Copy Editing Dr. David E. Shaffer, Catherine Sasmita, Julien Leheurte, David Richter
Layout Editing Chiara Sicca, Lee Hwadahm
Online Editor Lee Hwadahm
The Gwangju News is the first English monthly magazine for the general public in Korea, first published in 2001. Each monthly issue covers local and regional issues, with a focus on the roles and activities of the international residents and local Englishspeaking communities.
The Gwangju News is published by the Gwangju International Center: Jungang-ro 196-beon-gil 5 (Geumnam-ro 3-ga), Dong-gu, Gwangju 61475, South Korea
Tel: (+82)-62-226-2733 Fax: (+82)-62-226-2731
Website: www.gwangjunewsgic.com
From the Editor
Would you believe that it’s June already?! The buds and blossoms of a refreshing spring are already beginning to recede as memories, giving way to greater warmth and a lushness of green foliage. Similarly, we hope that you find this most recent issue of the Gwangju News as inviting as the warmth of June itself.
Just as May is remembered as the month of the Gwangju Uprising, June is known as the month when the Korean War began (June 25). Though we may be familiar with major fighting in the northern part of the peninsula, we should remember that early in the war, Northern forces controlled the entire South Korean territory, but for the Busan area. That included Gwangju. In remembering the 74th anniversary of the Korean War, the Gwangju News brings you an article on wartime activity in the Gwangju and South Jeolla area.
Much has changed since 1950 – so much so that the analogue era has given way to the digital day. We are now in the age of AI, and with Gwangju making major efforts as an emerging innovation hub city, we offer you a feature article on one of the many AIrelated startups – SafeMotion – focusing on the synergy between startup and city government.
U.S.-based film director Attila Korosi is back in town, making another film in record time. Gwangju was one of the four cities that Sua/Nara was shot in. Read our interview with Director Korosi on how this movie, with its mostly Korean cast and crew, came about.
We have much more this month for your reading pleasure. Not familiar with Gwangju’s Seochang Hanok Cultural Center? You will be after reading our article on this traditional hanok village [What to Do in Gwangju]. What can you find in Yongjin Mountain? Would you believe goldmines and a Buddha carved into the rock face [Lost in Gwangju]? How are Gwangju’s baseball, soccer, and volleyball teams looking this season? Get the rundown in our new sports column [Area Sports in Review].
Email: gwangjunews@gic.or.kr gwangjunews
Registration No. 광주광역시 라. 00145 (ISSN 2093-5315)
Registration Date: February 22, 2010
Printed by Jieum 지음 (+82)-62-672-2566
For volunteering and article submission inquiries, please contact the editor at gwangjunews@gic.or.kr
And there’s still more: expat tips on healthcare, cat-mom Abby Milone, a proposed wage that’s less than minimum wage, and the question of more nuclear energy for our world.
We hope you enjoy this month’s issue of the Gwangju News!
David E. Shaffer
Editor-in-Chief Gwangju News
Special thanks to Gwangju City and all of our sponsors.
Gwangju & South Jeolla International Magazine
On a summer day, a drowsy afternoon at Chonnam National University
The Author Kidest Tefera Wondimu, an MBA student at Chonnam National University, has resided in Gwangju for a year and a half. Hailing from Ethiopia, she delves into literature, cultural exploration, and sociology, passionately immersing herself in Korean culture’s societal intricacies. Instagram: @qidest_
Gwangju City News
Gwangju International Residents Center Opens
The Gwangju International Residents Center recently opened and held its official opening ceremony on May 22. At the event, Gwangju Mayor Kang Gi-jung, international students, foreign workers, and marriage immigrant women talked in person and discussed future policy. This was followed by a tea party where Vietnamese, Indian, Indonesian, and Canadian foods prepared by international residents were served.
The Gwangju International Residents Center provides services such as translation and interpretation, stay and labor counseling, Korean language education, and community support.
The center is located at 82 Pungyong-ro 145-beongil, Gwangsan-gu. It is open from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily, except holidays. The counseling number is 1644-3828.
Gwangju Residents Celebrate Together Day
On May 25, the 17th Gwangju Together Day was held at Gwangju City Hall. There were both culture and food booths for Together Day as well as a ceremony.
In the morning, an awards ceremony was held in the conference room of Gwangju City Hall. At the ceremony, commendations were awarded to those who worked hard for international residents. After the ceremony, traditional music performances from countries like the Philippines and Ukraine took place.
In the afternoon, food stalls featuring dishes from numerous countries as well as cultural experience booths were set up to celebrate Together Day. In particular, this event was more meaningful in that it was an eco-friendly event that did not use disposable items. This year’s Together Day was held in collaboration with the 59th Gwangju Citizens Day.
Free Health Checks for Gwangju Immigrants
In order to understand the health status of migrants living in Gwangju, a health survey is to be conducted for migrants, such as marriage migrant women. The survey will be conducted through a health check (for chronic diseases, infectious diseases, etc.) and a questionnaire.
The health status surveys will be conducted five times, once at each of five locations throughout Gwangju, between June 1 and August 2. See the accompanying graphic for exact dates, times, and locations.
More details can be found on the Gwangju Institute for Public Health and Equity website.
Educational Support for Multicultural Children
The Gwangsan-gu Family Center will support educational expenses for children of multicultural families.
•Eligibility for Support: Children aged 7–18 ofmulticultural families residing in Gwangsan-gu with income of 100 percent or less of median income. (Excluding those with income of 50 percent or less of median income who are already receiving education benefits.)
•Amount of Support: Elementary school students (400,000 won), middle school students (500,000 won), and high school students (600,000 won). (Payment is made once a year with card points and can be used until November.)
• Support Details: Support for expenses necessary for educational activities, such as purchasing textbooks and using reading rooms. (Support cannot be withdrawn as cash.)
•How to Apply: Visit the Gwangsan-gu Family Center. (Address: 57-1 Gwangsan-ro, Gwangsan-gu, Gwangju.)
•Required Documents: (1) Applicant’s identification card, (2) application form, (3) certificate of family registry, (4) certificate of resident registration, (5) one copy of NongHyup (Cheom) card, and (6) one copy of confirmation of payment of health insurance premiums for each parent.
•Application Period: May 2, 2024 (Thur.) to September 30, 2024 (Mon.). Card point payment periods: May and June applicants: July. July and August applicants: September. September applicants: October
For more information: Gwangsan-gu Family Center (062-954-8003)
Summaries and translations by Lee Hwadahm.
Gwangju Area Tragedy During the Korea War
By Park Yeonju
The Korean Peninsula has been separated for 74 years and the situation between the divided North and South is still belligerent. Separated families who still have those left behind across the 38th parallel live in a longing that cannot be shaken off. The countries are divided by just one border but are very different in appearance. North Korea is ruled by a communist government while South Korea is a formally established democratic country. The distinct political systems have further emphasized the rivalry and tension between the two countries. In early 2024, North Korea defined South Korea as its most dangerous adversary and insisted that they remove the expressions “selfreliance,” “peaceful unification,” and “national unity” from their constitution.
Background of the Korean War
The Korean War actually started with the historic moment of liberation on August 15, 1945. When World War II ended with the victory of the Allies after Japan’s surrender, Korea was finally freed from Japan’s harsh rule. The deeply moving liberation was attributed not only to the victory of the Allies but also to the shining outcome of our nation’s independence movement that encouraged the people to stand up against Japan until the end. However, the hard-won liberation did not result in complete independence.
Apart from the will of the Korean people who aspired for a unified nation, the 38th parallel was drawn across the Korean Peninsula for postWorld War II administration. The Soviet forces
Street-side civilians at the time of the Korean War.
were stationed in North Korea, while the U.S. forces were stationed in South Korea, disarming the remaining Japanese troops on the Korean Peninsula. The 38th parallel was drawn for the purpose of military convenience in the early days, but later, as the Cold War order, which centered on the United States and the Soviet Union, deteriorated, Korea eventually became a political victim. The escalation of confrontation between the liberal camp led by the United States and the communist camp led by the Soviet Union, left behind another challenge. This division of the nation, cast a shadow over the joy of liberation.
On Sunday, June 25, 1950, at 3 a.m., following a prearranged plan code-named Storm 224, North Korea launched a surprise invasion across the 38th parallel into South Korea without any declaration of war. South Korea was so unprepared for war that the North quickly moved south across the peninsula, occupying all territory but that which became known as the Pusan Perimeter. With General MacArthur’s Incheon Landing, Northern troops were quickly pushed northward, almost to the border with China. Chinese troops then entered the war to aid North Korea, and the battle line finally stabilized across the center of the peninsula for the remainder of the war.
