november 9, 2014
issue 4 volume xvi
seoulite
SEOULITE Meet the staff
meet the Staff Editors-in-chief Celine Hwang & Yasmin Yoon
Layout artists Sang Ho Lee Alan Huh Joonhee Han
Sarah Doh Suyoung Yang
Reporters William Son Sarah Kim Alice Lee Julie Song
Marie Park Justin Chang Angie Kim
photographers Jane Lee Kelly Kim Brian M. Kim Brian S. Kim Andrew Lee
Adviser
02 SEOULITE ISSUE 4 VOLUME XVI
Christopher Lee Dongwoo Lee David Choe Esther Hwang Jaewon Kim Mr. David Coleman
Co-graphics editors Yeni Cho Hollis Hwang
Layout Editor Hyewon Kim
assistant layout editor Alice Rhim
Managing editor Jean Cho
assistant editor Christine Seo
Copy editors Joyce Kim Yeaji Park
Layout Sang ho lee
SEOULITE columns
Faux news: South Koreans move to North Korea in search of safety by jean cho North Korea may actually be the perfect place to live: a place where the government truly protects and guards its citizens, a place where there is no crime, a place where anyone feels secure to be himself or herself. After the occurrence of numerous unfortunate accidents such as the demolition of public facilities, South Koreans have recently attempted to cross the border in hopes of finding security. For some odd reason, the South Korean peninsula had been hit by a hurricane of tragedies this past year, rang-
ing from the collapse of bridges across the Han River to the burning down of three apartment buildings. Seeing this as some ominous sign to evacuate the country, civilians such as Youngshik Kim have actually started to prepare for the doomsday to come. “I feel like God is trying to send me a message—a warning to leave South Korea,” Youngshik said. “I honestly don’t know if I can live here anymore because it is just too dangerous. Maybe karma is getting back at us for entering the semi-finals in the 2002
World Cup or maybe it’s because Samsung has been engaged in so much corruption, I don’t know. But if one thing is for sure, it’s that South Korea is no longer a safe place to live in.” Despite the allegations from foreign media that accidents were caused by poor infrastructure and the lack of enforcement of safety laws in South Korea, the government is choosing to blame these events on luck. Instead of relying on technical solutions to improve these conditions, the South Korean government re-
cently initiated the construction of a shrine for wind and sea spirits in hopes of preventing them from playing with the lives of citizens. “It must be the gods, there’s no one else to blame,” said Prime Minister Jaemin Park. “I’m extremely sorry to all of the families that have lost their loved ones as a result of the recent accidents but I’m afraid there’s nothing we can do to help. The only thing we can do is calmly brace ourselves and walk through this storm of anger that has been forced on us by the gods.” SL
Blast From the Past: Territorial Disputes by Christine Seo Called Diaoyu by China and Senkaku by Japan, the collection of islands in the East Sea has been a subject of disagreement for both Asian nations. During the last two years in particular, the dispute over who owns these islands has deteriorated the relationship between these two nations, destroying economic ties and evoking bitter chauvinism. Japan and China are fighting especially vigorously for the islands because they have many potential natural resources, including possible oil and gas reserves and rich fishing grounds. In an attempt to secure posses-
Layout Sang ho lee
sion, Japan sought to procure the islands from their private owners in 2012. This move incited the Chinese public to violently protest, which later increased anti-Japanese sentiment. A year later, the Chinese created an air defense identification zone that encompassed the islands, announcing that any aircraft flying in the area would need to observe rules set by them. Recently, however, China’s Foreign Ministry and Japan’s Prime Minster, Shinzo Abe, announced that they would be willing to resume dialogue after acknowledging their differing positions. Given our current location, the most obvious and relevant
connection regards the Dokdo Islands. Also known as the Liancourt Rocks and called Takeshima by the Japanese, the islands have been a major source of animosity between Japan and South Korea. Because of the valuable fishing grounds surrounding the islets and the potentially large methane clathrate reserves, the dispute over who officially owns the islands has still not been formally solved. When Japan suggested they take the issue to the UN International Court of Justice, South Korea rejected the idea several times and responded that there was nothing to discuss.
