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July 2016 Issue No. 173 Published on July 2, 2016 Cover Photo: Jyoti Sanghera Cover Art & Design: Joe Wabe Photo provided by: Jyoti Sanghera Gwangju News is the first local English magazine in Korea, first published in 2001. It covers local and regional issues, with a focus on roles and activities of the international residents and local English-speaking communities. Copyright by 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 publisher. Gwangju News is published by Gwangju International Center 5, Jungang-ro 196 beon-gil (Geumnam-no 3 Ga), Dong-gu, Gwangju 61475, South Korea Tel: (+82)-62-226-2733~34 Fax: (+82)-62-226-2731 Registration No. 광주광역시 라. 00145 (ISSN 2093-5315) Registration Date February 22, 2010 Printed by Join Adcom 조인애드컴 (+82)-62-367-7702
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July 2016
THE EDITORIAL TEAM PUBLISHER Shin Gyonggu EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Joe Wabe MANAGING EDITORS Katrin Márquez, Kelsey Rivers ONLINE EDITOR Callum Holmes COORDINATOR AND LAYOUT EDITORS Kim Minsu & Joe Wabe PHOTO EDITOR Lorryn Smit CHIEF PROOFREADER Kelsey Rivers ONLINE EDITORIAL ASSISTANTS Jacqui Page, Sam Page COPY EDITORS Laura Becker, Timm Berg, Brian Fitroy, Robert Hinderliter, Joey Nunez, Jon Ozelton, 8ball PROOFREADERS Jannies Le, Carrie Levinson, Gabrielle Nygaard, Jon Olsson, Stephen Redeker, Teri Venable, Sydney Gay, Rachel Hill, Joey Nunez RESEARCHERS Lee Hye-yoon, Lee Tae-beom, Lim Byeong-ji, Park Seong-yeol, Shin Hyerin
Volunteering Inquiry and Feedback: gwangjunews@gic.or.kr Advertising and Subscription Inquiry: minsu@gic.or.kr or 062-226-2733~34 Special thanks to the City of Gwangju and all of our sponsors.
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Are you looking for ways to be actively involved with your community while spending time with fun and engaging people? Gwangju News always needs volunteers who want to share their expertise or gain some. We have plenty of opportunities for writers, copy editors, photographers, web and blog editors as well as graphic artists and creators. Please contact our managing editor at gwangjunews@gic.or.kr for volunteering inquiries. Email us today and start getting involved!
Letter from the Editor If you ask where I am from, I’ll answer “America,” but that answer is inaccurate. I was born in Cuba—where my family was called worms because of my political prisoner grandfather. This familial struggle led to my commitment toward promoting human rights—what this issue of Gwangju News attempts to do. I am lucky to have spent my time in Gwangju, Korea—a city dedicated to promoting human rights. This dedication is best represented by the World Human Rights Cities Forum. In this issue we have a general discussion of the forum, as well as a profile on participant Jyoti Sanghera from the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights. This issue also features the work individuals and groups are doing to further human rights both locally and nationally. My own article on Running 4 Resettlement discusses how a group of foreigners is attempting to address the problems faced by North Korean Defectors. Jessica Karelis’s editorial on mandatory HIV testing speaks to the fact that human rights issues affect even those that live in relatively free countries. With the knowledge that human rights work needs to be done at every level in every country, I am honored and saddened to contribute to this, my final issue as Managing Editor of Gwangju News. My time in Gwangju, and especially on the Gwangju News editorial board—which has allowed me to engage with Gwangju’s diverse communities more deeply than I imagined possible, has further inspired me to advocate for an important human rights issue: educational access. I leave Korea in pursuit of a degree that will hopefully provide me with the knowledge to expand educational access. Part of my heart remains in Gwangju—and its dedication to global impact. As such, I hope to continue to contribute to this publication in a non-editorial position. I leave you with this issue in the hopes that you recognize, as I do, that the need to promote human rights can take place anywhere—whether in South Korea, my native Cuba, or that other country I call home. Continue well, Katrin Márquez Outgoing Managing Editor
Holiday Inn Gwangju provides the attractive dining experience. Join our seasonal event and get a limited benefit.
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LA PLACE (10F)
MODERN & CASUAL CUISINES
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Our team is committed to producing the greatest Korean and most authentic Western food A Unique Lifetime Experience at Holiday Inn Gwangju For more information: 062-610-7000 www.holidayinngwangju.com
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Contents July 2016 32
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GWANGJU NEWS
www.gwangjunewsgic.com
July 2016
5. Gwangju City News 6. GIC Talk 8. Upcoming Events 10. GIC Tour COMMUNITY 11. Ask Ajumma 12. Taesang Park’s Dreamers 14. Park Hyun-chul, Hanbok Designer FOOD & DRINKS 28. Hot Food on a Hot Day 30. Samgyetang
FEATURE 16. May 18th Legacy 18. ASEM CMM 7 20. They Run from the North, We Run for the Northerners 22. 6th WHRCF 24. Dr. Jyoti Sanghera ARTS & CULTURE 32. Photo Esssay: A Serendipitous Mountain-top Friendship 36. Photos of the Month 44. The President’s Last Bang 50. Ilwolsan
TRAVEL 38. Jeonju 42. Too Cool for Pools EDUCATION 46. KOTESOL 51. Talk to me in Korean OPINION 48. HIV Testing
issue
#173
Gwangju City
News
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Compiled and Edited by Lee Hye-yoon, Lee Tae-beom, Lim Byeong-ji, Park Seong-yeol
Gwangju City Launches Chinese-Language Publication
According to local transportation experts, Gwangju can expect a hike in bus and subway fares this July. It marks the first increase in 5 years since the last jump in 2011. Rising labor and raw material costs are thought to be the main reason for the decision. Urban Railway Corporation officials stated that due to the integrated transfer system between Gwangju’s bus and subway lines, both fares should rise at the same time. Experts estimate the increase will be in the area of about 150 won.
Gwangju City and the Korea TradeInvestment Promotion Agency (KOTRA) have signed an agreement to jointly host KOTRA’s Global TransporTech (GTT) and the city’s Green Car Korea 2016 events in Gwangju. KOTRA will not only attract foreign buyers and companies to participate in the GTT, but will also plan and operate the export consulting fair. Gwangju City, meanwhile, will encourage regional parts companies to attend the GTT and help KOTRA secure the infrastructure for the exhibition. The two events will be held concurrently at the Kim Dae Jung Convention Center from July 7th to 9th.
Kumho Express Opens MokpoGyeongju-Pohang Bus Line
Kumho Express announced they will open a new bus line extending from Mokpo to Pohang via Gyeongju. The newly opening Mokpo-GyeongjuPohang bus line will operate twice daily at 8:35 a.m. and 3:40 p.m. The expected travel time is 4 and a half hours from Mokpo to Gyeongju, and 5 hours and 20 minutes from Mokpo to Pohang. The transportation fee will be 22,600 won for the Mokpo to Gyeongju route, and 26,000 won for Mokpo to Pohang.
July 2016
Meanwhile, major cities across the nation, including Seoul and Busan, have already increased public transportation fares, while Daegu is expected to see a hike next July.
KOTRA and Gwangju Jointly Hold Global TransporTech (GTT) and Green Car Korea 2016
www.gwangjunewsgic.com
In cooperation with the Gwangju International Center, Gwangju City has launched a new Chinese-language publication. The new newspaper will focus on connecting China and the local society, and function as an interchange between the two communities in the future. As such, a variety of China-related professors and international students are currently participating in publication. The first 1,000 test copies of the “Gwangju Newspaper” were delivered to Chinese travel organizations, Chinese visitors and Chinese nationals residing in the city. The newspaper will be published quarterly and all local residents are invited to participate.
Gwangju Bus and Subway Fares to Increase in July
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July Schedule
GWANGJU NEWS
GIC Talk Monthly Theme: “After a Rain, Ground Packs” This GIC Talk Monthly Theme will showcase GIC Talks from Speakers who would like to share their areas of expertise to GIC Talk audience that continues on into 2016. Time & Location: Saturdays from 3 p.m. – 4 p.m., GIC Auditorium (1st Floor) For more information, contact gictalk@gic.or.kr
:: July 2
Speaker: Yu Dong Topic: Fascinating Nano World
www.gwangjunewsgic.com
July 2016
Nanotechnology is currently revolutionizing science and technology, with a fantastic opening of nano world for us to explore. It impacts our daily life significantly from automobile, cosmetics, information technology, advanced materials and structures, along with gas and liquid filtration to drug delivery and tissue scaffolding. This GIC Talk will unravel those exciting application areas and share the key points on how to effectively use nanotechnology knowledge to advance human development.
:: July 16
Speaker: James Moran Topic: Renewable Energy Solutions in Southeast Asia Biogas is an environmentally-friendly substitute for natural gas or LPG. It can be used in cooking stoves, vehicles, heating applications and generators. This presentation will discuss the present state of the biogas industry in Thailand. This GIC Talk will cover how it is produced from agricultural waste, the technology that can purify and upgrade the raw biogas and describe what are the end uses of this fuel. The future growth potential for this industry in South East Asia will also be discussed.
:: July 9
Speaker: Amy Badenhorst Topic: Liberty In North Korea Right now, 24 million people in North Korea face the most oppressive regime in the world. These citizens are denied even the most basic rights of free speech, free movement and information freedom, because the ruling elite prioritizes regime survival over all else. Liberty In North Korea have made it their mission to come alongside the North Korean people and act in the most effective way possible to help them accelerate positive change so that they can gain the conditions and freedoms to pursue their hopes, talents and potential to the fullest, and achieve their liberty. Thousands of people around the world are fundraising to help rescue North Korean refugees. YOU can help!
:: July 23
There will be no GIC Talk, due to the World Human Rights Cities Forum 2016.
:: July 30 No Talk
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Fascinating Nano World Speaker : Dr. Yu Dong
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Nanotechnology is currently revolutionizing science and technology with the continuous opening of the fantastic nano world for us to explore. It impacts our daily life significantly from automobiles, cosmetics, information technology, advanced materials and structures, gas and
Finally, I would like to extend to you a sincere message of invitation to join me on this journey into the nano world, full of mysteries and incredible phenomena and materials, at 3 p.m. on Saturday July 2.
