The Jeju Weekly Issue80

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Publisher : Song Jung Hee Assistant Editor : Darryl Coote Designer : Yun Seong Un Address : Rm. 306 Jeju Venture Maru Bldg. 217 Jungang-ro, Jeju City, Korea Phone : +82-64-724-7776, 702-8885 / Fax : +82-64-724-7796

Vol. IV No. 80

November 2012

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Jeju celebrates first ever ‘Canada Day’ &DQDGLDQ DPEDVVDGRU ORRNV WR VWUHQJWKHQ ERQGV ZLWK .RUHD WKURXJK FROODERUDWLRQ

By Dave Cunning FRQWULEXWRU#MHMXZHHNO\ FRP

Jeju residents better get used to having maple syrup and ice hockey infiltrating their culture – Canadian influence and presence is on the rise here, and not likely to recede anytime soon.

From Nov. 13 to 14, Canada’s Ambassador to Korea, David Chatterson, was on the island looking to improve the bond between the Great White North and the “Island of

Peace� by ushering in Jeju’s first ever “Canada Day.�

Ambassador Chatterson sat down with The Weekly following a reception at the Shilla Hotel in Seogwipo City a day prior to the Nov. 14 “Canada Day� to outline its aims and purposes. “This event was an attempt to bring a little bit of Canada to Jeju,� explained Chatterson. “To reach out, meet people, get a better understanding of what goes on here, and explore opportunities for cooperation. Canada is working to establish a profile in Korea. We are often overlooked by Koreans who look at North America and see the ‘America’ part, but not the ‘North’ part.�

It’s no different from when Canadians skip over Korea for China, Japan, and India when thinking of Asia, he added. “Whatever we can do to raise each others’ profiles in each others’ eyes is good for us both,� said Chatterson.

In addition to the consular services the Canadian Embassy provides to

tourists and expatriates, there is much more to their involvement in Korea than just assisting travelling Canadians with passport and visa issues. “We’re here to advance Canadian interests by building Canada’s profile, strengthening our brand, and helping Canadian companies.�

A product of this endeavor is the recent partnership between Jeju Olle and Bruce Trail in Ontario, Canada, which saw segments of these famous hiking routes becoming “friendship trails.� Chatterson noted that this particular move was a rather natural connection to make since both Jeju and Canada are known for their pristine nature.

Admittedly, Chatterson and other Canadian Embassy officials don’t visit Jeju often. But as partnership opportunities grow, so will Canada’s presence in the self-governing province. “Jeju’s got interesting tourism, commerce, business, and education Continued on page 7

Yellowtail festival marks fish’s return to Jeju waters

By Darren Southcott FRQWULEXWRU#MHMXZHHNO\ FRP

Even on Jeju, busy lifestyles can mean it’s difficult to note the subtle, or not so subtle, transition between the seasons. Luckily for Jeju residents, there always seems to be a festival around the corner to remind us of where we are in the seasonal cycle.

It is fitting then that between Nov. 8 and Nov. 11, as autumn faces off against the Jeju winter wind, the Extreme South Moseulpo Yellowtail Fish Festival opened in Daejeong-eup, Seogwipo City.

Continued on page 7

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02 Discover Jeju

The Jeju Weekly

November 2012

Tales from the Olle path 2QH UHSRUWHUҋV MRXUQH\ DQG UHIOHFWLRQV RQ WUDYHUVLQJ WKH IDPHG WUDLO QHWZRUN

By Anne Hilty

www.jejuweekly.com

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This past summer I set out on what proved to be a remarkable journey: trekking the full Jeju Olle course network, entirely alone.

As a researcher of Jeju culture, I knew that Jeju Olle trails, winding not only past natural wonders but through numerous small villages and historic sites, would provide a unique research track. Walking alone was essential not only for the many hours of contemplation it provided but also to encourage interaction between myself and Jeju people.

Each trek began soon after sunrise.

Choosing Udo (course 1.1) as my starting point, no sooner did I set out than I was greeted by the sight of a dolphin pod at play — a fortuitous beginning. That day must have been an ideal one for diving, as I noted more than a dozen haenyeo groups (women free-diving communities) dotting the Udo coastline. As a student at this summer’s haenyeo school in Hansupul, I felt a kinship with these women.

Indeed, divers everywhere welcomed me as soon as they heard I was “haenyeo haksaeng,” (haenyeo student).

Just four trails into my journey, I learned of the murder of a 40-year old woman on Olle Course No. 1. Many Jeju citizens, especially women, counseled me to cease trekking alone or even abandon my endeavor altogether. After much consideration, I determined to continue as planned, taking safety precautions including my knowledge of self-defense as well as human psychology, and even

the carrying of weapons.

It was not until I entered Gotjawal, however — Jeju’s singularly dense forest — that I felt fearful and profoundly. I walked the first such trail with a weapon in each hand and sweat on my brow.

When the course exited the dark forest I breathed a sigh of relief, only to find that a second Gotjawal trail was soon expected.

Summoning my courage and setting aside my fear — and my weapons — in order to welcome the tranquility of this unique environment, I found butterflies surrounding me as a doe looked on from nearby.

There’s no sense in denying fear, I thought to myself — indeed, it makes us cautious — but if it takes up residence in one’s mind and heart, it will paralyze.

Better to carry those fears in one’s backpack — ready, if necessary, to be brought out at a moment’s notice, mixed with rage and hatred and the right to survive that become a white-hot flashpoint of self-defense.

Fortunately, I never needed it. Many grandmothers along the way, however, made it clear that I should be walking with a friend. One, a small woman likely in her 80s and working alone in her field, took my arm and offered to walk with me.

Much has been said about the healing power of Jeju Olle. Following my sixth course, I found myself heartbroken by the sudden death of my beloved dog. It took me a week to return to the trails, and when I did, walking beautiful Olle Course No. 6, I cried for six hours. Two days later, on equally magical Course No. 7 along the southern coastline, I invited the spirit of my dog to join me on my journey — and talked to him the entire way.

Several later trails would take me to places where I’d trekked with him, bringing fresh tears — including, ultimately, the course that passes near his grave. On that day, my grieving was released.

One of the most exciting trails for me was Course No. 10, from Hwasun Beach to Moseulpo. A popular trail, it was on that day, empty save for myself, that Typhoon Damrey hit Jeju from the southeast traveling northwest, crossing Olle’s 10th course. As I clung to rockface well above sea level, nevertheless assaulted by waves as I searched for each safe foothold to be taken in turn during those few seconds that the waters receded, I knew that this was one of the stupidest — and most exhilarating — things I’d ever done. The swirling waters below and fierce winds above made their point crystal clear: one false step would be my last.

