(EN) Gwangju News September 2011 #115

September 2011 Issue No. 115

Prof. Mukandala and Dr. Omar The view from Tanzania

Dr. David Shaffer The long history in Gwangju

Jeju Controversy Why does it need a base?

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Gwangju News September 2011

What’s On

Gwangju News

Cover Photo Photographer: Courtesy of Chonnam National University (article on page 10) Cover Photo: Vice Chancelllor Prof.

Mukandala from Tanzania

22 Comic World Korea

Publisher: Gyonggu Shin Editor-in-Chief: Julian Warmington Editors: Julian Raethel, Minsu Kim, Jihyun Kim Assistant Editors: Seth Pevey, Stephen Redeker Copy Editors: Kathleen Villadiego, Kyle Johnson Coordinator: Karina Prananto Layout and Design: Karina Prananto Proofreaders: Julian Raethel, Emma Dooley, Somin Cha,

3dot5.com

Samantha Richter, James Munro, Pete Schandall, Gina Covert, Kathleen Villadiego

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

Phone: +82-62-226-2733~4 Fax: +82-62-226-2731 E-mail: gwangjunews@gmail.com Registration No.: 광주광역시 라. 00145 (ISSN 2093-5315) Printed by Logos (Phone +82-62-444-8800)

30 Rugby World Cup Preview

Gwangju News Magazine is written and edited by volunteers.

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

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

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

Incredible India Gwangju News September 2011

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Contents

Featured Articles 10

Cover Story

Regular Columns

Tanzania and Korea – An Educational Collaboration

6

Upcoming Events

9

Local News

By Stephen Redeker

14

Feature

Dr. David Shaffer: 40+ Years in Gwangju

By Jon Ozelton

By Stephen Redeker

16

Feature

This Month in Gwangju

24

News

Home Pages

Jeju Island’s Controversial Military Base

By Michael Bielawski

18

The Tale of Andre Fisher

By Andrea Galvez

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By Doug Stuber

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Fashion

Fash-on with xxl jjdp By jjdp

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By Wil Rawlins

Language Study

Letters to KOTESOL

By Dr. Dave Schaffer

Comics

Comic World Korea 23

Photo Contest

Art

The Art of Mechanical Fish 22

28 Perspective

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Language Study

' -(으)ㄹ까요?': Shall we(I) ~ ?/Will it be ~ ?

By Soo-a Jung

Music

Super Color Sounds

By Julian Warmington

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44

Literature

Photo Essay

Selected Poems

The Way We Acclimate

Translated by Chae-pyong Song and Anne Rashid

By Mason Robinson

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Sport

Rugby World Cup 2011 Preview

46

Peppermint Candy

By Seth Pevey

By Julian Raethel

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Movie Review

Travel

Incredible India

By Steve McNally

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Food and Drink

Sushi Jang

By Gabriel Ward

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Travel

Jeonju: A Walk Through History Oedaldo: The Island of Love

By Emma Dooley

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Food and Drink

Mini Potatoes and Rice Croquettes

By Seoyoung Park

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Environment

Beyond the Farm

By Trevor Homeniuk

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Community

Meet the Neighbors

Environment

By Julian Warmington

Conscientious Companies Reap Awards

By Frances Herrington

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Community

Universiade and Uni-Friends: Have You Heard?

By Kyuri Park

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Community

School of Rights

By Alfian Zohri

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Gwangju News September 2011

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Community Board Dear Korea

By Jen Lee

Upcoming Events

This month’s Upcoming Events contributors: Seoyoung Park, Kyuri Park

Festival 2011 Gwangju Biennale

Design

Theme: Design is design is not design / 도가도비상도 Date: September 2 – October 23 Venue: Gwangju Biennale Hall and all around the city of Gwangju Host/Organizer: The Metropolitan City of Gwangju, Gwangju Biennale Foundation Design Director: Seung H-sang, Ai Weiwei Phone: 062-608-4114 E-mail: biennale@gb.or.kr Homepage: www.gb.or.kr

About Gwangju Biennale and Gwangju Design Biennale The Metropolitan City of Gwangju is a city of art, culture and high-tech industries with photonics and green energy businesses. As a city of art and culture, Gwangju and Gwangju Biennale Foundation hosts two different biennales including the international contemporary art festival, Gwangju Biennale and Gwangju Design Biennale (established in 1995 and 2004). September 1st of this year is the kick-off for the 4th edition of Gwangju Design Biennale.

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

Admission fee: 8,000 won for one film. 21,000 won for three films.

30,000 won for five films; 50,000 won for ten films.

Check online for calendar and prices. (http://cafe.naver.com/cinemagwangju/) The following movies will be shown in September:

8th 7080 Chungjang Recollection Festival Location: Chungjang, Geumnam, Hwanggeum street, Dong-gu area Date: September 27 – October 2 Phone: 062-608-2247~8 Homepage: www.cjr7080.com

2011 Gwangju Art Fair Location: KDJ Convention Center Date: September 1-4 / Wed. August 31 from 5pm - 8pm (VIP/Press Preview) Fair Program: Special exhibitions, education program, performance lounge and audience happenings More info: www.artgwangju.com art:gwangju:11 in its second edition promises to be an extraordinary commercial and artistic flowering of local and global galleries and nonprofit art institutions. This year's art:gwangju is the first public cultural project of the newly established Gwangju Cultural Foundation and is supported by the Gwangju Metropolitan City Council. The fair provides a new sales platform and programs including Museum Outlet, Videolet, Asia New Arrivals and Art & Company.

Performances Yuhki Kuramoto, In a Beautiful Season Location: Gwangju Culture and Art Center Grand Theater Date: September 20, 2011 Admission fee: 55,000~99,000won

Book Chon Bang Hyang 북 촌 방 향 (The day he arrives) Release date: September 8, 2011 Genre: Drama Director: Hong Sang-soo Stars: Kim Sang-jung, You Jun-sang and Song Sun-mi Country: Korea Language: Korean Sang-Joon is a professor in the film department at a provincial university. He goes to Seoul to meet his senior, Young-Ho, who works as a film critic. Sang-Joon stays in a northern village in Seoul for three days.

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Gwangju News September 2011

Gwangju News Volunteer Appreciation Day October 8, the first Gwangju News shared dinner publication party! Anyone and everyone associated with writing, proof-reading, or any aspect of the publishing of Gwangju News is very welcome.

At GIC, in the main meeting room, arriving from 5.30, eating at 6 p.m.

Cost: Please bring 'a plate' of your favorite food to share.

White rice will be available.

Sports Gwangju FC Soccer Team September Match Schedule Date

Match Team

Time

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Busan I’Park

15:00

Venue: Gwangju World Cup Stadium (광주월드컵경기장) Direction: Take buses 6, 16, 20, 26, 47, 74 and get off at Worldcup Stadium bus stop Ticket Price: Adult 10,000 won, Family (4 people) 30,000 won Website: www.gwangjufc.com

KIA Tigers Baseball Team September Match Schedule Date

Match Team

Time

2 3 5

Samsung SK Nexen

18:30 17:00 18:30

This Month at Holiday Inn Gwangju Autumn has arrived – the season of brilliant colors!

Our great Aussie Beef BBQ continues through September. From 7.00 p.m. to 9.30 p.m.

Wednesday through Sundays, we offer unlimited OB Lager. Our BBQ includes three cuts of Australian Beef and a great little buffet.

Don’t forget ALL guests become eligible to win a trip for two to Australia with airfares, accommodation in Sydney and the Gold Coast, and some meals included.

Venue: Gwangju Mudeung Baseball Stadium (무등경기장) Directions: Take buses 16, 38, 51, 53, 58, 89, 95, 98, 151 and get off at Mudeung Stadium bus stop Ticket Price: Adults 7,000 - 12,000 won; Students (13 - 18): 4,000 - 9,000 won; Children (under 13, 2,000 - 6,000 won) Website: www.tigers.co.kr (Korean)

Exhibitions Green Car Korea 2011 Venue: KDJ Convention Center exhibition halls 2 & 3 Date: September 28-30, 2011 Exhibits -Vehicles Hybrid Vehicle (HEV), Plug-in Hybrid Vehicle (PHEV), Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Vehicle (FCV), Electric Vehicle (EV), Clean Diesel Car, Agricultural Electric Vehicle, Electric Vike, Golf Car, etc.

-Car parts Drive system, secondary battery/capacitor (for EV), automotive motor, controller, inverter manufacture equipment, converter, connector, etc.

-Intra&Services Charging Station System, Telematics, Lease/Rental, Government organization and institutions, Media groups etc.

For more info: http://www.greencar.or.kr Phone: 062) 611-2121

September will also see our fantastic “Pure Grape Juice” Promotion in the Lobby Lounge.

For autumn we are introducing our first getaway package called “Stay Sentimental”. This is a great short break for two with packages available in Deluxe, Junior and Executive Suites. The package includes breakfast in the Hourglass Restaurant, coffee & cake in our beautiful Lobby Lounge and free Happy Hour for two at our 10th floor Executive Lounge Bar. Prices start from 185,000 won net.

ACE Fair 2011 (Asia Content & Entertainment Fair 2011) Location: KDJ Convention Center Date: September 21-24 The 6th ACE (Asia Content & Entertainment) Fair (Asia Content & Entertainment Fair), the official annual event and the cultural content industry's primary gathering, will be held on September 21 (Wed) ~ 24 (Sat), 2011 at the Kimdaejung Convention Center.

The ACE Fair is the global event for buying, selling, financing, licensing and distributing cultural content across all platforms. Also, the ACE Fair provides one of the largest cultural content trade markets in Asia by offering excellent opportunities to showcase cultural contents to Asia's key decision makers. Do not miss out on the opportunity to network with leading attendees from all over the world at the ACE Fair.

Michael Wilson General Manager Holiday Inn Gwangju Michael.Wilson@ihg.com Watch our website for further details www.holidayinngwangju.com Gwangju News September 2011

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Editorial/ GIC Talk

[ Editorial ]

A Word from Our Editor-In-Chief The day she first arrived to volunteer at the GIC in June of 2003, Kim Minsu was so young and nervous about speaking English that her friend Myung Bong came along to speak for her. Meanwhile at the GIC, Professor Shin Gyonggu had just bought and paid for the “new” Apple Macintosh computer so Gwangju News could be published in the highest quality English, which had simply not been possible with a non-English speaking designer, as previously so far removed from GIC and the editing team. It turned out that Minsu had both training and experience in graphic design and layout using that software.

Since that time long ago great development has occurred within the GIC, Gwangju News, and Minsu herself; her English has improved vastly since the days she had to read and write notes to communicate. Over the years Minsu has been involved Gwangju News has more than doubled in size. Recently Minsu trained Karina “Nana” Prananto (Indonesian/Korean resident) to the same high standards she attained and maintained. Nana is now a GIC coordinator and also took over the layout and design role for Gwangju News last year. This month also sees co-editing duties shared with GIC’s most excellent Kim Jihyun, as Minsu starts maternity leave for the expected birth of her second child. The Gwangju News staff wish her and her baby all the best.

As Gwangju city, our English language community, and this magazine all keep developing, we need more such people who enjoy working together to achieve those same high standards required to produce the expensive artifact and valuable resource that is Gwangju News. We need meticulous proofreaders, great writers, and lateral, creative thinkers. If you are ready to volunteer for the team challenge of continuing and further developing our high standard of excellence, please contact us at gwangjunews@gmail.com.

By Julian Warmington

[ GIC Talk ] Time & Place: Every Saturday, 3:00 - 4:30 p.m., GIC office (5th floor of Jeon-il Bldg) For more information: visit www.gic.or.kr or contact gic@gic.or.kr Check out pictures from previous GIC Talks http://picasaweb.google.com/gictalk Click for the highlight clips of GIC Talk at www.youtube.com/user/GICTALK

September 3

September 24

Topics: Three Artists, Three Different Visions Speakers: Kurt Donald, Enda Olivier, Ramona Pavilionis

Topic: Jazz: An American Artform Speaker: Jakub Michalowski (Middle-School Native English Teacher, B.A. in History and Political Science, Seattle University)

For more information, please see page 13

September 10 No Talk due to Chuseok holiday September 17 TBA

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Gwangju News September 2011

Since its inception in the early 20th century, Jazz has been a distinctive American artform that has continuously evolved with the culture around it embracing the beat poetry asthetic with its "Free Jazz" movement... and bridging funk and rock music with its distinctive "Jazz Fusion" sounds. Come explore the history of Jazz during its "Golden Age", from the melodic "bop" and "cool" sounds of the 1940's to the experimental incarnations that paralleled the artistic aesthetic of the 1950's and 1960's.

Delve deep into the life stories of revolutionary Jazz pioneers such as Miles Davis, Charles Mingus and John Coltrane, whose lives were often as emotionally charged as the notes they played. Join GIC for a look at the figures, movements, and seminal albums that have shaped this deepy evocative, but often misunderstood artform.

News

This Month in Gwangju A brief roundup of news stories from in and around Gwangju Gwangju and Edinburgh Ties Gwangju has strengthened its ties with the city of Edinburgh (Scotland, UK) through a series of exchanges and agreements.

The cooperation between the two cities began last year, with agreements for cultural exchanges and cooperation. Amongst other things, Edinburgh, home to the prestigious annual Edinburgh Fringe Festival, would share its expertise in hosting large international, to aid Gwangju in its future international events such as the 2015 Universiade. Additionally, Gwangju would have the opportunity to participate in the Edinburgh Fringe Festival.

This has resulted in the recent performance of Jasmine Gwangju at this year’s Fringe. Jasmine Gwangju is a theatrical production which puts traditional music, dance and shamanistic rituals alongside multi-media displays, to tell the story of the 1980 May 18th Gwangju Uprising.

Excepting a few previews, the show’s run at Venue150@EICC, from August 13th to the 19th, was its first full performance in public. It has been well received, with many positive reviews from local (British) and international critics, including a maximum 5-stars from the dedicated Fringe Festival reviewer Broadway Baby.

A delegation from Gwangju was in Edinburgh on August 17th, to see Jasmine Gwangju being performed. On the same day, they met with representatives from Edinburgh city, to discuss the show’s success, and to explore possibilities for further exchanges and cooperation. Given the success of the cultural agreements, discussions expanded to possible economic and trade collaboration, covering mutual economic interests, possible joint research opportunities, and potential exports, in particular with regard to Gwangju’s photonic industry.

