Korea [2009 Vol. 7 No. 3]

ISSN: 2005-2162

Opening a communicative space between Korea and the world

Clear Winds Korea Goes Green

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MARCH 2009

www.korea.net

 

CONTENTS

6 Opening a communicative space between Korea and the world

Publisher Yoo Jin-hwan Korean Culture and Information Service

ISSN: 2005-2162

Chief Editor Ko Hye-ryun Clear Winds Korea Goes Green

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MARCH 2009

www.korea.net

Cover Photo Spring has come in the village of apricots. Photo by YONHAP

Editing & Printing JoongAng Daily

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Diplomacy • US Will Not Sideline Seoul: Clinton Reassures on Visit

E-mail [email protected] Design JoongAng Daily

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. The articles published in Korea do not necessarily represent the views of the publisher. The publisher is not liable for errors or omissions. Letters to the editor should include the writer’s full name and address. Letters may be edited for clarity and/or space restrictions. If you want to receive a free copy of Korea or wish to cancel a subscription, please e-mail us. A downloadable PDF file of Korea and a map and glossary with common Korean words appearing in our text are available by clicking on the thumbnail of Korea on the homepage of www.korea.net.

Cover Story • A Full First Year for President • From Green to Gold • Art and Seoul

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Global Korea • The Seoul Global Village Center • Lobbying for Change with City’s Backing • EV Boyz Rappin’ on Korea • Sport Unites Foreign Moms

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Culture • Global Singing Stars Converge on Korea • Klimt in Korea • Breathing New Life into Buddha • Prima Ballerina Returns

March 2009 VOL. 7 / NO. 3

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Korean Literature • Ko-un: Poet of Tragedy and Hope Korea through the Lens • Good Fortune and Magic Pups



Business & Technology • World-record Bridge Takes Shape • Another World-first for Samsung • Asiana Named ‘Airline of the Year’

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Series: Mobile Industry • A New Pillar for the Economy Hidden Champion • Samkwang: The Face of Hi-fi

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Sports • New Kids on the Diamond • Pyeongchang Tries Again • 3rd Time Lucky?

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Travel • In Village of Apricots, March is Winter’s End Fashion • Traditional Threads for 21st Century



People • Tenor’s Miracle Come-back • Expats to Follow Monk’s Foosteps • China Loves ‘Angel Donor’

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Foreign Viewpoints • Yuji Hosaka: The Need for Speed

발간등록번호: 11-1110073-000016-06

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March 2009 korea 5

Cover Story President Lee spending time with children.

Businessman-turned-president Lee Myung-bak has extended the nation’s diplomatic outreach, while wrestling with the global financial crisis.

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[JoongAng Ilbo]

A Full First Year for President

ne year ago, a crowd of more than 50,000 gathered in front of the National Assembly building to watch as Korea’s first businessman-turned-president took the oath of office. Feb. 25, 2009 marks the first anniversary of Lee Myung-bak’s inauguration, and sees Lee tackling the aftermath of the global financial crisis with reform at home and diplomatic cooperation abroad. On his first day as president, Lee began his diplomacy as a global leader. He met with delegates from the United States, China, Russia and Japan after the inauguration to strengthen Korea’s ties with the four giants. On his second day in the Blue House, Lee had meetings with visiting foreign heads of state from Cambodia, Mongolia and Uzbekistan. In March, Lee made his first presidential visit to China. During

President Lee on-site at the epi-center of the Sichuan earthquake. March 2009 korea 7

Cover Story

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G-20 Financial Summit underway in Washington in Nov. 2008.

President Lee warns against economic protectionism at the G-20 summit.

‘The economic crisis ironically provided us with an opportunity to come together.’

to the expansion of a trilateral currency swap. Blue House officials said it would have been impossible to strike the deal, which had long been under consideration by financial authorities in the three countries, without a special push by the leaders. Indeed, it was the first currency swap deal China’s central bank has ever signed with a foreign central bank. Sources said Japan had remained doubtful about the deal until the presidential summit was finalized. Lee then reached out to the international community at the G-20 financial summit in Washington in November last year, promoting emerging economies’ roles in coping with the global economic crisis. “Korea will play a big role in the efforts to establish new financial struc-

tures and greatly contribute to the history of the world economy,” Lee said in a press conference after the G-20 summit. He stressed the world’s emerging economies should have a greater voice in the international conference, saying advanced nations and developing countries should work together in solving major global issues ranging from the economic downturn to energy issues and climate change. Lee has been an active opponent of trade protectionism. During the G-20 summit, Lee proposed a “standstill declaration” to prevent the formation of any new investment and trade barriers. “We have to be wary of a possible rise of protectionism in international trade during economically hard times. One protectionist measure is likely to breed a series of other exclusive measures, throwing the global economy into a deeper recession,” Lee said in his keynote speech at the time. “When that happens, economically disadvantaged emerging nations will suffer the most.” During this year’s Group-of-20 summit, Korea was also given the opportunity to exert its influence in attempts to reshape the global economy and financial system. Korea will host the G-20 financial ministers’ meeting in 2010, and Brazil, Britain and South Korea form the current Troika, a management

At the G20, Lee proposed a ‘standstill declaration’ to prevent the rise of protectionism.

body of past, present and future country chairs which will establish the continuity and direction of the global leaders’ meeting. The Lee administration has formed a new task force, led by former finance minister Sakong Il, to play its role in setting forth agendas for the London G-20 financial summit in April. Lee will also attend the G-8 summit in Italy in July. As he moves into the second year of his term, Lee will broaden the horizon of his foreign policies. Lee is expected to engage in presidential diplomacy almost once a month, including a possible presidential tour of energy-rich Central Asia. Lee will this year, “spend time visiting regions such as Europe, Southeast Asia and Central Asia in line with multilateral talks taking place in those areas,” a senior administration official said. In June, Asean member nations will be invited to a summit on Korea’s Jeju Island.  By Ser Myo-ja

[JoongAng Ilbo]

the meeting, Lee and his Chinese counterpart Hu Jintao agreed to upgrade the status of the two countries’ relationship from a “comprehensive and cooperative partnership” to a “strategic and cooperative partnership.” Aside from Korea, the only two countries that hold such strategic partnership status with China are Russia and India. After his official schedule in Beijing, Lee flew to Sichuan Province to offer sympathy to those suffering in the aftermath of the quake that took the lives of more than 67,000. He was the first foreign head of state to visit the disaster-struck region of China. During his three-hour visit, Lee inspected Dujiangyan, where some 3,000 people were lost in the quake and 480 were reported missing. Lee went to hospitals and schools operating inside tents. He also inspected three South Korean military transport planes that arrived to deliver about 380 million won ($362,000) worth of relief goods. “China is a country so near to us, and I received a warm welcome from Beijing, so I couldn’t leave the country without paying a visit here,” Lee said to the local officials and residents. “I hope that everything is restored fast.” Starting with China diplomacy, Lee also met with other leaders around the world. In April, Lee visited the United States for a summit with President George W. Bush; Bush made a return visit to Seoul in August to bolster the more than half-century alliance between the two countries. Lee also met with Japanese counterpart Taro Aso five times during his first year as Korean president. In September, Lee visited Moscow to hold a summit with his Russian counterpart, Dmitry Medvedev, completing his tour of the four global superpowers. An ambitious project to supply Russian natural gas to South Korea as early as 2015 - possibly via North Korea - was agreed on between Seoul and Moscow during the summit. In the awake of the global financial crisis, the Lee administration also successfully concluded a key currency swap deal with the United States. Based on the two countries’ bolstered relationship, the Bank of Korea announced a $30 billion currency swap agreement with the U.S. Federal Reserve in October. The Lee administration worked to stabilize the nation’s financial markets by cooperating with Korea’s neighbors. In December last year, the first presidential summit between the leaders of South Korea, China and Japan took place as the three nations took a major step to forge closer ties and face the economic crisis. In a joint press conference, President Lee said, “It normally is not easy to build on momentum for cooperation, but the economic crisis ironically provided us with an opportunity to come together.” At the meeting, leaders of the three nations agreed

President Lee in discussion with Russian President Dmitri Medvedev. March 2009 korea 9

[JoongAng Ilbo]

A

Employees of a recycling company work with cast-away mobile phones. Copper, silver and even gold can be retrieved from “dead” cell phones.

From Green to Gold With the government promoting green policies, firms are finding that even trash, manure, and sewage sludge can be profitably leveraged.

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Cover Story

mid the global economic crisis, are environmental issues destined to drop to the bottom of the priority list? “Absolutely not!” says the Korean government. Seoul recently unveiled a range of “Green New Deal” programs to generate jobs in the faltering economy, with large-scale government spending in eco-friendly businesses, including the development of renewable energy and green cars. Both the Korean government and Korea, Inc., have been making efforts to secure eco-friendly growth engines in recent years, due to the instability of global fossil fuel prices and the tightening of environmental regulations in Europe and North America amid concerns about global warming. These efforts have become more visible since President Lee Myung-bak revealed his vision of “low-carbon, green growth” for the nation’s economic development during the next decade, in a Liberation Day speech on Aug 15, 2008. Lee repeatedly stressed his agenda, at the 10th international conference of the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands. The so-called “environmental Olympics” was held in Changwon, South Gyeongsang in October, 2008, to address environmental issues ranging from conservation of wetlands to climate change. In the conference, Achim Steiner, executive director of the United Nations Environment Programme, said that countries should resist the temptation to put the economy before the environment in the current difficult times, adding that Korea’s “low-carbon, green growth” agenda is very meaningful. As Steiner pointed out, economic difficulties tend to tempt the government and businesses to put environmental issues on the back burner. But experts say that the current financial crisis could provide a good chance for Korea to reform its energy production and consumption structure to be greener. The Green New Deal is one of the key efforts to seize this opportunity. Among “Green New Deal” programs, the highest visibility project for ordinary people will be the construction of a bicycle path around the entire nation. The Ministry of Public Administration and Security said in January it will spend 1.24 trillion won (US$1.23 billion) on establishing the 3,114-kilometer (1,935-mile), three-meterwide path exclusively for bikes by 2018. The nationwide path will start from the Haengju Bridge in Seoul and continue on to Mokpo, South Jeolla via a road along the west coast. It will continue to run along the south and east coastlines. The path will then head along the demilitarized zone and return to its starting point at the Haengju Bridge The administration hopes that the untouched ecosystem around the demilitarized zone and the views along the coastline will attract not only domestic but also foreign tourists. A more fundamental Green New Deal project is continued investment in renewable energy. As part of the project, the government is set to complete the nation’s first - and the world’s biggest - tidal-power station at Lake Sihwa in western Gyeonggi Province by the end of 2010. This plant will generate 254,000 kilowatt hour, saving the nation 315,000 tons of carbon dioxide emissions. The construction cost is estimated to be 350 billion won, which is about 15 percent of the money needed to build a nuclear power plant. Then there is wind power. The North Jeolla provincial government plans to form a large-scale wind power farm with 444 power generators on the Saemangeum reclaimed land off the West Coast to March 2009 korea 11

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Bike paths around the nation Demilitarized Zone Ganghwa

Goseong

Haengju Bridge Han River Pyeongtaek Nakdong River Geum River Pohang Yeongsan River Haeundae

Mokpo

The West Coast path (548 kilometers) The South Coast path (1,652 kilometers) The East Coast path (634 kilometers) The DMZ path (280 kilometers) The paths along the Four Major Rivers (1,297 kilometers in total)

The world’s biggest tidal power plant under construction in Sihwa Lake in Ansan city, Gyeonggi province. The sea is on the right, the lake on the left. Provided by the Korea Water Resources Corp.

unveiled an ambitious plan to help the nation become “one of the world’s top four countries in green car production” in his Liberation Day speech. Hyundai Motor plans to commercialize small Avante hybrids that use electricity and liquefied petroleum gas this July, a first among local automakers. Some ask why Hyundai is starting with an LPGelectric hybrid instead of the gas-electric hybrids that are common worldwide. “With Japan’s Toyota dominating petrol-electric hybrid technologies, Hyundai has no choice but to begin with an LPG-electric hybrid,” said Jung Jin-sung, chairman of the Korea LPG Association. “Because Korea has more LPG-fueled cars than any other country, it has also developed technologies in LPG engines. This will help in the development of LPG-electric hybrids.” Korea has 2.3 million vehicles with LPG engines, accounting for 13.6 percent of total vehicles, the highest percentage in the world. Hyundai Motor also wants to commercialize a hydrogen fuel cell car by 2012. The automaker conducted a test run of a Tucson hydrogen fuel cell SUV across the United States in August. As part of Korea’s effort to develop hydrogen fuel cell cars, GS Caltex Corp. the nation’s second-biggest refiner, opened the first hydrogen fuel station in Seoul for fuel-cell cars in a test operation in 2007. And local companies are also developing parts for green cars actively. Helped by such efforts, LG Chem, in January, was selected by General Motors as the sole supplier of lithium-ion battery cells for the U.S. auto giant’s Chevrolet Volt electric vehicle, which will be commercialized next year. The recycling and renewable industry is gaining momentum as the new Lee Myung-bak administration has set the “Green New Deal,” as one of the country’s top priorities. The government will be injecting a total of 2.8 trillion won by 2012 into renewable and recyclable energy development. The government plans to spend 1.12 trillion won on facilities converting trash into fuels and bio-gas, as well as 280 billion won on establishing the basic foundation for biomass production and 1.4 trillion won on livestock manure energy facilities and dump sites. The recycling and energy-renewing industry is a rapidly growing market with huge potential. In Korea, 75 percent of renewable energy comes from trash. The potential of the recycling market has no boundaries. Various materials can be utilized in recycling including mobile phones, electronic appliances and even used tires. They are turned into energy or recycled into other usable goods. The government believes such projects could generate advanced technology and produce added value

In line with governmental and industrial green projects, private citizens - and even an entire village are today creating solar-powered homes.

such as production-cost reductions. These potential incentives, it hopes, will lure companies into buying into the Green New Deal. Since 2006, Daesung Group has been recycling methane gas produced in garbage dumping sites. Taegu Energy Environment Corp., an affiliate of Daesung Group, has refined methane gas collected from a garbage dumping site near Dalseong county in Daegu. The company generated revenue of 6 billion won that same year. Daesung Group is also planning to convert bio-methane gas produced from sewage treatment plants into a usable resource. The value of manure from livestock is likely to surge as green businesses expand. In 2008, Daewoo Engineering and Construction completed Korea’s first bio-gas power plant in Asan, South Chungcheong. The plant uses the methane gas collected from food garbage, livestock manure and sewage sludge to produce electricity and hot water. Samsung Electronics said it has been saving 21 billion won every year in energy cost thanks to its business that converts waste into energy. Since 1998, the company been running the Asan Recycling Center, which recycles metals. Reportedly, 5 grams of gold can be retrieved from 1 ton of gold ore. But from the same amount of used mobile phone material, 150 grams of gold can be recovered. Hyundai Steel boasts of technology

Companies including Samsung and Hyundai are pioneering new recycling technologies.

