(EN) Gwangju News January 2011 #107

Gwangju News International Magazine for Gwangju and Jeollanam-do

January 2011 Issue No. 107

Gwangju FC The Plight of the Moon Bears Kunsthalle Roundup

2011 GIC 1st Korean Language Class Saturday Classes

Weekday Classes Level

Days

Textbook

Level

Textbook

Beginner 1-1

Tuesday & Thursday

서강한국어 1A (Pre-lesson ~ Lesson 1)

Beginner 1-1

서강한국어 1A (Pre-lesson ~ Lesson 1)

Beginner 1-2

Monday & Wednesday

서강한국어 1A (Lesson 2 ~ Lesson 6)

Beginner 1-2

서강한국어 1A (Lesson 2 ~ Lesson 6)

Beginner 2-2

Tuesday & Thursday

서강한국어 1B (Lesson 5 ~ Lesson 8)

Beginner 2-1

서강한국어 1B (Lesson 1 ~ Lesson 4)

Intermediate 2-1

Tuesday & Thursday

서강한국어 2B (Lesson 1 ~ Lesson 4)

- Period: Jan. 10 - Feb. 19, 2011 (Twice a week for 7 weeks) - Class hours: 10:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. (2 hours) - Tuition fee : 80,000 won (GIC membership fee: 20,000 won/ year and textbooks excluded) cash only

Not

e

* The tuition fee is non-refundable after the first week. * A class may be canceled if fewer than 5 people sign up. * Textbooks can be purchased at the GIC

- Period: Jan.8 - Feb. 24, 2011 (Every Saturday for 7 weeks)

- Class hours: 10:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.

(2 hours) - Tuition fee: 50,000 won (GIC membership fee: 20,000 won/ year and textbooks excluded) cash only To register, please send your information: full name, contact number, working place and preferable level to gwangjuic@gmail.com

GIC is located on the 5th floor of the Jeon-il building, the same building as the Korean Exchange Bank, downtown. The entrance is located immediately to the north of the bank. Contact GIC office for more information.

Phone: 062-226-2733/4 E-mail: gwangjuic@gmail.com Website: www.gic.or.kr

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Gwangju News January 2011

What’s On

Gwangju News

Publisher: Gyonggu Shin Editor-in-Chief: Maria Lisak Editors: Daniel Lister, Minsu Kim Copy Editors: Kyle Johnson,

On the Cover

Kathleen Villadiego

Coordinator: Karina Prananto Layout and Design: Karina Prananto Photo Editor: Debra M. Josephson Proofreaders: Austin Lewis, Jon Ozelton, Pete Schandall, Gina Covert, Kathleen Villadiego, Julian Raethel,

Address: Jeon-il Building 5F, Geumnam-no 1-1, Dong-gu, Gwangju 501-758, S. Korea

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Phone: +82-62-226-2733 Fax: +82-62-226-2732 E-mail: gwangjunews@gmail.com Registration No.: 광주광역시 라. 00145

Gwangju FC

(ISSN 2093-5315) Printed by Logos (Phone +82-62-444-8800) Gwangju News Magazine is written and edited by volunteers.

Special thanks to the City of Gwangju and all of our sponsors.

Copyright by the Gwangju International Center. All rights reserved. No part of this publication covered by this copyright may be reproduced in any form or by any means - graphic, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise - without the written consent of the publishers.

18 The Plight of the Moon Bears

Gwangju News welcomes letters to the editor (gwangjunews@gmail.com) regarding articles and issues. All correspondence may be edited for reasons of clarity or space.

10 Kunsthalle Roundup

Cover Photo Photographer: CNU Cover Photo: The snow scene in CNU campus, Gwangju 4

Gwangju News January 2011

January

2011

Issue No. 107

Featured Articles 7

Gwangju FC

By Daniel Lister

10

Kunsthalle Roundup

12

Photo Essay: Andong Festival

14 16

By Laurence Berridge

By Simon Bond

International Exposition Yeosu Korea 2012

By Lee Kee-eun

What is Gwangju the Hub City Asian Culture?

Yoga Class

By Selina Orrell

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The Plight of the Moon Bears

By Austin Lewis

20

Prevention of Perversion? – TSA Scanner

Regular Columns

By Julian Raethel

23

Korean Conflicts – Warning from 50 years ago may explain Korean stalemate

By Michael Bielawski

30

Speaks Turns Five

32

Get Away

34

By Seth Pevey

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Local News: This Month in Gwangju

24

Photo Contest

26

World News

By Rich Lee

28

Ice (and Inline) Hockey: Previously Unpopularly Sports in Korea

40

By Andrew Dunne

36

Yoga Class

37

Driving in Korea

38

Diplomatic Gossip

43

By Kim Hyun-seung, Kwak Jae-gu, Ko Jung-hee

12 Photo Essay: Andong Festival

Home Pages

World News: 2011 Global Preview

By Gabriel Ward

Language Study: Letters to KOTESOL

By Dr. David Schaffer

Book Review: Deep Blue Night

By Elton LaClare

44

By Gabriel Ward

By Matthew D. Jenkins

Poetry

By Debra M. Josephson

42

By Marion Gregory

By Ted Clarkson

By Jon Ozelton

45 46

Restaurant Review: Muhan Sarang 무한사랑 Korean Easy Cook Recipe: 잔치국수

Janchi Guksu

By Yang Hee-seon

Useful Korean Phrases Verb ‘이다‘: to be VS Verb ‘아니다‘: not to be

By Jung Soo-a

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Cartoon: Digby

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Living Tips: Tips for Working Visit (H-2)

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Cartoon: Dear Korea

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Upcoming Events

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Community Board

By Leroy Kucia

By Marie Charmaine Pascual Igwe

By Jen Lee

Gwangju News January 2011

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Local News

This Month in Gwangju A brief roundup of news stories from in and around Gwangju Gwangju Citizens’ Football Club Launch December 16 saw the launch of the newest team to join the KLeague, Korea’s professional football (soccer) league.

Gwangju Football Club, a publically owned and funded venture, will be the 16th team to play in the top league, and will play its first fixture in March next year.

The team will be funded by the public, and through sponsorship and marketing deals. Members of the public will be able to buy shares in the club (one person, one share), making it truly community owned. The next release of shares is expected in February 2011. Over 1,000 people attended the launch, held at the Kimdaejung Center.

Previously, Gwangju was home to Gwangju Sangmu, the army team which is restricted to choosing players serving their mandatory two years military service. This team will relocate, and now play out of Sangju, North Gyeongsan Province, starting in the upcoming 2011 season.

Related article on page 7

Gwangju’s Rail Transport Gwangju’s underground and overground railways have been in the news this month.

1. Song-jeong Station Redevelopment Song-jeong Railway Station, in Gwangju’s western Gwangsan District, west of the airport, has been selected by the Ministry of Land, Transport and Maritime Affairs, to undergo a fullscale redevelopment, which will transform the existing station into a fully-fledged transit and culture centre.

2. Gwangju Subway Line 2 The possibility of a second subway line in Gwangju has once again raised its head, with a practicality and feasibility study taking place this December.

When the existing Line 1 was planned and built (the first stage opening in 2004, and the extended line opening in 2008) it was part of a design Gwangju subway line 2-1 and 2-2 donga.com which originally plan project expected the city to have three lines: Line 2 being a circle line, and Line 3 running loosely North-South.

However, due to low use of Line 1, concerns over excessive construction costs, and a massive budget deficit, the plans for the second and third lines were put on hold indefinitely.

Currently though, the thought of a second line has been resurrected, albeit in a different form, and a feasibility study and public consultation is taking place to both gauge the appropriateness and practicality of constructing a new line, as well as gather public opinion on the issue.

The proposal for the new centre will improve the station (which lies on the KTX line between Seoul and Mokpo), develop surrounding transport links, and also include convention centre facilities, and various cultural attractions, such as a performing arts hall, and the Namdo Food Town.

Once the planned KTX upgrades are completed in 2015, trains will be able to travel from Seoul to Gwangju Songjeong in just 90 minutes.

Three possible routes for the new line are being considered, with the featured proposal running North-South, connecting Baek-un Junction, Chosun University, Gwangju Station, Chonnam University, and the Il-gok and Cheomdan neighborhoods.

Gwangju Mayor Kang talked about the Ministry’s decision on December 3, and expressed his desire that the new complex be the “best” in Korea. “Gwangju Song-jeong will not simply be a station, but be developed as a passenger transit center, with excellent transport links, logistics and distribution facilities, as well as cultural facilities, becoming the most splendid, beautiful transit center in Korea,” he said.

The public study will give local residents the chance to give their opinion on the proposed schemes, as many are believed to be concerned over cost, and the city’s need for a second line.

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Gwangju News January 2011

The viability of light-railway style above-ground links is also being examined.

Should the plan be approved, the new line would open in 2022.

By Jon Ozelton

Feature

Gwangju FC A

new year typically brings hope and possibility to many, though perhaps the dawn of 2011 will bring a greater slice than most for those who have followed the fortunes of Gwangju Sangmu football club in recent years. Of course, hope brings with it no guarantees, but the new management staff at Gwangju’s Guus Hiddink World Cup Stadium have been working hard to ensure the upcoming season will be more prosperous than those in recent memory.

Of course, Gwangju Sangmu is no more and despite the new team continuing to play at the stadium named in honour of everybody’s favourite Dutchman, the players and coaching staff have been substituted.

Sangmu – the tag given to the city designated the duty of hosting the country’s military football team – is no longer required, as military responsibilities are for Gwangju to deal with no more.

In no uncertain terms, the Gwangju-based soccer fan will most likely hope to forget the trials and tribulations of recent seasons. Abysmal would almost be a generous word to describe 2010, where only Daegu FC’s marginally worse goal difference spared Gwangju Sangmu the blushes of being the K-League’s bottom team, an accolade the country’s fifth biggest city probably shouldn’t be worthy of.

As the army relinquished their grip on professional football in the city, a new team has been born, the Gwangju FC. The team’s manager, Choi Man-hee, a leader entering the scene with experience behind him.

Having been involved in leading a unified Korean under-19 team to glory in the 1990 Asian Cup, he also managed Jeonbuk Hyundai for seven years up to the early part of the last decade, giving them solid midseason stability throughout his time – a dizzy height

Gwangju News January 2011

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Feature

The clock is ticking and with weeks till the season’s March kick-off, questions arise as to whether there will be enough time to learn about his recently assembled squad. When the army moved on since no players remained Choi was tasked with the assembling of a whole new team. University graduates provided 11 players, whilst special dispensation in the player draft gave them the chance to select more players than their K-League competition.

Choi has used this to put a young squad together, with most players under the age of 21. Whether the young team’s speed and agility will be enough to compensate for the lack of experience remains to be seen, to quote a famous Scotsman who once wore red in true clichéd football fashion “You’ll win nothing with kids”.

Winning trophies though isn’t a workable objective for the inaugural year ahead, no team can realistically expect to challenge for honours a year after its reinception.

The coach has selected a team he hopes have pride, in doing so it is no coincidence that seven of the players have an association with Gwangju, as well as many of the coaching staff, an affiliation which has not been present in recent years. Whether pride will be enough to win against teams with greater skill levels and more experience playing alongside each other remains to be seen, although the neutral would argue that it is unlikely.

Left and right photos: Scrimmage between team members (Dec.09, 2010)

the Gwangju franchise hasn’t achieved since finishing 8th in the 2004 season, after which they finished rock bottom four times out of six.

“Managing this club is a great honour, though also a huge burden to make a good team for the citizens”, said Choi. His usual cheerful demeanor becomes more serious. He clearly holds a lot of pride to be managing this club, a city he returns to after 35 years away.

As the new coach he is relieved with the re-initiation of Gwangju as a citizen’s team, referencing the lack of passion the military teams often play with since they have no real belonging to the city in which they ply their trade. “They just stay for 2 years and feel no spirit for the team or town in which they play, so there will be a big difference between Gwangju FC and Gwangju Sangmu,” said Choi.

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Gwangju News January 2011

At this early stage Choi refuses to give a prediction or aim on 2011 aspirations in terms of league position. He aims to make the team popular, though he laughs at the suggestion of making the team more popular than the Kia Tigers. “This is a baseball city,” said Choi.

Though with Gwangju’s baseball heroes recently dethroned as champions there might be a chance of winning back the support of a city who seemingly turned their back on this club in recent years.

Choi looks to create a team who will attack and offer speed in abundance – something he calls “power play”.

Whether this is the key to brining people into the stadium remains to be seen, and whether such a style of play is possible is a further mystery. “I don’t know the exact team, I have to learn about the players and how they play before I can be sure of what style will suit them as a unit,” said Choi.

The learning process will be aided by recent bouts with local universities, although drawing 0:0 with Honnam

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Left and right photos: Weekly training; Bottom: Celebration for the launch of the new team on top of Mt. Mudeung

and then being held to a 1:1 draw with Chosun perhaps wouldn’t have installed any extra confidence, and the main thing learned was that there is a void in the squad’s quality – one that needs filling. Such opposition will prove no comparison to what the KLeague has to offer in future opponents (fixtures to be decided mid January).

The club naturally lack the funds some of the KLeague’s power clubs possess, and so have employed a long term strategy to develop existing talent. To provide more immediate strength, plans are in place to sign some experienced players before the start of the

season, with a goalkeeper and a couple of new faces to strengthen the rear guard topping the wish list. Choi appreciates he is in it for the long haul. He is excited by the prospect of working with these young players, developing their skills and building them into a team.

“I want to work with these players and help them improve, help make them like Park Ji-sung,” said Choi.

By Daniel Lister Photos by Gwangju FC

Gwangju News January 2011

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Events Review

Kunsthalle Roundup A round-up of recent events at Kunsthalle Gwangju

Background For those unaware, the Kunsthalle is an art space in downtown Gwangju, distinguished by being created from shipping holders. Displaying creative works from both Korean and international artists, the Kunsthalle is rapidly establishing itself as a valued and open-minded hub of cultural activity, catering to the citizens of this fair city.

Owned by Korean art group Platoon, it is the second of its kind in Korea, but one of many worldwide. Since its official opening for its first exhibition in May, it now boasts an average of 2000 visitors per month.

According to one of the driving forces behind the project, director Tom Bueschemann, the Kunsthalle aims to be a “platform to bring different artists, as well as art and culture groups from Gwangju together to build networks”. With the backing of the Gwangju

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Gwangju News January 2011

International Centre as well as the ministry of culture, and the Asian Culture Complex (once constructed) it’s rapidly heading towards becoming one of the most important locales in an ever-evolving Gwangju.

A round-up of recent events Throughout the months of November and December the Kunsthalle has welcomed all members of the public for an ongoing program of events. On the last Friday of November, Uli Gaulke’s evocative documentary Comrades in Dreams was screened to an intimate crowd of interested guests. As a German made film about individuals from various countries (including North Korea) all pursuing their passion for film projection, it was a highly apt film to screen. Kim, Hyun-jeong who was involved with the filming of the North Korean portion of the film was present to answer the variety of interesting questions offered, and talked about film production in North Korea.