Environment Summit coming to Gwangju Early next month, Gwangju will play host to a major international environmental conference, namely the 2011

Gwangju Summit of Urban Environmental Accords (UEA).

The Accords stem from the United Nations Environment Programme World Environment Day, in San Francisco in 2005, when 52 attending cities signed up to agree to a series of measures at a city level, to preserve the environment. Currently over 110 cities have joined the Accords, and around 60-70 will attend the Gwangju Summit, along with various environmental experts, and representatives from major organizations.

The agenda will cover the establishment of an Urban Environmental Index, by which to measure a city’s green status, as well as set up a workable Clean Development Mechanism, which seeks to set CO2 emission limits for cities, and allow those who come in under their targets to trade the excess. If successful, the Summit could make the name Gwangju synonymous with its environmental summit, in the same way that Kyoto is readily remembered for its 1997 global warming Protocol.

The Summit will take place at the Kimdaejung Convention Centre, from October 11th-13th.

New Shops Aimed at Tourists Two new plans have been unveiled to attract more tourists to the area through shops.

Firstly, two stores selling local crafts, food produce, and souvenirs will open in Gwangju. One will be in Yangdong market, selling mainly foodstuffs, such as traditional snacks, local specialties and health products. The other store, in the downtown Chungjang area, will offer Hanbok, jewelry, handicrafts and souvenirs, and of course, Gwangju-made kimchi.

Secondly, plans are underway to establish a duty-free store in Jeollanam-do. The store would be exclusively for foreign visitors, and is mostly aimed at Chinese and Japanese tourists, and international visitors for the 2012 Yeosu World Expo, and the 2013 Suncheon Garden Expo.

Both stores are hoped to increase the number of foreign visitors to the region, and provide a boost to the local economy.

By Jon Ozelton Gwangju News September 2011

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Cover Story

Tanzania and Korea: An Educational Collaboration VC Prof. Mukandala

tudents from all over the world come to Korea with hopes to continue their education and at the same time absorb the Korean culture.

Gwangju is extremely privileged to have such students from various nations attend their schools as well.

Located in East Africa, Tanzania is one such nation that will soon be sharing their talented students with the people and facilities of Chonnam National University. Located in the nation’s capital, the University of Dar es Salaam will take part in a program that extends the education of their students by providing some with the opportunity to study at Chonnam. Gwangju News met with University of Dar es Salaam’s Vice Chancellor, Professor Rwekaza Mukandala and Dr. Omar Fakih Hamad. Mukandala is a professor of political science and Omar, a fiveyear Gwangju resident and Chonnam University graduate, is a professor in the ICT field. As the two were visiting Gwangju for a short time to enhance the relationship between their two universities, Gwangju News was delighted to spend some time discussing politics, education and culture in Korea and Tanzania.

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Mukandala and Omar paid a visit to the May 18th National Cemetery. Mukandala gave some perspective 10

Gwangju News September 2011

and comparisons regarding the cause and impact of the May 18th event.

“I had read about this event in the newspapers and saw the pictures on TV but this is the first time to be in Gwangju and to visit the memorial. I had the chance to see various narrations of what had happened. I was astounded by the national nature of the event. In the past, we were told this was a riot or a rebellion. It was really a movement, a demonstration cast as a democratic struggle which was very interesting to me. The importance of human rights, of human freedom, sovereignty and the need for legitimate government; the fact that they fought for this to me is very fascinating. What is also interesting is the contrast between the May 18th Memorial and the Vietnam Memorial in Washington DC. For the latter, it’s not about the rightness of the cause, because the cause was wrong. Still, people died and there was much sorrow and sadness for the lives that were lost. What is distinct and special about the May 18th Memorial is that the cause was right, as well as the sadness for the lives that were lost. In comparison, that’s something that sets it apart.”

Cover Story

The continent of Africa contains more than a few countries that are presently experiencing discontent between the government and their people. Mukandala explained, “In regards to Tanzania and Africa as a whole, globalization is a two-way street which brings on the one hand lots of prosperity, but along with that prosperity it brings much poverty and impoverishment as well. This explains why there is lots of discontent and uprisings in places like Egypt and Tunisia. It’s because millions of people have been left behind by these globalizing forces and by this wealth that is being created. It’s not being shared equally amongst the men and women on the street, or to the student who just graduated from college who can’t find a job or start a family. Those are some important forces that one must bear in mind.”

Many people are unaware about the history of Tanzania and where it stands in the global context.

Here Mukandala introduces one of the great success stories of any African nation. “This year we are celebrating 50 years of independence from Great Britain. Lots of experiments have been carried out in terms of how to bring out human development. Some have been successful and others not so successful, but what has succeeded is what we call the ‘nationalist project’. That is in forging a nation out of the hundreds of different ethnic groups and races, to forge all these groups into one cohesive nation. So what really matters is the mind of the person and what one does, rather than his race or religion, for example.

That has been very successful so human rights and citizenship is enjoyed by everybody in respect to where one is or where one was born.”

Omar added, “Tanzania came from two separate countries, which were Tanganyika and Zanzibar. It has since developed a strong union, which has existed for 46 years. This is a good lesson that two countries can successfully be united, and is a good example for the rest of the world.”

Mukandala continued about the important role Tanzania plays as an example of peace and justice in Africa. “We have been successful in forging a democratic political system, which is not perfect, but it still allows for free and fair elections and peaceful transitions of power from one regime to another. This has provided for political stability, which has been a very important springboard for Tanzania to play a role in the region. There has also been a very serious commitment towards African liberation and human

VC Prof. Mukandala visiting the May 18 National Cemetery

liberation in general from oppression and authoritarianism. Tanzania played a very critical role in the liberation of other African countries that were not free. Especially South Africa, Mozambique, Namibia, Angola and other countries. Dar es Salaam, the capital of Tanzania, was the center of all this liberation movement. All these developments have helped Tanzania, first to redefine itself, but also for the rest of the world to learn from this. Politics aside, Tanzania is a beautiful country with lots of natural resources. Lots of white sand beaches, animals, and the highest mountain in Africa, Kilimanjaro. We have the deepest lake in the world, Lake Tanganyika. So it’s a beautiful place to be with beautiful people.”

The University of Dar es Salaam has a history which runs parallel with its country’s. It was founded on October 26th, 1961, months before Tanzania officially achieved its own independence. Mukandala recalls the foundation of the university, “At that time the leadership of the country was convinced, because we had no university and there were very few educated people, that the country’s independence would be meaningless without a university. We needed a university that could extend the necessary public service in education. Our university is also celebrating their 50 year anniversary. The vision of our university is to become a world class center of excellence that meets the needs of Tanzanian and African society by providing the required human resources, carrying out the necessary research, producing knowledge, and providing a public service. Since our foundation we have produced almost 90 percent of all the qualified high level government in the country, currently the

Gwangju News September 2011

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Cover Story

president and the prime minister of the country, the chief justice, administers are all graduates of my university. Many other important leaders of other nations in Africa are alumni from University of Dar es Salaam.”’

Chonnam National University will be cooperating with the University of Dar es Salaam in sharing their facilities with students from Tanzania who wish to apply their ideas and studies in a practical manner.

Mukandala is excited about this new endeavor. “Our expectation is that Chonnam University can help us in certain areas where we are lacking. We are very soon establishing a medical school which will be training super specialists in various areas of medicine so we look forward to receiving some assistance from Chonnam in this field. We also look forward to a mutual exchange of faculties and of students in research between our two countries on areas of mutual concern. As we talked about, our world is becoming much more globalized and it’s important to have these links in our society, we cannot live on islands or in cocoons, we must understand each other.

This gives us an opportunity to understand Korean society, the various political forces that they operate in here, such as the May 18th movement. Overall this contributes to a better world, which is based on shared understanding and a shared knowledge.

Omar is no stranger to Chonnam National University.

Many attended his graduation there as he was awarded his doctorate degree. During his time in Gwangju, Omar was also very active with the GIC, attending tours and even giving his own GIC Talk. He also just recently won a highly competitive international prize as a young scientist resident in

Univ. Dar Es Salaam signs MOU with Chonnam National University

Africa. Now he’s a professor at Dar es Salaam in the information/communications field. Omar reiterated the fact that his students have high expectations about studying in Korea. “What we need to accomplish with Chonnam National University to is be able to have our students come here and do their experiments. Our students have great ideas; they develop theoretical systems, but they partially fail to implement them physically, so the hope is that our students can further develop their systems conceptually and implement them at Chonnam. They can continue working on their theses and systems in practice. That is a very big expectation for our students.”

The entire faculty and student body at Chonnam National University welcomes the Tanzanian students who will study there in the near future. This cooperative program is just as exciting for both parties involved, as it provides for a chance to better the understanding and communication between two successful universities as well as sharing ideas among two distinct cultures.

VC Prof. Mukandala visits the GIC and views past editions of Gwangju News

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Gwangju News September 2011

By Stephen Redeker Photos courtesy of Chonnam National University

GIC Gallery

[ GIC Gallery ] Exhibition Title: Three Artists, Three Different Visions Artists: Kurt Donald, Enda Olivier, Ramona Pavilionis Exhibition Period: August 6 ~ 20, 2011 Opening with Artists Talk: September 3 (Saturday), 3 ~ 5 p.m. at GIC Gallery

Three artists two of which are from South Africa, Kurt Donald and Enda Olivier, and Ramona Pavilionis from Canada have collaborated to share with us their three different worldly perspectives about their creativity. Kurt Donald expresses that “Between cultures there is an empty space, a void. It is up to artists and others to build a bridge across this void. As an artist I feel it is my place to fill that empty space with life.�

Gwangju News September 2011

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Feature

Dr. David Shaffer:

40+ years in Gwangju ost Gwangju News readers and local ESL teachers are familiar with Dr. David Shaffer.

He provides answers and insight about teaching English in the Gwangju News monthly column “Letters to KOTESOL”. Beyond the small blurb of information below his picture there, most of us don’t know about “Dr. Dave” and his long history teaching and living in Gwangju. Stephen Redeker caught up with Dr. Dave last month.

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Shaffer grew up in west Pennsylvania, USA and arrived in Gwangju in 1971. He’s been here ever since, and began his teaching career at Chosun University in 1976 where he is currently a professor at the English Language Department at the College of Foreign Languages. Besides teaching, he dedicates much of his time giving about a dozen speeches every year at various ELT conferences in Korea and other locations in Asia. Among his tasks as President of the Gwangju-Jeonnam chapter of KOTESOL, he is arranging for invited speakers to give speeches at their monthly and annual meetings. Shaffer has studied Chinese character calligraphy and has advanced to the highest proficiency level; a rare accomplishment. He has also published many books and research periodicals based on English and Korean language education. Among other awards, he was awarded the Minister of Internal Affairs (ROK) Award in 1984 and received the Korean Times Contemporary Korean Culture Translation Award in Poetry in 1994.

The following is an interview with Dave about his history and interests here in Gwangju: Gwangju News: When did you come to Korea?

Shaffer: I came here in 1971, with the Peace Corps. I came for a two-year service and extended that for about four years total (the maximum Peace Corps service time was five years). I was in Gwangju for my Peace Corps service. After that, I came to Chosun University. That’s where my career teaching English began.

GN: Tell us about your Korean name.

Shaffer: My Korean name is Shin Dong-il. I got it from a name maker who was also a fortune teller. It was part of our training when we first arrived. She created my name and told me my fortune. I presume that she chose

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Gwangju News September 2011

Dr. David sharpening his skills

“Shin” because it’s a Korean name that sounds closest to my family name “Shaffer”. “Dong” matched the “D” sound from my name “David”. She counted the strokes and included one of the five elements that go into a “lucky” name (the character for “wood” is contained in it). Also, “Dong-il” means “east-first”. It fits because I came from the east and I’m the oldest son in my family.

It all worked out. I’ve been to other fortune tellers who told me it’s a really good name.

GN: You’ve been in Gwangju for about 40 years.

You have seen many changes over the years.

What was Gwangju like back in the early days?

Shaffer: When I first came to Gwangju, almost all the cars on the streets were either taxis or the black chauffeured cars of businessmen. The average person did not have a car. You saw a lot more bicycles on the streets and lots of old buses. You also saw oxen pulling carts on the streets, many of which were making deliveries of packages. There were very few buildings over five stories high because anything over that would require an elevator. Nobody wanted to go through the expense of installing an elevator, so only a few buildings (like the tourist hotel) were higher. There were open ditches on the sides of the streets for sewage. Most homes did not have plumbing; there were outhouses outside the homes. People used newspapers as toilet paper. Sometimes they were cut into squares and placed on a nail for easy use. At that time, the president was always pictured on the cover of the newspaper, but you would never find the cover page in an outhouse. Out of fear, people did not want to get caught in an outhouse

Feature

not have many options. There were very few tapes for learning English. The tapes were also really expensive, sold in big sets.

GN: Tell us about your involvement with KOTESOL. Shaffer: I got involved when it began. A fellow professor at Honam University heard about it and contacted me about starting a chapter in Gwangju and joining. I wasn’t very active the first few years but later I began getting involved with publications. I became an officer and have been doing that for the past 10 years. I think it’s very worthwhile. Through Korea TESOL I’ve improved my English teaching and improved in many other ways.

Dr. Choi Yongjae and Dr. David in Chosun University in the late 70s.

desecrating a picture of the president. You didn’t have these huge apartment complexes like you do today.

People lived in small homes and some had new houses which were two-stories. The family would almost always live on the first floor and rent out the second floor. There was an entrance on the outside to the second floor and usually that was the only way up there.

GN: Do you have any specific memories of the May 18 revolts that occurred in 1980?

Shaffer: I was living in Sansu-dong at the time (near Chosun). That was an active area at the time. The citizens were patrolling the neighborhoods in buses; they were knocking on the sides of the bus with their bats and clubs. They had also commandeered these little personnel carriers that looked a little bit like small tanks. Everyone was angry, and the young men were worried that they might be drafted by the citizen armies to fight. The women were also scared so many people were in hiding at the time. One of my wife’s friends stayed with us because she lived alone and was too frightened to stay there at home. It was a difficult time.

GN: How can people get involved with KOTESOL? Shaffer: People can visit the website for information (kotesol.org, koreatesol.org). The best way is to attend a meeting. We have meetings every second Saturday of the month. They’re open to everyone. You should come to the International Conference coming up this October.