[JoongAng Ilbo]

make use of the winds blowing in from the sea. The plan was unveiled after the local government signed an agreement with Hyundai Heavy Industries, the world’s biggest shipbuilder, to invest 105.7 billion won in the wind power system manufacturing plant in Gunsan County in the province. The Ministry of Knowledge Economy said in December it will pour 111.5 trillion won over the next two decades into developing renewable energy technology including solar cells for photovoltaic power generation and wind farm equipment. It also said it will invest 19.5 trillion won on its “IT/Energy New Deal” projects this year. Among them are the spread of energy-efficient LED illumination; the provision of 12,000 “green homes,” which use mainly renewable energy such as hydrogen fuel cell power for heating and lighting; and investment in state-run energy companies’ facilities. But experts warn that the government needs to carefully choose which green businesses to boost. “As for expansion of power generation through photovoltaic power plants and wind farms, the essential technology needed for these facilities is dominated by advanced countries,” said Kim Jeong-in, professor of industrial economics at Chung-Ang University. “Accordingly, the expansion would not lead to a great increase in employment and other economic effects.” “On the other hand, the improvement of energy efficiency in buildings can be a very good project,” he continued. “The work for building reform projects has great spillover effects into different industries, as it can be applied to the whole building. Accordingly, such projects create jobs in the short term. The United Nations Energy Program said improving the energy efficiency of buildings as well as green car development are the most effective eco-friendly projects for creating jobs.” Hyundai-Kia Automotive Group, Korea’s biggest auto conglomerate, has been speeding up plans to commercialize eco-friendly cars since President Lee

to recycle scrap iron. The company said 1 ton of scrap metal can be recycled more than 40 times. One ton of steel is now as useful as 10 tons thanks to recycling, the company said. Hyundai Steel recycles 1,100 tons of scrap metal every year. Even old-fashioned coal has new possibilities. The government plans to develop a non-polluting coal that could be used in producing synthetic oil, which will replace 80 million barrels of oil - equivalent to 8 percent of the country’s annual oil consumption. Some 22 trillion won will be invested over the next five years in the project. It is not just government and industry: grass-root changes are also taking place. Green activist Lee Daechul, 65, designed and completed a “Zero Energy House” in early January at the foot of a scenic mountain near Hongcheon, a town in Gangwon Province. The home’s heating and water-heating systems require no energy source beyond the rays of the sun. Located on a sunny spot, the wooden house is wrapped in insulating materials. It features gigantic windows installed on the southern wall and the roof. The solar power generator in the garden collects the sun’s rays during the daytime to produce warm water and maintain the optimal temperature inside the house. Lee may embody a rare private effort at energy self-sufficiency, but he is not alone. A whole village in North Jeolla Province relies solely on solar energy. Deungryong Village in Buan County may look like a typical rural community, but the small town has recently been thrust into the limelight after the residents installed what they call a “civil power generator” that runs on sun rays. A generator may evoke the image of a highly refined industrial facility, but the one in the town gathers energy from village houses - each of which is topped with a large-sized solar battery. Even in mid-winter, each household pays only around 1,000 won per month in electricity charges.  By Moon So-young, Lee Ho-jeong, Seo Ji-eun  March 2009 korea 13

Cover Story

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10-minute distance on foot

Samcheong-dong Gyeongbok Palace

5-minute distance on foot

The National Museum of Contemporary Art

Sejong Center for the Performing Arts

Insa-dong KT Arts Hall Kyobo Book Store

Seoul Museum of History Nanta Theater Chongdong Theater Ewha 100th Memorial Theater The Ballerina Who Fell In Love with a B-boy Theater Seoul Museum of Art

Kumho Arts Hall

Sa-choom Theater

Ilmin Museum of Art Jump Theater Cecile Theater Cheonggye Stream Deoksu Palace

Sejong Belt

[JoongAng Ilbo]

10-minute distance on foot

(Above) The Sejong Center for the Performing Arts is central to a plan to create a Broadwaystyle theatrical hub in downtown Seoul. (Below) Hit non-verbal show ‘Nanta’ (‘Cookin’’).

Art and Seoul Provided by the company

With the ‘Korean Wave’ a global phenomena, a range of programs aim to further raise the status of Seoul’s cultural content industry.

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t was during Korea’s 17th presidential inauguration ceremony last year that President Lee Myung-bak signalled the dawn of a new era of cultural prosperity. In his speech, he said: “Korea is a nation of culture with an extensive history ... We must develop our competitiveness in our content industry, thereby laying the foundation of a nation strong in cultural activities.... Through culture, we are able to enjoy life and to communicate with each other and advance together. The new administration will do its best to bring the power of our culture into full bloom in this globalized setting of the 21st century.” He has been as good as his word. Lee and his administration have come up with various policies over the past year that will help establish culture as a key mode of modern living. Among the many plans to develop a nation rich in cultural resources and activities, the most recent policy plan was announced in January by the Seoul Metropolitan Government. Seoul stated that City Hall will promote the creation of a cultural district in the city center called the “Sejong Belt,” a similar concept to New York’s Broadway and London’s West End. The city government decided to develop areas in central Seoul including Gwanghwamun, Jongno and the Jung District into a cultural hub and will support numerous performing centers like the Sejong Center for the Performing Arts, Kumho Arts Hall, Chongdong Theater, KT Arts Hall and other small theaters for non-verbal shows. “It’s a plan to make the city more attractive and to provide opportunities for both Koreans and foreigners to appreciate diverse performing arts,” said Lee Chung-seung, the head of the Sejong Center in January. He was making a speech at the opening ceremony of the Sejong Belt project. Some 400 culture and arts related figures were present. Among them was Choi Yoon-yeop, the head of Show B-boy, the company that produces the non-verbal hip hop show, “The Ballerina Who Fell in Love with a B-boy.” The show mixes break-dance, or street-dance, with ballet. It has attracted 700,000 theater-goers since the show first hit the stage in 2005. “Musical theaters located close to each other will begin cooperative marketing - promoting tourism packages, giving discounts - to attract more tourists to the area,” Choi said, while noting that even though Korea currently has considerable cultural content to share with the world - as shown by the success of the “Korean Wave” - there hasn’t been a firm policy to help develop and export it abroad. Regarding his show - which finished a run in New York late last year - Choi said that he was shocked by the cultural gap between New York and Seoul. “In New York, everywhere you go is a cultural hot spot,” he reminisced. “I was surprised by how the city is a cultural Mecca. Seoul, March 2009 korea 15

Cover Story

[JoongAng Ilbo]

too, can aim for a similar goal.” He is now hoping to take his show to Broadway. Meanwhile, “The Ballerina Who Fell in Love with a B-boy” will be performed in Shanghai this month. He is sure the show will be a big hit given all the support it has received. While hoping to establish Asia’s cultural hub, Kang Bong-jin, a spokesperson for the Sejong Center for the Performing Arts, said that the Sejong Belt project is different from the Daehangno area in Jongno, central Seoul, an area known as the city’s theatrical heart. “The Sejong Belt plan mostly promotes non-verbal performances,” Kang said, noting that non-verbal performances are more suitable for tourists and expatriates to understand. They eliminate language barriers, which are one of the biggest obstacles for non-Koreans when watching a local performance. Jeong Young-gwang, a Korean B-boy who appears in “The Ballerina Who Fell in Love with a B-boy” reckons that since the show doesn’t involve any words, audiences - especially foreign ones - seem to be more charmed and moved by the dance moves. “I’ve heard from many foreign audiences that we have re-imported hip hop into a style of our own, since hip hop is originally from the United States,” Jeong said. “The show is unique to our own Korean style and that’s what foreigners are looking for.” In addition to the city government’s Sejong Belt project, a new city landmark will open July in the middle downtown: Gwanghwamun Square. “The square will appeal to many foreigners, as there are many galleries and exhibition halls nearby,” said Kang, from the Sejong Center. Currently, there are some 20 art centers and museums including Kumho Museum of Art, Art Seonje and some 80 galleries near Gwanghwamun. Adding to the artsy atmosphere in central Seoul, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism also announced a plan to renovate the old site of the Republic of Korea Defense Security Command, or DSC, in Sogyeokdong in central Seoul, into a National Museum of Contemporary Art in Seoul, a new branch of the National Museum of Contemporary Art in Gwacheon, Gyeonggi. The government bought the old site for 113.5 billion won (US$80 million). This year, a total of 20 billion won is set to be spent on museum renovation in Seoul; the program is expected to be finished by 2012. The main national museum was built in 1969 on the grounds of Gyeongbok Palace, with a mission to contribute to the spreading of arts culture through its exhibitions. The museum moved into its new buildings in Gwacheon, Gyeonggi in 1986 and its Deoksu Palace museum annex in 1998. Display collections include modern Korean 16 korea March 2009

artworks, from paintings to sculptures and arts and crafts. Two months ago at the former DSC auditorium, Yu In-chon, the Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism, said the national museum will be expanded in a bid to promote fine arts and to increase cultural opportunities for all citizens. As the former site of the DSC was historically significant during the Joseon (1392-1910) era - it’s where the Gyujanggak, the palace library and the Sogyeokseo, the national Taoist temple were located - many art figures are excited about how to combine history and arts together. The site is also connected to Gyeongbok Palace by an underpass. The plan to set up a national museum of art in central Seoul was brought up in 1995 by a group of artists. And with recent years having been prosperous ones in the local arts market and with growing public interest in the art world, the 14-year-long aspiration has at last borne fruit. “The new national art museum in Seoul will hold world-class exhibitions and serve as a leading cultural hub in Northeast Asia,” Yu noted. “The national museum will provide a creative spot for exchanging aesthetic ideas.” The government plans to identify the roles of various national museums of art, and then gradually increase the number of museums according to genre and function. Meanwhile, the National Museum of Modern Art, an annex at Deoksu Palace, central Seoul, will continue to operate under its current name. All three museums will conduct extensive research as well as exhibitions of modern Korean works of art. After the renovation, the government hopes to create an art valley along the Bukchon area - a district known for

[JoongAng Ilbo]

[NEWSIS]

Seoul’s old rail station, supplanted by a high-tech new complex next door, is now being utilized as a space for the arts - such as photo exhibitions (left) and fashion shows (below left).

President Lee (second from left) delivers his New Year’s greetings to cultural figures on Jan 15 at the old site of the Defense Security Command - soon to be National Museum of Contemporary Art.

Former military bases and old rail stations are now being turned into art spaces.

its many hanok, or traditional Korean cottages - that covers Sagan-dong, Sogyeok-dong, Samcheong-dong and Tongui-dong and is surrounded by Gyeongbok, Changdeok and Changgyeong Palaces. To kick-start the plan to develop the city’s heart into a cultural hub, government is already rolling out the programs. The government organized three cultural activities in the latter half of last year at the old Seoul Station building in central Seoul - a fashion show, a photo exhibition and a contemporary art exhibition. But why at the old and often-overlooked Seoul Station building? “It has history,” said Kim Nam-jin, who organized the Seoul International Photo Festival, a photo exhibition that ended last Jan. 15. The exhibition, titled, “Humanscape,” displayed some 350 photographs by 50 artists from all over the world. The old Seoul Station building was built in 1925 by the Japanese during their rule. Though the building shares a sad - perhaps resented - history, the architectural design - which features unusually high ceilings still offers a charming spot for exhibitions to take place. It wasn’t until recently that the government decided to make use of this near-forgotten landmark. For five years, the building was surplus-to-requirements, left in the shade by the high-tech new Seoul Station, built in 2003 for the KTX bullet train. It was only in 2008 that the government started holding cultural displays. Seoul City Hall and the Culture Ministry have jointly decided to transform the building into a mixeduse cultural spot by the end of 2010. By Lee Eun-joo  March 2009 korea 17

Diplomacy

US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton made clear that Seoul will not be sidelined in North Korean policy.

US Will Not Sideline Seoul: Clinton Reassures on Visit U.S. Secretary of State packs plenty of action into her lightning trip to South Korea.

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[JoongAng Ilbo]

[YONHAP]

S

peaking in Seoul on Feb. 20, U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said that South Korea would not be side-lined by any negotiations Washington undertakes with Pyongyang. “We maintain our joint resolve to work together,” said Clinton, on a fiveday tour of Asia that marks her first overseas trip since the Barack Obama administration took office. “North Korea is not going to get a different relationship with the U.S. while insulting and refusing dialog with South Korea.” The former first lady, who was also visiting Japan, China and Indonesia, stayed in Seoul for less than 24 hours, but while in the capital, met Foreign Minister Yu Myung-hwan for talks and had lunch with President Lee Myungbak. She also found time to visit Seoul’s Ewha Womans’ University and speak to a number of female lawmakers. The high-profile visit helped clear up some lingering questions that have arisen over bilateral diplomatic issues. There has been concern among some pundits in Seoul that Washington might open up a bilateral dialog channel with Pyongyang - something President Obama has hinted at. That issue had also fanned speculation that the current six-party North Korean de-nuclearization talks would lose momentum. Clinton refuted any such possibilities. “There is no issue on which we are more united that North Korea,” Clinton, the highest-ranked member of the new American administration to visit Korea, said in a press conference. On other issues, she applauded Seoul’s pledge to provide more reconstruction aid to war-ravaged Afghanistan. Washington is planning to increase its number of troops in the country and has asked allies for more civilian aid.

U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton meets with President Lee Myung-bak.

