Korea [2009 Vol. 8 No. 4]

Opening a communicative space between Korea and the world

Manhwa!

ISSN: 2005-2162

The colorful world of Korean comics

4

APRIL 2009

 

CONTENTS

06 Publisher Yoo Jin-hwan Korean Culture and Information Service Chief Editor Ko Hye-ryun Editing & Printing JoongAng Daily Cover Photo The Busan International Kite Festival took place March 7 and 8. Photo by JoongAng Ilbo

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. 발간등록번호: 11-1110073-000016-06

4 korea April 2009

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10 06

News in Focus • Magic! Romance! Drama! Manhwa Takes on the World Diplomacy • Lee Turns Eyes Toward Asia • Iraq and Korea Sign Oil Development Memo • Sweden Brings Seoul Photos, Music for 50th • Celebrating Six Decades of Joint Struggle and Joy

10 14

Global Korea • Computerizing Egyptian Culture • Innovation Index Places Korea at No. 2 • New Support for Local Expatriates • City, Central Governments Helping Foreigner Wives

18

Green Growth • Harnessing the Ocean • Ahead of the ‘Green’ Curve

22

Culture • The Fairest of Them All

28

• S  eoul Classical Concerts Celebrate Three Illustrious Anniversaries • Opera Astride the River Han in 2014 • Capturing the Great in Spirit • An Italian Beloved in Korea: Giovanni Mirabassi • Into the Wild Blue Yonder

34 38 42

Korean Literature • Eun Hee-gyeong: Life as a Lyrical Cynic Korea through the Lens • Maori Greetings, Flammingos dancing...



Business & Technology • Morning Calm Meets Modern Design in NYC • Wired Korea • A Phone That Can Scream

46

Series: Strategies for Growth • Korean Economy to Run on New Growth Engines

April 2009 VOL. 8 / NO. 4

62

54 51

Hidden Champions • Research and Creativity Keys to HJC’s Success

52

Sports • Surprise Wins for Two Golfers • A sad ending to a great story

54 60

Travel • Wisdom of the Mountains

Fashion • Bridal Trends for Spring 2009 ’Tis the Season for Married Bliss

62

People • The Hollywood Forecast: Rain • 27 Years Inside ‘Unknown’ Korea • Not Just Another Diplomat

66

Foreign Viewpoints • The Past Is Another Country April 2009 korea 5

News in Focus

! a m a r d D l r ! e o W nc a e h m t o R n ! o c i g s e a k M a T a w h Man 6 korea April 2009

tory” lace S

“Pa

©Park

some Southeast Asian nations, and cartoonists thought it was not a big deal,” said Park Si-hyung, an official at the Korea Culture and Content Agency. “But the decisive moment came at the 2003 Angouleme FIBD as Korea became the guest of honor at the international comic book fair. After that, Korea’s comic book industry started to witness remarkable export growth,” added Park. According to the KCCA, $1.9 million worth of comic book licenses and exports were recorded in 2004. It reached $4 million in 2007. Between 2004 and 2007, the comic book industry reported average annual growth of 27.8 percent compared to 18.3 percent average growth for other cultural exports. From 2005 to 2007, revenues were highest in European countries, which accounted for 38.3 percent. North America came in next at 21.5 percent, Japan at 16 percent and Southeast Asian nations at 12.5 percent. With this evidence of the potential of Korean comics, the central government recently announced that it will spend 142.5 billion won ($96.9 million) over the next five years to nurture the industry. And Seoul expects a hefty return on its investment: 7 trillion won in sales, $2 billion in exports and 10,000 new job opportunities.

A special booth was set up at the Bologna Children’s Book Fair in Italy last month, and the Korean Culture Center in Paris, France — certainly the most comic-obsessed European country — hosted a special exhibition for Korean comics earlier this year. Manhwa’s even expanding into the former colonies of the home of beloved comic characters Tintin and Asterix. Daewon Culture Industry Inc., one of the largest local comic book publishers, said in January that its title “Witch Hunter” by Cho Jung-man will be published in Algeria. Korean comic books have been exported to Asia, Europe, North America, Latin America and Oceania. But Witch Hunter, the story of a group of warriors who fight against witches, will be the first manhwa to be exported to an African country. Many other Korean comic books are getting rave reviews from foreign readers. “Priest” by Hyung Min-woo and “Ragnarok” by Lee Myung-jin were among the first Korean comic books to attract attention from foreign readers and publishers. Both Priest and Ragnarok are based in fictional worlds, and the characters’

Provided by Seoul Cultural Publishers, Inc

T

his year marks the 100th anniversary of the manhwa, or Korean comic book. And like its American cousin, the history of manhwa is one of ups and downs. In the 1970s schools nationwide saw comic book burnings, as manhwa were seen by most Korean parents as an evil distraction from schoolwork. But this wasn’t enough to keep the Korean comic book industry from thriving. The late ’70s and ’80s were a golden age for Korean comics, with many series vaulting to great success, and some even making the leap to animated films. With the advent of book rental shops in the 1990s, however, the comic book industry lost its momentum as people began to rent comics instead of buying them. The spread of high-speed Internet throughout Korea further damaged the manhwa industry as readers scanned their favorite comics page by page and made them available for free over the Web. But in every crisis there is also opportunity, and Korean comics publishers have found new ways to survive — by expanding into overseas markets. Participating in international conventions such as the Frankfurt Book Fair and Festival International de la Bande Desinée in Angouleme first brought the colorful Korean books overseas in the late 1990s. “Before 2003, only a handful of Korean comics were exported to e

So-he

Her Majesty... the Queen...? April 2009 korea 7

8 korea April 2009

The government’s investing almost $100 million in me and my friends!

Provided by Ani Books

“And the Korean educational comic book market is huge. That specific genre might open a new era for the Korean comic book industry,” added Park. Educational manhwa address historical events, scientific principles or even math formulas. This genre is especially popular in Asian nations where parents put pressure on their children to perform academically. The “Why?” manhwa deals with all kinds of questions, from how the brain functions to how stars are created, and it’s sold a total of 750,000 copies in France, China and Taiwan, according to Yerimdang, the publisher of the series. A similar comic titled “Survival Series” has sold more than 1 million copies in Taiwan and China, says I-Seum, the publisher. The Korean Literature Translation Institute says a total of 1,103 types of books were exported to 23 countries last year. Among them, one-third were educational comics. “Whether traditional or educational comics, the world’s comic industry shows more than 40 percent annual growth, and Korea could become a beneficiary of this booming industry,” Ko Suck-man, head of the Korea Culture and Content Agency, told reporters earlier this year. Industry experts also forecast a rosy future for the entertainment industry, which is usually considered

“Luna Park” ©Hong In-hye, Aui Books

recession-proof. “I expect surging demand for relatively cheap leisure activities this year, such as watching films, playing games or reading comic books. As a good example of this, the U.S. saw an 18 percent increase in movie ticket sales during January and February from a year ago, which is the biggest sales increase in two decades,” said Han Seung-ho, an analyst at Shinyoung Securities. “When the economy hits bottom, people want to entertain themselves at low cost,” Han said. 

By Sung So-young

Provided by Haksan Publishing Co.

From left, “I.N.V.U.” ©Kim Kang-won, “La Mosca” ©Kang Hyungkyu, “Chunchu” ©Kim Sung-jae, Kim Byung-jin

Provided by Daewon C. I. Inc

From gun-slinging priests fighting vampires to sweet tales of young love in a changing city, there’s a manhwa for every conceivable taste.

as notepads and pencil cases in Germany, and “P.K” by Park Chul-ho was made into an online game in France. Despite positive feedback from overseas markets, industry experts say the Korean comic industry faces several problems in cementing its position. “Almost every foreign buyer says Korea has run out of resources, meaning more new comic books should come out,” said Jang Sun-young at the Seoul Animation Center. Park of the Korea Culture and Content Agency agrees. “Korea needs to develop new content, because we’ve exported almost all our comic books in recent years. But Korean copyright law and market saturation make it difficult for cartoonists and publishers to embark on new projects.” In order to cope with these issues, the Seoul Animation Center launched a program last year to support Korean cartoonists and allow them to work on new comics aimed at export. Hyung Min-woo’s “Ghost Face” was selected for financial support from the animation center last year. “Ghost Face enjoys high popularity, almost like Hyung’s previous hit, Priest, in many countries and some want to purchase the film rights for it,” said Jang. “When comics are adapted into other genres such as online or mobile games and films, Korea can expect more revenue.” Despite concerns, the Korean comic industry does enjoy competitiveness in one niche market in particular: online “webtoons” and educational comics. “Korea’s high Internet penetration and great IT infrastructure led it to develop unique webtoons. I believe this has potential,” says Park of the Korea Culture and Content Agency. Webtoons, published on commercial and personal sites, usually have faster-paced plots than conventional comics.

Provided by Haksan Publishing Co.

Provided by Ani Books Provided by Daewon C. I. Inc Provided by Daewon C. I. Inc

nationalities are unclear. Priest has been translated into 15 languages including English, French, German and Spanish. “The first export contract was made back in 2001, and Priest was exported to more than 20 countries because one language could cover a couple of countries. For example, once Priest is translated into English, it can be sold in the U.S., Canada, Britain and Australia,” said Roh Ji-young, an official at Daewon C&I. The film rights to Priest were even sold in Hollywood and a film adaptation of the comic book directed by Scott Charles Stewart, who worked on visual effects in “Sin City” and “Iron Man,” is now in production according to U.S. entertainment news reports. “Priest is the first Korean comic book to be made into a film by Hollywood, which is a great achievement for the Korean cartoon industry,” said Roh. Ragnarok has also been exported to as many as 30 countries. So what makes Korean comic books so appealing to foreign readers and publishers? “There are two different preferences among foreign buyers. Some prefer the universal topics and characters that are found in Priest and Ragnarok,” said Jang Sun-young, an official at the Seoul Animation Center. “But others prefer to purchase comic books that are heavily accented with Korean sentiments such as Kim Dong-hwa’s ‘Story of Gisaeng’ or Lee Do-ho’s ‘Suhoji.’” Gisaeng were female entertainers in the Joseon Dynasty (1392-1910) who served the nobility, while Suhoji is a fictional story about men who fight against corrupt government authorities in Ming Dynasty China. Romance comics are also best sellers. “Gung” or “Palace Story” by Park So-hee went on sale in 13 countries including Japan and Taiwan after the Korean TV drama series based on the manhwa proved an immense hit in Asian nations. Riding this wave of popularity, some Korean cartoonists have teamed up with local publishers or other industries for new creative projects. Cartoonist Byun Byung-joon joined with a French publisher to work on a comic titled “First Snow” last year. The characters in “The Thousand and One Nights” by Han Seung-hee are used on stationery goods such

News in Focus

Provided by Seoul Animation Center

News in Focus

April 2009 korea 9

Diplomacy

President Lee Myung-bak, left, and Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd

Lee Turns Eyes Toward Asia

A

new diplomatic initiative to engage with Asia-Pacific nations was announced by President Lee Myung-bak on March 8, marking a shift in the focus of Seoul’s foreign policy from the four global powers to relations with its regional neighbors. From March 2 to 8, Lee traveled to New Zealand, Australia and Indonesia, his first overseas trip of the year. At the end of his three-nation tour, Lee held a breakfast meeting with Seoul’s top 25 envoys to the region and spoke about his “New Asia Initiative.” 10 korea April 2009