I’ve been heavily involved with the past 11 conferences and I think ours is the best and definitely the largest.

This year we have 11 invited speakers, who are great people in our field.

By Stephen Redeker Photos by Han Jaerim and courtesy of Dr. David Shaffer

GN: You’ve been teaching English for a long time in Gwangju. How has the field changed from then to what it is today?

Shaffer: It’s gotten more professional and it’s gotten older. When I first arrived, most people came for one or two years just to save up some money and continue on with their travels. Most did not see teaching English as a career. For teacher training, there were not so many courses offered then. There were no online courses as there are today. Students and teachers did not have many teaching materials. When I first started, I went to the bookstore to get a textbook. “Laddo’s English” and “Spoken American English” were the only two books available. They taught the audio-lingual method: listen and repeat, again and again. Tape recorders were expensive and those students who could afford one did Gwangju News September 2011

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Feature

Jeju Island’s Controversial Military Base angjeong Village, on Jeju Island, (declared “Peace Island” by the government) will be getting a very un-Gandhi-like naval base if protests by Jeju residents are not successful.

The 480,000-square-meter, US$915million base proposed by the Ministry of Defense and Navy, is currently approximately 15 percent complete.

Meanwhile, tense demonstrations continue.

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Protesters told The Korea Times that the base was approved by 87 “residents’ representatives” and not by actual Jeju residents. Army Maj. Gen. Lee Yongdae argues that opposition to the base is compromising national security. He said, "To protect Jeju Island and surrounding waters, the Navy would now have to be dispatched from Busan, Jinhae or Mokpo … these bases are too far from the southern waters of Jeju."

Strategically located between Russia, China, Japan, and Korea, and able to accommodate large Aegis class battleships, Jeju Island is considered a critical location for any potential future military conflict.

One concern is that the base is not actually for Korea’s interests, but rather for those of the US, which can use any Korean base for its operations under the current agreement. This base could be a critical factor in NATO’s rivalry with the Shanghai Corporation, generally considered to be the two main economic and military pillars of the world.

Their dispute is primarily economic,involving the fall of the US dollar, the world’s reserve currency, and the use of strategic resources like oil pipelines in the Middle East. For the US, Japan and Korea (or indeed NATO) this base could, for example, be used to deflect intercontinental missile attacks from China or Russia (Shanghai Corp). While the likelihood of any such large-scale conflict ever happening is debatable, those in power clearly see it as a real possibility.

Another concern is the environmental impact that 16

Gwangju News September 2011

Republic of Korea navy

defence21.hani.co.kr

the base will have on the area. Jeju Island is famous for its absence of major developments, and the Gangjeong coast in particular is the only natural dolphin habitat in Korea. The peaceful, natural setting of Jeju Island brings thousands of tourists from Korea and beyond. The Environmental Effects Evaluation for the proposed base was not carried out as legally required, according to the PSPD (People’s Solidarity for Participatory Democracy). They maintain that Gangjeong, a former Absolute Preservation Zone, has had that status illegally lifted.

Now five separate opposition parties, including Korea’s main Democratic Party, have come together to form an investigation team to assess the environmental impact of the base on its surroundings. They have asked that construction be halted for the duration of the investigation, saying, “We are concerned that this project could cause environmental damage to the coastal area of the village designated as a cultural asset preservation zone, and to the nearby areas listed on the UNESCO Biosphere Reserves.”

The military however, have not halted construction.

The PSPD says police are arresting protesters, but not construction workers who have allegedly used violence, and are charging the protesters with

Feature

Proposed plan model of the naval base segye.com

multiple offences. They are also allegedly threatening eviction of any facilities that display pictures of Gangjeong scenery or messages critical of the construction. At least one celebrity has gotten involved, a famous film critic called Yang Yoon-Mo, who is currently on a 50-plus day hunger strike and is reportedly close to death.

A Navy spokesperson gave this statement to The Korea Times; "Jeju has long been considered a tactical, strategic point to secure southern sea lanes for transporting energy supplies and to conduct mobile operations in the case of an emergency in the region." He added that the modern facility would be environmentally-friendly, accommodate large cruise ships for tourism, and ultimately bring new jobs, attractions and income to the community. He feels that those in opposition are distorting the facts.

Critics however, reference the stagnant economy near Japan’s military base, Okinawa, and fear a similar fate for Jeju Island following the construction of the base. Jeju Island has a long history of protesting unpopular Korean policy. In 1948 over 30,000 residents, or around 12 percent of the population, were murdered for protesting the division of Korea.

One further detail should be taken into account.

Military drills took place August 16 - 28 in order to practice finding and dismantling WMDs (weapons of mass destruction) in or around South Korea. Why is this relevant? Most of the major disasters in recent history, including 9/11, 7/7 (the London Bombings) and even the sinking of Korea’s Cheonan last year all have something in common: drills involving

Local people protesting against the construction of the naval base koreajn.co.kr

scenarios similar or identical to the real events were simultaneously taking place in all cases, with the result that unpopular policies were accepted.

In conclusion, if the multi-trillion dollar military industrial complex wants a military base anywhere, it is most likely going to happen, regardless of popular opinion. Koreans need to mobilize their strong communities and online social networks to spread information if they want to stop this. It is possible but action simply must be taken soon. It certainly can and has been done; all they need to do is take action.

Or maybe, on the other hand, perhaps the base is a necessary evil; it all depends on your perspective of the real threats that face Korea’s national security.

By Michael Bielawski

Gwangju News September 2011

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National

The Tale of Andre Fisher n the early hours of November 19, 2010, Private Andre M. Fisher, of the US Army, was outside a club in Seoul. Details of that evening differ from there. The result is that Fisher was charged with robbery for failing to pay a taxi fare (14,000 won) and then stealing 94,000 won from the driver. He was also charged with property damage after he – and this he admits – kicked out the police vehicle’s rear door window while being arrested.

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Although it is common in Korea to plead guilty to a crime, pay a fine (what some refer to as the Korean custom of “blood money”) and be released, Fisher ignored his legal council recommendation and refused to plead guilty. He says he could never admit to a crime he didn’t commit. After three months of incarceration awaiting trial, he was convicted and sentenced to two years in prison.

Following his July conviction, family and friends mounted an aggressive media campaign to garner support in hopes of freeing Fisher. On Aug. 9, 2011 Fisher’s supporters attended his appeal hearing in the Seoul High Court. Fisher admitted to acting irrationally when damaging the police car, and his attorney noted that he had made immediate restitution for the damages. But he continued to claim he was innocent of the charge of theft. Court adjourned with a second court date set for Aug. 25, where the results of the appeal were announced.

Andre’s parents

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The details of this case are few and seem to change depending on who is reporting.

Fisher and his family adamantly assert that he wasn’t even in the cab that night, and that he should never have spent a night in prison. Others point

Andre (right) with friends

out the fact that he is African-American, and recount similar stories of taxi drivers’ unfair treatment of foreigners.

Online attention has been drawn to the fact that Fisher acted suspiciously by resisting arrest and causing damage. Those who doubt Fisher’s claim of innocence ask why the taxi driver positively identified him at the scene of the crime.

Still others debate the length of the prison sentence.

Recent high profile violent crimes with Korean defendants have yielded prison sentences of 18 months, but Fisher has been adjudged to a full 24 months.

The Seoul High Court rejected Fisher’s appeal despite the international attention brought to the case.

According to appointed attorney Mr. Lee Janghan, the evidence presented – in the form of CCTV video and a money clip the taxi driver claimed as his own – could not be overcome. Fisher’s only remaining option to avoid serving the entire two-year sentence is a seldom-attempted Korean Supreme Court appeal.

Fisher now awaits the initiation of that possible appeal, and the length of any legal proceedings, in a Korean prison cell.

By Andrea Galvez Photos courtesy of the Fisher family

Perspective

Lessons from Andre ate last year, outside a club in Seoul, PVT Andre M. Fisher allegedly robbed a taxi driver and then resisted arrest. He maintains his innocence of the theft charge, but with limited evidence, it’s become a game of “he-said, shesaid” played out in a foreign courtroom in a foreign language.

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Every foreigner fears accidently breaking a local law and ending up on an episode of Locked Up Abroad.

But how can you avoid similar situations here in Gwangju? Fisher claims he was simply in the wrong place at the wrong time; however, there are a few things that could have helped him avoid the situation, or at least the stress of waiting in prison for months.

1) Be aware of your surroundings. Korea is extremely safe, so it can be easy to forget that there can be unknown, unexpected dangers. Fisher claims that he was talking on his phone when he saw several men approach a cab and then walk away. Seconds later the cab driver claimed robbery. If Fisher really wasn’t involved, had there been an opportunity for him to separate from the entire incident? While there’s no reason to become paranoid and assume the worst in every situation, there’s reason to be responsibly aware, and know when to get out.

2) Know your friends. It is easy to become fast friends with other foreigners who speak the same language and have a similar worldview. Fisher reports that he wasn’t alone that night, but was actually with a friend whom he had “just met.” He stops short of confessing that this “friend” was involved in the theft, but he makes it clear that he didn’t trust the guy.

Remember that a friend you choose now may later be seen as a partner in crime.

3) Learn the language. There are a multitude of reasons to learn Korean, especially if you intend to live here for a year or more. Fisher admits that, after 22 months in Korea, he didn’t know Korean well and wasn’t exactly sure what was occurring that night, and for much of his legal proceedings. He was represented by an English-speaking Korean attorney, and members

Andre at home in church

of the US government monitored his trial to ensure it was fair. If at the time of the incident he had been able to explain his innocence (in Korean) and offer any information as to who the actual assailant was, would he be in the same situation? If so, perhaps he would have felt less helpless throughout the process.

4) Remain calm when you don’t understand.

Even if you study Korean diligently, there are likely to be some situations you simply cannot comprehend. In Fisher’s case, he says he didn’t understand why the police were surrounding him. Instead of waiting calmly for the reason, he lashed out and caused serious damage to a police car – and probably the legitimacy of his case. Korea is a swift country. If you are calmly patient, it is likely your wait for information (in English) will be short.

To join the support group for Andre, please see the facebook group Andre Fisher in Korea.

By Andrea Galvez Photo courtesy of the Fisher family

Gwangju News September 2011

19

Art

The Art of Mechanical Fish ontemporary art assemblage using found material that is recycled to create sculptures is nothing new in the wide world of art, but junk is not often used to create such masterful works as found in Shin Yang Ho’s Daein market studio.

Shin, who started adding three-dimensional works to his adept abstract painting skills in the 90s, works in found metal of all kinds and also electronics material attached to discarded wood. Art changed forever when Marcel Duchamp first hung a rusty bicycle and then a men’s porcelain latrine fixture and expected us to see it as art. Marcel Duchamp (1887 –1968) was a French artist whose work is most often associated with the Dadaist and Surrealist movements. He is considered by some to be one of the most important artists of the 20th century.

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Shin Yang Ho doesn’t settle for that, and executes alluring wall sculptures. Lately the subject matter has been dominated by fish. “I like working in wood the most. I started painting on wood after years on canvas, knowing that oil paint flows well on wood, and I had an increased desire to attach different objects to the paintings, which is easily done when painting on wood,” Shin said.

Wood itself became the art in 2004 when boxes constructed with the same level of prowess as Donald Judd, enclosed everything from shuttlecocks and a paint brush, to tree branches. A dozen of these works hang in the entryway of Shin’s labyrinthine workshop, replete with fasteners (usually screws) of every shape and size. A very neat tool hanging system, and small trays with electronic parts, dissembled computers and pieces of thrown-out metal are organized for easy retrieval, should the current fish art need and exact shape to come to life.

Donald Clarence Judd (1928 - 1994) was a minimalist artist (a term he stridently disavowed). In his work, Judd sought autonomy and clarity for the constructed object and the space created by it, ultimately achieving a rigorously democratic presentation without compositional hierarchy. It created an outpouring of seemingly effervescent works that defied the term, "minimalism".

Shin exceeds Judd by incorporating multi-faceted looks at the world in his early boxes. Shin’s technique is soft and alluring, as the wood itself has been selected because of, or smoothed into warm shapes that do not force viewers to notice the objects separately, like Joseph Cornell did, thus enabling viewers to enjoy the entire piece as one, even if it is made up of many different things. Joseph Cornell (1903 – 1972) was an American artist and sculptor, one of the pioneers and most celebrated exponents of assemblage. Influenced by the Surrealists, he was also an avant-garde experimental filmmaker.

Since his successful box experiments, Shin has produced a giant collection of fish constructions that mix his love of wood, oil paint and assemblage, stretching his imagination when applying common household items to create gills or fins, or eyes to prepainted fish on boards that can be nearly square, or two meters long by only 20 centimeters wide.

Blowfish

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Gwangju News September 2011

Another abstract painter turned sculptor comes to mind when looking at the entirety of Shin’s work;

Art

Above and right: Shin Yang Hu’s artworks Center: Shin Yang Hu

C y Twombly. Though Twombly constructed sculptures and then painted nearly all of them white, and Twombly’s paintings were often much more loose and childlike than Shin’s (remember the rows of loops on gray Twombly is famous for?). In painting the two have a similarity of white, gray and a touch of blue or black. In sculpture the obvious mutual affinity is in thrown away found material. In both cases metal is attached to wood, the difference being in the details. Twombly prefers large often rusty pieces of metal that make pleasing abstract shapes, while Shin finds transistor boards, computer innards and other small objects with tiny details suitable for his fish.

Shin’s refined varnishing techniques bring out luster in the wood, and his oil-painted fish change depending on the smoothness or coarseness of the grains of wood he finds, while Twombly’s obsession with white paint forces viewers to accept the shapes alone. Twombly remains abstract in both dimensions, while Shin, who showed no signs of his fish fetish in 20 years of paintings, adds subject matter and fine detail, allowing something like a kitchen colander to act as scales, or an 8-iron golf club head to become the gills of a fish. Taipei, Seoul and Pusan viewers have already seen exhibitions of Shin’s fish, so he is happy to have them on view in Gwangju for the first time.

Edwin Parker "Cy" Twombly, Jr. (1928 – 2011) was an American artist well known for his large-scale,

freely scribbled, calligraphic-style graffiti paintings, on solid fields of mostly gray, tan, or off-white colors.