Clinton and Yu also said they that their nations would coordinate closely to fight climate change, the looming global economic recession, and piracy in the waters off Somalia. And the two foreign ministers made clear that they would work together to secure ratification of the pending Korea-U.S. Free Trade Agreement. The FTA, which covers a number of sensitive trade issues, has been agreed upon, but still awaits ratification in both countries’ legislatures. “So we will draw together, upon our partnership, to address a wide range of issues,” Clinton said. “And it will be important that as we do so, we rest upon a very firm foundation of our alliance.” The visit was not Clinton’s first trip to Seoul: She had visited the country in 1993 and 1996 in a different capacity - as first lady. This time, there were a couple of breaks from traditional diplomatic protocol. For one, she was invited to meet

with President Lee - known to be passionately interested in the KoreanAmerican alliance - who does not customarily meet ministerial-level visitors. And she was guarded, not by the American secret service, but by Korea’s presidential security service. Long interested in women’s issues, Clinton made a point of visiting Ewha Woman’s University - the world’s largest higher academic institution for females. Ewha has signed a friendship agreement with Clinton’s alma mater, Wellesley College. While there, she gave a speech about her political career to some 2,000 Ewha students. Clinton is not the only high-profile female leader to tour the famed Seoul academic institution: Britain’s Queen Elizabeth II has also visited. The secretary of state’s visit was broadly welcomed by most sectors of Korean society - a positive sign, considering the sometimes strained relations that have plagued the two allies in recent years.  By Jung Ha-won March 2009 korea 19

Global Korea

The Seoul Global Village Center Expatriates can face difficulties with everything from the way they hold their rice bowls to getting a home Internet connection set up. In response, a Seoul City-funded help program has been initiated, which is making life a whole lot easier for overseas residents.

T

he Seoul Global Village Center was established a year ago as Korea’s first governmentsponsored community outreach center for foreigners. Slowly but surely, it has become one of the key places to turn to for many expatriates. First launched in Yeonnam-dong, Mapo District, on Jan. 31 last year, the concept has now expanded: There are currently five centers in Seoul. The other four are in the Itaewon-Hannam area, Ichon, Seorae Village and Yeoksam. The government plans to open two more centers this year. At each center, a staff of three - a foreign head and two Korean assistants - get between 100 and 300 calls a week asking for help about living in Seoul. “The rewarding thing about this job is being able to be a bridge for Chinese people to adapt to Korean society and culture,” said Lau Yan, the head of the Global Village Center in Chinese-heavy Yeonnamdong.

Cristina Confalonieri, an Italian national who heads the Yeoksam Global Village Center, and Paul Hussey, the Canadian head of Itaewon-Hannam Global Village Center, also participated in the interview. The three spoke in Korean throughout. Lau, a former medical doctor in China, did not find the same helping hand when she came here six years ago after marrying a Korean. She even had difficulty getting simple administrative documents issued. Her two daughters, who could not speak Korean at the time, were shunned by other children at the local school they attended. She learned that successful adaptation into Korean society means more than overcoming the language barrier. Without understanding the subtle differences between cultures, foreigners, even Chinese people who share many East Asian ways and etiquette with Koreans, find living in Korea difficult, she said. “A couple - a Korean husband and his Chinese wife

20 korea March 2009

[JoongAng Daily]

Five “Global Village Centers,” funded by Seoul City, are making life easier for expatriates living in Korea, while providing a space where Koreans and foreigners can mingle.

March 2009 korea 21

Global Korea

Global Korea

Interview

‘Problems like these can be resolved just by talking them over for a few minutes.’

Alan Timblick

Lobbying for Change with City’s Backing

O

Lau Yan of China, Canadian Paul Hussey and Christina Confalonieri from Italy head help centers for expatriates.

- came to me one day. They had relationship troubles which originated simply from different views on table manners,” Lau said. “The Chinese hold their rice bowls when they eat but many Koreans think this drives out blessings from the family,” she continued. “Problems like these can be resolved just by talking them over for a few minutes.” Confalonieri also came here with a Korean spouse. She met her husband in Italy, where he had gone to study vocal music. In Korea, she has become a celebrity since appearing on the popular KBSTV show “Minyeodeuleui-suda” (“Beauties Talk”). She has also published a book of her experiences in Korea. This success has provided her with the opportunity to give back to Korean society. She recently formed a volunteer group of around 60 expats who frequent the Yeoksam center. The group visits an orphanage once a month. “I will try to make a center full of love,” Confalonieri said. Hussey came to Korea for the first time in 2003. He also had a hard time settling in at first. No one explained to him how to separate trash, as local law requires, or gave a helping hand when his car broke 22 korea March 2009

down. But as he began to overcome the difficulties, he said, he saw what Korea had to offer. Now, he calls himself an ambassador for Korea. “I wish more people would visit our center,” Hussey said. The Ichon Global Village Center, which serves mostly Japanese expats, is becoming a window for promoting Korean culture. “Japanese housewives are very interested in education for their children and are willing to learn the Korean language and culture to help their children,” said Lee Hye-young, a Korean employee at the Ichon center. According to Lee, the center gets five to six calls a day from Japanese nationals asking whether the center has any interesting cultural exchange programs. The Yeonnam Center is getting an increasing number of calls inquiring about marriage counseling. “We are hosting a clinic for married couples,” said Kwon So-jeong, an employee at the Yeonnam Center. The Yeoksam center, located in the foreign business cluster in southern Seoul, receives a flurry of calls from expats hoping to get job visas. The center in Seorae Village, a French community, and the center in

Itaewon-Hannam, mostly get inquiries on general information about living in Korea, including how to get home Internet access or a mobile phone. About half of the approximately 200 enquiries each of the centers receive each week are such calls. It’s not only foreigners visiting the centers. Some locals living nearby are going to the centers to learn foreign languages. The centers teach locals foreign languages for only 10,000 won a month. Ju Min-young, a Junggok-dong resident, has become a regular at the Itaewon-Hannam Center since attending a fine arts class there. “It is good to hang out with people from all over the world,” said Ju. A 39-year-old Indian who only identified herself by her first name Shanti - said she met her boy friend, who is a Korean, at the Itaewon-Hannamdong center. Now she is volunteering, too. “I am working to open an Indian cooking class at the center,” Shanti said. The heads of the global village centers are hired by Seoul City on two-year contracts as sixth-rank public employees. They work a minimum of four hours a day and are paid 1.5 million won ($1,089) per month. 

Alan Timblick: With the backing of City Hall, he is well placed to lobby.

n Jan. 23, Seoul Global Center celebrated its first anniversary, and its head Alan Timblick looks to the new year as the one in which he will try to really put the center on the map. “I’d like to see our services better known,” the U.K.-native said. “We’ll be more aggressive with members of chambers of commerce and other organizations. And I am hopeful that we’ll have more budget to attend events and publicize ourselves more.” Seoul Global Center, a division of the Seoul Metropolitan Government, has a staff of 38 and offers a wide range of services for foreigners, such as business-related consultation, advice on taxation, medical care, immigration assistance and language. Also, foreigners can sign up for a credit card and mobile telecommunication services there. The best part about these services? They are offered free of charge. The worst? The people who need them the most may not know the center even exists. “In the beginning, people obviously didn’t know what we did or what we were for, how easy it was to use us, what was the scope of the kind of services and benefits we could offer,” he said. “This has been the year of not just doing [services] but telling people what we do.” Timblick said the center, which

handles an average of 400 inquires per day, wants to take on more of an “advocacy role” for foreigners here, by helping to make changes to regulations that might hinder their businesses. “There are regulations that exist that are obstacles to making life good for foreigners and foreign residents,” he said. “When we identify those, we need to lobby to get them changed. We have no statutory right to demand. But with the backing of the Seoul Metropolitan Government ... I think we’re in a good location and good position to [lobby for changes], as a channel of communication between foreign residents and the authorities.” Timblick, who is an honorary Seoul citizen, fully understands foreigners’ plights in Korea. He has spent more than three decades in Korea and has worked for various companies and organizations. What has kept him in this country for so long? “I guess it’s a constant drive for improvement,” Timblick said. “Koreans aren’t satisfied with the status quo, and that’s exciting.” Timblick’s one-year deal has been renewed, and he is not ready to retire quite yet. “After this year, I don’t know. Let’s just wait and see,” he said. “I expect to be engaged in doing something. I enjoy [this job]. I have a lot of fun here.” 

By Yoo Jee-ho

By Moon Gwang-lip March 2009 korea 23

Global Korea

Sport Unites Foreign Moms

I EV Boyz find themselves celebrities after YouTube hit.

EV Boyz Rappin’ on Korea

“K

imchi, kimchi, it is good for you and me…” It is hardly a typical scene, even on video: Three foreign boys rapping and dancing to an incurably catchy ditty that pokes affectionate fun at items including kimchi and local lagers. Meet the EV Boyz. “This is a video about how it is for westerners to live and work in a small

‘Edutainers’ find underground hit with rap video. town in Korea,” said band member Brian Peterson. The video and song, “Kickin’ it in Geumchon,” is both produced and performed by the Boyz, an amateur group of three Americans living in Korea. The video quality is no surprise considering that the band members Peterson, 25, Christian Zonts, 31, and Mike Nance, 28 - were all in the enter24 korea March 2009

tainment business back home. They have been in Korea for about two years on average now. The group is named after the place where they live and work in Korea Gyeonggi English Village (EV) Paju Camp, an English-language theme park located in the city of Paju in Gyeonggi Province. English Village, a faux English town with a pub, a Georgian city hall and even a miniature Stonehenge inside its walls, is a unique facility created by the Gyeonggi provincial government to provide local people opportunities to practice English in a variety of everyday contexts while immersing themselves in Englishspeaking culture. Nance recently moved to Seoul, but the other two Boyz, Peterson and Zonts, still live and work in English Village as so-called “edutainers” - a compound of “education” and “entertainers” - who teach the language not through traditional methods, but via unconventional mediums such as performance, game and music. “Kickin’ it in Geumchon” shows

their ordinary life in Geumchon, a small town near English Village in Paju where the group usually hangs out. It features Korean foods like kimchi and bibimbap - and their local drinking den. The video has became the talk of the town, registering more than 120,000 clicks after it was uploaded on YouTube in March last year and was awarded the second prize by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism out of all the usercreated content made in 2008. It has also appeared on national broadcaster KBS’ prime-time news program. The song was written by Zonts, who has more background in music, and was designed initially for performance at charity events held in English Village about one and a half years ago. It never crossed the Boyz’ mind that their song would create such a sensation. “It is a surprise that it is still going on a year [after it was made],” said Zonts. And their next project? “Soju Chinggu,” will be about friendships nurtured over soju, Korea’s infamous tipple. 

By Park Sun-young

Multicultural moms bond through sport. The women all came to Korea after marrying a Korean. And they all currently live in North Jeolla. The IMV was getting ready for a friendly match against its local counterpart, the Korean Mothers’ Volleyball team, on the day. The foreign team played a solid game in a united body, but still lost by 0 to 2. However, the players were not disspirited: Afterwards, they actively participated in a game of yut (a traditional Korean board game with wooden sticks) as well as an amateur singing contest

held after the match. “I was able to get rid of the potential stress I expect to get from lots of domestic chores during the New Year’s holidays in advance while spiking the ball during today’s game,” Ajibekova Gulbarchyn, 32, the captain of IMV in Jinan County, said with a giggle. “Participating in the IMV is like a shot in the arm as I can de-tress as well as mix with friends from various countries,” added Gulbarchyn, a Kyrgyzstani who came to Korea in 1999. The IMV was established in Jeonju and Jinan, both in North Jeolla, in April 2006, and was the first team of its kind in the country. It was the brainchild of Seo Ju-sang, 57, the president of the Jeonbuk (North Jeolla) Volleyball Association, which is affiliated with the National Council of Sport for All. Seo came up with the idea when a local peculiarity - the large number of foreign women married to Korean men who live across the region - came to Seo’s attention. The drive continued in other parts of North Jeolla to produce similar teams in Jangsu County in November 2006 and in Gimje City last October. As a result, a total of four IMV teams are now active in North Jeolla, with a member-

ship of around 120. However, Seo did not find it easy at first to run teams of foreign amateurs. There was a language barrier and most players were inexperienced and not much good at volleyball. It was also difficult to call out the players, who are usually expected to stay home to take care of their families, and who furthermore live scattered around the province. But IMV has managed to carry on its weekly practices and the team is now quite popular, being frequently invited to friendly matches in and outside North Jeolla at least once a month. IMV also plans to host various cultural events engaging multicultural families, which have been rapidly increasing in Korea in recent years. “We’ll hold a unique multicultural festival this Sunday (Feb. 15) in which the participants will not only play volleyball, but also enjoy various events, for example, making bibimbap together, which will engage international couples and multicultural family members,” Seo said. “Many events such as concerts, seminars and trips are also in the lineup to help more expat mothers better adjust to their lives in Korea.,” Seo added. 

By Park Sun-young

Provided by Jeonbuk volleyball Association

[JoongAng Daily]

t was Jan. 22 and some twenty foreign women, their nationalities as diverse as Japan, Kyrgyzstan and the Philippines, were gathered at the gym of Handle Elementary School in Jeonju, North Jeolla Province. The occasion? With the Lunar New Year’s festival about to begin on Jan. 26, the International Mothers’ Volleyball, or IMV, team was celebrating the onset of the Year of the Ox in advance.

A group of foreign spouses married to Koreans de-stress before the household chores of the Lunar New Year festivities start to bite. March 2009 korea 25

Culture

Global Singing Stars Converge on Korea

F

eaturing popera diva Sarah Brightman, famous rock bands Oasis and X-Japan, and jazz masters Five Peace Band and Fourplay, the list of foreign musical talent visiting in the first half of 2009 proves that Korea is - at last - squarely on the international concert circuit. Although the recession has forced people to tighten their purse strings, fans are expected to turn up and shell out for concerts - especially when those concerts offer chances to hear and see famed foreign musicians who they’ve been awaiting for years. With such a star-studded guest list, the local music scene is expected to be pretty loud in the first six months.