Sandong Bridge, Gwangju’s Battleground
A physical trace of the Korean War remains in Gwangju in the form of the former Sandong Bridge, located in Donglim-dong, Buk-gu. The Sandong Bridge was an important defensive position. The bridge still stands to remind us of that historical day.
Bang! On July 23, 1950, at 4:00 a.m., the Sandong Bridge fell. The bridge was part of National Route 1, which connected Mokpo on the southern coast to Sinuiju on the Chinese border. The bridge was six meters wide and 228 meters long. Built in 1934, the reinforced concrete bridge, served as a passageway in and out of northern Gwangju. On July 22, less than a month after the outbreak of the Korean War, the People’s (North Korean) Army advanced all the way to Gwangju.
The 20th Regiment of the 5th Division was the defense unit for the Honam area at the beginning of the war. As they were deployed to the front lines, the 26th Regiment was newly formed in their absence. The 26th Regiment consisted of residual troops and secondary school students from the Gwangju area. However, they were far short of the number of troops needed to form a regiment. Each battalion was also very short on weapons; only about 10 percent of the forces were in possession of a rifle.
The People’s Army was moving south from Jangseong, and the joint military and police units, unable to overcome their strength, eventually blew up Sandong Bridge. The bridge was a strategically crucial choke point to entering Gwangju from the north. The goal of blowing up the bridge was to delay the advance of the North Korean military towards Gwangju.
Bridge piers supporting the wartime Sandong Bridge.
The deck and railing of the wartime Sandong Bridge, which visitors can walk across.
On the same day at 11:30 a.m., the People’s Army arrived in front of the collapsed Sandong Bridge and the joint military and police units fought back by firing mortars and rifles, but they could not overcome the ruthless attack by the People’s Army. Eventually, the joint units decided to retreat after about an hour of fighting; that hour saved the lives of many Gwangju citizens.
Residents of the region, unaware that the People’s Army had arrived, were able to take refuge after hearing the sounds of gunfire near Sandong Bridge. To ensure the safety of the residents, the division commander went to the broadcasting station and encouraged them to take refuge. The unit may have failed in defending the bridge, but they succeeded in protecting the citizens. Despite their unfortunate condition, the South Korean military and police resisted the attack by the North Korean military. As a consequence of this battle, about 30 people were killed and about 50 others were injured.
This historical bridge was on the verge of demolition in 1992 when a new Sandong Bridge was built next to the remains of the old one. Owing to public opinion, the destroyed bridge was eventually preserved and protected as Gwangju’s only battlefield site during the Korean War. In 2011, it was designated as a memorial facility and serves as a rest area and educational site for citizens.
The former Sandong Bridge is filled with traces of fierce battle and pain. The bridge still stands
above the leisurely flow of the Yeongsan River as a reminder of Korea’s historical division. Numerous people visit the Sandong Bridge Park daily, but many do not know that it was once a Korean War battlefield. To honor those who fought in the battle and made their sacrifices, why not cross this bridge in gratitude?
South Jeolla Has Highest Civilian Casualties
Another tragedy left by the Korean War is the slaughter of civilians. During the war period, innocent civilians were frequently taken by the military, the police, or the People’s Army and eliminated. In South Jeolla, right-wing figures were taken and eliminated during the occupation and retreat of the People’s Army. And after their retreat, the security condition was unstable, allowing for many incidents by leftists or partisans.
During the Korean War, the number of civilian victims was 12,364 nationwide. Among them, 4,892 victims in South Jeolla was the largest, accounting for almost 40 percent of South Korean victims. In particular, many tragedies occurred in Yeonggwang, Hampyeong, and Hwasun, where partisan activities were centered due to the large number of mountainous areas in which they could hide.
The massive counterattack of the UN forces along with the Battle of Incheon made the People’s Army unable to hold onto the territory they occupied. North Korea ordered the People’s Army Front Command to retreat. They gave instructions to take over villages in mountainous areas, stockpile food, and remove all elements that would aid UN forces. Communist-leaning partisans followed these instructions and began their activities by hiding in the mountains and occupying villages. There were frequent battles with the South Korean military and police, and numerous civilian causalities occurred in the process.
“Republic of Korea by day, People’s Republic by night.” This was the situation in South Jeolla at the time. During the day, Korean soldiers and
The expanse of the wartime Sandong Bridge.
police entered villages. At night, partisans came down from the mountains to the villages and were active; it was the civilians who suffered from both the South Korean military and police, and the partisans in their mountainous base areas. Among them, Yeonggwang is the area where the most civilian casualties occurred. In Yeonggwang, the partisans were active in Bulgap Mountain, Taecheong Mountain, and Gusu Mountain. Most of the civilian victims in the Yeonggwang area were executed without due process by the military and police for participating in left-wing activities or cooperating with the partisans.
There were also causalities caused by partisans. Soon after the outbreak of the Korean War, Yeonggwang was occupied by the People’s Army. The People’s Army as well as partisans killed military and police personnel, and residents who did not cooperative with the partisans as well as right-wing family members. When the military police carried out recovery operations, they killed residents, labeling them as partisans and collaborators. The partisans and the military and police took turns slaughtering civilians. The police gathered villagers, arbitrarily selected collaborators, and brutally killed them with their bayonets and guns.
In Hampyeong, between November 20, 1950, and January 14 the following year, hundreds of residents were killed en masse by the military and police. It is known as the 11th Division Yangmin Massacre because the 5th Company of the 20th Regiment of the 11th Infantry Division, which was stationed there to wipe out partisans, committed the atrocities. At the time, the victims were said to have sympathized with the partisans, but it turned out through investigation of the incident that they were actually innocent. Hampyeong residents, except for families of the military and police, were shot indiscriminately.
Hwasun’s first instance of civilian casualties occurred in September 1950 during the withdrawal of North Korea’s People’s Army due to the Incheon Landing. The People’s Army dragged 64 individuals imprisoned at Gwangju Prison and
Hwasun’s local police station to a nearby reservoir and shot them. The partisans executed residents for welcoming in the South Korean military and police by waving national flags and also for living a rich lifestyle. The military and police did the same. They incinerated mountain villages to isolate the partisans, and brutally killed villagers, saying that the residents cooperated with the partisans.
A truce was signed on July 27, 1953, effectively ending the Korean War. The pain of Gwangju and South Jeolla during that war, which has not received much notice so far, should be remembered and given our attention even today. I look forward to seeing peace on this divided Korean Peninsula someday and will be remembering the 74th anniversary of the Korean War this year.
Sandong Bridge photographs courtesy of the Gwangju City AV Archive (http://gjarchive.kr/t_04041/32070). Korean wartime photographs courtesy of the War Memorial of Korea.
The
Author
Park Yeonju is an undergraduate at Chonnam National University, majoring in political science and diplomacy as well as Chinese language and literature. She was born and raised in Gwangju and wants to promote the colorfulness of the city that she has been a part of for so long. She also wants to deliver various voices of the world. It is her dream to become a true journalist by inheriting the spirit of May 18.
Children and military personnel at railroad depot.
Gwangju’s AI Evolution
From Emerging Innovation Hub to Thriving AI City
Interviewd by Dhivyaa S. P.
In recent years, Gwangju has transformed into a thriving hub for artificial intelligence (AI) innovation, driven by strategic investments in technology and research, governmental support, academic excellence, and a growing startup ecosystem. This evolution has positioned Gwangju as a key focal point for AI technology in South Korea. The city’s strong academic institutions have played a crucial role, fostering a culture of innovation that has laid the foundation for AI development through cuttingedge research and nurturing of local talent. The turning point for Gwangju’s AI industry was marked by targeted government initiatives aimed at accelerating technological innovation, further solidifying its status as an emerging leader in the AI domain.
Here’s a look at some of the critical milestones that have marked the city’s journey in advancing its AI landscape.
2020, November: Gwangju AI Startup Camp –First Store Opening 2021, May: Participation in the “Regional Angel Investment Hub”
2022, April: National AI Data Center Construction Progress 2023, November: Gwangju’s First and Largest Entrepreneurship Festival 2024, February: Momentum in Gwangju’s Artificial Intelligence Project 2024, April 10: Establishment of Gwangju AI Gifted High School 2024, April 12: Support for Citizen Experience Vouchers for AI Companies
These milestones represent just a few of the strategic steps Gwangju has taken to secure its place as a leading city in AI development. Through continued investment in infrastructure, education, and community engagement, Gwangju is shaping a future that embraces technology and innovation at every level.