What makes Shin’s work so appealing is his selection of which piece of metal should be used where, and his seamless fastening techniques that are nearly undetectable (except when a grouping of screw heads adds to the composition).

He is comfortable as a minimalist when attaching only one button to a butcher’s knife to an obsessed detail artist, adding as many as 40 different objects to an oversized blowfish. Though the repeating subject matter runs the risk of getting Shin’s new work the label of decorative art, one should remember that all art is decorative (Matisse comes to mind) but not all art is memorable.

Shin’s school of fish is not as demanding as most schools in Korea, yet his attention to detail and eyecatching style rate an A+.

Shin’s next exhibit is in October in Pyeongtaek City at Hae Ri Mi. Story and photos by Doug Stuber Sources: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marcel_Duchamp http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Donald_Judd http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joseph_Cornell http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cy_Twombly

Gwangju News September 2011

21

Comics

Comic World Korea here are many things to do and see in this great country called Korea. There are traditional sites like shrines, castles, and memorials. For the more active and outdoorsy type there are many forests and mountains to explore as well. Korea also has many events people can enjoy, ranging from the Kimchi Festival to music concerts. However, for those who have an interest in comics, video games, and animation, there is a place for you too in Korea, and it’s called Comic World.

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Comic World is the biggest anime/comic book convention in Korea. This festival’s purpose is to provide a place for amateur cartoonists to introduce their work and share ideas with one another. The artists come to the conventions to rent a space, so that they can set up a booth and sell or promote their art. There are many unique comic concepts at this convention, one being an interpretation of SpongeBob Squarepants as a human character. Also Gwangju News’ own Jen Lee was present at the 69th Busan Comic World to promote her own strip, Dear Korea.

Another attraction of the convention are cosplayers.

Cosplay is the term used to describe “costume play,” where people will dress up as their favorite anime, comic book, or video game character. The cosplayers are very enthusiastic about their outfits and character personas.

The costume designs are quite elaborate and often hand made. The cosplayers are not gender specific either. Many boys will dress up as girl characters and vice versa. The convention caters to this by providing dressing rooms and make-up stations for the many people that come the event ready to cosplay.

Towards the end, the convention allows visitors to participate in various activities such as cosplay contests, singing competitions, and a chance to speak with one's favorite comic artists. There is also an artist alley where aspiring artists put their work on display in a walk-through gallery for people to comment on or just admire. People can also auction off their art in the gallery. This allows admirers to take home unique fan art or original concept pieces for their own, all while supporting creative artists.

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Gwangju News September 2011

Clockwise from left: Fanmade Sponge Bob poster; Dear Korea and Polar Bear comic booths; little girl cosplayer; cosplay fans

The convention is held in both Busan and Seoul. Seoul Comic World is held once a month at various locations, usually the SETEC Pavilion or the “A-T” center. The Busan Comic World is held once every two months at Bexco. Both last about two days and are open usually from 11am to 5:30pm. Comic World is fun for all. Comic book enthusiasts and non-enthusiasts alike will get a kick out of it. It’s a chance to have a good time and see a more “animated” side of Korea.

Story and photos by Wil Rawlins

Music

Super Color Sounds The Seoul-based musical talent booking agency Super Color Super brought a touring party of five bands to play in Gwangju’s downtown performance venue Nevermind recently.

Gwangju News was there to check it out. random range of people lounge around the dimly lit room chatting quietly. The lights are low and equipment is scattered in odd corners.

As the clock hits 11, a young man in blue shorts and suspenders and red and blue shoes starts strumming his yellow and black guitar hard, and very fast. After one verse and a chorus another colorfully dressed character starts crashing sticks on a drum. With ambiguously feminine facial features, clothing style and coutured hair, her or his drumming is immaculate, precise, and intense. The guitarist wails into the microphone but his vocals are swallowed by the room and the crowd is drawn into the total sound as it grows and flows around the dark space until, with a final stab, the guitarist leaves a last chord ringing. The applause is instant and echoes the intensity. The Seoul-based antifolk power-pop duo Wagwak have started the show.

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A different sound begins: it’s a warm, deep, electronic gurgle.

Newly lit lights settle on a slight, slim woman in microshorts and a tight wooly beanie-hat pulled over platinum hair. She stands on stage, focused down on a small platform of gadgets. She twists and turns dials and steps on loop peddles as she nods, sways, and sings into the Wagwak (courtesy microphone placed low noonablog.com) enough for her to continue looking down at her hands. Jane Ha performs as “Pika”.

Her lyrics are lost in the swirl of sound as it beeps and burps and floats between the mesmerized onlookers, and when she finishes the sudden silence is like someone turned on the lights after sitting in a dark room. The crowd blinks once then cheers and claps for her unique energy and fascinating sounds.

A group of five young teenagers is all ready and waiting with instruments. It’s a conventional band set-up, but the bass guitarist is a very, very young girl. Eventually they launch into a full-flight rock song, raw and distinctly unpolished. The drummer loses the tempo within the rhythm three times, but, the band as a whole

Harp (by Margaret Clarke)

plays on with energy and developing confidence. The singer is a strong lead, grabbing the mic stand, jumping up and down as he belts out his vocals. The Gwangju band Biscat gets full applause and finds new fans.

A techno-tempo click-track zips and flits from the main speakers. A sound-smith is bent and laboring over his buttons and dials, wearing a full-face welding mask with a dark-glass eye-slit. Like a medieval knight riding his sound-desk into a joust he coaxes it to full speed, frenetically pouring over the dials as the enticing trance-state envelops the crowd. Finally, fitfully, it fades, and the unsettled audience cheers again for the new audio-hero Quarkpop.

Suddenly drumsticks snap a four-four beat: ‘Tatt! Tatt!

Tatt! Tatt-’ it’s Gwangju’s own Harp, with their seasoned guitarist, ultimate rock-chick bass player, uber-confident singer, and genius 15-year-old drummer Jung Ick Tae sitting up straight as he relaxes into a great rock number. The group starts the song well, but suddenly clicks together in a way that comes with years of practice, sharing the power of every beat until the blasting end.

And so the performers go around again, with each act taking a turn to play variations of their own style. The “Round Robin” concept is a fun, interesting way of presenting a collection of new bands to a crowd.

By Julian Warmington Gwangju News September 2011

23

News

Home Pages Want to write about news from your country?

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

England

Scotland English Students pay to study in Scotland A leading human rights lawyer is planning a legal challenge to Scotland’s university funding. Scottish students studying in their home country don’t have to pay tuition fees, whilst the 22,000 English students studying in Scotland do. The Scottish government has defended its policy and says it is acting within the law.

However the lawyer claims it breaches the European Convention on Human Rights. Under EU rules, students coming to Scotland from other European countries have to be treated the same way as Scottish students. This already costs the Scottish taxpayer £75 million (US$123,753,000) per year. The laws in the UK have now changed and tuition fees will likely increase to £9,000 (almost US$15,000) per year.

I predict a riot (again).

By Steve McNally

New Zealand Aotearoa – New Zealand suffered a “once-in-alifetime” extreme weather event this winter with most of the country receiving snow fall over a few days. A couple of burglars, however, decided that it just wasn't cold enough, and broke into a dairy (corner store, or 편의점) in Oamaru just to steal a box of ice cream each. The owner, who lived upstairs, heard them breaking in and called the police. Both men were soon arrested. “It wasn’t that hard,” explained the local senior constable. “We just followed the footprints in the snow.”

By JJ Parkes

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Gwangju News September 2011

Last month, several English cities were beset by youths rampaging through the streets, setting fire to buildings and looting sports shops, supermarkets and electronics stores. People watched aghast as children as young as nine proceeded to destroy their own neighbourhoods and attack the police. Through the heartbreak and devastation of these incidents, a theme began to emerge as book shops remained largely unaffected. When asked if they were planning to close due to the risk of theft, an employee of Waterstones bookstore reportedly replied, “We’ll stay open; if they steal some books they might learn something.”

By Anna Corbett

Nepal A Hero for Two Days Anuja Baniya became a national hero after she showed honesty and ethical behavior by returning a bag full of money (Rs.9,100,000 /US$130,000) she found on a bus to its rightful owner and refused to accept a reward. Soon it became big news and she was even praised formally by the president. But something was amiss. Journalists couldn't find the person to whom she returned the money and after two days it was proved that she had faked everything. The president’s office launched an inquiry and national newspaper, The Kantipur Daily published a simple apology.

By Nipun Tamrakar

News

The Philippines The Philippines is currently bracing for a dengue epidemic. Dengue fever, caused by a virus typically spread by mosquitoes, has been rampant in Quezon City and there is a campaign there to stop the alarming increase of cases. It’s 100% worse this year than the reported cases from last year. Due to the wet season and some polluted areas in the Philippines, the education department, along with local township officials, have been ramping up efforts to maintain cleanliness throughout the country and also make sure all teachers and students report any symptoms of dengue (fever, headache, muscle and joint pain) to their local doctors.

Source: www.thephilippines.ph

By Rubie Lee

U.S.A Meat Market!

As Westerners become more health conscious, there are plenty of meat-lovers who enjoy great steaks such as ribeye. However in Austin, Texas, residents should reconsider their meat eating habits. During Operation “Meat Locker”, police conducted a sting to catch meat thieves who are selling goods at ridiculously low prices to any store, Delete space after “store” big or small. The scary part of the industry is that food safety laws are not being followed by the “boosters” from the time of theft to sale. Unfortunately, Texas is not the only state having to fight “meat hustlers.” Let’s consider the value of a good meal sans meat as society continues to find more creative ways to make a living!

Source: USA Today

By Aisha Hobbs

Indonesia As the holy month of Ramadan dawned closer, the Indonesian government was forced to add more cars and carriers to bring people back to their hometown.

The longest holiday for Indonesians, as the world’s largest Moslem country, going back home is a must, thus buying tickets in advance is an annual competition for many. Forty days before the day, all tickets had been sold out. The capital, Jakarta, where most migrants are, predicted there will be more than a 10 percent increase in the flow of people traveling back to their hometown. A month holiday is usually given for public school students, and a week holiday for employees. August is also the time when the airline and train tickets are sold for three times higher the regular price as people tried to leave the capital before the 30th of August, the Idul Fitri (Eid ul-Fitr) day. No doubt, the capital soon became the “ghost town”, the way it always has been during this month.

Colombia Colombia's False Positives The False Positives Scandal that first surfaced in Colombia three years ago will not be subsiding anytime soon. Last month, the Penal Court of Sincelejo (in Colombia’s Caribbean coast) reduced the original sentence of a former colonel, Luis Fernando Borja Giraldo, by half to 21 years of prison.

The former colonel was found guilty of kidnapping and murdering two youths. The parents of the youths have petitioned the decision to reduce the sentence and seek a just punishment. False Positives occurred at the end of former President Alvaro Uribe’s second term throughout Colombia and has received attention from the United Nations, where it found that only a few personnel were responsible for the atrocities.

Military personnel have been found guilty of kidnapping and murdering citizens only to mask them as guerrilla insurgents, just to claim that the military was winning the armed conflict.

Source: www.liputan6.com

By Juan Esteban Zea

By Karina Prananto

Gwangju News September 2011

25

Photo Essay

Loud

The Way We Acclimate Photos by Mason Robinson Mason Robinson Mason is from Michigan in the United States. He found his love for photo while studying in Michigan State University, where he completed his BFA concentrating in Photography in December 2010. His photographic interests include fashion, street photography and portraiture. To view more of his work, visit http://masonrobinson.net

Vendor

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Gwangju News September 2011

Photo Essay

Disagreement

Quiet

Strange places Gwangju News September 2011

27

PHOTO CONTEST Submit your best shot of Korea!

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

W I N N E R

Art in the Gwangju’s Museum of Art

Unlucky day 28

Gwangju News September 2011

Photo by Danielle Sarchet

Photo by Joanne Whitham

This month’s photo contest was judged by Mark Eaton.

Mark Eaton has exhibited his photographic work in art galleries as well as other public and private venues in the United States and South Korea.

Sole survivor

Photo by Pawan Kumar Shahi

A man selling at the street market in Gwangju

Photo by Nathan Busch

Gwangju News September 2011

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Sport

Rugby World Cup 2011 Preview This month the rugby world cast their eyes onto the shores of New Zealand for the seventh IRB (International Rugby Board) Rugby World Cup. The quadrennial tournament will host 20 nations. Kicking off on September 9 the festivities will reach over a potential four billion viewers. In possibly the most anticipated tournament the sport has seen, Gwangju News takes a look at the nine top teams and rates their chances for the coveted William Webb Ellis Trophy.

By Julian Raethel Logo Credits: www.rugbyworldcup.com

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New Zealand

Australia

Team name: All Blacks IRB ranking: 1st Best: Winners 1987 Worst: Quarterfinals 2007

Team name: Wallabies IRB ranking: 2nd Best: Winners 1991, 1999 Worst: Quarterfinalists 1995, 2007

Currently the world’s number one-ranked side and this year’s hosts, the All Blacks are one of the most famous brands in the sporting world. They have an ominous 75 percent winning record since they began back in 1903 and currently hold the Bledisloe Cup (contested with Australia). In what has been a shocking run at every World Cup since 1991, the All Blacks will look to end the drought on home soil.

They are heavy favourites, but have been so for every tournament in its history. Rocked by the Christchurch earthquakes earlier this year, the city’s games have been moved due to the damaged stadium and city.

Tip: Grand Final

The Wallabies have a promising shot at the cup this Year, they are close to home and should have a strong support base. They will look to build off the QueenslandReds’ Super 15 title win in July and have recently been crowned Tri-Nations champions (the annual tournament including New Zealand and South Africa). Australia have a young team which is gaining experience and are building in confidence. There are plenty of concerns around their forward pack at the set piece (and recently changing captains may cause some disruption) but certainly have an exciting backline that can spark the counter attack. The Aussies should meet up to play England in the semi-finals (who have beaten them both times in the past two tournaments) in what should be a mouth-watering clash.

Tip: Grand Final

South Africa

France

Team name: Springboks IRB ranking: 3rd Best: Winners 1995, 2007 Worst: Quarterfinalists 2003

Team name: Les Bleus IRB Ranking: 4th Best: Beaten finalists 1987, 1999 Worst: Quarterfinalists 1991

The defending champions have tasted the highs and lows of the Tri Nations and European tours since the 2007 World Cup. After defeating the All Blacks in all three games in 2009, they then only managed one win in the 2010 Tri Nations campaign and again this year. With their abrasive coach Peter de Villiers in the media from time-to-time for his interesting comments, the Springboks are looking to be the first team to win back-to-back titles.