July 2016
As a current university academic and active researcher, I spend half of my academic time teaching students cutting-edge nanotechnology and nanomanufacturing topics for them to be equipped with the latest technological trends. I am also highly devoted to nanomaterial research to make the best use of midget and ultrathin particles/fillers (with at least one dimension less than 100 nm) to be well dispersed into polymers for the significant enhancement of mechanical, thermal and functional properties of nanocomposites.
liquid filtration to drug delivery and tissue scaffolding. This GIC talk will unravel those exciting application areas and share the key points on how to effectively use nanotechnology knowledge to advance human development. I have also published two important nanomaterial technical books including “Nanostructures: Properties, Production Methods and Application” (NOVA Science Publisher) in 2013, and “Fillers and Reinforcements for Advanced Nanocomposites” (Elsevier) in 2015. I anticipate that through these books both experts and ordinary people can share the latest information and deep insights of this fascinating nano world, which generally cannot be seen using our naked eyes.
www.gwangjunewsgic.com
y name is Dr. Yu Dong, currently a senior lecturer at Curtin University, Perth, Australia, who is specialising in nanomaterials and nanotechnology, composite materials and mechanical engineering. I will give a talk on Fascinating Nano World focusing of nanomaterials and nanoparticles to extend the knowledge of nanoscience, nanoengineering and nanotechnology at the GIC on Saturday July 2, 2016.
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Upcoming Events
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www.gwangjunewsgic.com
July 2016
Gwangju Pet Industry Exhibit
Gwangju will hold the first pet industry exhibition in the Honam province. In the exhibition, you will have the opportunity to see exhibits related with the pet industry—from accessories to health care facilities.
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2016 Busking Day
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Gwangju Water Gun Festival The Gwangju Water Gun Festival has been held by community youth volunteers since 2014. The festival’s Organizing Committee and hundreds of Gwangju residents are working together to plan it.
Dates: July 1, 3 (10 a.m. to 5 p.m.)
The Bukgu District Office will host a “Busking Day” every first and third Friday and Saturday until October, featuring a total of 22 performances.
Venue: KDJ Convention Center
Dates: July 8 , 9 , 22 , 23 (7 p.m.)
Venue: Geumnamno Street
Admission Fee: 5,000~3,000 Won
Venue: Chonnam University back gate.
Website: g-pet.co.kr/ Telephone: 070-844-6671
Admission Fees: Free Website: bukgu.gwangju.kr Telephone: 062-510-1237
Admission Fee: 10,000 won (in advance) 15,000 won (on day of event)
Note: Pets are allowed.
Dates: July 23 ( 1~5 p.m. )
Telephone: 062-611-2216 Website: gj.wgf.co.kr/
9 UPCOMING
ACC - ASIAN CULTURE CENTER
GWANGJU
THEATHER
Chungjang-no 5-ga 62, Dong-gu, Gwangju (two blocks behind NC WAVE) TICKETS: 8,000 INFORMATION: 062-224-5858 JULY 7TH Maboroshi no Hikari (MABOROSI) (ILLUSION) (1995) (Drama, Art House & International, Mystery & Suspense) (Hirokazu Koreeda) 109 min. Makiko Esumi, Tadanobu Asano, Taketoshi Naito In Japan, the Maborosi refers to a mysterious beautiful light that lures sailors to their deaths far out at sea. A young woman’s husband apparently commits suicide without warning or reason, leaving behind his wife and infant. Yumiko remarries and moves from Osaka to a small fishing village, yet continues to search for meaning in a lonely world.
Photography in Asia Photography in Asia collects diverse materials documenting the modern and contemporary history of photography in Asia. Photos documenting changes in urban and architectural environments, commercial photos reflecting contemporaneous popular culture, news photos recording various historical events, and other photos capturing daily life are displayed to show the turbulent history of the modern and contemporary histories of Asia.
Caleb Smith, a programmer at an internet-search giant, wins a competition to spend a week at the private mountain estate of the company’s brilliant and reclusive CEO, Nathan Bateman. Upon his arrival, Caleb learns that Nathan has chosen him to be the human component in a Turing Test, charging him with evaluating the capabilities, and ultimately the consciousness, of Nathan’s latest experiment in artificial intelligence.
JULY 16TH The Walk (2015) (Drama, Action & Adventure) (Robert Zemeckis) 123 min. Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Charlotte Le Bon, Ben Kingsley, James Badge Dale, Clement Sibony, César Domboy The Walk is the true story of a young dreamer, Philippe Petit, and a band of unlikely recruits who together achieve the impossible: an illegal wire walk in the immense void between the World Trade Center towers.
JULY 28TH After the Storm (UMI YORI MO MADA FUKAKU) (2016) (Art House & International) (Hirokazu Koreeda) 117min. Hiroshi Abe, Kirin Kiki, Maki Yoko, Taiyo Yoshizawa
For the full July movie calendar please visit: cafe.naver.com/cinemagwangju
July 2016
Dwelling on his past glory as a prize-winning author, Ryota wastes the money he makes as a private detective on gambling and can barely pay child support. After the death of his father, his aging mother and ex-wife seem to be moving on with their lives.
www.gwangjunewsgic.com
Location: ACC Archive & Research Admission Fee: Free Website: acc.go.kr
JULY 9TH EX MACHINA (2015) (Drama, Mystery & Suspense, Science Fiction & Fantasy) (Alex Garland) 108 min. Alicia Vikander, Oscar Isaac, Domhnal Gleeson, Sonoya Mizuno, Claire Selby, Corey Johnson
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GIC Tour July Gokseong
www.gwangjunewsgic.com
July 2016
COMMUNITY
Dorimsa Temple - Dangunjeon - Lunch (Fish Stew & Deep fried sweetfish) - Train Village (Straw Experience) - Rafting
Date&Time: Saturday, July 23, 09:00-18:00 Registration: By Sunday, July 17 Participation fee: 50,000 won (GIC members) 60,000 won (Non-members) / 30,000 won (Pre-schoolers) More Info: Jeongmin Lee 062.226.2733 / gictour@gic.or.kr
EXPAT LIVING 11
Anything can be Delivered Anywhere
facebook.com/askthisajumma By Shin Hye-rin
How to Use Ask Ajumma 1. Send messages via Kakao, Facebook or E-mail. Make a request for an item that you need. If your request is feasible, they will make the order for you. 2. After you confirm your order, they will send you a link to enter your payment and also delivery details. 3. Use the payment process. 4. Receive the item you ordered! Service Fees To use the service, choose a price option between VIP membership and single service. VIP membership fee is 185,000 won
for 6 months. It is only available for individuals. Prices for single service varies, depending on the categories: Food Orders: 3,000 to 5,000 won per service order Reservations: 5,000 to 10,000 won per service order Product and Service Transactions: 20% service charge (includes VAT) Courier Service: Prices depend on item/distance/time Ask Ajumma Business Hours 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. everyday Requests received out of the service hours will be handled on the next business day. For more information online, visit: www.askajumma.com
July 2016
Ask Ajumma is a virtual concierge service for international residents living in Korea. It can help you to get anything. Also, as the service states that “if you have trouble with Korean websites, vendors or researching,” it will help you by pairing you with a team member skilled in English. The best part of the service is that it will not charge you anything until you are fully satisfied. The service
was launched in early May 2015 and had already secured 3,000 customers within 5 months.
www.gwangjunewsgic.com
Fr
om concert tickets to gluten-free food items, can you believe that there is a way to receive whatever you want just by sending a text message? If you have trouble searching for items that you want really badly or have trouble interpreting Korean, “Ask Ajumma” can help.
COMMUNITY LEADERS
COMMUNITY
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Taesang Park’s
Daein Market Open Space ‘Dreamers’ By Ana Traynin Photos courtesy of Taesang Park
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www.gwangjunewsgic.com
July 2016
f in Gwangju and out on a Saturday night, looking for a mix of live music, good food, drinks, art, a friendly and intimate space, and a deep cultural exchange between a variety of internationals and Koreans, look no further than the Open Space “Dreamers” at the Daein Night Art Market. Since February 2016, the night market has been running every Saturday night. Started by Gwangju native Taesang Park in August 2015, “Dreamers” is gradually evolving into a regular weekly experience, drawing a large local audience and a rotating group of performers. From this year, it has also begun hosting performance fundraisers for community events such as The Vagina Monologues and the GACHI Animal Welfare Institute. The “Dreamers” project earned Park
a nomination for this year’s Michael Simning Community Award. On a quiet weekday night, Gwangju News sat down with him at a favorite chicken and beer place to discuss the origins of his work and his vision for a different kind of Gwangju. Gwangju News: How did you first get involved with the foreign community in Gwangju? Park: I have been a volunteer at the Migrant Workers’ Center in Gwangsan-gu for nine years, since 2008. I do not know why. I just enjoy this kind of lifestyle. There is a very strong pull. I really enjoy volunteering at the Migrants’ Center because I can meet many people from all over the world, especially South Asian and African workers. I have good friendships with them. While volunteering, I want to do something good both for me, and for all people. We talk about love and peace every day, but some-
times it just remains in our thoughts. I want to practice love and peace in my life. GN: How did you start the “Dreamers” space? Park: Three years ago, I did a cycling trip in Korea. One day, suddenly, I decided to go to Mongolia, Serbia and Turkey on a long trip. That trip changed my life. I thought very seriously for three months. There was a strong message from my heart and I could not escape it. That is why I started this project in spring 2015. GN: What is the significance of Daein Market? Why did you choose that place? Park: That is important. There are many theaters and organizations or stages in Gwangju City, but those performances or events are just like a TV show, not communication. At the night market, there are many Korean
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people with little children. Children are our future. If it was a theater, we could not be close, but at the night market, sometimes Korean children go up to the stage. On the street or at the supermarket, Korean people just avoid [migrant workers] because of their skin color. The Korean press is the same. They also have prejudice. If foreigners do a good thing, it is not a news issue, but if a factory worker or some foreign person does something bad, it is a news issue. I was really happy when children came up to the East Timor workers and they danced together with their moms and dads. At the market, when they play music, when they sing, people think ‘Oh,
they are the same as us and they look very good and it is fun.’ That is why I chose the night market as a space. GN: What is the meaning of “Dreamers” and what is your vision for the space? Park: I think I am a little bit different than other Koreans. I have heard so many times in my life: ‘You are a dreamer. Your thoughts are in the clouds.’ Even during the Trans-Siberian trip, I went on a group trip to the Gobi Desert. I saw a lot of trash, and I was always late because I was picking up the trash. I did not need to do it, but that is my travelling style. When I started my project, I was wonder-
ing about the name of this group. I thought “dreamer” was my handicap name in my life, because it is not a good word in Korean society. With the name, from now on, I will show you how much I am a dreamer. I will be the proof. Sometimes we need dreamers. From last year, I have met so many people in the market. There are so many hidden dreamers. They were behind walls. They showed up here. It was a miracle. Open Space “Dreamers” is open from 7-11 p.m. every Saturday night at Daein Night Art Market. To see the schedule of events, visit the Facebook page “공익적 문화활동 그룹 Dreamers”. www.gwangjunewsgic.com
July 2016
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Park Hyun-chul
COMMUNITY
Hanbok designer
By Cho Young-ju Photos by Lorryn Smit
If www.gwangjunewsgic.com
July 2016
one goes down a specific alleyway in Yu-dong and follows the sound of music, one will find a clothing shop. Right next to a flower shop, a young man comes from a studio and introduces himself, “I’m Park Hyun-chul, and I make hanbok and run the ‘Noonsupdal Hanbok shop.” “It has been less than a year since I opened the studio.” He started making clothes from the moment that his friends asked him to make costumes for a play when he was a high school student. In terms of hanbok, he started making those about five years ago. His grandmother was a hanbok designer and he had grown up seeing her every day. For this reason, when she passed away, he recognized his nostalgia for hanbok, and decided to become a hanbok designer. Right after he decided to begin making hanbok, he bought all the books related to hanbok at a bookstore. From a basic manual teaching how to make Hanbok to a book which has photos of hanbok during the medieval era, he started to read all of them closely. “It was really hard and
I had a long way to go, but it helped me to feel a strong attachment to my pieces” he says. His pieces are all hand-crafted one by one. It takes a month and a half to two months to finish a piece. Why does it take such long time to make, unlike typical hanbok production systems? “The most important thing in making each piece is to think of the person who will wear my clothes,” he stated. He always tries to think positively while making clothes. If he has negative things in mind, he stops working immediately and rests for a while to refresh himself. He wishes for all people who wear his clothes to be happy, and he puts all of his wishes in his clothes by praying during the procedure. Because of his affection towards hanbok, he is a little bit worried about the future of Korean traditional clothes. Some people think allowing foreigners and young people to borrow hanbok at historic sites such as Gyeongbok Palace and Jeonju city is a good way to promote traditional culture. However, Park disagrees with this sentiment.