In order to understand in-depth how startups are benefiting from Gwangju government’s initiatives, we interviewed Oh Chi-min, CEO of SafeMotion, a startup AI company founded in 2016. SafeMotion specializes in video-based posture estimation and behavior recognition technologies. The company is taking the lead in improving the childcare environment for childcare teachers by launching Safe Motion Kids, which combines behavior recognition and analysis technology. As a supplier to smart factories, SafeMotion offers customized services
SafeMotion’s AI deployment in a daycare, highlighting real-time behavior and posture analysis to enhance child safety and care.
that incorporate various AI functions such as part process vision inspection, worker monitoring with facial recognition, helmet detection, mask detection, and monitoring display, enhancing efficiency and safety in manufacturing environments.
Gwangju News (GN): Thank you for sharing your time with us. Firstly, we would like to know what motivated you to become an artificial intelligence (AI) behavior analysis solution developer?
Oh Chi-min: I conducted my graduate and doctoral studies in the laboratory of Prof. Lee IlWoo at Chonnam National University. My advisor initially conducted research on human gesture recognition, and that influenced me to carry out research on recognizing human behavior. During 2007–2008, while working on vision research that involved Maru robots from KIST and Samsung cleaning robots recognizing the location of people and moving according to their gestures, I realized at that time that vision technology based on human behavior was not easily applicable to HCI (human–computer interaction). Consequently, I became interested in the entire research process, which was still unresolved at the time, including
technology demonstrating posture estimation and activity recognition capabilities.
single-camera-based human detection, tracking, pose estimation, and gesture recognition.
GN: Can you tell us about SafeMotion and the vision behind its founding?
Oh Chi-min: SafeMotion is a startup created with the hope that all behaviors recognized by CCTV are safe. We founded the company to commercialize technology that can verify whether the behaviors of people captured by CCTV are safe. Currently, we are transforming the business from merely monitoring childcare environments with safety and behavior statistics to providing services that actively support these environments, including developmental assessments for children.
GN: What are the core technologies and products developed by SafeMotion, and how do they stand out in the AI market?
Oh Chi-min: SafeMotion is concurrently developing technology and services to commercialize CCTV-based human behavior analysis services. Currently, our behavior recognition technology achieves 95 percent accuracy for 15 different actions. We are receiving
SafeMotion’s
positive feedback on the commercial viability of using CCTV to perform behavior statistics and developmental assessments for daycare children. Although still in the testing phase, we are currently conducting tests in 12 daycare centers and plan to expand the proof-of-test to 200 daycare centers in the Gwangju and South Jeolla region. If the service operates stably in these 200 locations, we plan to expand our marketing nationwide.
GN: What was the reason for SafeMotion to collaborate with the Gwangju Metropolitan City government?
Oh Chi-min: Daycare centers are managed by local governments. Therefore, we were introduced to daycare centers through the city of Gwangju. Currently, Songwon University manages the daycare centers for Gwangju Metropolitan City. Thanks to an introduction by Gwangju City to Prof. Kim Dong-Rye of Songwon University, who oversees the contracted operation, we were able to start testing in three daycare centers in May 2023, and this has now expanded to 12 centers.
GN: Can you discuss the partnerships or collaborations that SafeMotion has with local universities, research institutes, or other companies?
Oh Chi-min: Currently, we are engaged in joint research and development projects with a local university – Chonnam National University. We are also receiving significant support from the Electronics and Telecommunications Research Institute (ETRI) in project planning, business execution, and marketing for technology commercialization. Additionally, we recently signed a memorandum of understanding with the Gwangju Metropolitan City Daycare Association to explore cost-covering methods for supplying many daycare centers.
GN: What are the biggest challenges faced by startup AI industries today, especially in specialized markets like Gwangju?
Oh Chi-min: Commercialization is the biggest challenge. Firstly, it’s difficult to secure customers, and there is also a lack of environments suitable for running AI services. Additionally, there is a
shortage of know-how to overcome the situation of lacking many resources.
GN: What are the next major projects or goals for SafeMotion?
Oh Chi-min: We plan to replicate our business model in other areas to scale up the business. The daycare behavior analysis solution will be scaled up to include kindergartens, schools, hospitals, smart factories, and analyzing the behavior of factory workers. I want to secure contracts with over 2,000 public daycare centers and be recognized as a successful company that has commercialized behavior recognition technology.
With a bright future ahead, Gwangju is set to continue its trajectory as a key player in the regional AI industry, driven by the collaborative efforts of its government, academic institutions, and innovative startups. The city’s journey from an emerging tech hub to a thriving AI city showcases the potential of focused development and serves as an inspiring example for other regions aiming to make their mark in the technology sector.
Dhivyaa S. P. is from India and currently enrolled in a master’s program for AI convergence in Gwangju, South Korea, chosen for its emphasis on AI development. An avid space enthusiast, Dhivyaa loves discussing outer space and the creation of the universe. Outside of her academic pursuits, she enjoys hiking, volunteering, and savoring a warm cup of green tea latte. Her writing blends her experiences with insights into Korean culture and history. Instagram: @my.hobby.page
American Filmmaker Completes Sua/Nara
Interview with Attila Korosi
By Gwangju News
Attila Korosi is an American film director who, in addition to his endeavors in the United States, has been involved in a number of cinematic projects around Jeollanamdo. After the critical success of his film Live and Die in East LA, he returned to Gwangju to film Sua/Nara, which features a mostly Korean cast and, of course, was filmed entirely on location in Korea. After production of Sua/Nara wrapped, Korosi took some time to answer some questions about his latest undertaking and shed some light on what it is like to make movie magic in the City of Light.
Gwangju News (GN): Congratulations on wrapping production on your most recent work. Could you give us an overview of what your latest film, Sua/Nara, is all about?
Attila Korosi: Thank you very much. Sua/Nara is an action-horror revenge story that is born out of love. What differentiates it from other films in this genre is its fresh conflict point, which touches on interracial marriages in homogenous societies.
GN: This film was shot entirely in Korea. Why
did you want to film it here?
Attila Korosi: Well, I married a Korean woman, which allowed me to experience Korean culture and tradition from a very personal perspective. From weddings to funerals, learning about Eastern philosophy as well as experiencing societal behaviors all laid the foundation for this film.
While most commercial films are one dimensional, Sua/Nara aims to reach higher and convey a relevant message and at the same time maintain its commercial appeal through its action-horror genre. And of course, I want to mention that I enjoy staying in Korea, I think the Korean people are wonderful and very smart.
GN: Your last film, Live and Die in East LA, was hard to classify but was kind of along the lines of a “crime drama.” Why did you want to do a different style of film this time?
Attila Korosi: Live and Die in East LA is a very unique film, I dare say more original and artsy in a way that it doesn’t follow the typical three-act storytelling structure inherent in Western films. Instead, it offers philosophical paradoxes and
Attila Korosi on set.
complexities that are more in tune with Asian or European cinema.
With Sua/Nara, it was different; I wanted to marry my love of action cinema to my fear of horror movies. Every time I watch a scary movie I always ask myself “What would an action hero do in a similar setting?” This was the genesis of choosing the genre of Sua/Nara.
GN: I understand that some local governments lent support to this film. Could you explain how they helped out?
Attila Korosi: The whole script was filmed in South Korea. Four cities. Gwangju,
Gokseong, Goje, and Paju. From the get-go, we communicated my vision clearly with respect and honesty. People are smart, and they always respond when the message comes from the heart.
For example, the people at Gwangju City Hall were helpful in getting us permits and allowing us to film in certain locations. The Mayor of Gokseong, Mr. Lee Sangcheol, and his administration were tremendously helpful in granting us locations that were previously inaccessible even for major film productions. He and his whole team were very welcoming and even came out to location to check on filming. Wonderful people.
2. Attila Korosi discussing production.
1. Directing a film requires detailed coordination of the director, actors, and production staff.
In Geoje, thanks to my close friend and business partner, Julio Ko, Sua/Nara became the first film ever to feature an action stunt scene in an automated parking system. I wasn’t aware until Gui-Duck from BornStunt told me that not even major blockbuster productions could have pulled off such a daring sequence. Gui-Duck Kwon, an action-fight choreographer whose work inspired scenes in the John Wick movies, was eager to team up and became a dear friend of mine. With his assistance, we were able to do some magic in Paju and Geoje.
GN: Compared to your previous film, it seems like Sua/Nara has much more of a focus on action sequences and even involved some choreography by a stunt coordinator from the John Wick franchise. Can you talk more about this?
Attila Korosi: I grew up on action films and always wanted to do a large-scale and meaningful action film. At one point, I was talking with Yoko Hamamura, who is a friend of mine, and his business partner Jonathan Eusebio, who is the fight choreographer for John Wick, The Matrix, Deadpool, and others. They read my screenplay and were excited to fly out to Korea and do this project together. However, Jonathan got an opportunity to direct his own film, which is amazing, and I wished him good luck… As destiny would have it, I came across a podcast where the director of John Wick talks about his inspirations, and that is how I heard about
a Korean film called the Villainess. The rest is history, ha ha.