They should face the All Blacks in the semi-finals if the cards fall that way.

Tip: Semi-finals

The most unpredictable team in world rugby by a country mile. France can either be brilliant or average on their day and have had a few opposition coaches scratching their heads. Since 2000 France has won the annual Six Nations (England, France, Ireland, Wales, Scotland and Italy) five times, the most by any team. France have never won a World Cup but many believe it is only a matter of time. They have famously knocked the All Blacks out on two occasions and will look to give them a real run for their money in pool play. Should definitely qualify for the quarter finals where the English should be waiting.

Tip: Quarterfinals

Gwangju News September 2011

Sport

England

Ireland

Emblem: Red rose IRB ranking: 5th Best: Winners 2003 Worst: Quarterfinalists 1987, 1999

Emblem: Shamrock IRB ranking: 6th Best: Quarterfinalists 1987, 1991, 1995, 2003 Worst: Pool stage 1999, 2007

England have been somewhat sound in the lead up to this year’s tournament. They have beaten Australia and South Africa in recent encounters (no easy feat) and were crowned 2011 Six Nations Champions. They have reached the finals in the last two World Cups after poor interim periods, with the first leading to an historic victory in 2003. They also seem to be on the right track and pose as the northern hemisphere’s most dangerous threat. England are placed in (arguably) the most-even pool alongside Argentina and Scotland and if they finish top they could be facing arch-nemesis France in the quarterfinals.

Tip: Semi-finals

Wales Team emblem: Prince of Wales’ Feathers IRB ranking: 7th Best: Semi finalists 1987 Worst: Pool stage 1991, 1995, 2007 In what has been a disappointing lead up to New Zealand 2011, Wales will be looking to rectify their shocking 2007 defeat to Fiji which left them stranded in pool play. They will be out for blood when they face off again in the pool stages this year but will also have the hard-hitting Samoans to deal with. If they do make the quarters, Wales will be a very sore team indeed. The Welsh have a proud rugby history and are very similar to Ireland in the way they play. If their forwards can do the job, then the backs should find space to work with.

Tip: Quarterfinals

The Irish are one side that hasn’t played to their potential in past World Cups. Lead by their inspirational captain, Brian O’Driscoll, Ireland could be the dark horse of the tournament if the bounce of the ball goes their way and can push their way into the semis. Ireland have never beaten the All Blacks (like Scotland and Italy) but will be boosted by their impressive thumping of the English in Dublin earlier this year.

Tip: Quarterfinals

Argentina Team name: Pumas IRB ranking: 8th Best: 3rd place 2007 Worst: Pool stage 1987, 1991, 1995, 2003 The only strong rugby nation to come out of footballmad South America, the Pumas had an amazing tournament in 2007 where they upset hosts France in the opening game in Paris. They did it again to France in the 3rd place playoff which capped a remarkable effort. Usually starved for funds, quality match time and in geopolitical rugby isolation, Argentina will finally join the Tri Nations (Four Nations) next year to tussle it out with the big boys. This tournament should let us see where they’re at. Watch out for both pool games against Scotland and England to see who will make the quarters.

Tip: Quarterfinals

Samoa Nickname: Manu Samoa IRB ranking: 10th Best: Quarterfinalists 1991, 1995, 1999 (QF playoffs) Worst: Pool stage 2003, 2007 All three Pacific nations will be close to home and will have lots of support in New Zealand; in particular the Samoans.

Samoa always manages to ruffle a few feathers at World Cups and are known for their quick pace and big hits. They stunned the rugby world when they beat the Wallabies back in July for the first time on Australian soil. They will be brimming with confidence, and should scrap it out with the Welsh and the Fijians for the second quarterfinal spot. This will be one team to watch and could make it out of the pools if their discipline is kept in check.

Tip: Pool stages

3dot5.net For more information on match schedules and venues, visit www.rugbyworldcup.com Head down to Speakeasy to watch the games live!

Gwangju News September 2011

31

Travel

Incredible India I

t may seem a bit of a cliché and I know it’s the country’s marketing slogan, but never a truer word could be said about this fabulous country. It covers over 3,000,000

km2 (1,000,000 sq miles), and a population now of over 1.2 billion (China watch out).

A great option to see India is by train. SD Enterprises sell India Rail Passes and are based in the UK (www.indiarail.co.uk).

They will communicate with you by email, and their prices are in US dollars. The longer the pass (unlimited travel), the cheaper it is. For a second Class, four-berth AC (perfect for the average traveler) prices are – 1 month-$248, 2 months-$400 and 3 months-$530 per person.

So why bother buying a Rail Pass and not just “go with the flow?” Well if you have unlimited time, or you have no problem sharing 3rd class (think cans of sardines, no sleeping area, lots of sweaty armpits, feet and the occasional animal stuck in your face) then you don’t need to bother. But think logically; 1.2 billion people live here and trains get full all the time, especially overnight journeys.

Here are some highlights: New Delhi is pretty dirty, and it is often tourists’ first introduction to cows having the freedom of the city. The Red Fort is pretty cool though, and seeing the colors the women wear is like watching walking rainbows.

Amritsar in Punjab has the Golden Temple and is definitely worth a visit. It’s the holiest of places for Sikhs and is over 400 years old. The 100 kilograms of gold used when building it are located on the outside. A must-see though is the closing of the Indian/Pakistan border, which happens daily at around 4:30 p.m. Gates are closed from both sides of the border. Both sets of guards have this bravado of walking like something out of Monty Python, whilst at the same time the crowd cheer like they’re at a football (soccer) game. People were plucked from the crowd to run up to the border gate waving the Indian flag. You will likely find the Pakistani crowd is outnumbered 200-1 by the Indian crowd, but it’s an excellent atmosphere and people were very friendly.

Next up is Jaipur in Rajasthan. If you can time it for Holi, the color festival, it’s a lot of fun but that can be anytime in March so it’s worth checking first (http://festivals.igiftstoindia.com/holi/whenis-holi.html). On that day everyone throws colored powder at each other, and the local authorities sometimes lay on a special free festival for tourists, which includes free powder, a band and then an open top bus tour around the

The Taj Mahal in all its glory 32

Gwangju News September 2011

Travel

A holy man in Delhi

Hampi

Kathakali dancer

An elephant in Kanha

city. Not far away is Agra, home to the Taj Mahal. Photos of the Taj Mahal don’t do it justice; it’s even more breathtaking in real life, especially at sunset and sunrise.

Aurangabad in Maharashtra has the Ellora Caves, which consist of 34 caves from Buddhist, Hindu and Jain religions, some dating back to 630AD. Mumbai of course is home to Bollywood. If you’re lucky you may randomly get asked to be an extra in a film. Do it! You may even get paid (about enough for six big bottles of Kingfisher beer). Next up is Hampi in Karnataka, which has these amazing temples and rocks that look like they’ve been dropped there from outer space.

There are many places in Goa worth visiting and it’s good to just relax on the beach as the ocean is warm. It’s also a good idea to hire a scooter and tour by yourself. No worse than driving in Korea.

In Kerala there is an abundance of interests, for example Kochi Island to see the Chinese fishing nets and the traditional Kathakali dancing. You can also hire a boat from Alleppey to tour the backwaters for three days, which is brilliant. You get your own crew of captain, helper and cook, so all your meals are cooked and some of the bedrooms are ensuite.

Going on safari in Kanha National Park is a must, to hopefully see the tigers, whilst sitting on top of an elephant.

Also visit buzzing Bangalore, a real party city. You can take the eight hour toy train up to Ooty which is a long one, but worth it; it is very beautiful scenery.

Kochi

A tiger in Kanha

Varanasi in Uttar Pradesh is just a cameraman’s dream, with all the colors, bodies being burned, people bathing next to raw sewage pipes, and the gurus chanting their mantras. One even uses a cow in his preaching.

One highlight of India could be a visit to McLeod Ganj (Dharamsala) which is the residence of the Dalai Lama and many escaped Tibetans. It has this unbelievable calmness, peace and beauty (you’re next to the Himalayas) all rolled into one. The Dalai Lama occasionally does public preaching, but it’s only advertised locally. Even if you’re not religious, it’s worth going, to even catch a glimpse of him at close quarters. Last but not least is a visit to Darjeeling, a lot cooler and a nice vibe about the place. You can also go from here onto Nepal.

I could tell you more, but have no more room, so feel free to email me with any questions stevemcnally569@hotmail.com Story and photos by Steve McNally As part of the service offered by SD Enterprises, you can give them a list of trains you want and they will book all of them for you. The Indian Rail website is all in English and is very easy to navigate (www.indianrail.gov.in). If you get SD to book your tickets, you can collect them from the special Tourist Reservation Office, which is based on the 1st floor of New Delhi train station (NDLS). Be careful, as there is another station in Delhi (Rohilla), and touts outside New Delhi station will try to con you saying you have to get your tickets at another station. There is even a big bright neon sign advertising the office, on the outside of New Delhi station, but that doesn’t stop the conmen trying.

Gwangju News September 2011

33

Travel

Jeonju A Walk through History eonju is the capital of Jeollabuk-do and is renowned for two things: Hanok Maeul (a traditional Korean village) and being ‘the birthplace of bibimbap’.

Hanok Maeul is home to over 800 densely-packed Hanok houses, as well as several other sights. Make sure you stop off at Pungnam-mun, which is the last remaining gateway of Jeonju’s long destroyed fortress. It is a magnificent stone and wood structure first constructed in 1398, although it’s difficult to get a good look due to its location in the middle of a very busy roundabout! Also, pay a visit to the enormous, red-brick Jeondong Catholic Church, just a few hundred meters east of Pungnam-mun. The church is the place where Korean Catholics were executed in the 18th and 19th centuries.

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paper-making, ceramics, folding fans and calligraphy and see the craftspeople in action. You could easily spend an entire day wandering around the village. Overlooking the village in a beautiful forest are two pavilions, Omokdae and Imokdae, where you can enjoy the peaceful atmosphere and rest your weary legs.

For me, there are two highlights: Gyeonggijeon and visiting a Hanji workshop. Gyeonggijeon is a compound containing ancient shrines, guardrooms and storehouses, all relating to the worship of the portrait of the founder of the Joseon dynasty. It is a

Just beyond the church, the Hanok Maeul begins. While the main drag is filled with Hanok-style coffee chains and convenience stores, the side streets are a maze of museums, tea houses and traditional craft workshops, where you can learn about

Pungnammun: The Gate to Jeonju

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Gwangju News September 2011

Imokdae

Travel

Bibimbap at Ga Jok Hoe Gwan

fascinating history lesson, as well as a haven of tranquility just a stone’s throw from the bustling streets of the village.

Hanji is traditional Korean paper, used for such diverse purposes as shoes, baskets and even suits of armor. At the workshop, you can watch the paper-making process and even try it yourself!

A visit to Jeonju would not be complete without tasting Jeonju bibimbap, although it is surprisingly difficult to find a restaurant that serves it! Ga Jok Hoe Gwan is a huge

restaurant famed for its bibimbap. It is definitely the place to experience an authentic version of the dish, but when the bibimbap finally arrived, accompanied by 12 side dishes, it was a little disappointing as a result of its size and spice quotient.

Jeonju is just an 80-minute bus ride from Gwangju, and if you want a taste of traditional culture, it is the perfect place to spend a weekend.

How to get there: Catch a bus from U-square Bus Terminal to Jeonju (80 minutes, every 20 – 30 minutes, 11,400won)

Story and photos by Emma Dooley

Oedal-do: The Island of Love edal-do, christened “The Island of Love” by the powers that be, is a tiny, butterfly-shaped island just six kilometers off the coast of Mokpo. The main beach on the island is right next to the ferry dock, and adjoining it is a swimming complex comprised of various saltwater pools and slides. The kiddie pool is usually teeming with both the little people and their parents at this time of year, but the deeper, adult pool was, strangely, deserted. The cabanas around the pool are filled with people either napping or barbecuing and every available patch of grass had been commandeered for tents.

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Having come to Oedal-do for peace and quiet, we took a quick look at the tourist map and high-tailed it to the second beach, which is just a ten-minute walk along the sea path from the ferry dock. This beach is lacking a pool, which likely explained the fact that it was, for the most part, empty. We set up camp on the beach, wolfed down our meager picnic and proceeded to have a perfect, relaxing day. The beach is pristine, the sea is calm and (reasonably) warm, and the view of the mountains in the distance is incredible. If you’re feeling active during your visit, the island is ringed by a walking path which takes you past most of the sights: the lighthouse, the flower garden, the second dock and homestay houses, as well as Mt. Maebong—at 64m, the peak of the island.

Flower garden in Oedaldo

Purchasing options on the island are limited to soft drinks, beer, ramen and tanning mats; so go prepared, but make sure you go, because once you bypass the screaming hordes, Oedal-do is a haven from city life and the perfect place to recharge your batteries.

How to get there: From U-Square Bus Terminal catch a bus to Mokpo (50 minutes, every 20 minutes, 5,400 won). Take local bus #1 from Mokpo Bus Station to the Ferry Terminal.

Catch a ferry to Oedal-do (50 minutes, 11 ferries daily from 5:30 to 18:30, 9,000won return)

Story and photos by Emma Dooley

Gwangju News September 2011

35

Environment

Beyond the Farm on’t you love parking lot gardens? But why do guerilla gardeners of Gwangju persist with their urban land reclamation when people are enjoying multi-bottomless side dishes, a big bowl of soup and rice for 5,000 won? You’d think they were preparing for a food shortage...

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The Korean peninsula doesn't support enough land to feed itself. In 30 years, food security has dropped 60 percent and now there’s talk of the Korea-US free trade agreement (KORUS FTA) that could suffocate any remaining agriculture here.

Korean rice is no longer protected from import competition, but it accounts for 40 percent of all local agricultural income.

The market was opened because of a 1995 WTO (World Trade Organization) agreement, and now tonnes of rice are being imported from America. The Korean Peasants League shows farming populations have dropped from 14,421,730 in 1970 to 3,414,551 in 2004, mainly from food market competition.

According to the environmental workers group, the US gave farmers $261.9 billion in subsidies from 2005 to 2010. Korean consumers will need to make choices to protect remaining farmland and ageing farmers, but how? By buying more iPads?