I have only begun to sift through the vast wealth of material — direct experience, conversation, photographs, video, research notes, and audio recordings — gathered during my journey. Jeju resides deep within me now. What I have internalized may take me years to fully comprehend.

Here, however, are some of the highlights: Life in the village is still one of communal living, as people work together in the fields and sea, harvesting and clearing the land, building and resting in the shade.

However, most of these people are visibly of the elder generation.

Jeju people’s relationship to nature is woven throughout the fabric of their culture. One cannot be understood

without a deep knowledge of the other.

Lately, the term “eco-cultural tourism” has been appearing in public sites in direct acknowledgment of this.

A history of oppression can be seen in Japanese bunkers and airfields, Mongolian fortresses, stone lookouts for pirates and other invaders from the sea, and sites of mass graves from mid-20th century military executions. Coupled with the many examples of cultural obliteration brought about by the New Villages Movement of the 1960s and 70s as well as general trends of modernization, the heavy toll demanded of Jeju’s indigenous culture is evident.

Shamanic places of worship can still be found everywhere if you know where to look, and what you’re observing when you find it. Primarily known as ‘halmangdang’ or goddess shrines (Jeju mythology is matrifocal, with the same dialect word for both ‘grandmother’ and ‘goddess’), the ‘haesin-dang’ coastal shrines to the sea deities are especially prevalent, and those to maiden goddesses poignant.

Jeju’s urge to tell its story — found in the Kim Man Deok shrine and Chusa Exile Memorial, the many haenyeo artifacts and the Independence Hall, the Jeju Massacre sites and shamanic shrines, Udo’s ‘Storytelling’ signage, and ‘Village History’ signboards across the island, as well as the eagerness of Jeju people to chat with strangers — is evident.

The story of Jeju is there for all Olle walkers to hear if, with open hearts, we listen.

Dr. Hilty is a cultural health psychologist.

Photos by $QQH +LOW\

The Jeju Weekly

November 2012

Advertorial 03

An island of incentives

By The Jeju Weekly HGLWRU#MHMXZHHNO\ FRP

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crowning glory, within a 10-year period starting in 2002 Jeju captured what it calls the “UNESCO Triple Crown” by being designated a Biosphere Reserve, a World Natural Heritage Site, and a Geopark Network member.

These environmental achievements made it possible for Jeju to host the International Union for Conservation of Nature World Conservation Congress — the world’s largest environmental congress — this past summer. During the congress, the Jeju Declaration was adopted, which will see the island become a hub for environmental conservation, all of which will help investors of tourism brand their establishment as eco-friendly.

Though, definitely the two most important moves that Jeju made to look dazzling to investors was first, allow visafree entry to Chinese nationals, and second, give permanent residency to those who invest US$500,000 or more in condominium resort units.

The former may not seem that much of an incentive at first, but the newly affluent Chinese citizens and its growing middle class account for the majority of foreign tourists to the island. And this demographic of tourists has been increasing year on year.

What this ensures is that Chinese nationals have an easy route to Korea’s number one tourist destination, while for the rest of country they will still require a visa. With their growing wealth, and affinity for travel, Jeju becomes even more appealing to them and thus, if you invest in the creation of a tourist attraction, a steady stream of customers is not difficult to come by.

Concerning the latter incentive of permanent residency for condominium resort unit purchasers, the bill was passed in February of 2010 and states that those who invest US$500,000 or more in a condo can become a Jeju citizen within five years of the purchase. Not only does

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Jeju Island: A beautiful safe haven full of pristine forests, clean air, azure ocean waters, majestic beaches, and to top it all off, a volcano at its center. What more could you ask for in either a tourist destination or a location for a second home?

Most would have a hard time coming up with an answer to that question. But in a preemptive move to silence naysayers and squelch rebuttals, the Jeju government has armed itself with incentives galore to persuade potential investors to open shop on, or plant roots in, the island’s fertile soil.

One thing the island already has naturally going for it is what real estate agents say is the most important thing to move a property; location, location, location.

Though easy for island residents to forget, Jeju is at a prime spot within Northeast Asia. Look at a map and you will see that it is between mainland Korea, China, and Japan. It is also within a two-hour flight of 18 cities with populations of five million or more, five of which have over 10 million people each. This is good for not only foreign investors who live in those cities, but also promising in terms of potential tourist income for those who open tourism facilities on the island.

The incentives the government of Jeju has produced started back on April 1, 2002, when the island passed the Jeju Free International City Act. The Act gave Jeju the autonomy it needed to adjust specific legislation, tax codes, and even visa requirements to further entice investors.

Since then, much has changed on the island. The flexibility gained allowed the government to pursue specific branding opportunities like being christened as “World Peace Island” by Korea on January 26, 2005. Also, the island’s

the person whose name is on the deed get this privilege but so does the investor’s immediate family.

This entitles the family to medical benefits, public school education, and all that which native Jeju citizens are entitled to.

The incentives sound divine for those investing in condominiums, but for big investors looking to build casinos, hotels, and other tourism facilities, Jeju is offering large tax cuts.

For instance, a large investment comes with the benefit of being exempt from the national tax for three years. After that, for two more years the investor only has to pay 50 percent of the national tax.

Concerning local property tax, investors have nothing to worry about for 10 years.

It is exempt.

For these reasons, and so many more, Jeju is overflowing with incentives and investors are taking notice.

http://english.jeju.go.kr/

Introducing the Jeju Free International City ● Uniquely blessed with pristine natural beauty and a World Heritage Site, Jeju has everything for

your business’s administrative needs.

● Minimal regulation and large incentives make Jeju Free International City a dynamic place to

grow your business.

Those who invest over US$500,000 in condos or retail real estate are eligible for permanent residency status.

04 Discover Jeju

The Jeju Weekly

November 2012

Samsungheyol and the three demigods of Jeju

By Yang Yong Jae FRQWULEXWRU#MHMXZHHNO\ FRP

www.jejuweekly.com

Jeju Island has a rich, cultural history that goes back centuries and contains the stories of 18,000 gods. Prior to its inclusion in Korea during the Joseon Dynasty, Jeju was known as the Tamna Kingdom. Legend has it that the Kingdom of Tamna was founded by three families. Their story is preserved in Samsungheyol (“three family name holes,” in Korean), and Honinji, the wedding site of the three founding couples.

A long time ago, before Jeju was inhabited, three demigods were birthed from the ground at what is known today as Samsungheyol. This celestial occurrence left deep impression in the ground that can been seen to this very day and which locals say never retain water, no matter how much it rains.

For a long time, the three demigods — who were named Ko Eulla, Yang Eulla, and Bu Eulla — roamed Jeju in clothes made of leather and hunted the island’s game.