GN: Overall, how would you compare this film’s production process vis-a-vis your previous film? What were the good points about filming in Jeollanam-do?
Attila Korosi: Sua/Nara was made possible due to the success of Live and Die in East LA. With that said, it is hard to compare the two. They are not only different in genre but also in the scale of undertaking; the size and logistics are all different. And I’m now a different filmmaker: I’m faster and also a better problem-solver. Before we started filming, I showed the screenplay to the producers of the Santa Barbara International Screenplay Awards, who gave me valuable feedback that helped me grow as a screenwriter.
For example, we filmed Live and Die in East LA over 18 months in one city with mainly a single camera. Sua/Nara was filmed with six cameras, in four cities, and finished in one month. This is a testament to the talent and capabilities of my team. Move Mountains Pictures, our production company, has the resources and talent to produce high caliber films on budget and in record time.
► Check out more info about the film on Instagram @suanara_official.
Photographs by Hillel Kim
The cast and crew of Sua/Nara
Finding Buddha and Goldmines in Yongjin-san
By Isaiah Winters
Yongjin-san has hidden treasures inside and out. Located on Gwangju’s northwestern periphery, it gets very few visitors despite being the city’s sharpest peak and home to at least two little-known abandoned goldmines, plus an even lesser-known Buddha carving. One of the goldmines was featured in this column four years ago and was originally made known to me by my friend Warren Parsons. Being the local oracle of all things obscure in Korea that he is, Warren recently tipped me off to the whereabouts of a second goldmine with a Buddha carving nearby. So, in this June edition of “Lost,” we’ll return to Yongjin-san to see what more this underrated mountain yields.
When I arrived at the trailhead, which was located along a sleepy tributary of the Hwangnyong River,
I immediately got distracted by an abandoned factory nearby and so darted for that shiny (but actually crumbling and leprotic) object. Though mostly empty, the factory housed giant metal drums of some sort of chemical imported from Slovakia. Each label had been meticulously scratched off where the chemical name should be, suggesting they were full of some godawful sludge. Finding so much unmanaged waste in the watershed of a major river was disconcerting to say the least.
Just beyond the abandoned factory was yet another shiny object: Yongjin Temple. Webbed with colorful lanterns in anticipation of Buddha’s birthday, I couldn’t help but give in to this next distraction and so wandered even further from my intended trailhead. Though small and
The mine entrance at the Yongjin-san trailhead.
wedged beside an ugly highway overpass, the temple was cozy and freshly painted, suggesting recent renovations. The one downside was that in the run-up to Buddha’s birthday, the monks felt the need to hang a crooked, tacky event banner across the most beautifully detailed eaves of the temple entrance, cheapening the site’s serenity.
Almost committed to distractions at this point, I found a hiking trail leading from the rear of the temple and decided to see where it went. The direction it headed suggested it would loop me back to the original trailhead I was supposed to
start from, so I took that as a good omen. Along the trail was a pair of pavilions, one serving to house an active well and the other serving as a viewpoint for passing hikers. Hearing water trickle beneath the former, I lifted one of the boards covering the well and was surprised to see a nest of crickets clinging to the bottom. They scurried like spiders to avoid the light, and I recoiled in disgust back to the trail.
Halfway down the trail, a Buddha carving emerged from a break in the canopy. Carved roughly in low relief upon the rockface, the late-
1. A look inside Yongjin-san’s second abandoned goldmine.
2. The pointy peak of Yongjin-san’s Seokbong.
Joseon Era Buddha sat in a lotus position with its hands together. The most intricate details were on the Buddha’s head, with an urna bump between the eyes and an ushnisha head bulge above that, both of which symbolize some combination of wisdom, enlightenment, or omniscience, depending on the source you consult. The placard beneath the Buddha was scant on details and mainly described what your eyes could already see, so somewhat disappointingly, I had to find these details myself online.
While hiking down past the Buddha carving, I began to worry that I’d lost my knack for close observation and entirely missed the abandoned goldmine. I hadn’t in fact missed it, as the mine was situated right at the beginning of the trailhead from where I should’ve begun. This mine’s opening looked quite a bit different from that of its sister mine further up the mountain, as someone had bricked it shut and added a door, which someone else later busted down. One similarity was that both were drift mines, meaning the tunnels had been driven horizontally into the mountainside following an ore stream at a gradual slope. This mine had a bit more headroom than the other
and so appeared easier to explore, but the tradeoff was that, given its close proximity to a road, some idiots just couldn’t resist using it as a trash dump.
As inviting as moldy, bat-festooned tunnels into the dank, black innards of mountains can be, I draw a clear line at entering mines alone. I had friends to enter mines with me at Romania’s Roșia Montană and a personal guide to lead me through the catacombs beneath Odessa in Ukraine. But until I find someone in Gwangju to share the fear with, I’m happy to let these mines remain a mystery.
The Author
Born and raised in Chino, California, Isaiah Winters is a pixel-stained wretch who loves writing about Gwangju and Honam, warts and all. He’s grateful to have written for the Gwangju News for over six years. More of his unique finds can be seen on Instagram @d.p.r.kwangju and YouTube at Lost in Honam
Photographs by Isaiah Winters.
The Buddha relief carving.
Area Sports in Review
A monthly overview of local sports teams, featuring different sports each month and brought to you...
by Zhang Juizhou (Julius)
TKia Tigers Kick Off Season with Strong Performance
he Kia Tigers have enjoyed a stellar start to their 2024 season, leading the league with a record of 24 wins and 13 losses in 37 games and making them the only team with a winning percentage exceeding 60 percent. Their home field, Gwangju-Kia Champions Field, has witnessed record-high average attendance rates, with seven sold-out matches already this year.
The Tigers faced unprecedented challenges before the season began when their head coach, Kim Jong-kook, came under legal scrutiny for alleged sponsorship kickbacks. In response, the team appointed as coach the young Lee Bum-ho, born in 1981, a move deemed risky yet bold. However, both the club and the industry have hailed Lee as a “prepared commander.”
The team currently boasts an impressive balance between offense and defense, ranking second in earned run average (3.77) and first in batting average (0.294). Their position in the standings reflects consistent performances from the starting lineup and outstanding contributions from substitute players.
Unlike last year, when foreign pitchers encountered difficulties, this year has seen a turnaround. Right-handed pitcher James Naile has excelled with an earned run average of 1.47, securing four victories in eight games. Despite previous doubts about his ability as a starting pitcher due to his bullpen role in the MLB, Naile’s excellent two-seam and curveball pitches have dispelled concerns. Naile was named the Shell Helix Player for March and April in the KBO League.
Another award recipient is the team’s third-year infielder, Kim Do-yeong, who was selected as the KBO League’s MVP for March and April. Since the season began, Kim Do-yeong has contributed significantly with 11 homeruns (tied for first place) and 34 runs (also tied for first), ranking highly in multiple categories and greatly contributing to the Tigers’ current standing.
June Schedule for the Kia Tigers
Dates Opponent Location
1–2 KT Gwangju
4–6 Lotte Gwangju
7–9 Doosan Jamsil
11–13 SSG Munhak
14–16 KT Suwon
18–20 LG Gwangju
21–23 Hanhwa Gwangju
25–27 Lotte Sajik
28–30 Kiwoom Gwangju
Gwangju FC Resilient Amidst Challenges
Gwangju FC kicked off the 2024 season with two consecutive victories, earning praise for Head Coach Lee Jung-hyo’s tactical prowess and increasingly being considered title contenders. However, a bitter streak of six consecutive losses followed. Despite this, Lee remained committed to his attacking style of football, stating, “I never considered changing my strategy. Even with ten losses in a row, my football philosophy won’t change.”
Last season, Gwangju FC had the lowest player expenditure among the K League 1 teams, less than a third of table-toppers Jeonbuk Hyundai FC. Despite emphasizing attacking football, the team conceded the fewest goals. However, notable midfielder Lee Soon-min transferred to Daejeon Hana Citizen FC, and top-tier centerback Timo Letschert joined Chengdu Rongcheng FC in China. Newly recruited players have yet to fill these gaps.
May brought a turning point for Gwangju FC, with consecutive victories reversing their losing streak. Prior to this, Mayor Kang Ki-Jung penned a heartfelt letter of support to the team, expressing regret over the investment situation while injecting immense confidence. He pledged continuous support regardless of the team’s performance, urging them to continue bringing joy to the fans through attacking football. Fans remained supportive throughout the losing streak, refraining from blaming players or resorting to harsh criticism.