As shown by these cases, territorial disputes can lead to the deterioration of any nation’s foreign relations and rise of jingoistic sentiment. Unfortunately, the hostility between nations that emerges from territorial conflicts does not ease quickly. Even if a dispute is resolved, the tension and friction between two nations is too engrained in their culture to suddenly disappear. Because amicable foreign relations are essential to creating an environment that promotes global cooperation, it is important that nations rid themselves of negative sentiments and compromise on territorial conflicts. SL
ISSUE 4 VOLUME XVISEOULITE 03
SEOULITE point of interest
SEOMUN XVII ends on a high note by jean cho and christine seo
One by one, delegates filed into the bustling auditorium as Secretary General Albert Kim called the principal of Seoul International School, Jarret Lambie, to the podium to deliver his closing remarks. Afterwards, Courtney Caldwell, MUN adviser, took time to thank all participants of the conference, including all advisers, chairs, delegates and administrative staff members. “I think it went really well because when I walked around, everyone was engaged,” Ms. Caldwell said. “This year’s SEOMUN was special because with over 500 delegates, we were able to make the committees a bit bigger and give more people an opportunity to speak up. Also, the officers worked so hard behind the scenes even though you don’t see any of the planning that happens beforehand.”
Beginning with the president of the Environmental Commission, the presidents of each committee summarized the results of the conference and relayed their gratitude to fellow chairs and delegates. Many senior chairs also expressed sadness as their high school MUN careers came to a close. “SEOMUN is where I grew up, from ICJ, Advisory Panel and Special Conference (SPC),” said John Sooho Park, President of SPC. “Now that I think about it, I would not be John Park without these experiences.” To wrap up the ceremony, each member of the Secretariat delivered a speech, thanking their fellow members, advisers, chairs and all other participants of SEOMUN XVII. Albert Kim, Secretary General, reflected on the occurrences in the past three days and offered advice to all attendees of the conference.
“The SEOMUN conference is not about imitating the international relations of the present, but rather forging the international relations of the future,” Albert said. “The reason why is very simple: every delegate, ever advocate, every ambassador fights to represent the in-
terest of its own country. The first step to this change is to be idealistic, which is what we as teenagers are best at. Rather than pointing out hypocrisy, because all countries are in some way hypocrites, we should create the best atmosphere for change and to make change happen.” SL
photo by andrew lee
Personality Profile: Albert Kim by angie kim and joyce kim Striking a block with his gavel, Albert Kim, Secretary General, initiates SEOMUN XVII. Having participated in MUN since his freshman year of high school, Albert was given the opportunity to apply his experience and skills as this year’s Secretary General. To organize SEOMUN, Albert collaborated with other Secretariat members prior to the conference. This year, Albert and Judy Kim, Deputy Secretary General, arranged two chair meetings and set due dates for chair reports earlier to facilitate preparation for the conference.
04 SEOULITE ISSUE 4 VOLUME XVI
“Although it was a lot of pressure to organize a conference in which students from not only different schools attend, but also different countries, Judy and Seoul International School’s MUN executive team assisted me a lot,” said Albert. “This conference could not have happened without them.” At the conference, Albert had to not only ensure that everything was running smoothly but also assume additional roles. He participated in General Assembly 1 as the delegate of USA for and acted out a crisis for Se-
curity Council and Advisory Panel. “I purposely encouraged delegates to participate actively by acting as the delegate of USA and actively supporting the USA in my speech,” Albert said. “To further instigate debate, Eugene Yang, [administrative director], who acted as the delegate of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, made a speech opposing my proposal.” Despite chaotic moments during the conference such as the plenary debate between both General Assembly committees and technical
difficulties, Albert is proud of the way SEOMUN turned out. He believes that the diligent attitude of Secretariat members, delegates and administrative staff allowed for one of the most successful SEOMUN conferences. “Though we struggled at first because Seoul International School does not have a technology team like Seoul Foreign School, we eventually prevailed,” Albert said. “We were also able to have fruitful debates in a professional environment because of SEOMUN’s location at COEX and delegates’ efforts.” SL
Layout hyewon kim
SEOULITE
Turning Back the Clock: Advice for the 1st day of SEOMUN
point of interest
by Julie song “Make sure you know your country because nothing makes you look more stupid than not knowing your country’s stance. Look neat but be funny in real life and when you’re at the podium! Make lots of friends and set a good first impression because you will see them again at conferences later on and you don’t want to have a bad reputation.”
Kenneth Yim, delegate of Republic of Korea in Security Council
“My advice to myself on the first day at the conference would be to also talk to delegates writing resolution on other issues. When the debate began on the second day, I did not have enough time to prepare for speeches; this meant that I could not speak out my opinion as much as I wanted to because I didn’t know many other delegates as personally as I should have.”
“Last time when I refer to clauses projected on the screen, I wouldn’t be able to see it because I forgot to bring my glasses. I would have told myself never to forget my glasses. Otherwise, I would have to ask the President of ECOSOC to enlarge the font on the projector, which is usually very embarrassing.”