Kias? Or going to Wii rooms with 100-inch neo plasma trifexidanzormetallica TVs? According to Reverend Han Kyung Ho, “If a country depends on other countries for food, the sovereignty of the whole nation becomes threatened; food is a strong weapon to control another country.” Korea has been responding to lack of food security by taking the route of land-grabbing.

Through land-grabbing, Korea can employ people (for example, Africans) to cultivate gochu and rice in another country (for example, Kenya). This means taking farmland from potential farmers of these countries and disrupting their chances of developing agriculture: the first economy for many nations. Disrupting a poor country's economy has been old hat here since Daewoo Logistics bought a third of Madagascar in 2008, but Korea was just taking tips from years prior…

Pre-World War II Korea had a dominant agriculture industry until the war, and then the US offered aid. Korea received hundreds of millions of dollars in aid commodities from the US. This was meant to help develop Korean industry with new cheap labor, but a downside was that many farms disappeared. Farmers quit their lives and moved to the cities.

As Korea's industry started to develop, cheap American food imports continued to damage Korean agriculture.

Years later, more bad news. OECD nations like the US and EU countries were heavily subsidizing their agriculture 36

Gwangju News September 2011

Korean food labeling system

seouleats.com

industry, effectively dropping local food prices.

Meanwhile, Korea was signing a WTO agreement that included agriculture in the world trade market. This agreement would force international food markets, like Korea's, to open and accept cheap agricultural exports from richer countries. The ongoing cycle of oppression devastated millions.

The inability of Korean products to compete against consumer demands caused people to take drastic, life threatening measures. In 2003 Lee Kyung Hae, a head of a Korean farmers association, went to the WTO meetings in Cancun with a sandwich board reading "WTO kills farmers". In a public display of protest, Lee symbolically climbed on top of the dividing fence between peasants and the conference buildings and stabbed a knife into his heart. More protests eventually caused the WTO talks to break down. So, developed countries tried to find new ways to open up world markets with free trade agreements, like the 2007 KORUS FTA. What's left If Korean residents don't want to see farms disappearing or more land-grabbing we need to support more local or organic (유기농) food. Organic food is labeled with a half green half blue apple logo. John Feffer of Yale online explains that through a twist in rules government subsidies can keep organic food sheltered from trade liberalization. The WTO “green box” keeps organic Korean foods (rice) from being pitted against cheaper organics from other countries. Korea has also increasingly become more reliant on industrial farming practices, which means more competitive pressure against smaller farmlands (i.e. further reduction in farmer population). Check www.WWOOFkorea.co.kr to see how you can volunteer your time to help local organic farmers. All food in Korea is labeled with a country of origin. You can ask where items are from by saying “igeoseun saengsanjiga oediyeyo?” (이것은 생산지가 어디예요?).

By Trevor Homeniuk

Environment

Conscientious Companies Reap Rewards

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orean companies are taking their social responsibility more seriously, and their activities are playing an important role in the community whilst increasing company profits.

Consumer awareness of environmental issues and ethical practices has created a market that supports socially responsible companies. Take the Body Shop.

The brand has thrived as a result of their ethical and eco-friendly image. Conversely, BP oil stocks were severely affected as their green-image took a battering in the Gulf of Mexico oil spill. Failure to manage environmental risk factors can lead to dreadful publicity resulting in poor sales.

Corporate Social Responsibilities (CSR) encompasses labor-management relations, employment issues and fair-trade with contractors, fulfilling environmental obligations and conservation. It is not cynical to link CSR to profits, quite the opposite. If companies are aware that their actions result in increased sales then surely they will continue those practices; as this profitable behavior is beneficial to society, all the better. The Federation of Korean Industries’ 2006 survey revealed that 75 percent of the top 120 companies in Korea engaged in CSR projects, with the primary motive (81.4 percent) having been to improve the company’s image.

The link between CSR and profits is evident in the latest annual ESG results published by Korea’s Corporate Governance Service. ESG stands from Environmental, Social and Corporate Governance [ESG] Evaluation; the three terms serve as the criteria for investigating listed companies’ social responsibility.

www.glogster.com

www.tmsc.co.th

The results show a clear divide between those firms who practice CSR and those who do not. A staggering 575 of the 668 companies (86 percent) scored ‘weak’ or ‘very weak’ on the index. And of the three categories measured, firms were least aware of environmental issues.

But the leaders in the CSR table are also the most successful businesses. The top companies were KB financial group, SK Telecom, POSCO (Pohang Iron and Steel Co.) and Hynix all receiving top score’s of ‘very good’, whilst family favorite Samsung and LG electronics garnered a ‘good’along with 38 others.

The top rated companies are among Korea’s 20 largest companies and have reported generous profits amidst a tumultuous time in the economy. KB financial group reported a January-March net profit of 758 billion won, while Hynix remains the world’s second-largest manufacturer of computer memory chips.

The steel giant POSCO participates in CSR activities around the globe including constructing welfare centers in Mexico and providing facilities in India. Their profit surged by 60.3 percent during 2010 as sales increased by 20.9 percent.

Korea’s largest mobile carrier, SK Telecom, reported a net profit rise of 48 percent for Oct-Dec 2010; their efforts in corporate social responsibility have been published as a Harvard Business School case study for MBA students.

KB Financial Group touts their CSR activities proudly on their website; we ‘endeavor to become the most respected and beloved corporate citizen that actively carries out its social responsibilities’.

The motivation behind these activities may not be entirely altruistic but if public pressure for corporate accountability forces companies to act in environmentally and socially conscious ways, so be it.

By Frances Herrington Frances Herrington blogs at http://theveganurbanite.wordpress.com

Gwangju News September 2011

37

Community

Gwangju mayor Kang Un-tae (center) with the Universiade volunters

Universiade and UNI-Friends: Have You Heard?

ne of the most important events will be held here in Gwangju: the 2015 Universiade, and it is only moments away. In case you haven't heard, the Universiade is truly a huge event. Were you here in 2002 to witness how much enthusiasm there was in Korea for the World Cup? Can you recall that memory of excitement? About a month ago, Pyeongchang achieved the winning for bid for the 2018 Winter Olympics at Durban, Republic of South Africa, evoking even more enthusiasm for sports in Korea. Every Korean sincerely enjoyed hearing that news. However, how many Koreans, even Gwangju citizens, know about this big event that will be held in Gwangju?

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What exactly is Universiade?

The name Universiade is a combination of the words "university" and "Olympiad". It is an international multisports event, organized for worldwide university athletes by the International University Sports Federation (FISU). The Universiade is often referred to in English as the “World University Games” or “World Student Games”. It’s a mega sports event second in stature only to the Olympic Games, and is staged every two years, in odd-numbered years, in a different city in summer and winter. The Universiade is open to all student-athletes attending universities and graduate schools between the ages of 17 and 28.

Do you know about UNI-Friends?

UNI-Friends are friends of Universiade who are the student ambassador group representing the event. Normally, UNIFriends are selected every six months in February and August. Thirty-six of the first UNI-Friends were selected in February. Their term ran until the end of August. However, they are still members of UNI-Friends, so they can help the second group of UNI-Friends. Any university student can apply for UNI-Friends regardless of nationality.

UNI-Friends spent much energy in promoting the upcoming 2015 Gwangju Summer Universiade. Still, many people are unaware of the event. On March 19, 2011 UNI-Friends definitely caught people’s attention at Mount Mudeung.

Eleven honorary student ambassadors came together for this great cause, titled Protecting the Environment with UNI Friends, informing the public about the importance of 38

Gwangju News September 2011

nature at Mount Mudeung, a symbol of Gwangju City.

April 2 marked the opening day of the 2011 Korean Baseball season, and the Universiade Organizing Committee used the home game at Gwangju's Mudeung Stadium as a stage to promote the event to a 15,000-strong crowd. Members of the student ambassador group UNI-Friends and Universiade staff members set up a booth at the stadium, handing out promotional materials and raising public awareness.

Spectators were invited to write their messages of good luck and support for a successful Gwangju Universiade. Around 1,000 people took part, including members of the city's Kia Tigers pro baseball team.

UNI-Friends also appeared on the Sunday Bubble show at Gwangju's English radio station, GFN 98.7FM. They promoted the local university festivals, many sports events and the 2015 Gwangju Summer Universiade, as part of their efforts to spread the word to cities like Seoul, Daegu, Busan, and Korea as a whole.

In the past six months, UNI-Friends have never stopped cheering for Gwangju and Universiade and they will continue to do so into the future.

Since 2015 is still four years away, some people are curious as to why they should know about Universiade. With this event, Gwangju is taking another step as an international city. With our loving attention and early, ardent promotion of this city and Universiade, we will triumphantly raise the international awareness of our beloved city.

By Kyouri Park Photos courtesy of 2015 Gwangju Universiade

Uni-Friends

Community

The School of Rights t has been eight years since the first Gwangju Asian Human Rights Folk School took place in 2004 and since the start its main goal has been to contribute to the development of democracy and human rights throughout Asia. Each year, hundreds of applicants, not just from Asia but all around the world, would apply for the three week course. From those hundreds of human rights activists, only twenty were selected to attend the program (9 – 26 August).

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In this special program all participants, who have been working for peace and human rights in their own country, are introduced to the history of democracy in South Korea and are given a chance to learn about the development of human rights and democracy and the hard struggle of the people of the republic in achieving peace. The course was also designed to inform them about the general history of Korea and various areas of strife including the 1980 Gwangju Uprising. The program is not just about lectures and discussions, but both theoretical and practical approaches such as seminars and field trips to the site of democratization movements in Korea.

The concept of folk school, an informal schooling concept, was first introduced in Denmark back in 1844 by a poet and educator Nikolai Grundtvig which to this day continues it efforts to operate in the Scandinavian countries. The curriculum of a folk school includes informal discussions, presentations, workshops and field trips. By the end of the program, each participant receives a certificate as a graduate from the school.

This year, the May 18 Foundation (the main host) together with Sung KongHae University in Seoul and Chonnam University in Gwangju, for the first time selected one female participant from Tibet and Jordan as well as one male participant from Italy. Other participants came from various Asian countries including Nepal, Bangladesh, India, Malaysia, Taiwan, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Thailand, Indonesia and Cambodia. In addition, each participant is selected based on their own experience in the human rights field and they are divided into three categories which are junior, middle and senior staff.

The first week of the program, every candidate stayed at a Catholic prayer house in Seoul before moving to Sung

The group at the May 18 National Cemetery

KongHae University. In Seoul, they were taken to Panmunjom, where they all looked across at the Northern part of Korea. Later, they were all introduced to the history of the Korean War. For the second and third weeks, candidates spent their time at Chonnam University in Gwangju. This university was no stranger to the May uprising as many activists came from this University during the military dictatorship. In Gwangju, they were introduced to the peoples’ movement who fought against the cruel junta regime of Chun Do Hwan.

According to the Folk School program director, Kim Chan-ho, the program is not just to learn about the history of democracy in Korea, but also it is a platform for all participants to talk about their own democratization movements currently on-going back in their homelands. “Democracy is about casting our vote into the ballot box, and the goal to achieve democracy is not easy, but the strong spirit of the people who believe in it will truly inspire others to take part to defend what’s right.”

The three week program is sponsored by the May 18 Foundation and each year, two young activists from the program will be given scholarships to further their studies in Sung KongHae University. To find out more about the program, visit www.518.org/eng Story and photo by Alfian Zohri Gwangju News September 2011

39

Fashion

Fash-On with xxl jjdp CHECK up on it.

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ith the rapidly approaching fall and winter, Fash-on with xxl jjdp is starting to look at ways to incorporate more layers into your daily outfit choices. Having lived through a hot and humid Korean summer, with the ‘oh my gosh I can only wear a t-shirt today’ days sadly gone, now we must welcome layers.

This month is very special for Fash-on as we are not only featuring some great looks; we have also shot the entire feature in Spain. At the moment, Europe is full of emerging trends and so this month we feature some of the latest looks that have been spotted on the streets of Barcelona and Madrid and see how we can adapt them in Korea.

Additionally this month is all about adding color and interest to your transitional wardrobe whilst you wait for the cold, cold months, when all you will want is to be wrapped up in as many layers as possible, nostalgically dreaming of the hot summer you so wished would soon pass. What better way to say goodbye to summer than with a great pop of color with some check (UK), or plaid (USA).

Soon mornings and nights will start becoming much cooler but there are still those peak afternoon hours when the heat of the day will force you to rethink your outfit choices. For transitional dressing, two layers are always best - I would suggest always wearing a breathable undershirt as this will keep you dry and prevent those unsightly sweat stains. Now start layering, but in order to retain those last colorful memories of summer through your wardrobe I would suggest getting a great check or plaid pattern to accent your changing mood as well.

A finer-grained check or gingham is perfect to reflect on the hot months and to anticipate the cold and icy winter when heavy flannels in various prominent patterns emerge. In summary, right now go for a smaller plaid pattern with a varied color choice that will also show off the best of your summer tan.

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Gwangju News September 2011

Fashion

The key to wearing plaid is to not mix and match too much. One item of plaid per outfit is enough - either top or bottom. Never wear two clashing variations of plaid and never try a matching top and bottom set unless you wish to look like a kindergartener (or, alternatively, a super-rich and flashy K-pop star – but that is very hard to do).

I would suggest pairing your plaid with a bold and solid color bottom/shorts/shirt, while trying to maintain a similar color scheme or use an accent color to best show off your style. As it might still be hot outside it is very reasonable to still do a slight roll-up with the hems of your shorts as well as the sleeves of your shirt, whether they be long or short, helping them to create some edge.

If you choose to wear your plaid on the bottom (as in shorts/trousers or a skirt), ensure that they are fitted and slimmer on the hips and thighs as it is easy with this pattern to create bulk in areas that you might not wish to have it. If you do choose to wear plaid on your bottom half choose a simple pattern with two or three colors or a smaller gingham to create a better shape.

Featured this month are a bright pair of green shorts with a blue, red and green plaid short-sleeve shirt. This combination works well and , as evening draws close,

buttoning up the shirt adds a more refined edge to your look. Next are the same green shorts with a beige and green plaid shirt, which works in a similar manner as the previous outfit to capture the escaping summer.