Clockwise from left: Sarah Brightman; Oasis, Travis, Jason Mraz and X-Japan. All are scheduled to hit Korea in the first six months of the year. Provided by the Ministry of Land, Transport and Maritime Affairs

Rock Blooms in Spring

26 korea March 2009

A number of celebrated foreign rock bands will make their high-profile entry to the country with the onset of spring in March and April. The first musician in the lineup is Scottish poprock band Travis who dazzled Korean rock lovers at the Incheon Pentaport Rock Festival last year. The band was astonished by the reception they received in their previous concert in Korea and by the support of Travis-lovers, organizers say. Travis will perform at the Olympic Hall, Olympic Park, on March 1. The concert will feature songs from their latest album, “Ode to J. Smith,” among others. “We are extremely glad to be able to organize Travis’ Korea concert,” said Shirley Hong of Yellow Nine, the organizer. “We expect audiences to respond favorably as we believe this band is one of the bands that performed at Pentaport that Koreans particularly want to see again here.” Another popular British act - Oasis - will be visiting Korea to perform on April Fool’s Day. This will be March 2009 korea 27

Culture

a follow-up after their highly successful, sold-out concert in Korea in February 2006. Japanese rockers X-Japan are another artist on the hit list. Band member Yoshiki promised to perform in Korea on his visit to Korea last September, and the group looks set to keep that promise. The band will hold its first-ever Korea concert on March 21, and another on March 22. X-Japan won an underground following in Korea during the era when Japanese pop culture was officially unavailable in the country. This makes X-Japan the leading band to breed Japanese music maniacs in Korea. After disbanding in 1997, the group was re-united 11 years later, and are now heading on a tour around Asia with just one empty spot in the lineup: Band member Hide died in 1998. According to Sony Music Entertainment Korea, the concert’s organizer, tickets that went into the first round of sales on Feb. 3 are selling rapidly. In their latest press release, Sony announced that they had sold 99 percent of regular seats in just three days. But the organizer also cautioned against fraudsters riding on the band’s popularity. “Although we have not yet even started to issue tickets, there are some posters online alleging that they have some good seats at the concert and if people are interested, they will send them to applicants at a cheaper price,” said Lee Se-hwan from Sony. Meanwhile, another Japanese visual rocker “Gackt” will perform in Korea in April, though the exact date has

Klimt in Korea

yet to be fixed.

Korea Awaits Queen of Popera

Sarah Brightman, heroine of famous West End musicals “The Phantom of the Opera” and “Cats,” opened the popera era with the song, “Time to Say Goodbye.” Brightman is coming to Korea for the second time to perform in three cities between March 13 and 20. The British soprano will be presenting a super-scale concert: According to organizers, it took four years and more than 200 staff to prepare the production. R&B singer John Legend, who campaigned for U.S. president Barack Obama with the song “If You’re Out There,” will also be coming to Seoul for the first time on March 29. Jason Mraz, who released his third album “We Sing, We Dance, We Steal Things” last year, will be giving a concert in Korea, as well. Mraz, a Grammy-nominated American singer/ songwriter has performed with famous artists such as the Rolling Stones, Bob Dylan, the Dave Matthews Band, James Blunt, Gavin DeGraw and Alanis Morissette. Many of his lyrics are based on powerful yet delicate observations, as seen in his previous hit songs like “Live High,” “If It Kills Me” and “A Beautiful Mess,” among others. Mraz visited Korea twice last year expressing his special affection for the country where he has a large fan base: Korea is the first stop on his 2009 World Tour.  By Kim Hyung-eun

Foreign Musicians’ Concert Schedule Artist

Genre

Date

Place

Contact Information

Jason Mraz

Pop

Feb. 21

Olympic Hall, Olympic Park

02-563-0595

Nicotine

Punk rock

Feb. 28

Hongik University SangSang Madang Live Hall

02-749-7516

Travis

Brit-pop

Mar. 1

Olympic Hall, Olympic Park

02-3443-9969

Brad Mehldau Trio

Jazz

Mar. 4

Seoul Arts Center Concert Hal

02-720-3933

Sarah Brightman

Popera

Mar. 13,14,16,20

Various cities, venues

02-3141-3488

Yuhki Kuramoto

Jazz

Mar. 14

Seoul Arts Center Concert Hall

02-751-9606~10

X-Japan

Visual rock

Mar. 21, 29

Gynmasium Stadium, Olympic Park

02-783-0114

John Legend

R&B Soul

Mar. 29

Olympic Hall, Olympic Park

02-3141-3488

Oasis

Brit-pop

April 1

Gymnasium Station, Olympic Park

02-3444-9969

Joshua Redman

Jazz

April 26

Seoul Arts Center Concert Hall

02-2005-0114

Fourplay

Jazz

April 28, 29

LG Art Center

02-720-8500

28 korea March 2009

Austrian master’s biggest Asian exhibition.

I

t’s about time, art experts say, referring to the Gustav Klimt (1862-1918) exhibition at the Hangaram Exhibition Hall in Seoul Arts Center, southern Seoul. The exhibition, running from January to May 15, claims to be Asia’s first and largest collection solely dedicated to the Austrian Art Nouveau painter. “Gustav Klimt in Korea 2009” includes some 110 oil paintings, drawings, murals and installations. “You will get a full picture of who Klimt was,” said Agnes Husslein-Arco, the director of the Austrian Belvedere Gallery, during an interview on Jan 31. Husslein-Arco was in town accompanying some representative pieces by Klimt from her gallery in Vienna. The Austrian gallery contributed more than 30 paintings by Klimt - some of which have rarely been displayed in previous exhibitions. Works by or related to Klimt were also contributed by private collectors and galleries, including The National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C. and the Gallery Saint Etienne in New York. Husslein-Arco said that no other country in Asia would be able to see the wide range of

paintings exhibited in Seoul. Klimt - a member of the Vienna Secession movement produced brilliant and fanciful paintings and drawings, concentrating mainly on the female form. Several of his major works on display are “Judith I” (1901), an oil painting of a Viennese femme fatale; “Adam and Eve” (1917); and “Baby” (1917-1918), thought to be the artist’s last work. Though Klimt’s more famous works like “The Kiss” (1907-1908) or “Portrait of Adele Bloch-Bauer I” (1907) couldn’t make it to Seoul from Vienna, sections from the “Beethoven Frieze” mural are here. The Beethoven Frieze was painted by 21 members of the Secession movement group, including Klimt, for display at the 14th Vienna Secessionist exhibition in 1902 in Vienna. The work is a celebration of the German composer including installations, painting, craft work and music. A movable copy of the mural, courtesy of the Austrian government, is on display here. The exhibition has already received favorable feedback from Klimt fans in Korea and art experts.  By Lee Eun-joo

Judith I by Gustav Klimt March 2009 korea 29

Culture A Seoul temple is establishing a new design paradigm for an old religion.

Breathing New Life into Buddha A Seoul temple is taking a new approach to Buddhist design.

30 korea March 2009

[JoongAng Ilbo]

Paper lanterns dangle from the roof of the prayer hall in Sangdoseonwon Temple

W

hen it comes to Buddhist temples, a particular set of stereotyped images tends to appear in the mind’s eye. First there are those ferocious guardians standing sentry at the gates in martial poses. The paintings on temple walls usually feature the four heavenly guardians of Buddhism, with a range of evil demons defeated by them kneeling beneath their feet. Numerous statues of Buddhas - often golden - inhabit the grounds and buildings. This is the scenery the public is accustomed to at temples. The similarity between temples has also led to complaints that temples only display the past, as what stands for today’s Buddhist culture appears to have changed little over the centuries. This is what makes the Sangdoseonwon Temple stand out. The temple has embarked on a journey to create a new Buddhist culture that is creative and reflective of today’s aesthetics. Visitors to the temple will see a blend of the old and new breathing together. Here, the future design of Korea’s Buddhist culture is being born and bred. Located behind Soongsil University in Sangdo

dong, Seoul, near a forest of high-rise apartment complexes, lies the temple. It stands four floors high and has one story below ground. As soon as one crosses the threshold, the temple’s unique style is revealed. The sermon hall is located in the basement, but the stairs leading to it are made of red Bubinga wood with the walls decorated with Buddha figures, imparting a very elegant atmosphere. Descend the stairs and open the door. Chances are, you will be struck silent for a moment: The Buddha that greets you is not the standard gold color but rather painted in a color between silver and lead. The skill of the sculptor is noticeable in the detailed clothing and long, thin fingers. Its form, and the the atmosphere radiating from it due to the material, make it very modern looking. Moreover, its outline differs from conventional figures that tend to have a rather imposing nature. Much of this new look is down to the duralumin used to sculpt the figure, explains senior monk Misan (who like most monks, uses only one name). “Overall we used the Buddha figure at Seokguram Grotto as a basic model,” Misan, said, referring to Korea’s most famed classical Buddhist sculpture. In addition, 450 small Buddha statutes decorating the wall behind the large Buddha are displayed so that they depict a

pattern when seen from afar but are clearly Buddhas when seen close up. The lanterns hanging from the ceilings are also artworks in their own right as they are made from hanji (Korean traditional paper.) After its opening in November of 2007, word of mouth spread quickly about the temple’s unique interior design and Buddhist artifacts. Since then, it has been besieged by visitors ranging from camera buffs to monks from other temples who are dispatched to find out more and take a clue from the temple in order to enhance their own temples’ image. Commonly heard comments are that the new approach is “fresh,” and that it was about time that someone broke from the past and brought forward creative change.Kim Jong-mu, an official working at the temple, says that young monks from other temples visit Sangdoseonwon frequently. “At this very moment there are several temples benchmarking our design,” said Kim. The temple welcomes all visitors and lets them roam freely around the temple to take pictures of the building and the interior. “I hope we can become a stepping stone in changing the architectural culture of temples within the cityscape,” says Misan.  By Brian Lee March 2009 korea 31

Culture

Provided by the organizer

T

Prima Ballerina Returns The imminent return of ballerina Kim Ji-young is spreading new hope that Korea’s dormant ballet scene will be rejuvenated. 32 korea March 2009

Ballerina Kim Ji-young will return home from the Netherlands in August.

he queen will return. Local ballet patrons are agog over the recent news that Korean ballerina Kim Ji-young will be returning to her homeland in August.Kim, 31, a soloist with the Dutch National Ballet, is known for a world-class technique that is at once dynamic, powerful and lively, yet as graceful and elegant as ballet can be. Ballet sources believe that Kim is following in the practice shoes of Kang Sue-jin, who joined the Stuttgart Ballet, Germany’s first major ballet company, in 1986. Kang and the German troupe performed John Cranko’s production of “Romeo and Juliet” in Seoul last November, garnering huge attention from the media and the public, while enrapturing Koreans with the beauty of the performance and the performer. Now, observers of the dance scene note, is the perfect time for Kim to come back to her homeland, to take her place as the role model for the next generation of local ballerinas. A key player in Kim’s decision to come back is Choi Tae-ji, the director of the Korea National Ballet Company. Choi had been the young ballerina’s biggest supporter when she decided to fly to Russia to study while she was barely in her mid teens, as well as when she became the youngest ballerina ever to get accepted by the Korea National Ballet Company. “She opened my eyes to ballet,” said Kim of Choi. Choi believes that the return of the star is crucial to reinvigorate a Korean ballet scene that has been suffering from stagnation recently. But her return could sacrifice overseas fame. “Ji-young has solidified her position in the Dutch ballet scene., and other circumstances look more upbeat in the Netherlands than in Korea,” said Choi. “I feel very grateful that she’s made a bold decision, that took into consideration the bigger cause, rather than immediate desire.” Kim refers to Choi as “her other mom” - and that is tremendously significant, for “mom” is a heartbreaking word for the ballerina. In 1996, when she staged her graduate work at Vaganova Ballet Academy in Russia, her mother flew to the country specially to see her youngest child perform. After the show, however, her mother was not on hand to congratulate her. Kim’s mother had collapsed during her performance and was rushed to hospital. Kim hurried to her bed, but by the time she arrived, her mother had already passed away. “She is the best with her sense of speed, rhythm, coupled with techniques” said dance critic Jang In-ju of Kim. “She has now added the maturity that only comes from years of experience and  By Kim Hyung-eun heartbreak.” March 2009 korea 33

Korean Literature

Ko Un: Poet of Tragedy and Hope

Major works “God, the Last Village of Language” (“Sin, Eoneochoehu-eui Maeul,” 1967) “Going to Munui Village” (“Munui Ma-eul-e Gaseo,” 1974), “Early Morning Road” (“Saebyeok Gil,” 1978) “Ten Thousand Lives” (“Maninbo,” 1986) “Mt. Baekdu” (“Baekdusan,” 1987) “The Song of Tomorrow” (“Naeil-ui Norae,” 1992) “South and North” (“Nam-gwa Buk, “ 2000) “Young Wanderer” (“Eorin Nageune,” 1974) “Shattered Name” (“Sansani Buseojin Ireum,”1977) “Wandering Man” (“Ttoedoneun Saram,” 1978) “Avatamsaka Sutra” (“Hwa-eom-gyeong,” 1991) “A Boy” (“Eotteon Sonyeon,” 1984)

Source: Korea Literature Translation Institute

34 korea March 2009

K

o Un (1933 - ), a Buddhist monk turned poet and pro-democracy activist, was born in Gunsan, Jeollabuk-do. His formal education was interrupted by the outbreak of the Korean War, and Ko Un joined a monastic order in 1952 as the head disciple of Seon (Zen) Master Hyobong. For the next ten years until he left the order, Ko Un traveled the country, immersing himself in self-discipline and spiritual cultivation. Ko began to write poetry during this period, but it was not until the mid-1970s that he emerged from the Nihilism and self-hate afflicting his early poems and transformed himself into a passionate voice against social injustice. In works such as “Going to Munui Village,” “Climbing a Mountain,” and “Early Morning Road,” Ko tackled contemporary political issues, be they the division of Korea or the abuses of the military dictatorship, and expressed a fierce determination to overcome Korea’s tragic history. Ko’s strong faith in the power of history led him to lengthier, grander schemes later in his career, two examples of which are the ongoing series of poems “Ten Thousand Lives” (20 volumes since 1986) and the epic poem “Mt. Baekdu” (7 volumes since 1987). In lyrical language, “Ten Thousand Lives” brings together

portraits of the many different lives that comprise the tumultuous history of modern Korea. The transformations that Ko’s poetry have undergone are intimately related to his response to changes occurring in contemporary Korean society. At the same time, in more recent works of both poetry and prose, notably in a series of “Zen Poems” as well as in the novels “Avatamsaka Sutra” and “Seon” (“Zen”), he has tackled specifically Buddhist themes far more openly than ever before, although he refuses to be labeled a “Buddhist writer.” A prolific author of more than 130 volumes of poetry and essays, Ko has also been politically active, serving as a central committee member of the National Association for Reclaiming Democracy, the president of the Association of Writers for National Literature, and as chairman of the People’s Arts Association for Korean Artists. He was a Yenching Institute research fellow at Harvard University and a visiting professor at the University of California at Berkeley. Ko’s poetry has been translated into more than ten languages including German, French and Japanese. His awards include the 1974 Korean Literature Award, the 1988 Manhae Prize for Literature, and the 1991 JungAng Grand Prize for Culture.