One day a purple fog drifted in from the sea. The three demigods went to investigate and at the beach they saw a mystical boat emerge from the fog. When it came ashore, an envoy greeted them and presented them with farm animals, five different types of grain that still grow upon the island, and three beautiful princesses.

Apparently, the father of the princesses had seen a mysterious purple aura surrounding Mt. Halla. He learned of the three demigods who were trying to establish their own country, but were terribly lonely. So, the king decided to send the demigods his daughters to be their brides.

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The demigods accepted and a memorial service was held at what is known today on the island as Honinji (“Honin” means “marriage” and “ji” is “pond” in Korean).

Before the wedding ceremony, the young demigods bathed in the pond. Next to the pond is a cave called Sinbanggul that has three rooms and where the newly formed couples spent their honeymoons.

The new families then took the gifts of grain and livestock and established the

first farms of Jeju. They began to trade with other countries, and they decided to each create their own separate governments.

In order to decide where each family would begin their own districts, the three demigods each shot a single arrow into the sky from Sasijanorak. The arrows landed on three different parts of the island: one in Il-do, another in I-do, and the third in Sam-do. To this very day, these areas of Jeju still bear the names

bestowed upon them from the demigods that rose from Samsunghyeol.

Samsunghyeol is open April to September, from 8 a.m. to 6:30 p.m.; November to February, from 8 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.; and March, from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. The entry fee is 2,500 Won for adults, while children, studentn, senior citizens, and military personnel are offered a discount.

It is located within walking distance of Jeju City Hall.

Wedding keeps local myth alive at the 3rd Honinji Festival

By The Jeju Weekly HGLWRU#MHMXZHHNO\ FRP

Photos by /X -LDQZHQ

On Nov. 3, the 3rd Honinji Festival was held at Honinji pond near Seongsan Sunrise Peak, in Seogwipo City.

This pond contains great mythical importance for the people of Jeju. According to legend, the pond is where Jeju’s three founding demigods bathed before marrying princesses that were brought to the island’s shores engulfed in a purple fog.

The Honinji Festival keeps this myth alive through holding a Jeju traditional wedding for a couple from Seongsan village.

Over 200 spectators were on hand for the nuptials on Nov. 3, including Seogwipo City and Jeju City government officials, tourists, and friends and family

of the bride and groom.

At the start of the ceremony local elementary school students performed Korean traditional drumming music (“samulnori” in Korean) to the pleasure of the audience. Then the couple, dressed in traditional Jeju wedding garb, went through a lengthy process of exchanging bows.

The ceremony concluded with the newlywed couple throwing a rooster and a chicken, which represent fertility and longevity, as a blessing into the audience.

There was an extra stroke of good luck for the couple due to the fact that during the wedding the hen laid an egg which elicited cheers of congratulations from the audience.

The festival was organized and sponsored by both Seogwipo City and Seongsan village.

Culture 05

The Jeju Weekly

November 2012

A proud tradition that is anything but old hat 7KH JDW PDNHV D ODVW VWDQG IRU WUDGLWLRQDO KDW PDNLQJ

By Darren Southcott

www.jejuweekly.com

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Present day headwear in the Land of the Morning Calm is much like any other developed country. Sit by the window of a trendy coffee shop and it is quickly apparent that baseball caps are the order of the day, giving way to woolly hats as cold weather draws in.

Despite the ubiquity of today’s mass-produced head garments, it might be surprising to learn that Korea was once known as the “Nation of Hats,” particularly due to the gat — a black, cylindrical hat with a flat top, a wide brim, and a bamboo frame.

This particular hat’s design abounded in social meaning, denoting the wearer’s wealth as well as social and marriage status, developing an attendant culture, one integral to Korean society.

So ingrained was gat culture that it even signified one’s place in the Joseon caste system, and those considered untouchable — or baekjeong — were strictly forbidden from wearing it. Only married yangban — upper-class scholars — who had passed the prestigious civil service exams were allowed to wear the sought-after adornment.

Such was the extent of its classsymbolism, that the abolition of the gat was demanded by the peasantry as a way to end social restrictions on traditional clothing and became central to the Donghak Peasant Rebellion of 1894.

A further and more serious assault on this head attire came in the form of the fall of the Joseon Dynasty and the subsequent Japanese occupation, which sounded the death-knell for

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gat culture. The following 35 years of Japanese rule saw all expression of Korean culture ruthlessly suppressed, leading to an unavoidable decline in Korea’s unique hat-wearing conventions.

Despite its absence on the streets of this rapidly changing country, the gat retains a special place in the Korean collective consciousness. In fact, the traditional method of gat-making is not only a national treasure in the sentimental sense, it has also been officially designated Intangible Cultural Asset No. 4. So important are gat-making skills to Korean culture that they were among the first cultural properties to be protected in the 1960s.

Perhaps to guard against potential distractions, the gat-making process is divided into three distinct parts: the making of the yangtae (the brim)

from the finest quality bamboo; the making of the chongmoja (the cupshaped upper hat) from fine horse hair; and the process of ipja (assembling the rim with the bowl of the hat to complete the gat).

The instantly recognizable wide yangtae hints at the gat’s function, as exposed hair was considered indecent among polite society and gat-etiquette evolved accordingly.

Among the yangban, the quintessential Korean top-knot hairstyle was concealed by a geon which covers the head, and then a gwan which denotes rank. Both came in a variety of styles and materials, from hemp and cloth to horsehair. The outer headdress is the actual gat, with its distinctive wide yangtae, as seen on numerous historical Korean TV dramas.

One place which continues to

protect this dying tradition is Jeju, where the skill is indefatigably preserved in the face of change. In the July 2011 issue of “Morning Calm,” published by Korean Air, Jeju native Jang Sun-ja said that she is determined to keep this tradition alive.

“Even local people in Jeju are surprised to see how diligently I work. You should not have any distractions in your mind,” Jang told the magazine.

Due to the tumultuous times that gat-making has gone through it is no surprise that Jang, who specializes in making the yangtae, is resolute that the tradition will not die with her.

After surviving rebellion, colonization, and modernization, it is most important for her to preserve what is left of gat-making for future generations.

“All three of my daughters are learning yangtae now. I am now able to leave behind something meaningful to the country, to the world,” said Jang.

Jang recently realized her life’s dream of opening the Gat Exhibition Hall to showcase the unique art to the world, supported by the Cultural Heritage Administration and the Jeju Special Self-Governing Province. Staying true to her diligent spirit, she has now set herself another goal; to see all her fellow practitioners’ work on display under one roof.

“My dream for the future is to exhibit all works of practitioners of Important Intangible Cultural Properties in the exhibition center,” said Jang.

Thanks to such a stoic defender of tradition, it might not be long until the center is full to the brim with the once-threatened yangtae.

