia/china-to-toughen-stance-on-northkorea-kerry-says.html?_r=0 http://news.tv.chosun.com/site/data/html_ dir/2014/02/15/2014021590192.html

Vol. XXVII, Issue 3

Hello Kitty Macarons By Frank Tiu

Macarons are basically the new cupcake. Walking down most bakeries in New York City, one cannot help but admire the smooth dome structure of the macaron shell and salivate at the creamy filling in the middle, sandwiched by both shells. The small little ridges called feet, spin beautifully around the curved dome, like a dainty little dress. Not only are macarons beautiful and lovely, the taste is exceptional in every way. The light and airy medium gives off the richest of flavors in the smallest bite. It is like tasting a piece of heaven before coming back to reality, craving for more and pondering if that really just happenedâ&#x20AC;&#x201C;perhaps in denial that there is one less macaron now. Did that really just happen? With such a unique appearance and flavor, it is not surprising that macarons are taking the world by storm. Inevitably, the macaron hype has made it to Asia where unconventional flavors are entering the market. Inspired by traditional Asian food, macarons now come in flavors such as matcha (green tea), black sesame, and even durian: a smelly fruit embraced and cherished in Southeastern countries like Malaysia. In Japan, the macaron industry has gotten so innovative that bakeries are piping out macaron with cartoon caricatures. In some bakery shops, customers can find beloved Hello Kitty, famous Rilakumma, and adored Domo macarons.

ASIAN OUTLOOK

Unlike traditional cupcake and brownies, it is very important to use a gram scale to measure all the ingredients as precisely as possible. While there is room for changes and alterations in other baking goods, macarons have to be very close to the perfect ratio so that the slightly whisked egg whites blend beautifully with dry ingredients like almond meal and confectionerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s sugar. The measuring cups used in America are not an exact measurement, and depending on the baker there might be more or less ingredient mass packed into one container. Also, since macarons need egg whites, the contents vary from brown egg to white egg, not including the size and grade. It is extremely crucial to use a gram scale for this recipe in order to make these petite, elegant sweets.

Ingredients

60 grams of almond meal 120 grams of egg whites (cold) 40 grams of granulated sugar 60 grams of confectionerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s sugar

Preheat oven to 300 degrees Celcius. 1. The very first step to all-traditional baking is to measure out all your ingredients. 2. Sift the almond flour and confectioner’s sugar (a.k.a. powdered sugar) to remove large pieces. You can also save them for decorations later. There should be no clumps when sifting the confectioner’s sugar since it is in powdered form. 3. Now, extract the egg whites from the egg and discard the yolk. Be careful with this step because any egg yolk content will ruin the egg whites, ultimately affecting the meringue. Also, make sure your egg whites are cold. When making macarons in the summer, be sure to not let your cold eggs sit out for too long; the heat will denature the egg white proteins, causing the meringue to have a more soupy texture. For this recipe, you do not need to age the egg whites (because ain’t nobody got time for that). 4. Now, whisk the egg whites with a whisk, until it is very foamy and puffy, like clouds. For a more tangential analogy, it should remind you of the foams in a bubble bath–very puffy. At first, it feels as if it is impossible to whisk egg whites from a clear jelly-like liquid into something foamy and white, but trust me, it will get there. Patience is a virtue and whisking egg whites is a good alternative to working out biceps and triceps! Nothing is better than rewarding yourself with a treat in the end–your macarons. 5. After reaching the cloudy consistency shown in the picture, add all of the granulated sugar in one shot. Other online recipes suggest adding the sugar in thirds but that is not necessary. It is useless and inefficient. 6. Continue whisking until you have achieved stiff peaks as shown in the picture on your right. You will know that you have achieved peaks when the edge is stiff enough to form a nice peak. 7. Now that you have formed stiff peaks, you can now add the coconut essence or other flavoring extract. This will give the macaron shells the coconut flavors. If you wish, at this point you can also add powder or liquid food coloring for aesthetics. Whisk a bit more to mix everything evenly. Caution: Be careful to not over-whisk your egg whites because it will stretch them, which will cause your macarons to deflate into wrinkly shells instead of smooth domes. 8. Now you can start adding the dry ingredients (almond meal and confectioner’s sugar) to our meringue (stiff peaked egg whites). 9. Fold along the side towards the center, be careful to not slice in the middle with your spatula because that would destroy all the air bubbles that we have whisked into the egg whites. It would also cause your egg whites to flatten and deflate tremendously. 10. Be sure to mix the dry and wet ingredients in such a manner that it is well-incorporated. Once it is well mixed, there should not be patches of dry ingredients left; at that point, stop folding because over-folding is a very common mistake, causing the macarons to have little to no feet. 11. Pour your batter into a piping bag. Make sure the metal tip is circular and pipe it onto the silpat or parchment paper. Personally, I strongly recommend investing in a silpat, because you can reuse it continuously, especially for complicated baking like this. In the long run, it will decrease your baking expense if you bake cookies frequently. Also, the silpats are relatively more transparent than parchment paper so when