Events Review

Then on the first Friday in December, the Kunsthalle welcomed guests through its glass doors once more, hosting an artist’s open talk. It gave the unique opportunity to ask the then displayed artists some questions about their artwork. Other members present included Gwangju Museum of Art curator Byun Gilhyun and Chonnam National University’s established Professor Chang Suk-won, each reflecting on the hosted artists and on current issues in the Gwangju art scene, as well as the future of art in the city.

The following weekend, the Kunsthalle teamed up with the GFN, playing host to one of Gwangju’s hottest events of the year. Over 400 guests showed up to enjoy live indie music, drinks and a huge prize giveaway. The event was perceived as a great success by all, with the resident DJ spinning tunes until guests could no longer dance.

And to close the first successful year of the Kunsthalle, a Night Flea market was held. Only a week shy of the Christmas now passed, the flea market offered the closest equivalent of a traditional German Christmas market that Gwangju will ever likely see. There were 40 independent vendors offering a variety of wares such as used clothes, vegetables, original artwork, books and even watches. To embrace the season’s merriment, mulled wine, traditional German snacks and even carol singing accompanied browsers’ delight.

What’s next for the Kunsthalle?

After a number of inspired events this year, the Kunsthalle is contributing to Gwangju’s steadily increasing reputation as one of the more active and progressive cities in the country. Be a part of this expanding community by stopping by the latest ongoing exhibition or checking out one of the upcoming events.

From now until February 8, the hall will host a variety of installations by local artists. Such pieces include a series of natural objects molded from aluminum foil by Kim Kang-seok, a fanciful “vegetable garden” arrangement, highlighting the potential for simplicity in economic trade by Cho Soo-chin, and expatriate Brian Hunter offers a collection of stirring narrative video confessionals, artificially dubbed by various public figures such as Salvador Dali, Bob Marley and Francis Bacon.

Complimenting the exhibition will be a series of new events, following the success of past reception:

Friday January 7 @ 7 p.m. - Movie Night: Korean animation films

Massim presents an eclectic selection of animated shorts from some of Korea’s finest animation artists.

Director of Sentimental Eve Sung Goo-won, as well as Massim’s own Young, Min-go will be present, offering background on the screenings.

Saturday, Jan. 15 from 5pm - Night Flea market Once again, traders will set up stalls offering their wares. If you too feel like getting involved, don’t hesitate to contact the Kunsthalle (mail@kunsthallegwangju.com). Got some old clothes and books to get rid of? Like baking and making? Get in contact!

Friday, Jan. 21 on 7pm - Open talk 2 This talk will aim to discuss and promote the forthcoming Asia Culture Complex. Members of the ACC committee will be present to take your pressing questions about the development of the area and speculate on the future impact it might have on the city.

Friday, Jan. 28 from 8pm - BYO DJ Night Organising DJs from Seoul and Gwangju, the Kunsthalle opens up once more for more unashamed BYO party fun. Bring your own drinks and snacks to make it the kind of party you want it to be.

Reflection Ever since Gwangju’s democratic uprising of 1980, where many students and civilians lost their lives fighting for their beliefs, this city has upheld a reputation in Korea for being liberalistic and freethinking. Places like the Kunsthalle and the Biennele maintain such a reputation, by providing a venue for reflection and appreciating art. The Kunsthalle is highly unique in that it is openly supportive towards any new ideas, welcoming the local community, with the simple yet sincere intention to promote creative interests. I feel lucky to live in a city which possesses such a fine platform for creativity and innovation .

The Kunsthalle is located downtown, in front of the Asian Culture Complex Construction Site, a short walk from the International Centre and the YMCA. It is open Tuesday-Sunday, 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. daily (and later during events). Keep an eye out on their website for even more events to come: www.kunsthallegwangju.com

Story and photo by Laurence Berridge

Gwangju News January 2011

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Photo Essay

Andong Festival earing masks to ward off spirits, or hide amongst spirits in a custom prevalent in more than one culture, how many of us have dressed up and used masks at Halloween? In South Korea the culture and history of the mask is celebrated once a year in the town of Andong, and the nearby folk village of Hahoe (pronounced Ha-Hway).

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The tradition of mask dance in Korea goes back centuries, and was used in shamanistic rituals. In the village of Hahoe the tradition of mask dancing goes back centuries and is preserved today by a mask dance team that performs Mudong Madang, a dance where people make offering for health and wealth to a female goddess. This troupe then performs a second act called chuji madang where an abundant harvest is promised, and this is finished with a dancer chasing away demons and evil spirits. The stage has now been sanctified, and other acts follow.

The festival also features performers from across Korea, and around the world. The international flavour is given to this event by performers who come from China, Mexico, France, Indonesia, Malaysia, Mongolia and Thailand. Performances by these groups are scattered across Andong and Hahoe, and are performed several times over the course of the week long festival. The main festival site also offers people the chance to make there own mask, enjoy a fashion show with naturally dyed garments, and watch some younger mask dance performers in action.

The real charm of the area is the Hahoe folk village itself, and it’s little surprise to me that when foreign dignatories –including the Queen of England and a former U.S .president– visited Korea they came here.

The first thing to note is the stunning location on a bend in the Nakdong river, with the imposing Pyungdae rock face on the side of the river the villagers who have lived in this village all their lives are clearly blessed. Indeed the village has produced a former Korean prime minister, Ryu Seong-ryong .

As well as all the mask dance performances that take 12

Gwangju News January 2011

place in Hahoe, with a lot of the performers making the trip from Andong itself, the high point of the festival is the Seonyujubul Nori. Seonyujubol Nori is something rather special to behold, and is a fire play performed on a boat along the river Naktong. In the past the custom was for poets to write poems and once one of these was finished people would shout “drop the fires”. Today there is just the one boat on the river with several people dressed in hanbok serenading the watching crowd. The custom of dropping bundles of fire from the top of the cliff is still carried out as well. The true magic is perhaps provided by the traditional fireworks. Where western fireworks are all over in a flash and a bang these fireworks really romance the crowds as they drop little sparkles of fire rain on the river and beach for perhaps an hour. The fireworks are suspended across the river on four sets of wire which rather resemble a huge washing line. Once lit you can stand between these wires and have sparks fall on either side of you, and yes it really does feel like fire rain.

Transport From Gwangju catch the intercity bus to Dong-Daegu (East Daegu) – (Travel Time: 3.5 hours / Regular fare: 12,300 19,900 won/ Interval time: 1 hour). From Dong-Daegu, take another intercity bus to Andong (Travel time: 1hr40 minutes/Regular fare: 7,300 won) On arrival in Andong you’ll find a large festival site about 10 minutes walk from the bus terminal, and 15 minutes from the train station. Those who want to head onto Hahoe village need to cross the road and find bus #46, which takes 40 minutes to get to the village (Regular fare: 1,100 won).

Accomodation Andong: Accomodations are fairly easy to find. The Andong Park Tourist Hotel is 50,000 won a night, and is a 10 minutes walk from the bus station. There are also plenty of motels between the bus station and the tourist hotel.

Hahoe: If you go to Hahoe you can stay over night at the village in one of the minbaks. Call the Travel Phone (+8254-852-3588, +82-54-840-6974) for reservations.

Story and photos by Simon Bond

Photo Essay

Gwangju News January 2011

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Feature

International Exposition Yeosu Korea 2012 ust over two years ago, the world turned its eyes in fascination to China as it presented its first ever Olympic Games in 2008. Two years later, China stole the world’s gaze again as the city of Shanghai hosted the 2010 World Expo. Although the recently closed Expo 2010 may not have grabbed the same attention as the Olympics – though it similarly reignited Chinese pride – it was still put on the world stage. Now, as 2012 draws nearer, with Yeosu, South Korea scheduled to be the next host, it may be time to question what this will mean for the nation.

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The Expo will be held in Yeosu from May 12 to August 12, 2012, presenting the theme of “The Living Ocean and the Coast.” It is essential that the Expo draws

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Gwangju News January 2011

attention from foreign tourists and “the passion of nations.” In China’s case, their vast population was enough to support the Expo. But for the Expo to be successful in South Korea, which has only a percentage of China’s population, it will require dedication from foreign visitors as well as it’s citizens.

With only a year and a half left to prepare for the Expo, there is seemingly little interest from the majority of South Koreans. The Expo is to be a national ceremony, managed by our nation’s taxes, therefore the entire country, not just the city of Yeosu, should be celebrating.

On average, more than 400,000 people visited

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Zone, the Culture Zone and the Water Zone, in which visitors will be able to experience marine culture.

The Expo Digital Gallery is an ubiquitous avenue displaying Korea’s cutting-edge IT technology. The façade of the exhibition hall will become a platform for various exhibitions. There will also be an environment where visitors can participate in creating the exhibition to their liking. Visitors will be able to interact and participate in the Expo by using mobile phones, PDAs, kiosks, and motion recognition sensors.

The success of the Shanghai Expo was largely due to a great effort from the Chinese government and citizens. They used an exceptionally surprising policy, forcing companies to provide days off to any employee that wished to visit the Expo. For this reason, 90 % of the Expo’s visitors were from the various regions of the country.

Furthermore, the efforts that the Expo volunteers put forth, in a city known for its brisk attitude towards strangers, to help visitors enjoy the Shanghai Expo deserves recognition. Compared to China, the upcoming Expo in Korea will most likely lack such local visitor attention. To solve this problem, the Yeosu Expo organization committee is managing the Dream Expo Supporters program to encourage university students to visit Yeosu. However, this may not be enough.

Previous page: The Big-O and Expo Digital Gallery; This page: The concept plan of International Exposition Yeosu Korea 2012

Shanghai’s Expo daily, resulting in a total of over 60 million visitors. How did they attract so many people to Shanghai?

First of all, Shanghai 2010, themed “Better City, Better Life,” became the largest Expo ever held in history. The Expo’s building site was 70% the size of South Korea’s Yeouido land, and it included more participating countries than any other Expo in the past.

Despite Shanghai’s successful city emphasis, Yeosu, in contrast, will tackle more environmental issues. We are now living in a world where islands and grasslands are disappearing due to rising sea levels and global warming. The Yeosu Expo will propose solutions to some of these problems, with topics such as the environment, art and culture, IT, and Design to be addressed. It will also feature special facilities such as the BIG-O and the EXPO Digital Gallery.

The Big-O is a symbolic architectural feature of the Yeosu Expo, where the sea transitions into an open theater. It is to be composed of three zones, the Eco

There are still additional problems that need to be looked into, such as the lack of direct transportation from Seoul to Yeosu via KTX, a potential lack of local accommodation, and too little promotion of the event.

Though such problems are to be expected, there is further worry due to the recent national assembly cut on the Yeosu Expo’s budget.

Organization is not a simple matter. The Expo is one of the world’s three major global events, alongside the Olympics and the World Cup. This will be Korea’s second Expo, after the 2003 Expo in Daejon. Now is the time for Korea to shine and show their passion to the world.

By Lee Kee-eun Photos by International Exposition Yeosu Korea 2012 Gwangju News January 2011

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Feature

What is Gwangju the Hub City of Asian Culture? rriving in town at the YMCA it is hard not to notice the massive crater in the ground surrounded by fencing. For what appears to be a pretty huge project, there is not much information about it and the public seems to continually question—what does the label “Hub of Asian Culture” mean exactly? Where does this seemingly grand title stem from and what purpose does it hold?

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The Gwangju News met with Lee Jeong-ah from the Asian Culture Complex. Soft-spoken and delicate in demeanor Lee is in charge of the information center and plans and manages promotional events. The project has been running for six years and she has been working within the company for five, so she has witnessed a large amount of the development process. The former president Roh Moo-hyun originally suggested the project when he was a candidate, to help make South Korea more evenlydeveloped. In 2003 a committee was held and in 2004 the project began.

The name remains somewhat ambiguous and potentially misleading, so let’s break it down.The word “hub” represents an “adopted policy that begun in 1995 formed by the local government to try and strengthen local competitiveness,” Lee said.

One of the main concerns with the word is that it is often used to attract more tourists, and its meaning then gets lost. However, in this case, “although the 16

Gwangju News January 2011

project is economically good for the city, tourism is not its specific aim. The success of the project can bring development of tourism but along with this a growing interest in Asian culture,” she said.

Asian Culture – how can one place, hardly noticeable on a map of Asia, be a focal point for cultures from such a wide and varied space? The project is “working with other Asian countries in a forum project. It is a chance for Asians to find the true value of Asia by recreating it and introducing it into the world. People can change their ideas about Asia and at the same time strengthen competitiveness of Asian cultures,” Lee said.

The project’s website claims that it will be "transforming Gwangju into a culture of novel concepts", though questions arise as to how these concepts would be novel. “[They will] recreate Asia by recreating the culture contents and through this we can introduce and show the real Asia to the people in the world. It is the future of the continent,” she said, using the example of Daein Market to show how these cultures will be distributed. It “move[d] the artists to the market to help support them so they could introduce their artwork to the people and offer the chance for the artists and citizens to exchange and communicate with each other.” This is part of a plan to establish so-called cultural rooms across the city where art and culture can be enjoyed. I really enjoy this idea of “cultural rooms” being scattered around the city. An

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example of how the project has achieved this so far is the Kunsthalle, next to where the complex is being built.

Lee Jeong-ah gives the impression that the project aims to enhance the overall quality of the public's experience with art, culture and the lives of Asians on a more international level. It aims to “find the true value of Asia and bring the development of the culture industry by almost recreating it and reintroducing it to the world,” she said highlighting the project’s goal.

Whilst the website discusses how problems such as modernization and environmental disasters can be solved. How are such seemingly large problems overcome by one scheme? “The lack of the spiritual value, modernization, and the importance of the nature and environment has been neglected to enhance the convenience of the human life and it is even worse in the Asian cultures. The modernization has been achieved in a very short space of time,” Lee said. This is a truth familiar to South Korea in particular. “The philosophy of Asia puts more emphasis on the harmony of nature and environment than to use it on the community and individual,” Lee said, highlighting the importantance for such a large cultural project to have a strong basis of cultural and humanitarian values in order to progress.

It seems the development aims to re-enforce traditional cultural and philosophical views that are perhaps shared across Asia through the project, specifically via art and culture. Allowing the public, artists, designers and educators to share ideas in a collaborative manner. Lee says that cultural belts will

Previous page: Hub City of Asian Culture – Gwangju Project, This page: Top left: Vision and policy objectives of the ‘Hub City of Asian Culture’ – Hub City of Asian Culture Hall; Top right and above: ‘Searching of ‘Hub City of Asian Culture’

be formed, such as an education belt in Sangmu. Such areas should provide more access for the public to appreciate art and culture within the city. As well as this there will be education programs, events and discussions enriching people with knowledge. Although the name is ambiguous, its intentions are good.

Tourism will be beneficial to the city through this project but as Lee explained, it is not the underlying aim. The old 5.18 memorial building will still stand, placing emphasis on how the traditional values of Korea will be progressing with new ideas and scope for the city.