“Last year, Korean diplomacy was concentrated on the four global superpowers that affect Korea the most,” Lee said at the meeting. Lee said his government’s foreign policy concentration on Washington, Tokyo, Beijing and Moscow last year had been successful and that the time has come to reach out to Korea’s neighbors. “This year, it is urgent that we improve our relationships with our Asian neighbors,” Lee said. “That’s why I visited New Zealand, Australia and Indonesia, and the tour was successful. I have accomplished substantial results

in economic and security cooperation.” Under President Lee’s “New Asia Initiative,” Seoul’s goal is to speak for Asian nations in the international community. According to the Blue House, Korea seeks to cooperate with its AsiaPacific neighbors while playing a leading role in resolving transnational tasks such as the financial crisis and climate change. Seoul will focus on diplomacy to encourage free trade and investment within the region. The initiative includes signing free trade agreements with all Asian nations, creating a pan-Asian economic and

trade network of which Korea would be the hub, presidential aides said. During Lee’s visits to New Zealand and Australia, Korea declared the official start of bilateral free trade negotiations with the two nations. Seoul will also seek to form “tailored economic cooperation relationships” with each of its Asian neighbors. “To this end, Korea needs a strategy to effectively use its technology in information, telecommunications and defense in return for energy and natural resources,” Lee said. The aim of Lee’s ongoing presidential diplomacy will be the success of his New Asia Initiative. He will attend the G20 financial summit in London and the Asean Plus Three conference in Thailand this month with an eye to that goal. Lee is also scheduled to attend a series of multilateral summits around the world. On June 1 and 2, Korea will host a summit with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations on Jeju Island to mark the 20th anniversary of Korea-Asean ties. Lee will also tour Central Asia in May. The World Economic Forum on East Asia will also take place here in Seoul in June. There 300 global leaders from business, government and academia will gather to help shape Asia’s political, industrial and economic agenda. Lee also said Korea will try to form cooperative relationships with like-minded groups on different topics such as climate change, the financial crisis and development through an “Asia Caucus.” A trilateral summit with Australia and Indonesia during the G20 summit in London will be a trial run for that idea. Despite the global economic downturn, Korea will not decrease its official development assistance to developing economies in Asia. Lee said his government will also share local expertise about industrial development and overcoming financial crises with Korea’s neighbors. During his tours of New Zealand, Australia and Indonesia, Lee held bilateral summits with each nation’s leaders and discussed in-depth cooperation in various issues ranging from North Korea’s nuclear weapons to the global financial crisis. Climate change and green growth were also important topics. During the summit between Lee and New Zealand Prime Minister John Key on March 3, the two leaders agreed to enhance their cooperation in science, technology and education. New Zealand also promised to support Korean agricultural reform. Lee held a summit with Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd on March 5 and agreed to strengthen cooperation on security issues in the region and around the globe, establishing a bilateral framework for joint efforts on combating terrorism, proliferation of weapons of mass destruction and other global threats. Lee

[Yonhap]

[Joint press corps]

Diplomacy

Top, New Zealand Prime Minister John Key, bottom, Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono

‘This year, it is urgent that we improve our relationships with our Asian neighbors.’

and Rudd issued a document titled “Joint Statement on Enhanced Global and Security Cooperation.” The two leaders also declared that 2011 will be South Korea-Australia friendship year, marking the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries. During his time in Indonesia, Lee met with Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono on March 6. The two leaders agreed to broaden their cooperation from trade and investment to green technology, clean energy and information technology. Lee and Yudhoyono agreed on a joint recycled energy project to take place on 700,000 hectares of Indonesian forest. Lee also expressed his desire to extend the contract on Korea’s first overseas oil field development program in Indonesia’s West Madura, and Yudhoyono responded positively. The two countries agreed that Korea will export defense technology to help the Indonesian Air Force replace its aging F-5 fighter jets. Blue House spokesman Lee Dongkwan also said South Korea, Australia and Indonesia agreed to work together to draft a proposal to dispose of toxic assets on the financial market and will present it at the G20 summit in London in April. Korea’s experience in the aftermath of the 1997 financial crisis will serve as the basis of the proposal, the presidential spokesman said. During his bilateral summits with leaders of New Zealand, Australia and Indonesia, President Lee explained to the leaders in detail Korea’s vision of low-carbon green growth. All the leaders showed enthusiastic support for the Lee administration’s plan, the Foreign Ministry in Seoul said. “Lee’s tour of the three Asia-Pacific nations took place ahead of his scheduled trip to Central Asia and Korea’s hosting of the special summit of 10 Asean member nations,” the Foreign Ministry said. “The trip was Korea’s first step to broaden its diplomatic horizons in the Asia-Pacific region under the ‘New Asia Initiative’.”  By Ser Myo-ja April 2009 korea 11

Diplomacy

Diplomacy

Iraq and Korea Sign Oil Development Memo

South Korean President Lee Myung-bak shakes hands with Iraqi President Jalal Talabani during the latter’s visit to Seoul.

cooperation spread to Iraq’s south.” The Blue House said, “We import about 80 percent of our oil from the Middle East, but have no stake in oil fields in the region. The Basra area oil fields are a stable source, and we will ask the state-run energy firms as well as private energy and construction companies to join.” According to the Knowledge Economy Ministry, the Seoul and local companies will invest $1 billion to build power plants in Iraq. About $500 million worth of water tankers and $500 million worth of garbage trucks will also

be supplied. Seoul also assigned diplomatic meaning to the deal. When the Korea National Oil Corporation signed a deal to develop oil fields with the Kurdish autonomous government, it created tension with the Iraqi central government, but this new deal between Seoul and Baghdad helped resolve those issues. Talabani is the first Iraqi leader to visit South Korea since the two countries established diplomatic ties in 1989. South Korea ended its non-combat deployment in Iraq last year.  By Ser Myo-ja

Sweden Brings Photos, Music for 50th Anniversary The Swedish Embassy in Seoul also has reason to celebrate this year, marking the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Sweden and Korea. To commemorate the occasion, the Swedish Embassy has opened a new office near Namdaemun in downtown Seoul. Meanwhile, the Swedish Embassy 12 korea April 2009

in Seoul is gearing up to celebrate the anniversary. According to Swedish Ambassador to Seoul Lars Vargo, various cultural events are being planned, including exhibitions and performances to be presented in Seoul throughout the year. The first was a photo exhibition held at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade on Feb. 27 and 28 consisting

of more than 30 pieces documenting relations between Seoul and Stockholm. The Swedish a cappella ensemble the Real Group will also perform in Korea in May and will return to participate in a major event planned for Aug. 31 commemorating the 50th anniversary of relations between Sweden and Korea.  

By Park Sun-young

t the end of May a Manila fiesta comes to the heart of Seoul, as part of the 60-year anniversary of diplomatic relations between Korea and the Philippines. And the jubilant occasion is being celebrated with special events all year round both here and in the island nation. Philippine President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo earlier designated March 3, 2009 as Philippines-Korea Friendship Day and the year 2009 as Philippines-Korea Friendship Year to commemorate the 60th anniversary of bilateral diplomatic relations. The announcement was made by Luis T. Cruz, the Philippine ambassador to Korea, at a commemorative ceremony on March 3 at the Westin Chosun Hotel in downtown Seoul. “Philippines-Korea Friendship Day has been designated in honor of our last 60 years and the maintenance of friendly relations between our two countries through increased cooperation and exchange,” Cruz said. “Milestones like today’s 60th anniversary offer us an occasion to revisit our past, take stock of our accomplishments and define a clearer path for our future.” Events will be organized by the Philippine Embassy in Seoul throughout the year, including the exhibit “One Philippines” at the end of May and a showing of “The Forgotten War,” a documentary about Filipino soldiers who participated in the Korean War (1950-1953). As part of the celebration, Korea Post and the Philippine Postal Cooperation have printed two commemorative stamps. One features Korea’s “Sonori in Hangawi,” a comic play featuring cows performed at Chuseok, Korea’s Thanksgiving, and the other, the Philippine Panagbenga Flower Festival. The most notable of the events to be organized by the Philippine Embassy in Seoul this year is likely to be the One Philippines exhibit to take place in the plaza in front of Seoul City Hall on May 30-31. For the occasion, the plaza will be transformed into a grand, open exhibition area showcasing the history, culture, tradition and business environment of the Philippines. Performances by Filipino artists, including some lively street dances, will spice up the two-day

Provided by Korea Post

A [Yonhap]

S outh Korea and Iraq agreed on Feb. 24 on a $3.55 billion oil-for-development deal. After their summit, President Lee Myung-bak and Iraqi President Jalal Talabani signed a memorandum of understanding on the project, the Blue House said. South Korea will provide Iraq $3.55 billion in social overhead capital, including construction of power generation facilities, in return for a stake in oil fields in Iraq’s southern region of Basra. Basra is the port area near the Persian Gulf that produces most of Iraq’s crude. The region’s main oil field, West Qurnah, is believed to hold reserves of 15 billion barrels, with 17 billion in Rumaylah and another 11 billion in Majnun. “The deal will allow Korea to secure about 2 billion barrels of crude oil,” said Lee Dong-kwan, spokesman for President Lee. “Korea imports about 870 million barrels of oil annually, so that amount is enough to cover roughly three years of oil consumption.” A press release from the Blue House added, “The deal is significant because Korean companies have secured a way into Iraq’s reconstruction market. In addition to the Korea National Oil Corporation’s ongoing oil-for-development project in the northern Kurdish region, it is important to see such economic

Celebrating Six Decades of Joint Struggle and Joy

These anniversary stamps celebrate traditional festivals in Korea and the Philippines.

‘Milestones like today... offer us an occasion to revisit our past, take stock of our accomplishments and define a clearer path for our future.’

event. The exhibition will be preceded by a fashion show featuring Philippine and Korean designs at the Lotte Hotel in downtown Seoul on May 29. The documentary “The Forgotten War” recreates important battle scenes and throws a spotlight on Filipino soldiers who served during the Korean War. At the outbreak of the war, the Philippines deployed more than 7,000 soldiers as part of the United Nations Command to help South Korea defend itself from the invasion of the communist North. The 90-minute film will be released at the National Theater of Korea on April 14, but there is a special screening for the Filipino community in Korea at the Dongsoong Art Center on April 12. In addition, the Philippine Marker paying tribute to Filipino soldiers who participated in the Korean War will be unveiled at the UN Memorial Cemetery in Busan on May 28. The past six decades have brought many advances to the relationship between Korea and the Philippines. By the end of 2008, trade volume between the two nations had topped $8 billion. The number of travelers between them reached 720,000 last year. In addition, the Korean community in the Philippines is larger than any other in the region, while the number of Filipinos in Korea is also significant, nearly 50,000 in number, according to Korea’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade.  

By Park Sun-young April 2009 korea 13

Global Korea

Innovation Index Places Korea at No. 2, U.S. at 8th Singapore tops poll of American manufacturing executives

K

provided by Koica

Egyptian archaeologist Zahi Hawass (third from right) stands with Ambassador to Cairo Chung Dal-ho to his right.

