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november 2015

ęą´ ěś• Power of Korean Architecture Explore the past and present of Korean architecture, built on creativity and years of field experience all around the world.

Travel Asan, City of History and Healing Special Issue Craft, Fashion and Graphic Design of Korea in Paris

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Power of Korean Architecture

Craft, Fashion and Graphic Design of Korea in Paris

Yi Sang Poet and the Modernist

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Superstar Prima Donna Sumi Jo

Korean Men Ver. 2.0

Running and My Life in Korea

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Artist of Hangeul Geum Bo-seong

President Park's Visit to U.S.

Salad Multicultural Theater Company

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Asan City of History and Healing

Civil Service Pension Reform

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CISM World Games 2015 Mungyeong The World's Largest Military Game

The Age of Round Smartwatches

Yeongdeok Snow Crab

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The Last Empress Musical On Stage for 20 Years

Korea's German Village

Cover Story

PEOPLE 1

PEOPLE 2

TRAVEL

SPORTS

ENTERTAINMENT

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SPECIAL ISSUE

CURRENT KOREA

Summit Diplomacy

POLICY REVIEW

GREAT KOREANS

MY KOREA

MULTICULTURAL KOREA

NATURE

Imjingang River Connecting South and North CREATIVE TECHNOLOGY

FLAVOR

GLOBAL KOREA

Publisher Park Young-goog, Korean Culture and Information Service Executive Producer Han Seong-rae E-mail webmaster @ korea.net Magazine Production The Book Company Editor-in-Chief Choi Yoon-jeong Production Supervisor Kim Min-kyung Copy Editor Gregory C. Eaves, Hwang Chi-young Creative Director Oh Seong-min Head Designer Kim Se-ryeong Photographers Moon Duk-gwan, Hong Ha-yan Printing Kumkang Printing Co,.Ltd All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced in any form without permission from KOREA and the Korean Culture and Information Service.

If you want to receive a free copy of KOREA or wish to cancel a subscription, please e-mail us. A downloadable PDF of KOREA and a map and glossary with common Korean words appearing in our magazine are available by clicking on the thumbnail of KOREA at the website www.korea.net. Publication Registration No. : 11-1110073-000016-06

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COVER STORY

Power of Korean Architecture Explore the past and present of Korean architecture, built on creativity and years of field experience around the world.

Written by YI EUN-SEOK

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Gyeongwonjae is the largest Hanok hotel in Incheon’s new Songdo business district. ŠGyeongwonjae

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orean companies have been executing construction projects abroad for more than 50 years. In December 1965, when per capita GNP was just over USD 100, Hyundai Engineering and Construction won the first contract to build the 98-kilometer highway that connected Pattani and Narathiwat in southern Thailand.

In the 1960s and 1970s, companies won projects mostly in the Middle East.

Huge volumes of oil money flooded into Korea and spurred an economic boom. In the 2000s, the oil price rose rapidly due to rising demand in developing countries.

This helped oil-rich Middle Eastern kingdoms earn even more money, which they invested into a number of major infrastructure projects that they, in turn, awarded to Korean construction companies. Today, 55.5% of Korean companies’ overseas construction projects are in the Middle East.

The Marina Bay Sands Hotel in Singapore constructed by Ssangyong E&C is considered a contemporary version of the Leaning Tower in Pisa, Italy. ©Shutterstock

CREATING A NEW SKYLINE IN DUBAI

Korea has demonstrated its prowess in construction overseas in every way possible, not only through its high-quality labor force but also through its general capabilities. Since 2000, it has made an especially strong showing in building mega skyscrapers. In 2009, Samsung C&T finished building the Burj Khalifa, the world’s tallest building at 828 meters. It is now a major landmark of Dubai and by far the most salient feature of the city’s skyline. In 2010,

Korea is demonstrating its prowess in building mega skyscrapers overseas since 2000.

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Ssangyong E&C constructed the Marina Bay Sands Hotel in Singapore, widely considered a contemporary version of the Leaning Tower in Pisa, Italy.When the floor plans were finished, even the project owner said that the project was “insane.”The estimated cost, when construction began in September 2007, was USD 920 million.

The real challenge, however, was to incline two of the three 57-story buildings at up to 52 degrees. This incline is nearly ten times greater than that of the Leaning Tower of Pisa, which is 5.5 degrees. Ssangyong used

Korean companies have been executing construction projects abroad for 50 years. ©Yonhap News

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several cutting-edge techniques to execute all the complex steps in the construction, including post-tension, temporary bracing installations and transfer trusses. The Marina Bay Sands is now one of Singapore’s major landmarks and an icon of tourism, and the centerpiece of Korean construction. As of 2015, the Korean construction industry has won over USD 700 billion in project order s and is now expected to overtake Germany in fifth place worldwide in terms of foreign construction sales.

Samsung C&T built the Burj Khalifa, the world’s tallest building at 828 meters. ©Shutterstock 7

The Tri-Bowl constructed by SK E&C (left) and the dynamic skyline of Incheon-Songdo International City continues to gain attention for its unique architecture. ŠShutterstock

AIMING FOR THE WORLD GLOBAL ARCHITECTURE IN KOREA

Domestic architecture fir ms are also increasingly going overseas, primarily to emerging and newly-industrialized countries, by forming consortiums with Korean construction firms.They are building trust with their clients by establishing a footing through local subsidiar ies or overseas branches and by winning design competitions and then being awarded projects.

Samwoo Architects & Engineers has offices in Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Hanoi, Shanghai and Doha. Heerim Architects & Planners has established a solid footing in Vietnam and Azerbaijan, and its overseas engineering revenues account for 20 to 30% of its total revenues. The firm recently began doing business in Bangladesh, the Philippines and Bulgaria. Junglim Architecture is working in India, Canada, Libya, mainland China and Poland. One of the major projects the

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firm won is for the construction of Lotte World in Shenyang, China, a 1.3-millionsquare-meter complex of shopping malls, a theme park, a hotel and offices.

Korea has seen the construction of many different landmarks over recent years.

These buildings were often designed by famous non-Korean architects, but were built by Korean construction companies who showed their technical prowess by completing the projects. Examples in Seoul

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The still-under-construction Lotte World Tower is one of Korea’s new landmarks in recent years.

It is the first building built in Korea to have reached 100 floors. ©Yonhap News

include the Kyobo Tower in Gwanghwamun, designed by Mario Botta and built in 2000; the SK T-Tower in Euljiro, designed

by Aaron Tan and built in 2004; the Leeum Gallery, designed by Rem Koolhaas, Jean Nouvel and Mario Botta and built in 2004; and the Ewha Campus Complex at Ewha Womans University, designed by Dominique Perrault and built in 2008. One example in Busan is the Park Hyatt Busan, designed by Daniel Libeskind and built in 2013.The construction of these distinctive

buildings can be attributed to changes in people’s perceptions of architecture, economic development and improvements in construction capabilities and general know-how. The Dongdaemun Design Plaza (DDP), designed by Zaha Hadid and built on the site of the demolished Dongdaemun Sports Complex, is an irregularly shaped building with an exterior covered with 45,133 aluminum panels. It is the perfect example of Korea’s tremendous skill at making Hadid’s unique design a reality.

Seoul’s new landmarks show the changes in people’s perceptions of architecture, economic development and improvements in construction capabilities and know-how.

The Dongdaemun Design Plaza (DDP) designed by Zaha Hadid is the perfect example of Korea’s tremendous skill at making Hadid’s unique design a reality. ©Shutterstock

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Other structures showcase the talents of Korean architects. Paju Book City in Gyeonggi-do Province is a large publishing community designed by some 40 Korean and non-Korean architects, including five coordinators: Min Hyeon-sik, Seung Hyosang, Florian Beigel, Kim Jong-gyu and Kim Yeong-jun. It is home to numerous eco-friendly buildings that were meticulously designed by outstanding architects.

Seonyudo Park in Seoul, designed by Jo Seong-ryong, is Korea’s first restored ecological park. It was once a sewage treatment plant.

KOREAN ARCHITECTS AROUND THE WORLD

Architect Seung Hyo-sang has presented his work overseas for 15 years including the master plan for the housing complexes in Chongqing and Shaoxing, Beijing. ©Yonhap News

Many Korean architects are making names for themselves around the world. One of the earliest architects was Kim Swoo-geun (1931-1986). In the 1960s, he, in his early 30s, used exposed concrete for the first time in his designs for the hilltop bar at the Sheraton Grande Walkerhill Hotel and the Namsan Freedom Center, both in Seoul.

During the 1970s and 1980s, he primarily incorporated bricks in designing Seoul’s Kyungdong Presbyter ian Church, the Samtoh Building, and public office buildings and schools. In 1971, he was awarded

the Pan-Pacific Citation of the American Institute of Architects. He also led a number of projects in Southeast Asia and the Middle East. In 1975, during the construction boom in the Middle East, he had t h e u n p re c e d e n t e d o p p o r t u n i t y t o “export” his designs for the Ekbatan housing project in Tehran. Seung Hyo-sang was the next representative architect after Kim Swoo-geun. He began his work overseas 15 years ago in Beijing and designed the

(Left)The next-generation architect Jo Min-seok received the Golden Lion Prize of the International Architecture Exhibition at the 2014 Venice Biennale. ©Yonhap News (Right) Jo designed Kakao Corporation’s main office building, “Space.1,” on Jejudo Island. ©Daum Kakao

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The Paju Book City in Gyeonggi-do Province is a large publishing community designed by some 40 Korean and non-Korean architects and the Mimesis Art Museum is one of its distinctive buildings. ©Topic

master plan for the housing complexes in Chongqing and Shaoxing. Jo Min-seok, often referred to as a next-generation architect, participated in the International Architecture Exhibition at the 2014 Venice Biennale as a commissioner for the Korea Pavilion and received the Golden Lion for Best National Pavilion out of 65 exhibitions. Designed around the history and uniqueness of the Korean Peninsula, “Crow’s-Eye View:The Korean Peninsula” demonstrated the architectural intersections and divisions that exist between South and North Korea. Jo was based in

New York before he opened his office in Seoul in 2003. He designed Kakao Corporation’s main office building Space.1 on Jejudo Island and the residential block Boutique Monaco in central Seoul.

NEW HOUSE STYLES AND CONSTRUCTION

Hotels and residential architecture alike are evolving. Traditional Hanok homes have inspired many. Gyeongwonjae is a Hanok hotel that features 30 rooms stretched across nearly seven acres in Incheon’s new Songdo business district. Ragung in Gyeongju,

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Gyeongsangbuk-do Province is a 16-suite hotel built in a traditional architectural style with a modern interior on a four-acre plot of land. In keeping with the popularity of traditional Hanok buildings, the government is promoting traditional homes as a contemporar y housing option. The National Hanok Center, established in 2011, strives to keep the traditional values of Hanok homes alive, all while working to standardize and automate the process of their construction.

Building mega structures is another trend. According to the Ministry of Land,

Infrastructure and Transport, 185 buildings higher than 30 stories were approved for construction in Korea during the first half of 2015.This is a 60% increase from the 118 buildings over the same period last year.

Some of the tallest apartments in Korea include the We’ve The Zenith Towers at 80 stories, the Haeundae I’Park at 72 stories and the LCT Tower at 85 stories, all of which are in the beach neighborhood of Haeundae in Busan. Currently, Daelim Industr ial and Hyundai Development Company are each building 29-story apartments in Sokcho in Gangwon-do Province, an area with beautiful seaside and mountain scenery.

In major cities, people are responding

to rising rents by building their own homes.

Duplexes have attracted considerable interest among urban residents over recent years.

The idea of two families building a single dwelling with two separate units and sharing a front yard has created a sensation. In some cases, young architects propose the construction of duplex houses and likeminded families come together to create a large residential complex as a cooperative.