Head Coach Lee explored solutions, including transforming powerful forward Heo Yool into a center-back, yielding unexpected results and temporarily addressing defensive personnel shortages.
Gwangju FC, finishing third in the league last season, initially required a playoff to enter the 2024–25 AFC Champions League Elite. However, with the opposing team securing direct qualification, Gwangju FC automatically advanced to the main tournament, promising fans more exciting matches ahead.
June Schedule for Gwangju FC
AI Peppers Seek Transformation in New Season
The AI Peppers, established in Gwangju in 2021 as a professional women’s volleyball team, aims to leverage AI analysis to become the best team in the league. Gwangju is evolving into an AIcentric city, and the team hopes to reflect this by utilizing AI to enhance performance. Peppers Stadium has become the sole venue for winter matches, drawing Gwangju citizens together for games.
As the youngest team in the league, the AI Peppers have struggled with poor finishes over the past three seasons but are now seeking change. They appointed former SBS Sports volleyball commentator Chang So-yun as head coach and recruited one of the best liberos in the league, Han Da-hye, to strengthen the team’s defense. Coach Chang remarked, “Bringing in Han Dahye was the best choice to bolster defense and increase strength. This experienced veteran will contribute to the team’s stability.”
In the 2024 KOVO Foreign Player Draft held in early May, the AI Peppers selected Zhang Yu from China as a middle blocker and Barbara Dapic from Croatia as an opposite spiker. Both players stand over 190 centimeters tall and are expected to improve the team’s fast attacks and blocking capabilities.
The Author Zhang Jiuzhou (Julius) is from Harbin, China. He began writing in 2022 and has contributed to the Chinese media in Gwangju. He concurrently serves at a sports data company. He is pursuing a master’s degree in media and communications and is responsible for the Chinese Students Association at Chonnam University.
Exploring Gwangju’s Village Heritage
The Seochang Hanok Culture Center
By Chung Hyunhwa
The Seochang Hanok Culture Center (서창한옥문화관) is a great place to start from when you want to experience Korean traditional culture as it remains in Gwangju. The Center is located in Seo-gu, only ten minutes from Gwangju-Songjeong Station, and five minutes from the airport. There are even public buses that travel there. Seochang is the name of the area, meaning “west storage” because it was a temporary storage area for collected tax grains to be sent to Seoul during the Joseon Dynasty.
You can enter the Hanok Culture Center through the west gate named Gyeokmul-mun (격물문, The Gate of Insight). Inside the Center, there is a grassy lawn, and around it, there is a tall pavilion named
Seochang-ru (서창루), where you can watch the famous Seochang sunset; two traditional hanok buildings that are being used for hanok stays and named after great people from the village; a small hanok used as a traditional crafts classroom; and a café, Masil (마실), meaning “visiting a neighbor.”
The four hanok-stay rooms have traditional double sliding doors with wooden frames and covered with traditional paper. However, for the visitors’ convenience, each room has an indoor bathroom. Of course, there are no beds in the rooms; they are only equipped with Korean style mattresses and comforters, as they should be. You can make a reservation by phone (062-373-1365) or on their website. The smaller rooms for two
Seha-dang annex.
or three people are between 40,000 and 60,000 KRW a night, and the bigger ones for six to ten people are between 80,000 and 100,000 KRW a night. I thought the prices were reasonable. The website is in Korean only, but the staff are extremely friendly and helpful. This place is run by the YMCA and supported by the Seo-gu District Office. The café is run by the village coop (09:00–18:00, closed Mondays).
The crafts classroom is run for the visitors, and the young guests really enjoyed bracelet-making and origami. The café is small, but it serves traditional home-made drinks as well as coffees. Through the wooden window frames, the hanok outside make a great scene. In the central yard, there are Korean games to play, such as tuho (투호, arrow throwing), guleong-soe (굴렁쇠, hoop rolling), and neol-ttuigi (널뛰기, seesaw jumping). You can also make a reservation to hold an event or a big party there. Prices vary according to space and time requirements.
Refurbishing of this village began around 1998. In 2004, the Traditional Hanok Experience
“The more I learned, the more respectful I became towards the entire village.”
Center opened, and in 2015, the village residents voluntarily sought funding from the government to preserve the traditional heritage there and share it with the public. The current Seochang Hanok Cultural Center was born through this effort.
If you walk out the north gate and turn right, you will find an annex building named Seha-dang (세하당), which is used for events and classes. Various regular programs are running there, and
Hanok stay room.
quite a variety of traditional hanbok costumes are kept for visitors to try on.
When I visited again for more pictures, the manager, Lee Hyeonsuk, said that a two-day culture experience program for expats is being planned for the first time for the end of June this year. This sounded like a fantastic opportunity to stay a night at a hanok and experience very authentic Korean culture. It will include a guided tour of the two villages there to find more hanok buildings and follow the traces of the great people in the history of the village, such as General Kim Segeun (김세근), who predicted the Japanese Invasion, the Imjinwaeran (임진왜란) in the 16th century. No one believed him, so he came down to the Gwangju area to gather and train hundreds of civilian soldiers on his own. He fought and died in a battle during the invasion. Another great figure is Yaeun, Kim Yonghun (야은 김용훈), a 19thcentury descendant of General Kim, who passed the exam to work for the central government but decided to stay in his hometown to contribute to the education of the young people. There is a heroine, too, named Kim, also a descendant of the General, who avenged the murder of her husband. This tour will include the Yaeun-dang hanok and the beautiful Mangwi-jeong pavilion garden in the village as well. Some fun cultural activities, such as rice cake-making, mulberry harvesting, and hanbok costume try-ons will be added.
The Seochang Hanok Culture Center is an excellent starting point of exploration of nearby villages that have such a rich cultural and historical heritage. The more I learned, the more respectful I became towards the entire village, especially because of the great people who chose harder paths in life to keep their values and the village people who collaborated to preserve the spirit of their village. Visiting the Seochang
Seochang Hanok Culture Center
Open: Tue.-Fri., 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. (Closed every Monday)
Address: 420 Nuljae-ro, Seo-gu, Gwangju
Phone: 062-373-1365
Website: www.schanok.or.kr
The Author
Chung Hyunhwa is from Gwangju and currently working for a horticultural business. She led Gwangju Hikers, an international eco-hike group at the GIC in 2020 and 2021. Previously, she taught English in different settings, including Yantai American School and Yantai Korean School in China and, in recent years, has worked for the Jeju school administration at Branksome Hall Asia. She holds a master’s degree in TESOL from TCNJ in the U.S. and a license to teach the Korean language. She loves plants, birds, and making useful items out of things that lose their original purpose.
Inside the Seochang Hanok Culture Center.
Hanok Culture Center will certainly charge you with courage and peace. Photographs by Chung Hyunhwa.
Way Too Much Taken for Granted!
By Park Nahm-Sheik
Too many things are taken for granted all around us. Take forests, for example. We often think nothing of getting rid of densely wooded areas in our surroundings for the sake of logging or farming or homesteading. Lumbering, slash-and-burn farming, as well as putting up a house on vacant land would be an easy, painless way of making a living, wouldn’t it?
Luxuriant forests often hoard varied minerals in gargantuan quantities, which can lure in corporate miners and excavators in droves. And boomtowns are certain to rise in and around such forests. Particularly worrisome here is the greenhouse gas headache, which is bound to follow in the wake of denuded forests. Hillsides bare of trees and other plant species are typically prone to flash floods. And landslides to boot!
However, the powers that be for Amazonia and
other resources-rich tropical rainforests do not quite realize how serious the status quo could be. They couldn’t care less about what happens to this immense treasure of a forest legacy for the whole planet. Sure enough, they have been turning a blind eye to the carbon emissions situation, still less to the impending climate disaster that most climatologists have long been predicting. Fascinated by and hitched to this windfall from the forests, they just keep busy lining their pockets like crazy. In fact, they are so focused on getting rich quick that they just don’t care what others may say or think.
Our discourse on the exploitation of nature has just barely gotten under way. Offshore oil rigs and wind turbines are a common sight all over the world although not as common a sight perhaps as solar panels. It is to be noted here that hydraulic fracturing is also resorted to for the extraction of (shale) oil from rock formations at locations such as the remote alpine niches of the Americas. By the way, fracking happens to be a highly invasive method of petroleum drilling, which seriously damages the environment.
This frantic search for fossil fuels like petroleum is motivated, for the most part, by an unquenchable thirst for electric power. Power generation involves harnessing natural resources, be it via fossil fuels or nuclear fission/fusion. Incidentally, sustainability is usually not the name of the game in this kind of electricity generation.