Story and photos by Selina Orrell

Gwangju News January 2011

17

Current Issue

The Plight of the Moon Bears

I

n recent years the Republic of Korea has been anxious to improve its standing in the international arena. The 2010 G20 Summit hosted by Seoul provided Korea with one of its best opportunities to be seen as a modern, successful nation. At long last, the peninsula would receive attention for something other than the threat of war across the DMZ. As the world briefly turned the spotlight to Korea however, a small but vocal network of activists decried a controversial practice that continues to tarnish Korea's cosmopolitan reputation: bear farming. The Asiatic black bear, commonly called the Moon bear, in reference to the white or yellow crescent on its chest, is brutally exploited for its gallbladder bile.

Jirisan area. Worldwide, the World Conservation Union's Red List of Threatened Animals lists the Moon bear as “vulnerable,� but declining population is not the only concern; animal rights activists have been lobbying for years to stop bear farming on the basis of its cruelty to the animals.

Bears hold a special place in Korean lore. According to the founding myth of ancient Joseon (Gojoseon), a bear and a tiger once approached the god Hwanung, wishing to become human. Hwanung issued a challenge to eat only garlic and mugwort in a dark cave, and the bear emerged victorious, transforming into a beautiful woman.

This bear-woman eventually gave birth to the forefather of the Korean people, Dangun.

The Moon bear is very similar to the American black bear, but with longer, softer fur. An average adult male may weigh 140-200kg, with a lifespan of 20-40 years in the wild. It has a widely varying omnivorous diet, including carrion, insects, fruits, nuts, and honey. The Moon bear is an active climber, often picking fruits from the tops of trees and creating a feeding nest in the branches.

If legend declares Koreans the bear-people, why would the government allow such mistreatment of their totem animal? Bear farmers and bile hawkers claim that traditional Chinese medicine demands it, apparently. Many contemporary practitioners recommend other treatments, and there is underwhelming historical reference to bear bile, suggesting that current market demand was created by the more recent snake oil salesmen.

Moon bears range all over Asia, but the peninsular Korean population has steeply declined due to poaching for body parts. An animal that once numbered in the tens of thousands on the Korean peninsula now has a known population of around sixteen in South Korea, all in the

Mammal gallbladders secrete a specific chemical called ursodeoxycholic acid, or UDCA. While gallbladders produce bile primarily to aid digestion of fats, cholesterol and vitamins, when isolated UDCA can have many medical functions beyond those of ancient superstitions.

This page and next page: Moon bear in the wildlife conservation area 18

Gwangju News January 2011

Current Issue

mental trauma and physical atrophy. Some farms hold the bears like this for years on end, milking them for bile through a tube inserted directly into the gallbladder. This and other extraction processes are extremely painful and prone to infection. Throughout their farm lives, bears are prevented from hibernating as they would in the wild.

This causes them to quickly lose their sanity, and inspectors have seen them chewing on their paws, ramming their heads into hard objects, and attempting to harm themselves in other ways. After too many years they lose their ability to produce bile, and they are often killed for meat and other organs sold for traditional medicine.

Doctors currently use it to treat liver cirrhosis, gallstones, and gastric bypass complications, for instance.

Experimental purposes for UDCA therapy include treatment of various neurological conditions, from strokes to degenerative illnesses like Alzheimer’s and Huntington’s. Research also suggests that UDCA is the primary reason that bears do not suffer excessive tissue atrophy from prolonged immobilization (hibernation) as humans do.

Traditional Chinese medicine uses include topical application for sore throat, skin sores, and hemorrhoids; oral administration for epilepsy and liver cleansing; and to “brighten the eyes.” Though the UDCA in bile has been medically proven as a mild anti-inflammatory, many of the traditional applications do not stand up to scientific scrutiny.

We naturally produce this chemical in our own bodies.

Human organs produce bile containing around 5% UDCA, but bears can have up to 40% in their bile, hence the name based on the Latin word for “bear.” For this reason, bears are both poached and farmed mostly for the harvest of a relatively obscure organ that sells in Seoul for up to $500 USD per gram.

South Koreans consume a disproportionately high percentage of the world's production of synthesized UDCA every year, but many still opt for “the real thing.”

Rather than a controlled, measurable and trustworthy pharmacological source of UDCA, traditionalists insist on a highly irregular product that often contains pus, debris, skin and other impurities, some of which are toxic.

Furthermore, when tested many samples of “bear bile” were in fact extracted from other animals.

Animal rights activists will point out that while the human benefit of bile extraction is dubious at best, for the bears it is often nothing short of torture. The animals are kept in pens barely large enough to move in, and sometimes in so-called “crush cages,” which confine the bear in a space too small to even stand up on all fours. This causes severe

A recent survey conducted by Green Korea found that the vast majority (over 87%) of Koreans disapprove of bear slaughter for gallbladder use. Traditional medicine practitioners often prefer superior substitutes over bear bile. Moreover, synthesized UCDA has made this entire industry completely unnecessary. Large pharmaceutical firms are able to synthesize UCDA using bovine gallbladders taken from slaughtered cows. This product is legal, freely traded, regulated, and much more effective for all proven medical uses than bear bile. It is also considerably cheaper.

The Korean government finally ruled against live extraction methods; now they must technically be kept unharmed until the age of ten – Moon bears can live past thirty – until they may be slaughtered for their gallbladder and its contents. Korea's Ministry of Environment regulates over one hundred bear farms, though activists claim that inspections are either nominal or nonexistent. This is despite the fact that in 1993 the Korean government joined CITES, the Convention of International Trade in Endangered Species of Fauna and Flora, which declared trade in these creatures, in whole or in part, illegal. Meanwhile, China has begun regular investigations into inhumane bear farms, and Vietnam has completely banned the practice, instead ushering abused Moon bears onto sanctuaries.

In response to international and domestic pressure to stop inhumane bear farming practices, many Korean bear farmers now use North American black bears instead.

Treatment on the farms is the same. Even if this circumvented the CITES mandates, condoning animal torture certainly does not help Korea's image on the international stage.

Sources: Animals Asia Foundation animalsasia.org; World Society for the Protection of Animals wspa-international.org; The Bear Facts: The East Asian Market for Bear Gallbladder traffic.org

By Austin Lewis Photos by Jocelyn Stokes

Gwangju News January 2011

19

Current Issue

Protection or Perversion?

TSA Scanner

F

or many travelling this winter, you should be well aware of the latest security measures waiting to greet some of you with open arms before you board your plane.

It’s been over eight months since the introduction of the body imaging scanners in airports in the United States. Since its inception, other countries including France, Canada, the U.K. and Nigeria have also adopted the technology to heighten security measures.

However, it has not been a smooth transition. The scanners and alternative “pat down” procedures have caused turbulence throughout the U.S. in particular, with many claiming that the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) and the Obama administration have traded civil liberties in order to keep tabs on “terrorists.”

This has been one of the biggest backlashes that has faced the federal government since it took office. In what has undoubtedly been a fanatically rushed change in security, many are demanding action.

What are they?

The scanners have many names: millimetre wave scanners, naked body scanners, backscatter x-ray machines-- and all passengers travelling to and from the airports that have these machines will be subjected to scanning. According to the TSA, “once inside, the [passenger] will be asked to stand in a position and remain still for a few seconds while the technology creates an image of the passenger in real time.” This image uses up to eight seconds of x-rays which create the 3-D image for security officials. They are looking for anything that is deemed dangerous to be concealed on, or in, the human body.

Where are they?

Currently 68 airports in the U.S. have them. Also London Heathrow, Manchester, Charles De Gaulle in Paris and Leonardo da Vinci-Fiumicino (FCO) in Rome have all adopted them so far. There are more being

20

Gwangju News January 2011

added to the list at this time of writing.

Why have they been put in place?

Well, as you can imagine there are many theories on this. Here are a couple: 1. The official U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) statement from Secretary Janet Napolitano has identified the “Christmas Bomber” incident in Detroit on December 25, 2009 as reason enough to implement the measures. In April, Napolitano said “these new measures utilise real-time, threat-based intelligence…both seen and unseen, to more effectively mitigate evolving terrorist threats.”

So the Obama Administration feels the need to beef up security all over the world to keep travellers safe from an ever-evolving global terrorist network. In the United States there is even a call to advance these measures to land transport, including trains and trams. If people don’t want to go through the scanners they can opt for a full-body pat down by a TSA official.

2. To begin with, there are major doubts about the validity of the Christmas/Underwear Bomber incident from different sources. Can this new technology even detect what previous forms of security could not?

(Sniffer dogs, precious “beep” scanners, etc). There are many questions still unanswered as to whether Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab acted alone, and the fact that his father had warned the C.I.A. prior to the incident has raised many eyebrows. If you want to look into this, there are numerous reports from Al Jazeera, The St. Petersburg Times and many other independent news sources that claim the incident was encouraged in some way in order to invoke these changes.

Investigative journalist Webster Tarpley in February 2010 went as far as saying that there is a “shadow government within the government that wanted this to happen.” Many feel that in doing so, the government has continued the march towards stripping people’s individual freedoms as seen with aspects of the Patriot Act in October 2001, directly after 9/11.

Current Issue

Images from a TSA Scanner

Why is the public in outrage?

More importantly, why do people believe that this is robbing them further of their rights as citizens? Is it a blatant violation of privacy laws and constitutional rights? (There were over 600 complaints last year about the scanners in the U.S. alone.)

The answer is not only in the health risks the scanners pose due to high radiation exposure, despite the claims

by Napolitano that they are safe, but also with the second option, the “pat-down.” If you wish not to go through the scanners the TSA officials are obligated to give you a full body search, including the feeling of your genitals. This is subjected to everyone: the elderly, the handicapped and even small children.

It is a question to most: which is the lesser of two evils?

Is there a third option? Yes there is: don’t fly.

However, in the US if you do make a fuss and opt out you will be severely questioned and posed as a security threat. And to add insult to injury you could be fined up to US$11,000 for interfering with the screening process. Pilots and flight crew are being forced to go through these scanners every time they fly. Following the suspension of a pilot who refused to be scanned, the Allied Pilots Association (APA) took action. The president of the APA wrote a letter which was published in The Atlantic in November. He stated “we already experience significantly higher radiation

dailytech.com

exposure than most other occupations… [and] there is absolutely no denying that the enhanced pat-down is a demeaning experience.”

Recently another pilot for ExpressJet refused the measures and wasn’t allowed to go to work. This resulted in the pilot suing the TSA – and winning.

What the agency has now said is that they will change the regulations for pilots and crew. At this time of writing it still remains vague and yet to be seen.

Health risks: There has been much debate about this. Both the NHS and Obama Administration have claim they have the backing of both the Food & Drug Administration (FDA) and the National Institute of Standards & Technology (NIST) that the scanners are indeed safe for an 8 second run on the individual passenger. Napolitano wrote in a USA Today article “AIT machines are safe, efficient, and protect passenger privacy.” The privacy issue is another matter entirely; but she has claimed that these two companies are “independent.” The problem is they are not totally independent from the federal government.

Many scientists believe that ionizing radiation levels (the exact same used in the scanners) can affect an individual’s gene pool as well as putting many at risk of skin cancer, particularly the security officials who are standing around the machines all day. What is targeted Gwangju News January 2011

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Current Issue

Security Chief under George W. Bush and only days after Obama took office launched his new firm The Chertoff Group. Since 2005, during his term with the Bush Administration Chertoff has been pushing the Rapiscan scanners and now holds a major stake with them. While he holds a powerful influence in Washington many are questioning the morality behind Chertoff’s motives and the introduction of the scanners on a massive scale, and so rapidly, without further testing.

So, what’s the score?

A TSA body scanner

is the skin and tissue immediately beneath it. Dr. David Brenner from Columbia University’s Center for Radiological Research is one of many voices speaking about the threat. He states that the doses are far higher than what has been estimated (up to 20 times!) and “the population risk has the potential to be significant.”

The Massachusetts Institute of Technology have claimed that even low doses of the radiation can delay or even prevent the regeneration of damaged DNA.

National Opt-Out Day: This was staged in the U.S. on November 24, the day before one of the biggest travelling periods – Thanksgiving. This event didn’t achieve as much as the organisers had hoped.

With millions involved over the country, the plan was to stand up for civil liberties and delay travel so it would force action. Many airports reported that there wasn’t too much delay (other than what was expected). Either the mainstream media has suppressed the story or many bowed down to pressure when it came crunch time in order to get to where they were going

Who makes the scanners?

One manufacturer behind the scanners is American company Rapiscan. Republican Congressman Ron Paul openly attacked Michael Chertoff during session in November claiming he “was making money off this” despite the risks. Chertoff was the former U.S. Homeland 22

Gwangju News January 2011

latimes.com

Basically, it comes down to the same question when it comes to government. Are they acting in the best interests of the people, or

themselves?

Napolitano has stated that “the vast majority of travellers say they prefer this technology to alternative screening measures.” Well, in a Reuters poll in midNovember approximately 97 percent of respondents are now less likely to fly in a response to the scanners.

What is also interesting to note is that the Obama Administration has kept rather quiet on the issue, even when the peaceful protests were announced.

So either the government is indeed acting in the people’s best interests by keeping the transportation system as safe as possible and clamping down on terrorism, or it can be seen in another way, that the only thing being clamped down on is the right to refuse. By buying a plane ticket you are guilty before proven innocent. And all in the name of the government's agenda, whether it be submission or suppression.

Whatever your interpretation, what is almost certain is that these new measures will reach many airports around the globe. Imagine Gwangju Airport with groping security guards and thermal body scanners. It seems unreasonable but it could be the way the world is going, all in the name of “security.”

By Julian Raethel

Perspective

Korean Conflicts

Warning from 50 years ago may explain Korean stalemate

G

wangju –After the exchange of artillery fire between the two Koreas last month, it is again evident there are two distinct reactions from people. First is the rest of the world panicking and media reporting the imminent threat of all out war. And then there are those of us actually here in Korea. At first it was big news and everyone was talking about it while glued to the nearest TV. But within hours it was business as usual; everyone continued on their way home from work or whatever it is they do in their weekday routines. It was barely a topic of conversation days later.

Most people here are calling bluff on both sides just because there have been so many similar incidents in recent history. But some people may be noticing the ongoing pattern that seems to always maintain a subtle state of fear while never actually escalating into a full war. This creates a regional political climate that, while never admitted, may be working out okay (or a bit better than okay) for some political and economic interests on both sides.

For example the weakening US dollar got a boost from another possible war involving the one plus trillion dollar/year US military budget, just after the Seoul G20 where the US announced it will inject 600 plus billion dollars into its economy, and ultimately the world economy. And the US military bases in both Japan and S. Korea are further justified; both were scheduled to disband by 2012, at least until the sinking of the S. Korean Cheonan last spring. That incident is still disputed by China, Russia, and North Korea. Another result is that the hard-line policies against North Korea of the Lee Myung Bak administration are further legitimized as they are with every incident.

Now let’s go back 50 years ago to January 1961 when U.S. President Dwight Eisenhower warned in his farewell address of a “military industrial complex” then just emerging. He said this of its pervasiveness in politics at that time; “The total influence … economic, political, even spiritual … is felt in every city, every State house, every office of the Federal government … we must not fail to comprehend its grave implications.”