Computerizing Egyptian Culture

K

orea, known as one of the most wired countries in the world, has earned the gratitude of renowned Egyptian archaeologist Zahi Hawass, the secretary general of Egypt’s Supreme Council of Antiquities (SCA), for its efforts to improve the efficiency of the system used to manage and protect Egypt’s cultural heritage. Dubbed “the Egyptian Indiana Jones” for his trademark hat and named one of the 100 most influential figures in the world in 2005 by Time magazine, the archaeologist thanked returning Korean Ambassador to Cairo Chung Dal-ho for the Korea International Cooperation Agency(KOICA) project, aimed at developing a computerized system for the documentation and preservation of cultural property records at the SCA. This documentation is mostly done on paper, by hand. This hampers SCA officials in searching for specific documents efficiently, which sometimes results in long work delays, according to a KOICA official. Though Egypt is steadily developing its information and communication technology, “The country has an under14 korea April 2009

Since the SCA has always kept records by hand, its staff has trouble using computers.

developed ICT infrastructure,” Koica’s Media Relations Officer Kim Jung-hoon said. Transferring such a large collection of documents into a computerized database was a big challenge for the SCA’s Information Center, since many of its officials have trouble using the few computers the council has. So, at the request of Egyptian authorities, KOICA sprang to action, launching a development project at the SCA with a grant of $2 million in 2007. Kim said KOICA is now creating a central information management system to allow officials to create and retrieve records of cultural properties anytime and anywhere they please over an intranet or the Internet. It has installed 34 different machines in the council’s information center, including a network server, a projector, computers, printers, scanners, cameras, and computer software including Photoshop and Microsoft Office. It has also dispatched Korean IT specialists to the site to transfer the offline database to the online system. Last summer, KOICA gave SCA IT specialists and other officials several weeks of training on the new system. About 90 percent of the project is now complete, and beginning in June SCA officials will have a completely operational database of local artifacts. “KOICA hopes that the project will spur on the improvement of Egyptian cultural heritage management and preservation and as a result will contribute to expanding cultural and technological exchanges between the two nations,” Kim said.  By Kim Mi-ju

International innovation index 1

Singapore

2

Korea

3

Switzerland

4

Iceland

5

Ireland

6

Hongkong

7

Finland

8

U.S.A

9

Japan

10

Sweden

11

Denmark

12

Netherlands

13

Luxemburg

14

Canada

15

England

16

Israel

17

Austria

18

Norway

19

Germany

20

France

September to October 2008 Source: BCG

orea ranks second among 110 countries in “innovation leadership,” according to a report released by the Boston Consulting Group yesterday. The comprehensive report, called the International Innovation Index, attempts to measure levels of business innovation and government action to support innovation through national policy. The study was conducted jointly by the U.S.based consulting firm, the Manufacturing Institute and the National Association of Manufacturers, based on a survey of more than 1,000 executives of the latter’s member companies. “Korea’s results in the report are a reflection of continuous efforts by local companies to raise the level of innovation. To keep this momentum, the government needs to keep on supporting these companies through public policies,” said Lee Byeong-nam, head of the Seoul office of the consulting group. Singapore was No. 1 on the list. Switzerland came in third, following Korea. The United States ranked eighth, while Iceland and Ireland ranked fourth and fifth, respectively. The study measured innovation in two categories: inputs and outputs. Input factors included government policy and the environment for innovation in each country. Outputs included R&D efforts, patents, advanced technology, labor productivity, shareholder returns and the

impact of innovation on the country’s economic growth. John Engler, president of the National Association of Manufacturers, said America’s eighth-place finish shows that the country’s manufacturing innovation leadership is at risk, and that the government may be able to help raise America’s ranking through more competitive tax, trade and workforce policies. The report’s co-author, Emily DeRocco, also the president of the Manufacturing Institute, said in a statement on the manufacturers’ association Web site, “A skilled, educated workforce is the most critical element of innovation success and the hardest asset to acquire.” Meanwhile, on the Economist Intelligence Unit’s worldwide cost of living index, Seoul’s ranking fell from 35th most expensive to 66th, due to the won’s depreciation against other currencies around the globe. The bi-annual survey compares prices of a select number of representative products and services from 132 cities around the world to measure the cost of living there. The world’s two most expensive cities were both in Japan — Tokyo and Osaka — mainly due to the yen’s strong performance. Paris ranked third, while Copenhagen and Oslo followed at fourth and fifth, respectively. The cheapest city to live in among the ones surveyed was Karachi in Pakistan, followed by Tehran, Mumbai and New Delhi. 

By Cho Jae-eun

April 2009 korea 15

Global Korea

[joongAng Ilbo], [NEWSIS]

City, Central Government Helping Foreigner Wives Government efforts to help expatriates living in Seoul include grant money to help foreigners’ groups hold events and a list of real estate agents certified to provide trustworthy service in English.

New Support for Local Expatriates

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16 korea April 2009

‘It is not just about finding a house, but ensuring an agreeable... environment [for expats.]’

Provided by Kotra

ith the number of foreigners living in Korea increasing by the day, in the last three months the government has added new policies to help them feel comfortable in their new home. The most notable of these is a measure that will support foreign communities planning to hold cultural events in Seoul this year, sponsored by the city government. The city pledged to provide a subsidy of up to 6 million won ($4,300) for events organized by foreign embassies, chambers of commerce or other groups. The goal is to boost cultural activities by foreigners and provide residents with an opportunity to experience other cultures firsthand. The subsidy will range from 4 to 6 million won and will be limited to 80 percent or less of the total budget. Local civic groups holding foreigner-centered events can also apply for the subsidy this year, the Seoul city government said. Last year Korean groups could not receive the funds. Seoul city has also selected real estate agents to help foreigners find housing in the city. “It is not just about finding a house, but ensuring an agreeable living envi-

ronment for foreign nationals in Korea” said a city official. Based on recommendations from a local real estate association, the Seoul Metropolitan Government certified 20 agencies to offer service in English to expats as part of a real estate service improvement project, according to officials. Among these, 10 are located in Yongsan District, which has a large foreigner population. The 20 agencies have all been in business for three years or more, and they offer contracts in English and realtors fluent in English. The selected agencies are listed on the Web sites of Seoul Global Center (http:// global.seoul.go.kr) and the Korea Trade-Investment Promotion Agency (http://investkorea.org). To promote Korea’s Free Economic Zones (FEZs), the Ministry of Knowledge Economy and the Ministry of Justice are also committed to creating an environment friendly to foreign investors by eliminating cumbersome regulations. Foreign businesspeople will enjoy greater convenience when traveling to and from Korea, thanks to simplified visa and immigration procedures instituted by the two ministries. These policies include a new “Investor Express” card introduced last September, which will soon be available to an even wider range of investors. The cards confer access to exclusive immigration checkpoints at international airports to reduce waiting time. Until now, only those who had previously invested in Korea were eligible for the card. But now this privilege is extended to any foreign businessperson who has signed a contract, memorandum of understanding, or letter of intent pledging significant investment in an

FEZ. Foreign investors in the FEZs and their families already qualify for multiple-entry visas, which are valid for up to two years. By mid-2009, revisions to visa regulations will expedite the visa issuance process for other foreign professionals such as professors, researchers, lawyers, doctors, interpreters, and teachers who work in international schools. Migrant workers will now be able to read their medical examination results in their own language, the Ministry of Labor said recently. It has started providing workers with medical check-up forms and results in 10 languages, including English, Chinese, Indonesian and Vietnamese. According to the ministry, a total of 470,000 migrant workers are working in Korea as of November 2008. The multilingual medical forms have been distributed to major health care organizations in charge of occupation-related medical complaints, the National Health Insurance Corporation and migrant worker centers. To assist workers with following up on their check-ups, the Korea Occupational Safety and Health Agency will dispatch medical staff to the migrant worker centers once or twice a month.  

T

he number of foreign women married to Korean men has been exploding recently. At the end of last year the number of such female immigrants stood at 104,290, or 88 percent of total immigrants for marriage, and each year has seen double-digit growth in that number. With international marriages come multicultural households, and so central and local governments have launched a variety of programs to help them get accustomed to life in Korea, providing language lessons, cooking classes and job opportunities. The government of Cheonan, South Chungcheong has published a guidebook on living in Korea in three languages — Chinese, Vietnamese and Filipino — jointly with Sang Myung University. Those three nationalities account for a major portion of the new spouses, and it was the first time a local government had produced a guidebook specifically for female immigrants. The books have various sections dealing with topics in simple Korean with translations in each language, along with illustrations. These include greeting etiquette, important anniversaries in Korea and simple Korean recipes as well as the locations of tourist attractions, important public institutions and banks. The Korean Language Culture Center at Sang Myung University produced the books with funds provided by the city government. The books are distributed free. According to Cheonan, the city had 330 households with foreign wives at the end of 2007, when the guidebook project was launched. Research conducted by South Chungcheong Province in February showed that foreign wives found language the biggest barrier to adjusting to life in Korea, with 26.7 percent expressing that opinion, followed by cultural differences at 18.6 percent and loneliness at 12.8 percent. Vietnamese made up the largest group of immigrant wives at 33.3 percent, while Chinese and Filipinas accounted for 32.4 percent and 14.4 percent, respectively. The Sang Myung center is one of 14 institutions officially designated by the Culture Ministry for language training. The center provides free Korean classes for married immigrants year round. Cheonan also dispatches Korean teachers to households in rural areas with married immigrants so that mothers and their By Seo Ji-eun children can learn the Korean language. 

By Sunny Kim April 2009 korea 17

Green Growth

Provided by the Korea Water Resources Corporation

S

Harnessing the Ocean Korea is building the world’s largest tidal power plant in Ansan — and is using the opportunity to clean up an environmental disaster area

18 korea April 2009

This artist’s rendering shows what the Sihwa Lake Tidal Power Plant will look like when it’s finished next year.

outh Korea has no oil or natural gas reserves on its native soil. But by the end of next year, it will have the world’s largest tidal power plant along its west coast. As part of the government’s initiative for environmentally-friendly green growth, Seoul has supported a variety of alternative energy projects. One of these is the Sihwa Lake Tidal Power Plant, under construction in Ansan, Gyeonggi. Now 70 percent complete, according to the Korea Water Resources Corporation, the generator is expected to be online by the end of next year. When construction ends, the tidal power plant will generate electricity using the difference in water levels between the sea and a nearby artificial lake. The lake was created in 1994 when a group of engineers built a 12.7-kilometer embankment to close a bay. The dam was meant to create a freshwater reservoir and 56 square kilometers of rice paddies, but it ended up an environmental disaster. There wasn’t enough fresh water flowing in, and the lake soon blackened with the waste from two industrial complexes located nearby. The embankment began to stink and the surface was covered with dead birds and fish. After several years, the government decided to punch holes in the dam to let seawater in and out, hoping to clear out the muck and help wildlife survive. Currently, the lake is only half as clean as the sea. “Installing a tidal power plant would solve the problem,” says Park Chang-joon from the Korea Water Resources Corporation. Each day, the power plant would circulate 150 million tons of water. Here is how it works. When the tide comes in, it lifts the water level on the sea side of the barrier several meters higher than on the lake side. Then

the plant’s 10 turbines, to be installed in the middle of the seawall, will open. The water will flow into the lake and spin the turbines, which will eventually drive generators. When the tide retreats, the plant’s eight sluice gates will open to empty out the lake. This process will occur twice a day, as the sea rises and falls. Experts expect that the tidal power plant, which began construction in 2004, will also improve the local environment. Sihwa’s turbines would generate onefourth of the electricity produced by a normal nuclear power plant, and will save 862,000 barrels of oil and prevent 315,000 tons of carbon dioxide emissions a year. “Tidal waves are a source of renewable energy,” says Park from the Korea Water Resources Corporation. “They improve the quality of the lake water and generate clean energy. It’s important to diversify energy sources by increasing the share of renewable energy.” According to industry figures, the country currently depends on imported oil for 44 percent of its energy needs. With the tidal wave power plant and other new sources, however, the government hopes to reduce that ratio to 35 percent by 2030. The flow of seawater into Sihwa Lake should generate a maximum of 254 megawatts of electricity per hour, enough to supply everyone living in the nearby Ansan area in Gyeonggi. When the 355.1 billion won project is completed at the end of next year, it will be the world’s largest tidal wave plant, bigger than the La Rance plant in northwestern France, which has a capacity of 240 megawatts. Several other tidal power plants are currently operating across the globe, including Canada’s Annapolice, which was built in 1984, and China’s Jiangzia, which was built By Lee Eun-joo in 1986.  April 2009 korea 19

Green Growth

[NEWSIS], [Yonhap]

Ahead of the ‘Green’ Curve Korea is in a prime position to capitalize on its technological prowess and jumpstart the eco-friendly industries of the future, experts say Pascal Lamy

President Lee Myung-bak, left, at the Global Korea 2009 forum in Seoul

20 korea April 2009

and Vision and the National Research Council for Economics, Humanities and Social Science, Thomas L. Friedman, a columnist at The New York Times and author of “The World is Flat,” said that the world needs a “green revolution.” He made the remark during session three of the forum, titled “Climate Change: New Development Strategy and Green Growth.” Friedman said the major challenges facing the world today are climate change, energy poverty, falling biodiversity and demand for resources.