Both deforestation and power generation of the sort we have thus far been discussing entail degradation of nature through contamination and erosion. The problem is that nature subjected to such forcible “downgrading” isn’t able to
Slash-and-burn farming in Amazonia. (Pinterest)
afford us a calm and peaceful planet anymore. Streams and other waterways are often abused as free-for-all garbage dumps all over the globe. This exemplifies yet another case of nature being taken for granted. Apparently, we don’t seem to care at all whether or not our surroundings are destroyed. What on earth has nature done to earn such extreme disrespect?
Industrial processes are also taken for granted across the globe in the name of enhanced productivity. All over, farmers have long been deploying advanced industrial procedures. Among other things, nitrogen fertilizer has been widely utilized in much of the world. We would do well to shift to organic fertilizers like compost, cattle and swine manures, and poultry droppings, however.
Also, industrial farmers tend to give a wide berth to crop diversification, citing efficiency and economy as justification. They had better wake up to the fact that monocropping runs the risk of incrementally and incorrigibly deteriorating the soil. They need to realize that the longest way around is the shortest way home.
At this point, a warning may also be in order on the negative impact of insecticides on bee colonies. The chemicals implicated here are to blame for colony collapse disorder (CCD) for bees, which wreaks wholesale havoc on honey production. The double whammy here: Gone with honey in the wake of a CCD epidemic is the key role that bees play as cross fertilizers for numerous essential farm crops. No bees, no honey! No crops to boot. This is so much more why we’ve got to double down on our efforts to keep all harmful chemicals out of agriculture, apiculture not excluded. In this and many other ways, industrial farming goes against the grain of soil health and crop productivity.
Now a thing or two on industrial fishing. Deepsea fishing fleets often resort to trawling to bring in all the fish species they can lay their hands on. No wonder, they pay scant attention to the ever-dwindling seafood resources that are drying
up in the process. They often make the glib case that aquaculture can be the alternative to the dilemma. Obviously, however, it can’t possibly manage to replenish the thus depleted stock to everyone’s satisfaction. It would just fall far short of the goal envisioned.
Most industrial processes, by their very nature, call for multi-gigawatts of energy, the overwhelming portion of which is not renewable and thus not sustainable. Consequently, they are insatiable guzzlers of petroleum and natural gas, not to mention coal. By the way, coal is perhaps far and away the most infamous source of air and water pollution. It is most likely the dirtiest energy source on the face of the earth.
The challenge of challenges posed by dirty energy sources like coal is their catastrophic impact on the climate of the planet.
Park Nahm-sheik has a BA in English from Chonnam National University, an MA in linguistics from the University of Hawaii at Manoa, U.S.A., and a PhD in applied linguistics from Georgetown University. He is now a professor emeritus after a long and illustrious career at Seoul National University as well as president emeritus of the International Graduate School of English.
The Author
Bridging the Gap
Minimum Wage in a Contemporary, Aging Society
By Yousra Feriel Drioua
It hits me, as I just turned 25, that I’m soon not going to be as “employable” unless I manage to acquire skills and, most importantly, professional experiences under my belt. Luckily for me and my peers, no matter what job market we are scouring, we can acquire the desired modern skills with ease, which in labor terms translates to an increase in our employability and payment range, and will set us apart from our competitors. But what about those who cannot keep up with the ever-changing contemporary labor landscape?
Generally, laborers are impacted by government regulations and the slightest changes to the economy. However, belonging to certain groups, such as those with visible or invisible disabilities, seniors, and underaged youth, makes one even more vulnerable to policies and laws regarding labor and wages. With the recent changes in the global economic state, the saying “The rich get richer, and the poor get poorer” has become more relevant than ever. Although it mostly arises when discussing financial freedom, it can
be linked to the topic we will delve into in this article.
Though not even half-way through 2024, the Korean Minister of Employment and Labor requested the Minimum Wage Commission to review wages for 2025, which is expected to spark a long debate. The main focus over the last few years has always been on whether the said commission could reach the long-awaited 10,000-won threshold per hour. However, this year, another dimensional issue has been added to the discussion that has yet to be resolved. The labor market is now not only meant to challenge potentially unsatisfactory minimum wages for 2025 but also the differentiated application of wages for various industries.
Last March, the Bank of Korea released a report showing that Koreans spend four times as much on caregiving services for children and the elderly compared to neighboring countries. The report highlighted that the cost is set to increase accordingly with the aging population.
Entrance to Global Talent Fair at COEX in Seoul, August 2023.
To counter this issue, the Bank of Korea proposed a short-term solution by introducing the implementation of a lower-than-minimum wage for foreign nationals working in the domestic labor field. The mayor of Seoul, Oh Se-hoon, welcomed this statement, adding that the foreign caregiver program is set to start this year under a joint partnership between the Seoul Metropolitan Government and the national government. Although the program could potentially relieve certain financial burdens, it was not received warmly by the Federation of Korean Trade Unions. The Federation argued that Korean caregivers are already working in poor environments and ignoring these conditions by implementing such temporary solutions will cause additional and unnecessary conflicts.
Other labor groups have shown similar concerns over the minimum wage issues as well. Thirtyeight members from the Seoul Metropolitan Council proposed wages lower than the official minimum wage for seniors aged 65 and older. This suggestion was made with the aim of revitalizing
the job market for senior citizens, again in the context of an aging society, as most employers prefer younger individuals, albeit also under the minimum wage. This proposal was also met with disdain from experts who warned against the serious consequences it would bring to the labor market. The experts argued that the minimum wage is meant to protect workers despite their age or nationalities, that such a proposal goes against its original purpose, and that it could lead to conflicts with existing anti-discrimination laws. Other experts additionally argued that creating lower wages to revitalize certain job sectors is not sustainable and that instead of hiring seniors at lower costs, the focus should be on enhancing their competitiveness in the job market through education and training to lower the disparity in skills.
Unfortunately, in theory or real life, the butterfly effect is real. If the government fails to prevent age- and nationality-based labor discrimination and instead enforces such regulations, it will only be a matter of time until all labor groups are affected. There is no escape from capitalism and one must make a living to survive. Hence, efforts made by people from different sectors are necessary to ensure equal labor opportunities and competency training.
and majoring in media communication and journalism. She loves writing, coffee, and intriguing conversations. She wishes to become someone useful to society and others.
Photographs by Yousra Feriel Drioua.
The Author Yousra Feriel Drioua is an Algerian GKS scholar currently residing in South Korea
Instagram: @myyigli
Some of the booths looking to employ international talent from Korea. Seoul, August 2023.
Herding Cats in Gwangju with Abby Milone
Interview by Lisa Casaus
On any given day, if you ask Abby Milone what she’s up to, you’re likely to get an answer like this: A good day is running home every three hours to bottle-feed a pair of two-week-old orphaned kittens. A bad day is rushing to the ER at midnight with a kitten who was suddenly paralyzed. But it’s all in a day’s work for this dedicated cat foster-mom, who has fostered or adopted out a total of 59 kittens in the year 2023 alone! Learning facts like these, I couldn’t resist doing an interview:
Lisa: Over 50 kittens in one year! Do you have a total figure since you started your cat foster project in Gwangju?
Abby: I’m currently fostering Kitten #82. Kitten fostering has kind of turned into my specialty, but I try to do other stuff, too, like connecting people with other cats or dogs that need homes.
Lisa: When and how did you get started with fostering?
Abby: In September of 2021, I noticed these older Korean ladies throwing buckets of water across the street onto a stray cat in the bushes. The cat finally ran away, but I noticed some movement in the bushes. There were three teeny-tiny kittens huddled there, soaking wet. Their umbilical cords were still attached! I didn’t know anything about what to do in that situation, but Google told me to wait a couple hours to see if the mom would come back. She didn’t, so I got a friend to call Gwangju City Shelter. They said that it would be kinder to leave them outside and hope the mom would come back because the shelter was already overwhelmed. They would die without being fed every 2–3 hours. I called a friend who used to be a vet tech in the US. She rushed around Gwangju trying to find kitten formula, and I scooped up the kittens, put them in a cardboard box with heated rice in a sock to keep them warm, and started watching every single Kitten Lady YouTube video.
Lisa: What happened next? You seem to always have one foster or another around.
Abby: A couple weeks later, someone else picked up a similarly aged kitten, and I figured that I could add in one more. The next spring, another person posted about a kitten they found under a car that her husband absolutely refused to allow in the house. My coworker scooped up a kitten from the middle of the road a few weeks later, and I already had the supplies to help. Then
Only five kittens here and Abby.
another person found a sick kitten… and it just kept spiraling.