Other housing options include micro houses, which are usually built on plots of land only 33 square meters, and collective housing.The concept of micro houses originated in Japan. It is popular among younger people, many of whom are overwhelmed by the soaring real estate prices and rents

and are dissatisfied with the impersonal, uniform apartment arrangements. Seoul’s Malli-dong Artists Cooperative -- the M. A. Coop for short -- is a housing project in which units were presold to artists who then participated in designing their own homes and became members of a housing cooperative.Twenty-nine artists from various fields, including art, architecture, film, literature and music, moved into these homes, and the project’s architects received the 2015 Young Architect Award. These new, creative architectural styles and concepts testify to the fast-changing construction environment and the foundation on which contemporary Korean architecture can develop.

Some of the tallest apartment buildings in Korea include the We've the Zenith Towers at 80 stories, the Haeundae I'Park at 72 stories and the LCT Tower at 85 stories in Haeundae, Busan. ©Topic 12

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interview

Seoul’s Architectural Potential Professor Kim Yeong-jun Executive Director of the sixth Seoul Architecture Festival

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he sixth Seoul Architecture Festival, held from October 8 through November 8, 2015, features presentations by ten artists, tours around a city that is home to famous architects and open houses at some 57 buildings. The event allows architects to communicate and interact with ordinary residents. Together, they discover and visit places that can be described as great architecture and share a common understanding about the city where groups of different people live in harmony with one another.

While devising plans to develop the Seoul Architecture Festival into a biennale, I think about what great architecture means today. Festival or biennale, finding answers to this question is the ultimate goal. Just as architectural principles were established based on the answers to this question in

The architecture industry and the government are working closely to make Korean architecture global.

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many cities around the world over the years, Seoul will have its opportunity through this event to figure out its own answers as architects and visitors come together. Why, then, should we determine what is good architecture in Seoul today? I believe the reason lies in the fact that Korea has focused heavily on quantitative growth.

This is now the perfect time to take stock of Korean architecture, which has so far involved primarily building large square apartment complexes and redeveloping properties with haste, and to find ways to build quality homes and offices in a more balanced manner. Architect Kuma Kengo once said that he had been deeply impressed by the narrow alleyways of Korea, but there are many other aspects of Korean society that make Korean architecture globally competitive. Korea has many unique spaces that have been created throughout its years of rapid growth.These spaces possess great potential for buildings that could be recognized worldwide. Many young Korean architects and students are lauded around the world, and they have the ability to realize that vision.

The architecture industry and the gover nment are working closely to make Korean architecture global. The Presidential Committee on Architectural Culture and Construction Technology and the Presidential Commission on Architecture Policy were both established as part of these efforts. As with everything, no drastic changes will occur overnight. We need to continue creating an environment in which architecture can develop and great architects can grow.

PEOPLE

Superstar Prima Donna Sumi Jo Dubbed “a voice from above” by Herbert von Karajan, Jo will soon celebrate 30 years of performances.

Written by HONG HYE-WON

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he popular music show “Immortal Songs” featur­es songs by legendary artists, rearranged and sung by singers competing against each other. Sumi Jo recently made a special appearance on the show, onto which Welsh classical singing star Paul Potts was invited to sing Jo’s favorite Korean song alongside the singer Ali. Jo sang several songs herself, including “At a Flower Garden” from her latest pop album, “Adagio” and “Bravour Variationen.” She received thunderous applause. Her appearance on the show attracted even more attention as she sported short hair and a beautiful black dress. After the show, Jo and her songs became trending topics on Korea’s top online search portals and music streaming sites. In August, Jo r­eleased her first pop album "Geu.Ri.Da.” and has been on a nationwide tour concert since September.

became the first Asian soprano to perform in the world’s most prestigious opera houses, including La Scala in Milan, the Metropolitan Opera House in New York, the Royal Opera House in London, the Vienna State Opera and the Théâtre National de l'Opéra de Paris. In 1993, she was named Best Soprano of the Year at the sixth La Siola d'Oro in Italy and won a Grammy Award for Best Opera Recording.

She has the perfect voice to sing a dramatic, coloratura repertoire.

PRIMA DONNA IN TOUCH WITH HER AUDIENCE

Sumi Jo performed at a special classical music performance titled the “Korean World Star Series,” celebrating the 25th anniversary of the Seoul Arts Center in 2013.

BIRTH OF A COLORATURA SOPRANO

In Salzburg in 1988, a young Asian singer with a ponytail stood in front of legendary conductor Herbert von Karajan (19081989). Two years earlier, her European operatic debut as Gilda in Verdi's “Rigoletto” at the Teatro Comunale Giuseppe Verdi in Trieste, Italy, led Karajan to cast her as Oscar in Verdi’s “A Masked Ball” for the Salzburg Festival. After her song, the conductor praised her voice, saying, “Where have you been all these years? You have a voice from above.This is the kind of voice I could only hear once in a hundred years.”

Sumi Jo will celebrate 30 years as a

renowned soprano in 2016. She says that working with Herbert von Karajan was one of the most memorable moments of her career. “He loved me as if I were his own granddaughter. I was with him about eight hour s before he passed away. I remember every single moment I spent with him.” She was the last soprano to be discovered and mentored by the maestro, who had always been interested in finding talented singers. Her international career took off incredibly quickly afterward. She

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Jo travels around the world throughout the year, staging performance after performance. Her musical spectrum reaches beyond classical music. “Artists usually live on an island of their own, so it is difficult to communicate with the outside world. In today’s world, however, artists can easily become isolated if they fail to arouse people’s interest. I don’t adhere to any particular genre of music. Sometimes, I feel that I am more of an entertainer than a musician.

Having been trained in classical music, I try to make my expression of music relatable to a greater number of people,” says Jo. In 2000, her crossover album “Only Love” sold over one million copies.The songs she sang for Korean soap operas and during the 2002 FIFA World Cup were as popular as any pop song. In August, she featured both classical and pop music in a concert for the first time in her career, and the audience loved it. She recently walked the red carpet

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at the Busan International Film Festival. “I made a cameo appearance in Paolo Sorrentino’s latest film, ‘Youth.’” It is the story of two aging friends -- a world renowned composer and a famous movie director -on vacation at an expensive Swiss resort, contemplating their lives and talking about art. I had a great time shooting the film. I had always admired Sorrentino, and he helped me immensely because I’m not an actress. I was happy to be in the film to represent my country,” says Jo. WHAT DOES THE FUTURE HOLD

Jo has over 50 recordings to her name. Her awards and honors include an Artist of Peace by UNESCO in 2003, the International Puccini Award in 2008, of which she was the first non-Italian recipient, and sing ing at the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games. She attr ibutes her successful 30-year career as a globally beloved soprano to her pursuit of new challenges.

There is a Korean saying,“Stagnant water is bound to corrupt.” Jo firmly believes that she needs to continue evolving as a performer.

Jo is also a dedicated philanthropist.

She holds benefit concerts to support children, youth and people with disabilities.

She is a staunch supporter of animal rights, too. “I have lived my life as if I were fighting a war every day. I needed to prove to everyone that I have the talent and capacity to become a prima donna. Now, I want to give all the love I have received back to the people who need it.”

© Yong-ho Kim, Auditorium

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PEOPLE

Artist of Hangeul, Geum Bo-seong He never ceases to try something new with his art of Korean letters.

Written by CHUNG KYU-YOUNG Photographed by Moon Duk-kwan

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iewers who can’t read Korean wonder what my artworks portray. I tell them that they por tray Hangeul, the Korean alphabet, and they ask me back, ‘Does Korea have its own writing system?’”

Geum Bo-seong uses Hangeul for all of his works, be they paintings, sculptures or installations. For the past 30 years, he has shown that Korean letters and syllabic blocks can be used for great works of art.

His goal is to showcase to the world Korea’s r ich history, culture and Hangeul, the alphabet itself. In particular, he wants to instill a greater sense of pride among the

Koreans.“The ‘han’ in ‘Hangeul’ means ‘big’ or ‘great,’ but it is not about size. Rather, it represents the vast universe in which we live. Another word for Chuseok is Hangawi, which means ‘the great middle of autumn,’ as the holiday is celebrated on the 15th day of the eighth lunar month. Similarly, the ‘han’ here is not about the size of the moon.

Through my art, I want to share the ideas and emotions that Hangeul represents,” says Geum.

THE FIRST HANGEUL ARTIST

Earlier artists, such as Nam Gwan (1911-

Geum has shown that Korean letters and syllabic blocks can be used for great works of art.

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1990) and Lee Ungno (1904-1989), drew inspiration from classical and modern Chinese characters, which are pictograms or ideograms, for their abstract art. Geum was the first artist to use Hangeul, which is clusters of syllabic blocks, in his works. He says,“No artist before me ever used Hangeul in art.This afforded me greater opportunities because I had never studied art in school and there was no one for me to emulate.”

Geum is also a poet. He began his literary career in high school. “One day, I realized that I could add colors to my poems to

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create paintings. So that is what I did. I have been writing poetry and painting pictures since I was 16 years old. I had my first exhibition three years later,” says Geum. He never felt the need for professional art training. “All I need for my art is a brush, paint and time. I truly believe that I can actually learn more ‘specifically’ because I have not received any formal training.”

All the letters and letter clusters in his works have meaning. “I make sculptures with words that are beautiful and that make our hearts swell, such as ‘love,’ ‘happiness,’ ‘mother’ and ‘motherland,’” says Geum. His method of separating vowels and consonants and assembling them in different ways is inspired by deconstructionism in the literature of the 1960s. “If viewers ask what my works mean, I explain it to them.

Otherwise, I don’t. I believe that the meaning is carried by the sculptures themselves, just as my poems and paintings are not separate from each other.”

Geum’s paintings are not actually flat because he applies multiple layers of paint.

Each work takes about one month to paint and three months to completely dry. Over the years, he has tried combining Hangeul with round shapes, such as people’s faces or ceramics, in order to break the stereotype that Hangeul is not suitable for art because it consists mostly of straight lines. “Of all the works I have done over the past 30 years, I have the most attachment to those I created in the early years. Each work shows all of my thoughts that went into creating them.” Besides Geum, there are over 20 other Hangeul artists today, including Ahn Bong-gyun.

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Geum created giant coastal defense structures (tetrapods) out of rubber in various colors.

The shape of tetrapods is similar to the letter of Hangeul, siot (ㅅ).

For the past 30 years, he has strived to show that Hangeul letters and syllabic blocks can be used to make great works of art.

NEW ERA, NEW INSPIRATIONS

Geum is very prolific. He has had at least one exhibition every year throughout his career and has never had an assistant. A few years ago, his doctor advised him to take some time off because his shoulder cartilage had worn out. Instead of taking a break, however, he chose to create his art in a different manner. He has since been cre-

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ating sculptures and installations using a range of materials, including Styrofoam, balloons, metals and stones. “I need to continue trying new things to grow and evolve.

I want to use common, everyday materials.

I succeeded in creating art with Hangeul letters when no one thought I could. I am doing the same now with all the materials I use,” says Geum with confidence.

In summer 2015, Geum created giant coastal defense structures, called tetrapods, out of rubber in various colors for the Seaside Art Festival in Yeosu, Jeollanam-do Province. Why did he not use Hangeul?

“The shape of the tetrapods is similar to the letter siot (ㅅ). Summer is the season when art galleries are the least busy. So I decided to float my tetrapods on the sea to bring the art to more viewers,” says Geum.