LOCAL ENTREPRENEURS 15 One day, he visited Gyeongbok Palace and saw people trying on clothes for the king and queen, without being told about the appropriate ways to wear or act in the clothes. “We need to consider a luxury strategy towards hanbok as well as its popularization. Hanbok are works of art that really need craftsmanship and deserve more attention than they are receiving now.” Park explained that Korea also needs to offer people a ‘real experience’ with hanbok, citing Japan as an example where they do this with kimono. It should be delivered by a person who knows traditional Korean clothes very well. In addition, we need to create well-made hanbok, and then people need to take time to learn how to wear it by themselves, its related history, and the mindset about the clothes.
“Hanbok are works of art that really need craftsmanship and deserve more attention than they are receiving now.”
So far, he likes to focus on the work that he has done until now rather than making money. He knows that he is going to have to take a break someday, but he will keep going until then. He said with a bright smile, “I would like to do this work for a long time and that is all I want”. He is opening a private hanbok-making class for people who are interested in hanbok, and want to get more involved in Korean traditional outfits. If you want to know more, feel free to visit the Noonsupdal Hanbok shop or contact him via Instagram #눈썹달주단.
www.gwangjunewsgic.com
July 2016
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May 18th Legacy
www.gwangjunewsgic.com
July 2016
Through the Eyes of American Journalists
The
last time former Baltimore Sun correspondent Bradley Martin, 74, met Yun Seok-dong, 89, father of the May 18 Democratic Uprising citizen army spokesman, Yun Sang-won, was 1993. On May 18, 2016, the two men had the chance to meet again at Yun’s birthplace, the historical family residence in Imgokdong, on the rural northwestern outskirts of Gwangju. Over an afternoon spread of fruit and rice cake, Martin, Norman Thorpe and Donald Kirk, American journalists known for their role in covering
the events of May 1980, sat with the elder Yun. “We connected from the start, the old man and I,” Martin said after the visit. “And today I am sitting there and he is just gazing at me. I do not believe in the supernatural, but we are connected somehow.” Martin was the last person to interview Yun Sang-won at a press conference held by the spokesman on May 26, 1980, just hours before his death during the final stand-off at the former Jeollanam-do Provincial Office. The look in Yun’s eyes stayed in Mar-
By Ana Traynin Photos by Kim Minsu
tin’s memory and his writing, but it was not until 1988 that he returned to Gwangju, learned Yun’s name and visited the family house to meet his father. “He said, ‘Thanks to you, my son will live forever.’ That was a touching moment as a journalist. By the time I came here in ’93, Yun was starting to become known, nationwide. Now of course, I think everybody in South Korea knows who he is and the conservatives that do not like what he stands for are trying to pervert it. At least they know who he is.”
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During the five-day visit, co-organized by the Gwangju Jeonnam Press Association, Gwangju News attended a Citizens Talk at the 5.18 Archives held on May 16, the May 18 visit to Yun Sang-won’s birthplace, and the final event, the Gwangju Human Rights Award Ceremony.
Shorrock was a graduate student in Oregon when the May 18th Uprising took place. “The U.S. press coverage in general was not very good, but
these reporters who are here in this room helped shine a light on what was going on,” he said at the Talk. Shorrock also spoke of a historical event he witnessed in Seoul that made the concept of a revolution come alive for him, as more than something mentioned in history textbooks. “Korean people have taught me a lot about democracy because I was living as a 9-year-old kid in Seoul in 1960, when April 19th happened, a student-led revolution against Rhee Syng-man. It was the first time in my life I saw people rise up against an unpopular government and overthrow that government. I knew from then, this is how a democracy is made, by people taking history in their own hands.” Thorpe was impressed by the poignant questions posed by middle, high school and university students at the Talk, some of whom are potential future journalists. As May 18th survivors and reporters gradually age and
pass, he suggested creating an oral history. “One idea that came to me would be some of kind writing contest where students are asked to interview those who participated in the Gwangju Uprising. And not just the people who were injured, for there were many people who participated in different ways.” While walking down the path away from the Yun house, Thorpe commented on his first visit to the residence. “It is very touching that they have lived for 36 years with sadness. No greater sadness than losing your child at a young age.” Martin exchanged a parting wave with the elder Yun. “That gives us both hope. We will live long enough to see each other again.”
July 2016
“One of the things that I remember the most was the help that I received from Gwangju citizens during my coverage of the events in Gwangju,” Thorpe said. “My reporting could not have been successful without the help.”
“I do not believe in the supernatural, but we are connected somehow.”
www.gwangjunewsgic.com
At the Citizens Talk, Ro Byeong-woo, a formerly dismissed journalist during Chun Doo-Hwan’s 1980s military rule, re-enforced the idea that during those days in May 1980, Gwangju was disconnected, but became connected as a result of the efforts and sacrifices of international journalists. Former Asian Wall Street Journal correspondent Thorpe, who stayed in Gwangju for a week during the May 1980 Uprising, has taught an international summe r session course on Korean democracy at the Hankuk University of Foreign Studies for 10 years. At the Talk, he recounted staying at a hotel with regular nearby gunfire, as well as riding in a car to the Christian Hospital with members of the citizen army bearing guns and loudspeakers.
FEATURE
To commemorate the 36th anniversary of May 18th, which honored German journalist Jürgen Hinzpeter who passed away in January, Gwangju Mayor Yoon Jang-Hyun invited Martin, Thorpe, Kirk and Tim Shorrock, who was awarded honorary Gwangju citizenship last year for his work in uncovering the truth through U.S. government documents, to attend.
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ASEM CMM 7
Cultural Ministers Meeting Asks Big Questions
By Jonathan Joseph Chiarella Photos courtesy of Gwangju Metropolitan City
www.gwangjunewsgic.com
July 2016
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he Asia Culture Center in Gwangju is about to host its first major international event since its official opening last November, with the 7th Asia-Europe Culture Ministers’ Meeting. ASEM, or Asia-Europe Meeting, holds summits biannually, with its 11th biannual summit from July 15 to 16 in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia. ASEM was founded to connect the states of the European Union (EU) and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), China, the Republic of Korea (ROK) and Japan. The group now has 51 member states, with two regional organizations as participants, the EU and ASEAN, which encompasses nearly 60 percent of Earth’s population, 52 percent of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP), and 68 percent of trade.
In addition to the main summit, there are several Ministerial Meetings, with ministers of member states representing certain fields. Five are scheduled for this and next year. Gwangju is hosting the 7th Culture Ministers Meeting from June 24 to 26, right after the annual Asia Forum, June 19 to 22. The last meeting hosted ministers from 42 governments, ASEF (ASEM entity, headquartered in Singapore), and the EU, with the themes of creativity in schools and in the workplace, as well as sustainability in creative industries and making cities into creative hubs. As in previous years, the conference ended with announcing the decision regarding the next meeting’s host country. There will be a meeting of civil workers and Non-governmental Organizations (NGOs) on the 8th
here in Gwangju. The Ministry of Culture expects ministers from 36 countries to attend, with a total of about 600 ministers, deputies and support staff participating. A cultural tour for visitors will feature three exhibitions at the Asia Culture Center (ACC), an aesthetically-minded art show, and two historically and anthropologically minded programs. One tour is of the uniqueness of multiple, “smaller Asias,” challenging the Eurocentric dichotomy: between Europe and “all that which is the other.” Another tour examines the cultural and geographic fuzziness of the Asia-Europe demarcation. The ACC will hold public celebratory concerts for the ASEM CMM: a recital by pianist Giuseppe Andalaro, and two performances by the National Dance Company of
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Korea and a multinational orchestra playing traditional music. The primary issue for discussion is the dissemination and consumption of culture. Technology makes it very easy to promulgate certain information and to make products of traditional culture accessible and consumable, but not always in the ways in which the producing culture would prefer. While awareness of certain cultures may be higher, many may feel less of a need to physically visit various countries. Such a change can deprive countries of economic compensation and, thus, create new issues: Are poorer nations benefiting from the mass international exchange of information? Are they participating in collaborative work? Does tourism endanger the legacy of cultural traditions?
artificially “freezing” a culture, while also avoiding letting modernization, demographic changes and commercialization extinguish unique traditions. If you feel these objectives and mission statements are a bit vague, you are not alone. Singapore’s Zhang Yan, executive director of ASEF, has praised continued expansion of membership as hope for vitality, but laments over ASEM’s lack of “concrete deliverables,” which opens it up to criticism such as “a process without substance” — a harsher echo of similar criticisms of ASEAN when compared with older, more institutionalized and charter-making groups like the EU. However, as Zhang wrote in 2013, ASEM does not need to score itself in the same ways, since its main goal is to open dialogue and be a platform for providing opportunities for personal networking among leaders. Yeo Hway Lee, director of the EU
Centre in Singapore, has been an active participant in ASEAN from the beginning and a researcher of international relations. He wants major reforms within ASEAN, writing critically since 2000 on the danger of irrelevance and the need for material results. Though Lee acknowledges fears — such as the novelty of summits wearing off and the proliferation of side summits as testimony to this — his hope is buoyed by funds and projects like the Trans-Eurasia Information Network. The Culture Ministers’ Meeting has outlasted three now defunct meeting, like Environment and Economics. If these minister meetings can allocate talent and capital for concrete projects, they may prove ASEM’s longevity. Seoul will host the 6th Education Ministers Meeting next year. Please note that this article was written before the ASEM CMM7 meeting.