Ex-US Naval Officer and investigative journalist Wayne Madsen reported at least two world leaders allege the U.S. may be partly responsible for arming North Korea. Pakistani’s President Pervez Musharaf reported that Dr. Abdul Qadeer Khan, an international arms dealer that he says was working with the CIA, arranged for centrifuge components to be shipped to North Korea through a Dubai company. Dutch Prime Minister Ruud Lubbers, who once tried to have Khan arrested but says he was blocked by the CIA, said Khan was “the primary salesman of an extensive

The island of Yeonpyeong after a recent artillery battle between North Korea and South Korea donga.com

international network for the proliferation of nuclear technology and know-how.”

Journalist Webster Tarpley reported on his radio show about the joint U.S./ Korean hoguk military drill taking place that day. The complex Korean sea borders make naval drills very risky. Over the past 11 years there have been at least three similar incidents by these islands. This time the South fired into what the North claimed was their waters. The North reportedly faxed the South before and after this firing. The resulting exchange took at least four casualties for the South, and it is unclear about causalities for the North. Both sides continue to blame the other.

He also had this to say about the overall situation; “The main idea is that the U.S. uses the DPRK as a reliable source of tension to force the ROK and Japan back into obedience when they begin to act too independent.” Now that may sound far fetched but it is also consistent with the political thought of one of the most highly regarded philosophers of the past 500 years; the Italian Niccolò Machiavelli. Machiavelli famously stated in his literary work The Prince; “It is much more secure to be feared than to be loved,” meaning sometimes fear is necessary to push a population into a desired policy. While Machiavelli is highly regarded as a moral person in history, that doesn’t mean this concept of manipulation with fear couldn’t be used for ill intentions.

Looking back at teachings and warnings from history may be necessary to really understand Korea’s situation. It is also worth noting another live-fire hoguk military drill took place at the same island as the previous incident on December 20th and 21st.

Despite threats of nuclear retaliation from the North there luckily has been no new fighting to report. Hopefully the scare from last month will be enough for the foreseeable future.

By Michael Bielawski

Gwangju News January 2011

23

PHOTO CONTEST Submit your best shot of Korea!

To enter the Photo Contest, simply send your name, photo and picture description to gwangjunews@gmail.com.

W I N N E R

Photo by Mark Eaton

Mt. Mudeung in the fall 24

Gwangju News January 2011

Photo by Van Hoang

The photo contest winners are chosen by Debra M. Josephson Debra M. Josephson, a professional photographer for over 15 years, received her B.F.A. in Studio Arts, specializing in Drawing & Painting at The Ohio State University in 1995.

She later embarked on her M.A. in Studio Arts at New York University in 1999. In addition to exhibiting, her career highlights include working on a creative level with Mattel Toys and Bloomingdale’s Headquarters. Debra moved to Korea in 2009 and currently works at Chinju National University of Education.

Ethnic Cafe drink

Photo by Mesa Schumacher

Snowtree

Photo by John Jackson Gwangju News January 2011

25

World News

Home Pages Want to write about news from your country?

Contact the Editor for more information: gwangjunews@gmail.com.

India Nicole, a 20-year-old from Bangalore, became the first Indian woman to be crowned Miss Earth in the contest held in Vietnam. Indeed a proud moment for India! This was the first time an Indian had won the pageant. Indian designers are boasting the recognition received for beauty and intelligence of an Indian woman as indicative of tremendous growth India has shown in the world of fashion. In an interview with the Times of India,(http://goo.gl/L3daT) a leading news media, Nicole said that she is a strong believer of destiny and regards her achievement as a plan made by God for her. You can catch a glimpse of sizzling Nicole’s portfolio and read her blog at: http://nicolefaria.com/

By Pradeep Kumar S.

Indonesia I don’t mind with animal lovers pampering their pets, but seriously, what is up with people spending money to marry their animals? As in, a real wedding ceremony, in front of an officiant with vows and all that?

To commemorate the regency’s 805th anniversary last November, the regent of Tulungagung in East Java, Indonesia held a culture festival, including one exhibition of cats’ Islamic wedding. Now, seeing cats getting married in a religious way makes me feel insecure about my own moralityslashdecency, even though it might be interesting to see how the cats recite their vows. (And maybe getting a divorce later. How do cats divorce?) But some religious groups took offense to the event and filed complaints.

The regent’s defense? That the whole ceremony was an ‘accident’. I guess someone accidentally threw 3000 dollars needed to fund the ceremony and called the reporters, and accidentally planned to make it as a tourist show.

By Media Romadona

New Zealand Keep the Faith Real concerns of a potential suicide bombing panicked a New Zealand Interislander Ferry to call in a Special Tactics Group last month. The “threat” actually turned out to be a Jewish man exercising a prayer ritual during the three hour journey between the North and South Island. It is a Jewish custom to strap small leather boxes (known as tefillin) which contains religious text. In New Zealand 50% of the population are Christians, but it is a largely sectarian society and little is known about the Jewish faith among the masses. Some are criticising the over exaggerated response. New Zealand’s Race relations commissioner Joris de Bres told The Dominion Post "just because someone is doing something religious in public, that doesn't mean that they are a terrorist.” So, in defense of Mr de Bres, I’m going to start my own religion, so I can do whatever I like in public.

By Julian Raethel

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Gwangju News January 2011

United States Teachers become “Pants Police” A Tennessee school director decided that he was tired of looking at male students’ underwear every day. Young boys believe that it’s cool to let their pants hang below their bums. What was his creative solution? To “Urkele” the students by making them pull their pants as high as possible, secure them with a strong, plastic, zip tie, and take their picture for the whole school to see. Nothing cures an ugly and inappropriate habit like shame and a giant wedgie. Maybe students can now focus on their studies and stop walking the halls like penguins!

Source: www.weirduniverse.net

By Aisha Hobbs

World News

Australia

England

The cost of not re-offending

Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg has come under fire lately for supporting a movement to lift the cap on tuition fees at English Universities. Such a movement would see fees likely increase by three times their current amount. In supporting Prime Minister David Cameron’s decision, Clegg’s public opinion has U-turned swiftly from a generally well-revered idealist to an unreliable apologist.

Until recently he was popular with left-wing enthusiasts and students alike for promising to scrap tuition fees altogether – only to go against such promises once elected.

Students have been letting their disagreement be known through a continued series of street protests throughout the country. Regrettably, many in London especially have turned violent, leading to damage to both public and private property. Several protesters have sustained injuries in what is being considered police brutality, while police have responded that appropriate force was used to neutralise difficult situations.

It is thought that student protests will continue until the government’s plans to raise tuition fees are scrapped.

The story of most concern this past month from Down Under is that of the planned action against New South Wales Police for the wrongful arrests of children and adults. The arrests were made based on information from the police computer system which turned out to be erroneous. As a result of an un-updated criminal database on previous offenders, numerous unlawful arrests were made on supposed breaches on bail conditions such as expiring curfews. Also, and sadly a little less surprising, indigenous children make up a disproportionate number of these arrests. So far the NSW Police have coughed up over $AUD 2.7 million to 22 people in the past fiscal year alone and one individual recently received $200,000 in compensation and with continuing claims of “false imprisonments, assault and malicious prosecution” more payouts are on the horizon.

One can only guess that forking out millions in payouts is cheaper and easier than keeping the system up-to-date. www.smh.com.au/nsw/arrest-victims-line-up-for-justice20101227-198lf.html

By Kathleen Villadiego

By Laurence Berridge

Uganda ‘I told you so’ Ugandan style. (BADA) Because everybody finds themselves wishing really badly they could tell a loved friend 'I told you so!', however rude it may seem, an innovative Ugandan musician came up with the word BADA! Add a few calypso moves to the word and your point will come across so well, to the recipient it will feel like swallowing dozens of quinine pills!

Since many Ugandans spend all their savings during the festive December season and then have no money for dry January, we, the ones that know how to put away a penny for the rainy day always find that word BADA resourceful.

Visit www.youtube.com/watch?v=SzdWlPDT-SA to practice your BADA dance moves.

Tequilaz Fiesta Bar Tequilaz is the first Latino-Mexican Cantina in Gwangju.

We are located near Chonnam University. Come and try the best margaritas in town and the best deals in tequilas!

Menu: Bean and Chicken Burritos, Quesadillas, Tacos de chorizo, Chimichanga, Enchiladas, Nachos Opening hours: Mon - Sat: 7 p.m. till late!

www.tequilaz.com info@tequilaz.com 062-512-8645

By Edward Musisi Gwangju News January 2011

27

World News

2011 Global Preview What will be the biggest news stories in the coming new year?

Gwangju News’ Gabriel Ward makes his predictions. he West African nation Ivory Coast is likely to be in the news in early 2011.

It held a presidential runoff election on November 28 of last year. However newsfall.com the two candidates, Alassane Ouattara and incumbent Laurent Gbagbo, both claimed victory. Mr. Ouattara was widely recognised as the winner by the west, and Ivory Coast's Electoral Commission declaring he received the majority of the popular vote. The country experienced a civil war in 2002, and tensions between the northern and southern parts of the country have remained high since. Sadly there has already been violence from the supporters of both men, while a swift resolution of the situation seems unlikely.

T

Sudan, a nation that has been beset by conflict between its northern and southern regions for decades, will see a referendum held in its southern region this worldbulletin.com month. The vote is to see if the south wants to secede from the north and become an independent nation. On December 11, 2010, the ruling party in southern Sudan publicly backed its citizens to vote for independence.

This is disparate with the peace agreement of 2005 between the north and south that ended decades of civil war. Whether this is a sign of things to come in the wake of the referendum remains to be seen. Tensions have been high in the lead up to the referendum, hopefully we don't read of renewed conflict following the tallying of the votes.

It is expected that a snap election will be held this month in Ireland, and that it will result with a change 28

Gwangju News January 2011

in government. The country has experienced severe economic turmoil over the past two years, and in November last year an 85 billion euro bailout for the country from the EU and IMF was announced. On December 7, an austere budget consisting of 6 billion euros in spending cuts was passed. It is feared that Portugal and Spain may also eventually need to be travelpod.com bailed out, as they, like Ireland, have a high government debt-to-GDP ratio. Thus there is a chance they too will be making headlines this year.

Look for the coverage of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change in Durban, South Africa from November 28 - December 9. The 2010 convention held in Cancun, Mexico green.yahoo.com last month concluded with an agreement being made. Participating nations recognised that their current pledges towards carbon emissions cuts need to rise, but did not actually reach a binding agreement requiring them to meet these increased pledges. The feeling upon the conclusion of the convention was that while the agreement was not groundbreaking, it is a step in the right direction and will possibly provide the basis for a more comprehensive agreement this year in South Africa.

New Zealand will hold a general election at the end of the year to determine its next prime minister and government, which has a three year term. Currently the government is a coalition led by the National party, and its leader John Key, is the prime minister.

New Zealand is also hosting the Rugby World Cup

World News

from the September 9 October 23. The current world champions are South Africa. They, Australia, and New Zealand are always the top three favourites, with New newzealandrugbyworldcup.com Zealand usually being the number one favourites only to capitulate under pressure.

The U.S. will host this year's APEC summit in Honolulu on November 10, 12, and 13. The annual summit will see the leaders from APEC's 21 members in attendance. APEC's abc.net website describes the organisation as “the premier forum for facilitating sustainable economic growth, co-operation, trade, and investment in the Asia-Pacific region” This year’s G20 summit will be held in France in November. It is a summit comprised of 20 member nations, whose finance ministers, and heads of their ctv.ca central banks meet to discuss policies relating to international financial stability.

This year has seen the rise of a new phenomenon in the form of WikiLeaks. Founded by an Australian Julian Assange, the website is a whistle blowing organization.

It says it is trying to make governments more accountable and transparent by making classified information public. Its most recent release was at the end of November, where it began to publish US Embassy cables from around the world on a daily basis. The White House, and U.S. politicians in general expressed their unhappiness with Assange, while some European leaders derided the U.S. Assange was arrested in London on November 7 and faced extradition to Sweden on rape charges. On December 16 he was released on bail. Still facing allegations of rape, Assange has vowed to continue his work with WikiLeaks.

Given the amount of campaigning that goes on in U.S. politics, and the inordinate donations that wealthy individuals give to political parties, one can expect to see the lead abcnews.go.com up to next year's presidential election begin this year. In particular, look out for news relating to who will be the Republican candidate to run against President Obama. That is assuming that no one in Obama's party challenges him to be the Democrat's presidential candidate, as it has been suggested in the media that this is a possibility.

The other two topics to look out for regarding the U.S. are the ongoing debates over the health care reform that was passed last year, and tax cuts. The Republicans will no doubt continue to be unrelenting in their struggle against health care reform, and tax cuts will be a major issue in the lead up to next year's election.

China is increasingly being seen in the news as it continues to rise as an economic powerhouse.

However its human rights record and authoritarian tendencies have increasingly been under the international spotlight, with the argument that if it truly wants to become a world leader, it will have to match its economic might with an improvement in the way it treats its citizens. Hence it is almost inevitable that the Chinese government’s authoritarian tendencies will continue to be in the news this year.

The face of Burma’s democracy movement Aung San Suu Kyi, was released on November 13 last year. She has spent 15 of the last 21 years under house arrest, and was the leader and founder of the now disbanded National League for Democracy. Burma’s equivalent of the likes of Mandela, Gandhi, and Bhutto, Suu Kyi is the daughter of the general who negotiated Burma’s independence from the British in 1947. She is still able to draw large crowds to her rallies calling for peaceful democratic reform, but only time will tell if she is ultimately successful. The reclusive leaders of Burma’s military junta have a habit of capriciously placing her under house arrest. Thus Suu Kyi will likely be in the news in some way this year, helped by the fact that a movie about her is being made.

By Gabriel Ward

Gwangju News January 2011

29

Community

Speaks Turns Five I

f you've ever hit downtown Gwangju for a night out, you've likely passed through Speakeasy.

Saturday nights, the place comes alive with throngs of weekend warriors looking to blow off steam.

Foreign and local patrons come to mingle here, and the flowing drink helps lubricate social exchange. You'll see old salts who've been here for years and green college grads fresh off the plane; run into old friends and make new ones. Simply put, Speakeasy is a good place for a party. But behind these weekly blowouts lies a complex past and a deeply loyal following.

Five years ago the idea for the western style pub was hatched by two friends who decided that, variety being the spice of life, people might embrace an alternative to the soju and melchi style hofs which grace Gwangju's every neighborhood. Furthermore, these being the days before the recent influx of western teachers to Gwangju, they reckoned such a place would have little to no competition. These two Canadians, Michael Simning and Dave Martin, were the masterminds behind the project’s inception.

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Gwangju News January 2011

As the five year anniversary of their original efforts finds Speaks in a much more developed and complete state, Gwangju News took a look at where it has been, and how it has changed the landscape of our fair city.

I went in on a Sunday, finding the atmosphere quite contrary to how it had been only 24 hours before. Gone were the huge crowds, the blaring music and the general bacchanal setting of the previous night.

Instead, groups of friends were sitting around small tables watching the championship of the darts league which the pub sponsors. People had brought in fast food to munch on as they watched the game unfold. On one wall were stacks of English and Korean books, pictures of long ago soccer teams (featuring the bar’s patrons) and even a wall of trophies.