Lisa: How many cats and kittens do you typically foster in a month?
Abby: There aren’t many kittens in January–March, but during the other months, I’ve had anywhere from 1 to 15 kittens at all times. I only had 15 once, for like one or two days. That was too much, haha.
Lisa: It definitely sounds like a lot! What has motivated you to continue your fostering work until now?
Abby: When I moved to my current home about three years ago, I noticed how many stray cats were in the area. I had learned about the importance of TNR (trap–neuter–release) and decided I wanted to do it in my area, since I think that it is the single most important thing you can do to help street cats.
Lisa: You gave a GIC Talk about TNR in November 2023. What would you like people to know about it?
Abby: Street cats occupy a unique space in the community. Some people view them as pests; others view them as poor abandoned animals. Unfortunately, there just aren’t enough homes for all of the cats in Korea and, quite frankly, a lot of street cats are feral and have no interest in interacting with humans. In response, all municipalities in Korea, including Gwangju, run TNR programs, where citizens and program organizers can trap street cats, spay or neuter them for free, and then release them back into the community where they will continue to be cared for by local “cat moms.” In Gwangju, the program is run by an organization called the Gwangju Cat Mom Welfare Association. They operate a Naver Cafe where you can apply to borrow traps and make an appointment for the person in charge of your district (gu) to pick up the cats you caught and bring them to a participating vet for surgery. Since one female cat can produce more than 100 kittens in her lifetime (and males can father a nearly infinite number), spaying and neutering ensures that the street cat population
doesn’t increase, which would result in a worse quality of life for the cats due to competition for territory and the spread of disease. It also lessens the behaviors that humans find bothersome, such as yowling to find a mate, spraying, and fighting. So whether you love street cats or hate street cats, TNR is a win for everyone.
Lisa: What is your favorite part of the fostering process?
Abby: Adoption day! One thing that people always say is “Oh, I could never foster kittens because I’d get too attached and would want to keep them all.” Foster “parents” love cats just as much as you, but they have prepped themselves with a different definition of success. The mantra of successful foster parents is “Goodbye is the goal.” I’ve had several kittens die from diseases. That’s sad. I’ve seen really sick or injured stray cats on the street. That’s sad. I’ve seen lists of dozens of animals slated for euthanasia at city shelters because no one wants them and the shelter doesn’t have the resources to help them all. That’s sad. Sending the kitten to a happy home is the very definition of success in fostering. I always tell adopters that I would love to see pictures occasionally, and I would say I get updates from someone who adopted about once a week. I know they’re safe, happy, and healthy. They’re alive directly because of something I did.
Photograph by Abby Milone.
The Interviewee
Abby Milone has been working in Gwangju for almost eight years. When she’s not caring for cats, she’s checking social media for adopters or playing trivia at Nirvana. She plans to continue working with cats and other animals wherever life takes her next. Instagram: @abbys_tabbies
Facebook: Abby’s Tabbies
The
Author Lisa Casaus, currently traveling, taught and volunteered in Gwangju for seven years before hearing about TNR. She likes cats but has an allergy.
Nuclear Energy Renaissance in Europe?
By Chung Hyunhwa
There was a Nuclear Energy Summit in Belgium in March 2024. A lot of Korean news media interpreted this as meaning that nuclear energy is surging as a solution to reduce fossil energy and secure the energy supply in Europe. This news excited the supporters of nuclear energy. I became curious: Had the countries really changed their attitudes about nuclear energy, especially after the energy crises due to the Russia–Ukraine war? In 2022, they had even included nuclear energy in the green taxonomy as a transition energy.
I read that the UK would build two new reactors. It has nine old ones now, generating 14 percent of their total energy, but most of them will be retired by 2028. One in Hinkly Point is being built, but there have been 7,000 changes in the design in over 10 years, so although this project was scheduled to be finished in a decade, by 2019, its completion will still take several more years, if things go right. In the meantime, the total cost is growing. There is skepticism about building another one that is in the plans because the Hinkly Point construction has been far from smooth. This perspective may be reasonable because a nuclear reactor takes very long to finish, but other technologies keep improving fast, so when it is finished, it just might not seem so new anymore.
France has 56 reactors, generating almost 70 percent of their total energy. In 2022, France experienced extreme power crises, and the reason was the combination of a cooling water shortage caused by drought and hot weather, and old facilities that needed repairs. Their power generation capacity decreased by more than 50 percent, and the price of electricity went up eight times despite the expectation that France would be free from a high electricity price caused by a natural gas shortage
during the war. France had been an exporter of electricity to other countries, but not that year. There are always things that cannot be predicted in advance. Global warming or boiling is not good news for nuclear reactors in the long run.
Supporters of nuclear energy say it creates almost as little carbon emission as hydropower. Some people talk about small modular reactors (SMR) because they are supposed to cool without water. However, more careful scientists say they should be limited to only very specific purposes in very remote places where the access to the power grid is difficult because smaller reactors are even less economical and still not fully proven to be safe. Although small, the construction also takes more than 12 years. The price calculation of the generated power never includes waste control costs, so it cannot be as cheap as people may think. The truth is that we do not even know how much is needed to handle the waste permanently because Finland is the only country that finished an ultimate 500 meters deep storage just recently. China is working on it, but hasn’t completed theirs yet. France has not convinced the local people who live at the potential construction site. The U.S, which has 98 reactors, hasn’t completed deep storage either, but it seems less of a concern for them because of its large territory.
What happened to Germany, which phased out nuclear energy in 2023? In 2024, the industrial electricity price is still 61 percent higher than prepandemic, but it is 23 percent lower than last year, and also the price indicators show it will continue to fall. The price for households was eight percent lower than last year. It aims to phase out coal-fired power facilities at the latest by 2038 as well, and it has already closed 15 coal power plants during
System Needs Scenarios.
(Graphic by Reynaldo Dizon and Elisabeth Cremona)
to extend two reactors, and Switzerland also may. These countries made different decisions for different reasons.
According to the European Environmental Bureau, the biggest network of environmental citizens’ organizations in Europe, the extension of old nuclear power plants is not needed if the efficiency increases in energy management, if the lower cost of renewable energy deployment speeds up, and if the European Super Grid develops more quickly as shown in the graphic from its website.
Easter this spring. Their energy mix in 2023 was 37 percent fossil energy and almost 60 percent renewables. Their energy production dropped last year, and they also have things to deal with. Yet, they seem to be going forward with their decision because they consider nuclear energy unsafe and unfeasible without huge public subsidies. They also have radioactive waste temporarily stored at their plant sites without a plan for ultimate storage yet, so they don’t want to increase the amount of radioactive waste.
Portugal, Denmark, and Austria strongly oppose nuclear energy because they see it as greenwashing. Italy phased out nuclear energy completely in 1990, but it attended the Nuclear Energy Summit this March as an observer, probably because of the pressure from the French alliance of Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech, Finland, Hungary, the Netherlands, Poland, and Sweden. Italy may look pro-nuclear, but because of the already mentioned obstacles of money, time, and safety, we will see. The Netherlands announced their intention of building four reactors by 2040, but the financing, planning, and construction all seem to be challenging, especially in such a short period. Spain confirmed its phase-out at the end of 2023. Belgium decided
We are living in an era of high electricity demand. Digital innovation, including AI, is adding speed to increase the demand. AI is already on the market, and it is being absorbed in every sector in the industry. We are still wondering whether it is a blessing or a curse. Of course, technologies to reduce the amount of energy that AI requires will also follow. Without them, benefits will be limited to the rich only. However, if AI develops along with energy-efficient technologies to support it, who knows if it will provide us with breakthroughs. I hope AI can be used to optimize our production and consumption in the world so that we can have enough supply but neither surplus nor shortage. We will thereby not need conflicts between countries to secure resources out of fear; each country can have optimal energy mixes to reach the carbon net zero goal in time so as not to reach the unrecoverable state. The key lies in international collaboration, not wars, for the survival of the human race.
The Author
Chung Hyunhwa is from Gwangju and currently working for a horticultural business. She led Gwangju Hikers, an international eco-hike group at the GIC in 2020 and 2021. Previously, she taught English in different settings, including Yantai American School and Yantai Korean School in China and, in recent years, has worked for the Jeju school administration at Branksome Hall Asia. She holds a master’s degree in TESOL from TCNJ in the U.S. and a license to teach the Korean language. She loves plants, birds, and making useful items out of things that lose their original purpose.