March 2009 korea 35

Korean Literature

The Song of Tomorrow

Ten Thousand Lives The first in this continuing series of poems appeared in 1986; 20 volumes have been published to date. Ko Eun conceived the idea behind “Ten Thousand Lives” in the summer of 1980 during his imprisonment for pro-democracy activities. Enduring torture and the fear of death, Ko resolved to record the faces and spirits of countless people he had encountered. It it this determination that culminated in

his epic tribute to humanity. His fundamental belief in the solidarity of mankind is made clear in the prologue to this volume where the poet writes, “Not one can be a being unto himself/ In this endless march of life, tomorrow/ O, a man is a man among men, a world of men.” Life, the poet declares, is a process of acquiring the wisdom necessary for co-existence and interconnection; as such, the source of a

brighter future lies in the web of human relationships. The spectrum of life Ko sketches is truly remarkable, encompassing the poet’s own family and acquaintances, ordinary people as well as important figures from the past and the present. It is an encyclopedic representation of Koreans, conveying in the process “the chain of life’s joy and the joy of living on this earth that no amount of poverty or persecution can break.”

As implied by his reputation as the most prolific poet in Korea, Ko Eun leads a life that cannot be separated from the act of creating poetry. Whether in public or private, Go Eun exhibits a remarkable ability to transform ordinary words or statements into brilliant poems. This verbal gift, merged with his profound awareness of historical forces and compassion for mankind, has resulted in works of

remarkable frankness and effortless rhythm that epitomize realist poetry. The first poem in this collection, “Tomorrow” reflects on times past. “What among them all was truthful?” the poet asks himself and expresses his determination to soldier on without a pause “...in the brilliant name of tomorrow.” The darkness of the past can no longer dominate the future. In “Today,” the poet sings of the

ecstasy of being alive: “Snow flakes aflutter/We are alive,” he proclaims and urges us to “raise ourselves once again and go” toward “the brand new sound of drumbeats.” It is not the poet’s intention, however, to indulge in baseless optimism or dwell on past mistakes. In order to welcome a future filled with hope, the poet suggests that we will need to “reflect on the present” rather than dwell on past.

Poems That Old Woman

Paddy-field

Flowers

She knew many tales. Living in a grass-roofed hut, where millipedes used to drop from the rotting thatch. Falling raindrops were part of her family. Hard times were her element. Cholera or other common diseases never came to her. Poverty and bad spirits disliked her. The daytime moon was one of her family. When the nation was brought low, moonlit nights shone bright under the Japanese and later, after Korea was divided, she had only to drink a gulp of water and she forgot a host of tales. Once, Onnyon from the village opposite came by after gathering herbs and said, When you die we’ll make the memorial offerings for you. I don’t need offerings, she said, and laughed, a rare event. If she had no teeth she still had gums. Her gums’ laughter was all there was.

In the plains round P’yongtaek children used to laugh girls used to sing. In that hallucination in the freshly planted paddy-fields there were baby rice plants a bright yellow-green. Now it’s sunlight. Water. After a final weeding the rice ripens. From being in the Republic of Korea the field became part of the Chosun People’s Republic then the Republic of Korea then the Chosun People’s Republic then the Republic of Korea again. After American jets had flown over, the plains were silent. Don’t be sad. Your descendants have not lost touch with these plains. In scorching heat the rice is ripening. On the banks of the fields, homeless dogs are coupling.

Forty thousand years ago, in prehistoric times, when one by one people had moved from caves to live in huts, if a father was killed while hunting his sons would bring him home on their backs then hang the body from a tree and spread flowers on the ground beneath. Forty thousand years later in Chinan, North Cholla Province, a four-year-old child whose father had died in the war, once a grave had covered his remains spread flowers there. Behind him, his mother wept. A few wild crysanthemums.

36 korea March 2009

[JoongAng Ilbo]

- Poems from Ten Thousand Lives, Volume 17  Translated by Brother Anthony and Lee Sang-Wha

March 2009 korea 37

[NEWSIS]

[NEWSIS]

Korea through the Lens

Moon Lanterns — Wish lanterns glow in the dusk as residents of Yeongwol, Gangwon, make their way across a stream Saturday to mark the first full moon of the Lunar New Year. Koreans traditionally light lanterns, build bonfires or swing canisters of burning coals on the first full moon for good fortune. (Above)

Click Korea

Fun, Fortune and Foreigners — Overseas residents play a traditional Lunar New Year’s game, designed to invoke good luck. (Above, right)

[NEWSIS]

Farewell, Teen Years Young men and women take part in a comingof-age ceremony in City Hall Plaza, central Seoul. (Right)

[JoongAng Ilbo]

Cold Dash — Around 600 swimmers brave the icy sea on Feb. 15 at Haeundae Beach in Busan to take part in the “Polar Bear Swim” Contest. (Right)

Provided by R&L Bio

Korea through the Lens

Sleepy Miracles — “Magic” and “Stem,” two beagle puppies cloned from stem cells derived from fat tissues. Seoul-based biotech firm RNL Bio - with a little help from their surrogate mother, a golden retriever - was behind the breakthrough, a world first.

[YONHAP]

Mounds of Meju — Residents in Gangjin, South Jeolla, store fermented soybean cakes, meju, in jars to make soy sauce and soybean paste on Feb. 4, the first day of spring. The villagers sell the food product across the nation.

Crazy Skiers — Costumed skiers take to the slopes of Phoenix Park in Pyeongchang, Gangwon on Feb. 15. It was the seventh year the event was held.

[YONHAP]

[JoongAng Ilbo]

So Long — The fourth batch of Dongmyeong Unit soldiers bid farewell to their sons and daughters at a ceremony held in Gwangju, Gyeonggi Province, to mark their dispatch to Lebanon on a United Nations Peacekeeping mission.

Business & & Technology Technology Business

World-record Bridge Takes Shape

42 korea March 2009

by drilling into the hard surface of the sea bed. Immersed tunneling is a cutting-edge methodology that sinks concrete boxes assembled on land into the sea, links them to each other using water pressure, then buries them under the sea floor. It sounds difficult - and it is. The construction site is 48 meters deep. There are no workers on the site. Dependent only upon a Global Positioning System (GPS), the constructing company connects concrete tunnel boxes, which are 180 meters long and weigh 45,000 tons in total, under the sea. Only a 2-centimeter margin of error is tolerable. Weather conditions are another variable. Construction work is possible JinHae

Immersed Tunnel Immersion equipment (Precisely controlled using computer) Moving to immersion site by towing vessels

Weight: 45,000 tons

180m 9.75m

26.5m

Maximum depth (40m)

Tunnel sunk by filling it with water. Sections fixed. Water drawn out. Total length of immersed tunnel: 3.7 kilometers (Between Gadeok Island and Jungjuk Island)

Noksan Industrial Complex Gadeok Island

Busan tunnel Immersemdeters) (3.7 kilo

Je Island Geoje Island

ridge Geoga B

meter)

(8.2 kilo

Busan~Geoje Fixed Link Project

Provided by the company

M

onths after Incheon Bridge made headlines for the completion of the overseas section of what will be the world’s sixth-longest bridge, another Korean bridge is coming into the global spotlight. Geoga Bridge, which will cross the sea for 8.2-kilometers between Busan Port and Geoje Island in South Gyeongsang Province, is in its fifth year of construction. The bridge, being constructed by Daewoo Engineering and Construction, is poised to be a Korean landmark, not just for its size but for its practicality. It will cut traveling time between the city and the island from three and a half hours to 40 minutes. If completed as scheduled next year, it will enter the Guinness Book of Records, setting as many as five world records in bridge construction. The records are all related to the method of construction known as “immersed tunneling.” Under the plan, the bridge will include a 3.7-kilometer-long immersed tunnel along with two, 2-kilometer-long cable-stayed bridge sections. An immersed tunnel is different from an excavated tunnel that is made

only when the wave height is 0.4 meters or lower. According to Ku Im-sik, the head manager of the bridge construction project at Daewoo Engineering and Construction, the bridge is on target for five world records. Considering the engineering techniques being used, this is not odd. Ku proudly explains each of the five world records the bridge is poised to set. “First of all, the length of each of the tunnel blocks (boxes) to be assembled under the sea is 180 meters long,” he said. “These are the world’s longest in a bridge made by immersed tunneling.” The second record, he said, is the 48-meter-deep construction field, which is also the deepest among any immersed tunneling bridges constructed - or under construction - anywhere in the world.

Ku said it is also the world’s first tunnel to be built on a frail sea-bed which is composed of a considerable portion of mud flats. Another record, he said, is that it is the first tunnel to be built in a windtossed open sea, not an enclosed bay or harbor as is usually the case. Lastly, he said, the bridge is the first bridge to be built making use of the double-segment joint method in linking concrete blocks under the sea. “I am confident that this will be the safest tunnel in the world,” said Ku.  

By Moon Gwang-lip March 2009 korea 43

Business & Technology

Asiana Named ‘Airline of Year’

Samsung Electronics has rolled out its seventh world-first chip in a decade.

A

siana Airlines became the first Korean carrier to receive the “Airline of the Year” award from the prestigious magazine Air Transport World last month. The award is considered one of the premier prizes in aviation. Yoon Young-doo, Asiana’s new president and chief operating officer, said this is the first time a Korean airline company has won this award, adding that government regulations on airline routes should be less restrictive. “Although by sales, Korean Air is the leader, in terms of service, safety and financial policies, Asiana is at the forefront, “ said Yoon, addressing journalists in central Seoul’s Lotte Hotel on Jan. 29. Yoon, who was appointed president last December, said data provided by the International Air Transport Association forecast that this year passenger flight demand and cargo flight demand will decrease 3 percent and 5 percent respectively, compared to 2008. Demand for smaller airlines oper-

Samsung Electronics’ 40-nanometer DDR2 dynamic random access memory.

Another World-first for Samsung

I

n yet another world-first, Samsung Electronics has developed DDR2 dynamic random access memory using 40-nanometer technology, the Seoul-based technology giant said on February 4 in a release. A nanometer is one-billionth of a meter, and 40 nanometers is the equivalent of one-3000th of a hair. “With 40-nanometer technology, we can enhance production up to 60 percent compared with using 50-nanometer technology,” said Samsung, the world’s top chipmaker, in a release. For chip makers, developing higher DRAM density means they can cut production costs and lead market trends by providing the latest DRAM semiconductors at higher prices. Since chips are produced from a wafer, the smaller chips are, the more chips are produced out of one wafer. “In the world’s chip market, the most important thing is timing,” said an industry official. “Success depends on how much quicker than your rivals you can develop the newest chip product, because nobody wants to purchase lowcapacity chips even if their prices are rock-bottom.” In that sense, Samsung’s development of 40-nanometer technology is remarkable. Currently, Samsung and the Korea44 korea March 2009

based world No. 2, Hynix, produce chips with 50-nanometer technology. Japan-based Elpida Memory will start to produce 50-nanometer DRAM chips within the first half of this year and U.S.-based Micron Technology still produces 60-nanometer chips. The situation is worse for Taiwanbased chipmakers. Powerchip and ProMOS do not even produce 60-nanometer chips. Germany-based Qimonda went bankrupt last month due to the tough market conditions in the industry. This gives Samsung a head start on its rivals and industry officials say it will take two years for other chipmakers to catch up. Along with enhanced productivity, the 40-nanometer DRAM chip consumes up to 30 percent less electricity compared to its 50-nanometer counterpart. However, tough times continue in the industry: Nobody knows when the world chip market will rally. “It’s hard to forecast when the market will rebound,” said Brian Park, an analyst with Prudential Investment and Securities. “When the financial crisis eases, the market will see a turnaround.” Samsung has been leading chip market standards by releasing world-

first DRAM products seven times over the past 10 years. The 40-nanometer DDR2 DRAM comes two years and five months after Samsung developed a 50-nanometer DRAM in September 2006. Unlike flash memories, which store information even when power is turned off, DRAM memory stores a great amount of data but loses data when power is turned off. DRAM chips are often used by IT industries which are in need of storing a huge amount of data, such as subscriber information. By Sung So-young



Samsung Electronics’ chip history by developing the world’s first DRAM products Year

Nanometer



2000

150



2001

100



2002

90



2004

80



2005

60



2006

50



2009

40 Source: Samsung Electronics

ating routes between Korea, Japan and China is decreasing steadily and Asiana’s role in this area will grow stronger as a result, “ he said. “With the Korea-U.S. visa waiver, agreement, we expect visitors to the U.S. to increase twofold in the next three years,” Yoon said. “In step with this increase, we are looking into making new routes between Korea and the U.S.,” he added. Despite the adverse circumstances surrounding the local aviation industry recently, with high oil prices and the Korean currency’s depreciation, Asiana Airlines has been active in improving its passenger service. The company announced this year that it has invested a total of $70 million in upgrading a variety of its aircraft cabins. Service improvements include bigger, more comfortable first-class seats and individual monitors in economy class seats in select aircraft. The company’s goal for this year is around 4.5 trillion won ($3.3 billion) in sales.

QW

Asiana expects visitors to the U.S. to increase two-fold in three years. Flight attendants serve passengers in first class on an Asiana Airlines flight. The airline company received the “Airline of the Year” award from Air Transport World for its superior in-flight service. The company said it has spent $70 milProvided by the company lion on upgrading passenger service since 2006.