There was a sense of history, and it seemed like none of the people here were strangers, but old friends. I milled around a bit, speaking to the people in the bar, and began to notice they felt a real sense of ownership and pride about the place.

Community

Previous page: Mural at Speakeasy, gwangju-happenings.strange-lands.com; This page: Left: Speakeasy bar, speakeasygwangju.com; Right: The orginal crew in 2006: From left to right: Derek Hannon, Michael Simning, Peter Zhang and Dave Martin, Speakeasy Facebook Group

The man I was there to interview was Irish born Derek Hannon, who worked for the two creators of Speaks during its earliest days and has since purchased the bar. He now acts as proprietor.

"It's your local, and people are very proud and loyal to their local," Derek said, when asked about the friendly atmosphere.

It is no wonder that the people who call it their local are so proud of the place. Speaks has done a lot to improve the quality of life in Gwangju for foreigners and Koreans alike. From its creation five years ago, Dave Martin, a great musician himself, used Speaks as a musical venue for Korean bands, bringing in groups from Seoul and letting them play at the pub as a friendly, somewhat smaller venue away from home.

After a few years of this Speaks has become known country wide by bands as a groovy place for a weekend gig away from the capital.

"Dave put us on the musical map, and created a place in Gwangju to see great live music. I've tried to continue that," Derek said.

a lot of fun on a Friday or Saturday night, Speaks is important in that it has created a base of operations for some foreigners in the Gwangju community, and in doing so has created a family of like minded people who use the place as a sort of clubhouse.

"We've had dozens of wedding receptions, Thanksgiving, Christmas parties, even a mock wedding for some friends who were going home to tie the knot.

It was sponsored by Burger King," Derek laughed.

After he poured me a pint I got the opportunity to speak more to the bar’s staple customers.

Drew Roben, a long term steady patron of the pub, called it "Home away from home."

Kris Stella, a staple amongst the bars patrons said, "Speaks is where I met my friends."

Stu Waller, another fixture of the pub who possesses an obvious flair for the dramatic, said, "I would be nothing without Speaks!"

Derek also spoke with reverence about the work of Michael Simning, who used the bar as a means to give back to the local community.

Clearly, Speakeasy pub means a lot to many people here in Gwangju, and it continues to develop and change. Derek and his wife recently had a baby boy, and he has plans to improve the bar.

"He [Michael] started a tradition with the foreign crowd in here to go and visit the Sung Bin Orphanage every Saturday, and even established fund raisers to try and send one orphan to college."

The essence of the place is probably summed up by the words so elegantly painted by the door under a large picture of a pint of frosty Guiness. "Speakeasy, You'll never drink alone."

The barroom itself serves an important purpose. While

By Seth Pevey

Gwangju News January 2011

31

Travel

Get Away or many in Korea, travel is high on the agenda.

Being away from home in a faraway land means there is much exploring to be done. Saving for that weekend away or summer holiday needn’t burn a whole in your pocket, though, with a little advance planning.

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Traveling in Korea is made simple with a transport network that is first class. The bus network is cheap and runs like clockwork and reaches out to all corners of the country. Complimenting the buses is the high speed rail network. KTX, Korea’s version of the bullet train, offers a 37.5% discount for 4 passengers travelling together; this service, called dong ban seok, (동반석) almost brings the price for a one-way to Seoul in line with the cost of the equivalent bus ticket. These tickets are available through the internet or direct from the train station. Internet bookings for the discounted dong ban seok, however, are only available on the Korean version of the KTX website.

Being in Asia also brings with it the opportunity to do some travelling outside of Korea, and it’s here where a little information can save you a lot of money. The closest countries many consider visiting are Japan and China. A burgeoning budget airline industry has emerged in Korea recently and it is possible to smash high prices offered by traditional carriers if you know where to look. Air Busan (www.airbusan.com) flies from Busan to Osaka for only 190,000 won on their cheapest ticket. From the 27th of January, they will be flying to Taipei, Taiwan, from as little as 230,000 won return. These fares are readily available for those who can be ready to book a ticket usually about 3-4 months ahead of time. Jeju Air (www.jejuair.net) is also competitive with flights to Osaka. There are also ferry services that connect Korea and Japan. The popular beetle ferry takes three hours to reach Japan and fares start from 275,000 won return when booked through their website (www.jrbeetle.co.jp/english). It can often be cheaper booking the ferry ticket through a travel agency, though.

Kangsan travel

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Gwangju News January 2011

(www.kangsantravel.com) frequently offers a 190,000 won return ticket. Students can get a substantial discount when making a reservation through the website and providing adequate student I.D. upon check-in. The only drawback with the ferry is that you’ll be arriving on Japanese shores a fair distance short of the big cities like Tokyo and Osaka, which means a train trip is required; this could cost almost as much as your flight ticket!

Flights to China can also be very expensive with the main carriers, especially in the summer. Again though, a flight to China, usually Beijing or Shanghai, can be done cheaply with enough advance planning. Two of the cheapest airlines recently have been China Eastern and China Southern Airlines. They tend to release budget seats for full month periods and then all the prices will revert back to a standard fare. Looking 3-4 months in advance gives you some time to sit back and check every few weeks and see how the prices have changed for the date you are looking to fly.

For those with an eye on South East Asia, there are now several budget airlines competing for business with the traditional airlines. The newest airline to get a foothold in the market has been Air Asia (www.airasia.com); although only offering one flight option, from Incheon to Kuala Lumpur, the possibilities when in Kuala Lumpur are endless. There are very frequent seat sales on the website that offer free flights with only taxes to pay. For return flights, KL to Indonesia, Vietnam, Laos, Thailand and others, the total price can often be as little as 20,000 won. If you happen to miss a seat sale, it might be worth waiting for the next, they come around fairly frequently. A good return ticket price from Incheon to KL is around 200,000 won. Air Asia’s presence in Korea really has opened up a great opportunity to explore South East Asia for a heavily discounted price.

Another popular destination is the Philippines. Flights with Cebu Pacific Air (www.cebupacificair.com)

Travel

depart from Incheon to Cebu and Manila, plus Busan to Cebu. Promo flights can be bought for 150,000 won round-trip and this represents exceptional value to get somewhere that offers world class beaches and renowned hospitality. Promo flights do sell out quickly and sometimes availability for popular times and public holidays is very limited but you will give yourself a great chance of securing a ticket by knowing your dates and checking back regularly.

Other airlines worth a mention are Eva Air, (www.evaair.com)—they offer excellent value on flights from Seoul to Taipei, Taiwan—and Jin Air, which (www.jinair.com) flies to Macau, Guam, and Bangkok, among others.

Top left: Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, goway.com; Top right: The Great Wall of China, telegraph.co.uk; Above: Cebu, the Philippines, worldtourismplace.com

Finally, for those who wish to find the best fare to places like the USA or Europe, there is a website that searches hundreds of airlines for the optimum price.

This website is similar to Expedia but on a larger scale.

You can’t book the tickets directly through this website: instead it quotes prices that you should be able to find directly with the quoted airline. You can search for these types of flights at ITA Software (http://matrix.itasoftware.com/) With rising taxes and constant concerns about climate change, we might well be at the peak of budget airline travel, so there has been no better time to take to the skies and get to those places you’ve longed to explore.

Happy travels!

By Rich Lee

Gwangju News January 2011

33

Sport

Ice (and Inline) Hockey: Previously Unpopular Sports in Korea orea is regarded as a country of four seasons.

Well, winter has arrived! And, the swift change in temperature doesn't just mean an increase in heating costs. It also means that participation in certain outdoor sports, such as baseball and soccer, is increasingly coming to a halt. But, fear not! The turn of the season doesn’t mean a complete cessation of sport.

With each drop in temperature, for instance, skiing and snowboarding conditions improve, and if you want to take part in a team sport, there is the option of ice hockey. Yes, ice hockey!

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Recent years have witnessed the emergence of several recreational ice hockey teams in cities throughout the country, including Seoul, Daejeon, Cheongju, and Gwangyang. There is also a team in Gwangju, where every weekend, a group of Canadians, Americans, and Koreans take to the ice for a few hours at the Yeomju Sports Complex.

Although the thought of playing ice hockey might be intimidating, especially for those who have never even skated, progress can be made quickly, no matter your skill level or experience, or lack thereof. And, contrary to popular belief, ice hockey is considered safe, as long as safety regulations are adhered to. Perhaps most importantly, protective equipment should be worn.

Wearing equipment, combined with common sense, such as avoiding contact with other players as well as the reckless use of your stick, will make the game extremely enjoyable and safe.

Perhaps you would rather be a spectator than a participant, at least at first. People are welcome to come to the Yeomju Sports Complex any weekend to watch the Gwangju team in action. Or maybe you would prefer to watch professional ice hockey. You might be surprised to learn that Korea has two professional teams - Anyang Halla and Chuncheon High1 — both of which compete in the Asian Ice Hockey League (ALH).

Even though, historically, Korea has not been an ice hockey playing nation, professional ice hockey in Korea has begun

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Gwangju News January 2011

Celebrating their third-place finish at the recent inline hockey tournament in Seoul are some members of the Gwangju ice hockey, from left to right, Chris Wilson, Brandon Lucky, Quentin Boehr, Andrew Dunne, and Pil Young.

to make slow but steady progress. Earlier this year, for instance, Anyang Halla became the first non-Japanese team to be crowned champion of the ALH since the league was formed in 2003, a victory which garnered media attention in North America and Europe. For example, Bill Meltzer, a correspondant for the National Hockey League, praised the Halla's growth in recent years, stating "Anyang’s victory was not a major surprise". Similarly, the International Ice Hockey Federation devoted an entire column to the Halla's win, calling it "historic".

For those unfamiliar with ice hockey, it is the official winter sport of Canada. However, the sport is considered to have evolved from outdoor stick-and-ball games played in Europe, such as the Irish sport of hurling and the Scottish sport of shinty, which were modified and adapted to the icy conditions of Canada in the 19th century. The sport then increased in popularity in other countries that

Sport

Left: Members of the Gwangju ice hockey team that took part in the recent inline hockey tournament in Seoul, from left to right: Quentin Boehr, Pil Young, Andrew Dunne, Brandon Lucky and Chris Wilson; Top right: A member of the Gwangju ice hockey team performing a hockey stop; Bottom right: Some members of the Gwangju ice hockey team take warm-up shots ahead of a scrimmage at the ice rink in Gwangyang.

were sufficiently cold for natural reliable seasonal ice cover, such as the Czech Republic and Latvia. With the advent of indoor artificial ice rinks, ice hockey grew in popularity in countries without cold enough winters for outdoor ice rinks. Nowadays, the game enjoys immense popularity in numerous countries across the globe.

And, if you think ice hockey is the exclusive domain of men, think again! Although there are not as many organized leagues for women as there are for men, there exist leagues of all levels, including the National Women's Hockey League, as well as university teams, and national and Olympic teams. Ice hockey is, in fact, one of the fastest growing women's sports in the world.

Another almost equally popular form of hockey, both internationally and in Korea, is that of inline hockey. Like ice hockey, inline hockey is a fastpaced team sport. The primary difference between ice and inline hockey, aside from the use of skates with wheels in lieu of ice skates, is that the latter can be played on virtually any surface that is smooth and dry. This makes inline hockey an attractive alternative to ice hockey.

The popularity of inline hockey in Korea is evidenced not only by the growing number of teams cropping up all over the country, but also by the fact that inline hockey tournaments regularly take place throughout the country.

For instance, at the end of November, several members of the Gwangju ice hockey team, took part in a two-day tournament in Seoul, similar to the one in which we competed in last year. Although they could not repeat their first place performance of 2009, they could not have been more pleased with both the competitive level and the organisation of the tournament. The bumps, bruises, and blisters amassed will certainly not deter them from taking part again next year.

While ice and inline hockey are not as popular in Korea as they are in other countries, such as Canada, Finland, and Sweden, the two sports are certainly gaining interest and momentum in "The Land of the Morning Calm". And, with Anyang Halla's recent victory in the AHL, along with the emergence of both more and more recreational ice and inline hockey teams across the country, it seems likely that ice and inline hockey will continue to gain in popularity.

If you are interested in finding out more information about ice or inline hockey in Korea, or if you are interested in playing, feel free to "shoot" me an email, pardon the pun: a_dunne@ymail.com Story and photos by Andrew Dunne

Gwangju News January 2011

35

Health

Yoga Class ocus your mind first and the rest will follow. This is what yoga teaches its students. A calm mind and body will help to create balance in other parts of your life. To do this while living in a foreign country, as you face a new and different challenge every day, can be an intimidating task. Thankfully, there is now a yoga class in Gwangju, called Aboveground Yoga, taught in English each week. Aboveground Yoga provides its students with much needed balance in the whirlwind of expat life in Korea.

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Taught by Laurie Johns, the classes are on Tuesday nights at 5:45 and Saturdays at 4:30. The Anusara classes, which focus on maintaining calm and creating equanimity (helping to keep your emotions level,) last about two hours.

Students of all levels are welcome.

The class was created by both Johns and Andrea Hildebrand. The two began organizing a class when they realized that an English yoga class was well-desired in Gwangju.

After taking yoga at a few local gyms, Hildebrand wasn’t too enthused by what she found. “I think people should practice whatever kind of yoga satisfies them, but for me, [Korean yoga] lacked a sensitivity to some of the main principles of yoga that I feel are integral to a truly healing practice.”

Wanting to fill that void, she contacted Johns. The two women compiled a list of interested people and began teaching classes in late October.

Johns is both a student and teacher of the practice, having achieved a Level 1 Anusara Certificate in Driggs, Idaho from John Friend’s famous teaching course. She also participated in a yoga teaching course at Shoshoni Yoga Retreat in Boulder, Colorado. Her expertise comes across as she helps

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Gwangju News January 2011

students to achieve new poses through her flow yoga technique. If a student is having difficulty, Laurie encourages them to take time out and work on each challenge step by step as it arises.

“Yoga makes you really in tune with your body,” says Johns.

“You must create space in your body for yoga. For example, if you’re feeling stressed, you may get headaches and then you start to focus on the pain and nothing else. Yoga helps you redirect your awareness to problem areas in order to help you relax.”

Aboveground Yoga is a cooperative program. The students give their teacher suggestions on what they’d like to learn and Johns tries to incorporate as much as she can into the next class. She sees teaching yoga as a similar entity to teaching a language: you take everything step by step and build on what you already know to avoid getting ahead of yourself. Most of her current students are beginners, so Johns tries to teach everything she knows to help her students build confidence in their practice.

“We all agree Laurie is doing a great job of leading us in a truly meaningful practice and I know [it] has filled a void for a number of people who want [to] practice this type of yoga,” says Hildebrand.

If you’re interested in signing up for the classes, held on either Tuesdays or Saturdays, contact Andrea Hildebrand at 010-9198-4771 or e-mail her at andybrand9@gmail.com.

Also, checkout Aboveground Yoga’s Facebook page under “Gwangju Yoga”.