you pipe the batter, you can see the molding better. Optional for Hello Kitty macarons: Now, if you want the infamous Hello Kitty ears in your macarons instead of plain, simple circles, use a clean toothpick and gently brush the edges into a corner. It will take a lot of time and patience but you can do it! 12. After piping all of them onto the silpat–which is also on top of the cookie sheet–bang the cookie sheet on a flat surface. Some websites suggest you to tap the cookie sheet. Well, it is more like bang the cookie sheet so that all the excess air will leave the macaron. For this step, there is no such thing as overbanging, just make sure you don’t drop the parchment paper. If you fail to do this, or not “tap” it enough, the excess air bubbles will cause your macarons to crack while baking. Give the cookie sheet a couple good bangs so the feet will form. After this step, you can sprinkle the almond specks that we sifted out earlier, on top of your macarons for a garnished look. If you sprinkle them before piping, the specks of almond might not show as much because banging the cookie sheet will even out the surface area of the macaron. Optional for Hello Kitty macarons: Place the heart sprinkles on the upper right-hand ear for that signature bow-tie look. 13. Now bake in the preheated oven for about 19 minutes and 30 seconds. Be sure to take them out immediately. Your macaron feet should form around the 8th minute. If it doesn’t do so by the 10th minute, it is safe to say that your macarons are unsuccessful. Optional for Hello Kitty macarons: By putting the hearts on top, when baking, the macarons will solidify and rise, sticking onto the bowtie. 14. Let them cool before peeling them off the silpat or parchment paper. Although shells are indeed very important, it is the filling that gives the shine to macarons. The coconut flavors will give a subtle aroma while almonds give off a distinct and strong flavor, but it is truly the filling that defines the macaron’s flavor. To truly show the Asian innovation in macarons, azuki red bean filling is the perfect choice for this. Unlike the American red bean (kidney beans), the azuki red bean is sweeter and more distinct in flavor. Also, the red bean symbolizes love in many Asian countries. Ingredients: 1 can of red bean , ¼ cup of heavy whipping cream 15. Just mix the two together, and pipe them onto the macarons. If you are not using red bean paste, just canned beans with peeling skin, make sure those pieces are well mashed so it does not block the tip of the piping bag. If you prefer to make azuki red bean filling from scratch, you can boil the red bean and add granulated or confectioner’s sugar. You will have to repeat this process multiple of times, and let it cool between intervals. 16. Sandwich them together with shells. The heavy whipping cream will give the red bean a smoother texture and flavor. Just like with any macaron, put the macarons in the fridge overnight before serving. This will allow the wet texture of the whipping cream to diffuse into the dry macaron shells. The cold temperature of the macarons will make give the cream a texture similar to ice cream. So basically your macarons will taste like red bean ice cream with a subtle hint of coconut. For a visual version of this tuturial and more, please check out youtube.com/blanchturnip