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Workshops also examine preserving intangible cultural heritage without
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“ASEM was founded to connect the states of the European Union and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, China, the Republic of Korean and Japan”
July 2016
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Note: A number of different designations exist for people that have escaped North Korea and under several international standards they would be termed refugees. However, because the South Korean government officially uses the designation of defector, that is the term primarily used in this article. This usage should not be interpreted to mean that the author, the Gwangju News editorial board or the Gwangju International Center support any specific designation.
They Run from the North, We Run for the Northerners Running 4 Resettlement Raises Funds to Rescue Escaped North Koreans
www.gwangjunewsgic.com
July 2016
by Katrin Mรกrquez
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“50,000 North Korean refugees are hiding in China” FEATURE
W
hile many know of the human rights abuses that occur daily in North Korea, few understand that those who are fortunate enough to escape face continued struggles. Every year thousands of North Koreans attempt to defect, usually by way of China. Those able to escape face serious legal and financial challenges that make adjusting to life outside of the DPRK difficult and dangerous—sometimes leading them to return to the North. The Citizen’s Alliance for North Korean Human Rights Rescue Fund (NKHR Rescue Fund) is a Seoul-based, non-governmental organization that, according to their website, works to “safely rescue North Korean refugees trying to reach South Korea, while also raising awareness of the human rights violations that refugees suffer.” NKHR Rescue Fund attempts to fulfill its mission by focusing on four tasks: advocacy, public-awareness building, youth programing to integrate young defectors into South Korean society and the rescue fund.
Even though neither the Korean American Educational Commission (the Fulbright commission in Korea) nor the U.S. Embassy in Seoul are affiliated with R4R, the fundraiser evolved from Fulbrighters’ grant experiences. Many
This year’s R4R was held on Sunday, June 12. It was organized by five Fulbright regional coordinators lead by Cait Cronin in collaboration with NKHR Deputy Director Joanna Hosaniak and volunteer Joseph Van Dorn. Participants had to advertise their participation in order to collect donations - a significant portion of which came from family and friends in the United States through the website give.fivetwo.org. Because the focus of the event was on fundraising rather than athleticism, there were a number of options available for participants: the half marathon, 10 km run, 5 km run or a 2 km walking course. Due to the urgency of the need to ensure the defectors’ safe passage, the organizers of R4R hope to continue working to make the event grow. In 2014, R4R was able to raise $10,000, enough to rescue four defectors, and last year the event had a greater number of participants cumulatively raise $17,000. This year, at least one single participant was able to raise enough money to rescue one defector. Moving forward, the R4R organizers hope to reach out beyond the Fulbright community in order to assist NKHR Rescue Fund by tapping into the generosity of the larger South Korean and international community. For more information on the NKHR Rescue Fund, visit www.nkhrrescuefund.org. For more information on R4R, visit running4ressettlement.weebly.com.
July 2016
Along with other such organizations, NKHR Rescue Fund attempts to prevent those abuses from happening by providing legitimate transport to South Korea once defectors have escaped North Korea. Their mission is an expensive one: $2,500 for each of the 1,000 to 3,000 North Koreans that enter South Korea annually. In order to provide assistance to these efforts, in 2014 a group of Fulbrighters—grantees of the U.S. State Department’s flagship scholarship program—founded Run 4 Resettlement (R4R), an annual fundraising event held within the Kim Dae-Jung Peace Marathon in Seoul.
Fulbrighters are volunteer English teachers for North Korean Defectors and others research North Korea-related issues as part of their program. These experiences helped the founders and participants of R4R to become personally concerned for the struggles faced by North Korean Defectors.
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Most defectors escape by crossing the rivers that separate North Korea from China, itself a dangerous prospect as the rivers are heavily surveilled and the waters are usually freezing. Because China has an agreement with North Korea to return defectors, they must hide out in order to prevent being arrested and sent back. Some defectors spend upwards of 10 years trying to find a means to leave China for a third party country—like Thailand or Laos—which will contact the South Korean Embassy or defector-supporting organizations so that they may be taken in by the South Korean government. According to the NKHR Rescue Fund website, “it is estimated that 50,000 North Korean refugees are hiding in China.” In addition to the dangers of being sent back, defectors may be enslaved for sex trafficking or defrauded by people who take their money with the promise of transporting them to a third-party country.
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Countdown to the 6th World Human Rights Cities Forum By Farah Amin
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July 2016
We
are just weeks away from witnessing the 6th World Human Rights Cities Forum (WHRCF 2016). As Eleanor Roosevelt expressed it, human rights start in places near our homes. Though they cannot be seen by the naked eye, they are everything to an individual – it is one’s world. The community we live in, the educational institution we attend (school or university), the place where we work. According to Roosevelt these places are where humans seek equality without discrimination, and that if these rights mean nothing there, they will have no meaning anywhere. Paralleling this sentiment, the WHRCF 2016 will be held under the theme of “Building Human Habi-
Photos by Gwangju International Center
tat Friendly Cities” with three subthemes: Urban Development, Housing, and Environment. Gwangju Metropolitan City will host this year’s forum again, as it has since 2011. Coorganized by the Gwangju International Center, Gwangju Metropolitan Office of Education and UCLG (the Global Network of Cities) Committee on Social Inclusion, Participatory Democracy and Human Rights, along with other local organizations, this huge event will be held from July 21 to July 24 at the Asia Culture Center and May 18 Archives. Since it was first held in 2011, the World Human Rights Cities Forum has solidified its place as an international forum to learn, share and maximize the capacity of expertise
and experience in the field of human rights. World-renowned human rights experts and activists from different countries will come to Korea and honor the WHRCF in Gwangju, which will provide all participants with an opportunity to learn about the human rights history of Gwangju and share their expertise on human rights issues from various cities around the world. This year, there will be eight thematic sessions and one additional special session which is the ‘Human Rights Paper Presentation Session’. The Human Rights Paper Presentation Session is aimed to provide an extra space where researchers, activists, students or any interested global citizens can share their knowledge
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and openly discuss such knowledge with other presenters and participants. The hosts and organizers of the WHRCF are trying to improve the forum every year by adding sessions like this, as there have been unremitting requests from people from various professions and backgrounds to be given a chance to contribute to the forum.
As in previous years, the WHRCF 2016 secretariat and the Gwangju International Center is delighted to offer this golden opportunity for interested individuals and groups to partake in this year’s forum. See you at the forum!
Jae Myung Mayor, Seongnam City
Jyoti Sanghera Chief of Section, UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights
July 2016
For queries regarding participation, registration or information, please e-mail: whrcf@gmail.com. For more information on the World Human Rights Cities Forum 2016, please visit www.whrcf.org
Won Hee-ryong Governor, Jeju Province
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Compared to last year, due to an expanding network and a new special session opening for speakers, there will be more participants from abroad. This year, the mayors and governors from Korea who are representing their cities are Mayor Yoon Jang-hyun from Gwangju City, Governor Won Hee-ryong from Jejudo and Mayor Lee Jae-myung from Seongnam City. Besides that, about ten mayors from other countries are expected to participate. The WHRCF secretariat reports that about 150 participants consisting of mayors, officially invited participants and registered general participants - all of whom are human rights experts - are expected to flood the forum venue. The Asia Culture Center will surely be a hub for human rights discussion and growth.
In conjunction with that, the WHRCF 2016 secretariat is calling for the Gwangju community to come and join the forum. There are several ways in which the citizens of Gwangju Metropolitan City can contribute while participating. The first is through the group discussions, and the second is via the paper presentation session. Although the application deadline has passed, Gwangju citizens can still participate on the forum day itself! Simply apply online as a general participant through the WHRCF 2016 official website. There are no compulsory fees applied, but, to be entitled to certain benefits, a participation fee is applied.
Emmanuel Serunjoji Mayor, Kampala Capital City Authority in Uganda
www.gwangjunewsgic.com
July 2016
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Dr. Jyoti Sanghera For the dignity and humanity of each and every person everywhere by Laura Becker Photos courtesy of Dr. Jyoti Sanghera
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In education, health, jobs, laws, in families, everywhere women were seen as inferior human beings and somehow less deserving of respect, dignity, rights and indeed, their humanity.
ally lack anything as such, I was still acutely aware of the discriminations and injustices around me, be they on the basis of caste, class, ethnic or religious status, or any other,” she said. Gender, of course, was also a constant. “I saw women being discriminated against at all levels – in the public and private spheres,” Dr. Sanghera remembered. “In education, health, jobs, laws, in families, everywhere women were seen as inferior human beings and somehow less deserving of respect, dignity, rights and indeed, their humanity.”
Dr. Sanghera had the good fortune of studying at the exceptional Jawaharlal University in Delhi, better known as JNU, for her master’s program. It was at JNU that her quest for knowl-
Dr. Sanghera did her PhD thesis on migrant sex workers, working with and for those who were the most stigmatized in society to better understand the challenges they faced to move forward. It has always been her goal to work at the intersections of gender, power and stigma and to see how culture and identity intervene to create empowering or disempowering lived experiences. Along with gender and social class, another constant which loomed like a shadow over everything Dr. Sanghera tried to comprehend was the colonial experience of India. She explained that the colonial law of the late 1800s is still alive and kicking in independent, democratic and free India. For example, the colonial law continues to criminalize all gays and lesbians for engaging in “unnatural” sexual practices, thus legitimizing homophobia and discrimination. In regards to a number of contemporary human rights issues, the past is still happening.