Lastly, plaid should not be thought of only in terms of clothing, but also for shoes, and a great transition shoe for summer is the plimsoll. These are easy to wear and are cheap enough to buy a couple of pairs in different colors in order to mix and match with any outfit. With this shoe you can either choose to have it as the focal point of your outfit or pair with a similar pair of print shorts or trousers for a greater visual impact.

If done right, plaid can be an amazing fashon victory but it is really easy to get wrong. Remember this simple rule: Choose only one main focal area to wear your plaid – top or bottom, then highlight this with a solid accent color – you are ready to go!

Enjoy the last days of summer in style and keep in mind winter is fast approaching so be on the lookout for some great items that might carry through to your winter closet as well.

Peace, By xxl jjdp Plaid Shirts - Uniqlo and Gmarket - Korea, Green Shorts - Lotte Department store, Plaid Plimsolls - Emart, Havaianas - ABC Mart

Gwangju News September 2011

41

Language Study

Letters to KOTESOL If you have a question for Dr. Dave, please send an e-mail to gwangjunews@gmail.com letting us know your question, student’s age and proficiency level

Dear Dr. Dave, I often find myself bribing my younger students with candy or parties in order to get them to actively participate in class. Since I don’t directly get to give the students grades on their performance, I have found this to be pretty successful; however, it has gotten to the point where they almost expect it. I guess my question is: what is your opinion on giving tangible rewards to young learners?

Pavlovian Dear Pav, I never give food as a reward because it can easily and quickly lead to the problem that you describe – as well as to tooth decay! I teach at the university level, and I find that a sincere, strategically placed word of praise is valuable. For teens, in addition to words of praise – not the overused “good job” that has come to be meaningless – having a student repeat an answer, as modeling for the class, or having them go to the front of the room to do it, can be motivational. For young learners, giving out star stickers to be placed after the student’s name on a chart on the wall can be very motivational. Choosing a “Student of the Day” and posting their name on the bulletin board works well, or have more than one category and choose several students. Doing things that publicizes a student’s efforts in front of their peers seems to be the best reward.

Dr. Dave Dear Dr. Dave, There was a big problem recently when I showed a longish video to some very basic students, and some parents complained. It was a language learning video, but it seems that in my conversation class, many disapproved of this method. What do you think about using videos to teach? Is it a cop-out?

Nearly Unemployed Dear Nearly, Teachers can use videos as teaching aids. Turning on a video, having the students watch it, and turning it off is not a teaching aid – you’re right, it’s a cop out. Video clips can be used very effective in language classes, though. It is best to select a short segment (seconds in length, not minutes) and use it to introduce or emphasize a teaching point – plurals, prepositions, reported speech, restrictive clauses, etc. The video clip, in most cases, should be shown numerous times so that students are assured of getting the point and for reinforcement.

Dr. Dave 42

Gwangju News September 2011

Dear Dr. Dave, I have no co-teachers in my class, and I often find it difficult to get on the same wavelength with them (the co-teacher) in terms of effectively pairing material to teach the class. How can I do this? The students spend an hour with me and an hour with a Korean teacher, but often we are teaching totally unrelated things. Do you think this is ok?

Ostracized Dear Ozzie, Co-teachers should co-teach – whether in the same room at the same time or in turns. If you want to coordinate teaching with your co-teacher, it appears that you are going to have to take the initiative. Approach your co-teacher in a friendly manner and ask what they’ll be doing in their next class because you want to do something that will relate to or reinforce what your co-teacher is doing. If you don’t think this approach will work, consider taking them out to dinner sometime and bringing up the topic then.

Dr. Dave

By Dr. Dave Shaffer Dr. Dave Shaffer is a professor of English at Chosun University, where he has taught in the graduate, undergraduate, and TESOL certificate programs for many years. Dr. Shaffer is presently the President of the Gwangju-Jeonnam Chapter of Korea TESOL and invites you to attend teacher development workshops at their monthly Chapter meetings.

Web: www.koreatesol.org/GwangjuJeonnam Email: gwangju_kotesol@yahoo.com

Gwangju - Jeonnam KOTESOL September Chapter Meeting Date and Time: September 3 (Sat.), 1:30 p.m.

Place: Chosun University, Main Building (Bon-gwan) 2F, Room 2123 (Lab 8).

Admission: free. Membership is encouraged.

Visit our Chapter online for contact and schedule information: www.koreatesol.org/GwangjuJeonnam E-mail us: gwangju_kotesol@yahoo.com

Language Study

' -(으)ㄹ까요?': Shall we (I) ~ ?/ Will it be ~ ?

Dialogue 소라 : 존씨, 안녕하세요? [ Jon nssi,, annnyeonnghasseyo?]

Sora : Hello, John! 존

: 네, 안녕하세요? 소라씨, 이번 주말에 시간 있어요? nnyeonnghasseyo?. Sorasssi,, ibeonn jum mare sigann isseoyo?] [ne,, an John : Yeah, How are you? Sora, do you have time this weekend? 소라 : 네, 있어요. 그런데 왜요? [ ne,, isseoyo. geureon nde waeyo?]

Sora : Yes, I do, But why?

Vocabulary 주말 [jumal]: weekend 영화 [yeonghwa]: movie; film 토요일 [toyoil]: Saturday 블라인드 [beullaindeu]: the title of a Korean movie 화장실 [hwajangsil]: toilet, rest room

존 : 소라씨하고 영화를 보고 싶어요. [Sorassi hago yeonghwareul bogo sipeoyo .]

John : I would like to go to see a movie with you. 소라 : 좋은 생각이에요. 무슨 영화를 볼까요? [jo oeun saeenggagieeyo o. museeun nyeeonghwarreul bo olkkayo o? ] Sora : That's a good idea. What kind of movie would you like to see? 존

: 글쎄요, 아직 못 정했어요. 소라씨는 어떤 영화를 보고 싶어요? [g e u l s s e y o , a j i k m o t j e o n g h a e s s e o y o . S o r a s s i n e u n e o t t e o n y e o n g h w a r e u l b o g o s i p e o y o ? ] John : Well... I haven't decided yet. What kind of movie would you like to see, Sora? 소라 : 블라인드 어때요? 한국영화예요. [Beullaind deu eottaeeyo o? hangugyeeonghwayeeyo o .]

Sora : How about Blind? It's a Korean movie. 존

: 좋아요. 그럼 이번 주 토요일 오후 3시에 GIC 극장 앞에서 만나요. [joayo. geureom m ibeonn ju toyoil ohu 3ssie GIC geukjjanng apesseo mannnayo. ] John : Good. Then let's meet in front of the GIC movie theater at 3 p.m. this Saturday.

Reference: 김성희 외. (2009). 서강한국어2A 서울: 도서출판 하우 서강한국어. Retrived August 20, 2011 from http://korean.sogang.ac.kr

Grammar '

-(으)ㄹ까요?': Shall we(I) ~ ?/Will it be ~ ?

The pattern '-(으)ㄹ까요?' is used to express an inquiry about someone's opinion, view or appraisal on a certain matter or fact with the action verb. In this case, the subject of the sentence is always the first person, singular or plural. When used with the adjectives, or with '있다(to exist)' or '이다(to be)', the subject of the sentence is the third person, and it expresses doubt or polite denial.

Example •우리 거기에서 만날까요? (Shall we meet there?)

•무엇을 할까요? (What shall I do?)

•늦었으니까 택시로 갈까요? (Because we are late, shall we go by taxi?)

•이게 더 나을까요? (Will this one be better?)

•화장실이 저기에 있을까요? (Will the toilet be over there? Do you think the toilet is over there?)

•한국어가 쉬울까요? (Will Korean be easy? You say Korean is easy?)

By Soo-a Jung Soo-a Jung is an instructor of the GIC Korean Language Class Gwangju News September 2011

43

Literature

Selected Poems

Song Su-kwon (송수권) Translated by Chae-pyong Song and Anne M. Rashid

Song Su-kwon (1940- ) was born in Goheung, Jeollanam-do. He made his literary debut in 1975 by publishing through Munhak Sasang “Leaning against the Temple Gate” and four other poems. So far he has published more than ten collections of poetry. Many of his poems and themes are significantly influenced by his formative experience of Jeolla-do and its dialect; his poems are known for their sympathetic representations of farmers and fishermen in the region. Among his awards are the Cultural Ministry Arts Award, the Sowol Poetry Award, the Jung Ji-yong Literary Award, the Youngrang Poetry Award, and the Kim Dong-ri Literary Award. Recently he retired from teaching creative writing at Suncheon National University.

The Cuckoo of Jiri Mountain From across many summits many cuckoos called out their cries, weeping as a group— only after nine years of spring, after being accustomed to untamed sorrow, I knew that they were from a single cuckoo Below Jiri Mountain, when a cuckoo hides on a summit, its cry reverberates-another summit behind takes it over and yet another takes it over again— I knew it cried as many cuckoos Within Jiri Mountain after the chain of summits cried out, after coping for so long, I saw the river finally open without Han, without lament The strong current of the Sumjin river rushed toward Hadong into the South Sea— I saw it push up against many small isles of the South Sea archipelago, One spring day below Jiri Mountain, one cuckoo cried out till all her tears dried up, remaining as the last sorrowful color of this world-I saw it burn up a field of azaleas by the Refined Rocks 44

Gwangju News September 2011

지리산 뻐꾹새 여러 산 봉우리에 여러 마리의 뻐꾸기가 울음 울어, 떼로 울음 울어 석석 삼년도 봄을 더 넘겨서야 나는 길뜬 설움에 맛이 들고 그것이 실상은 한 마리의 뻐꾹새임을 알아냈다. 지리산하 한 봉우리에 숨은 실제의 뻐꾹새가 한 울음을 토해 내면 뒷산 봉우리 받아 넘기고 또 뒷산 봉우리 받아 넘기고 그래서 여러 마리의 뻐국새로 울음 우는 것을 알았다. 지리산중 저 연연한 산봉우리들이 다 울고 나서 오래 남은 추스름 끝에 비로소 한 소리 없는 강이 열리는 것을 보았다. 섬진강 그 힘센 물소리가 하동쪽 남해를 흘러들어 남해군도의 여러 작은 섬을 밀어올리는 것을 보았다. 봄 하룻날 그 눈물 다 슬리어서 지리산하에서 울던 한 마리 뻐꾹새 울음이 이승의 서러운 맨 마지막 빛깔로 남아 이 세석 철쭉 꽃밭을 다 태우는 것을 보았다

Literature

Leaning against the Temple Gate

山門에기대어

Sister, are you still alive to see your two eyebrows drowned in the shadow of the fall mountain?— the river rises in the dark night as I follow the end of my tears, stopping clear tears by pressing them down with stones; words of agony plunge deep down into the river, coming back alive glittering like stones; some come alive like a fish jumping in the water; or a branch of camellia broken off and you freely gave to me

누이야 가을산 그리메에 빠진 눈썹 두어날을 지금도 살아서 보는가 淨淨한 눈물 돌로 눌러 죽이고 그 눈물 끝을 따라가면 즈믄 밤의 강이 일어서던 것을 그 강물 깊이깊이 가라앉은 고뇌의 말씀들 돌로 살아서 반짝여 오던 것을 더러는 물 속에 튀는 물고기 같이 살아오던 것을 그리고 산다화 한 가지 꺽어 스스럼없이 건네이던 것을

Sister, are you still alive to see a wild goose dropping your two eyebrows floating around, drowned in the shadow of the fall mountain?— drinking one cup myself, leaving the other empty; some meet like waterdrops leaping together on leaves Sister, do you know your two eyebrows float, drowned in the shadow of the fall mountain now return, reflected in this pond water?

Gazing at Mudeung Mountain The grand mountain, the mountain that became a shield The mountain buried by the fog of floating spirits, the mountain wet with rain, the mountain of graves, the mountain of shamans But look at it: below the sky where a black kite circles around, Mudeung is without discrimination--it is equal The mountain, the wife and husband built on the ocher earth with their teeth clenched; the mountain, they call, as they leave this world, till their throats burst up, sitting on their shovels on the faraway riverbank; the blood-stained mountain, the wandering mountain Oh, the mountain that became a shield, the grand mountain

누이야 지금도 살아서 보는가 가을산 그리메에 빠져 떠돌던, 그 눈썹 두어날을 기러기가 강물에 부리고 가는 것을 내 한 잔은 마시고 한 잔은 비워 두고 더러는 잎새에 살아서 튀는 물방울같이 그렇게 만나는 것을 누이야 아는가 가을산 그리메에 빠져 떠돌던 눈썹 두어날이 지금 이 못물 속에 비쳐 옴을

무등을 보며 큰산 방패가 된 산 떠도는 넋들의 안개에 묻은 산 비 묻은 산 무덤산 무당산 그러나 저 보아라 오늘 솔개가 도는 하늘 밑 무등은 무등일 뿐으로 평등하다 지어미 지아비 이 악물고 황토에 심은 산 이 삶을 떠나보낼 때 머나먼 강둑에 삽을 깔고 앉아 목 터져라 부른 산 피묻은 산 떠돌던 산 아아 방패가 된 산 큰산

Gwangju News September 2011

45

Review

Movie Review

Peppermint Candy 박하사탕

T

his month’s film is the uniquely structured, independent work known as Peppermint Candy. It is a movie with significant weight and poignancy, as well as a strong connection to our fair city of Gwangju.

The basic structure is fairly original, though you may have seen it done once or twice before. This is the story of a man’s life told backwards, beginning with his suicide and tracing a path back through time to show you how he had lost the will to live.

But Peppermint Candy is much deeper than the tale of one man. It covers two decades of recent South Korean history through the lens of what is called a Korean everyman. It shows Korea’s fledgling will to grow, through the upheaval created by the country’s hard fought transformation into a modern democracy and on into the present. The main character is personally brutalized by the traumas of his nation - when Korea suffers so does he, creating all at once a protagonist who might be said to truly represent the collective spirit of a country, much like Forrest Gump’s association with the trials and tribulations of US history.

Perhaps no sequence in the film is as dramatic and telling as the one depicting the Gwangju Massacre, which the main character personally takes part in from the unexpected perspective of an army private sent to do the dirty work against his own people. Truly, this is a tale of a man brought to his knees by the very land that birthed him, as together they both struggle to come to terms with an overnight influx of modernity and sweeping changes in culture.

The main character is played by Sol Kyung-gu. Sol is best known for his roles in the popular Public Enemy and Silmido, and gives a great performance here considering the weight and range the role requires.