[NEWSIS]

I

n the future, the world’s new growth engine will be energy technology, and Korea has already staked out high ground in that field, experts said at the Global Korea 2009 forum, held in Seoul in February. The forum delegates urged countries to continue to expand investments in eco-friendly renewable energy development despite the falling price of oil and the global financial crisis. At the forum, held at the Lotte Hotel Seoul and jointly sponsored by the Presidential Council for the National Future

Accordingly, the countries that control cheap and clean energy technologies will become the most secure and the most advanced economically, Friedman said. He said major countries have already begun to compete for new energy technologies and to achieve green growth. Friedman believes that Korea has already secured advantages in this field, with talented scientists and workers and solid industrial competitiveness. Developing new energy sources requires advanced manufacturing and information technology, and Korea already has strong points in both, he said. Korea also has a resource imperative to lead the green revolution, because the country has no fossil fuels such as crude oil or coal, he pointed out. According to the Ministry of Knowledge Economy, Korea imports nearly all of its oil, and 83 percent of its energy still comes from fossil fuels. Friedman said that global warming, rapidly growing populations and the astonishing expansion of the world’s middle class through globalization have produced a planet that is “hot, flat, and crowded.” Also at the session was Nobuo Tanaka, executive director of the International Energy Agency, who said that countries should not stop trying to develop eco-friendly energy because of the current economic crisis. “The present economic crises could have two important mid- to long-term implications on the energy sector: a serious shortage of supply capacity when the economy recovers and lower investment in clean energy technolo-

Robert Rubin

gies,” Tanaka said. “However, to avoid ‘abrupt and irreversible’ climate change we need a major decarbonization of the world’s energy system through significant emission reductions in all regions and technological breakthroughs,” he continued. “We can change crisis into opportunity with a clean energy New Deal. Economic stimulus packages provide an excellent opportunity for a cleaner and more secure energy future.” Regarding the details of green growth policies, Tanaka recommended passive-energy houses and zero-energy buildings and policy packages to promote energy efficiency in existing buildings. He emphasized the necessity of phasing out incandescent bulbs and inefficient fuel-powered lighting, and of ensuring least-cost lighting is provided in nonresidential buildings. In transportation, he said fuel-efficient tires and mandatory fuel efficiency standards for light-duty and heavy-duty vehicles are vital. Tanaka said he thinks highly of the Korean government’s Green New Deal. The Green New Deal, the practical application of the “low-carbon, green growth” agenda that President Lee unveiled on the Aug. 15 Liberation Day holiday last year, includes 36 projects intended to create more than 956,000 jobs. The government will spend 50 trillion won ($33.1 billion) on the projects over the next four years. Major projects include the construction of bicycle paths across the entire nation, the development of eco-friendly vehicles and renewable energy and the

Thomas Friedman

construction of 2 million environmentally friendly, energy-conserving houses. Meanwhile, President Lee Myungbak, in his opening speech, proposed a “global deal,” in which every country expands its fiscal spending policies simultaneously in a bid to overcome recent global economic woes. He added that the world should not accept protectionism under any circumstances and that it was Korea’s priority to stimulate the global economy by actively trading and investing. Pascal Lamy, director general of the World Trade Organization, also stressed the need to avoid protectionism. “Beggar-thy-neighbor policies bear the risk of prompting retaliation by other countries and driving down the overall level of trade, thus destroying output and jobs around the world,” he said. Also agreeing with that view was former U.S. Treasury Secretary Robert Rubin: “Relationships between the economies of Asia and the United States will be critically important on trade, capital flows, exchange rate disequilibria, financial imbalances, financial architecture reform and many other matters. Korea, with its long history of effective domestic policy leadership and as a major global economy, should be strongly engaged in all of this activity.” At a news conference, he said Korea is unlikely to face a financial crisis of the kind that hit Asia in the late 1990s. “I think that at least the probability of something we experienced in 1998 is very low,” he said. “Fundamentally, there are differences in circumstances.” By Koh So-young April 2009 korea 21

Culture Sohn Ye-jin walks the red carpet at the Baeksang Arts Awards.

The fairest of them all The 45th annual Baeksang Arts Awards is Seoul’s chance to enjoy a night of glitz and glamour, celebrating its favorite entertainers.

22 korea April 2009

Sohn Ye-jin, often perceived as an innocent waif in her past roles, starred in “My Wife Got Married,” in which she transforms into a quirky and exuberant married woman in her 20s. The story centers on a wife who begs her husband (who worships the ground she walks on) to let her marry another man, leading to bigamy or perhaps a menage-a-trois. Despite the sheer absurdity of the storyline, Sohn displays a lovable attraction that dispels any revulsion the public may feel toward this wacky character. Kim Myeong-min starred in “Beethoven Virus” on MBC TV, in which he played the role of an eccentric genius conduc-

[JES]

W

hich Korean television and film celebrities were the most beloved in 2008? For the answers you had to watch the 45th annual Baeksang Arts Awards, held Feb. 27 at Olympic Park in Songpa District, Seoul. The leading Korean weekly Ilgan Sports has hosted this event for the past 44 years. The awards are the only ones of their kind in Korea — up for judging are actors and dramas from all three major public television stations, plus the casts of all the domestic films released in the past year. And Korea’s favorite actor and actress — winners of the awards for best male and female leads — were Ju Jin-mo and Sohn Ye-jin. Best picture went to director Kang Woo-seok’s “Public Enemy.” The highest honor in the television acting category was given to Kim Hae-ja, who has played the traditional role of “Korean mother” in countless dramas for years. Best lead actor on television went to Kim Myeong-min, while the youthful Moon Geun-yeong won best lead actress. With his exotic looks and penetrating eyes, Ju Jin-mo has accumulated a large female fanbase. Ju starred in “Ssanghwajeom,” a historical movie that touched upon the subject of homosexuality, in which he played the King of Goryeo who falls for his chief general, which eventually leads to the downfall of his kingdom.

The winners pose at the 45th annual Baeksang Arts Awards in Seoul. April 2009 korea 23

Culture

24 korea April 2009

office was jammed with fans trying to get tickets. Several even came from Japan and Southeast Asia to see celebrities they knew from Hallyu dramas (Korean programs famous across Asia). Scalpers sold tickets (illegally) at up to 200,000 won. The awards ceremony was aired live on SBS TV, which recorded a 15-percent jump in ratings for the night. Audience members taped celebrities with their phones and cameras, and dozens of videos were instantly posted on the Internet. Actor Ju Jin-woo, 35, met with reporters on the day of the awards and expressed his happiness at his win by calling it his “second birthday.” Ju said, “In my 11 years in the film industry, my mother cried for the first time when she heard I won.” As the winners celebrate their gongs, the fans are left wondering: Who will star in the new television dramas and films of 2009, and who will be the next big movers and shakers of Korean pop culture?

Park Bo-young

By Sunny Kim

Kim Myung-min

and Moon Geun-yeong both pulled their hair back and wore strapless gowns to highlight their features. Sohn wore an elegant long navy blue dress with a corsage while Moon opted for a white mini-dress that displayed her characteristic liveliness. Actress Han Ji-hye also grabbed the spotlight with her Barbie-like hairstyle and light purple dress. Choi Yeo-jin, a model turned actress, wore a colorful dress with a gold neck piece and a ponytail. Lee Tae-ran, known for her somewhat tomboyish image, wore an apricot-colored dress that was short in the front and long in the back, with a wavy hairstyle that exhibited her mature beauty. This year actresses pursued a notably minimalist approach to makeup and accessories. Most male celebrities, including Ju Jin-mo and Kim Myeong-min, wore black suits, typical male attire at awards ceremonies. Naturally fans flocked to the ceremony site to see their favorite stars in their stunning outfits. The box

Ju Jin-mo

Han Ji-hye

Park Si-yeon

Choi Yeo-jin

Han Ye-seul

[NEWSIS], [JoongAng Ilbo], [JES]

Shin Ae

tor with such profound intensity it launched his career to a new high. A former child star who has successfully blossomed into a sophisticated adult actress, Moon Geun-yeong won best actress in a television series for her role as a crossdressing painter from the Joseon period, Shin Yun-bok, in the SBS TV drama “Garden of the Wind.” The best new actor award was given to Lee Minho, who starred in the popular KBS 2 TV drama “Boys Over Flowers,” while the best new actress was Yuna, a singer turned actress who starred in the KBS 1 TV drama, “You Are My Destiny.” The awards for most popular were given to Ju Jee-hoon and Park Boyeong. Of course, one can’t have a glitzy awards ceremony without a red carpet, and the dresses and suits on display were a spectacle to wow any fan. Korean designers engaged in intense competition to outfit these performers, whose choices have trendsetting power for the rest of the year. Actresses Sohn Ye-jin

Moon Geun-yeong

The Baeksang Arts Awards honors the best in Korean film and TV — and of course the dresses on its red carpet help set trends for months to come.

April 2009 korea 25

Culture

[JoongAng Ilbo]

Joseph Haydn

Felix Mendelssohn

26 korea April 2009

hree major classical music milestones fall this year, and Korea is celebrating with a series of concerts. Those milestones: the 200th anniversary of the birth of the Romantic period composer Felix Mendelssohn; the 200th year since the death of the Classical composer Joseph Haydn, and the 250th year since the death of Baroque composter George Frideric Handel. Seoul will host performances of music by all three composers with pipe organ accompaniment. The Seoul Metropolitan Junior Chorus will get the ball rolling on April 11 at the commemorative concert for Mendelssohn and Haydn at 5 p.m. at the Sejong Center for the Performing Arts in central Seoul. The group will sing Haydn’s Missa in Tempore Belli (Kettledrum Mass) and a series of Mendelssohn choruses. The junior chorus will be joined for part of the night by the senior Seoul Metropolitan Chorus. Tickets are 20,000 won each. Later in the year, on June 27, the same venue will stage a pipe organ recital by British organist David Sanger. Sanger will play the Hallelujah chorus and the organ score from the Messiah oratorio, among other pieces. Sanger, an acclaimed concert organist and also an influential teacher of the instrument, will be accompanied on stage by the Seoul Metropolitan Youth Orchestra and the Project Choir. Tickets range from 10,000 won to 50,000 won. These shows come on the heels of a series of shows in March. The first such show featured fortepianist Park Su-hyeon, Korea’s first player of the early version of the piano, along with violinist Yang Go-un and cellist Lee Hyeon-jeong as they played trios by Haydn on March 5 at the Kumho Arts Hall in Jongno District, Seoul. Haydn was the featured composer at the Kumho hall on March 19, when the Novus Quartet, a group of award-winning musicians from the Korea National University of Arts, performed Haydn’s String Quartet No. 50 in B-flat Major, among others. Last May, the Novus Quartet won third prize at the Osaka

International Chamber Music Competition and Festa, becoming the first Korean group to win an award at the competition. Takeshi Kiriyama on the Baroque violin, Shigeru Sakurai on the viola da gamba and Oh Juhee on the cembalo performed Handel’s seven sonatas on March 27, a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for aficionados of Baroque music. Meanwhile, a few elaborate works by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart were also staged here. Two of his most famous operas, “The Marriage of Figaro” and “The Magic Flute,” were produced in March in Seoul at the Seoul Arts Center and LG Arts Center, respectively. And the former was

Takeshi Kiriyam

This year we remember Handel, Haydn and Mendelssohn .