July 2016
She explained that India is also a space where multiple universes – of the privileged and the disadvantaged, of the hallowed and the ‘pariahs,’ of the ‘gods’ and the ‘demons’ – coexist and collide. “Domestic helpers in the families and households I frequented could not eat out of the same utensils the householders ate from nor sit on the same chairs. So-called ‘good and decent’ people perpetuated these practices which were seldom questioned, for they were considered normal.” This was the crucible in which Dr. Sanghera’s sensitivities and politics were honed.
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edge found the most fertile ground for growth. “To know, to learn how to know, to unlearn what you think you know, to question the very foundations of all received information, to learn to be an iconoclast, to be a disrupter and destabilizer, and to drill deep into the science and art of knowledge is what this institution taught me,” she said.
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Dr.
Jyoti Sanghera is the Section Chief of Human Rights and Economic and Social Issues at the United Nations Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) in Geneva. For several decades she has worked in various capacities on a plethora of human rights issues in relation to women, migrants, sexual minorities, and other discriminated groups. Dr. Sanghera has chosen to engage with these themes not only from an academic interest, but from a space of deeper entanglement where the personal has enmeshed inextricably with the emotional, intellectual and political. She grew up in India at a politically fascinating and turbulent time. “Even though I was born into a middle class family and did not re-
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Knowing the past and the present, the worlds of the colonized and the colonizers, is a valuable tool in understanding the limitations of the human rights framework. It also provides a lens into understanding how difficult is it to overcome historical disadvantage. In her current position as the Chief of Section for Human Rights, Dr. Sanghera manages a select team of about 18 professionals who work together to drive policy, legislation and the strategic intervention of OHCHR on the entire gamut of economic, social, and cultural rights at the national and international levels. A crucial part of her work focuses on the rights of migrants, particularly the obligations of governments under international human rights law. “Whilst international refugee law is clear on the role
of member states, several governments are turning away from the human rights commitments in the case of migrants they define as ‘economic’ migrants,” she explained. However, this strict division between deserving refugees and so-called undeserving economic migrants may be a false one in a large number of cases. “Economic and social deprivation can be as life-threatening as wars and political conflicts,” Dr. Sanghera noted. “When acute hunger and protracted joblessness, dislocation of populations as a result of development projects, or humanitarian disasters rob people of all options of a livelihood then their situation is akin to that of a war refugee; namely, flee or die.” Dr. Sanghera came to her present position from academia, lecturing in the Women’s Studies Department at
the University of Victoria in Canada. “What I love about teaching is this communion of minds to effect a subversive and transformative change,” she said. “When an educator is able to challenge or prompt students to interrogate their own biases and prejudices, their socialization and received knowledge, and introduce new ways of seeing the world, a true revolution happens.” However, there are challenges to contend with in a university setting. Dr. Sanghera is especially troubled by the corporatization of education: “When education and disciplines become graded on basis of their utility to the neoliberal project and not valued on their own merit for making minds and students grow, then the entire project of education is threatened.”
The international human rights community anticipates the United Nations Conference on Housing and Sustainable Urban Development (Habitat III), a major global summit to be held in Quito, Ecuador on 17 to 20 October 2016. The UN has called the conference to reinvigorate the global political commitment to the sustainable development of towns, cities, and other human settlements, both rural and urban. The product of that reinvigoration, along with pledges and new obligations, is being referred to as the New Urban Agenda (NUA), which will set a new global strategy for urbanization for the next two decades. The World Human Rights Cities Forum (WHRCF) will be a stepping stone on the way to Habitat III. “I would like to see us move from making broad universal and ethical state-
Dr. Sanghera is interested in how discrimination and inequality can be addressed in the NUA. “How does a city leave no one behind, and reach the furthest first?” she emphasized. “These are humongous questions but ones that cannot be deferred any further. If the WHRCF can discuss these meaningfully, and add further flesh to the bones of human rights principles such as accountability, participation and transparency in the context of cities, it would be an enormous contribution to the human rights discourse.”
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What I love about teaching is this communion of minds to effect a subversive and transformative change.
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July 2016
In addition to lecturing at the university, Dr. Sanghera has worked with key NGOs in North America and Asia and sees NGOs within the larger context of the globalized neoliberal agenda. “The NGO world too has been sucked into this agenda and so today, we see many professionalized activists,” she explained. “NGOs must, as a priority, serve the interest of the rights holders, not of an organization or any other stakeholder.” Dr. Sanghera emphasized that NGOs cannot go in as saviors of the downtrodden. This is not easy to do, as it means remaining in the background and relinquishing leadership to those whose interests we claim to be centering. Having said this, Dr. Sanghera recognizes the community-based organizations that do enormously useful work against all odds.
ments on human rights at WHRCF to developing tools to operationalize human rights in the NUA,” Dr. Sanghera said. “I would also like us to identify those areas which require further work, which we can immediately attend to so as to be ready for Habitat III.”
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28 WHERE TO EAT
Fighting Fire with Fire Hot Food on a Hot Day
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July 2016
story and photos By Sean D’Angelo
T
here is a saying in Korea “이열치열”, or “heat defeats heat.” Like fighting fire with fire, that phrase is used when people describe their desire to go to a sauna or eat hot food on a blistering hot day. On the hottest days of the year called 삼복 (sambok) or 복 날 (boknal), corresponding to the beginning, middle, and end of summer, this means indulging in one of several steamed or boiled poultry dishes and sweating profusely for cathartic effect. The most popular dishes this time of year are 삼계탕 (samgyetang), a young chicken in broth stuffed with rice, mild herbs, and ginseng, 백숙 (baeksuk), a close cousin oftentimes served without the broth, 오리탕 (oritang), a similar dish served with duck and chili flakes, and 오리찜 (orichim), which is pressuresteamed duck with a medley of traditional vegetables. All of these dishes are healthy, relatively cheap, and renowned
for their ability to recharge summer-sapped stamina, appealing to everyone from company men to poor farmers. Restaurants serving these dishes are also ubiquitous in every district, so finding a place to go and sweat it out for a meal should be easy enough. It is strangely satisfying. But even among the simplest of foods there are gourmet masterpieces. Remember the movie Ratatouille where the chef whips up pure perfect luxury out of homespun ingredients? That is the attention to detail you will find at 산 약초 오리 (Sanyakcho Ori) in 문흥동 (Munheungdong). Here the owner Heo Jae-hwan treats every ingredient like a precious resource, from the organically-sourced herbs he collects daily in the mountains, to the unique wood he hand-chops to smoke his top of the line meats. Although he has only been in business for six years, Heo’s recipes are
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For an impressive traditional meal with relatives, 산약초 오리 is an outstanding destination. For extra cool points with your Korean friends and coworkers, suggest 산약 초 오리 for your next summer meeting. Or, if it is too far away, look for a sign like the one Mr. Heo proudly displays above his door. The hibiscus flower is like the Michelin star of Korea and means the restaurant has been officially vetted and approved. If you do decide to grace Mr. Heo with your presence, be sure to bring a crowd or a very empty stomach. One serving of 산약 오리찜 can feed up to five people, making up for its somewhat extravagant cost. Or try any one of his other, equally delicious dishes for more informal occasions. All are made with equal portions of loving care.
July 2016
The menu at 산약초 오리 is centered around duck (오 리) and offers a decent range of options for all seasons and tastes, but the thing that makes this restaurant really stand out is also its namesake, Heo’s specialty, 산약 오 리찜 — from 산 (mountain) and 약 (medicine). In this dish, all of Heo’s mountain labors come together in a rich, savory, and beautifully-textured steaming stew. Pressurecooked with 15 different traditional medicines, herbs,
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so well-loved that he is repeatedly solicited for franchising opportunities. But these offers he politely declines, for fear of ruining his carefully garnered reputation for quality. In fact, it was his vernacular techniques that earned him the attention of Korea’s political elite and made him an official caterer for the presidential party during the Gwangju Universiade.
FOOD & DRINKS
and spices, a whole duck is presented with pomp and delicately ripped apart before your very eyes by the restaurant staff. On the side, a smorgasbord of extra-traditional side dishes that would make any Korean curl his or her toes in delight, and a bowl of steaming duck broth served from a scalding kettle. Also, as an added bonus, Mr. Heo serves complimentary glasses of his homebrewed liquor, a zesty medley of Korean pomegranate, blackberry, pine nuts, and 24 other medicinal plants collected by Mr. Heo himself. While many oriental medicine shops carry the products he needs for his cooking and brewing, Mr. Heo grew up collecting herbs with his father and prefers oldfashioned gathering. Besides, he is quick to remind customers, most of the store bought herbs are imported from China.
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Samgyetang:
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July 2016
A Remedy for the Hot Summer
By CHo Nam-hee photo by Joe Wabe
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A chicken’s twisted legs and its body are soaked in transparent stock. When you try it, it does not have a distinct taste, but you can instantly tell that there was plenty of effort and quality ingredients used to come up with this mysterious, clear broth that serves as Samgyetang’s base. ‘Samgyetang’ is recognized as the must-eat Korean dish before the end of summer. Due to the demands of the public, there are ‘Samgyetang’ specialist restaurants and they keep their menu board simple and easy. When your order arrives, the bowl in front of you seems like it will keep steaming forever, and that first bite of Samygyetang may even taste a little strange. But it is worth it!
“The word ‘Samgyetang’ consists of a combination of Chinese characters – ginseng for ‘Sam’, chicken for ‘gye’ and soup for ‘tang’. As part of tradition, people regularly refer to the Lunar calendar, and it often indicates the weather for each season. Derived from the age of agriculture, it is possible that the three Boknals (or “dog days of summer”) gave signs of warning for the farmers working in their fields. During the three Boknals – three 복날 –초 복 (chobok), 중복 (jungbok), and 말 복 (malbok)’ – Korea is at its hottest, and they are regarded as the days to have a bowl of Samgyetang. These significant days start in July and end in August with ten days of interval between them, and gather the most Samgyetang-eaters to the vintage restaurants. The name of Samgyetang has several possible origins. The most plausible explanation is that the word ‘Samgyetang’ consists of a combination of Chinese characters – ginseng for ‘Sam’, chicken for ‘gye’ and soup for ‘tang’.
The reason we eat Samgyetang is simple. The dish helps people get over the summer’s hot weather. It contains ingredients that help you to recover your health from dehydration and nutrition loss. Spring chicken, sweet white rice, ginseng, jujubes and garlic are the basic ingredients. The name of Samgyetang has variations depending on the main ingredients put into the bowl; seafood, perilla seed, soybean paste, among other choices. Moreover, compared to inner-city Samgyetang restaurants, restaurants that are hidden at the bottom of the mountains around country-side towns serve the best chicken soup. If you wish to overcome the summer in just a few mouthfuls, look for the restaurants that are close to the mountains and remote from public transportation. You will find a true treasure.