The next thing he plans to do is to participate in the International Art Fair at the 2015 Cheongju International Craft Biennale. “At the art fair, I will be weaving a carpet with Hangeul letterings. To me, contemporary art is about expressing what we feel at the moment. I look for new materials to express our changing society,” says Geum. Just as he created art with Hangeul, which no one thought possible, he is now incorporating different materials that have yet to be used in art.

travel

Asan, City of History and Healing A walk through the picturesque historical sites and an afternoon at a therapeutic hot springs will rejuvenate travellers to this city.

Written by CHUNG DA-YOUNG Photographed by Moon Duk-kwan

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n Chungcheongnam-do Province, between Seoul and Daejeon, Asan is an old historical city that was founded during the Baekje period (18 B.C. – A.D. 660). For hundreds of years, the city was well-known for its hot springs. The three most popular spas are Onyang Hot Springs, Asan Hot Springs and Dogo Hot Springs. Onyang Hot Springs is the oldest hot springs in the world.

First discovered more than 1,300 years ago, the hot springs at Onyang became popular throughout the country for the healing and medicinal effects of the water.

The alkaline water is rich in natural minerals, such as magnesium sulfate and calcium carbonate, and is effective treatment for arthritis, skin problems, high blood pressure and various geriatric diseases.The “Donggungnyeoji-seungnam,” a geographical record of Korea printed in 1530, states that the kings of Joseon (1392-1910) travelled to Onyang to bathe in the hot springs, to relax and to treat their illnesses. King Sejong (r. 1418-1450) built a palace near the hot springs and stayed there for 90 days to treat an eye ailment. Other later rulers came to Onyang on vacation or to stop by to rest during their tours and inspections of rural areas. However, kings were not the only historical figures to make the city famous.

HYEONCHUNGSA SHRINE

The shrine to Admiral Yi Sun-shin (15451598), the Hyeonchungsa Shrine, is at the foot of Banghwasan Mountain, just north of Asan city center. Admiral Yi was famed for his victories against Hideyoshi’s navy of Japan during the invasions of Joseon at the end of the 16th century. He is one of the most revered figures in Korean history, respected for his exemplary conduct not only on the battlefield but also in life.

The shrine was built in 1706, over 100 years after his death, in Asan where he grew up and lived as a young man. Scholars from

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Chungcheongnam-do Province petitioned King Sukjong (r. 1674-1720) for permission to build the shrine. King Sukjong himself named the shrine Hyeonchungsa, which means “Shrine of Loyalty,” a trait for which Admiral Yi was well known. The current buildings were renovated in 1932 and the vast grounds are immaculately well kept. The forest surrounding the shrine provides the perfect backdrop for a leisurely stroll around the grounds.The shrine houses many artifacts related to Admiral Yi, including the “Sipgyeongdo,” a pictorial biography of his portrait and his life story, the “Nanjung Ilgi,” the personal diary of Admiral Yi written during the invasions, and his sword, Treasure No. 326.Visitors can also see the home where Admiral Yi lived as a young man and the training grounds where he practiced horseback r iding and archery. It is even said that Admiral Yi respectfully placed his targets southward, opposite the direction of the king who resided toward the north.

Visitors can get a glimpse of traditional Joseon life at the Oeam Folk Village.

Joseon period is the Asan Hyanggyo. A hyanggyo was a government-run Confucian school during Joseon times.They were established in provincial areas to educate the children of the ruling elite. The Asan Hyanggyo was originally located east of Asan, but was moved to its current location in 1575.There is a main building where the classes were held and a dormitory for students. Behind the main building is the shrine where the mortuary tablets of four Chinese Confucian scholars and 18 Korean Confucian scholars are enshrined. In the early 1900s, the country implemented a modern educational system and Confucian schools lost their function as educational institutes. However, even today, ceremonies are still held at the schools every spring and fall to remember the ethics and the teachings of ancient scholars.

OEAM FOLK VILLAGE

The Oeam Folk Village is a quaint country town of 86 traditional Hanok homes and smaller straw thatched roofed houses founded almost 500 years ago. It is believed that the village prospered and emerged as a

ASAN HYANGGYO

Another historical site in Asan from the

The spirit of Admiral Yi Sun-shin is still alive at the Hyeonchungsa Shrine.

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major clan village when a nobleman named Lee Jeong, an official in the Joseon court, settled in the village with his family. The town is still home to 69 households, and many are part of the Lee clan. The traditional Hanok homes exude a palpable feeling of warmth and tradition across the Oeam village.

The village is unique in several respects. There are various types of upper, middle and lower class houses, each built according to traditional methods, so visitors can see the different architectural styles of houses from the Joseon period. The stream that runs through the village served as an artificial waterway and also for firefighting. Many of the houses have gardens typical of the style of late Joseon. The gardens of Champan House, Geonjae Old House and Gamchal House are highlyregarded and quite unique.

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Gongseri Catholic Church in Asan was built in 1894 as the first church in Chungcheongnam-do Province.

HOT SPRINGS

A visit to Asan would not be complete without a dip in the hot springs. Once a hot springs resort for Joseon kings, Asan is still the getaway destination for recuperation and relaxation. There are many hot spring facilities to choose from, ranging from upscale hotel spas and resort-like swimming pools filled with hot spring water, to public bath houses with foot baths for travellers who come for a shorter stay.

The waters at Onyang Hot Springs reach up to 58 degrees Celsius, which is hot even for hot springs. The Onyang Hot Spring Hotel is equipped with upscale hot spring facilities, and is home to a museum about the history of Onyang. The water at Dogo hot springs is sulfur-infused, unlike the alkaline waters at Onyang.Women flock to Dogo since the water there reportedly dissolves dead skin cells and makes the skin soft and glowing. Asan is also famous for its large spa facilities, such as the Asan Oncheontang and Asan Spavis, which can accommodate around 3,000 people at a time. These spas have pools for different health purposes and play pools for children.

What to eat Asan is a popular tourist city which means that there is a bit of everything from which visitors can choose. Beotgoeul (Tel: 041-532-5211; 96-6 Sinseong 2-gu, Seonjang-myeon, Asan) serves braised beef ribs (galbijjim) with a variety of side dishes that cover the entire table. Cheondo Sikdang (Tel: 041-533-9141; 20 Chungmu-ro 82-gil, Asan) is frequented by locals for its delicious fish dishes. Customers can order mackerel, hairtail or herring grilled or braised in spicy sauce.

Where to stay You can find many different accommodations in this tourist city. The Onyang Hot Springs Hotel and the Paradise Spa Dogo are major leisure facilities with large pools fed by hot spring water year-round, and they offer a variety of water activities. Smaller tourist hotels can be found in the Onyang, Asan and Dogo hot springs tourist district. For a more traditional experience, the Oeam Folk Village offers entire houses accommodating four to 15 guests. These houses have modern bathrooms and fully equipped kitchens.

Seoul 30min

Asan

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Getting there The fastest way to travel to Asan is by KTX train from Seoul Station to Cheonan-Asan Station. The 30-minute journey will take you to the station on the edge of Asan, and from there, buses and taxis are available to downtown Asan. The Mugunghwaho train from Yongsan Station to Onyang-oncheon Station will take you right to the center of the Onyang Hot Springs tourist district. The journey takes 90 minutes and tickets cost KRW 14,000 per person, about USD 12. Seoul Metropolitan Subway Line 1 extends to this station also. The journey takes two hours from City Hall Station.

SPORTS

Fostering Peace and Friendship Through Military Games The armed forces of countries from across the globe unite in friendship at the world’s largest military games competition in Mungyeong.

Written by JULIANNA CHUNG

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rom October 2 to 11, 2015, 7,000 military service personnel from all over the world gathered in Mungyeong, Gyeongsangbuk-do Province to participate in the sixth CISM World Games 2015.

The Conseil International du Sport Miliatire (CISM), also known as the International Military Sports Council, was founded in 1948 to further world peace by uniting and strengthening fr iendships among international military personnel

through a sports competition. Run by active-duty military personnel, the CISM supervised the first Military World Games in Rome in 1995, in which 93 countries competed in 17 different sports to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the end of World War II. The Military World Games have since been held every four years. Their motto is,“Friendship through Sport.”There are now 133 CISM member countries and the sports include military specialties such

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as orienteering, parachuting, shooting, the aeronautical pentathlon, the military pentathlon and the naval pentathlon.

WE ARE ONE

The sixth CISM World Games kicked off on October 2, with a pre-ceremonial air show by Korea’s flight demonstration team, the Black Eagles, at the Korea Ar med Forces Athletic Corps (KAFAC) Sports Complex. The official opening ceremony

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Splendid,” bringing the service members from around the globe onto the main field as they all joined hands in dance.

LARGEST CISM WORLD GAMES

Images provided by the Organizing Committee for the sixth CISM World Games Mungyeong, Korea 2015

The Polish military delegation enters the main stadium at the opening ceremony.

produced by Han Jung-gu, director of the opening and closing ceremonies at the 1988 Seoul Olympics, and directed by Son Jin-cheak, orchestrator of the opening and closing ceremonies at the 2002 FIFA World Cup, then followed in the evening. South Korea’s honor guards and special forces taekwondo team gave demonstrations. Militar y delegations from each countr y marched into the stadium in unifor m.

President Park Geun-hye gave the opening speech.

With a theme of, “We Are One,” this year, the performances at the opening ceremony depicted Korea’s history while uniting the soldiers from around the world.

Performances included dances inspired by the hwarang, an elite group of young soldiers during Silla times (57 B.C.-A.D. 935).

Other highlights included a traditional Korean game that commemorates a battle fought in 935. It involves two teams of men holding their respective commanders on top of large log frames on their shoulders.

Under the commander’s orders, they try to knock down the opponent’s log frame.The show culminated in a finale with a soldier’s dance inspired by “Kwaejina Chingching Nane,” a Korean folk song meaning, “How

The sixth CISM World Games 2015 was the largest in CISM World Games history, with 24 sports, 117 participating countries and 7,000 athletes

The sixth CISM World Games 2015 were the largest in history, with 24 sports, 117 participating countries and 7,000 athletes.

Brazil dispatched the biggest delegation of 277 athletes, followed by Korea with 271 and China and Russia each with 226. Forty nonmember countries were invited, of which 17 sent a delegation. North Korea did not participate in the games despite having participated in previous World Military Games.

This was also the first CISM World Games to include competitions for paraathletes, allowing wounded veterans to compete in track and field, shot put and archery.

The games took place across eight cities in Gyeongsangbuk-do Province and the theme this year was, “Fr iendship Together, Peace Forever.” Cycling took place on a circuit through downtown Mungyeong. Wrestling was held at the Mungyeong Indoor Gymnasium, also in downtown Mungyeong. Basketball and golf were hosted in the city of Andong.

Shooting was held in Daegu and Yeongcheon. The archery field was in Yecheon, and sailing and skydiving competitions took place in the port city of Pohang.

The city of Mungyeong is on the border between Gyeongsangbuk-do Province and Chungcheongbuk-do Province. It has a long, storied history reaching all the way back to the Proto-Three Kingdoms period (c. B.C. 100s - A.D.100s). Numerous tourist attractions are promoted across the city of Mungyeong, of which the best-known is the Mungyeong Saejae, the mountain pass which was a major gateway in and out of Gyeongsangbuk-do Province. Scholars, traders and government officials from the province had to use this pass when going to or from Seoul. The three gates which were used to control traffic there are now maintained as tourist attractions. Mungyeong was also where Park Chung-hee, president of Korea from 1961 to 1979 and also President Park Geun-hye’s father, was a teacher before entering the Manchukuo Imperial Army.

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ENTERTAINMENT

Portrait of a Tragedy The musical “The Last Empress” celebrates 20 years on stage.

Written by KIM NAE-ON

“The Last Empress” was completely remade in 2015 for its 20th anniversary. © Acom

“R

ise, O people. This is the land we must all protect. One step forward there is the glory of freedom and independence.