“Although last year we saw a deficit due to the won’s depreciation against the dollar as well as high oil prices, we expect to step into the black again this year,” Yoon said. Asiana Airlines based their business plans for this year on a $60 per barrel mark for crude oil and 1,200 won per dollar mark for the country’s currency.  By Cho Jae-eun

Air Transport’s “Airline of the Year” award winners Year

Airlines

2009

Asiana Airlines

2008

Singapore Airlines

2007

All Nippon Airways

2006

Cathay Pacific Airways

2005

Air France

2004

Qantas Airways Limited

2003

Southwest Airlines

2002

Japan Airlines

2001

Continental Airlines

2000

Lufthansa Source: Air Transport World

0

2007

0

2012

2007

2012

Source : Yankee Group. “Global mobile forecast” June 2008

Mobile Industry: A New Pillar for the Economy

Worldwide market size

Number of subscribers

(Unit: billion dollars)

(Unit: billion)

1,000 800

New Growth Engine Industries

04

5 4

600

3

400

2

200

1

0 Special Series

969

803

2007

2012

0

4.09 3.11

2007

2012

Source : Yankee Group. “Global mobile forecast” June 2008

T

he introduction of cellular communications in everyday life has changed lifestyles throughout the world. Now more than 3 billion people use their own mobile phones in communications, business and emergency calls. The mobile industry, includingoperators, system makers and handset makers, has grown so fast that the total market volume now exceeds $1 trillion. The Korean mobile industry also has benefited from the worldwide growth of the business. Samsung and LG Electronics are ranked among the top five in worldwide handset market share. Mobile operators in Korea have enjoyed rapid growth of subscribers. Now almost all Korean people subscribe to mobile services. The industry has contributed to the Korean economy in this way and been a major growth engine so far. Its contribution to the Korean GDP was almost 7 percent in 2007. Stagnating Growth and Structural Weaknesses Even though the mobile industry has grown continuously, the growth rate has slowed year by year. This slowdown is a great threat to the Korean mobile industry. The cellular penetration ratio in Korea exceeds

46 korea March 2009

90 percent, forcing operators to pay more marketing expenses in order to maintain their subscribers. For system makers, the market situation is even worse than for handset makers. Nationwide coverage for mobile services is already complete and operators hesitate to deploy more advanced systems to enhance services. In the overseas market, Korean handset makers have done well enough to rank fifth in market share. Samsung Electronics has been ranked second and LG Electronics fourth. The total market share of Korean handset makers approaches 25 percent and continuously increases, but still needs to increase its share to overcome Nokia, the No. 1 manufacturer. On the other hand, system makers could not enter the worldwide system market easily. The leading system makers, such as Ericsson, Huawei and Nortel have already taken the whole market with technological and price competitiveness. Korean system vendors are struggling to enter the worldwide market but the situation is getting worse. To open a new system market, Korean system vendors have invested in a new technology called Mobile Wimax, which Koreans call “WiBro.” With WiBro, a small segment of

market has begun to open but the expansion of the market is still less than expected. For Korean operators, finding a new business opportunity in the overseas service market seems a good way of overcoming difficulties within the domestic market. However, the barriers in the overseas market are too high to overcome. Sustained Growth to Overcome Crisis The Korean mobile industry is confronted with the difficult task of sustaining growth. Even though the difficulties seem to come from market saturation, there are other hidden reasons. The first is a technological issue: The Korean mobile industry has tried to secure intellectual property rights (IPR) conforming to world standards, such as CDMA and WCDMA but the result has not been enough to secure independence from leading companies such as Nokia, Qualcomm, Ericsson, etc. The second one is cost and is related to the technology issue: The ecosystem for a mobile system consists of the component manufacturer, set maker, system vendor and the service provider, but the ecosystem members have not been connected

efficiently so the cost of the mobile industry has been heavier than that of its competitors. This is also related to the technological issue: The core components’ dependency on foreign companies. The core components, such as baseband MODEM and RF transceivers are mainly supplied by foreign companies such as Qualcomm and TI, so the set makers do not have control over the components and sets they produce. In spite of all the difficulties, the Korean mobile industry plays an important role in the Korean economy. The expectations and possibilities of the industry are still high. Therefore, investment in mobile communications should be reinforced to strengthen the competitiveness of the mobile industry. Through investment, the technological gap should be filled and Korea’s ecosystem should be rebuilt. Investment should also be made to support the base of mobile communications, such as education, tests and support for industry activities. Through investment, mobile communications could be a new growth engine for the Korean economy. From Voice to Data Putting investment into mobile communications and making it a

new growth engine is not just a hope but a fact resulting from environmental change and technological evolution. If the mobile industry in Korea takes a chance and follows up on changes in trends and leads in advanced technology, it can act as a new growth engine for the Korean economy. The first change is the usage pattern shift of mobile service subscribers. Traditionally, the major mobile service has been voice communications. Even though third generation mobile services such as WCDMA and cdma2000 1x EV-DO aimed to promote data communications in the cellular network, the usage pattern of mobile subscribers remains unchanged. Still the major mobile service is voice communication and data service occupies only a small portion of the mobile business. However, the situation seems to be changing with the introduction of an affordable mobile data service and various data applications. If the data service for the cellular network becomes a major mobile service, the third generation cellular network should be upgraded to a more data-efficient architecture because the current network is efficient for voice service and carries the overhead for data services. Upgrad-

ing the cellular network to a new architecture could be a great chance for the mobile industry, especially for system vendors. Fortunately, Korean system vendors have initiated change by developing data-oriented systems like “WiBro,” so they can become leaders in the next generation systems business. New Standards, New Technologies, New Players The trend change toward the expansion of data service requires an evolution in technology to provide bandwidth efficiency in the cellular network. Because data service requires more traffic capacity in the same bandwidth, evolution is essential for moving into data services. The evolution from the current cellular standard requires a new standard of development to implement the evolved techniques in formal words. ITU-R initiated the movement to generate a new cellular standard and several standardization bodies including 3GPP and IEEE802.16 are already moving to generate the new standard. ITU-R calls the new standard “IMT-Advanced” and the first version of the standard will be finalized by 2011. The Korean mobile industry is also trying to incorporate their March 2009 korea 47

‘Due to the convergence trend, traditional laws and regulations are not proper ... we must improve them for a new age of business convergence.’

Total market volume of worldwide mobile communication (Unit : Million dollars)

Special Series

2006

2007

2008

2009

2010

2011

CAGR

System

59,562

56,667

56,254

55,906

58,586

60,880

0.4

Handset

155,264

170,490

182,109

202,953

223,273

244,388

9.5

Service

661,688

763,950

849,500

914,308

969,993

1,026,256

9.2

Total

876,494

991,107

1,087,863

1,173,167

1,251,851

1,331,424

8.7

Source : Gartner. 2008

New Growth Engine Industries

04 research results into the standard so they can obtain effective IPRs. Traditional mobile service uses only cellular technologies, but recent trends have introduced other access technologies, such as Wireless Local Area Network and Wireless Personal Area Network in mobile service. Fixed Mobile Convergence and Fixed Mobile Substitution could be seen as combinations of several techniques and cause a blurring of the boundaries between landline communication services and wireless/ mobile services. Those kinds of combined technologies and related services could extend the coverage of the mobile industry and could be a new business opportunity for mobile operators. Also, the combined service should require new types of converged terminals and new forms of systems. Convergence in mobile communications could therefore offer new opportunities for the mobile industry. For handset makers, a new kind of converged terminal business has become a reality. Apple’s iPhone has already entered the market and Google has the Android. The market competition has become keener through the entrance of new competitors and the 48 korea March 2009

traditionally strong players, like Nokia, Motorola, and Sony Ericsson. However, openness in handset manufacturing and the rapid growth of the high-end handset market could be a new opportunity for Korean manufacturers because they are traditionally strong in the high-end handset market. With the trend of convergence and the gravity shift in the market, Korean handset makers have a chance to lead the market. Turning Crisis into Opportunity Because the market is saturated, the Korean mobile industry is having difficulty maintaining growth. However, new opportunities are created amid changes in usage patterns, mobile standards, convergence in technologies, handsets and systems, plus the gravity shift in the handset market. Now it’s time for Korea to grab its chance and develop the capability to lead the world. To seize this chance, the first thing Korea should do is develop technologies that can drive Korea and help maintain the lead. Technology development is a basic factor in empowering the industry. From the component development to standard IPR, there is plenty of work to

do in technology development. The urgent thing is to prepare IMT-Advanced standardization, because the IPRs related to the worldwide mobile standard are the basic factor in competitiveness. ITU-R has already began the standardization process and the 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) and the IEEE802.16 Working Group are preparing their own specifications for IMT-Advanced to match the time-line guided by ITUR, at the beginning of 2011. Through IPRs the industry can negotiate with foreign companies for cross-licensing and lead the industry. The next thing is to look for next-generation technologies beyond IMTAdvanced. Mobile technology evolves continuously and we could expect the next step beyond IMT-Advanced. Therefore, we need to look at the possibilities for the next step. The other technology development would be focused on strengthening the competitiveness of component technology. Baseband MODEM, RF components, and multimedia components are all keys to enhancing competitiveness. Technology development requires highly skilled engineers and a test bed. Also, new mobile services require a proper

environment in terms of laws and business regulations. The mobile business will combine with many different fields such as biomedicine, education, military applications, construction, etc. Therefore, raising skilled engineers is not only important for the mobile business itself but also for the new combined business areas. The test bed could offer the opportunity to verify a new service, system and handset before they reach the mass market, thus enriching quality. Laws and regulations, if not properly operated, could become a barrier to a new business. Due to the business convergence trend, traditional laws and regulations are not proper for new businesses. Therefore we must look at current laws and regulations to improve them for a new age of business convergence. Korea’s domestic market is relatively small compared to that of developed countries. Even the service market is small and already saturated. To become a global player, exporting products and services is not an option but mandatory. Mobile operators are trying to become worldwide players, but they have had difficulties in cultural barriers, raising capital expenses, etc. There may be few things the

government can do to improve those situations, but we still need to cooperate in order to improve. For small- and medium-sized enterprises, entering the world market is even harder. They lack brand power, information on the foreign market, and experts to help them undertake worldwide business. To break through, the government should support them by giving them an official service to connect them to foreign market players. In some sense, the service operators could be a helping hand for SMEs because an operator’s operations abroad may require the cooperation of various companies, like system vendors, application providers, etc. Concerted Efforts We have discussed the current situation of the Korean mobile industry and what we should do to make mobile communications a new growth engine for Korea’s economy. If we are successful, we can become the No. 1 mobile country. Korea’s share of the world handset market would approach 35 percent, and the mobile industry’s contribution to the nation’s GDP is expected to be around 10 percent. The standard IPRs owned by Korean

companies and research institutes would be around 10 percent. To make the mobile industry a main pillar of the Korean economy, those in industry and the government should make concerted efforts under a grand vision. By Ahn Jae-min

Ahn Jae-min Professor of Chungnam National University • Ahn Jae-min is a professor of information and communication engineering at Chungnam National University in Daejeon, South Chungcheong Province. He received a Ph. D. in electrical and electronics engineering at KAIST in Daejeon. His main research fields include MODEM algorithm development, channel coding, and wireless mobile communication system engineering. • Email: [email protected], jmahn@iita. re.kr

March 2009 korea 49

Sports

Hidden Champions

I

Speaker Grille

Courtesy of Samkwang

Samkwang has been able to turn the won’s fall into a gain.

50 korea March 2009

f you are listening to your hi-fi as you read this, there is a good chance the music is reaching your ears via a Samkwang Electronics product - for Samkwang is the world’s No. 1 maker of speaker grilles. Samkwang Electronics’ speaker grille was selected as one of the 127 “World’s Best Products” compiled by the Ministry of Knowledge Economy last year. The ministry, which created the list based on 2007 data, has been drawing up similar lists since 2001. Samkwang’s global share in the speaker grille market was 36 percent in 2007. In that year, it produced $57 million worth of the products; 2008 data are not out yet. A speaker grille is the “face” of consumer and industrial loudspeakers, and consists of either a hard or soft screen mounted directly over the face of the speaker. Speaker grilles make televisions look more sophisticated, and also help the speaker deliver more precise sound. Recent economic circumstances have been proving favorable for the company: “It is not a crisis, but an opportunity!” said Samkwang manager Chung Seung-ki. The Japanese currency’s yen value rose almost 90 percent last year against the won, to over 1,550 won per 100 yen, making Samkwang’s products more affordable than many

competitors’. The recently strengthening yen has significantly improved Samkwang’s bottom line as the company depends on the Japanese market for nearly 90 percent of sales: Samkwang supplies speaker grilles to Japanese electronics manufacturers including Sony, Sharp, Toshiba and Pioneer. The result? As it is paid in yen by its Japanese buyers, the company has been enjoying a foreign exchange windfall. Samkwang first entered the Japanese market in 2005, exporting 3.5 billion won ($2.5 million) to the country the same year. Samkwang has not yet released last year’s sales figures, but Chung said the company shipped an estimated 20 billion won’s worth of speaker grilles to Japan in 2008 - nearly seven times more than 2005’s amount. And the number of Japanese buyers is continuing to increase. The company has a factory in Hwaseong, Gyeonggi, with 100 employees on the assembly line. It succeeded in developing a 0.3-millimeter-thick grille in 2006, a technology only Panasonic (formerly known as Matsushita) owned at that time. With that success under its belt, Samkwang was able to win a range of Japanese customers such as Sony and By Limb Jae-un Sharp. 

[JoongAng Ilbo]

Samkwang: The Face of Hi-fi

New Kids on the Diamond Will World Baseball Classic Team Win Same Success as in ‘06?