FOOD & DRINKS
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he humidity of the Korean summer often feels exhausting. The heat even continues throughout the monsoon season and does not give us any hint as to when it will disappear. This inevitable routine of the year has been around for a long, long time. Thus, the wise Korean ancestors devised their own ways to survive these harsh conditions.
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July 2016
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Photo Essay
A Serendipitous Mountain-top Friendship Story and photos By Ryan Bentley
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July 2016
I
cannot count the number of times that I have gotten up before dawn and rolled up to a location only to be greeted with a dozen or so other photographers. One of the things I love about Korea is the different connections that can happen in the photo community, for both foreigners and Koreans. The people I have met in the outdoors have all been warmhearted and I have been fortunate enough to befriend some great people on these outings. There is something about the mountains and photography that bonds people together. Wolchulsan was no exception. I decided to make the long journey down to Wolchulsan National Park over Memorial Day weekend. I left early in the morning on a train and arrived midafternoon. My plan was to hike up Saturday afternoon, scout out some locations, and come back in the morning for sunrise. I wanted to take some sunset shots, but nature had different plans. The entire hike
up was rainy and windy. After a wet and discouraging start, I did not have much hope that the weather would cooperate the next day. Begrudgingly, I set off the next morning at 2:30 a.m. to make the trek, the prior hike still fresh on my body. With little sleep, I trudged up the mountain, and leaving my coffee in the hotel only compounded my exhaustion. I reached the summit just after 4:00 a.m. after hiking in the thick canopy of the trees for what seemed like an eternity. I was greeted by a beautiful display of shining stars and a few people already at the top setting up. I said a quick “hello” in Korean and I got my stuff set up. I started taking some long exposure shots while waiting for the light. As the night sky started to change into shades of purples and blues, I realized that I could not have asked for a better day. My exhaustion quickly left, replaced by euphoria. As I got caught up composing and taking shots, I lost track of time.
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One of the things I love about Korea is the different connections that can happen in the photo community, for both foreigners and Koreans.
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As it turns out, we had become mutual Instagram followers a couple months prior to our meeting on this mountain. Unbeknownst to me, he had come to the same mountain, on the same weekend as I. My new friend was an avid hiker and liked to travel to different mountains to camp and take pictures. We quickly got caught
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When the sun had fully risen, I realized how tired and hungry I was and decided it was time to take a break. As I descended the peak and looked for a place to rest, I was greeted by a group of Koreans making breakfast. I was appreciative of their hospitality as they invited me over and insisted that I eat with them. In my broken Korean and their limited English, I asked them where they were from, as I tried making small talk with my new friends. One of the Koreans answered he was from Daejeon (the city I live in). “Wow, me too!” I said, surprised. His face lit up the moment I said that and said “Insta, friends!”
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July 2016
up talking about different mountains we had hiked and photos we had taken. After being reenergized with breakfast and some hot coffee, my friends asked me what my plans were for the rest of the day, then proceeded to offer me a ride back with them to Daejeon. I eagerly agreed to his offer and heartily thanked him, since I would have had to spend several hours taking a bus and train back home. It was an unexpected and unique encounter—one that will remain in my memory for a lifetime. I will never forget their kindness.
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Photos of the Month Words by Abhishek Sahu
I took this photo on my last visit to Baekyangsa temple (백양사), one of my favorite places in Korea. I have been there many times, so it has become harder to find something new to photograph. Usually, I spend my time looking for landscapes, this Photo Joebut Wabe last time I was trying to focus more on the people. This particular picture was more of a spontaneous snapshot rather than a planned one. I saw the little girl running over the rocks and I just pointed the camera and shot. There was no time to adjust the camera settings, it all happened very fast. Luckily, it came out great.
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July 2016
The Gwangju News is now going to feature a few photos of the month instead of only one on a regular basis. By making this change, we hope to create more opportunities to promote more photographers based in the Jeollanamdo-region and to show off our beautiful province from different areas and angles. Submissions can be posted in the “Photography in the South” Facebook group throughout the preceding month.
Photo by Abhishek Sahu
37 Photo by Martin Miller
Photo by John Keaton
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July 2016
Photo by Wang Li
38
Jeonju
www.gwangjunewsgic.com
July 2016
TRAVEL
Return to Traditional Korea
Photos and Story By Ryan and Stephanie Hedger
AROUND KOREA
39
J
eonju is a cultural gem in the middle of South Korea. Known for its traditional architecture and raw beef bibimbap, this old city has been rejuvenated by modern upgrades and remains one of Korea’s most popular destinations. A walk through this city can be crowded at times, but it is easy to see why so many people pilgrimage to this tile-roofed Mecca.
Hanok Village
While the village gets most of Jeonju’s attention, Deokjin Park is the most beautiful and mesmerizing area of this wonderful city. Boasting a massive pond and a location removed from the crowds you are likely to
Jeonju Bibimbap
Being a fairly traditional city steeped in heritage, visitors to Jeonju would be remiss for avoiding certain staples of Jeonju culture. First, the bibimbap is a must. While this national dish is well-loved from every corner of this country, Jeonju’s bibimbap is the most revered. Some people might
“
Aside from the bibimbap for which Jeonju is known, you are sure to find a plethora of dining and snacking options while exploring the area
”
July 2016
Deokjin Park
find at the Hanok Village, the park is a natural and beautiful escape from the throngs of people. This pond is bisected by a suspension foot bridge replicating the typical modern bridges found throughout Korea. On one side of this bridge is a pond with paddle boats for rent- on the other is a bank-to-bank sea of green plant growth. Lotus pads and flowers cover every inch of this shallow end of the pond and create a dramatic landscape that is as mesmerizing as it is peaceful. Around the park is a walking path with statues, food, and great areas to enjoy views of the musical fountain or the pond itself.
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Among the cobbled streets and food stalls lining the Hanok Village of Jeonju, every visitor is sure to find the charm of this great city. Jeonju’s Hanok Village is easily recognized as one of the most common destinations in Korea outside of Seoul and Busan. The tiled-roofs of a bygone era are kept alive in this sprawling neighborhood, and this style can be seen in almost any direction while in the city. From several lookout points and elevated cafés, visitors to Jeonju can get a special perspective of the city’s picturesque landscape. Back down on the street, a world of food, art, and music awaits. Aside from the bibimbap for which Jeonju is known, you are sure to find a plethora of dining and snacking options while exploring the area. The hanok houses are not just beautiful, but useful as well, for many can be reserved as lodging. Staying the night in one of these iconic Korean homes is a great way to feel connected with Jeonju. Beyond the hanok, the streets of this village are literally lined with beautiful tea houses, souvenir shops, and traditional Korean games dating back to the dynastic ages, as well as several national heritage sites where tourists can deepen their understanding of Korean history.
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July 2016
TRAVEL
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have some apprehension about eating raw red meats, but anyone who has had it before can attest to its safety and incredible taste. There are dozens of opportunities to taste this special regional dish, so do not get too upset when you see the crowds lined up for the most popular restaurants.
Hanbok
To cap off a trip to Jeonju, we suggest renting some traditional clothing from one of the many shops near the Hanok Village. Worn as ceremonial attire since the Joseon Era, this type of clothing (which simply translates into “Korean Clothes”) is a colorful homage to Korea’s past as much as the nearby buildings and architecture are. Photo opportunities abound in this wonderful city, and renting hanbok
41 for a few hours is a very cheap way to make the photos special. While in town, you are sure to see flocks of friends and couples scouring the city for photos while wearing hanbok, or playing traditional Korean games. While people have known about Jeonju’s special qualities for ages, we encourage everyone to visit Jeonju this summer, whether it is your first of fiftieth trip. The lotus flowers will be blooming in July and August, so consider adding Jeonju to your summer plans in 2016.
July 2016
Blog www.hedgersabroad.com Facebook: /hedgersabroad Instagram: /hedgersabroad
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About the authors: Two wanderlusts from Oklahoma, Ryan and Stephanie sold all of their belongings and moved to South Korea in 2013. They are the duo behind Hedgers Abroad and have fallen in love with travel, photography, and South Korea. Be sure to head over to their blog for more of their travels.
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Too Cool for Pools: Swimming in Korea’s Secluded Valleys Story and photos by Sean D’Angelo
www.gwangjunewsgic.com
July 2016
TRAVEL
A
round late June when the summer air in Korea gets so thick that even the cicada symphony sounds stifled, it is impossible to shake the thought of swimming anywhere but in our own steaming fountains of sweat. For folks landlocked in the central cities, clean beaches are an all-too distant dream, and most freshwater bodies are either protected, too dirty, too deep, or plagued with random piranha threats to risk diving into. Dreaming of cliff diving into lazy rivers, we languish the miserable week away in front of our struggling air conditioners, melting like ice cream in a broken freezer, and pray for fall. But come the week’s end, the wise do what Koreans have been doing for centuries and seek relief in the icy waterfalls and streams of Korea’s wilderness. Called 계 곡 (gyegok), or sometimes 얼음골 (eolreumgol - literally “ice valley”), they are common throughout Korea’s national parks, and while often too shallow for proper swimming, there is nothing better to beat the heat than chilling your feet in the water with friends in the forest. Truth is, water sports are a lost art in these parts that have only recently been revived by younger generations. With the notable exception of private tour trips — such as eastsea surfing in 양양 (Yangyang) and river rafting in 담양 군 (Damyang-gun) or 곡성군 (Gokseung-gun) — Korean authorities still discourage swimming in deep water. Streams, on the other hand, are well loved and heavily travelled. A typical trip to chilly paradise begins by loading a cooler with fruit and beverages, ordering fried chicken, and stowing the picnic matt. Swimming attire is optional; most people prefer to jump into the stream fully clothed. After a brisk hike under shady green canopies, laughter and splashing drown out the sounds of nature. Expect crowds, water guns, and screaming kids. The best places are no secret. Of course, congestion is heaviest at the trailheads near parking areas. Solitude awaits adventurers willing to forge upstream. In 지리산 (Jirisan) at 뱀사골 (Baemsagol - “Snake Valley”) campsite, about two and a half hours by bus from Gwangju, one can find swift currents and deep green pools that pour down out of the mountain passes. Follow
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뱀사골 (Baemsagol): Take a bus from U-square to 남원 (Namwon) and transfer to local bus No. 142 for about 55 minutes, getting off at 뱀사골 공용터미널 (Baemsagol Bus Terminal). Total travel time is about 2 hours and 30 minutes. 강천산 (Gangcheonsan): Take a bus from U-square to 순창 (Sunchang) and transfer to the local bus direct to Gangcheonsan. Total travel time is about 1 hour and 50 minutes. 동가리 계곡 (Dongga-ri Gyegok): Take local bus No. 217 to 동 산행 (Dongsanhaeng) and get off at 동가리(Dongga-ri), then walk towards the valley. Total travel time is about 1 hour and 40 minutes. 남창 계곡 (Namchang Gyegok): Take a bus from U-square (every 15 minutes) or local bus No. 100 to 장성 버스터미널 (Jangseong Bus Terminal) and transfer to local bus No. 42 for about eight more stops. Total travel time is about 1 hour and 30 minutes. 한재골 (Hanjaegol): Take local bus No. 10 to 대치 (Daechi) and grab a cab to한재골 (Hanjaegol). Total travel time is about 30 minutes (may vary).