Navigating Healthcare
A Guide for Foreign and Multicultural Families
By Vibhanshu Maurya
Navigating a foreign healthcare system can be a complex experience, especially for expatriates and multicultural families. This is particularly true in South Korea, where differences in language, cultural perceptions, and system structure can greatly influence healthcare experiences. This article presents findings and recommendations from a study by Madeline Miller,1 an American researcher who has lived in Korea for almost eight years, focusing on the health communication dynamics that affect foreigners in Korean hospitals.
In Korea, there’s a clear distinction between foreigner families, who have non-Korean parents, and multicultural families, which include at least one Korean parent. This distinction is important because social welfare and benefits often favor families with Korean heritage, influencing how healthcare services are accessed and delivered.
One of the primary challenges that foreigners face in the Korean healthcare system is the language barrier. This barrier not only affects communication with doctors but also impacts the understanding of the healthcare system itself. Interestingly, the perception of one’s own language ability can influence their healthcare experience more significantly than their actual language skills. Moreover, cultural differences in how healthcare is perceived can add another layer of complexity. Some expatriates may find Korean doctors to be efficient yet impersonal, a stark contrast to the healthcare practices they are accustomed to in their home countries.
The Korean healthcare system is uniquely structured. Doctors are compensated per consultation rather than for prescribing medications or conducting tests, which helps to curb profit-driven practices among physicians. The healthcare facilities themselves vary, ranging from small clinics that handle basic ailments to large, specialized research hospitals.
“In Korea, there’s a clear distinction between foreigner families, who have non-Korean parents, and multicultural families.”
Understanding the different levels of hospitals is crucial for navigating the system effectively. Level 1 clinics, il-cha (1차), offer quick services and short wait times but often lack multilingual staff. Level 2 hospitals, i-cha (2차), provide more comprehensive services and some language support, while Level 3 hospitals, sam-cha (3차), are equipped for complex cases and usually have interpreters available. It’s generally advisable to start at a Level 1 clinic for faster and more affordable care, escalating to higher levels as necessary based on referrals.
Specifically for foreigners, there are clinics that offer free primary care services in languages, such as one targeting Russian speakers every Tuesday evening in Wolgok-dong (월곡동) and another one is in Gwangsan-gu (광산구), serving mostly Vietnamese speakers on Sundays, both catering to uninsured migrants. These services are crucial, given that general healthcare often requires insurance, with free services being infrequent and not regularly scheduled.
Additionally, traditional Chinese medicine is integrated into the healthcare system and is supported by insurance, providing a costeffective alternative for those who prefer it over Western medicine. Although it’s not commonly chosen as the primary treatment, some find it beneficial and enjoyable.
Technology also plays a vital role in healthcare navigation in Korea. Map apps like Naver and Kakao are invaluable tools for finding healthcare services, with Naver being particularly Englishfriendly. These platforms allow users to search for specific treatments, view clinic options, and read reviews from other patients, which can help in making informed choices.
The role of community support cannot be overstated. Networks such as the Gwangju International Center and the Universal Cultural Center offer cultural and social support, which can be beneficial although their direct connection to healthcare services may be limited.
Self-triage is another important strategy recommended for foreigners by Madeline. It involves assessing the urgency of a medical issue to decide the appropriate time to seek care, thus avoiding unnecessary costs and long wait times at emergency rooms. It’s also advisable to call ahead to check the emergency room’s capacity.
For expatriates in Korea, utilizing preventative healthcare services is emphasized for its costeffectiveness and the benefits of early medical intervention. Taking a friend along on hospital visits can enhance communication and overall understanding during medical appointments.
In conclusion, while navigating a foreign healthcare system like Korea’s can be challenging, understanding its nuances, and utilizing available resources can significantly improve the experience for foreigners. This comprehensive approach not only helps in receiving timely and effective care but also in integrating into the healthcare system more seamlessly.
1You can view a detailed discussion with Madeline on this topic by visiting her talk at RealTalkKorea on YouTube (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P7O2larM7N4). Here, you’ll find in-depth information and hear stories from some migrants who participated in her interviews.
The Author
Vibhanshu Maurya, originally from India, is pursuing his PhD at Chonnam National University. He leads a vibrant lifestyle, directing the Gwangju Hikers group and creating podcasts that explore the challenges of residing in Korea and strategies for overcoming them. Follow his activities on Instagram and check out his podcasts on YouTube at @ realtalkkorea.
June 2024 Upcoming Events
MUSIC CONCERTS
Gwangju City Symphony Orchestra Otium
Concert [Early Romantic]
광주시립교향악단 오티움 콘서트 [Early Romantic]
Dates: June 14 (Fri.)
Time: 11:00 a.m. & 7:30 p.m.
Venue: Gwangju Arts Center, Small Theater
Admission: S seats 20,000 won, A seats 10,000 won
Phone: 062-613-8241
MayTree, Summer [ACC June Brunch Concert]
메이트리, 여름 [ACC 브런치콘서트 6월]
Dates: June 26 (Wed.)
Time: 11:00 a.m. – 12:30 a.m. (Running time 80 min.)
Venue: Asia Culture Center, Arts Theater, Theater 2
Admission: R seats 30,000 won, S seats 20,000 won
Reservations: Via the Asia Culture Center website
Phone: 1899-5566
Ghibli & Joe Hisaishi Orchestra
지브리&히사이시조 디 오케스트라
Dates: June 30 (Sun.)
Time: 3:00 p.m. (Running time 120 min.)
Venue: Gwangju Arts Center, Grand Theater
Admission: R seats 90,000 won, S seats 60,000 won (VIP, A seats sold out)
Reservations: Interpark(1544-1555)
Eligibility: 8 years of age or older
Phone: 02-6292-9368 or 9370
EXHIBITIONS
A World Unfolded Through Montsoon: Port Cities of Southeast Asia
This spring season concert series will be held from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. on June 1, 22, and 29 (Saturdays) at the Gwangju Biennale Exhibition Hall Square (111 Biennale-ro, Bukgu, Gwangju). The event includes a flea market and an experience zone from performances and exhibitions.
Crossword Puzzle Answers for the May Issue
The cultural events including flea markets, experience zones, photo zones, and performances will run from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. The experience zone consists of making natural detergents, coloring mugs, ecobook binding, drawing, and sports experiences. Applications for participation in the experience zone can be made onsite and accepted at the operational headquarters from 5:30 p.m. The balloons and soap bubbles shows will run from 6:30 to 7 p.m., and the street dance performances will run from 7:30 to 8 p.m.
Various exhibitions will be held from 8 to 9 p.m. Various types of exhibitions will be presented, ranging from invited works at the Asia Culture Center (ACC), works by artists of the Gwangju Media Art Association, and video contents produced by Buk-gu.
In case of rain, the event may be postponed, so please refer to Instagram (@biennale_mediafacade). You can also rent a mat onsite or use your own mat brought with you.
Complied by Lee Hwadahm.
The first three people to complete the monthly crossword puzzle correctly and send us a photo of the completed puzzle will receive a cultural gift certificate for 5,000 won!
A gift certificate will be sent to prize winners online on the 5th of the following month. - Email via gwangjunews@gic.or.kr or DM via Instagram at Gwangju International Center.
R O S S W O R D
Created by Jon Dunbar
ACROSS
Professor Kim at the May 18
One of Korea’s leading banks
“___ a Singer” (2 words) 52 Hightailed it
Multicultural city of Gyeonggi Province
54 Ruling party
55 International postal service
56 Opposite of ingest
DOWN
1 Frog’s cousin
2 Opposite of exo
3 Back
4 Holy month of Islam
5 24-hour news channel
6 Hindu retreat
7 Bugok ___
8 ___ Cat
9 “I ___ long way from home”(2 words)
10 Moo-hyun or Tae-woo
11 Commercial top-level domain
17 Bank for Samsung Lions fans
19 Not disclosed yet
21 Substance imported from China
23 Suk Yeol
24 Shriek when seeing a mouse
25 Not a chaebol
26 Agreement on USFK legal status
27 Goes with pen or maiden
29 ___ Yo-han
30 Uchi ___ Park
32 Seowon in Gwangju
35 Deadlock
36 Some electric shavers
37 “We ___ to please”
39 Maeil’s cable TV network
42 Shrek, for example
44 Garden at Chosun University
45 Historic periods
46 “___ Misbehavin”
47 Trendy
48 “Shut yer ___!”
49 Referee in baseball
50 Why, in Korean
For only 50,000 won/year, you help the GIC provide a space for exchanges for the local and international communities to learn and experience various cultures from around the world and to promote respect for diversity and inclusivity.
Bene�its as a GIC member:
Receive the Gwangju News every month by email. Priority for participation in programs. Get discounts on paid programs and space rentals. Borrow books and materials from the GIC Library. Get receipts for contributions provided for year-end tax settlement.