06 Culture

The Jeju Weekly

November 2012

The science of Jeju haenyeo

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By Anne Hilty HDVWZHVW SV\FKH#JPDLO FRP

www.jejuweekly.com

This is Part 1 of a 2-part series. For Part 2, please visit the Jeju Weekly Web site.

Jeju Island has distinguished itself in terms of its biodiversity and natural treasures.

The island is also an example of biocultural diversity. Known within Korea for its unique culture, it is often the skillset of the Jeju haenyeo (diving women) that gain particular attention.

Jeju haenyeo have been the subject of many scientific studies, and their culture can viewed in biological, psychological, sociological, anthropological, and ecological frameworks.

Biological. The biological feats of Jeju haenyeo are well documented. Diving without the aid of oxygen equipment, the women are known for reaching depths of 20m and for holding their breath up to two minutes. This is especially noteworthy as they are a collective, and often dive well into advanced age.

The female dominance of this profession has long been debated. While there were socio-historical considerations for women to have taken over this work from men, it is well established that females are also biologically better suited to diving due to greater cold tolerance resulting from higher body fat content and shivering threshold.

Medical. Repeated diving brings multiple symptoms. Chronic headaches are a common problem for which haenyeo take medication prior to diving.

Traditionally, they ingested an herb known as ““ sumbegi’ for this purpose, which grows along the coast. While such treatments may prevent headache, they are typically anticoagulant and/or dilate the blood vessels, the chronic use of which increases the risk for both cerebrovascular accident (a stroke) and aneurysm. These conditions are thought to be a primary cause of haenyeo drownings.

A syndrome known as “jamsu-byeongÂľ

is common among Jeju haenyeo and includes not only the chronic headache but also digestive problems, joint pain, and tinnitus. The Jeju provincial government now sponsors hyperbaric oxygen therapy for haenyeo in which pure oxygen is administered within a sealed chamber that also simulates the pressure change of diving. Ironically, this treatment if taken in excess can cause oxygen toxicity, resulting in central nervous and pulmonary symptoms.

One of the most common yet least understood threats to the haenyeo is a phenomenon known as “shallow water blackout.� In this circumstance, the diver experiences a loss of consciousness due to cerebral hypoxia because of a malfunction in the brain stem’s normal signaling of the need for respiration.

This life-threatening unconsciousness can result from the common practice of taking repeated deep breaths before diving in order to extend breath-holding capacity — a form of hyperventilating that lowers the body’s carbon dioxide level which otherwise signals the need for oxygen. The diver’s unconscious state causes her to swallow water and asphyxiate, resulting in a “quiet drowning� that initially goes unnoticed by other divers.

When a diver dies in this manner, other haenyeo tend to accept her death as a mystery and a reminder of the danger embedded in their profession.

Other medical challenges to Jeju haenyeo, and to all free-divers, include

barotrauma or damage to various bodily tissues due to repeated pressure changes; lacerations and abrasions; venomous stinging or biting by sea creatures; and, hypothermia with muscle cramping, loss of strength and diminished consciousness.

Until quite recently, Jeju haenyeo dove without thermal gear regardless of water temperature. To combat hypothermia and permit the divers to extend their length of time in the water, wetsuits were introduced in the 1970s. The tradeoff, however, is that haenyeo must now wear a belt of lead weights to combat the suit’s buoyancy — and contribute to chronic lumbar and hip pain.

One lesser discussed phenomenon of diving is known as nitrogen narcosis, which for the haenyeo who are diving at a maximum of 20m, leads only to mild impairment such as a generalized tranquility that many haenyeo describe as their “addiction to the sea.� However, this altered state of consciousness brings not only mild euphoria but also impaired judgment and reasoning as well as decreased motor skills and manual dexterity, and can cause the haenyeo to misjudge her need for air and distance to the surface, or ability to capture her prey in which case she can become trapped by her own tools.

Psychological. Women are known to have a greater ability than men for multitasking, a critical cognitive skill for this diving profession, which further supports bio-psycho-social grounds for female dominance of this profession.

Jeju haenyeo have commonly been described in terms of both physical and psychological strength. Known for independent, pragmatic, determined, and diligent character traits, they have often been cited as an example of indigenous

“eco-feminism“ by mainland scholars.

Themes of self-esteem, self-sufficiency, and internal locus of control abound.

Despite this relative independence, Jeju haenyeo culture is particularly collectivist in nature as evidenced by mutual aid, collective economics, shared responsibility, and a bonded community made more cohesive by the use of ritual for rootedness and meaning-making. “We go to the Otherworld to earn money, and return to this one to save our kids,� according to a haenyeo proverb.

This is not said negatively, however, though they are supremely aware of the sea’s dangers; nor is it mere obligation or resignation, though they accept the professional identity and economic necessity. Rather, the sea is depicted as a womb, a place where earthly cares disappear and the mind is free, singularly focused on the catch.

The diving itself would seem to support mental health in the form of mindfulness, purpose, engagement, and connectedness both to nature and in the form of human bonding. Additionally, the shamanistic belief system adopted by the haenyeo community provides a certain indigenous or “folk Âľ psychology in the form of meaning-making, spiritual support, ritual observance of seasonal and life passages, the reassurance of a belief in deity, deep ecology, and the direct support and intervention of the shaman, included as a bonded member of the community.

With expectations of both provincial and national recognition as cultural heritage, there is a strong effort to obtain UNESCO designation for the haenyeo culture. Toward this end, preservation of the Jeju haenyeo tradition as biocultural diversity was presented as Motion #108 at the IUCN World Conservation Congress in September and passed into referendum, thereby garnering the support of conservation organizations and governments across the globe.

Dr. Hilty is a cultural health psychologist.

November 2012

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Continued from page 1 systems in place, and the combination of them all intrigued us to come,� he said, adding that Canada is currently in an “exploratory phase� to see how they can work with the island.

In particular, Canada — an energy rich country — is very interested in exploring opportunities in the island’s energy sector. “Korea is energy dependent. They import 96 percent of their energy. There’s great opportunity for us to work closer together, particularly on the investment side,� he said, elaborating that in the last three years alone, Korean companies have invested CAN$6 billion (6.5 trillion won) into Canadian energy.

Currently on Jeju, Natural Resources Canada (NRCan) is working with researchers at the Korea Institute of Energy Research (KIER) on energy storage, solar, wind, thermal-hydro, and hydrogen — essentially, all things power.

The other sector Canada is interested in working with Jeju on is education. “We have some of the best education systems in the world, without question.

Koreans understand and appreciate that.

Branksome Hall coming here is emblematic of that notion ... I think it’s going to be a huge success.�

The newly opened Branksome Hall Asia is the Jeju campus of the prestigious Canadian all girls’ school in Ontario. It will set up a yearly exchange program with its mother school that will see its high school students travel between the two campuses to experience the different cultures.