Nicholas Kim, delegate of Germany in Economic and Social Council
Hyong Kim, delegate of USA in Human Rights Council 1
Behind the scenes: SEOTV by marie park A six-minute-long video greets the SEOMUN delegates every morning of the conference. Delegates react in various ways—some giggle at clips of their friends while others gasp at the way they look on screen. The creators of these videos that bring such entertainment to the otherwise serious conference are SEOTV staff members. “The main objective of SEOTV is to capture all the valuable moments of the conference on film,” said Ji Young Choi, SEOTV camerawoman. “For instance, yesterday we filmed a simulation of a crisis regarding Kim Jong Un hacking a Social Networking Site at Security Council. MUN is
Layout Hyewon Kim
a good opportunity for students to experience something life-like, which is why we feel that it is necessary to record moments from the conference and give the delegates a tangible product to remember MUN by.” To take on the extensive task of covering the entire SEOMUN conference, a great amount of diligence and organization is needed. SEOTV staff members have to film, combine and edit all parts of the film, which naturally leads to several difficulties. “The deadline can be pretty stressful,” said Jamine Kang, SEOTV camerawoman. “We constantly have to run back and forth across the halls to
get footage and it is very tiring. We seem to have to be everywhere at all times. It can also get awkward when crouch down or take shots in various angles. Despite staff members’ challenges and the burden that comes with their roles, Jasmine Lee, editor-in-chief of SEOTV, feels that the journalistic experience is ultimately rewarding. “I enjoy every step of the coordinating process,” Jasmine said. “I had experience in SEOTV in prior years, but never got the chance to anchor or make sure everything goes smoothly. My current position taught me a lot because it was a true test to the different
maintenance skills I learned in the past. I love MUN and journalism, and SEOTV is the one place I can put my knowledge to practice.” SL
photo by jane lee
ISSUE 4 VOLUME XVISEOULITE 05
SEOULITE committee
General assembly 1 & 2 BY YEAJI PARK Q: What was the most humorous moment of the conference?
Q: What music or movie genre best describes your committee and why?
A: “The most humorous and memorable moment of the conference was when the Secretary General and the Admin Director came in as delegates representing the United States and North Korea respectively, and presented speeches. The delegates for these two nations during for our committee were missing and the two who had come in used the colors of their nations’ flags; red, white, and blue as a theme when making their speeches. It was interesting and as the President, I was glad to have the SG and the administrative director as my delegates.” —Paul Moon, President
A: Our committee is an action packed thriller blockbuster movie all the time. The delegates are very enthusiastic and extremely aggressive. Each delegate was so passionate about their stances and was willing to attack everyone else’s resolutions till the point it was getting out of hand. There was one time during the conference when the delegate of Pakistan was speaking out against an opinion presented by the delegate of Denmark and he was very energetic and direct, making the debates intense.” -Leslie Kim Deputy Assistant President of General Assembly I
special conference BY jean cho and christine seo Q: What flavor is your committee? A: “SC is salty. Salt is a necessary ingredient in every dish but not all individuals are consciously aware of its effect on the overall test. However, when you first taste salt in food, you will never be eat anything without it. In the same way, once you first get a taste of what SC is like, you won’t be able to enjoy any other committee as much because it will taste bland.” —John Sooho Park, President
PHOTO BY david choe
06 SEOULITE ISSUE 4 VOLUME XVI
Layout hyewon kim
SEOULITE committee
Security Council BY julie song
Q: What was the most humorous moment of the conference? A: “The most humorous moment was when the delegate of Iran submitted a strange clause on the peaceful use of nuclear energy. It suggested that nuclear energy be used to make fireworks. I would describe this clause as a creative application of the issue at hand, but ridiculous nonetheless.” —Jae Hyun Park, President
PHOTO BY brian S. Kim
advisory panel BY sarah kim
Q: If your committee were a brand, what would it be? A: “We would be Versace. Donatella Versace went through various means to perfect her image as a fashion icon without limiting herself to a single area of the fashion industry. In the same way, the Advisory Panel does not focus on one type of world problems. We work on all issues and take into consideration all methods to tackle those issues.” —Angela Jang, Deputy Assistant President
PHOTO BY brian M. Kim
Layout hyewon kim
ISSUE 4 VOLUME XVISEOULITE 07
SEOULITE committee
six party talks BY jean cho and christine seo