Hidemi Suzuki

a significant event for other reasons — it commemorated the reopening of the Opera Theater at Seoul Arts Center, which had to be closed after a fire in December 2007. David McVicar in the Marriage of Figaro and Michael Ashman in The Magic Flute gave each classic a modern twist. Some familiar faces appeared on stage at both shows. In The Marriage of Figaro, baritone Yoon Hyung played Count Almaviva, and soprano Shin Young-ok was Susanna. As Countess Almaviva soprano Sara Jakubiak took the stage, and baritone Giorgio Caoduro starred as Figaro. In The Magic Flute, staged by the National Opera Company of Korea, sopranos Kim Seong-hye and Katarzyna Dondalska shared the role as Queen of the Night; basses Ahn Gyun-hyung and Choi Joon-young took turns as Sarastro; and Park Seong-geun and Lee Seung-mook did the same as Tamino. Of seven shows, four were performed in German to render the show in a more authentic, “singspiel” (a blend of singing and dialogue) style.  By Yoo Jee-ho

Provided by the organizer

George Frideric Handel

Yang Go-un

April 2009 korea 27

Culture

won ($303 million) will be spent to build two concert halls, an art museum and a variety of outdoor facilities on 53,000 square meters on the island. The linchpin of the new project will be a 1,500-seat opera house guaranteed to conjure up a vastly different atmosphere from the existing opera house in southern Seoul. Six prominent architects from Korea and abroad competed to handle the island’s transformation into a grand cul-

tural site, and judges ultimately selected a design by Korean architect Park Seung-hong called “Dance,” inspired by the image of a traditional Korean dancer. In order to improve the accessibility of Nodeul Island, the Seoul city government plans to build a 550-meter overpass for pedestrians and bike riders and expand the sidewalks on the Hangang Bridge, which currently connects the island to the riverside. Visitors will also be able to take a special ferry, now

in the planning stages, to the island. “The Han River Art Island will make Seoul a hub of culture and arts in Northeast Asia while serving as a haven for Seoul residents seeking peace during a busy day and as a place where they can savor cultural activities,” said Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon. “I hope it will also be a Seoul landmark that will draw attention worldwide with its cultural prowess and aesthetic appeal.”  By Park Sun-young

Provided by the Seoul Metropolitan Government

T

he year 2014 will bring a new phenomenon to Seoul: an opera house as unique and iconic as that of Sydney, Australia, right in the middle of the Han River. Early last month the Seoul Metropolitan Government unveiled the final blueprint for the world-class integrated art complex, dubbed the Han River Art Island, that it plans to build on Nodeul Island, a small island in the Han. According to the city government plan, about 450 billion

Park Seung-hong based the design for the Han River Art Island on the elegant movements of a traditional Korean dancer.

Opera Astride the 28 korea April 2009

River Han in 2014 April 2009 korea 29

Culture

Capturing the Great in Spirit His portraits convey not only his famous subjects but also their living environments. This aesthetic can also been seen in the works of photographers August Sander and Arnold Newman. “Within every man and woman, a secret is hidden, and as a photographer, it is my task to reveal it if I can,” Karsh wrote in “Karsh Portfolio” in 1976. “The revelation, if it comes at all, will come in a small fraction of a second with an unconscious gesture, a gleam of the eye, a brief lifting of the mask that all humans wear to conceal their innermost selves from the world. In that fleeting interval of opportunity the photographer must act or lose his prize.” Karsh’s works are especially popu-

lar among people who are now in their 40s and 50s, since they grew up watching the figures in his photographs, according to Cho Kook-hee from the exhibition’s PR department. “Also, since they grew up reading biographies of the influential figures in Karsh’s works like Helen Keller, the exhibition is a sentimental journey for them.” The exhibition is divided into three sections: “Portraits,” a collection of records of the men and women who shaped the 20th century; “On Assignment,” a collection of works that document Canada’s postwar life; and “The Early Years,” a display of his early experimental and improvisational works from the early 20th century. All the photos on display are original prints.  By Lee Eun-joo

Provided by the organizer

I

n some great art there’s an element of luck. But not for Armenian-born Canadian portrait photographer Yousuf Karsh (1908-2002). He always understood what he wanted to achieve. Karsh captured moments in the lives of 20th-century figures including Audrey Hepburn, Winston Churchill, Helen Keller, Pablo Picasso and Albert Einstein. He once said that his chief joy was in photographing the great in heart, in mind and in spirit. During his sixdecade career, Karsh took photographs of 15,312 accomplished men and women and developed 150,000 negatives. Of these, around 70 are now on display at the Hangaram Art Museum at the Seoul Arts Center until May 8, the first exhibition of Karsh’s works here.

From left to right, Yousuf Karsh’s photographs of: Albert Einstein (1957), Sophia Loren (1957), Jacqueline Kennedy (1957), Mother Teresa (1957) and Audrey Hepburn (1956).

30 korea April 2009

Provided by the organizer

His solo piano work first made Giovanni Mirabassi famous in Korea.

he European jazz musician Giovanni Mirabassi left a deep impression when he played with drummer Leon Parker and bassist Gianluca Renzi at the LG Arts Center in Seoul March 22. Mirabassi has a large following here, partly because Koreans prefer European jazz, which emphasizes melody more strongly than its American ancestor. All of Mirabassi’s albums have been steady sellers in Korea, and this was his third appearance here. Mirabassi has been compared to other famous artists from the continent, such as Enrico Rava and Enrico Pieranunzi of Italy and Jan Garbarek of Norway. In the first part of the concert, he played songs from his two solo albums, “Avanti” and “Cantopiano.” In the second, he was joined by Parker and Renzi on pieces such as “Dear Old Stockholm” and “Alone Together” from his new album, “Out of Tracks,” which was released in Korea last month. Born in Perugia, Italy, in 1970, Mira-

bassi now lives in Paris. His local fame dates to 2002, when his solo piano album Avanti was released here. Several other albums followed soon after, and he’s been a hit ever since. Mirabassi’s popularity rose even more after the Korean release of “Howl’s Moving Castle,” a 2004 Japanese animated fantasy film written and directed by Oscarwinning anime auteur Hayao Miyazaki. The Italian jazz artist performed part of the soundtrack for the film. That piece was also included on his album “Prima O Poi,” which he released at the end of 2005. In 2007, Mirabassi took part in the 4th Jarasum International Jazz Festival, performing in Korea for the first time. As a boy Mirabassi studied classical music, but he taught himself to play jazz after being introduced to the genre by his father. Mirabassi’s influences include Italian pianist Enrico Pieranunzi. Mirabassi played with artists such as Chet Baker as early as 1987, when he was 17, before becoming fully active as a jazz musician. He toured Italy as part of a

group led by saxophonist Steve Grossman in 1988. In 1992, he settled in Paris. That was when he met other Italian jazz musicians based in the city. In 1996, he played bass on a PierreStephane Michel album. He was also on a Flavio Boltro album on the trumpet. Then came his first taste of acclaim: He took the Grand Prix and the best soloist prize at the Concours International de Jazz d’Avignon, presided over by Daniel Humair. In 1998, Mirabassi recorded his first album, “Architectures,” with drummer Louis Moutin and bassist Daniel Mencarreli. In 2001, he published Avanti, an important milestone in his career. For this album, he received the Django d’Or for best young talent and a Victoires du Jazz award in 2002. Speaking of Mirabassi’s style, Alain Gerber of Diapason magazine wrote, “Giovanni Mirabassi had nerve and showed a lot of panache in tackling, so young as he is, such a repertoire... of revolutionary and patriotic songs, songs of resistance, struggle and refusal.” By Limb Jae-un April 2009 korea 31

Culture

T

[Press Q]

A huge kite soars above Dadaepo Beach, Busan at the 39th International Busan Kite Flying Contest last month.

Into the Wild Blue Yonder Treasured local traditions mingle with modern aerodynamic marvels at Busan’s newly revamped international kite flying competition

32 korea April 2009

he 39th Busan International Kite Flying Contest took place on March 7 and 8 at Dadaepo Beach, sponsored by the city government of this southern port city. The “international” is a new addition for 2009. Until last year, the contest had been held as a small part of the Jeongwol Daeboreum, a celebration of the first lunar full moon at Haeundae Beach. But this year the city transformed the event into a massive, worldwide affair. The Busan-based civic organization that preserves historic Korean folk kites and runs the festival invited over 2,000 participants, including kite lovers from 10 countries: Korea, China, Japan, Hong Kong, the Philippines, India, the United States, France, Belgium and the Netherlands. This year’s contest consisted of preliminary rounds and finals in numerous categories, including kite fighting, creative kite flying, kite flying by children and flying for altitude. On the sidelines, traditional kites from Korea, Japan and other countries were exhibited. Professional kite designers offered visitors presentations of the process of making these bits of soaring cultural heritage. They even had the chance to take part in designing their own kites. A number of traditional folk performances including dongnaeyaryu (masquerade play), dongnaehakchum (crane dance), and samulnori percussion offered stiff-necked spectators a break. A traditional samulnori ensemble consists of four instruments: the large jing gong, the small kkwaenggwari gong, the hourglass-shaped janggu drum and the buk, a barrel drum. Visitors could also play the board game yut, kick a jaegi (similar to hackysack), jump on a Korean seesaw, spin tops and throw sticks into a jar in a game of tuho. The festival aimed not only to elevate the status of Busan as a cultural and tourist destination but also boost interest in traditional Korean crafts and activities. The city also looks forward to reinvigorating the regional economy by attracting tourists from inside and outside Korea. The organizers hope to turn the festival into a seasonal event that will continue far into the future. By Lee Min-yong

April 2009 korea 33

Korean Literature

Eun Hee-gyeong:

at the Clock” is a keenly perceptive tale that problematizes the institution of marriage and the modern family. “My Wife’s Boxes” focuses on a marriage that breaks down when the couple’s pretense of love can longer hide the loneliness that resides at the core of their relationship. Although Eun embraces a feminist perspective, she also departs from it to allow herself a broader scope for introspection and inquiry into human nature. Both entertaining and insightful, Eun’s works have enjoyed great popularity as well as critical acclaim. Eun has been honored with numerous awards including the 1997 Dongseo Literature Award, the 1998 Lee Sang Literature Prize and the 2000 Korean Literature Novel Award.

Major works “Bird’s Gift” (Sae-ui seonmul, 1996) “Talking to a Stranger” (Tainaege malgeolgi, 1997) “Dance the Last Dance With Me” (Majimak chumeun nawa hamkke, 1998) “Was It A Dream” (Geugeoseun kkumiyeotseulkka, 1999) “A Happy Person Does Not Look At the Clock” (Haengbokhan sarameun sigaereul boji anneunda, 1999) “Minor League” (Maineo ligeu, 2001)

Source: Korea Literature Translation Institute

[JoongAng Ilbo]

Life as a Lyrical Cynic

T

he novelist Eun Hee-gyeong (born 1959) received her undergraduate degree in Korean literature from Sukmyeong Women’s University and her graduate degree from Yonsei University. She made her literary debut in 1995 with her novella “Duet;” the following year, her first full-length novel “Bird’s Gift” was awarded the first Fiction Award given by the quarterly Munhak Dongne. Eun Hee-gyeong gets at the truth of life through meticulous and subtle descriptions of everyday trivialities. Combining sophisticated cynicism with light, humorous prose, Eun illuminates everyday interactions and conventional mannerisms that undermine the possibility for true communication between two people. “A Happy Person Does Not Look

34 korea April 2009

April 2009 korea 35

Korean Literature

Bird’s Gift

Inheritance

Written in just two months, Eun Hee-gyeong’s debut novel won the first Munhakdongne Prize in Literature and brought her recognition as a writer of considerable talent. “Bird’s Gift” exposes the hypocrisy that guides human relations from the perspective of a 12-yearold girl. But Jin-hui, the narrator, is no typical 12-yearold. The daughter of a woman who goes insane during the war and kills herself, Jin-hui grows up under her grandmother’s care and proclaims at the beginning of the novel,

“I stopped growing in my twelfth year because I knew the world was not kindly disposed to me.” Alert and quick-witted, Jin-hui takes full advantage of the freedom and invisibility permitted to a child to gain insight into the adult world around her. Her family and neighbors, as seen through the cynical and precocious eyes of the narrator, seem full of absurdities and falsehoods of which they themselves are not aware: Her aunt harbors a childishly romantic vision of love, her cousin is a “model

student” who turns out to be an ultra-conservative bully, a draft dodger haunts pool halls and cafes swaggering with machismo, and hidden behind a bar girl’s flirtatious smile is a dream of climbing the social ladder through men. These characters, however, are far from hateful. Eun’s perceptive and often humorous portrayal of the duplicities inherent in their lives allows the reader to contemplate the meaning of true love. Their struggle becomes a tragicomedy that invites our sympathy.