Story and photo by Marion Gregory

Perspective

Driving in Korea riving in Korea is always an adventure. From the novice to the well-seasoned driver, Korean driving culture can be quite a shock to those of used to driving in western countries. We are all familiar with the less than prudent driving practices of taxis and the jarring movements of Korean buses. Yet when it comes to actually getting on the road and having to cooperate with these and other obstacles in order to not result in an accident, it is quite a different story. Therefore, in order to ensure that you have a safe and happy driving experience I have compiled a brief list of things to be aware of when driving in Korea.

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1. Traffic cops are virtually non-existent. Having come from California, a state famous for its ubiquitous highway patrol, I was somewhat taken aback when I realized that there really aren’t any traffic cops in Korea. Initially this brought a sigh of relief, owing to many less than pleasant encounters with them. But traffic cops do actually serve a purpose; they prevent people from driving Congested highway recklessly. Hence, in Korea socius.or.kr the disincentive to engage in dangerous maneuvers is quite low. The following, for example, are common driving procedures/voluntary afflictions: 1. Pulling far ahead of the cross walk when stopping at an intersection 2. Mercilessly cutting other drivers off 3. Extreme speeding 4. Color blindness (especially at red lights) 5. Tunnel vision when others are trying to get over Caveat: There are, however, a great number of speed and traffic violation cameras, but they are not everywhere, and the fine one incurs at their violation is minimal (about $30-$90) compared to the whopping $400-$1,000 fines we Californians are accustomed to. This matters when it comes to predicting the behavior of other drivers. One would do well to be vigilant of what other drivers are doing and to not categorically assume that they will obey the law.

0.2. Most people do not stop or slow down when turning right at a red light. I am not sure of the actual law, but the de facto law seems to be ‘if you’re turning right you do not have to stop or slow down for any reason other than avoiding immediate collision’. Perhaps even the latter is optional.

The directional arrows painted on the road do not always correspond to reality. At first I thought it was just a difference in the meanings of the arrows, but after I while I began to realize that the directional signs painted on the road are often wrong, misleading, or just plain ludicrous. For example, coming into Gwangju from Jeonju there is a signal on the highway that indicates that you can turn right to get onto the Gwangju bound highway.

Also, going towards the intersection at Joseon University’s front gate you can turn left or straight from either of the two left lanes. Thus, if you are in the far left lane and are intending to go straight, the person on your right may be turning left. Possibility of accident occurring: high.

0.4. An intersection with a “비보호” (literally: No protection) sign means that there is no turn signal; you just have to wait until it is safe to turn.

There are many other things about driving in Korea that we might find quirky, dangerous, or ridiculous, but discovering those is part of the fun, right? Koreans drive just as well as people of any other nationality, it’s just that the bad drivers seem to have a little more leeway then we might expect. However, as long as you keep your cool and drive defensively you will likely come to enjoy driving in the R.O.K.

By Matthew D. Jenkins

GIC lends ‘Driver’s License Test Guidebook for Foreigners’ published by the Driver’s License Agency (DLA) in English and Chinese to those who need it upon request, for a max. of two weeks.

Please contact the person-in-charge (Karina Prananto) if you wish to borrow it.

Gwangju News January 2011

37

Current Issue

Diplomatic Gossip A

t the end of November, self-proclaimed whistleblower website WikiLeaks obtained and released to the public domain an unprecedented amount of recorded diplomatic communications between the U.S. Secretary of State and 274 different embassies, consulates, and diplomatic missions.

The website's operators sent over a quarter of a million of these messages, still commonly called “cables” by the Department of State, to major newspapers around the world and hosted them for download. According to WikiLeaks, the majority—133,887—are actually not classified, and a comparatively small amount of 15,652 were labeled “secret.” But that's still 15,652 more state secrets than their originators ever intended to see the light of day.

Italian Foreign Minister Franco Frattini immediately dubbed this unprecedented release of classified and secret documents “the September 11th of world diplomacy.” But was it really?

The biggest attentiongrabbers, at least gracing the front page of Der Spiegel as soon as the news broke, were the extremely candid personal and political assessments of world leaders by U.S. diplomats.

These ranged from Burlosconi seeming “feckless” to Kirchner seeming stressed out.

Medvedev “plays Robin to Putin's Batman.” Qadaffi is running around with a “voluptuous” Ukrainian nurse. Riveting news, certainly, but perhaps better suited for a tabloid.

Some of the most damning evidence of international skullduggery was already readily accepted by much of

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Gwangju News January 2011

laktoz.net

the world. It turns out the rulers of the Arab world are afraid of Iran and its nuclear ambitions. Russia is a mafia state. Afghanistan is run by opportunistic and corrupt officials. Really? This has all been painfully obvious for quite some time. Forthcoming cables could reveal more revelations, perhaps that China cheated in the Beijing Olympics or that Kim Jong-il was not actually the first to popularize the tracksuit.

These leaks are really much more impressive and informative from many other nations' perspectives—U.S. foreign policy is transparent already (relatively speaking, of course) and anyone who reads up on specific matters can get a good handle on it themselves.

Most relevant for those of us residing on the peninsula are some recent discussions regarding Korean unification.

Communications between Chinese, South Korean, and U.S. officials indicate that Beijing is comfortable with the idea of a unified Korea under Seoul's control, though the Chinese would “not welcome” U.S. military personnel north of the 38th parallel. The Chinese Vice Foreign Minister allegedly referred to Pyongyang as a “spoiled child.” Again, this is likely not a surprise to most of us, but it is still powerful nonetheless. These comments were recorded in February 2010, shortly before the Cheonan sinking.

Current Issue

recently exposed would eventually be public domain under the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) anyway.

“Whistleblowing” may not be the best description for WikiLeaks' mission.

C e r t a i n l y , m a n y conversations that were not meant to be public have come to light, but none of them have proven particularly damaging to the U.S. or its diplomatic interlocutors.

Actual whistleblowing will likely become much more difficult in already repressive regimes around the world because of this heavily publicized incident.

The man behind WikiLeaks is Australian Julian Assange.

The website's earlier release of a war video it calls “Collateral Murder” brought it to the public spotlight, but the more recent leak of such enormous proportions has made Assange and WikiLeaks household names. Some call the website's enigmatic founder a hero and champion of freedom of speech in the digital era, while others have already dubbed him a terrorist.

The U.S. Department of State and military should find this entire ordeal embarrassing primarily because they were unable, even with their post-9/11 “secure” communications, to keep their data under wraps.

WikiLeaks appears happy to make public any illicit information that it can, but most of the documents

The WikiLeaks debacle may indeed resemble September 11, but not necessarily in its ostensibly disastrous effects on American foreign policy.

The illusion of government secrecy is collapsing, just as our national security seemed to with the destruction of the twin towers. The subsequent insecurity paved the way for h e a v y - h a n d e d countermeasures such as the mcclatchhydc.com USA PATRIOT Act, domestic wire-tapping, and, lest we forget, two wars. But how will the “powers that be” react to the recent violation of their privileged confidentiality? While Julian Assange's brainchild has been at pains to remain unpredictable, switching multiple servers and encouraging peer-to-peer downloads, large government entities are nothing if not predictable. If history is any indicator—and it always is— this does not bode well for the medium that the perpetrators use to expose “state secrets.” Unfortunately, WikiLeaks and its army of hacker “defenders” are most likely triggering a powerful crackdown of freedom of expression on the internet, essentially making victims of everyone who uses it.

By Ted Clarkson Wikileaks logo from wikileaks.org

Gwangju News January 2011 39

Language Study

Letters to KOTESOL Dear Professor Shaffer, I was wondering if you could help me. I know how important writing is for the students. But I find it very difficult to make writing materials interesting for my students, especially elementary school students, as it is so challenging for them to write anything in English. What can I do?

Elementary School Teacher

Dear E. S. Teacher, We have to be careful not to have similar writing expectations of young learners that we have of older learners. Making materials interesting hinges on topics that children are interested in and activities that they enjoy doing.

For example, children like eating and they like drawing and coloring. For beginners you could have them draw a picture of a food they like, write the name of the food underneath (“pizza,” “potato chips”), and then color the picture. For more advanced young learners, you could have them write a booklet. Title the booklet (one piece of paper folded in half) “Foods I Like,” and have the young learners draw a picture of a food they like on each remaining page. Under each food picture have them write the sentence “I like _______.”

Repetition of patterns is very beneficial in learning. When the students are finished making their books, have them read their books to the class, praise them, and then display their books on a bulletin board or on the wall to instill pride and confidence in your students.

Linguistically yours, Dr. Dave Dear Professor Shaffer, I think it’s hard to speak English very well without being proficient in Korean. So, I think young children have to spend more time learning Korean before they are ready to learn English. What do you think?

Dear No-Name, Learning a language has very little relationship to one’s level 40

Gwangju News January 2011

of proficiency in another language or languages. It is a myth to think that language learners must master their first language before they begin learning a second language. It is also a myth to think that beginning to learn a second language at a young age will hinder a child’s development in their first language. In many parts of the world, children grow up in bilingual or multilingual speech communities and learn two or more languages from a very young age without any negative effects. In fact, research has shown that children who learn a second language at a young age excel in their other subjects at school.

Linguistically yours, Dr. Dave Dear Professor Shaffer, My students don’t seem to be interested in anything. They get bored easily in my speaking class. I don’t know what teaching methods are appropriate for my middle school students. I don’t have confidence in teaching speaking. What should I do?

Youngsung, Sangmu

Dear Youngsung, All students have things that they are interested in, and they will stay on-task as long as they are interested. It is the job of the teacher to find out what her students’ interests are and to provide learning materials and activities that match these interests. I do not know the age or proficiency level of your students, but regardless, there are three general reasons for students to be bored with a class or course: (1) the materials are not interesting, (2) the teaching methods are not interesting, and (3) the teacher is uninteresting or seemingly uninterested in the students. To solve the first, the teacher can conduct a needs analysis by asking the students what their interests are and then prepare teaching materials accordingly. To solve the second, the teacher should be sure to incorporate many interactive activities, not only teacherstudent interaction, but lots of student-student interaction, too. For the third, the teacher needs to show interest in what she is teaching and in the students she is teaching. Teacher interest will convert into student interest.

Language Study

Linguistically yours, Dr. Dave Dear Professor Shaffer, A few students in my class are sometimes very impolite. I can no longer endure it. I can’t think of ways to stop my students from behaving like this. What shall I do? Corporal punishment is banned. What shall I do?

Regards, Troubled Teacher

Dear Troubled, There can be many reasons for students to be impolite, but this can be controlled by the teacher if she makes clear from the first day of class what is acceptable behavior and what is

[ GIC Talk ]

not. (With young learners, acting out the acceptable and unacceptable behaviors is helpful.) Make it clear what the punishment for bad behavior is (for example, sitting alone in a corner and not participating in activities), and enforce it at all times. It may be difficult to institute rules in the middle of a course. If so, one solution that is very effective is to notify the student’s parents of their unacceptable behavior.

Linguistically yours, Dr. Dave

By Dr. David Shaffer Dr. David Shaffer is a professor of English at Chosun University, where he teaches graduate and undergraduate courses as well as TESOL certificate teacher-training programs. He has served in Korea TESOL for many years and is presently the President of the Gwangju Chapter.

If you have a question for Dr. David, please send an email to gwangjunews@gmail.com letting us know your question, student’s age and proficiency level

Time & Place: Every Saturday, 15:00-16:30, GIC office (5th floor of Jeon-il Bldg) For more information, visit www.gic.or.kr or contact Moon So-eun at: gwangjuic@gmail.com Check out pictures from previous GIC Talks http://picasaweb.google.com/gictalk Click for the highlight clips of GIC Talk at www.youtube.com/user/GICTALK GIC Talk is given for the Gwangju community. Have a topic you’d like to talk about? Let us know.

Write to gwangjuic@gmail.com

January 8 Topic: Propaganda in the Roman Empire, mostly regarding Caesar Augustus Speaker: Christopher J Dawe (BA, Classical Civilizations and Latin Literature, Brigham Young University) Dedicated on 30 January 9 BC, to commemorate the safe return to Rome of the Emperor Augustus, the Ara Pacis Augustae (literally, the Alter to the Peace of Augustus) is the quintessential work of the Roman Golden Age. While also having imagery consistent with Roman historical and mythological beliefs, this alter to peace contains several obvious (and some not so obvious) depictions of Augustus and his family. These include processional images of the imperial retinue and reliefs of the emperor’s family in divine roles. These were no doubt included by Augustus to solidify his rule and emphasize Roman dependence upon him. The imagery of the Ara Pacis provides not only a wonderful study on Roman art but also, “examinations of art history, Augustan culture, imperial propaganda, and social history.”

January 15 Topic: Growing up with Dyslexia Speaker: Owen M. The World Federation of Neurology defines dyslexia as "a disorder manifested by difficulty in learning to read despite conventional instruction, adequate intelligence and sociocultural opportunity." It is estimated that it affects between 5 and 10 percent of any given population, and a teacher in Gwangju has a unique expertise in this surprisingly common learning disability. This talk will explore what dyslexia is, who it affects, and how it can be spotted. The speaker will also show that a learning disability need not prevent one from living a successful, happy life.

January 22 Topic: Reflective practice-non verbal communication in the class room Speaker: Brian D. Thomas (elementary school teacher, soccer team president, former Olympian and former GIC presenter and friend of the global world) Reflective language teaching involves teachers systematically gathering data about their teaching and using this information to make informed decisions about their practices. (farrell,2007) Because the center of the language teachers reflection is based on his and her actual teaching experiences, our actions in the classroom are deliberate, not based on what has always been done or on feelings and impulses.

January 29 Topic: What life is like for a modern American opera singer Speaker: Raines Taylor (MM Voice Performance, Rice University) Opera, in all its grandeur, can be one of the most expensive live art forms to produce, oftentimes leading to an unsavory reputation as being stuffy or inaccessible. While its roots are in Europe, opera has become a global art form, with companies springing up across six continents. Cultures have taken opera and adapted it as their own, leading to its nuanced presence in modern life.

In this talk, we will survey the evolution of opera along many twists and turns to its current existence. The speaker will share his experience in training and working as a singer, giving the audience insight into the level of preparation (and luck!) that it takes to succeed in this largerthan-life art form.

Gwangju News January 2011

41

Book Review

Deep Blue Night T

he road trip has been a mainstay of American literature since it first appeared in Jack Kerouac’s On the Road more than half-a-century ago. In that time, we have come to regard it as something indigenous to America – a manifestation of the frontier spirit. I’m sure I speak for most when I say that I never thought I’d see the day when a writer from the ‘hermit kingdom’ would turn his hand to what has been – in the main – an American form of expression. That said, Choi In-ho is an anomaly among a writing establishment that has preferred to turn its gaze inward to the dominant themes of Korean history.

But, like it or not, foreign adoption, emigration, and political and personal exile are also themes that are central to the Korean postwar experience. Deep Blue Night hones in on the last of these as it follows the adventures of two men bound by their need to escape the oppressive conservatism of Korean society. Like most exiles, their notions of America prove deeply misguided.

Contrary to the liberation they’d expected, their American experience binds them ever more tightly to their homeland. A California road trip offers one last chance to find what they’ve been seeking, but sadly for them, the freedom of the open road serves only to throw into sharper relief the various forms of confinement from which they suffer.