As the North American economy continues its painstakingly slow recovery, many Canadian workers have left Canada to find gainful employment. In fact there are 25,000 Canadians in Korea; 200 of them are in Jeju, including the two dozen teachers and staff that have joined Branksome Hall Asia.

The Jeju Weekly

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Others on the island own small businesses, run restaurants, operate tourism activities, and work in journalism, to list a few examples. But is it good for Canada to lose such a volume of workers to other countries? “I don’t think it’s good or bad,� Chatterson argued. “I think it is what it is. I’ve met a lot of Canadians abroad while living outside of Canada, and I haven’t met anyone who’s spent two or three years abroad and thought it was a waste of time. They all became stronger, broader, and more interesting people instead.�

He continued that those who come to Korea have the opportunity to gain experience, earn capital, and return to Canada in “much better shape� from their adventure than when they left. “The more Canada and Canadians go out into the world, the better we all are for it.�

However, Chatterson remains convinced that Canada is the best place for people from all over the world to do business, Koreans included. “Canada has been assessed by independent evaluators like World Bank [Group], Forbes, and Economist Magazine as the best place in the world to do business,� said Chatterson. “In terms of access to capital, registration, and access to quality employees, we’re as good as it gets.�

The next taste (literally) of Canada that will hit Jeju is the Canadian Food Festival, which will take place in the Shilla Hotel from Nov. 11 to 24. It will be a rare and unique opportunity for residents of Jeju to try some of Canada’s highest quality cuisine. Canadians pining for a taste of their homeland will no doubt delight in the chance to sink their teeth into fresh lobster, blueberries, and

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Continued from page 1 As the ‘Extreme South’ in the name suggests, this is one of the most southerly festivals in all of Korea. Being in the extreme southwest of Jeju Island, it celebrates the annual catch of the yellowtail fish of sushi fame.

Korean residents are doubtless familiar with the festival terrain — white tents greet your approach and a variety of foods funnel you inwards towards the central festive area. To make it there without a nibble or a swig of something is a victory at the best of times, but for this festival it really is advised to leave as much room in one’s stomach as possible.

Contrary to what the name suggests, you probably know the yellowtail by the pinkish-red tinge of its otherwise

Jeju Now 07

translucent flesh. Every year around early November this graceful fish finally reaches its mating grounds around Marado, having set off from its territorial waters around the Kamchatka Peninsula in Russia. That is nearly 3,500 kilometers as the crow flies, which is undoubtedly a lot more as the yellowtail swims.

After such a long journey, the yellowtail could probably do without being chased around a shallow paddling pool by the stomping feet and grasping arms of Jeju’s willing residents. But all's well that ends well, and things certainly end well for those sitting under the ubiquitous white tents come lunch time. Found tucking into lunch under one such tent, former principal of local Daejeong Boys’ High School, Kim Seung Geun, believes the

festival is central to the community in this corner of Jeju. “Festival time brings so many people to the town. The seafood here is among the best in Korea so I think the trip is worth it for that alone. My personal favorite is the baked yellowtail,� Kim said.

The centerpiece of this slightly eccentric festival is the yellowtail-catching experience where competitors don waterproof garb and slosh around in three feet of water trying to catch the luckless fish. The fish dart between legs and flailing limbs, trying to evade capture as screams of delight punctuate the splashing of the cold water pool. The Korean for yellowtail, bangeo, is a homonym for defense, which seems no coincidence as the fish expertly steers its

other delectables from home.

Canada and Korea will also celebrate 50 years of diplomatic relations next year with an event called “Celebration 2013.�

On Jan. 14, the activities of the event will be announced live on the Internet at www.korea.gc.ca. The celebration is expected to feature political, strategic, defense, and academic exhibitions, and will also showcase visual and performance arts.

In spring, Canada will be commemorating the Imjin River hockey game, played between Canadian soldiers during the Korean War in the early 1950s, with an annual memorial tournament near Seoul.

Dave Cunning is a freelance writer from Kelowna, BC, Canada. Read his blog http://davecunning.wordpress.com and follow him on Twitter: @davecunning

plump flesh around the pool, evading capture.

Eventually, due to the sheer weight of numbers, a victor will arise bear-hugging a yellowtail, knowing that even the slightest of squirms could set the fish free.

It certainly isn’t a sight for the faint hearted, but this is definitely a lunch wellearned. Experts are on hand to prepare the fish, and a fresher meal is hard to come by. Dip it in a wasabi-soy sauce mix, perhaps wrapped in a lettuce leaf, and you will not regret it.

If fish-wrestling is not high up on your to-do list, then there were plenty of other activities to indulge in, including singing, face-painting, Olle walking, and visits to local historic sites. There were even shamanic rituals pleading the sea goddess for a bountiful harvest. As Committee Chair Lee Jae Jin stressed, the festival holds more appeal than the yellowtail alone: “Through this festival, we’re trying our best to promote and advertise Jeju products, not only yellowtail, but also garlic, potatoes, pork, and beef, and to provide a place for Jeju locals and visitors to mingle,� said Lee. The were many activities on offer, set amidst one of the most scenic areas of Jeju Island, giving ample opportunity both to work up an appetite or to work off a lunch. Even if fish wrestling isn’t your idea of a well-spent brisk autumn day, the Extreme South Yellowtail Fish Festival won’t leave you feeling empty handed.

08 Flavors of Jeju

The Jeju Weekly

November 2012

The beautiful fish with the terrible tale the fish caught and served on Jeju tastes better than galchi caught off the mainland. “To catch galchi off the mainland you need to go far out into the ocean,� he said, because the fish lives in rocky environments which are only found far out to sea. Galchi must be frozen for the long transport back to land, which makes it no longer fresh once it reaches shore. Jeju’s rocky coast is the perfect habitat for this nocturnal fish.

Our food arrived and Yang ladled the galchi soup into my bowl. No spices were

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almost extinguished, the fish would be buried in the piping hot cinders and ash.

It was cooked in this fashion up until the 1970s when Jeju kitchens did away with the kiln and installed stoves instead.