Eun Hee-gyeong’s third short story collection, “Inheritance,” contains seven short stories and novellas, including the title story; “My Wife’s Box,” which won the Yi Sang Literary Award; “House Where I Once Lived,” which won the Korean Fiction Literary Award; “Who Set a Trap in the Pitch Pine Forest On a Blossomy Spring Day,” which won the Hanguk Ilbo Literary Award; and also “Strawberry Thief,” “Circus of the Sun,” and “It No Longer Snows In My Hometown.” The title story, “Inheritance,” which depicts

the subtle conflicts that emerge in a family as the father is dying of cancer, is a quietly moving story about “the permanence of life beyond death,” as symbolized by a pair of running shoes. Written while the author witnessed her own father’s death, the story has been critically appraised as a turning point in the author’s literary career. The novella “Who Set a Trap in the Pitch Pine Forest On a Blossomy Spring Day” is about an unhappy woman who lived as a model student but was ultimately unable to become the heroine of her

own life. “My Wife’s Box” intimately depicts a young couple’s infertility against the bleak backdrop of the suburbs. Constructed around the alibi and confession of a woman who is suspected of a terrible murder, “Strawberry Thief ” questions the true meaning of good and evil. These stories that question the distinction between life and death, truth and lies, love and hate, dominance and recessiveness, good and evil, Eun Hee Kyung’s cynical view towards a society overrun with false consciousness can be discerned.

A Minor League

Lyrical Age The effort, common to everyone, of trying to hide one’s weaknesses can wreck one’s life. Eun Hee-gyeong’s short story “Lyrical Age” is about such lies and misunderstandings. Initially published as an autobiography, this story can be read as an explanation of how the author’s tendency toward “cynicism and feigned wickedness” came about. At the same time, the story alerts readers to the simple “lyricism” latent within those who lived during the 1980s, com-

As implied in the title, the central characters of this novel — four high school friends — are ordinary, unexceptional people who can never be “major league” players in life. In the hands of a gifted author, however, these seemingly unremarkable characters and the ups and downs they experience in the course of their friendships are woven into an immensely engaging narrative filled with both the comedy and the pathos of being human. Through the cold and

analytical eyes of bookworm Kim Hyeong-jun, the novel takes us into 1970s and ’80s youth culture and the events that shaped recent Korean history, such as the Vietnam War, the Korean-Japanese spy incident, and the May 18th democratic uprising. Calling themselves “The Mansusan Gang of Four,” the mischievous friends — Kim Hyeong-jun, Jo Guk, Bae Seung-ju, Jang Du-hwan — remain inseparable throughout their high school years, but eventually their friendship is tested by the

appearance of a beautiful girl. The four friends compete for her attention, but in the end, she elopes with Jang Du-hwan and disappears from their lives. After 12 years, Jang Du-hwan reenters the lives of the remaining three friends, but their friendship is now beyond repair. Finally, Kim Hyeongjun, Jo Guk and Bae Seungju set up a production company; but as “minor leaguers” in the field, they are unable to compete with more powerful companies.

monly defined as the era of the “master narrative.” The narrator, a novelist is afflicted with a syndrome that causes all of the hair on the top of her head to fall off, revealing a smooth scalp. She worries that people will discover her “shame.” When she first starts school, her parents suddenly begin to treat her like an adult, and she realizes she will have to grow up. When she receives an award for a review of an art exhibition that she didn’t actually see, adults praise her for raising the school’s status rather than punishing her for lying.

She rationalizes this by saying, “Isn’t all writing lies, after all?” She leaves her hometown, where she was treated like an important person, and moves to the city. She goes astray when her family is visited by sudden misfortune; but realizes that it’s foolish to wallow in “loneliness and literature”. From then on, people begin to see her as serious and honest. At the age of eight her teacher describes her as “docile and feminine,” and this later becomes another syndrome for her. Even when she starts dating in college, the

narrator tells herself she’s feminine and serious, struggling to appear grown up. Even at her first kiss, she is still naïvely “reviewing” the experience. As her hair loss worsens, the narrator tries to have it covered up at a beauty salon, but everyone reacts with sympathy. Since she can’t cover it up, she decides to be brazen, smiling each time someone speaks to her. But people start to think she’s showing off the bald spot, and her friends start calling her “cynical and feigning wickedness.” At that, all she can do is laugh.

Discovery of Solitude That’s when I found myself fantasizing again. Let me explain what I mean. There are several mes spread out all over the world, living in different places and at different times. They’re all very different. There’s a me who gets angry easily, a me who is very shy, a me who is very good with words, a me who is foolish. There’s a me who is beautiful and a me who is abominable. They all exist separately, but if at one point they all think the same thought, we suddenly become visible to

36 korea April 2009

others. If all the mes feel lonely, for example. Then I start hearing about them from people. “I saw a shallow you cursing up a storm in the market yesterday trying to haggle over the price.” “I saw an elegant you at the opera, totally absorbed in the performance, shedding tears up there in the balcony.” “I saw an old you in a greenhouse picking up a cucumber, hunched over at the waist.” “I saw a serene you wearing a wide-brimmed hat, reading a book on a park bench.” “I saw a crazy you covered

in blood and chasing after your man after being beaten by him.” But people forget such incidents soon enough. Lots of people in this world look alike, and people believe it’s absolutely impossible for one person to appear in several places at once. -So you mean this isn’t just you fantasizing? -Yes, everything I’ve just told you is my fantasy. If you let me use many rooms, I think I’ll be able to settle each of my many selves in a

room of her own and fall asleep feeling very light. -This is absurd. -Because it’s a fantasy. Since that incident, I’ve been wondering off and on, if in a person’s life, the childhood game of divvying yourself up into many selves ever stops. After finishing her long story, the woman lowered her eyes and raised the glass of beer slowly to her lips.

New Writing from Korea 1 (2008, Korea Literature Translation Institute) ISSN : 2005-3258 Discovery of Solitude」by Eun Hee-gyeong

April 2009 korea 37

[YONHAP]

[YONHAP]

Korea through the Lens

Click Korea Above: A fair trade — Farmers transplant rice seedlings in an outdoor paddy in Icheon, Gyeonggi, on March 12, the first planting of this year. It is possible to plant rice seedlings outdoors in March here because a Hynix Semiconductor power plant nearby provides the farmers with warm water that was used to cool its generators.

Right: Northward flight — Girls wave to a flock of migratory seagulls on March 2 at Gwangalli Beach in the southern port city of Busan. The birds usually fly north this time of year.

[JoongAng Ilbo]

Above right: Maori Greetings — First lady Kim yoon-ok (right) exchanges traditional Maori greetings with locals during a welcoming ceremony at the residence of the New Zealand governor general in Auckland on March 4.

[YONHAP]

Right: Caps to save babies — At an auditorium at the Yangcheon District Office in Seoul March 11, volunteers hold up woolen caps woven to prevent infants in under-developed countries from suffering from poor temperature regulation. Some 900 volunteers knitted 8,500 woolen caps over three months starting in December. The caps will be delivered to children through the Korean branch of Save the Children, a Unesco-recognized non-governmental organization with branches in 27 countries.

Korea through the Lens

[YONHAP]

Pledging to help — Around 500 students at the Methodist Theological University submit pledges to donate their corneas and other organs after death on March 10 at the college’s auditorium in Seodaemun District, Seoul. The pledges followed the example set by the late Cardinal Stephen Kim Sou-hwan.

[YONHAP]

[YONHAP]

Below: A goodwill fashion show — A fashion show directed by Andre Kim, the 76-yearold Korean designer, took place in Bangkok, Thailand, on March 7. Kim received praise for his dresses decorated with arabesque appliqué, his signature. The fashion show was organized by the Korean Embassy in Bangkok and specially sponsored by the Thai royal family to commemorate the 50th anniversary of formal diplomatic ties between South Korea and Thailand.

[JoongAng Ilbo]

Above: Is it a train? Or is it a car? — President Lee Myung-bak, second from right, takes a look at a new concept electric car developed by the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology on the campus of the state-run university in Daejeon on Feb. 27. The car is remotely powered by a high-frequency electrical current generated by cables buried underground. The car does not need to have rechargeable batteries onboard, as it gets its power while running.

Dancing flamingos — Visitors to Seoul Grand Park in Gwacheon, Gyeonggi watch a flock of flamingos as the weather warms up.

Business & Technology

Modern Design in NYC

[JoongAng Ilbo]

Morning Calm Meets

T

he Korean design industry showcased 75 products designed by Korean artists at the Museum of Modern Art’s Design Store in New York City in February. The design shop, a retail and tourist destination that sells assorted products ranging from books to furniture and accessories, was the perfect place for cutting-edge local designs. The Design Store is often cited as the biggest attraction at MoMA, the epicenter of modern art in New York. Many designers dream of having their work displayed at the store. The exhibit is part of MoMA’s “Destination: Seoul” project. The Destina-

42 korea April 2009

tion series, launched in 2005, selects a country or a city twice a year and displays products that show the distinctive aesthetic sensibilities of each place with a modern spin. Destination products, all designed by artists in their respective cities and countries, are sold through the design store. Finland, Denmark, Buenos Aires, Berlin and Tokyo have previously been featured. “It was a chance to show off Korea’s design to a world audience,” said Hong Ji-yeon, a spokeswoman at Hyundai Card, a sponsor of the New York event, along with the Seoul city government and the Korea Institute of Design Pro-

motion. “The event attracted the biggest crowd ever of all of the ‘Destination’ projects.” Seoul was selected for the series in November 2007. Five months later, the Destination Seoul Committee was founded to prepare for the MoMA exhibit. A total of 75 products offering a glimpse into Korean culture made the final cut. The focus of the selection was on the stories behind the designs, the products’ practicality and their Korean identity. The products are being sold online as well as at the store, and some even sold out and had to be restocked. “Many Americans were unsure of

the concepts behind the designs, but they were something Koreans could understand right away,” said Guk Jonghun, a designer at the design firm Second Hotel. Take the Spooner Bottle Opener, for instance. It’s a spoon with a twist - it has an opening in the spoon section to let it work like a bottle opener. Credited to Second Hotel, this was inspired by Koreans’ use of regular spoons to open beer bottles when an actual opener isn’t within reach. The Carp Keychain, another design, was selected because the carp symbolizes career advancement and success in

Korean culture. A white paper napkin features drawings of a spoon and chopsticks — when Koreans eat out at restaurants, one of the first things they do at the table is to place those utensils on a napkin. The judges who selected the designs said the best examples put modern twists on traditional ideas. These products were on display at Hyundai Card’s Finance Shop in Gwanghwamun and Myeong-dong, central Seoul, and Yangjae-dong, southern Seoul, in late February. They are on sale at the Korean MoMA online store at www.momaonlinestore.co.kr.

A total of 75 locally designed products made the cut for the MoMA exhibit.

By Limb Jae-un April 2009 korea 43

Wired Korea In a survey, Korea’s network tech ranked second only to Sweden

ICT Development Index 1

Sweden

2

Korea

3

Denmark

4

Netherlands

5

Iceland

6

Norway

7

Luxembourg

8

Switzerland

9

Finland

10

U.K.