The story culminates in a harrowing late-night journey down the Pacific Coast Highway. The landscape is recounted in vivid detail, and we come to realize that what’s being described is not just a physical voyage but an emotional and spiritual one too. When the car crashes at the edge of a precipice, the author’s point is clear.

Pursuing the journey any further would come at the risk of a complete breakdown for the characters. In the final scene, both exiles pledge to return to face the forces that had inspired their flight.

The other tale contained in Deep Blue Night offers readers welcome respite from the angst conjured by the title story.

On the surface, The Poplar Tree is a story about a man who trains himself to leap over a towering poplar planted 42

Gwangju News January 2011

in his garden. However, a perceptive reader will discern that this is actually a tale about how dreams and ambitions crushed by tragedy can be resuscitated by time, patience and effort. The message of The Poplar Tree serves as an interesting counterpoint to Deep Blue Night, which – in the end – advises submission to one’s conquerors.

Over the years, Choi In-ho has solidified his reputation as the infant terrible of the Korean literary scene. Selfdeclared ‘autobiographical’ tales, such as Deep Blue Night, which feature liberal use of recreational drugs have no doubt placed him under an uncomfortable spotlight. The good news for us is that the pressure cooker of Korean society has unwittingly assisted in the creation of gripping stories such as those contained in this book.

By Elton LaClare Originally published in the Gwangju Blog (www.gwangjublog.com)

Poetry

Poetry

Translated by Chae-Pyong Song and Anne Rashid

T

Standing on the Mountain—Dedicated to Gwangju Climbing on the Mountain, I look over it-my city that always blooms like flowers, the city that fought for freedom like a knife blade driven through the air, the place where even the green grass of graves became warm with the names of brothers.

It now encroaches upon the fertile field and expands into the vast suburb, following chimney smoke.

Now new roofs have risen high upon hills and forests, and ivory sounds drift down from the high, illusory towers that intellect, poetry, and night laboratories have built.

Climbing on the Mountain, I look over it, my hometown that always blooms like flowers.

Roads lie untied like chima strings; familiar bars, bookshops, barbershops, still streams and trees greening the streets bring neighbors near to hold hands.

And the whistle sounds we all hear in the morning and in the afternoon carry away my dream and my innate sorrow to a far, faraway place.

Ah, the mountain which I would climb to sing out upon whenever heavy with cares and my beloved city I will return to when old to look vastly through the glasses of recollection-my hometown where poets grow!

By Kim Hyun-seung (1913-1975) He was born and raised in Gwangju. He is known for sublimating his Christian imagination into poetry as in “The Prayer of Autumn.” He is also known for founding a literary journal, New Literature, in 1951. In the 1950s, he taught creative writing at Chosun University and mentored many great poets known around the country.

At Sapyung Station The last train never came.

Outside the waiting room snow blossoms piled up all night.

The sawdust stove was making a fire and every window was blindingly bright with falling white millet flowers.

Some were dozing like the old moon, some were coughing with cold.

Recollecting the moments I longed for, I threw in a handful of sawdust into the fire.

Even if, deep inside, we were full of words,

with our blue palms put near the fire, nobody spoke.

All of them knew that to live is sometimes to keep silent, as if drunk, as if returning home fiddling with a dozen yellow corbina or a basket of apples.

Amid the long-troubled coughing and cigarette smoke that is like a bitter medicine, snow flowers piled up little by little and then everyone’s ears were drenched with the chords of snow flowers.

After midnight, alienation and aching bones all swept into the snowfield, yet, where does the night train flow now, with a few windows shaped like maple leaves?

Calling out those moments that I longed for, I threw a handful of tears into the fire.

By Kwak Jae-gu (1954~) He was born in Gwangju. He studied Korean literature at Chonnam National University. He debuted as a poet with “At Sapyung Station,” which won the Spring literary award organized by the Joongang Daily in 1982. From 1981 to 1987, he worked as a member of “May Poetry.”

He now teaches creative writing at Suncheon National University.

For the Bruised Souls Under the sky even the bruised reed shakes freely for one season— if a tree is deeply rooted even if the trunk is sawed off, new buds sprout.

The bruised souls, let us shake fully, let us suffer, shaking fully.

Even the floating weed that moves without root, it will bloom, where water collects around it.

Like everywhere in the world a brook will run, like everywhere in the world a lamp will get lit.

Let us go, suffering ones, putting our skin side by side.

If we decide to be lonely, won’t we be able to go anywhere?

If we risk our life to go, would the setting sun be a problem?

Passing over the land of suffering and sorrow, let us stand on the field deeply rooted.

Even if we block it with two arms, the wind will blow.

There are no eternal tears, is no eternal lamentation.

Under the sky even in the pitch dark night a hand comes along that we can get hold of.

By Ko Jung-hee (1948-1991) She was born in Haenam, Jeollanam-do. She worked for the YWCA in Gwangju in the late 1970s, and after that Gwangju became her spiritual home. She is known for resistance poetry, particularly based upon the Gwangju Uprising, as well as for lyric poems. She died young while hiking on Jiri Mountain, a mountain she loved a great deal.

Gwangju News January 2011

43

Restaurant Review

texture and is a perfect compliment to the kimchi which has a nice bite to it. To give an idea of the size of the chunks of the dish’s three main ingredients – kimchi, pork, and tofu – scissors accompany one’s meal, so that they can be chopped into more manageable pieces for mastication. The spiced, fermented cabbage is in sheets, rather than pieces before cutting, the tofu in chunks, and the two pieces of pork that come in the meal need to be quartered.

Together with the broth this is a meal rich with flavour.

If one goes there in a group, say three of four people, then the kimchi jiggae comes in one giant bowl, and everyone just shares from it. For me, this was a novel way of serving it the first time I saw it.

무한사랑

Muhan Sarang or some reason I only noticed a restaurant that I had been walking past on a daily basis during the summer. This is after having been living in the same area for over a year. The name of the restaurant is Muhan Sarang Kimchi Jiggae. I proceeded to then discard all memory of it, until I was eating dinner with a Korean friend a couple of months ago. They had heard of it and told me that while they’d never been there themselves, it has a strong reputation as being a top-notch kimchi jiggae establishment. I took this as a sign, and the conversation finally enshrined in my memory that the place existed, and that I owed it to my culinary senses to check it out.

F

I left my first Muhan Sarang experience feeling like I’d just eaten a paragon of kimchi jiggae and a sense of slight regret that I only went there for the first time after having lived in the vicinity of Bongseong-dong, where it is located, for a little over a year.

Served in the ubiquitous black stone bowl, this variation of our delightful dish has nothing extra in it that one won’t find elsewhere. What’s different is the quality and size of ingredients. The kimchi has the perfect amount of spice to it, and the pork is succulent while its tenderness is divine. The tofu has a soft 44

Gwangju News January 2011

My belief of Muhan Sarang being a top quality establishment was reinforced when, the following day, I told a Korean co-worker where I’d been for dinner the night before. Their eyes lit up while telling me it is the best place for kimchi jiggae that they knew of. They then enlightened me to the fact that one can get unlimited refills not just of the side dishes, but of the aforementioned main ingredients. My co-worker told me that they always get three rounds whenever they go there. I myself could not eat that much, but my opinion of the place went even higher after learning this piece of knowledge.

As far as the side dishes go, they are standard, except that Muhan Sarang serves a fantastic egg dish, and this I did get two rounds of. The atmosphere of the restaurant is like all good Korean restaurants; bustling, with friendly staff who provide an efficient service, a place where people of all ages and groups of all sizes go. There are no tables, only floor seating which I like.

Story and photos by Gabriel Ward

Directions: To get to Muhan Sarang, take bus 28, 59, 75, or 76 and get off at Jo Bong Cho Kyo bus stop. It will be either right next to the bus stop or directly across the road depending on which direction one is coming from. Either way one cannot miss it. If one cannot get any of those buses, take bus 27, 37, 48, or 98 and get off at Bongseon Samik Apt (south). Then walk to the main intersection only 30 metres or so away and take a right. You will pass a Holly’s Coffee on the corner, and Muhan Sarang is 50 metres ahead on the left.

Recipe

Korean Easy-Cook Recipe

잔치국수 Janchi Guksu How to make Janchi guksu Things to prepare: Anchovies (70g), green onion,

dasima (kelp)(50g), noodle (180g), eggs (2), kimchi(60g), dried laver, sesame oil (15ml), sesame, soy sauce (40ml), chili pepper powder, pepper (15g),water (2L)

Cooking method: 1.Add anchovies, dasima and green onion to water and boil.

After boiling once, take out dashima and keep boiling for 40 minutes.

anchi guksu is a Korean noodle dish in a broth made from anchovy and dasima (kelp). Beef broth can be substituted for the anchovy broth. It is served with a sauce made from various ingredients and jidan (fried egg), dried laver, and kimchi are added on top of dish.

J

2. Make jidan and cut up kimchi green onion and dried laver.

(Separate the egg yolk from white. Fry them each. And slice them.)

Janchi means party and guksu means noodles. People eat janchi guksu on special occasions like weddings, and birthday parties. Because the noodles are long, people wish for longevity in life or marriage when eating janchi guksu.

3. Make the sauce by mixing together the sesame oil, soy sauce, slice of pepper, and chili pepper powder.

Because janchi guksu is traditionally eaten at weddings, the expression "when will you feed us guksu?" is a way of asking "when will you get married?” Also, "a day to eat guksu" means a wedding day.

4. Add noodles to the boiling water. When it starts to bubble up, pour one glass of cold water.

Do this twice more. After that, rinse the noodles with cold water.

Story and photos by Yang Hee-seon Yang Hee-seon is a junior majoring in Business Management at Chonnam National University

5. Put noodles in a dish and pour the broth over it. Add jidan, kimch, green onion, dried laver and sauce.

Gwangju News January 2011

45

Useful Korean Phrases

Verb'이다' : to be VS Verb '아니다' : not to be Dialogue 소라: 안녕하세요? 소라예요. 만나서 반가워요.

[Annyeonghaseyo? Sorayeyo. Mannaseo bangawoyo.]

Sora: Hello, I am Sora. Nice to meet you.

존: 안 녕 하 세 요 ? 존 이 에 요 . 어 느 나 라 사 람 이 에 요 ?

[Annyeonghaseyo? Sorassi. Eoneu nara saramieyo?]

John: Hello, I am John. Where are you from?

소 라: 한 국 사 람 이 에 요 . 존 씨는 미국 사람이에요?

[Hanguk saramieyo. Jonssineun miguk saramieyo?]

Sora: I am from Korea. John, are you from America?

존: 아 니 요 . 미 국 사 람 이 아 니 에 요 . 캐 나 다 사 람 이 에 요 . 소라 씨, 이게 한국말로 뭐예요? .

[Anio. Miguk saram anieyo. Kaenada saramieyo.

Sorassi, ige hangukmalro mwoyeyo?]

John: No, I am not American. I am Canadian.

Sora, what do you call this in Korean?

소 라: 가 방 이 에 요 .

[Gabangieyo.]

Sora: It is a bag

존: 저게 책이에요?.

[Jeoge chaekieyo?]

John: Is that a book?

소 라: 네 , 맞 아 요 . 책 이 에 요 .

[Ne, majayo. Chaekieyo.]

Sora: Yes, that’s right. That is a book.

Grammar Verb '이다' : to be VS Verb '아니다' : not to be 이다' : to be 1. Verb'이

'이다' is the form which links a subject with its predicate, indicating equality or identification.

If this form is attached to the noun, there can be no pause or space between it and the Noun. It is pronounced like a part of the Noun.

It has two different forms '예요' and '이에요'.

- '예요' is used when the Noun ends with a vowel, and - '이에요' is used when the Noun ends with a consonant.

Example: 의자 + 예요 --> 의자예요. (It is a chair.) 책 + 예요 --> 책이에요. (It is a book.)

2. Verb '아니다' : not to be This word is used for making negatives. '이다' is attached directly to a noun, and is pronounced as one word with the noun. When you make the negative construction of '이다', the subject marker '이/가' is attached directly to the noun, and then followed by the negative verb '아니다'.

Example: 이게 책이에요. ---> 이게 책이 아니예요. ( It is not a book.) 존씨는 미국사람이에요. ---> 존씨는 미국사람 아니예요. (John is not American.)

By Jung Soo-a Jung Soo-a is an instructor at the GIC Korean Language Class

존: 저게 연필이에요?.

[Jeoge yeonpirieyo?]

John: Is that a pencil?

2011 GIC Korean Language Class Schedule*

소 라: 아 니 요 , 연 필 이 아 니 에 요 . 의 자 예 요 .

[Anio, yeonpiri anieyo. Euijayeyo.]

Sora: No, it is not a pencil. It is a chair.

존: 고마워요.

[Gomawoyo.]

John: Thank you.

Reference: 김성희 외. (2009). 서강한국어1A 서울: 도서출판 하우 서강한국어. Retrived December 18, 2010, from http://korean.sogang.ac.kr

Vocabulary: 어느 [eoneu]: which 나라 [nara]: country; nation; state 사람 [saram]: person, human 한국말 [hangukmal]: Korean language 가방 [gabang]: a bag 책 [chaek]: a book 연필 [yeonpil]: a pencil 의자 [uija]: a chair

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Gwangju News January 2011

For more information, please contact Mun So-eun at (062) 226-2733/4 or e-mail gwangjuic@gmail.com

2nd 3rd 4th 5th 6th

March 12 - April 28 May 14 - June 30 July 9 - August 25 September 5 - October 22 November 5 - December 22 * Dates may be subject to change

Cartoon

Gwangju News January 2011

47

Living Tips

Tips for Working Visit (H-2) T

he number of foreigners coming to Korea increases year by year. According to the Ministry of Justice, the number of foreign residents in Korea has surpassed one million. They come to Korea for different purposes such as business, work, education and research.

One of the main concerns of foreigners coming to Korea is to bring their family with them and give them an opportunity to find a job and work in Korea.

Working Visit 방문취업제 (H-2 Visa) and Visa Types It is possible for people who were invited by foreign nationals who are already staying in Korea to work in Korea through Working Visit (H-2 visa). H-2 visa is a type of visa that allows foreigners to be employed or engage in vocational activities. However, the employment of foreign workers is limited to a predefined list of industries in Korea, depending on visa category. There are at least 11 types of visa categories in Korea: (Short Term Employment (C-4), Working Holiday (H-1), Professorship (E-1), Working Visit (H-2), Foreign Language Teaching (E-2), Research (E-3), Technology Transfer (E-4), Professional Employment (E-5), Arts Performance (E-6), Special Profession (E-7), Non-professional Employment (E-8)).

People Qualified for H-2 visa Application The following are the people who are eligible for H-2 visa application: 1. People of no less than 25 years of age are qualified for this visa status.

2. Those born as a citizen of the Republic of Korea (R.O.K.), who are registered in a Korean family register or have been removed from a Korean family register and/or their direct descendants.

3. Those who were invited by Korean citizens who are closer than 3rd cousins by relation or 1st cousins by ties other than relation (such as marriage) and who have a residential address in the Republic of Korea.

4. Those classified as "those involved in independence movement". Those who have performed some meritorious service for Korea or have otherwise contributed to its national benefit.