W

hen Korea’s national baseball team jogs onto the diamond for the second World Baseball Classic in March, it will have an entirely different starting lineup from the one at the inaugural WBC in 2006. Three years ago, that team reached the semifinals. Built on solid pitching, timely hitting and flawless defense, Korea was the darling of the tournament with unrelated Kims, Lees and Parks dominating the roster. But this year’s team will be without both the Philadelphia Phillies pitcher Park Chan-ho and the Yomiuri Giants slugger Lee Seung-yeop. Both played key roles and were named to the tournament All-Star team in 2006. Even so, Korea is hoping it can attain similar success with the overhauled lineup. Despite the above changes, Korea retains the core group of players that won the nation’s first baseball Olympic gold medal in Beijing last summer. A pair of left-handed starters, Ryu Hyun-jin and Kim Kwang-hyun, will anchor the pitching staff. Both are former MVPs in the Korea Baseball Organization - Ryu in 2006 and Kim in 2008 - and both excelled in the pressure cooker that was the Olympics in Beijing. One intriguing name on the pitching staff is Kim Byunghyun, a former major leaguer who has been out of competi-

tive baseball since early 2008. The right-hander with a submarine delivery, Kim was named to the provisional roster and joined the team for training camp in Hawaii in midFebruary. Questions have emerged as to whether Kim would be in game shape to pitch for Korea. But team manager Kim In-sik said he isn’t worried. “If Kim weren’t ready, he would have told us already,” the manager said. “He has been working with a personal trainer in Los Angeles and he should be just fine.” The lineup is expected to miss Lee Seung-yeop, who has hit a clutch of homers for Korea in international events. But in his absence, Cleveland Indians’ Choo Shin-soo will be a force in the middle of the lineup from the left side of the plate. Choo had a breakout season for the Indians in 2008, hitting .309 with 14 home runs and 66 runs, batted in as the team’s everyday outfielder in the second half of the season. Flanking Choo in the lineup will be the reigning KBO home run king Kim Tae-kyun, and his good friend Lee Daeho, who provided punch for Korea in Beijing. Speedsters Lee Jong-woo and Lee Yong-kyu will look to get on base before the sluggers. Korea opens the WBC against Taiwan on March 6 in By Yoo Jee-ho Tokyo.  March 2009 korea 51

Sports

Pyeongchang Tries Again

F

or the first time in the event’s 51-year history, the Biathlon World Championships were held in Asia: Korea’s resort town of Pyeongchang, Gangwon Province, provided the venue. More than 600 athletes from 40 countries descended upon Pyeongchang for the nine-day competition, from Feb. 13-22. Biathlon, which combines crosscountry skiing and rifle shooting, is not a major sport in Korea but is hugely popular in northern Europe. That explains the dominance of European biathletes. In the men’s 20-kilometer individual race, there has never been a winner outside of Europe since the world championships started in 1958. The 10-kilometer sprint event began in 1974; it too has never seen a non-European champion. Though Korean biathletes failed to win a medal at the championships, Pyeongchang proved a gracious host with its winter sports complex, Alpensia

tee is expected to officially announce Pyeongchang as the Korean candidate in March. The KOC will then inform the International Olympic Committee in October of Pyeongchang’s candidacy. The IOC is set to select the official candidate cities in July next year. Then in July 2011, at the 123rd IOC Session, in Durban, South Africa, the host city for the 2018 Winter Olympics will be announced. Though Korea isn’t yet competitive in winter sports bar short track speed skating, speed skating and figure skating, major events will help establish Pyeongchang’s viability onships. “Think of just how many athletes, coaches and officials will get to experience Pyeongchang,” said Kim Youngbeom, head of the organizing staff for snowboard and biathlon championships. “This is our chance to showcase to the world that we can host these major events.”  By Yoo Jee-ho, Kim Jason 

Resort, which also includes facilities for ski jumping and cross-country skiing. The biathlon is one of several international winter sports competitions taking place in Pyeongchang and neighboring towns this year. In January, Hoengseong, near Pyeongchang, hosted the Snowboard World Championships - the first-ever Asian host. In March, the World Women’s Curling Championship will come to Gangneung, northeast of Pyeongchang. Hosting these major events is part of Pyeongchang’s efforts to bring Korea its first-ever Winter Olympics. Pyeongchang has twice bid for the Winter Games and has come up short both times. Only two months after it lost to Sochi, Russia, by three votes for the right to host the 2018 Winter Olympics, Pyeongchang declared its intention to bid for the Winter Games - for the third time. With no other Korean city in the running, the Korean Olympic Commit-

Rifle: 50 meter bore rifle

Target: When hit, the black

Scope Gunsight cover Gunsight

.22 LR bullets

colored targets flip to white indicating a successful hit.

Target measurements (diameter)

3rd Time Lucky? Kim Yu-na Shoots for Gold at Worlds.

W

Prone (45 mm)

Ammunition magazine Standing (115 mm)

Biathlon: A combination of cross-country skiing and shooting (50 m bore rifle). Depending on the event, a participant has to ski 7.5 to 20 kilometers on their Nordic skis and shoot targets along the course. Ski: Both classic and free style cross-country styles are permitted. Most participants tend to use the free style.

Shooting: Consists of prone and standing shooting. Competitors must shoot five successive targets at each shooting line.

Yeongdong Expressway

Hoenggye IC

East Sea

Seoul

Biathlon venue

Alpensia Resort

prone standing

Golf course

Pyeongchang Yong Pyong Resort

52 korea

Donghae Expressway

Cross-country course

An aeri al v Biathlon course iew of A lpen sia Res ort March 2009

course

Biathlon course This course has been approved by the International Biathlon Union as an elite course suitable for top flight international events. Lights have been installed in preparation for night games due to the time difference with Europe. The total length of the course is 14.8 kilometers.

[JoongAng Ilbo]

1

ith the world championships just around the corner, Korean figure skating starlet Kim Yu-na is coming off a resounding victory at February’s Four Continents Championships in Vancouver. Kim scored 72.24 points in short program - the highest mark of all-time - and ended with 189.07 points total, to beat Canadian Joannie Rochette by

nearly six points. Kim’s archrival, Mao Asada of Japan, bounced back from a sloppy short program to finish in third overall. But the event clearly belonged to 18-year-old Kim, who won her first Four Continents in her first try. With the World Championships coming in Los Angeles in March, Kim, who has taken bronze in the previous two worlds, is hoping third time will be lucky. She is certainly in top form. The teenager was almost flawless in short program and despite some miscues on jumps in free skating, Kim was one happy camper, saying she fed off the enthusiastic Korean contingent in the stands in Vancouver.

“I’d heard there were many Koreans living in Vancouver, but I didn’t expect such huge cheering,” she said. “The city will feel like home to me at the Winter Olympics next year.” Kim needed at least 127.76 in free skating to become the first female skater to reach 200 under the new International Skating Union’s judging system. At November’s Cup of China on the ISU Grand Prix circuit, Kim had 128.11 free skating points. But Kim said she wasn’t thinking about history. “To be honest, I tried to forget about my short program score,” she said. “My focus would solely be on today.” Kim is the early favorite for the worlds this year. In the past two World Championships, she battled nagging hip and back injuries, but this year, Kim said she’s never felt better physically. Defending world champion Asada struggled mightily in Vancouver. The Japanese media have reported that Asada sustained a knee injury in January and wasn’t at 100 percent. “I still have problems to conquer, so I will try harder at the worlds,” Asada said. Kim however, is confident. She said before the Four Continents that she isn’t worried about other skaters - including Asada. “”I know everyone wants to pit me against Asada, but I’d rather not worry about others,” Kim said. “As I’ve always done, I’d like to stay focused on my own performance.” By Yoo Jee-ho  March 2009 korea 53

Provided by Korea Tourism Organization

Travel Travel

In the Village of Apricots, 54 korea March 2009

March is Winter’s End March 2009 korea 55

Provided by Korea Tourism Organization

Travel

I A view of Maehwa Village

Tourist Tips

Visitors take photos in front of Apricot Blossoms at the Gwangyang Maehwa Festival. 56 korea March 2009

Maehwa Village is a fine place to visit but there are also plenty of interesting places to visit and things to do in the surrounding area. If there is one place to visit while inside Gwangyang City limits, Dosunguksa Village, a rural theme village, is it. Located at the foot of Mount Baekwon, it offers all the amenities expected of a traditional village and is blessed with fresh spring water that flows from the mountain, and is served from traditional wells. After drinking a gourd full of fresh well water, it’s best to follow up with homemade tofu and a cold bowl of dongdongju, a milky rice beer. There are plenty of rooms available for overnight stays in the village and those looking for an all-natural meal can sample traditional side dishes and others made from wild mountain herbs. Visitors can participate in hands-on activities such as ceramics and tofu and soybean paste making. The village offers plenty of outdoor activities during the spring season such as wild green tea leaf and mountain herb picking as well as the chance to participate in tea ceremonies. Dosunguksa Village is located near Gwangyang Bus Terminal. For more information, visit http://dosun.go2vil.org.

t is a stunning spectacle: A traditional riverside village glittering with what looks like a light dusting of frost. But winter is over. Up close, the visitor will see that the frost is, in fact, hundreds of thousands of brilliant white apricot petals in full bloom. There are many symbols of spring, but one of the first telltale signs that the long Korean winter is finally over is the budding of maehwa, or apricot blossoms. The best place to take in the picturesque scene of apricots in bloom - which traditionally symbolize integrity and fidelity - is Maehwa Village in Gwangyang City, South Jeolla Province. The apricots bloom in early March, and their blossoms usually last up to a month. The annual local apricot festival, which also has the distinction of being the first flower festival of the year in Korea, usually starts on the second weekend of March. As the name suggests, apricots are in abundance in Maehwa Village with approximately 300,000 trees planted on over 150 farms. Entering its 13th year, the Gwangyang Maehwa Festival offers a range of performances and traditional fare, but as has been the case in the past, the highlights are the photographic contest of apricot flowers and the Seomjin River.

According to the organizers, plenty of activities involving aspects of regional traditional culture will be on tap. Some new events this year include a pansori, or traditional Korean narrative musical competition, and a mountain bike competition. A maehwa cook off, an outdoor exhibition of traditional poems about apricot blossoms and a slew of performances and concerts have also been prepared. Having steadily grown since its inaugural year in 1997, the organizers of the festival are expecting another increase in visitor numbers this year. “Last year, we had about 650,000 visitors and we’re expecting an increase of anywhere from 30,000 to 50,000 people for this year’s event,” said Seo In-sook, an officer in charge of Gwangyang City’s Culture & Public Relations department. “The warmer weather should also help.” The roots of what was once a local festival can be found on Cheongmaesil Farm, the largest and oldest apricot farm in the village. According to Kim Myeong-duk of Gwangyang’s Culture & Public Relations department, the founder of the farm, Kim Oh-cheon was forcefully taken to Japan during the colonial years to labor as a miner. Prior to returning home in 1931, Kim spent all his savings from his March 2009 korea 57

Travel

Provided by Korea Tourism Organization

‘The apricot flower was admired not only for its beauty, but also for its ability to blossom during the chilly early spring.’

Mount Baekun Yoohyangrim trail

58 korea March 2009

labor to purchase apricot and chestnut trees. Hong Ssang-ri, Kim’s daughterin-law, was greatly taken with the beauty of the apricot flowers during the spring, and the health benefits of apricots. She planted more and more apricot trees over the years. “Hong’s farm was the first in the village to grow apricots and as she increased the number of trees on her land, she fell in love with the bright beautiful colors of the flowers during the spring,” said Seo. “As she gained success in harvesting apricots, others in the village followed her lead.” The Cheongmaesil Farm, which is approximately 30 football fields in size and which contains over 10,000 apricot trees, produces various apricot products including apricot extract and apricot red pepper paste. It also sells soy bean paste, pickled side dishes, chocolates and cosmetics. You may imagine how hectic things get around the farm when the time to harvest the maesil, or green apricots, arrives in June. In order to accommodate its vast need for apricots, over 2,200 hangari or ceramic jars can be found on the grounds of the farm or buried in nearby hills. “Our red pepper paste has a hint of sweet and sour flavor that is distinctly different from regular red pepper pastes,” said Lee Mi-gyeong, a staffer at the farm. “Our products are also allnatural, meaning no additives or preservatives have been added.” She particularly recommended apricots pickled in sugar for about a year in ceramic jars. “They can be added to salads or eaten as a side dish when eating meat,”

she suggested. “The sour flavor and the health benefits of apricots make them a good choice.” The growing number of apricot trees and the firm hold they have gained over the village in recent years can also be seen in the growth of the festival. For the first three to four years of the festival, it was organized by the farmers of the village, but as its popularity increased, Gwangyang City began to play a larger role in organizing things. It is now one of the biggest regional festivals in South Jeolla Province. “It is often considered the eighth largest festival in our province but there are currently talks about the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism lending a hand next year to commemorate Maecheon Hwang Hyeon in time for the 100th year anniversary of his passing,” said Seo. That move would give it status as a national festival. Maecheon Hwang Hyeon was a famed poet during the late Joseon Period (1392 - 1910) who took his own life in 1910 upon learning the Japanese had annexed his country. The symbol of spring is also one of the four most prominently used symbols in Joseon artworks. Apricot blossoms became prominent in paintings sometime during the mid- to late-Joseon Period. Aristocrats would often admire apricot blossoms over drinks and hold poetry reading sessions. “Apricot blossoms, along with orchid, mum flower and bamboo are often referred to as the ‘four gentlemen’ of traditional art,” said Park Su-hee of the Movable Cultural Properties division of the Cultural Properties Admin-

Gwangyang Treats

Visitors at the Gwangyang Maehwa Festival booths.  Provided by Gwangyang City

istration. “The apricot flower was admired for not only its beauty but its ability to blossom during the chilly early spring.” The Seomjin River, which adds to the scenic beauty of Maehwa Village, is a major waterway that flows from southeasternern North Jeolla Province, down into the northeast part of South Jeolla Province and thence into the Korea Strait. According to Seo, English speaking Gwangyang City staff members will be on hand at the festival this year to provide information and translation for foreign visitors. The best way to get to Maehwa Village from Seoul is to take an express bus from the Dong Seoul Bus Terminal to Gwangyang Bus Terminal. Organizers will also be running a range of shuttle buses from the Gwangyang Bus Terminal to Maehwa Village on the weekends over which the festival By Jason Kim runs. 

If you’re thinking of visiting Maehwa Village in time for the Gwangyang Maehwa Festival, apricots are a given but barbeque is also a must. Obviously, you will try an assortment of variations of apricot dishes, including apricot red pepper paste as well as variations of pickled apricot side dishes. While apricot has many health benefits, you’ll also want to check out some regional dishes. While Gwangyang is known as the place to get your grilled jeono (gizzard shad) fix during the autumn, another regional specialty is Gwangyang bulgogi. This sweet-flavored bulgogi, or marinated beef, is grilled over oak wood charcoal, which provides a distinct aroma. Bulgogi is one of the most widely recognized Korean dishes and although not indigenous to the region, the secret to its preparation lies in the manner in which the meat is grilled. The practice of using a marinating formula specific to the region, and oak trees to fire up the grill was started during the Joseon Dynasty.