July 2016
Wherever you go, make a point to ask the locals about the best swimming holes. Hidden gems are everywhere.
How to get there: www.gwangjunewsgic.com
the paths far enough up and several little waterfalls offer a great place to sneak a quick dip. Just watch for signs (and rangers) before taking the chance. 내장산 (Naejangsan) and 남창 계곡 (Namchang Gyegok) are other great locations out near 장성군 (Jangseong-gun), just over an hour away, that offer sites similar to Jirisan but with a little more local flavor and fewer big city tourists. 강천산 (Gangcheonsan) is a favorite destination a little closer to home, and though the stream is much more mellow, a few spots are deep enough to jump into with tucked legs. The pebble hiking trail here is also lauded for its therapeutic properties, so slip off your shoes and trek to some of the nicest waterfalls in the south and a funky red sky bridge. For slightly less dramatic swimming holes in the lowlands, 담양 한재골 (Damyang Hanjaegol) and 화순 동 가리 계곡 (Hwasun Dongga-ri Gyegok) are very popular. Both offer slower, wider and warmer places to paddle, and in Hwasun you can even rent little rafts.
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MOVIE REVIEW
SPORTS & ACTIVITIES
By Marty Miller
The President’s Last Bang
www.gwangjunewsgic.com
July 2016
Director: Im Sang-soo Year: 2005 Running Time: 1 hour and 44 mins
The
fourth film by Director Im Sang-soo does not exactly start out with a bang, yet the opening credits do reveal a politicized energy which ultimately gives this film more bang for its buck. A campy yet slightly unsettling duet of midcentury accordion music and snapshots from the student revolts and army crackdowns in the late 1970s greet the viewer of this controversial, yet somehow consistently underrated film. The emotional friction between these two elements underscores a larger rift, namely between perceived and presented interpretations of history. This rift becomes all the more evident as the plot progresses, and the central
characters fumble their way towards a re-interpretation of “duty” in the face of circumstances which were thought unimaginable just moments before. To put this film into context, we should be aware of the dual narratives around the presidency of Park Chung-hee. In contemporary South Korean society, interpretations of his 18 years in power vary greatly depending on social class, age and geographic location on the peninsula. However, this dual narrative can speak truth to the old saying, “one man’s terrorist is another man’s freedom fighter.” The opening narrative dispels any ambiguity as to which version of history the director prescribes when saying
45 “[he] has ruled Korea for 18 years since his military coup,” and “The nation is under a false peace, the people silent in fear.” Indeed, as the film progresses, we see the effects of blind deference and fear which envelope the President’s world. He is presented as sniveling and weak; a small and ultimately lonely man surrounded by dimwits and sycophants. However, Park is not alone in this ridicule. After a particularly masculine exchange of words, a brilliant cut to the bathroom shows the primary assassin himself, pants down, trying his best to defecate. This leads the viewer slowly towards the realization that while the film does not try to hide its political biases, it also has little love left for any governmental entity, however hapless yet power-hungry it might be after the untimely decapitation of the governmental leader. As you can guess from the film’s English title and a minute’s research into the life of Park Chung-hee, he dies. By the time the final bullet enters his head in the 39th minute of the film, we have been privy to a display of power worthy of the testosterone-drenched world within which the president spent his final night. In fact, the experience of helplessness felt by the two women at his side on that fateful night serve as an ongoing side-plot throughout the film. Their initial sense of anger at being labeled “oysters,” rather than humans, slowly transforms into apathy about their predicament. This sense of cool-indifference slowly seeps into many other characters as the film progresses. However, one person who did not feel this indifference was Park Ji-man, the real-life son of the dead President, thus providing a convenient real-life drama to compliment the one onscreen.
July 2016
Not to fully cower to power, the filmmakers decided to leave the final four minutes blank, with only a black screen to protest. However, the following year, the court overruled its decision, thus re-allowing the footage. This final drama neatly mirrors the drama played out within the film itself. Together they ask us to notice our own preferences towards perceived history versus presented history. Luckily, as viewers, our duty remains primarily to watch the spectacle as it unfolds.
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As the film closed, it used actual footage of Park Chunghee’s funeral, replete with wailing minions and the same jolly accordion music from the opening credits. Stating that the footage tarnished his father’s reputation, Park Jimin successfully sued, and the supreme court demanded the footage removed.
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Teaching with Technology and the Surrounding Myths
EDUCATION
By David Shaffer
T
oday, technology is all around us. In a country with such high connectivity as Korea, technology touches almost every aspect of our lives, and that includes the teaching and learning of English as a foreign language. When something new is introduced that is not completely understood, it is common for folk myths to arise and perpetuate themselves, often becoming so ingrained that the majority of the population takes them to be accurate. Here we will take a look at a few of the common claims regarding teaching and learning with technology to see how much myth and how much truth they are made of.
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July 2016
Myth: Social media and mobile texting have a negative effect on learning English. With the advent of email, chat rooms, and texting around the turn of the century, writing electronically in spoken style took root, and the desire to write rapidly ushered in abbreviations and aberrations of English orthography (e.g., LOL, FYI, IMHO, GR8, C U L8R, 2moro, THX). Our English learners become exposed to this “text-speak,” as David Crystal calls it, and it is hard to believe that this would not have a negative effect on their production of standard writing. However, text-speak is not as preva-
lent as we might expect. It makes up only about ten percent of written chat. Moreover, text-speak is not really a new phenomenon. Abbreviations similar to those above and word play have been around for a long time: OK, ASAP, RSVP, XOXO, and many more predate their electronic use. What we worry about most is that text-speak spelling will negatively affect their standard English spelling. Research, however, has shown that we have little reason to worry. There has been shown to be a positive correlation between texting with abbreviations and spelling ability: The better one is at texting, the better they are at standard spelling! As EFL teachers, what we need to do is incorporate Internet activity into our coursework alongside more standard writing to give learners a better sense of how they differ. Myth: Young people are more techsavvy than older ones. Today’s university freshmen grew up surrounded by computers and the Internet, while many of their teachers did not. We easily compare these tech-savvy “digital-native” students and their “digital-immigrant” teachers to L1 language learners and L2 language learners, respectively. As teachers introducing technology into the classroom, we often assume that our students will be familiar with the same technology that we are, but
may come to the abrupt realization that their digital world differs greatly. For example, a task involving the use of email may cause many students to fumble. While I spend several hours a day dealing with email, I have had students tell me they only check their email once a month or less! Similarly, our students may be quite familiar with some apps that they use frequently, but be quite unfamiliar with the workings of the apps we introduce for class activities. In such cases, teachers need to incorporate technology familiarization into the activity. Search engine usage is as common as breathing for the smartphone toting digital native. Almost anytime there is something they are not sure of, they will google it – or it may be more correct to say they will “naver” it. What the search engine offers up is often taken as being flawless information; the student does not pause to consider its reliability, its plausibility, or it truthfulness. This does not foster critical thinking skills. This is something that we need to incorporate in our lessons, just as we need to know in advance which apps our students are familiar with and scaffold into our lessons app introduction for those that they are not familiar with. So while are students may be techsavvy in some aspects of tech, there are likely others that we will need to give them support in.
47 Myth: Technology is a cure-all for our language teaching difficulties. How much easier, how much more efficient teaching and learning would be if we used the latest, cutting-edge technology for lesson delivery! It is easy to fall into this line of thinking. “A computer in every classroom.� This is a slogan that governments embrace because of its appearance of advancing education, and it is the slogan embraced by businesses for monetary gain. However, the truth is that technology alone does little to further learning. Research has yet to show that the interactive white board produces better learning outcomes than its older cousin, the no-tech white board. However, technology can be highly beneficial to the learning process if it is used to supplement well-prepared lessons with good teaching methods. So technology itself is not the cure-all, but the wellprepared activity, lesson, course, and curriculum skillfully incorporating technology just might be.
The Author David E. Shaffer is President of the Gwangju-Jeonnam Chapter of Korea TESOL (KOTESOL). On behalf of the Chapter, he invites you to participate in the teacher development workshops at their monthly meetings (2nd Saturday of the month). For many years, Dr. Shaffer has been a professor of English Language at Chosun University, where he has taught graduate and undergraduate courses. He is a long-time member of KOTESOL and a holder of various KOTESOL positions, including First Vice-President and Publications Committee Chair. He credits KOTESOL for much of his professional development in English language teaching.
Gwangju-Jeonnam KOTESOL Monthly Meeting Date & Time: July 9th, 2016 (Saturday), 1:45 p.m. Place: Gwangju National University of Education Workshop: Collaborative discussions on ELT topics of interest Teacher emotions and classroom effectiveness Reflective Practice morning session.