One step backwards and we will face suffer ing and persecution. We shall come together with courage and wisdom to protect our nation with our lives. We shall guard the bright shining sun in the east.

May Joseon thr ive and prosper!” sings Empress Myeongseong in front of her people who are in agony and despair in the final aria, “Rise, O People,” of the musical “The Last Empress.” Since its debut in December 1995, Korea’s first or iginal musical, “The Last Empress,” has moved audiences for 20 years.

PEOPLE’S SORROW AND THE BIRTH OF A HEROINE

Empress Myeongseong (1851-1895) was the wife of Emperor Gojong (r. 1863-

1907), the 26th monarch of Joseon (13921910). She lived a rather tragic life in the closing years of the Joseon period. She established strategic ties with Western powers at the risk of incurring political disagreements with her father-in-law, the Heungseon Daewongun (1820-1898).

People today have mixed opinions about her. Some say she helped her husband uphold the sovereignty of the nation against invaders. Others say she failed to care for the people and instead merely chased power. Nonetheless, all agree that she was an unfortunate victim of Korea’s tragic history, as she was brutally assassinated by the Japanese government. “The Last Empress” is an attempt to encourage viewers to take a closer look at her life.

Yun Ho-jin, director and producer of “The Last Empress,” rose to prominence in 1977 at the age of 28 with his play “Island”

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and directed a number of other plays, including “Agnes of God” and “Death Song.” He moved to New York to complete a master's in performing arts at New York University in 1984. Upon his return, he was eager to make an original musical that could appeal to people of all ages. He took an interest in telling the story of the assassination of Empress Myeongseong, which provokes feelings of both sorrow and anger among people. He asked novelist Lee Mun-yeol to write a play about the assassination and after two years of research Lee wrote “Fox Hunting.” “Fox Hunting” was the term that the Japanese colonial troops used for their assassination of the empress. Based on this play, Yun started building the structure of his musical with a team of professionals, including playwright Kim Gwang-rim, composer Kim Hui-gap, lyr icist Yang In-ja, choreographer Seo

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Byeong-gu, stage designer Park Dong-u and musical director Kolleen Park. About 70% of the songs in the musical are based on the five basic notes of traditional Korean music: gung, sang, gak, chi and u. The entire play was written like an opera to add an element of spectacle.

On December 30, 1995,Yun’s longawaited musical made its debut at the Seoul Arts Center Opera House. The stirring music, extravagant costumes and dynamic choreog raphy immediately attracted throngs of viewers.That year, the show sold 53,000 tickets in Seoul alone.

“The Last Empress” took the domestic musical scene by storm, demonstrating the common values held by the Korean people.

The musical was a great representation of the legitimate criticisms that are made of Japan and the Japanese government as it continually tr ies to justify its colonial oppression. The musical also reconsidered the traditional gender roles played by women. The artists’ sense of responsibility to produce an originally “Korean” work was also an important factor in the great success of the musical. During a time of difficult financial and social circumstances, the Korean people were yearning for a new hero and “The Last Empress” gave them true catharsis. The success of the musical inspired other works about Empress Myeongseong, including the 2009 film “The Sword With No Name,” encouraging people to see the tragic historical figure in new lights.

In 1997,“The Last Empress” became the first Asian musical to be performed in New York, and it was presented in English in London in 2002

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million tickets during its 20-year run.

“The Last Empress” was recently given a dramatic makeover in celebration of its 20th anniversary. One of the new songs is “I Will Endure the Weight of Fate,” sung together by Empress Myeongseong, Emperor Gojong and Hong Gye-hun, the captain of the empress’ guards. The musical finished its latest run in Seoul and will continue in cities across the countr y, including Cheonan,Yeosu, Gunpo, Ulsan, Busan and Daegu, until the end of this year. Empress Myeongseong, or ig inally played by renowned veterans Yun Seok-hwa and Lee Tae-won, is now played by seasoned musical stars Kim So-hyeon and Shin Yeongsuk.Yun Ho-jin hopes to keep his musical fresh and updated, to continue staging performances for decades to come until it becomes a global household name like the operas of Giacomo Puccini or Giuseppe Verdi.

MAKING HISTORY OF ORIGINAL MUSICALS

In 1996, “The Last Empress” swept the Korea Musical Awards by winning six awards, including the Best Musical of the Year. It became the first Asian musical to be performed at the New York State Theater at the Lincoln Center in 1997, and it was staged in English at London’s Apollo Theater in 2002.The year 2009 saw its 1,000th perfor mance, and in 2010, it won the National Brand Award. It has sold over 1.6 Actress Kim So-hyeon plays Empress Myeongseong. © Acom 25

SPECIAL ISSUE

130 Years between Korea and France Craft, fashion and graphic design from Korea at the Musée des Arts Décoratifs, Paris show the past, present and future of Korean aesthetics.

Written by JULIANNA CHUNG

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rom September 19, 2015, to January 3, 2016, the Musée des Arts Décoratifs, Paris is presenting a special exhibition titled “Korea Now! Craft, Fashion and Graphic Design in Korea.” It is part of festivities to celebrate the 130th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties between Seoul and Paris. It is chaired by Henri Loyrette and in partnership with the Korea Craft & Design Foundation. It is the second-largest event planned for the FranceKorea year festivities. They kicked off on September 16, 2015, with Korean Prime Minister Hwang Kyo-ahn and French Prime Minster Manuel Valls viewing artifacts at the opening ceremony.The exhibition presents more than 1,500 pieces of art, craft and design by 150 artists, artisans, designers, fashion designers and graphic designers across three sections: crafts, fashion and graphic design.

Contemporary Korean Crafts

Images provided by the Korea Craft & Design Foundation

The crafts section, directed by Rheem Mi-sun, former director of the Clayarch Gimhae Museum, features 890 craftworks made out of metal, ceramics, textile, glass and lacquerware by 105 artists. According to Director Rheem, the crafts exhibition

Korean typography works are on display in the graphics section.

tries to, “identify the perceptual elements of craft--the physical realization of human behavior and lifestyle--as life, labor and language.” Homage, resonance and being hybrids are considered the salient features of contemporary Korean crafts. Various slices of society coexist in these crafts, and the exhibition sheds light on their dynamic and multi-layered aspects.This affords visitors an opportunity to gain a better understanding of Korean emotions and to see the balanced beauty of contemporary Korean crafts, which are “global yet local, traditional yet contemporary.”

The artworks are categorized into three groups based on how they were made: one, modern craftsmen using diverse media, such as lacquer, mother-of-pearl, ox horn, mulberry paper, brass, silver, ceramics, furniture and jewelry; two, people who are holders of Important Intangible Cultural Heritage skills who preserve traditional Korean crafts in their original forms; and, three, young designers and veteran craftsmen who work together in collaboration.

The Five Colors of Korea

The fashion section presents 270 creations by major Korean f ashion designer s.

Directed by stylist Suh Young-hee, the exhibition, titled “OBANG: Five Colors in Korean Mode,” is themed on the traditional East Asian philosophy of five colors and five directions, called the obang in President Park Geun-hye's Hanbok dresses are on display in the fashion section.

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Korean, which express concepts about traditional cosmology. Red, symbolic of dynamic movement and desire, represents the south.Yellow, the color of nobility and abundance, represents the center. Black is symbolic of wisdom and consilience and represents the north. Blue symbolizes highmindedness and integrity and represents the east. Finally, white, the color of holiness and innocence, represents the west. The fashion exhibition also features traditional Hanbok dresses, giving a glimpse into how traditional clothing has transformed and how Hanbok was the essential source of inspiration for all the designers, including modern and contemporary designers.Two of President Park Geun-hye's Hanbok dresses are on display there. She wore one of them during her inauguration on February 25, 2013, and the other on her visit to the U.K. the following November.

Modern Graphic Design

Finally, in the graphic design exhibition, director Choi Bum exhibits the two origins of Korean graphic design: one from the 1980s and another from the 1990s. He then projects the passion of Korean graphic designers for typography, and particularly for the Hangeul alphabet that was invented in the 15th century. The emerging artists’ openness to Western influences and their search for independence and creative freedom is also apparent.

CURRENT KOREA

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n Korea, a “goose dad” is a father who lives alone after having sent his children abroad to study under the care of his wife.

In recent years, a new type of goose dad has emerged. Fathers no longer send their wives and children abroad. Mothers who have jobs of their own outside the home live in their parents’ homes with her children during the week and come home for the weekend. The new goose dads live through each week alone to accommodate their wives’ busy schedules and only unite with their families on the weekends.

FATHERS TAKE FAMILY LEAVE

According to Statistics Korea, 43.9% of all

families in Korea had double incomes as of October 2014. In other words, nearly one out of every two mothers works full time outside the home.The number of working women has increased rapidly in recent years because there are more women than men in Korean society.The Ministry of the Interior’s population data estimates that t h e re we re 2 5 , 7 1 5 , 7 9 6 wo m e n a n d 25,715,304 men in June 2015.There were 492 more women than men. By August 2015, the gap had grown to 4,804.This was the first time that the number of women exceeded that of men since the 1960s.

Society has changed in many ways as the percentage and number of women has

increased and as more women continue building their professional careers after marriage. In line with this, more and more men are taking paternity leave. This is extraordinary, in light of the strongly patriarchal family structures based on Confucian tradition that prevail across Korea.

Society still stigmatizes men who take parental leave. It is difficult for men to receive approval for leave from their bosses, though fathers are increasingly making the brave move. In the first half of 2015, 5.1% of the people who took parental leave were men. This is still a low figure, but it is the first time it exceeded 5%. A total of 2,212 fathers took paternity leave in the first half

Korean Men, Ver. 2.0 Men are increasingly getting involved in homemaking and child-rearing.

Written by YI EUN-SEOK

Young fathers today do not see childcare as part of the job they have to share with their wives, but as part of becoming great fathers. ©Yonhap News 28

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According to Confucian tradition, men were forbidden from entering the kitchen, but the kitchen is now becoming home ground for men. ©Yonhap News

of 2015, a 40% increase from 1,573 in the same period in 2014. Other men are working fewer hours to spend more time taking care of their children.

This year, the gover nment began encouraging fathers to take parental leave, calling it “father’s month.” Under the current system, fathers are paid 100% of their basic wage under the Labor Standards Act for their one-month leave, and they will receive such benefits for three months starting in 2016.Young fathers today do not see childcare as part of the job they have to share with their wives, but as part of becoming great fathers.They have a strong desire to spend more time with their children in their early years because lost time is never found again.These fathers are building communities of their own. One community, Fathers Over Flowers, based in Daegu, consists of men who write about parenting for newspapers, publish books or have parenting blogs. They are the best advocates of paternity leave and paternal childcare.

More and more fathers are taking the bold move to ask for paternity leave, despite society’s stigma against it.

WORKING MOMS AND STAY-AT-HOME DADS

Fathers are becoming more reasonable in their financial decision-making, too. Many

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no longer hold the traditional belief that men should be the financial providers, and instead choose to become stay-at-home dads. If one of the parents has to stay at home, it would be rational for the one with the lower income to be the homemaker.

Many wives’ incomes are now higher than those of their husbands. The newfound popularity of chefs and cooking on reality TV is raising women’s interest in men who can cook. According to Confucian tradition, men were forbidden from entering the kitchen, but the kitchen is now becoming home ground for them.