11

Hong Kong

12

Japan

13

Germany

14

Australia

15

Singapore

16

New Zealand

17

U.S.A

18

Ireland

19

Canada

20

Austria

21

Macao

22

Italy

23

France

24

Belgium

25

Taiwan

26

Estonia

27

Spain

28

Slovenia

29

Israel

30

Malta

*Source: ICT Development Index (IDI) (2002 and 2007 ITU 44 korea April 2009

K

orea is said to be one of the most wired countries in the world, but if the PC rooms that pack every block of Seoul aren’t enough to prove it to you, here’s something more official. The International Telecommunication Union, an international organization that sets standards for the global telecommunications industry, recently issued a report on the status of the Korean network. In the report announced in early March, the ITU measured the level of information and communication technologies (ICT) in more than 150 countries worldwide and analyzed progress made between 2002 and 2007. The results ranked Korea second highest in 2007, next only to Sweden. All the other top 10 countries are located in Europe. It was an improvement for Korea, which was ranked third in the 2002 survey. Iceland, the runner-up in 2002, fell to 5th in 2007. In the latest survey, Denmark trailed Korea in third, followed by the Netherlands in fourth, Norway in sixth, Luxembourg in seventh, Switzerland in eighth, Finland in ninth and Britain in 10th. Japan was the second Asian country mentioned, coming in 12th, followed by Singapore at 15th. The U.S. ranked 17th, China 73rd and India 118th. The survey attempted to consider every facet of a country’s network environment, including household Internet access, telephone lines, number of Internet users, fixed broadband subscribers and international Internet bandwidth. Households with computer, literacy, mobile cellular subscriptions and mobile cellular broadband subscriptions were also part of the analysis. The report judged that Korea had improved in the area of intensity

of use, measured by its high-speed Internet user base. According to the ITU, in the past few years Korea has increased its broadband penetration significantly. It said Korea ranked No. 1 in recent years on the digital opportunity index. Korea also comes in second globally after Japan in mobile broadband penetration, it said. ITU market information head Susan Teltscher told the AFP, "In South Korea, the government has practiced a very IT-focused policy, making it one of its priorities, resulting in a faster evolution towards an information society." The government has indeed spent a great deal of money spreading Internet access throughout the country and building specialized mobile networks, under the "Ubiquitous Korea" plan. According to the government roadmap, Korea will become a fully connected society within a decade by developing "U-infrastructure," "U-technologies," "U-industries" and "U-government." In 2004, Korea’s IT sector contributed 14 percent of the country’s gross domestic product. Meanwhile, the survey showed that though the world at large has placed a greater focus on information technology in recent years, the so-called digital divide is still expanding just as quickly. Internet users accounted for 23 percent of the population of the world in 2008, but in Africa alone that figure stood at just 5 percent, the survey showed. The survey also said the number of mobile phone users across the world reached 4.1 billion won at the end of 2008, compared with 1 billion in 2002. The number of landline telephone subscribers edged up by 27 million to 1.27 billion during the same period. By Moon Gwang-lip

Provided by the company

Business & Technology

The latest models from Samsung Electronics can produce a beep as loud as a truck horn and alert friends or relatives — at the pull of a lever.

A Phone That Can Scream Korean handsets include new safety features after killer makes the news

K

orea hasn’t been the same since serial killer Kang Ho-sun came into the media spotlight last month. Discussions about personal safety, especially of women and children, are raging like never before. But even in such a dark subject, local companies can always spot a new market opportunity, and in March, Samsung Electronics launched the SPH-W7100 mobile phone, which includes new safety functions. Each SPH-W7100 phone includes a small safety lever on its back panel. When the owner pulls the lever, the phone will let out an extremely loud, 100-decibel beep, which can be heard as far as 70 meters away. The sound is as loud as the horn on a large truck. At the same time, the phone delivers an emergency message to registered friends or relatives and sends out a GPS map of the area the owner is in at the time. If the phone is turned off when the lever is pulled, it will send an SOS message to anyone whose phone number is programmed into the owner’s phone. “There has never been a product like this one, which includes a beeping function, sends an SOS message and a map

in an emergency. The phone’s safety functions will be very useful in times like these,” said Samsung Electronics. The company’s new Haptic Pop SCH-W750 phone also has SOS features. The touchscreen-equipped handset, targeted at the youth market, will beep at the pull of a lever. Samsung Electronics first showcased these safety functions back in 2004 with the SCH-X850 phone, which sent SOS messages during emergencies. That function has been installed in most of the company’s handsets since then. Rival LG Electronics plans to launch a similar cell phone with personal safety functions as early as this month. Meanwhile, mobile service providers have joined in. SK Telecom, Korea’s leading mobile phone operator, has started offering a special program called “Children’s Safety, Family’s Safety.” Parents who subscribe can track where their children are eight times a day using their mobile phones. KTF’s “I Search” service sends the location of their children to parents’ mobile phones. Their “Show Care” service allows parents to see where their children are through a monitoring device attached to their handsets.  By Cho Jae-eun April 2009 korea 45

Korean Economy to Run on New Growth Engines

As the world transitions into a new age of clean power and high technology, Korea must be able to keep up.

Government R&D initiative designed to catalyze private investment in high-potential fields Special Series

1. What are new growth engines? The New Growth Engines Initiative reported its plan to President Lee Myung-bak on Sept. 22. After six months of intensive study, the initiative has selected 22 projects in six areas — energy and environment, transportation systems, new information technology, new integrated industries, bio-related industries and knowledge-based services. The government plans to invest about 8 trillion won ($5.48 billion) in these over the next five years, and is expecting private matching funds of 91 trillion won. By the target year of 2018, companies in the NGE expect to account for 77 percent of national exports, creating 2.2 million new jobs and reducing dependency on imported oil by 13.4 percent. 2. Why is the NGE necessary? Korea has achieved astonishing economic growth during the last five decades. Annual per-capita income has grown from $100 to $20,000, and Korea is the 13th-largest economy in the world. Some Korean industries, 46 korea April 2009

such as shipbuilding, memory chips, displays and mobile phones, are the best in the world. Some heavy industries, such as automobiles, steel, and oil refining, are also very competitive. However, the growth of the Korean economy has been relatively slow during the last decade because it is facing strong international challenges. Industry leaders are struggling to spot new “blue ocean” markets in the years to come. Unemployment among the younger generation is serious, and the proportion of retirees has increased. Another challenge is global warming and the energy shortage. If the market can autonomously create new business, there is no need for the government to step in with a development plan. In this regard, most developed countries support only R&D and education. However, this strategy is not always the best for developing countries, where the market is not as capable of innovation. Even the United States is now experiencing the need for appropriate government control to secure the

nearly collapsed financial sector and other deeply depressed industries. At this stage, the Korean government has decided to motivate new industries which have good potential for growth, but may not grow unless the government intentionally nurtures R&D, cultivates initial-stage market growth, deregulates where necessary and provides well-prepared human resources. 3. What are the objectives and strategies of the NGE? To solve the major challenges that Korea is facing, the NGE Initiative has defined its goals: to develop new industries that can boost economic growth, expand exports, and create new jobs to achieve a per-capita income of $40,000. The target year is 2018, with the interim target year 2013. To achieve the goals, we will adopt four strategies: First, upgrade major industries such as IT, shipbuilding and automobiles; second, create new industries by integrating new technology and using our strength in IT; third, create new businesses to overcome the chal-

[JoongAng Ilbo]

Strategies for Growth

05

April 2009 korea 47

‘Korea has to select and concentrate on promising industries it is best at developing.’

Special Series

Strategies for Growth

05

lenges of the environment and the energy crisis; and fourth, create high employment in knowledge-based service industries, such as health care and education. The NGE Initiative aims not only to foster the development of technology, but also of world-class new businesses. 4. How will the NGE begin? This is not the first time Korea has established a governmental economic development plan. But the principles of the NGE Initiative are unique in a few respects. The NGE Initiative has the participation of 360 non-governmental experts from various industries, research institutions and universities. The task forces are organized in four divisions according to the goals defined above: the Major Industries Upgrade Division, the New Industries Creation Division, the Energy and Environment Division and the Knowledge Service Division. The primary instruments to achieve the NGE’s goals are technological advancement and synergistic integration of component technologies to create high-value industries. Even though government spending of 5 percent on R&D would be one of the highest in the world, the total would still be less than 10 percent of what the United States invests. So Korea has to select and concentrate on promising industries, considering what industries it is best at developing. With these goals in mind, the four divisions have formed 18 com-

48 korea April 2009

mittees and brainstormed on 400 project topics to help achieve the goals. The proposals were reviewed, discussed and then 63 projects were selected according to these criteria: potential market size, expected growth rate, technological feasibility, Korea’s strength in the area and industry leaders’ commitment. The 63 candidate projects were reorganized to remove redundancy, and 22 final projects were selected. This task required a large amount of creative synthesis of ideas. Finally, the selected projects were grouped in six areas. 5. The NGE Projects The six areas and 22 final projects are below. Energy and environment • Emission-free clean coal: World coal reserves could last about 150 years, while crude oil is expected to be depleted within 50. So the liquefaction of coal is an important opportunity. What is critical for this technology is the removal of carbon dioxide and other harmful gases from emissions, and the transformation of captured carbon into polymers and other chemicals. Ocean-grown biofuel: Since Korea has limited farmland, sea grass such as algae can be grown in salt water and fermented to create •

biofuels such as ethanol and butanol. Biofuel can be mixed with gasoline as fuel for automobiles, thus saving on oil imports. cells: Sunlight is the most promising renewable energy for generating electric power. Solar cells are not new technology, but the challenge is to enhance the conversion rate of solar cells to 40 percent. Organic and transparent solar cells are promising next-generation technologies.

• Solar

• Carbon

sequestration and reuse: To reduce emissions of greenhouse gases, carbon dioxide needs to be separated and stored without evaporation. A more challenging but promising approach is to photosynthesize polymers and fuels from carbon dioxide and water, as plants do. cell power generation: Fuel cells can generate electricity on almost any scale, powering automobiles, ships, factories, building operations and even entire cities. The efficiency of the fuel cell is 47 percent, compared to 35 percent for a traditional turbine, so fuel cells are expected to replace traditional power-generation systems.

• Fuel

Nuclear power: Korea has wellestablished technology and experience with the construction and operation of nuclear power plants. Since safe nuclear energy is regarded as a good substitute for fossil fuels, exporting nuclear power can

•

be a good opportunity for Korea. Transportation systems • Green cars: The most promising type of ecofriendly car is the plug-in hybrid electric vehicle, which uses both batteries and a combustion engine and can be recharged at home from a wall socket. However, in Korea, most cars cannot be parked in personal spaces. Establishing a public charging infrastructure is an additional challenge. Electricity for urban electric vehicles could even be supplied from underground wires without physical contact. • Shipbuilding

and ocean systems: Korean shipbuilders are competing heavily with Chinese companies. Since the market size for floating production, storage and offloading vessels and platforms is bigger than that of shipbuilding, the industry should pursue this new opportunity. One example is mobile harbor technology, which is essential in the shallow harbors around the Yellow Sea. New fields in IT • System semiconductors: Korea is a leader in memory semiconductors. However, we rely on imports for system semiconductors

for telecommunication devices, automobiles, environmental sensors and solar cells. So developing system semiconductors here is a good opportunity for Korea. • Displays: Korea is the leader in

producing TV screens and computer monitors. Since consumers always want larger, thinner and more versatile displays, AMOLEDpowered screens and flexible screens are the next generation. Thin and flexible displays can be used for mobile phones and e-book readers.