For more details: http://koreatesol.org/gwangju Facebook: Gwangju-Jeonnam KOTESOL
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July 2016
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Op-ed
Gwangju Should Stand for Human Rights by Standing Up Against Forced HIV Testing By Jessica Keralis
www.gwangjunewsgic.com
July 2016
M
ost English teachers here in Gwangju consider the HIV and drug testing part of their required health check as a necessary nuisance. However, some remember, or are familiar with, the story of how the testing was implemented by the Korean Ministry of Justice and the legal challenges that followed. After being introduced as an annual requirement for visa and contract renewal in 2009, retesting was required each year until 2012 when, in response to a complaint filed with the CERD on behalf of an English teacher who lost her job in Ulsan, the government modified its policy to only require a test upon entry. The teacher, Lisa Griffin, is an Australian national whose teaching contract with the Ulsan Metropolitan Office of Education was terminated in 2009 when she refused to submit to the testing. The issue made ripples in human rights circles again last May when the UN Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination (CERD) issued its determination that testing policy constituted racial discrimination. Unfortunately (though perhaps predictably), the ruling has not inspired a change of heart from the Ministry of Justice. While testing continues, Benjamin Wagner, the human rights attorney who filed the
case on Griffin’s behalf, is working on a case filed under the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) on behalf of Andrea Vandom, another English teacher who lost her job at a university in Seoul after refusing to be tested. South Korea’s ongoing fixation on foreigners as a public health threat masks a very real and looming epidemiologic reality: the HIV infection rate among Koreans is rising at an alarming rate, and the government has put very little effort into prevention initiatives to do anything about it. According to Korean Centers for Disease Control data, HIV incidence (in other words, new cases of HIV diagnosed each year) has been rising 13 percent on average each year since 2000, even as the overall global HIV rates decline. This is extraordinary for a country as medically advanced and culturally homogeneous as Korea, and many Korean epidemiologists predict that it will only get worse. A KCDC report from 2013 predicted that HIV rates would rise dramatically in the population in general, and among young adults in particular, in the next five years. This government-sanctioned attitude of associating HIV with foreigners may be worsening the spread of the virus in Korea, as forcing immigrants
to be tested for HIV sends the message that only foreigners are at risk for infection. It discourages Koreans from getting tested and those with HIV from seeking treatment, making it more likely that they will spread the virus. Many Koreans avoid HIV testing out of fear of prejudice, and HIV-positive Koreans are openly discriminated against by health care professionals who know better. Many hospitals abuse and neglect HIV patients or even refuse to treat them. At the upcoming World Human Rights Cities Forum here in Gwangju this July, I will present my own work on this issue and show that Korea’s HIVrelated travel restrictions not only violate migrants’ human rights to confidentiality and informed consent to testing and the rights of persons living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA) to privacy, work, and medical care, but that they also deprive Korea’s own citizens of the right to health and accurate information on effective HIV prevention. Gwangju has always been ahead of the curve on human rights. Every year that the government required English teachers to be tested, Gwangju was the only area that did not enforce the annual retesting requirement. If Gwangju truly wants to make itself into a human rights city and blaze a trail on human rights for
49 the rest of the country, this issue is an ideal one on which to take a stand. Individual English teachers have been able to show the CERD ruling to their employers and work with local human rights organizations to be exempt from the testing requirement, so Gwangju can certainly use the ruling, and South Korea’s treaty obligations to it, to drop HIV and drug testing for all teachers. HIV testing should be confidential, voluntary, and free of stigma for both Koreans and foreigners. Gwangju can take the first step toward that vision, which upholds health and human rights for all. Jessica Keralis lived and worked in Gwangju for nearly two years beginning in 2012. She is now a research epidemiologist and has worked on global health research and advocacy projects with APHA’s International Health Section for six years. All views expressed here are her own and not those of any employer. Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of Gwangju News.
www.gwangjunewsgic.com
July 2016
50
Inside Korean Culture
Ilwolsan
The Haunted Mountain
ARTS & CULTURE
By Stephen Redeker
Images courtesy of san-shin.org Hwangssi-buin as depicted in one of her shrines
H
www.gwangjunewsgic.com
July 2016
iking is one of Korea’s favorite pastimes. Every year, thousands of people enjoy the beautiful summer weather by hiking Korea’s many peaks that are scattered all over the country. Besides getting in some good exercise, visiting the mountains has always been an important part of Korean culture.
Throughout history and even today, many have believed mountains harbor spirits that benefit or favor those who pray and honor them. They are considered holy places, as the mountains are viewed as powerful forces of nature that man must respect. There are many holy shrines and temples situated on mountains, much more so than in the cities. One of these mountains, located far in the outer reaches of the Gyeongsangbuk-do region, has its own legend that can either curse or bless those who believe in ghosts. Nicknamed the “Sun-Moon Mountain”, Ilwolsan (일월 산) is a haunted mountain. Some believe that the ghost of “Hwangssi-buin (a lady surnamed Hwang)”, roams the trails of Ilwolsan. As the story goes, nearly three-hundred years ago this bride was terribly mistreated by her husband and his family, who lived in the northern Andong area. She ran away to a secluded area within the mountain
and committed suicide, as an act of depression and possibly as an act of protest. Due to her grave sadness, she curses those who lack good virtues like honesty or kindness. Mrs. Hwang also has the power to grant miracles and good fortune to those who are virtuous, displaying benevolence and generosity. The Sun-Moon Mountain is famous for her story and a number of shrines that are dedicated in honor of her memory. Ilwol-san is the second major peak of the Taebaek mountain range in northern Gyeongsang province, and it is approximately 1,21 9 meters high at the peak. The eastern side of the mountain has three temples, the largest of which is called “Dragon Flower” or “Yonghwasa Temple”. People have seldom visited or hiked its trails because of the mountain’s remoteness. If you do decide to visit and hike Ilwolsan mountain, it is accessible from national highway 31, about 22km north of Yeongyang-gun. It makes for a brisk hike and on a perfect day; an excellent way to get some exercise and breathe in the clean country air while visiting some spiritual points of interest. Be sure to say a few kind words to the spirit of Hwangssi-buin. Miracles have come to those who have.
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Talk to Me In Korean
Transportation (Bus & Subway)
Common Phrases 교통 카드 [gyo-tong ka-deu] : transportation card Transportation cards are convenient prepaid cards that allow you to use public transportation without having to pay with cash each time you want to use the bus or subway. In addition to being super convenient, transportation cards offer discounts and free transfers to and from buses and subways. The card itself can be purchased with or without any credit on it, usually at subway stations or convenience stores. Just load the card with money and the funds will be deducted each time you take a ride. The card keeps track of the money for you, so you will always have a good idea how much money you have left on your card if you look at the bottom number on the sensor where you place your card when you get on or off a bus or subway. In Seoul, bus-to-bus, bus-to-subway, or subway-to-bus transfers are free of charge if it is within 30 minutes. (However, subwayto-subway transfer is not free once you tap out at a subway station.)
충전 [chung-jeon] : recharging; refilling (one’s card) 충전해 주세요. [chung-jeo-nae ju-se-yo.] : Please charge my card. After purchasing a transportation card, funds must be added before you can use it to ride a bus or take the subway. You can add money at most convenience stores (GS25, 7-11, Family Mart, etc.) by using this phrase. You can include the amount of credit you want to add before saying “ 충전해 주세요”
Sample Sentences 오천 원 충전해 주세요. [o-cheon won chung-jeo-nae ju-se-yo.] = Please add 5,000 won to my card. 만 원 충전해 주세요. [man won chung-jeo-nae ju-se-yo.] = Please add 10,000 won to my card If you are at a subway station, there are “Ticket and Card Reloading” machines where you can recharge your card. These machines have instructions in several languages, so just select your preferred language and follow the on-screen instructions.
If you use a transportation card to transfer from bus to subway, or vice versa, within 30 minutes, the sensor machines on buses and at subway stations will say this phrase. It is meant to alert the traveler that the free transfer has been successfully registered and that no extra funds have been charged.
잔액이 부족합니다. [ja-nae-gi bu-jo-kam-ni-da.] : You have insufficient funds. When your transportation card does not have enough funds for the trip, the machine will say this phrase. If you hear the machine say this phrase on a bus, you will have to use a different card or pay in cash (do not forget to get your change from the driver if you do pay with cash).
Survival Korean includes the most essential Korean phrases you need to know while traveling or living in Korea. The expressions come with detailed explanations as well as fun and useful information about the situation where they are used.
July 2016
Talk To Me In Korean and Seoulistic are proud to present to you: Survival Korean!
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환승 [hwan-seung] : transfer 환승입니다. [hwan-seung-im-ni-da.] = (You are) Transferring.
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Community Board Have something you want to share with the community? Gwangju News community board provides a space for the community to announce clubs’ activities and special events. Please contact gwangjunews@gic.or.kr for more information. GWANGJU INTER FC The Gwangju International Soccer Team (Gwangju Inter FC) plays regularly every weekend. If you are interested in playing, email: gwangju_soccer@yahoo.com or search ‘Gwangju Inter FC’ on Facebook.
COMMNUNITY CLASSES AT GIC Weekends Art Club – Room 5, 2F 12:30 - 3 p.m. Saturdays Participation fee varies depending on Class theme and material FB page: Gwangju Art Class
UNESCO KONA VOLUNTEERS Our group is a registered organization that helps underprivileged kids to learn English Independently through storybooks and story-maps. We are looking for long-term volunteers who desire to enrich their lives. We are asking volunteers to commit to helping at least once a month.
GWANGJU Petit à Petit 쁘띠 따 쁘띠 프랑스 그룹 – Room 5, 2F 4 - 6 p.m. Saturday, December 5 FB page: GWANGJU Petit à Petit
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July 2016
For more information please visit http://café.daum.net/konavolunteers or our Facebook group UNESCO KONA VOLUNTEERS or contact Kim Young Im 062-434-9887 or email konacenter@gmail.com
쁘띠 따 쁘띠 프랑스 그룹
GIC Book Club – Room 3, 2F 4 - 6 p.m. Saturdays FB page: GIC Book Club COMMUNITY GROUPS IN GWANGJU
Gwangju – 광주 Gwangju Flea Market Gwangju Pets Gwangju Freecycle Gwangju Performance Project Global Families of Gwangju Gwangju EPIK Teachers Gwangju-Jeolla Job Bank Ladies of Gwangju and Vicinity Gwangju Yoga Gwangju Veggies
2016 GWANGJU INTERNATIONAL CENTER KOREAN CLASS The Gwangju International Center (GIC) provides Korean classes to international residents in Gwanjgu and Jeolla provinces. which help them learn Korean and understand Korean culture. Please join our Korean classes to improve your Korean skills with our awesome Korean teachers! Tuition Fee: Weekdays classes 120,000 won (100,000 won for GIC Members) Saturdays classes 90,000 won (70,000 won for GIC Members - How to register: Try online registration through the GIC website www. gic.or.kr or drop by the GIC - More information: Jeongmin Lee, the GIC coordinatior (email: language@ gic.or.kr / phone: 062.226.2733) WE ARE LOOKING FOR WRITERS! Get involved and make Gwangju News an outlet for you to express yourself. For more info: gwangjunews@gic.or.kr Gwangju News is only as great as it is because of the community it serves, and the writers, photographers, layout designers and proofreaders within it who regularly volunteer their services.