Sadly, some statistical data suggest that men are suffering from reverse discrimination. A recent survey of men in their 20s and 30s showed that 80.6% of men think that they have not been properly rewarded for their compulsory military service.They also responded that they face discrimination in college, in the dating scene and at work.Thus, heterophobia has emerged as a serious discussion topic online. Men were once derided by some women as “kimchinam,” or “kimchi men,” for holding patriarchal values. Such women compared Korean men with Western men who are relatively more liberal on gender roles and are more involved in homemaking and childcare. In response, the men called these women “kimchi-nyeo,” or “kimchi women,” for being concerned only about their own rights and interests.

Hans Rosling, a statistician and professor of global health at Sweden's Karolinska Institute, said in an interview during his recent visit to Seoul that women’s empower ment is the answer to Korea’s social issues, including the low birth rate, aging population and slow economic growth. He shared the case of Sweden and Norway, which both experienced these issues many years ago, claiming that women’s empowerment and gender equality solved the issues. His comments reaffirmed the fact that advances in women’s rights will make life better for both women and men in Korea.

Summit Diplomacy

President Park Geun-hye (left) and U.S. President Barack Obama (right) held a joint press conference after the Korea-U.S. summit at the White House on October 17. © Cheong Wa Dae

President Park’s Official Visit to the U.S. and Keynote Speech at the United Nations President Park reaffirmed the country’s alliance with the U.S. to work against North Korea’s threat and promote peace on the Korean Peninsula and called for Korean reunification at the United Nations General Assembly.

EXCERPT FROM KOREA.NET

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n October 13, President Park Geun-hye began her official visit to the U.S. and held summit talks with U.S. President Barack Obama. During the three day visit, President Park visited the NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, the first visit by a Korean leader in 50 years, and also visited the Pentagon for the first time to reaffirm the South-Korea-U.S. defense alliance.

Prior to the official visit, the president delivered a keynote speech at the 70th U.N. General Assembly in New York on September 28. It was President Park's first speech at the UN. She is also the first Korean leader to participate in a UN Secur ity Council meeting and speak to its members.

KOREA-U.S. ALLIANCE KEY AXIS OF PEACE AND PROSPERITY

President Park Geun-hye visited the Pentagon, headquarters of the U.S. Department of Defense, on October 15 in a step to strengthen and reconfirm the Korea-U.S. alliance. President Park discussed with U.S. Secretary of Defense Ashton Carter issues involving the Korean Peninsula, including the North Korean nuclear weapons program, and bilateral cooperation on cyber security and in the space sector.

“The Korea-U.S. alliance is the key axis of stability, peace and prosperity in the Asia-Pacific. Both countries will develop themselves into global partners that will protect our common values and ideals,” said President Park.

“We need to make efforts to prepare for North Korea’s threats in terms of cyber security and in the space sector. In this regard, I hope that Korea and the U.S. can extend their cooperation in a comprehensive, strategic manner,” she added.

Secretary Carter responded by saying that the will of the U.S. to defend the Korean Peninsula has been as strong as steel throughout many years, and that it would remain so in the future.

After visiting the Pentagon, she met

with Vice President Joseph Biden and exchanged views on Seoul-Washington cooperation on issues involving the Korean Peninsula, Northeast Asia and other global issues. On the same day, President Park emphasized the need to expand cooperation between Korea and the U.S. on bilateral trade, investment, innovation and startu p s . S h e wa s s p e a k i n g a t t h e 2 7 t h U.S.-Korea Business Council that was hosted by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce.

At the council, she urged Korean and U.S. managers to play a leading role so that both countries could build an innovative economic relationship. To extend bilateral cooperation, she highlighted the need to bolster free trade partnerships, such as the Korea-U.S. free trade agreement (FTA), to create a business-friendly environment to increase mutual investment, and to strengthen their partnership in the creative industries by supporting innovation and startups.

Later that day, President Park praised the role played by the Korea-U.S. alliance and proposed a future direction for it at the Center for Strategic and International

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Studies (CSIS), a think tank. In her speech about the evolution of the Korea-U.S. alliance and the way in which it can open new horizons, she praised the role played by the Korea-U.S. alliance.

She said the bilateral alliance functioned as a central pivot for Korea’s policies in both diplomacy and secur ity, while pointing out that it is particularly significant today as this year marks the 70th anniversary of the end of World War II and of Korea’s division and independence. The president also proposed a future vision of the Seoul-Washington alliance in regard to global issues, including the Korean Peninsula and Northeast Asia.

JOINT PRESS CONFERENCE

Korean and U.S. leaders formally released the “2015 Republic of Korea and United States of Amer ica Joint Statement on North Korea” on October 17.

In the statement, both leaders stated that North Korea’s continual development of nuclear and ballistic missiles is an ongoing violation of multiple U.N. Security Council resolutions.They warned that, “In

President Park Geun-hye was greeted by the honor guard during her welcoming ceremony at the Pentagon on October 15. © Cheong Wa Dae

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particular, if North Korea carries out a launch using ballistic missile technology or a nuclear test, it will face consequences, including seeking further significant measures by the U.N. Security Council.”

In the joint press conference following the summit talks, President Park Geun-hye particularly mentioned the August 25 agreement over tensions on the Korean Peninsula. She said the agreement showed Seoul's “will to cut the vicious circle of reward in exchange for Pyongyang’s provocations. It shows that the South Korean government’s North Korean policy direction will never be changed by the North’s provocations and threats.”

However, President Park also said that, “If North Korea is sincere in moving toward the goal of denuclearization, South Korea is willing to take cooperative measures along with the international community.”

President Barack Obama also showed the will of his administration to contribute to the economic development of North Korea if Pyongyang were to give up its nuclear weapons, saying,“The U.S. will be right at the table if North Korea wants a serious dialogue about giving up its nuclear program.”

In regard to the Korea-U.S. alliance, President Park said the bilateral alliance is “stronger than ever before. It is evolving as a comprehensive global alliance that encompasses security and economics, as well.The Korea-U.S. alliance is the key axis of peace and prosperity in the Asia-Pacific.”

In turn, President Obama said, “I want to reaffirm that the commitment of the United States to the defense and security of the Republic of Korea will never waver.

Our alliance remains a linchpin of peace and security -- not just on the Korean Peninsula, but across the region -- and so South Korea plays a central role in America’s rebalance to the Asia Pacific.”

In regard to the Korea-U.S. alliance, President Park said the bilateral alliance is “stronger than ever before.”

President Park Geun-hye delivered her keynote speech at U.N. headquarters in New York on September. 28. ©Yonhap News 32

KEYNOTE ADDRESS AT THE UNGA

“Nor th Korea would do well to choose reform and opening rather than additional provocations, and to endeavor to free its people from hardship,” President Park Geun-hye stressed on September 28. The remarks came during her keynote address at the 70th session of the General Assembly of the United Nations at U.N. headquarters in New York.

“Pushing ahead with provocations, including its nuclear weapons development program, undermines the values of peace espoused by the international community and by the U.N.,” President Park warned.

“Should the North boldly give up its nuclear weapons ambitions and choose a path toward openness and cooperation, the Republic of Korea will work with the international community to actively support the North in developing its economy and in improving the quality of life of its people,” she stated.

“Just as the U.N. blessed the birth of the Republic of Korea in 1948, I dream of the day to come soon when the entire world celebrates a unified Korea,” the president said. "Ending the seven decade-long history of a divided Korean Peninsula -one of the last remaining vestiges of the Cold War -- will mark nothing less than a contribution to world peace," she said.

The president went on to say that, “A peacefully unified Korea would be a thriving democratic nation, free of nuclear weapons and upholding human rights.

What is more, a unified Korean Peninsula, both as a symbol of peace in our global village and as a new engine of growth, would contribute greatly to peace and prosperity in Northeast Asia and beyond.”

President Park stated that, “Resolving the North Korean nuclear weapons issue is the highest priority for the global community so as to uphold the integrity of the international nuclear weapons non-proliferation regime and live up to the aspirations of people everywhere for a world without nuclear weapons.” “Last July, the

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President Park Geun-hye (left) and U.S. President Barack Obama (right) held summit talks at the White House on October 17. © Cheong Wa Dae

Iran Nuclear Deal was reached. Now, the international community should focus its efforts on resolving the North Korean nuclear weapons issue, the last remaining non-proliferation challenge,” she said.

Pointing out the recent provocation where the North deployed landmines in the Demilitarized Zone, the president said, “The inescapable reality we face is that peace on the peninsula can be jeopardized in a single moment.”

“Fortunately, the two Koreas managed to reach an agreement on Aug. 25 through high-level talks and are now standing at a juncture point that could lead to a virtuous cycle of trust and cooperation,” she evaluated.

“The impetus for moving this new virtuous cycle forward will come after the faithful implementation of the August 25 accord and the fulfillment of concrete steps taken toward reconciliation and cooperation by both Koreas.” She said, “We must no longer use political and military reasons as excuses for tur ning a blind eye to humanitarian issues, in particular to the reunion of separated families,” hoping that the Koreans would embark on a path

toward regaining a common identity as one nation through official dialogue and through a range of exchanges agreed upon in the August 25 accord.

President Park also called on Japan to, “Implement its recently-passed defense and security legislation transparently in a way that is conducive to friendly relations among regional countries and to peace and stability in the region.”

As for the issue of the so-called “comfort women,” victims forced to serve as sexual slaves by the Japanese army during colonialization and World War Ⅱ, the president said that, “This year marks the 15th anniversary of the adoption of U.N. Secur ity Council Resolution No. 1325 on women, peace and security, and the international community should do justice to the occasion by paying greater attention to sexual violence against women in conflict situations. The most compelling reason is the fact that only a few of the victims of such brutal sexual violence during World War Ⅱ are still alive today. Solutions that can bring healing to their hearts need to be devised quickly, while these victims are still alive.”

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Regarding the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, adopted at the U.N. Sustainable Development Summit on September 25, the president said, “It will set a historic milestone toward a better world that leaves no one behind.”

“In this sense, we will further expand our efforts so that the Saemaul Undong [the New Community Movement, a rural development scheme from the 1970s and 1980s] can become a new paradigm for rural development in developing countries,” she stressed.

The president also said that, “As the international order experiences tectonic shifts, now, more than ever, is the time to once again light up the beacon of hope that is the U.N. throughout the world, to promote international peace and security, human rights and common prosperity.”

“The international community should rally around the U.N. and should build a stronger U.N., carrying the banner of renewed multilateralism and realize the value of human dignity based on freedom, human rights, justice and the rule of law,” the president concluded.

President Park Geun-hye (right) and President Joachim Gauck (left) held summit talks at Cheong Wa Dae on October 12. © Cheong Wa Dae

President Joachim Gauck’s Visit to Korea Korea and Germany agreed to enhance cooperation to achieve a peaceful unification of the Korean Peninsula.

EXCERPT FROM KOREA.NET

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resident Park Geun-hye held talks with her German counterpart President Joachim Gauck on October 12 at Cheong Wa Dae. During the talks, the two leaders agreed to enhance cooperation in order to achieve a peaceful unification of the Korean Peninsula.

“We both saw eye to eye on the urgency and gravity of non-proliferation in North Korea.We also agreed to join forces to have the North give up its nuclear weapons and become a responsible member of the international community,” said President Park during a joint press conference following the talks. “Korea and Germany will continue to cooperate to help improve the North’s human rights record, too,” she added.

The president continued, saying that, “As South Korea pursues a unified peninsula, the German experience of unification can be a valuable lesson to us.” “Looking back on the things through which Germany had to go to reach the goal, there was a trust-building process made through continuous exchanges and cooperation.

The international community, too, gave the country a great deal of cooperation and support in the process, which is greatly important,” she stated.

In response, the German president said, “I am living proof that we can encounter any unexpected change [unification] at anytime. I am here to tell you that it is possible to make that change.” As he pointed out that the 25th anniversary of German

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unification is this year, President Gauck said, “At the time of unification, East and West Germany had pushed forward the socalled ‘tense-easing policies,’ a scheme designed to make a change by coming closer to each other.”