Vol. XXVII, Issue 3

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Vol. XXVII, Issue 3

Pinky-Promise By Max Lin I punched Roy Visini in the face in eighth grade. Knocked his glasses clean off and threw them God-knows-where. It was one of those things where if you asked me why I did it, I would tell you that I honestly don’t remember. He was one of those kids that never did anything to anybody and never said anything to anybody. It’s not like he was exceptionally scrawny or exceptionally fat. He was just so remarkably inconsequential that if he flapped his wings in Brazil, there wouldn’t be the slightest breeze of wind in Brazil, let alone a tornado in Texas. Today is May 16th, 1994. The temperature is in the high 80s and there’s a warm burst of sunlight gradually cooking the stone tiles in the patio. I kiss Julia goodbye and mess up Toby’s hair. Now it’s time to go. Today is May 16th, 1994 and Roy Visini is standing outside my door and we’re going to look for his glasses – same as last year, same as every May 16th since eighth grade. Why? Because I pinky-promised. The first few years, I insisted on paying for new ones and told him that it was no hassle at all. He said, “Thank you, that’s very kind of you. But I’d really like to find that specific pair.” It kind of kills me to think he’s been stumbling around blind for nineteen years and I think part of him knows that. This merciless son-of-a-bitch shows up without glasses every time and tells me how grateful he is that I’m helping him. That it’s hard for him to look on his own – what with his blurry vision and all. I look into his dark brown eyes and I can’t detect the slightest hint of malice when he says that. Roy always leads the search. He can’t see very well but he starts feeling around the garden hedges as we make our way to the schoolyard and he starts pointing every which way. I’m half-walking and half-running behind him. I notice one corner of his button-down shirt isn’t tucked in and there’s a tuft of hair on the back of his head that he forgot to comb down but I decide not to tell him. He’s already sprinting towards the playground and I’m already out of breath. The playground set is this mangled intersection of bright red and yellow and green. I touch one of the bars and it’s hot on my skin. I look up at Roy, this grown man, as he inspects the upper platform of the playground set. Within seconds, he’s coming back down the blinding white metal slide. “My glasses. They’re not here,” he says. “Ow, that

ASIAN OUTLOOK

slide was really hot.” I grab him by the shoulder. “Roy,” I say. “Slow down.” He looks at me and nods. The next stop is this wooded clearing behind the school. We walk past giant oaks and climb over scrap metal from the nearby construction site. The hum of cicadas overhead is deafening. I ask Roy if he’s close to finishing that book he’s been working on and how his kids are doing. He tells me the fourth draft of the book is finished and he’s getting an editor to look over it. He tells me about Samantha getting a yellow belt and Nick getting ready for the third grade. “Isn’t Toby going to third grade, too?” he asks. I nod. “You should bring them over one day,” I say and he tells me he would love to. “Are those my glasses by that tree?” he asks. “No, I think that’s a beer can,” I tell him. For a moment, we stop and sit in silence. I lie down on the dirt and look up at the white sky softening the edges of the oak branches. The buzzing of the cicadas has dropped down to a unified drone. This is where everyone used to stage elaborate games of cops and robbers after school, except for Roy, who would go home and read. “We don’t want you here, Roy,” we would shout. “You’re so remarkably average!” Overhead, Roy attempts to climb a tree for the first time, in office slacks and polished shoes. He makes it to the first tree branch and yells, “I found them! I found my glasses!” I climb up to Roy and I’m amazed at how long it takes me to reach that first branch. He shows me the glasses – standard with gold frames, cracked and scuffed up on the lenses. He tries them on and laughs at how big his head has become. Then he hands them to me. “You can throw much farther than I can,” he says, smiling. I look at him, take the glasses, and fling them as far as I can into the depths of the forest. He climbs down the tree. “See you next year,” he says. This time tomorrow, Roy and I will be back in our offices, processing loans or checking bank statements or whatever it is we’re supposed to do at this age. But for now, I’m still sitting on a tree branch as the whirring orchestra of cicadas envelops me and the sun warms my cheeks. For now, it’s still May 16th, the day I punched Roy Visini in the face and the day he forgave me.

Vol. XXVII, Issue 3

Someone at the Door By YaeJin Oh Someone at the door Is giving me a look Like when you cock your head At some gossamer thread of sound Heard more in the soul than by ear. Someone at the door Is asking me a question, with eyes Like a curious childâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Who has seen some dissonance To the physics of his world. Someone at the door Is wondering why Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m no longer here. Or is it That I am, and Someone is not? Death the spider web mistress Smiles a fine, dazzling smile Beckoning me to look through her silver gown. Someone at the door Was gathered into her folds And I am looking, looking for you.

ASIAN OUTLOOK

“Comme des Joon” By Frank Tiu

Inspired by Comme des Garçon

Vol. XXVII, Issue 3

ASIAN OUTLOOK