At this point of our lunch I will admit to being a little disappointed with the fish for lacking a riveting history. It’s relevance to Jeju seemed minimal, it had many bones to pick through (which I hate) and other than being a beautiful looking aquatic creature, it didn’t do much for me.

your mouth, chew it as fine as possible then add rice to help “shove it down your throat.�

This is a reprint from the Oct. 28, 2011 We had finished eating and were about issue of The Jeju Weekly. — Ed. ready to leave, so I asked Yang to finish the story and again he oddly warned me I will never be able to look at galchi the that it is a little scary. same way again. “Galchi; it’s not a vegetarian fish. It eats Galchi (hairtail fish in English) is a everything. It will eat anything,� he said, beautiful, silver, eel-like fish that is continuing that it is generally believed, generally caught in Jeju’s waters during though there is no documentation to back autumn. This was the reason why I it up, that “in the past, when the Japanese suggested to Jeju food expert Yang Yong people occupied Korea,� at the end of the Jin that it be the dish of Second World War, our next meal together “their last base was Jeju. for our Flavors of Jeju So, when [the Japanese] series. were pushed back, they Little did I know that tried to kick out all the this beautiful fish conJeju people. They put tains a gruesome story of them on tiny, little boats the island’s past. and sent them to the He suggested we meet mainland.� at Fish General restauThe ships he said were rant in Shin Jeju. I unstable, and with typerused the menu and phoons, thousands of was a little shocked by people died. the price. This fish was “That year there were a obviously not peasant little too many galchi,� food, but rather the said Yang. “That year, dish of kings, or at least because Korea got its well-to-do government Independence in August, officials. so in September, OctoYang arrived and ber, November, they immediately ordered would go out fishing galchi prepared three right? Especially that different ways; galchi year, the galchi was a jorim (a thick stew little thicker, a little originating from the bigger.� mainland featuring red No one ate galchi then, pepper seasoning and Yang said. When they radish), galchi guk (a cut the fish open, finger)URP OHIW JDOFKL JXN JDOFKL MRULP DQG JDOFKL JXL $OO WKUHH RI WKHVH GLVKHV DUH PDGH IURP D VSHFLDO -HMX ILVK WKDW UHSUHVHQWV D VDG DQG soup with pumpkin and nails were found in the KRUULILF WDOH RI WKH LVODQG V SDVW Photos courtesy -HMX 6SHFLDO 6HOI *RYHUQLQJ 3URYLQFH zucchini), and galchi gui intestines. (grilled fish with a dash We left the Fish Generof salt). al, again in good spirits “Now is fall,� said Yang, “and it is the added to the broth. The dish was just fish, So I asked Yang if there was anything after conversing about lighter topics, and time of year when galchi is good.� pumpkin, cabbage, and zucchini. interesting about this fish that I didn’t headed in our separate directions.

He explained that galchi is an “impa“Only Jeju people can make galchi already know?

It was a very sobering story and I tient fish,� dying almost immediately soups because it is really fresh [here],� he He began to answer, then laughed to instantly understood why Yang was after being hooked on the fishing line. said adding that creating the dish without himself and said, “I will finish the story apprehensive about telling it, especially Traditionally this meant that in the hot the freshest of galchi would not be very when we are done eating.� Laughing while eating. It is sometimes easy to days of summer galchi would begin to appealing. again he added, “It’s a little scary.� forget the tragedies that occurred in this spoil and by the time the catch was The soup had a very clean and light So we continued to eat and he told me part of the world just more than half a brought to shore, it was edible but no taste, and left a pleasant flavor. that galchi wasn’t always expensive, but century ago. But with scars that go deep longer fresh. The cold water and air of The grilled galchi, Yang’s favorite of the that due to overfishing the price had shot everything is affected, and those horrors autumn preserves the fish better and three dishes for its simplicity and taste, up. Then he saw me struggling with the have somehow touched every aspect of makes its “meat firmer� said Yang. was traditionally cooked in a kiln. Barley bones and said that traditionally you life here and if you do forget a reminder is This is one reason, he continued, why would be used for the fire and once it had would put the meat with the bones in sure to show itself.

By Darryl Coote

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The Jeju Weekly

November 2012

In focus 09

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By Darryl Coote

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I first learned of writer Hyun Ki Young a few years back while researching for The Weekly’s Jeju Massacre series. Hyun, a Jeju native, is credited with having written the first public mention of The Jeju Massacre (imprecisely known as 4.3 in Korean) with the 1978 short story “Sun-i Samch’on.�

For those who don’t know, the massacre was the result of an insecure, fragile country, enveloped in McCarthyism, trying to squelch dissenters on the island, then considered Communists, to the bifurcation of Korea. It was a horrific period from, officially, 1948 to 1954 with a death toll of an estimated 30,000 people, 80 percent killed at the hands of the government. In the following decades, talk of the massacre was tantamount to admitting to being a pinko, which was met with punishment.

Hyun was not exempt from this and was unofficially arrested and tortured after the story’s publication.

Only since the year 2000 has discussion of the massacre truly been permitted.

I used the recent publication of an English edition of his story, “Sun-i Samch’onâ€? (ISBN 978-89-94006-22-2), as an excuse to arrange an interview with the scribe to talk of literature and the massacre. We met at a small fish restaurant in Shin Jeju with Art Space C gallery owner and a friend of Hyun’s, Ahn Kye Kyoung, who acted as translator. “Becoming a novelist means to acquire freedom. Literature is freedom,â€? said Hyun between sips of his beer. “But I have a complex in my mind ‌ Why am I so complicated? Because of the 4.3 accident which I experienced [when I was] six or seven years old. That trauma insists on my mind. I want to be free. In order to be free I have to write about 4.3 to cure me of trauma.â€?

Fifty percent of his work, he said, is about the massacre. But even still, this is

not enough to silence the guilt, and this freedom he seeks seems impossible for him to obtain. “If I die and go to heaven I will meet 4.3 victims. I think they will torture me.

Because at my age I neglected them. I didn’t write about them,� Hyun said in English. “They will scold him, ‘Why didn’t you write well enough? You have to write better,’� Ahn added, for clarity. “I am afraid of it,� Hyun said. “I want to write about 4.3 more, more beautifully.�

This is a challenge he claims he has no choice but to accept.

The story that he is best known for is essentially historical fiction, a combination of the slaughter of 400 people in Bukchon village, and what Hyun experienced during the massacre in the Nohyeong area, his birthplace, and where we were eating one gargantuan fried fish head and drinking beer.

“Because it is history it wasn’t so difficult to write,� Hyun said, continuing that what was difficult was describing the behaviours of those who would have been much older than him during the massacre.

In many ways the book contains archetypal characters from the massacre, none more vivid than the narrator’s uncle, a former member of the North West Youth League (NWYL).

The NWYL were extreme right-wing militants who left the northern half of Korea when it was bequeathed to Kim Il Sung and his Soviet patrons. Angered about losing their homes, members of the NWYL, sent to Jeju by the newly formed South Korean government, were known to have been more cruel, more brutal than either the police or military to citizens they feared sympathized more with the North than the with the Seoul government and its attendent police. “At that time young women have to get married to NWYL people in order to protect their family,� said Hyun. To this day, former members of the NWYL live, have families, and property on the island, acquired through these marriages during the massacre.