He called the scheme “a new approach for openness and for sustainable dialogue.”

“In this sense, our experience has important implications for the way in which the peninsula and Northeast Asia alike will be able to achieve peace,” he stressed.

Dur ing the talks, the two leaders shared their opinions on how to enhance bilateral cooperation across many sectors, not only on the unification issue, but on the current state of Northeast Asia, climate change and the creative industries, too.

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President Ian Khama’s Visit to Korea Korea and Botswana agreed to lay the foundation for bilateral cooperation on power development and renewable energy.

EXCERPT FROM KOREA.NET

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resident Park Geun-hye held summit talks with Botswana President Seretse Khama Ian Khama on October 23 to discuss measures to extend cooperation on the energy and infrastructure industries.

The two countries agreed that more Korean firms should participate in Botswana’s National Development Plan, worth some USD 2.6 billion. This long-term development plan involves the construction of solar thermal power plants and coalfired thermal power plants, and the installation of large networks of water pipes.

Both countries agreed to lay the foundation for bilateral cooperation on power development and renewable energy and signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU). Under the MOU, more Korean enterprises will be able to take part in energy projects in the southern African

nation, such as the construction of power generation facilities and the diversification of energy sources.

Korea and Botswana also signed an MOU on e-gover nment cooperation which will also boost cooperation on "informatization" and people-to-people exchanges. Prior to the summit meeting, President Khama also expressed his hope to widen economic cooperation with Korea at a forum in Seoul on October 22.

“Botswana has been advocating an international, open economy,” said President Khama dur ing a business forum hosted by the five leading Korean economic organizations: the Korean Chamber of Commerce (KOCHAM), the Korea Trade Promotion Corporation (KOTRA), the Federation of Korean Industries (FKI), the Korean Federation of Small and

Medium-sized Enterprises and the Association of High Potential Enterprises of Korea.

“We hope to have more business opportunities with Korea in not only energy resources but also in broader areas, such as manufacturing, agriculture, construction and education,” he added.

President Khama’s push for economic growth can be seen in the recent memorandum of understanding (MOU) signed between KOTRA and the Botswana Investment and Trade Centre (BITC). Through the MOU, the two countries will cooperate on trade and investment by exchanging infor mation, market research, holding exhibitions and sending trade promotional delegations, and in attracting overseas investment.

Minister of Foreign Affairs Yun Byung-se (front row, right) and Botswanian Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Pelonomi Venson-Moitoi signed an MOU for diplomatic cooperation on October 23. © Cheong Wa Dae 35

POLICY REVIEW

Civil Service Pension Reform Cheong Wa Dae, government ministries, the National Assembly and the civil servants’ union have come together to enact reforms that will improve the government’s fiscal position.

WRIT TEN BY LEE YEON

©Yonhap News

A

bill to reform the civil service pension system passed the National Assembly on May 29, 2015. A major part of the Park Geun-hye administration’s plans for public sector reform, an overhaul of the civil service pension system was finally approved after months of boisterous debate and tough negotiations between December 2014 and May 2015.

The Government Employees Pension System (GEPS) is Korea’s first public pension system. The Public Officials Pension Act was enacted on January 1, 1960, to protect civil servants and their families in times of financial hardship due to occupational injury, disease or disability, retirement or death, by providing a basic level of benefits. The public sector pension schemes are funded by government subsidies, contributions and the premiums paid

by all civil servants.

The number of working civil servants was initially greater than the number of pension recipients, so funds accumulated.

However, as the number of pension recipients increased and eventually pension expenditure exceeded income from contributions, the funds have been depleted requiring additional funding from the government.This rendered civil service pension reform inevitable.There have been some 30 amendments to the Public Officials Pension Act, including two complete revisions.The amendments were made to increase the payouts until the early 1990s. Since the mid1990s, more amendments were made to raise premiums and government subsidies and to reduce payouts. This year’s reform seeks to further stabilize the financial status of civil servant pension funds.

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EXPERTS EXPLAIN THE SIGNIFICANCE OF REFORM

Civil service pension reform is expected to reduce public debt.The amendments to the Public Officials Pension Act will reduce the government’s obligations to cover shortfalls in premium income by 40% and its overall fiscal obligations by 17%. Each translates into savings of KRW 497 trillion and KRW 333 trillion, respectively, over the next seven decades, starting in 2016.The public service pension refor m is particularly meaningful in that both the ruling and opposition parties made the necessary concessions to make reform possible, after long, hard negotiations involving different stakeholders, from Cheong Wa Dae, government ministr ies and the National Assembly, through to the civil servants’ union.

Lee Gak-hui, head of pension research

In Cooperation with the Government Employees Pension Service

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at the Government Employees Pension Service, visited pension experts in Germany, Switzerland and Austria to ask their thoughts about Korea’s civil service pension reform. According to Professor Wolfgang Mazal at the Department of Labor and Social Security Law at the University of Vienna, “Korea’s civil service pension reform will be a success if the goal is not to completely resolve the issue of fiscal deficit, but to reduce the deficit to a certain degree.

In the interests of income redistribution, it is desirable to leave some part of the deficit to be covered by tax revenue.”The director of pension systems at the Federal Chancellery of Austria, says, “Increasing the premium and the government subsidies by 4% over the course of four years is a bold move.

Such a thing is very rare in the world.

Gradually reducing the annual payout rate from 1.9% to 1.7% over 20 years is also a good thing.” Dr. Bernd Marin, executive director of the European Centre for Social Welfare Policy and Research, says, “It is important progress that different stakeholders took part in the negotiations and reached an agreement, since labor-management negotiations are not as common in Korea as they are in Europe.”

Chairman of the civil service pension service in Switzerland had great praise for the reform in that it seeks to reduce Korea’s fiscal deficit, adding,“It would also be good to raise funds in anticipation of the sharp rise in payouts.”

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Reforming Civil Service Pension For Fiscal Sustainability

Professor Gwon Huck-ju Graduate School of Public Administration Seoul National University

The civil service pension system is a human resources tool for working civil servants that encourages them to devote their lives to public service, and an insurance plan for retired civil servants. Several reforms had been made to the civil service pension system over the years, but premium income continued to fall short of the benefit payouts.

The government had to set aside more and more of its funds to cover the shortfalls. The government finally decided to amend the Public Officials Pension Act every five years to readjust and stabilize its budgets, and the next amendment was due to be made in 2015.

Funds to Cover Premium Shortfalls

This year’s civil service pension reform is significant because both the ruling and opposition parties made the necessary concessions to reach an agreement after months of discussions and negotiations among Cheong Wa Dae, government ministries, the National Assembly and the civil servants’ union. The reforms will enable the government to save KRW 333 trillion over the next seven decades and maintain its subsidies of about 1% of GDP. Along with the previous reforms in 2009, this year’s reforms were an important step toward the rational management of the civil service pension system in accordance with changes in society and moving toward fiscal sustainability. It is also noteworthy that these reforms were implemented early on.

The remaining challenge is to fill a temporary gap in benefits for those civil servants who will retire at 60, as the retirement age will be extended in stages to 65 by 2033. The income redistribution feature may also prove to be less than ideal in serving the original purpose of the system, which is to reward long-term employees and superior performers. Finally, the government should also work to boost civil servants’ morale and to dispel the public’s mistrust of the civil service pension system, all while preparing for reform of the teachers’ pensions and the military’s pensions.

Total Fiscal Burden

After reform

Current (A)

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Year

Amount (B)

Reduction rate

Savings (B-A)

5,722,087

3,219,377

-44%

-2,502,710

2016-2055

7,612,482

4,401,173

-42%

-3,211,309

9,855,370

5,826,084

-41%

12,382,855

7,411,114

-40%

After reform

Current (A) Amount (B)

Reduction rate

Savings (B-A)

9,166,129

7,402,483

-19%

-1,763,646

2016-2065

12,271,763

10,067,939

-18%

-2,203,824

-4,029,286

2016-2075

15,839,312

13,115,272

-17%

-2,724,040

-4,971,741

2016-2085

19,871,381

16, 541,306

-17%

-3,330,075

(in millions KRW, constant values for 2015)

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CREATIVE TECHNOLOGY

©Yonhap News

The Age of Round Smartwatches Samsung and LG introduce smartwatches with round displays.

WRIT TEN BY CHUNG KYU-YOUNG

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rist watches are typically round. So are pocket watches and wall clocks. The round shape is thought to be conducive to waterproofing the devices. People are naturally very familiar with round watches and clocks and readily perceive them to be more comfortable and ideal for reading the time.

For smartwatches, in contrast, manufacturers including Apple have chosen a square design for their displays. It is more difficult to make round displays and a square design offers a smooth user interface.

In 2008, LG Display developed a round 1.4-inch LCD display, but a relatively high cost prevented the company from incorporating round displays into its

smartwatches. In March 2014, Motorola released the world’s first round smartwatch, the Moto 360, but for technical reasons, it had a cut-off point at the bottom of the display. The first completely round smartwatch was LG Electronics’ G Watch R, released in October 2014. Since then, LG has introduced several other products with round faces, including the LG Watch Urbane, the LG Watch Urbane Luxe and the LG Watch Urbane Second Edition, after improving the design and performance. In August 2015, Samsung Electronics unveiled its first watch with a round display, the Gear S2, sporting a chic, trendy design.

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LTE-POWERED SMARTWATCH

The LG Watch Urbane, released in March, is a stylistic upgrade of LG’s first round smartwatch, the G Watch R.A stainless steel frame in silver and gold replaced the black plastic, and the overall design was changed for a classic look that resembles a mechanical watch. The addition of two buttons above and below the crown was inspired by the interface on chronograph watches. A range of displays on the round face makes the LG Watch Urbane look much more like a regular watch than the square face.

The first Watch Urbane ran on LG’s own operating system, but the Watch Urbane Second Edition runs on Android Wear, and

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users can enjoy many different apps on the device, including KakaoTalk. The Second Edition boasts the highest resolution of all of LG’s smartwatches. The LG Watch Urbane Luxe is a higher-end limited edition model, featuring a 23-karat gold body and a hand-crafted alligator leather strap.

LG manufactured only 500 units of the Luxe model, each with a serial number.The LG Watch Urbane Second Edition is equipped with a 4G LTE-enabled universal subscriber identity module (USIM) card.

This allows the smartwatch to work even without a smartphone. It also features Bluetooth connectivity options so that users can make phone calls in their cars or by wireless headphones. Some might find the body of the watch too big and thick, but it surely makes users feel a presence on their wrists.

In cooperation with LG Electronics and Samsung Electronics

ROTATING BEZEL

The Gear S2 is Samsung’s seventh smartwatch and its first round one. Its predecessor, the Gear S, had great functionality, but failed to receive any favorable reviews of the design. On the contrary, global media outlets and consumers alike from around the world raved about the round design of the Gear S2. The most notable feature on Samsung’s new smartwatch is the innovative and intuitive user interface. Users can easily navigate through applications by turning the bezel left and right. A unique and thoughtful touch on the bezel is that users can feel each twist, as in a conven-

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The Gear S2 supports payment services in Korea, including Samsung Pay and T-Money, and is expected to be popular among Korean users.

Classic yet modern watch faces with round displays more closely resemble traditional wrist watches.

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tional sports watch.The Gear S2’s colorful watch faces and bands were created in collaboration with Italian designer Alessandro Mendini. Once fully charged, the battery lasts two or three days. The watch runs on Samsung’s own Tizen operating system and users can find there a number of great applications. The Gear S2 supports payment services in Korea, including through Samsung Pay and T-Money, and is expected to be popular among Korean users. Samsung’s latest smartwatch was released in October in two versions: the Gear S2 and the Gear S2 Classic. The Gear S2 has a minimalist design and is ideal for users with an active lifestyle, and the Gear S2 Classic has a modern and elegant finish and is suited for fashion-conscious users.