5. Study abroad (D-2) status holders who have studied in the ROK for at least one semester and wish to invite their spouse or parent(s).

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Gwangju News January 2011

6. Those who have voluntarily left the ROK in accordance with the standards or procedures put forth by the head of the Minister of Justice.

7. Those who have been selected by test of proficiency in the Korean language as organized by the Minister of Justice

Procedures for Working Visit (H-2) Application Foreign nationals who wish to apply for an H-2 Visa must apply at an embassy overseas. Those seeking over 90 days of stay must apply for an alien registration card. Also applicants may apply for employment recommendation upon completing employment education at an educational facilities designated by Ministry of Labor. Foreign nationals who were granted a Working Visit Status may stay for three years from the date of entry. Parents of spouse or study abroad (D-2) holders may stay as long as D-2 remains valid. Extension of stay must be applied at the local immigration office prior to the expiration of current term of stay.

Required Documents for Application The common requirements for H-2 visa application are passport, 2 passport size color photos, application form, and transaction fee. The documents vary depending on visa category.

For those who were invited by Korean citizens who are closer than 3rd cousins by relation or 1st cousins by ties other than relation (such as marriage) and who have a residential address in the Republic of Korea, the following documents are needed: family registration transcript of the inviting party, family registration transcript or official documents from related countries that can prove their relationship, invitation letter, and personal reference of the inviting party.

Living Tips

For study abroad (D-2) status holders who have studied in the R.O.K. for at least 1 semester and wish to invite their spouse & parent(s), the following documents are needed: certificate of enrollment, transcript of records that has been issued within the past three months, invitation can only be allowed if the D-2 holder gets over B+ credit, official documents from their country that can prove family relationship between D-2 holder and family, official documents from their country that can prove the aforementioned parents or spouse are overseas Korean.

Types of Activities Permitted For visit as temporary co-residence with relatives, the following activities are permitted: tourism, medical treatment, field trip, friendship tournaments, non-profit organizations’ culture and arts activities, attending meetings, collecting academic data, market survey, business communication, contract signing, and any other business or commercial activities under such purpose.

Below is a list of activities that correspond to the Korean Standard Industrial Classification (employment within the scope of headcount quota stated in the Certificate of Special Recruitment issued by the head of an employment security office to the employer) that H-2 visa holders are allowed to engaged in: 1. growing crops, (2) raising livestock, (3) coastal fisheries, (4) inshore fisheries, (5) manufacturing, (6) construction, (7) wholesale of agricultural and livestock produce, (8) other industrial agricultural products and

wholesale livestock, (9) wholesale of household goods, (10) collection and reselling of recyclable material, (11) wholesale of machinery and related products, (12) retail of home appliances, (13) specialized retail of other goods, (14) store retail, (15) hotel and motel business (this shall exclude the hotel business pursuant and is applicable only to ethnic Koreans holding foreign passports who are at least 45 years of age), (16) general restaurants, (17) other restaurants, (18) passenger courier service by land, (19) cold storage, (20) travel agency & other travel aids services, (21) business facility maintenance and repair services, (22) janitorial services of buildings, (23) business facility & industrial facility cleaning, (24) social welfare services, (25) sewers, waste treatment, material recycling & environmental restoration, (26) automobile repairs-general, (27) automobile repairs-specialize, (28) motorcycle repairs, (29) bathhouses, (30) industrial laundry, (31) private care-givers & nurses, and (32) other self-consuming production activities and family employed activities in a household For more details on “Employment Procedure of Working Visit (H-2) Visa Holders", refer to employment of foreign workers-procedure of foreign worker employmentworking visit (H-2) visa qualification and employment procedures at http://oneclick.moleg.go.kr/CSM/CcfMain.laf?csmSeq= 3&ccfNo=1&cciNo=1&langCd=700101 or www.immigration.go.kr/HP/IMM80/index.do. You can also call 1345 for quick information access.

By Marie Charmaine Pascual Igwe

Comic

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49

Upcoming Events

Festival

Muju Namdaecheon Ice Festival January 8 - 16, 2011 Namdaecheon, Muju, Jeollabuk-do Namdaecheon is holding its first Ice Festival, and activities will include sleigh riding, trout ice-fishing and ATV motorbike riding.

For more info: 063-320-5703 (Korean only) Boseong Tea Fields Festival of Lights ~ February 6, 2011 Jeollanam-do,Boseong-gun Hoecheon-myeon Yeongcheon-ri Botjae Tea Plantation, Dahyanggak Pavilion Observatory This winter a magnificent festival of lights will take place in the green tea fields of Boseong, one of Korea’s most well-known tourist destinations.

For more info: www.boseong.go.kr or 061-8505221 (Korean only) The 9th Hwacheon Sancheoneo Ice Festival January 8 - 30, 2011 Hwacheoncheon site at Hwacheoneup, Hwacheon-gun, Gangwon-do and other 5 eup and myeon.

Real winter covered with snow and ice in every January in the whole 50

Gwangju News January 2011

area of Hwacheon, Gangwon-do that is famous for clean region where Sancheoneo and otter live.

Hwacheon Sancheoneo Ice Festival is opened in every January at Hwacheon, which has the fastest ice freezing in the country because of cold valley wind and clean water. This is a unique theme experience festival full of good shows and 40 various experience programs such as ice sledding, snow sledding, snow sculpture and ice soccer.

Inje Icefish Festival January 28 - February 6, 2011 Soyangho Lake area, Nam-myeon, Inje, Gangwon-do Province The icy Inje streams sweep down the snow-covered Seoraksan and Bangtaesan Mountains to Soyangho Lake, the site of the Inje Icefish Festival. Visitors to this stunning frozen snowscape can sample raw ice fish, fried foods, and participate ice bowling or ice soccer. There are even special hands-on activities for international visitors.

Exhibitions The 1st Doll Freemarket Gwangju Jan. 9, 2011 Gwangju Design Center Entrance fee: 2,000 won Opening time: 11 a.m. - 3 p.m.

Vietnam Art Exhibition-Landscape and Mind of Vietnam Gwangju Museum of Art ~ February 6, 2011 There are 40 works that provide information on Vietnam, depicting it’s beautiful scenery and tradition and

offering insight into the country’s history and Culture.

For more information: www.artmuse.gwangju.go.kr

The Pulitzer Prize Photographs Exhibition ~ February 22, 2011 Mokpo Culture and Art Center Contact: 062-360-2600 Opening Time: 10 am - 5 pm (weekdays); 10 am - 6 pm (weekends) Admission fee: 10,000 won (adult), 6,000 won (children) Travel through the 145 awardwinning photographs from 1942 to 2010 which have appeared in 27 cities. Mokpo is the final city in the exhibition’s tour of Korea.

For more info: 1588-7890 or www.pulitzerkorea.com TRICK ART ~ February 27, 2011 Kimdaejung Convention Center Contact: 062-360-2600 Opening Time: 10 a.m. - 7 p.m.

Upcoming Events

Admission fee: Adult:12,000 won, Children:10,000 won

For more information: www.usquareculture.co.kr

Performances 2 Days and 3 Nights with Mom in Gwangju January 29 (Sat) - 30 (Sun): 6 p.m. on Sat, 2 p.m. and 6 p.m. on Sun. Duration: 100 minutes Admission Fee : 33,000 - 66,000won Graduated from a prestigious university and doing well in her company, Mi-ran visits her mother in rural Jeong-eup without any notice.

Her mother lives alone since all her family have left the home town. Miran actually has been seriously ill, something her mother figures out by chance. This story is about the love between a mother and daughter.

Keith Haring: Pop Superstar ~ February 27, 2011 (closed every Monday) Sangrok Art Exhibition, Gwangju Art Museum Opening time: 10.30 a.m - 7 p.m.

(Mon-Thurs, Sunday); 10.30 a.m. - 9 p.m. (Friday - Saturday) Admission fee: 10,000 won (adult), 6,000 won (children) 2010 marks the 20th anniversary of death of American pop artist Keith Haring. His exhibition will feature his famous artworks.

Natural History Museum U-square Cultural Center January 7 February 27, 2011 It is a natural history museum with all exhibits made of junk!

Eagles made of bicycle parts, a pelican made of iron, and a penguin made of fire extinguisher are just some of the exhibits.

Kim Jae-dong's Talk Concert Season 2 in Gwangju "No Brake Season 2�

February 22, 2010 from 6 p.m.

Duration : 100minutes Admission Fee : 66,000won Chonnam University Gymnasium Mr. Kim will come to Gwangju with a powerful 'Talk Concert - No Brakes Season 2'. He has an outstanding record of selling out venues - 32 times and counting.

Movies Gwangju Theater Chungjangno 5-ga(two blocks back behind Migliore) Phone: 062-224-5858 Films change weekly to bi-weekly.

Check online for calendar and prices.

Admission fee: 8,000 won for one, 21,000 won for 3 films, 30,000 won for 5 films, 50,000 won for 10 films The following movies will be shown in January: 1. Cracks Genre: drama, romance, thriller Starring: Eva Green, Juno Temple

and MarĂ­a Valverde Language: English (with Korean subtitles).

A look at the lives and relationships among girls at an elite British boarding school.

2. A Prophet Genre: drama, crime Starring: Tahar Rahim, Niels Arestrup and Adel Bencherif Language: French (with Korean subtitles).

A young Arab man is sent to a French prison where he becomes a mafia kingpin.

3. Last Chance Harvey Genre: drama, romance Starring: Dustin Hoffman, Emma Thompson and Kathy Baker Language: English (with Korean subtitles) In London for his daughter's wedding, a rumpled man finds his romantic spirits lifted by a new woman in his life.

4. A Serious Man Genre: drama Starring: Michael Stuhlbarg, Richard Kind and Sari Lennick Language: English (with Korean subtitles) A black comedy drama centered on Larry Gopnik, a Midwestern professor who watches his life unravel through multiple sudden incidents.

Gwangju Theater will screen 24 best movies in 2010 for one month. Please check http://cafe.naver.com/cinemagwangju for movie list (Korean only) Gwangju News January 2011

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Community Board

Art

GIC News Gwangju News Mailing We are sending Gwangju News to each of you every month but some members do not receive it because of incorrect address or no address at all. If you wish to update your mailing information or if you do not receive Gwangju News, kindly send your current mailing address to gwangjuic@gmail.com

GIC Journal: Social Discourse of Disquiet A new space for writers, artists and photographers. This publication allows people to explore different forms of art in South Korea. We would like to bridge the gap between arts that are perhaps lost in translation.We would like to hear your ideas and opinions.

If you would like to get involved then please e-mail at selina.gicjournal@gmail.com Please join our facebook group - GIC Journal: Social Discourse of Disquiet.

Please look at the work-in-progress at http://gicjournal.wordpress.com Check out the "What's On" page for art events in Gwangju.

GIC Facebook Page Catch the latest news of GIC and its programs by joining our Facebook page at : www.facebook.com/gwangjuic You can also follow us online in Twitter with our user ID: gwangjuic

Gwangju Guidebook The Gwangju Guidebook website is compiled to provide information on anything you want to know about living in Gwangju.

The information ranges from daily life to travel within Gwangju and Jeollanam-do to law matters to work information. Volunteers are hired to make this website run. If you are interested in becoming one, simply join our Facebook group ‘Gwangju Guidebook Volunteers’.

We need volunteers for these positions: - Page/ Sector Editors - Moderators - Fact Checkers - Encouragement Gatekeeper (Host) - Decision Making Supervisors We are looking forward to your participation!

Check out the Gwangju Guidebook website in two languages: www.gwangjuguide.or.kr (English) and www.gwangjuzhinan.or.kr (Chinese).

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Gwangju News January 2011

Meditation Session: Introduction to Meditation Time & Place: Every Saturday, 17:0018:00 (after the GIC talk) GIC office (5th floor of Jeon-il Bldg) Instructor: Jennifer Lee Ullrich (ESL instructor and Zen student) Anyone is welcome to come and learn how to meditate at these free introductions to meditation sessions.

You may bring a zafu cushion and a blanket. Wear loose, warm, comfortable clothing. The session begins with an introduction to the techniques we'll employ while sitting for 30 minutes.

We will close with a short reading from a zen book and a Q&A.

Sports Gwangju Men’s Soccer The Gwangju international soccer team plays regularly most weekends. If you are interested in playing, e-mail: gwangju_soccer@yahoo.com.

Gwangju Ice Hockey Team Looking for men and women of all ages to join us every Saturday night from 7:30 to 9 at Yeomju Ice Rink near World Cup Stadium. If you are interested, contact either Andrew Dunne at atdunne@gmail.com or Chris Wilson at kreeco@rogers.com

Gwangju Chaoreum Taekwondo Address: 1187-3 Chipyeong-dong Seogu, Gwangju Phone: (062) 384-0958 Location: Chaoreum Taekwondo Gym is located on the third floor of Jeongyeon (K-1) building (just beside the bus stop) Buses : 62, 63, 64, 518 (bus stop: 상무 대우아파트 - Sangmu Daewoo Apateu) Taxi directions: "Sangmujigu Kumho Daewoo Apart ro gajuseyo".

Method of instruction is in English Weekday Classes: 8:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m.(from Monday to Friday) Sunday Classes: 1:00 p.m. - 2:00 p.m.

Gwangju Artist Collective We are a group of artists and art lovers.

We meet up about once or twice a month at the GIC for workshops, discussions and community art events.

Look for us on Facebook or send an email to: gicartistcollective@googlegroups.com

Community Sung Bin Orphanage Sung Bin Orphanage is looking for creative/ active/ energetic/ outgoing/ enthusiastic longterm volunteers to join in our regular Saturday program. We would like you to give at least two Saturdays per month. As well as being a friend, you will be asked to teach basic English to girls aged 7 to 14. Meet every Saturday at 1.30 p.m. in front of downtown Starbucks. All are welcome. For more volunteering information please contact Al Barnum at: al_barnum@yahoo.com.

Apostolate to Migrants Center Address: 802-4 Songjeong -2dong, Gwangsan-gu, Gwangju Phone: 062) 954-8004 Subway: Get off at Songjeong Park (송정공 원) Station and walk toward Songjeong Middle School.

Busses: 29, 38, 39, 62, 97, 98, 99 Get off at Yeonggwang-tong intersection bus stop and walk toward Songjeong Middle School.

Masses: Every Sunday at 3 p.m. at the Migrant Center; 10 a.m.Indonesian Mass; 7 p.m. Vietnamese Mass; 11 a.m. Mass for multicultural families (2nd Sunday)

Gwangju Jumbo Taxi If you’re traveling in a big party or simply need transportation in and around Gwangju, Gwangju Jumbo Taxi provides service to Bus Terminal, Airport and others.

With a seat capacity of up to 9 people, you can travel in comfort. Friendy and hospitable, Mr. Kim will help you travel with safety and comfort. Whether you are going from/ to Gwangju Airport or simply to travel around the city, give Jumbo Taxi a call.

Call to reserve at 010-5086-7799 (Mr.Kim) or refer to www.gjtaxi.co.kr for the price list.

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Gwangju News January 2011

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Gwangju News January 2011

Gwangju News January 2011

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