Q: What symbol best represents your committee? A: “The yin and yang symbol, because there are various different stances of the six countries that even directly contract one each other, but ultimately, these views balance each other out. This is what makes SPT unique.” - Jane Hong, Assistant President
photo by andrew lee
InternationalBY angie Court of Justice kim Q: What will you miss most about your committee? A: “I have participated in ICJ for a long time and have grown fond of the committee. The small, closed atmosphere allows for judges and advocates to freely speak their minds, rather than having to compete to speak. Even though we discuss cases that ICJ has already discussed, the judges and advocates of ICJ have different opinions and rulings compared to the ones in real life.” - Dustin Yoon, Assistant President photo by brian s kim
08 SEOULITE ISSUE 4 VOLUME XVI
Layout ALICE RHIM
SEOULITE
human rights council 1
committee
BY william son
Q: What color would your committee be? A: “The color white because it represents the chairs’ desks covered with hundreds of amendment sheets and 6-page resolution papers. I’ve had the most amendments submitted from all of the conferences I’ve attended!” - Judy Chung, President
PHOTO BY ESTHER HWANG
human rights council 2 BY joyce kim
Q: What was the most interesting point-of-information? A: “The most memorable point-of-information was when the delegate of China, the main submitter, clashed with the delegate of Qatar about foreign policy. The delegate of Qatar argued that the delegate of China could not main submit because China itself does not respect human rights. This conflict brought up an interesting debate on whether the country that main submits affects the plausibility of the resolution.” - Bason Park, Assistant President PHOTO BY ESTHER HWANG
LAYOUT ALICE RHIM
ISSUE 4 VOLUME XVISEOULITE 09
SEOULITE committee
Economic and Social Council BY alice lee Q: What ice cream flavor best represents your committee? A: “The ice cream flavor my committee represents is mint chocolate chip, because the debates are both sweet and sharp. In other words, while there is a sense of cooperation during the debates, there are also conflicts between delegates regarding the best way to solve the issues at hand.” —James Yuh, President photo by david choe
Environmental Commission BY justin chang
Q: What is the one word that best describes your committee? A: “I would describe the Environmental Commission as cooperative because all of the delegates really worked together to forge all of the resolutions in a manner that benefitted all the countries and the environment. When we discussed solar radiation management, the two main resolution writers had completely contradictory ideas but still made compromises to work together.” —Jong Lim, Deputy Assistant President
photo by jaewon kim
10SEOULITE ISSUE 4 VOLUME XVI
Layout alan huh
SEOULITE
superlatives
SEOULITE superlatives
CELINE HWANG - Most likely to be a deflating balloon YASMIN YOON - most likely to demand hollis to braid her hair YENI CHO - most likely to transform after a trip to the bathroom HOLLIS HWANG - most likely to start her own food blog HYEWON KIM - most likely to break seoulite tradition for the first time ever ALICE RHIM - most likely to be dubbed the cute layout artist JEAN CHO - most likely to randomly make weird noises CHRISTINE SEO - most likely to be a hip-hop warrior JOYCE KIM - most likely to come to the conference with perfect makeup YEAJI PARK - most likely to want to go home SANG HO LEE - most likely to be considerate of other members ALAN HUH - most likely to be the only calm person at seomun JOONHEE HAN - most likely to be a caveman SARAH DOH - most likely to quietly disappear SUYOUNG YANG - most likely to be a model for a cosmetics company WILLIAM SON - most likely to be a womanizer SARAH KIM - most likely to be rewarded for her diligence ALICE LEE - most likely to be a deer MARIE PARK - most likely to be the next supermodel JUSTIN CHANG - most likely to ask the same question three times JANE LEE - most likely to be late to seomun KELLY KIM - most likely to take photos for the new york times BRIAN M. KIM - most likely to look exactly like his sister BRIAN S. KIM - most likely to call himself skim ANDREW LEE - most likely to be dissed by justin chang ANGIE KIM - most likely to also be a model for a cosmetics company CHRISTOPHER LEE - most likely to silently get angry JULIE SONG - most likely to be a turtle DONGWOO LEE - most likely to talk to himself DAVID CHOE - most likely to be in an ambiguous relationship with a mun member JAEWON KIM - most likely to flaunt his suit ESTHER HWANG - most likely to help distribute seoulite issues MR. COLEMAN - most likely to pose for a selfie Layout alan huh
ISSUE 4 VOLUME XVISEOULITE 11
SEOULITE
photo collage
12SEOULITE ISSUE 4 VOLUME XVI
Layout alice rhim
SEOULITE
photo collage
Layout alice rhim layout
ISSUE 4 VOLUME XVISEOULITE 13
SEOULITE
photo collage
14SEOULITE ISSUE 4 VOLUME XVI
Layout alan huh
SEOULITE
photo collage
Layout alan huh
ISSUE 4 VOLUME XVISEOULITE 15
etiluoes