1

3 1 - LG Watch Urbane LTE 2 - Samsung Gear S2 Dark Grey 3 - Samsung Gear S2 Classic

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GLOBAL KOREA

Korea’s German Village This one-of-a-kind town has peaceful, beautiful scenery, maroon-roofed houses and an indigo blue sea.

Written by CHOI YUN-HWA

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r iving along the coastal road in Mulgeon-ri Village in Namhae, Gyeongsangnam-do Province, one comes across a town of white brick houses with maroontiled roofs. It is impossible to miss.The socalled German Village, established in 2001 by the local government, is home to Koreans who spent years as migrant miners and nurses in Germany in the 1960s and 1970s, and who years later decided to return to their roots with their German spouses.The

houses were built in a traditional German style. Even the materials were imported directly from Germany.Today, thousands of tourists visit this quirky town to experience a bit of Germany and to learn about Korea’s past.

COMING BACK TO THE MOTHERLAND

Korea in the early 1960s was still grindingly poor, partially as a consequence of the Korean War (1950-1953). In an effort to

The German Village is featured by brick houses with maroon-tiled roofs.

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push ahead with his economic development plans for the country, President Park Chung -hee decided to sign a labor agreement with Germany in 1963.The German mining and healthcare industries were then suffering from significant labor shortages, so Korea sent workers to close the gap.The expectation was that the migrant workers would send back badly-needed foreign currency to the Korean government. There can be no doubt that Germany played an instrumental

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OKTOBERFEST AND OPEN HOUSE

Images provided by Namhae-gun County Government

The German Village has a museum about the history and lives of the Korean migrant miners and nurses.

role in the Korean economic miracle.Thousands of young Koreans saw a chance to escape the poverty and lack of opportunity that existed in Korea. For three years, they worked in a country halfway around the globe with a very different culture and language. They sent about 80% of their monthly income back to Korea to support their families and their government.

At the top of the German Village sits a museum that tells the stor ies of some 20,000 migrant miners and nurses who left their motherland for a better future when Korea’s per capita GDP was only about USD 70. Built as a “time tunnel,” the museum lets visitors time travel as they proceed from one hall to another, from today back to the 1960s. One of the exhibition halls leads down to a basement, so visitors can get some sense of what it was like for the migrant miners to work underground, and displays pictures and artifacts from German mines. Another exhibition displays pictures of and jour nals from migrant nurses. The words they wrote in their journals to comfort themselves in a foreign land are heartbreaking. On the way out, visitors can see pictures of festivals held in today’s German Village.

The German Village is a tourist destination that celebrates traditional German festivals every year. Since 2010, it has been hosting an Oktoberfest in the main square on the first weekend of October.Village residents dress in traditional German garb and gather together to share German traditions with many domestic tourists. The German Village’s Oktoberfest is the biggest beer festival in Korea. It was recognized as a representative festival of Gyeongsangnam-do Province in 2015.Visitors can enjoy different types of German beer and sausage, as well as a number of Korean dishes. During the festival weekend, the village’s bed and breakfasts host open houses, a perfect setting for visitors to have a fun experience in German-style homes and to interact with one another. The festival hosts a parade, games and performances by clowns, magicians and mimes throughout the day.

Visitors can learn about the lives of the Korean migrant miners and nurses and experience German traditions.

The German Village’s Oktoberfest receives some 80,000 visitors every year.

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GREAT KOREANS

Yi Sang, Modernist Poet of the Early 20th Century He wrote different, anomalous poetry in pursuit of an ideal.

Written by chung kyu-young

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i Sang is the penname of poet, novelist and essayist Kim Hae-gyeong (19101937). In Korean, the word yisang has a number of meanings, including “ideal,” “abnormal” and “different in form.” In early 20th century Korea, when the country was under colonial rule,Yi Sang was a highly-talented poet and novelist who wrote stories that few could understand.

He was in pursuit of an ideal. The vast majority of people could only describe his works as “strange.”Yi led a tragic life that was cut short after a mere 27 years. His works were hardly popular when he was

alive, but today, nearly 80 years after his death, Yi is regarded as Korea’s first and greatest experimental, modernist poet.Yi continues to inspire artists from different genres to study his life and reinvent his works.

SHORT And DIFFICULT LIFE

Born in 1910 in Seoul,Yi Sang was adopted and raised by his father’s older brother. It was customary at the time for the eldest son of a family to adopt a son from a sibling or a relative if he failed to have a son of his own. Growing up,Yi harbored frustrations

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about his family since he could not love either his father’s older brother for taking him away from his family or his father for letting his brother take his own son. Yi wrote about his unfortunate childhood in his works.

Thankfully,Yi was able to go to excellent schools because his father’s older brother was wealthy and had great ambitions for Yi. On the strong advice of his father’s brother, for him to restore the family’s financial position,Yi started working as a draftsman at the Japanese GovernmentGeneral of Korea in 1929 immediately

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after graduating at the top of his class from Gyeongseong Engineering High School as an architect. In 1931, he began his literary career writing poetry in Japanese for the monthly magazine Joseon & Architecture, for which he designed the covers. He also published a collection of poems titled “A Strange Reversible Reaction” that same year. In 1933, he experienced hemoptysis and was diagnosed with tuberculosis due to extreme stress resulting from issues at work with his new boss. He subsequently quit his job and met a professional entertainer named Geumhong while recuperating at a spa. Afterward, he opened up a teahouse with her in Jongno in central Seoul. His famous short stories, including “Wings” and “Meetings and Farewells,” were based on his life with Geumhong.

In 1934, Yi Sang founded a literary group called the Circle of Nine with other famous poets and writers, such as Kim Gi-rim, Jeong Ji-yong, Lee Tae-jun and Park Tae-won. He wholly dedicated himself to his literary career, trying to overcome the pain and desperation of his illness.

Alas, his works were far ahead of their time.

Society then was unable to appreciate them. They were considered simply too abstruse. A series of poems he wrote for the Joseon Jungang Ilbo newspaper titled “Crow's Eye View” was cancelled before he could finish it due to readers’ complaints about not being able to understand it. Park Tae-won, a close friend of Yi and a member of the Circle of Nine, later said of Yi that, “He loved literature. He loved his friends, women and drinking.Yet, he never showed half as much love toward himself.”

In 1936,Yi married Byeon Dong-rim, an essayist who later married painter Kim Whan-ki, and moved to Tokyo to immerse himself in a society that was more heavily influenced by the West.The following year, he was arrested by the police for holding rebellious ideas. After being released on bail, he was admitted to a hospital for his worsening tuberculosis. Early in the morning on April 17, 1937,Yi Sang, literary pio-

neer and rebel of his time, died in the arms of his loving wife.

YI’S IDEAS AND WORKS REVISITED

During his short life,Yi and his works failed to be recognized for their value outside of a few of his friends and colleagues.Yi’s poetry involved Arabic numerals, obscure symbols, and architectural and medical terms. He wrote his poems in cryptic, colloquial language that made them look like a code of sorts. In his novels,Yi explicitly expressed his self-consciousness, addressed decadent themes, used the Korean alphabet mixed with Chinese characters and chose not to use proper word spacing. Korea under colonial rule was too bleak and unwelcoming to Yi’s works, which bore much in common with Dadaism and Surrealism.Yi’s life, too, was full of oddities in the eyes of

Yi’s life and works continue to inspire artists of different genres than any other writer in history.

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the people at the time.Today, Yi’s works are lauded for capturing people’s frustrations and anxieties in modern society, but they were an affront to the literary world at a time when people conformed to certain sets of traditional rules in almost every aspect of life.

It was long after Yi’s death that his works began to be seen in a new light, inspiring artists of many different genres. In 1977, the publishing house Munhak Sasangsa established the Yi Sang Literary Award in his honor.The award is one of the most prestigious literary awards in Korea today, given to the best short story every year. Through the years,Yi’s life became a popular subject for a number of stories, including the film “Geumhong, Geumhong” (1995) and the single-episode soap opera “Yi Sang,That Yi Sang” (2013). Novelist Kim Yeon-su wrote the novel “Goodbye,Yi Sang,” featuring a 70-year-old man who studies Yi’s poetry all his life in admiration of him. The film “The Mystery of the Cube” (1999) tells the story of an incident related to Yi’s poem of the same name.

Yi Sang is regarded as Korea’s best experimental modernist and avant-garde poet. His life and career during the country’s darkest times may be the greatest scandal in the history of modern Korean literature.

Yi's records and books are exhibited at Yi Sang’s House in Seochon, Seoul. © Arumjigi Keepers Culture Foundation 43

MY KOREA

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his may seem strange, especially considering the title of this magazine, but my story about running in Korea begins in another corner of Asia: Japan. When I was three, my father was transferred to Japan and we lived there for three full years.That is where I have my earliest memories, one of which is of my father running. I also remember going to school in Japan, learning the language, and even doing some modeling shoots. It was quite a way to

spend my early formative years.

Fast forward to college, I came back through Asia with a group from my business school at Miami University, and I fell in love with Korea. After graduation, I decided to spend one year in Korea and then return home to start medical school. I came here six years ago and I’m still here.

Like my father, I have spent much of my 20s in Asia. Like him, I am a runner. Unlike him, my running track is Korea.

Running, My Answer to Everything

Running is my answer to everything.

When I worry about my health and my family’s terrible history of heart disease, I go running until I shine like I’m oiled up on the beach. When I am stressed, no matter what time of the day, I head out for a long run along the Hangang River and zone out for an hour.When I want to get in touch with nature, I head to a hiking trail

Running and Life: Becoming My Own Man in Korea Running in Korea evokes the meaning of home and family.

Written by ALEX SIGRIST illustrated by KIM DONG-JIN

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and jog up any one of the mountains that are within Seoul city limits.

That, right there, is what makes Korea different. Even in the one of the biggest metropolitan areas in the world, you can always easily escape to nature. Mountains like Namsan seamlessly blend into the skylines of Korean cities and offer beautiful but challenging running courses.The river parks in Korea give you the long straightaways you need for those relaxing distance runs. One of the reasons I moved to my current location is that I am now right next to the Hangang River, and running there at night is my way of “going to the temple”: clearing the mind and being at peace for an hour. No matter where you are in Korea -Seoul, Busan, the East Sea, big cities, smaller cities -- you are sure to find your own running getaway.

Racing in Korea

Racing in Korea offers runners of all abilities incredible experiences. Korea serves up 5-kilometer fun runs with themes from bright colors to others that feel like fullfledged music festivals. It dishes out full marathons that also offer beginners the chance to do half-marathons or even just the shorter 10-kilometer or 5K races. If you want an excuse to travel, there are destination marathons that are veritable minivacations to scenic destinations all around

Korea, from Gyeongju to Chuncheon, which claims the best version of my favorite Korean dish: stir-fried chicken and vegetables, or dakgalbi.

My first and most memorable race in Korea was along the Hangang River. My friend and I both signed up for the Seoul Children Cancer Marathon, a charity race that offered a 5K, 10K, half and full-marathon. Everything was new to me. I signed up online and received my race packet in the mail, only to find that my language skills were still sub-par and I had inadvertently signed up for the full-marathon instead of the half-marathon. I was embarrassed because I sported the full-marathon colors but only did the half-marathon, so I folded my tag for the race so that no one could see. We dropped our bags off with some new friends we had just met from a local runners’ club and headed to the starting line.