This has been one of the more troubling aspects following the massacre; having as neighbors those who murdered members of your family. Some committed these crimes for their own survival but, as Hyun pointed out during our conversation, some were committed from the evil that occasionally arrests men in positions of uncensored power. “[Some] were forced to kill someone in the same community ‌ forced by the armed soldiers or police, so they didn’t want to but they had to to survive. That was the moment to choose to survive or die, but among them there are people who were really, really bad and wanted to do that,â€? said Hyun.

His NWYL character is more the former than the latter, and for a very specific reason.

I told Hyun that during my research I

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read that he didn’t expect any fallout from the publication of his story. He said that, strictly speaking, that is not true.

The good, former NWYL character was created with the hope that Hyun would be absolved in front of the Park Chung Hee dictatorship.

This was not to be the case.

After the publication of his story he attended a protest with a friend of his.

They were both arrested. “I was tortured for three days. I was tortured by the NIS [the Korean equivalent to the CIA],� said Hyun.

There were two men, one holding Hyun from behind while the other beat him, threatening him to not write about the massacre again. In the booth of the restaurant Hyun, slight in stature, demonstrated how he was restrained and mimicked taking blows to his ribs.

They made sure not to break his bones, he said. “If bones were broken there would be problems.� Evidence that this unofficial arrest and torture occurred. Technically Hyun had committed no crime. If they arrested him there would have to be a trial, one that would expose to the rest of Korea the truth of the Jeju Massacre. “My muscles swelled. The color was ink color, ink color all over my body. Bruise, you know? Ink color, ink.�

The government, almost 30 years after the massacre, was trying to silence any mention of the massacre. “They didn’t want people to know about 4.3 ‌ 4.3 is trouble and they wanted to keep 4.3 [quiet] forever.â€?

He is still writing about the Jeju Massacre, and the torture he experienced was reproduced in a book he is currently working on. Though the topic is consumerism, and not about the massacre, it is difficult to picture anything this man writes to stray far from his self-appointed “mission,� ordered by those long passed. “I was tortured because I was writing about this, but if you think of my death I will be tortured by the victims because I didn’t write about it enough.�

10 JDC Junior Journalists

The Jeju Weekly

November 2012

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By Kim Su Kyung

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These days, major supermarkets squeezing out individual proprietors is a hot issue. However, there is a village market in Jeju that is always crowded and the individual shopkeeper reigns supreme; the Jeju City Traditional 5-day Market.

Five-day markets are all over Korea and there’s 10 in Jeju Island alone. They open every five days. As for the Jeju City Traditional 5-day Market, it opens on days that end in either 2 or 7.

According to the Jeju City Traditional 5-day Market Information Center, this particular market has a long history, dating back to 1906 when it was localed near Gwandeokjeong, Jeju’s old City Hall.

Back then, the market was a meeting place for Jeju residents since no infrastructure had been developed yet.

Since then, the market has moved nearly

eight times and has seen many different incarnations.

Yang Min Seong, 53, who sells socks and clothes, has worked in the market for 13 years. “Back then, we set up tents and sold things. But now they have built this high structure,� she said, referring to the grid and ironwork makeshift building that covers the market's large parking lot plot of land.

Nowadays, since the market is located in the island’s major city, and well-known as a tourist destination, it is always crowded with shoppers, travelers, and merchants.

Kevin Corbin, 28, from Canada said, “There’s lots of cool stuff here all in one place. Food, clothes, awesome socks.�

These items represent only a fraction of merchandise for sale in the market, much cheaper than their department store counterparts. From groceries to uncommon pets like porcupines and chipmunks, and hair accessories to shoes,

almost anything imaginable is sold in Jeju’s bazaar.

Visitors can glimpse what Jeju was like in a bygone era. You can find traditional things that you might not find at major supermarkets or other places like traditional snacks, handmade agricultural tools, medicinal herbs, and Jeju traditional clothes dyed with persimmon. “I love [the Jeju City Traditional 5-day Market],� said Corbin. “Amazing, so exciting, so busy and it feels like the real Korea.�

It is not only the products and haphazard arrangement of the market that gives it the essence of simpler days, many of the merchants have been working there for decades, continuing a family tradition that for some goes back generations. Also, the art of haggling, not possible in the E-marts of Korea, is prevalent in this 5-day market culture.

Haggling with the vendors and hearing their Jeju Island dialect will be an

experience few people will have had and harkens back to a Jeju of yore.

Though full of charm, vendors still have some issues with the market itself. Lee Sun Rae, 80, a tangerine merchant, said “The inconvenient thing is that this Grandmother’s Market [a section specifically for the elderly to sell goods] leaks when it rains. So in rainy days I cannot sit here. I hope they change it.�

With Jeju gaining attention as an Asian tourist attraction, it is important not to forget the charm of traditional markets like the Jeju City Traditional 5-day Market; it contains the history and spirit of the Jeju people. With wise management, the Jeju City Traditional 5-day Market will be a special place where the true essence of Jeju can still be felt, even in the face of development.

If you want to know more about the Jeju City Traditional 5-day Market, please visit the Web site, jeju5.market. jeju.kr.

Every vendor has a story to tell

By Lee Min Woo FRQWULEXWRU#MHMXZHHNO\ FRP

The JDC-Jeju Weekly Junior Journalists visited the Jeju City Traditional 5-day Market on Oct. 26. The market is located at the edge of Shin Jeju, Jeju City, near Seo Middle School. There are dozens and dozens of vendors who work there five days out of the month, and each of them have a story to tell.

Gang Cheol Ho has sold plants in the 5-day market for 33 years. He originally bought the booth because there were lots of people who visit the market. He says he feels a sense of pride when customers say that his flowers are beautiful.

Go Seok Hong, who has sold traditional Korean snacks for a total of 32 years, says “I had sold them in Sarabong for 18 years, but the cost of doing business was so expensive that I moved to the 5-day market.�

Im Jeong Sik, a six-year market veteran, said that because of the rising price of fish, customers buy less fish than before.

Kim Yeong Nae has sold traditional supplies and goods for ancestorhonoring ceremonies for 40 years. She says communicating with customers is her greatest source of happiness.

And all the vendors interviewed said that despite the occasional inconvenience, it is good to sell things in the Jeju City Traditional 5-day Market.

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The Jeju Weekly

November 2012

News Briefs 11

New food waste disposal system to go into effect Jan. 1 3D\ DV \RX WKURZ SURJUDP WR VDYH JRYHUQPHQW EZ

By Song Jung Hee VMKHH #MHMXZHHNO\ FRP

The amount of food waste produced in Jeju is expected to drastically decrease with the establishment of a new pay-asyou-throw food waste management system.