Lee Chang-dong directed the film, and is known for Poetry, Green Fish, and A Single Spark.

The film takes itself a bit too seriously at times, but then again, it succeeds in showing the dark days of the peninsula responsibly and with great poignancy. Check it out.

Peppermint Candy explores the complexities of modern Korean culture

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Gwangju News September 2011

By Seth Pevey Photos from tistory.com

Review

스시장 Sushi Jang

I

recently went to the bus terminal for dinner with a friend. We decided upon Sushi Jang, a Japanese restaurant. I had been there before quite some time ago and remembered enjoying it.

Though it was a Sunday evening, a time when the bus terminal is always busy, I still felt reassured that there was a good number of people eating in the restaurant with over three-quarters of the tables taken. The ambience of the restaurant feels like every other shop or restaurant at the terminal with its fluorescent lighting and new/modern feel. There is nothing run down about it.

I felt my mouth water a little as we walked into the restaurant and my eyes fell upon the sushi train in the middle of the room, standing as an island of culinary bliss kept bountiful by a couple of sushi chefs.

What immediately struck me after this was the abundance of staff. We were immediately greeted by a waiter and then shown a table. Delightful as the sushi on the train looked, we decided to go for the set menu as it was cheaper.

Before long we had made our orders and waited in hungry anticipation. I received a plate of 10 pieces of sushi and my friend had a plate of 12 accompanied by a small bowl of udong noodles. While we were waiting for our sushi to arrive, we were given bowls of miso soup which I love. I finished one bowl of miso and so asked for another. When they saw that I had nearly finished my second bowl they brought me another without my asking. However, this bowl must have been a bad batch or something because they immediately took this away before I could consume it, and gave me yet another bowl. Like I said I really like miso, but I was over it by the fourth bowl, and I felt like the waiter was being a little too over-zealous. It wasn’t a huge issue though, and if anything supplied some amusement as to how many bowls I could consume.

Our meals arrived after 10 minutes. I was impressed with

Above: Sushi!

Right: The sushi island

the array of sushi, with salmon, tuna and a couple of other fish I’m not entirely sure of so I won’t name them here, being included on my plate. My friend was also really satisfied with his plate, which was the same as mine, with the addition of the variety of sushi with the orange eggs included in his, and he was also content with his udong. We both filled up little saucers with wasabi and soy sauce and helped ourselves to the pickled ginger, all of which was already at the table. I loved the texture of the rice and raw fish, and the salty taste of the wasabi/soy sauce mix; the whole thing together was sublime. We both agreed that we had gotten good value for money and felt like we hadn’t missed out too much by opting for the set menu over the sushi train.

My set menu cost 11,000 won and my friend’s cost 13,000. I would estimate that if you want to eat 10 pieces of sushi (give or take) you’ll have to spend at least 30,000 won and I’m sure it’s a step up from the set menu. However I can assure you that the set menu at Sushi Jang is delicious and the service is great. You can also get a few variations of udong noodles from 5,000 to 7,000 won. Thus while I have undoubtedly had better sushi, Sushi Jang is a great place to go if you’re feeling like a sushi fix for a reasonable price.

Sushi Jang is located in the passage way between YP books and Shinsegae, between the Chinese restaurant and Park Jeung Sol hairdressers at the U-Square bus terminal.

Story and photos by Gabriel Ward

Food and Drink

Korean Easy-Cook Recipe

Mini potatoes and rice croquette croquette is a small fried food roll containing usually as main ingredients mashed potatoes, and/or minced meat (veal, beef, chicken, or turkey), shellfish, fish, vegetables, and soaked white bread, egg, onion, spices and herbs, wine, milk, beer or any of the combination thereof, sometimes with a filling, often encased in breadcrumbs. The croquette is usually shaped into a cylinder or disk, and then deep-fried. The croquette (from the French croquer, "to crunch") gained worldwide popularity, both as a delicacy and as a fast food.

A

In Korea, it is usually called goroke (고로게) or Keuroket (크로켓), it is a food that is sold in most bread shops in Korea. The most common type of Goroke are deep fried rolls stuffed with japchae (잡채) ingredients or chicken curry. There are also Goroke filled with kimchi, pork, and sometimes bulgogi ingredients. Many Koreans stores often advertise the goroke as a French product and is usually sold in most European style bread stores all over Korea.

Story and photos by Seoyoung Park

How to make croquettes Things to prepare (two servings): 3 potatoes, bread crumbs, 1 onion, 1/2 carrot, about 20g of sausage or ham, 2 eggs, 1/2 bowl of cooked rice

Cooking Method: 1. Steam the potatoes and finely chop all the vegetables.

2. After the potatoes are steamed, mash them up.

3. Stir fry the chopped onions first, and move them into a bowl. Then stir fry the chopped carrots and sausage (or ham).

4. Put the mashed potatoes, cooked rice and vegetables in a bowl and mix them with 1 tsp of salt and 1/2 tsp of pepper.

5. Make them as a small ball (or just an appropriate size to eat).

6. Beat the eggs in another bowl.

7. Coat the balls with egg and then with bread crumbs.

8. Heat a fry pan with oil and fry it until it turns lightly browned.

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Gwangju News September 2011

Community

Meet the Neighbours This month Gwangju News catches up with three expat restauranteurs around town.

1. What made you want to open your kind of restaurant?

2. What is your favourite Korean meal?

3. Do you believe that climate change is real and man-made?

4. Where is your favorite place in Gwangju?

5. Who in the whole world today would you most like to share a special meal with?

By Julian Warmington Translation and photographs: special thanks to Marzycielski Gibriella

Ketmanee Jumlang Asia Mart and Thai Restaurant, owner/ operator/ chef

Visit Asia Mart!

Alleyway behind Songjeongri Station.

Subway exit no.2

1. I want everyone here to know Thai food and culture, and the way Thai people eat.

2. Bibimbap. It is very healthy for me, and delicious.

3. Yes. Just the normal things, like recycling.

4. Baekyangsa temple, because I’m Buddhist.

5. I’d like to cook for my mother back home in Thailand, and father and my oldest son.

Taksaporn Phangesri THAI FOOD Restaurant, owner/operator/chef

Visit THAI FOOD! Nearby Songjeong Gwangju Bank 4junction.

Subway exit no.2.

Tel: 062-944-1370

1. I like to cook. That's because my family, including my dad and my aunt, are Thai food chefs. My husband was also a chef in a Chinese restaurant when I got married, so having my own restaurant has long been part of my dream. Then after we were married for eight years we decided to open a Thai restaurant in Gwangju.

2. In summer I like naeng- myeon (cold noodles) because of the fresh taste. But in general I like dolsot bibimbap (rice and vegetables in a hot stone bowl) because it looks like Thai food.

3. Yes, I believe it. And yeah I help by avoiding using plastic bags and using paper bags instead.

Also I told other restaurants nearby not to use plastic bags too.

4. I like to go shopping downtown.

5. I will share a special meal with my family: my two sons and husband.

Michael Simning First Alleyway/Underground Grocers. Canadian; considers Korea to be home

Visit First Alleyway!

26-3 Chungjangro, Dong-gu (located in an alleyway in front of Zara) Tel: 070-4127-8066

1. I was tired of hearing a chorus sing “Happy Birthday” every time I went to eat something Western.

2. I love a good samgyupsal meal as much as anyone but I really enjoy real Korean food. Not the fusion garbage you see everywhere downtown. I am a true sambap fan with fresh banchan made on site and real homemade doenjang.

3. Climate change? Sure, it is a reality. Is it man-made? Is it cyclical? Difficult to say with 100 percent certainty. Regardless, I try to curb over-consumption and generally try to be conscious of energy use.

4. It all depends on who I am with and what I am doing. Just having the chance to be out of the house and enjoying my life is what is important to me. As long as I'm with good people I could be content in a parking lot.

5. My wife and daughter.

Gwangju News September 2011

49

Community Board/ Dear Korea

GIC News GIC Journal: Social Discourse of Disquiet Got something to say that’s deeper than the latest travelogue?

Wondering about the space in between cultures and have some lessons to share? Have art that people generally don’t ‘get’?

You have a home at SDoD. A space for artists, photographers, writers, pundits, and critics to share about Gwangju, the art scene, art without a capital A, and expressing your confusion, clarity and kookiness through your creative ventures. Get involved. Check out the website: http://gicjournal.wordpress.com.

Contact us to contribute: selina.gicjournal@gmail.com

Gwangju Guidebook Volunteers Help GIC update the second version of Gwangju Guidebook due to print in August 2011. Korean and English speakers needed for fact checking and copy editing. Contact karina@gic.or.kr if interested.

Art

Gwangju Ice Hockey Team Looking for men and women of all ages to join us every Saturday night from 7:30 to 9:00 p.m. at Yeomju Ice Rink near World Cup Stadium. If you are interested, contact either Andrew Dunne at atdunne@gmail.com or Chris Wilson at kreeco@rogers.com

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

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

Brazilian Jiujitsu in Gwangju

Our group is organic and multi-disciplinary: painters, photographers, illustrators, and media artists. It includes members from all around the world. Our aim is to stimulate the flow of creative energy through workshops, discussion and community art projects.

Facebook: Gwangju Artist Collective E-mail: gwangjumaria@yahoo.com

Add: 522-3 Jisan-dong, Dong-gu, Gwangju Phone: 010-9354-6279 Location: Basement of the 20000 Eyeglass shop near Salesio Girls High School.

Buses: 1, 15, 17, 27, 28, 35, 36, 55, 80 (bus stop: 살레시오여고 - Salesio Yeogo) Taxi directions: "Salesio Yeogo jungryu jang gajuseyo".

Method of instruction is in Korean-English.

Weekday Classes: 7:30 - 10:00 p.m. (from Monday to Friday)

Sports

Community

Gwangju Men’s Soccer

Sung Bin Orphanage

Gwangju Artist Collective

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

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Gwangju News September 2011

Sung Bin Orphanage is looking for creative/ active/ energetic/ outgoing/ enthusiastic long-term volunteers to join in our regular Saturday program. We would like you to give at least two Saturdays per month. As well as being a friend, you will be asked to teach basic English to girls aged 7 to 14. Meet every

Community Board

Saturday at 1:30 p.m. in front of downtown Starbucks. All are welcome. For more volunteering information please contact Al Barnum at: al_barnum@yahoo.com.

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

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

Sunday masses: 10:00 a.m. (Indonesian/ East Timor); 3:00 p.m. (English) at the Migrant Center; 6:00 p.m. (Vietnamese).

2nd Sunday: 11:00 a.m. Mass for multi-cultural families.

Spanish/ Korean Language Exchange Do you want to learn basic Spanish? Or do you want to review what you have learned in the past? Do you want to learn Korean phrases and grammar? Or do you want to practice speaking in Korean? Come join the Spanish/ Korean language exchange group every Saturday at 5:00 p.m. at the GIC. Free for GIC members.

For more information, contact Juan Esteban Zea (juanestebanzea@gmail.com)

Gwangju Jumbo Taxi If you’re traveling in a big party or simply need transportation in and around Gwangju, Gwangju Jumbo Taxi provides service to the Bus Terminal, Airport and other places. With a seat capacity of up to 9 people, you can travel in comfort. Friendy and hospitable, Mr. Kim will help you travel in safety. Whether you are going from/to Gwangju Airport or simply to travel around the city, give Jumbo Taxi a call.

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

Gwangju News has a Bargain for You! Are you a local Gwangju or Jeollanam-do business? How long have you been in business? We have a grant program that offers steep discounts depending on how long you’ve been in business.

Contact Karina Prananto or Julian Raethel at gwangjunews@gmail.com for details.

If you’re in business... less than one year 1-2 years 2-3 years 3-4 years 4-5 years

Up to 50% off Up to 40% off Up to 30% off Up to 20% off Up to 10% off

Join GIC as an organizational member.

Free opportunities to regularly advertise.

[ Tour Overview ] GIC Yeong-am Tour with Warren Date: September 17, 2011 (Saturday) Cost: 40,000 won (30,000 won for GIC member ) Itinerary: Historical Site of Dr. Wangin - Wolchulsan National Park - Lunch (main course: boiled country chicken, spicy chicken stew) - Dogapsa Temple - Fig Orchard Anyone interested can join the tour.

To register and for more information, please visit the GIC Website: www.gic.or.kr or gictour@gic.or.kr Please register before September 10.

Gwangju News September 2011

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Korean Language Class

2011 GIC 5th Korean Language Class (class may be cancelled if less than 5 people sign up)

Saturday Classes

Weekday Classes Level

Days

Textbook

Level

Textbook

Beginner 1-1

Tuesday & Thursday

서강한국어 1A (Pre-lesson ~ Lesson 1)

Beginner 1-1

서강한국어 1A (Pre-lesson ~ Lesson 1)

Beginner 1-2

Monday & Wednesday

서강한국어 1A (Lesson 2 ~ Lesson 6)

Beginner 1-2

서강한국어 1A (Lesson 2 ~ 6)

Intermediate

Tuesday & Thursday

서강한국어 2A (Lesson 1 ~ Lesson 4)

Beginner 2-2

서강한국어 1B (Lesson 5 ~ 8)

- Period: September 5– October 20, 2011 (Twice a week for 7 weeks) - Class hours: 10:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. (2 hours) - Tuition fee : 80,000 won (GIC membership fee: 20,000 won/ year and textbooks excluded) cash only

Intermediate

서강한국어 2A (Lesson 5 ~ 9)

Korean Reading Class • Period: September 10 – October 22, 2011 (Every Saturday for 7 weeks) • Class Hours: 1: 40 p.m. - 2:40 p.m. (1 Hour) • level: Intermediate (서강한국어 2A: Lesson 1~Lesson 4) • Tuition Fee: 30,000 won (GIC membership fee: 20,000won for a year and textbooks will be provided)

- Period: September 10 - October 22, 2011 (Every Saturday for 7 weeks)

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

(2 hours) - Tuition fee: 50,000 won (GIC membership fee: 20,000 won/ year and textbooks excluded) cash only

GIC is located on the 5th floor of the Jeon-il building, the same building as the Korean Exchange Bank, downtown. The entrance is located immediately to the north of the bank. Contact gic@gic.or.kr (or by phone 062-226-2733/34 and www.gic.or.kr for more information.

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Gwangju News September 2011

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