Everyone doing the half-marathon lined up and did some stretches with the emcee before the race. We then turned to the front, waited for the starting sound and were off. The sun was out, a nice breeze kept us cool and the river provided relaxing scenery. Besides the fact that my friend started to pull away from me, I couldn’t have asked for a better race. Near the end, I spotted my friend a few hundred meters ahead of me when I caught him looking

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back smugly, like the hare from the famous Aesop fable. When I knew he thought it was over and stopped looking back, I gave it my all, caught up to him and gave him a good smack on the back as I passed him in the last 20 meters. I completed the crisp morning charity half-marathon with one of my best friends in Korea, and it ended in a dramatic fashion. Of course, he blames a 10 minute bathroom break halfway through the race. Still, all that matters is the win-column, right? I won’t forget that whole experience. It was both thrilling and rewarding. It wasn’t a full-marathon, but it was my first distance race in Asia, just as my dad did twenty years before me.

Becoming My Own Man

It has come full circle. I started in Japan as a student, a son of a marathoner and a commercial model. Somehow, I was able to find all of those again through the random events that brought me to my home and destination: Korea. Japan was for my dad.

He conquered so much by becoming fluent in the language and running on Mt. Fuji. Korea is a part of my story. This is where I stumble and succeed as I try to conquer my own foreign language. This is where I take on my marathon of life. Korea is where I run.

Alex came to Korea in 2009 as a middle school English teacher. He recently graduated from Seoul National University's Graduate School of International Studies with a focus on East Asian Area Studies, and is taking a break to focus on his radio and TV careers, his YouTube hobby, and -- of course -- his health.

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MULTICULTURAL KOREA

A Musical of Many Colors The musicals performed by the multicultural theater company Salad are about diversity and harmony.

Written by chung Da-YOUnG Photographed by Moon Duk-Gwan

T

he theater company Salad occupies the second floor of a small building in the industrial area of Mullae-dong in western Seoul.The practice area is dark paneled and theater lights hang overhead. It is obvious at first glance that this is a practice area for performers. However, the colorful costumes and props hanging on the racks and exotic wooden masks on the walls give the impression that this is no ordinary theater company.

HARMONY THROUGH CREATIVE ARTS

Salad is a non-profit multicultural theater company where all the actors are migrants from different countries, such as Nepal, China or Vietnam.The founder and director of the company, Park Kyong-ju, established Salad in 2009 to improve the perception of multiculturalism in Korea and to seek harmony between non-Koreans and Koreans through the creative arts. She named the company Salad to symbolize a mix of different cultures while retaining each individual performer’s identity. As an art major in engraving, she used her creative skills to bring musical productions to the stage. Park writes the storylines that are about the conflicts and difficulties faced by non-Korean families.The songs are written

by Gil Hizon, a professional song writer from the Philippines. Hizon was a member of his church choir in the Philippines and is now a choir conductor at the Filipino Catholic Church in Seoul. Hizon writes the scores for new musicals, and Park adds the Korean lyrics.

The actors and actresses of Salad come from different countries, but they come together on stage to deliver a message.

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Since the company was founded in 2009, it has produced six musicals and performed 150 times in front of more than 20,000 people. As part of the Asia Musical Series, each musical has the theme of a different country, so the music, characters and costumes are all representative of that country. “These musicals are produced to emphasize the issues of cultural diversity.

Each musical is based on the country of our own actors,” explains Park. She continues to say that they also have an educational purpose. She hopes that the audience will learn about the different cultures through the songs, dances and the traditional attire the actors wear on stage as costume.Therefore, it is very important for Park and the members of the company to properly deliver every aspect seen on stage, down to the last prop, without any misinterpretation. Costumes are ordered from the country of origin or created in Korea by professional seamstresses from that country to ensure that they are authentic. For the 2012 production of “Secret in the Mask,” a musical about China, Park flew to Beijing to find or ig inal Peking opera costumes needed for the musical. The planning and research for each new musical can easily require six months.

Park strongly emphasizes the educational aspect of the musicals because Salad is often invited by schools to perform in front of elementary students. “Elementary students are our greatest audience. They can understand the lines and the messages delivered by the actors better than adults. I think it’s because they are still young and have open ears and minds.They are utterly without prejudice in understanding the actors,” says Park.

ippines has been with the company since 2010. She was a kindergarten teacher in her hometown before coming to Korea and had no stage experience. De Mateo joined Salad as an amateur actress, but has taken part in every production. She has gradually developed her talent, playing roles big and small. In 2013, she demonstrated her now appreciable talent by directing “Suklay,” a musical set in the Philippines.

Anima Singh is another talented actress in Salad. She studied traditional dance in Nepal before coming to Korea to continue her studies in choreography at the Korea National University of Arts. Her roommate was then a member of Salad and introduced her to Park, and she auditioned for a role.“It is difficult to memorize the Korean lines, but I love performing on stage. I will begin my master’s program next year, but I

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will continue to work with Salad,” says Singh.

Salad recently finished a musical based on Vietnam.The next project will be a production about India. The storyline has already been wr itten, and most of the research is underway. Park has ambitious plans for this next production. She even hired a professional vocal trainer for the actors and plans to raise the overall quality of the musical by having Korean musical actors join the performance. “We have put on six musicals and I think all the members of Salad have gained a fair amount of experience. We’re in the middle, between amateurs and professionals, and it’s time to take our act to the next level. I want the Indian musical to be the biggest we’ve ever done and be shown to many people. I want more people to hear our message.”

The company is named Salad to symbolize the mix of different cultures while retaining the identity of each individual performer.

EDUCATIONAL MUSICALS WITH A MESSAGE

Salad has six full-time members, and extras take part as the performance date approaches. Lorna de Mateo from the PhilSalad has thus far performed six musicals, and they are now preparing for a new production to be put on stage next year. © Salad Theater 47

NATURE

Connecting South and North Explore the tragic history surrounding the Imjingang River.

Written by KIM NAE-ON

The Imjingang River has long symbolized the division of Korea since it flows through both the South and the North. ŠTopic 48

korea

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Visitors can go on a 45-minute boat ride around the river area on sailboats built to resemble those used during Joseon times. ©Topic

T

he Imjingang River begins in Masingnyeong Mountain, Hamgyeongnam-do Province in North Korea and runs about 254 kilometers to the southwest. It joins the Hangang River in Paju in Gyeonggido Province, which then flows into the Yellow Sea. The river has long symbolized the division of Korea since it flows through both the South and the North. In her song “The Imjingang River,” folk singer Yang Hui-eun sang, “The fresh water of the Imjingang River flows down. Birds fly freely over the land. My hometown in the south, I can never go to. My Imjingang River, do you flow with my sorrows?”

The Imjingang River is historically very important. At the outset of the first of Hideyoshi’s invasions of Korea between 1592 and 1598, King Seonjo (r. 1567-1608) crossed the Imjingang River in flight from the royal palace. The river flows through Yeoncheon in Gyeonggi-do Province, where the Sunguijeon Shrine is located.

During Joseon times (1392-1910), the shrine was a place for sacrifices to the kings and royal officials of Goryeo (918-1392).

The stories behind the river add tragic beauty to the surrounding scenery.

Shar p, steep rocky outcroppings, formed by erosion look serene and even lonely, rather than wild or fierce. The stretch of rock formations is named Jeok-

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byeok, which means “red wall,” for the rocks’ blackish-red color. Joseon painter Gyeomjae Jeong Seon (1676–1759) captured the magnificent landscape of the Imjingang River in his paintings “Uhwadeungseon” and “Ungyeongyeram.” In March 2015, world-renowned installation artist Kang Ik-joong revealed his bird’s-eye view drawing of his new project, the “Imjingang River Dream Bridge.” Kang plans to build a circular br idge with a diameter of 250 meters over the Imjingang River.The bridge’s interior will be adorned with some 1 million square panels with drawings by children from all around the world, and the exterior will have the lyrics to a song that both the South and the North can sing together.

Public access to the Imjingang River has been restricted for many years, and the ecosystem in the area is very unspoiled as a result. Famous delicacies from the river include freshwater mitten crabs and the river puffer.Visitors can go on a 45-minute boat ride around the Jeokbyeok Cliff, the Geobukbawi Rock, the Horogoruseong Fortress, the Gorangpo Port and the Duji Ferry on sailboats built to resemble those used during Joseon times. The Imjingang River is a true symbol of Korean history and nature.

FLAVOR

Yeongdeok Snow Crab Written by CHUNG DA-YOUNG Photographed by Moon Duk-kwan COOKED AND ST YLED BY KIM YOUNG-BIN

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he east coast of Korea is famous for its beautiful beaches, clear blue water and fresh seafood.The snow crab caught off the coast of Yeongdeok in Gyeongsangbuk-do Province is considered to be the best in all of Korea.Yeongdeok snow crab, or daegae, was served to the kings during Joseon times (1392-1910) and is still considered today to be a great delicacy.

When snow crab season begins on the

first of December, the docks of Ganggu Harbor in Yeongdeok are filled with freshly caught crabs and people from all across the country there to buy them.The shell of the snow crab is high in chitosan, which helps to prevent cancer and blocks the absorption of dietary fat and cholesterol.

The best way to enjoy the sweet and tender meat of Yeongdeok snow crab is to steam the crab as it is in its own salt

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water juice. First, wash the crab under running water and place it in a large pot on a steamer. The stomach of the crab must be facing up when put into the steamer. Cook it for 15 to 20 minutes until the shell turns red. Turn off the heat and let it sit for 5 minutes. Do not open the lid while cooking as the meat can shrink before being fully cooked. Serve the crab while still hot.

It’s the most popular drama these days.

요즘 국민 드라마잖아요 yojeum gungmin drama-janayo.

Mingming, did you watch the drama yesterday?

밍밍 씨, 어제 이 드라마 봤어요?

Mingming ssi, eoje i drama bwasseoyo? 나래

Of course! It’s the most popular drama these days.

당연하죠. 요즘 국민 드라마잖아요.

dangyeonhajyo. yojeum gungmin drama-janayo. 밍밍

The main character is so amazing, like a real actor.

주인공이 정말 배우같이 멋있어요.

ju-ingong-i jeongmal baeugachi meosisseoyo. 나래

Narae, he is a real actor.

나래 씨, 주인공은 정말 배우잖아요.

Narae ssi, ju-ingong-eun jeongmal bae-ujanayo. 밍밍

Let’s practice!

Try to make conversation with the following vocabulary. 가:

밍밍 씨, 우리 TV 볼까요?

Mingming ssi, uri TV bolkkayo?

Mingming, do you want to watch TV? 나:

(내일 시험이 있다)

naeil siheomi itda.

→

(to have an exam tomorrow) 공부해야지요.

gongbuhaeyajiyo.

I need to study.

같이

가:

-잖아요 ‘-잖아요’ is attached to the stem of a verb, adjective or ‘noun+이다’ form to indicate that the listener and speaker are both already aware of the action or condition conveyed by the stem.

하지만 드라마 볼 시간이에요.

hajiman drama bol siganieyo.

‘같이’ is placed after noun to provide a comparison for the verb, adjective or ‘noun+이다’ that follows as predicate.

But it’s time to watch the drama. 나:

그 드라마 (지난 주에 끝났다)

geu drama (jinan ju-e kkeunnatda)

→

The drama (to end last week) 가:

어머, 제 정신 좀 봐요.

eomeo, je jeongsin jom bwayo.

Oh, I completely forgot! 나:

괜찮아요.

gwaenchanayo.

Pronunciation 받침 final consonant ㄶ + 모음 vowel = [ㄴ] 배우잖아요 [배우자나요] [bae-ujanayo]

It’s okay. (실수는 누구나 하다)

(silsuneun nuguna hada) ([anyone] to make a mistake)

→

내일 시험이 있잖아요

naeil siheomi itjanayo.