March 2009 korea 59

Fashion

Fashion

Traditional Threads for the 21st Century From clothing to cosmetic cases , from headgear to handbags, Bae Yeong-jin’s self-appointed mission is to add updated Korean elements to fashion products, leading to a globally acceptable design aesthetic.  Provided by Bae Yeong-jin

60 korea March 2009

U

nless it is updated, there are limits to achieving the globalization of hanbok, or Korean traditional clothing, says a leading dress designer. “We need to modernize hanbok so its design suits the tastes of New Yorkers while retaining the unique qualities of traditional hanbok,” said designer Bae Yeong-jin, 52. Ms. Bae declares that she is in search of the crossroads between New York fashion and hanbok design in order to foster the clothing/textile industry, which is highly value-added. She was chosen as curator of the Clothing Section at the 2009 Gwangju Biennale (Sept. 18 - Nov. 4), an event which aims to reinterpret Korean culture from a modern viewpoint. With that background in mind, Ms. Bae is immersed in experimenting with practical, modern hanbok designs. Ms. Bae aspires to spread the uniqueness and excellence of Korean clothing design to the world and hopes that Korea can be recognized as a leading nation in the top-end clothing/textile industry. Her modern reinterpretations of hanbok, have received favorable responses from her overseas boutiques in Manhattan’s 37th street and in Fort Lee, NJ. She is renowned for her use of materials such as ramie fabric - which brings out the elegant lining of hanbok - quilting and mother-of-pearl. These are used not only in her clothing lines, but also in handbags, shoes, and bedding so as to fully promote “Korean” qualities in

‘Clothing design is an area that can add infinite value.’

Bae Yeong-jin

many aspects of design. For instance, the traditional rabbit fur waistcoat, called baeja, used by Korean mothers for centuries, is modified into a sporty vest that goes well with blue jeans. The designer has woven peony flowers and butterfly motifs with little beads into both sides of these colorful vests, and extended their length to reach the hips, while preserving the fur on the shoulder line, adding both vibrancy and sophistication. She has also converted the jobaewi - a winter hat with earflaps that was traditionally worn by Korean women - into turban-style headgear. The difficult-toadjust shirt ribbon, or otgoreum, has been altered into a knotted button. Mother-of-pearl, in floral designs, is incorporated into handbags and shoes to produce an exceptional and innovative charm. Ms. Bae’s designs are also expressed in the vials and containers of cosmetic companies that seek delicate beauty, and her evening dresses, that feature the sexy and elegant lining of hanbok, are a favorite among foreign diplomats in Korea. Ms. Bae’s practical use of hanbok first won its place in the spotlight ten years ago in 1999 when Queen Elizabeth II came to Korea and visited her store. The beautiful hanbok worn by actors and actresses in the popular television drama “Palace,” which aired in 2006, were the works of Ms. Bae. Her flagship store in Sagan-dong, Jongro district, situated next to Gyeongbok palace, is called “Coser,” (“to weave” in Spanish) and is a much sought-out destination among foreign dignitaries and visitors wanting to learn more about Korean clothing Ms. Bae’s design experiments and vision can also be on found her website, http://www.cosercollection.com. “Clothing design is an area that can create infinite value, a goose that lays the golden egg, so to speak,” she says. “It is a sad to say that although Korea is leading in other industries, we do not have a single global fashion brand.” Perhaps Ms. Bae’s design experiments will By Choi Ji-ho realize this dream.  March 2009 korea 61

People

People

Tenor’s Miracle Come-back After thyroid surgery, Korea’s top tenor was told he would never sing again. Japanese fans and a Japanese surgeon believed differently.

O

Provided by Bae Jae-chul

Bae Jae-chul

62 korea March 2009

nce upon a time, in the city After the surgery, his voice was small University, and a world-renowned speof Daegu, North Gyeong- and husky; specific words were difficult cialist in vocal cord reconstruction. sang Province, there lived to form because small muscles controlOn hearing the news, Bae’s close a little boy named Bae Jae- ling his vocal functions and nerves had Japanese friend, Totaro Wajima, a music chul. Jae-chul loved to sing. producer, arranged for Dr. Isshiki to been cut. While in elementary school, he operate in April 2006. Many fans, upon Then came the devastating news. decided to become an opera singer after “The German doctor said ‘Let’s say learning the news about Bae, sprang winning a popular children’s singing that there is a sprinter who uses two legs into action and raised funds. contest on television. After graduating to run 100-meter race,’” Bae recalled. After operating, Dr. Isshiki guaranas a voice major in Seoul, he flew to “When you sing, you will be using only teed Bae that he would be able to comItaly in 1994, graduated at the top of his one leg to complete the same course.” municate but stressed that he might not class from the Conservatorio Giuseppe Bae had no hesitation. “My instant reach the level for opera singing Verdi Milan in 1998 and launched into response to the doctor’s words was, “That was a challenge both for me a career as a tenor. Word about his per- ‘Well if I can still use one leg in the race, and Dr. Isshiki,” Bae said. “He had never formances spread, and he began to win I can finish it eventually, even if I can’t operated on a tenor before.” acclaim on European stages. Music crit- run as fast as a sprinter with two legs.” With careful training, his voice ics praised him as “one of the greatest He asked the doctor for options. The gradually returned. In Dec. 2008, three Asian tenors of the century.” doctor said the only chance to restore years after the surgery, he held his first Then, in September 2005, the fairy- his vocal cords was Dr. Nobuhiko Isshi- recital for Japanese fans in Tokyo. tale ended. “I could hear some start crying when ki, a professor emeritus at Japan’s Kyoto While performing in Verdi’s I started my first song,” he said. “Don Carlo” in a theater in When the concert ended, there Sabriken, Germany, Korea’s leadwas a standing ovation. ing tenor felt something odd in “It’s a miracle!” said Dr. Isshihis throat. He was subsequently ki, who attended the concert. diagnosed with thyroid cancer. With his vocal range only 70 “When I first heard that I had percent of what is once was, Bae cancer, I thought I could go back is concentrating on gospel, but is on stage about three months after confident that he will recover his surgery, as thyroid cancer is not previous glories. life-threatening,” Bae said. How“I kept telling myself. ‘Someever, the surgery, scheduled for day I will be able to perform opera three hours, went on over eight. again,’” he said. The condition was worse than His next recital is booked for From left, Bae Jae-chul and Japanese producer Totaro Wajima. Tokyo in May.  By Kim Mi-ju expected. March 2009 korea 63

People

People

Expatriates gather in Gyeongju to celebrate the inauguration of Korea’s first pilgrimage tour trek.

Expats to Follow Monk’s Footsteps

I

n a trek billed as a “21st-century version of ‘The Canterbury Tales,’” an intrepid group of expatriates are planning a pilgrimage in the footsteps of famed Buddhist thinker Wonhyo (617-686). Participants will journey along the routes that Wonhyo traveled on his path to enlightenment. The first pilgrimage project launched in Korea, it is sponsored by the Korea Tourism Organization and the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism. The three-year period set for the project includes designing the exact route, developing details and setting up a Web site. Wonhyo’s Trek: Around 25 people from eight countries The tentative trekking route gathered to celebrate the inauguration of the for the Wonhyo Pilgrimage project in Gyeongju, South Gyeongsang ProvProject. ince. The pilgrimage will start in Gyeongju and end in Pyeongtaek, Gyeonggi Province. East Sea Wonhyo, one of Korea’s most beloved and unconventional monks, who lived in the Icheon then-Silla Kingdom, renounced the formal Chungju Pyeongtaek religious life to teach ordinary people. He was known to carry a gourd, dancing and singing Sangju Gumi around the country, encouraging people to Yellow Sea Gyeongju chant and recite the Buddha’s name. He called South Korea himself “Ooae-Gursah” (“Unhindered Practitioner”). His greatness, however, stems from an experience while heading for China to 64 korea March 2009

study Buddhism. One dark night, a storm drove Wonhyo to shelter in a cave on Korea’s west coast. In the darkness, he was overcome with thirst. Scrabbling around on the cave floor, he found what he thought to be a gourd filled with cool water and drank deeply. In the morning light, he found that the thirst-quenching liquid was, in fact, filthy rainwater swarming with maggots that had collected in a rotting skull. He fell to his knees and vomited. Then he experienced deep enlightenment: He realized that truth is created by the mind. Wonhyo abandoned his trip to China and returned home to study and teach. According to Tony MacGregor, a Canadian expatriate who first suggested the idea, the project will include elements of Geoffrey Chaucer’s 14th century “Canterbury Tales,” a collection of stories told by Christian pilgrims to amuse each other during their journey to England’s Canterbury Cathedral. “We plan to write about our experiences and entertain each other with stories and produce a kind of 21st-century version of ‘The Canterbury Tales,”’ said MacGregor. “Chaucer’s tales open a window on life in 14th-century Europe...we hope ‘In Wonhyo’s Footsteps,’ will be equally entertaining and also offer future readers a glimpse of life today,” he said. Organizers hope the pilgrims will be accompanied by a scholar of Wonhyo from the Jogye Order, who will give brief talks on Wonhyo each evening during the pilgrimage. It is also hoped that a specialist in “The Canterbury Tales” will lecture to the pilgrims.  By Moon Gwang-lip

K

orean singer and actress Jang Na-ra, 28, donated 8 billion won ($5.8million) worth of clothing to earthquake victims in Sichuan Province in China on Jan. 19. The province suffered a devastating earthquake last May last year, which claimed more than 69,000 lives. The donation was organized by Boston, the parent company of Chinese parka coat brand Bing Jie, for whom Jang is a model. Boston donated 100,000 duck feather parka coats to Jang’s charitable organization “Jang Na-ra’s Aeshim Donation.’’ Jang immediately decided to donate them to residents of the earthquakehit area in a bid to help survivors stay warm in the freezing winter. In the delivery ceremony, Jang said she was delighted to visit Sichuan and provide the clothing to the quake victims. “I feel honored and proud to help victims,” she said. “I’m hoping that they will feel warmth in their hearts with these duck feather parkas.” Jang went to a makeshift center for the aged in a suburb of provincial capital Chengdu and delivered some clothes herself. Jang, nicknamed “The Angel Donor” by fans, established her charitable organization in Jinan, Shandong Province, China, in 2007 to help young leukemia patients who could not afford medical treatment. The city of Jinan across the Yellow Sea from Korea - recently appointed her an honorary citizen and honorary publicity ambassador of the city; the first Korean celebrity to receive the title. “Aeshim Donation was originally launched to help young leukemia patients, but will expand to reach out to more young children in China,” she said. “Children suffering from heart-related diseases or those from povertystricken rural areas will benefit.” Jang learned to help out the needy from her mother, who was deeply involved in charity works. Jang said she “...hopes to see more people involved in charity work.”

Jang has been repeatedly spotlighted for doing charity work for the underprivileged in North Korea, South Korea and China. Yang Min-kyu, Jang’s manager, said although he cannot reveal the exact figure of Jang’s donations, he estimates that it has reached 10 billion won so far. Jang, who started out as an actor and singer in Korea in 2001, moved to China in 2005. After successfully attracting a large fan base there, she has received praise for her work in both singing and acting. She won the “Most Popular Singer” award at the China Golden Disc Awards in 2005, and has appeared on television dramas in China. In Korea, Jang won “Today’s Young Artist Award,” from the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism last October. Jang is this year starting a comeback in Korea, taking the main role in the upcoming film, “Sky and Sea,” - her second movie role since 2003’s “Oh! Happy Day.” The movie will hit theaters this year.  

By Kim Mi-ju

Jang Na-ra March 2009 korea 65

[JoongAng Ilbo]

[JoongAng Ilbo]

China Loves ‘Angel Donor’

Foreign Viewpoints

I The Need for Speed ‘Expatriates living in Korea can enjoy the quickness and convenience that characterizes Korean culture.’

Yuji Hosaka, is Japan-born. He graduated from Tokyo University in 1979 and came to Seoul in 1988 to study political science at Korea University where he received a Ph.D. degree in 2000. He was naturalized as a Korean citizen in 2003. He is currently professor of the College of General Education at Sejong University and is also head of the Dokdo Comprehensive Research Center at Sejong University. 66 korea March 2009

have been living in Seoul for more than 20 years. During my time in Korea, many things have changed and many things have been developed. These changes seem to embody the characteristic speediness that defines much of modern Korean culture. The most impressive thing that I have experienced while living in Korea is Koreans’ generosity to help others with a warm heart. They tend to consider others very carefully and take immediate action when help is needed. However, Koreans are very fast and good at not only reading others’ minds, but also at enacting national policies. One of the most significant strides that Korea has taken is the introduction of online public service systems, which are provided by all public organizations in Korea. I was also amazed to see Korean public organizations rapidly facilitate electronic administrative systems to provide citizens with convenient public services. To give an example: Family registration certificates can be issued through home computers. In addition, the issued certificate can be printed at any district office in Korea without going to their own registered district office. These computerized public service systems greatly improve the efficiency of Korean public services. Many advanced countries envy Korea its computerized public service system. Koreans can also benefit from online banking systems which are now available everywhere across the nation. Online banking systems here are much more sophisticated than those of Japan. Unlike Korea, Japanese bank account holders can only undertake their banking business at the same bank branch where they have opened their bank accounts. Elsewhere, only limited banking services are available to them. One of the best examples of Koreans’ speedy culture is “Quick Service.”

This is a high-speed, door-to-door delivery courier service run by motor-cyclists who pride themselves on delivering goods and documents within an hour even within such an enormous and congested city as Seoul. The public transportation system in the capital is another good example of the speediness at the heart of so much Korean culture. The Seoul transportation network is an integrated one, which enables Seoulites to transfer from buses to subways, and from subways to buses, without paying extra charges within the areas where the same fares are charged. The introduction of the transportation card - so called “T-money”- reduces transportation costs. It is favorably regarded as a systematic facilitation which considers people’s convenience and their very Korean need for speed. This integrated transportation system in Seoul does not exist in other countries, and is one of which Koreans should be proud. Expatriates living in Korea can enjoy the quickness and convenience that characterizes Korean culture. Another service worth noting is the so-called “replacement driving service.” This is a service in which replacement drivers, summoned by telephone, drive home those persons who have overindulged in their evening tipple in the latters’ own cars (for drunken driving is as illegal in Korea as it is in other countries.) There is one drawback to this otherwise admirable practice: The replacement drivers are not covered by the drivers’ insurance in the case of an accident. This means that if an accident occurs, the car owners - who are more or less drunk - face difficulty in getting compensation because the procedures for claiming payments are complicated. To sum up, the Korean character is focused on the pursuit of speed to achieve goals - but sometimes safety can be of secondary importance.