On Oct. 15, the Jeju provincial government announced that starting Jan. 1, the disposing of food waste will cost citizens 22 won per kg, and 76 won per kg for restaurants and other large-scale establishments.

The new system will see Radio Frequency Identification Reader (RFID) bins installed at most garbage houses by next year. Designed by SK Telecom, Korea’s largest wireless carrier, the RFID bins calculate the weight of food waste to the nearest gram and automatically processes the payment and charges it to the citizen’s individual RFID card.

This new system is in line with the central government’s policy to reduce food waste by 20 percent nationwide by 2014. This approach, a government official from the Ministry of Environment says, should save the government 19.5 billion won (US$17 million) per year.

From for a trial period of five months from January to May of this year, the RFID system was installed in eight places throughout Korea and showed that a minimum of 3 percent to a maxi-

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mum of 40 percent less food waste was thrown out compared to the year previous, said a Ministry of Environment official.

In Korea, where landfill space is minimal, food waste poses a significant problem, especially since it emits greenhouse gases. According to the Ministry of Environment, an estimated 170,000 tons of food waste is created per

day costing the nation over 652 billion won ($600 million) a year, and this cost is continuing to rise.

In the case of Jeju Island, a total of some 203 tons of food waste was generated last year, which cost 610 million won for its disposal.

Starting next year Jeju residents living in apartment buildings or residential areas of more than 50 houses will be

required to dispose of food waste through the use of the RFID system. Those living in areas with no access to RFID bins will continue to use the standard plastic 5, 10, or 20 liter garbage bags.

In September, 430 RFID units in 92 communal residential areas on Jeju were installed and are currently being monitored until the new system goes in effect next year.

News Briefs www.jejuweekly.com

New Jeju-Mokpo weekend ferry service underway To accommodate for the rising number of weekend travelers to Jeju, a 3,000-ton ferry will be added to the Mokpo-Jeju Island route and will operate weekends until the end of this year.

As fall season peaks and as the first snow fall on Mt. Halla nears, more and more hikers are expected to visit Jeju in the coming weeks. The Royal Star, operated by the Seaworld Express Ferry Corporation, was launched on Oct. 27 and can accommodate up to 580 passengers and 70 vehicles.

Operating only on weekends, the ferry will depart from Mokpo for Jeju at 8 a.m. on Saturdays, and will leave Jeju for its return trip to the mainland at 5 p.m. on Sundays.

The ferry fee is 38,000 won one way.

Jeju water and sewage rates to increase next year Starting this coming May, Jeju residents will have to pay significantly

more for water and sewage maintenance.

Final numbers have yet to be approved, but the local government is eyeing a proposed 9.5 percent increase in the cost of water and a 15 percent increase for sewer maintenance fees.

The fee increases, according to the Jeju provincial government, are needed to cover the deficit caused by the difference between what the public is charged and the actual cost of these services. On top of this, fewer and fewer fess have been collected.

According to the local government’s estimate, by the end of last year only 62 percent of water bills were collected, while the collection rate for sewage maintenance bills was only 25 percent.

The new rates will be instituted next May.

UNITAR-Jeju turns 2 and International UN Day celebrated, Oct. 24 International United Nations Day was observed on Oct. 24 with events in Jeju and across the globe to mark the 1945 establishment of the UN. On this day In 2010, CIFAL-Jeju, the world’s most recent United Nations

Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR) facility, was founded.

Located in Jungmun, Seogiwpo City, it shares a facility with the Jeju Peace Institute (JPI) near the International Convention Center Jeju.

“CIFAL,” derived from the French “Centre International de Formation des Acteurs Locaux,” denotes UNITAR’s premise to train local government and NGO policy and decision-makers.

Under the guidance of Ambassador Chung Dal-ho, and locally known as the Jeju International Training Institute (JITC), the UNITAR center “helps local actors to develop their capacities,” says the organization’s Web site. Their training sessions are currently organized under two themes: environment and human security.

In celebration of International UN Day as well as its own anniversary, JITC held a banquet ceremony at the Grand Hotel in Jeju City. In addition to JITC and JPI members, Jeju Governor Woo Keun-min attended along with many other dignitaries and Jeju leaders.

The keynote speech was given by Ambassador Park Soo-gil, a lifelong diplomat and former Permanent Representative of the Republic of

Korea to the UN who currently serves as President of the World Federation of UN Associations (WFUNA).

Ambassador Park suggested the possibility of Jeju hosting the Secretariat of the UN World Tourism Organization (UNWTO), and even “an international organization under the notion of ‘Integrated UN Human Environment and Development Center’ that combines the concepts of peace, tourism, natural conservation, and sustainable development.”

Ambassador Chung informed those in attendance that “[CIFAL-Jeju / JITC] has been selected for a UNDPROK project that allows us to expand our activities to developing countries,” and that he “would like to see a branch office of the [WFUNA] opened in Jeju province in the near future.”

JITC also launched “Friends of JITC,” an award for those who have shown support for UNITAR, at the event. This year’s recipients were Dr. Ko Seong-joon, director of the Institute for Peace Studies at Jeju National University, and Song Jung Hee, publisher of The Jeju Weekly, for their ongoing contributions to the success of the Jeju UNITAR center.

For more information about the work of UNITAR CIFAL-Jeju, visit their Web site www.cifaljeju.org.

12 Calendar

The Jeju Weekly

November 2012

Through the lens

A high school student embraces his parents on the morning of Thursday, Nov. 8 before entering Ohyun High School to take the Korean university entrance exam, known as Sooneung in Korean. Photo by Douglas MacDonald

Community Calendar Exhibitions Kneading by Hand, a pottery exhibition

2012 Yiruma Concert

Pat, Pat Exhibition

Amahl and the Night Visitors, the opera

www.jejuweekly.com

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Jeju Onggi Exhibition

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Han Tae Sang’’s and Yang Sang Chul’’s Calligraphy Exhibition

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Light: Shadow, the exhibition

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The Dandelion’’s Story, the children’’s play

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Hamlet Cantabile, the play

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Yun Soo Il’’s Concert

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Aesop’’s Fables, the play

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Gureumbbang (Bread made of cloud), a children’’s concert

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The Woman and the Man, a play

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The Magic and Tigers of Rick Thomas, a magic show

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Hero, a drawing performance

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[K-League] Jeju United vs Ulsan

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[K-League] Jeju United vs Suwon

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Comments

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Seogwipo City Announcements Photo Exhibition at the Citrus Museum

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Bulgeun Oreum Recreation Forest Open

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Nationwide Forest Fire Warning until Dec. 15

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Common Medicine Available in Convenient Stores (from Nov.15) Types Fever reducer

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