• Next-generation mobile telecommunications: Korea is a leader in the CDMA and WCDMA industry. To preserve this competitiveness, companies participating in WCDMA should develop the core technologies of next-generation mobile telecommunications, owning the intellectual property rights, and lead the global market in 4G and 5G.

lighting: Lighting consumes 30 percent of all electric power. So more efficient lighting is key to energy conservation. LED lighting can save about 70 percent of the energy used by current lighting devices. But these lamps are still too expensive. Developing a mass production base is the foundation of cost reduction. • LED

RFID and the Ubiquitous Sensor Network are revolu• RFID/USN:

tionary instruments for next-generation logistics management. However, chip prices are still too expensive to justify their application. The government should apply RFID/ USN in the public sector to create a new standard and allow for mass production and cost reduction. New integrated industries • Robots: The robot market is expected to grow rapidly in the next 10 years, reaching $420 billion by 2020. So Korea will focus on developing robots in key applications: service robots for education and entertainment, security and health care robots, and manufacturing robots. • New

materials and nanotechnology: Materials science is the foundation for advanced products and parts, and nanotechnology is the key to these new materials. Developing the core technologies for new metals, chemicals, fabrics and ceramic materials is essential for the sustainable growth of advanced products in areas such as social infrastructure and solar energy. • IT-enabled

products and processes: Korea is a leader in IT infrastructure. To maximize the benefits of that leadership, we can use our networks to upgrade products and processes in key industries such as automobiles, shipbuilding, April 2009 korea 49

Hidden Champions

Special Series

Strategies for Growth

05

• Convergence

of telecommunications and broadcasting: The telecommunication and broadcasting industries are converging in their platforms and terminals. Internet TV, mobile TV, and ultra high definition display technologies and digital content will converge in nextgeneration IPTV-based media. Bio-related industries • New medicine and medical equipment: The medical industry is one no society can neglect. Gene and stemcell therapies and implant development are opportunities that will benefit Korea. Bio-related industries can also be integrated with our IT networks to create new medical diagnosis systems. The strength of Korea’s IT will help in the pursuit. Knowledgebased services • Software: Korea is weak in the software package industry. However, industry-specific solutions can be pursued in the manufacturing and service industries. Software is the key ingredient to upgrade traditional industries. Gaining a global competitive busi-

50 korea April 2009

ness position is the challenge.

W

• Design: Design adds additional

value to products and services. To create better designs for our products, we need experts who both have design skills and understand engineering principles. Design technology needs to be integrated with marketing concepts to maximize the value of creative designs.

care: Medical fees in Korea are drastically cheaper than they are in Western countries. So foreign patients are willing to visit Korea to enjoy modern medical services and sightseeing. Since the quality of medical services at Korean hospitals is quite competitive, our hospital system could even be exported to developing countries. • Health

content: The digital aspects of entertainment are a new promising industry. Content distribution was proposed by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, while the other 21 projects were proposed by the Ministry of Knowledge Economy. Other ministries are developing new growth engines of their own in areas such as banking, and they will be integrated with what we have proposed here by the end of this year. The government is developing a detailed road map and will announce the final agenda for new growth engine projects in 2009.  • Cultural

By Suh Nam-pyo

Suh Nam-pyo • Suh Nam-pyo is the president of the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology. • He was appointed director of the Korean Presidential New Growth Engine Search Group in 2008. • Previously, he had been at MIT since 1970, where he was the Ralph E. & Eloise F. Cross Professor, director of the Park Center for Complex Systems (formerly the Manufacturing Institute), and the head of the Department of Mechanical Engineering for 10 years from 1991 to 2001. • He has received six honorary doctoral degrees: doctor of humane letters from the University of Massachusetts — Lowell in 1988; doctor of engineering from Worcester Polytechnic Institute in 1986; honorary doctorate (Tekn. Hedersdoktor) from the Royal Institute of Technology (KTH), Stockholm, Sweden, in 2000; doctor of engineering honoris causa, University of Queensland in 2007; doctor scientiarum honoris causa from the Technion, Israel Institute of Technology in 2007; and doctor of science and technology from Carnegie-Mellon University, in 2008. E-mail: [email protected]

HJC Helmet HJC has over 30 percent of the world motorcycle helmet maket.

[Provided by HJC Helmet]

textiles, construction, airplanes, medical equipment and education.

Research and Creativity Keys to HJC’s Success hen HJC first started out in 1971 it was a small company that specialized in small motorcycle helmet parts. Today HJC Helmet is one of the world’s leading manufacturer of motorcycle helmets with annual revenue of over 300 billion won and a global market share of more than 30 percent. It was one of 127 Korean companies that the Ministry of Knowledge Economy highlighted as a world leader, based on data from 2007. The company was also one of the 10 institutions to win a government award late last year for contributing to the local sports industry. At the awards ceremony last month, Sports and Tourism Minister Yu In-chon called HJC a truly patriotic company for promoting Korean sports brands to the world amid such difficult times. By 1980 the company had won the largest share of the domestic market. But it didn’t stop there. The motorcycle helmet manufacturer first entered the U.S. market with its own unique brand in 1984. The firm had to carefully ensure that its products would pass U.S. Department of Transportation quality inspections. But in just six years the company became the leading supplier of motorcycle helmets in North America, surpassing Japanese firms such as Arai and Shoei. HJC now has a market share of more than 50 percent there, and has never fallen from No. 1. HJC’s stunning growth can be

largely credited to its research and development efforts. Since the company established its research institute in 2002 it has invested 10 percent of its annual revenue in R&D. HJC Chairman Hong Whan-ki is known for his business philosophy, which holds that a company that does not research cannot survive. So the company has continued to use the latest new materials to improve resistance against outside impact and the weight of protective gear. HJC has also applied the latest technologies, including computer simulation to push its helmets to the limit. Not satisfied to be the leading supplier of motorcycle helmets, HJC has been expanding into other fields. Since 2005 the U.S. branch office has been selling helmets for automobile racing. The company recently developed bicycle helmets and is now moving onto other athletic fields. The company has even sold safety gear for kendo, or Japanese fencing. HJC’s reinforced plastic gear reduces impact and is 15 percent lighter than existing gear. Other kendo gear makers use metal and cloth. HJC has also developed helmets for riot police. Even as a leading motorcycle helmet manufacturer, HJC is continuously seeking out new businesses. It plans to pursuit niche markets including helmets tailored for letter carriers and couriers, who have to travel on motorcycles for long hours, to secure its future and protect it against new By Lee Ho-jeong competitors.  April April 2009 2009 korea korea 51 51

Sports

[YONHAP]

I

A dramatic end to WBC The 2009 tournament may have ended with a loss to arch-rival Japan, but Korea’s stunning performance will inspire fans and players for years

52 korea April 2009

A Korean national baseball team swallows their disappointment and celebrates a second-place finish at the WBC in Los Angeles.

t was an inspiring run by the young Korean baseball team led by manager Kim In-sik at the 2009 World Baseball Classic, capped off by a final game against Japan that was determined in the 10th inning. The team may have come up just short, but it proved to the world that it could hold its own against baseball powers such as Japan, Venezuela and Mexico. What was surprising about the second-place finish was the average age of the team — 26.4 — and that it made it without veterans Park Chan-ho and Lee Seung-yeop, the linchpins of the national baseball team for close to a decade. After making a lasting impression on opposing teams, fans and scouts alike, the team received an IBAF (International Baseball Federation) ranking of second in the world, with four players making the all-tournament squad of the WBC, the most from any one team. Named to the team were first baseman and cleanup hitter Kim Tae-kyun, who filled in admirably for Lee Seungyeop, with three home runs and 11 RBIs throughout the tournament, as well as Hanhwa Eagles teammate and third baseman Lee Bum-ho, who also hit three home runs and seven RBIs, plus Bong Jung-keun and Kim Hyun-soo. Southpaw Bong Jung-keun, who played for the Atlanta Braves and the Cincinnati Reds, came up with solid starts en route to a 2-0 and 0.51 ERA record during the tournament. While Ryu Hyun-jin was designated as the ace of the pitching rotation heading into the tournament, Bong got all the call to start the major games after his impressive 1-0 victory over Japan in the final game of the Group A. The young Korean team looked loose and confident heading into the final game of the tournament and tied the game 3-3 with a single by Lee Bumho at the bottom of the ninth inning. In a fitting end to an exciting tournament with five matches against Japan, it all came down to the closer Lim Chang-yong pitching against Ichiro Suzuki. But Ichiro hit a two-run RBI at the top of the 10th inning to successfully protect its championship. The game, which was held at Dodg-

Sports er Stadium in Los Angeles, California, had over 50,000 spectators in attendance, with people coming into the stadium during the seventh and eighth innings just to catch a glimpse of the final game. As expected, a large Korean number of Korean fans from the L.A. area cheered their team on with sky-blue ThunderStix in hand. The level of excitement reached fervor pitch in Korea as well. Even though the game was held on a Tuesday morning here, 10,000 fans showed up at Jamsil Stadium in Seoul to watch their team on a giant screen, and office workers gathered together around television sets to keep tabs on the game, called a oncein-a-century match by Japanese manager Tatsunori Hara. While the close finish to an exciting and inspiring run by the young Korean team left fans disappointed, they could take comfort in a stunning overall performance. The Korean team started off with an impressive win over Taiwan in the first game, but got blown out 14-2 by Japan on March 7 at Tokyo Dome. The game could have hurt the confidence of the Korean roster, filled with young players mostly in their early 20s, but their experienced manager rallied the troops, and the game served as a turning point toward the team’s dramatic finish. “After losing big to Japan in the first round, I told my players in a meeting that whether you lose 1-0 or 10-0, a loss is a loss. I told them to give it their all in the next game, and they went out and defeated Japan 1-0. The players gained confidence after that game and it played a crucial role in our team reaching the finals,” said manager Kim at a press conference upon returning to Korea. After coming home, the players and their manager were congratualted by President Lee Myung-bak at the Blue House. With the young players gaining valuable experience at the 2009 tournament, the future of Korean baseball looks bright, and fans are eagerly awaiting the start of the Korea Baseball Organization season.  By Jason Kim April 2009 korea 53

Travel Travel

Wisdom of the Mountains

Royal azaleas in full bloom signal the coming of spring to Baraebong Peak on Mount Jiri. Provided by the Korea National Park Service. 54 korea April 2009

Provided by Korea Tourism Organization

Spring brings lovely blossoms and fresh tea to South Jeolla.

April 2009 April 2009korea korea5555

Travel

I

[JoongAng Ilbo]

Above: A worker roasts green tea leaves to prepare them for packaging. Left: The green tea harvest begins in late April and doesn’t cease until August. Below: Daehan Plantation is the oldest modern green tea farm in Korea.

Tourist information For Mount Jiri National Park, visit http://jiri.knps.or.kr or call (061) 783-9100. For Boseong County, visit www.boseong.go.kr or call (061) 852-2181. For Daehan Plantation, visit www.dhdawon.com or call (061) 852-2593. For Damyang County, visit www.damyang.go.kr or call (061) 380-3114. For Daenamugol Theme Park, visit www.bamboopark.co.kr or call (063) 653-4333. 56 korea April 2009

f you’re itching to get out of the city and enjoy the warm spring air, a trip down to South Jeolla Province just might be just what the doctor ordered. April is the perfect time to taste the hospitality of Korea’s southwestern region. The province sits at the southwestern tip of the Korean Peninsula, and is home to Mount Jiri and Boseong and Damyang counties, a great place to bask in the spring green and enjoy fresh local food. One of Korea’s three tallest mountains, Mount Jiri and its foothills pass through both Jeolla provinces and South Gyeongsang, with its peak at 1,915 meters (6,283 feet) above sea level. It was recognized as the first national park in Korea in 1967. The name Mount Jiri supposedly derives from a legend that says a fool will find enlightenment after enough time on the mountain. Jiri means wise in Korean. The mountain is full of trails, so today the wise and foolish alike can give it a try. Mount Jiri hosts six Buddhist temples, and one of the most well known is Hwaeomsa, located near the middle of Nogodan Peak. Built in the fifth year of the Silla period, or 544, the temple was destroyed and restored in 1630. Hwaeomsa is home to Gakhwangjoen, a threestory stone pagoda and National Treasure No. 67, and several other lovely buildings. Mount Jiri is also home to the endangered Asiatic black bear, dis-

tinguishable by its black coat and a white V-shaped crest on its chest. “There are only five wild Asiatic black bears left on Mount Jiri. This is because the Japanese colonial government deemed them dangerous to people and ordered them hunted. According to contemporary records, about 1,067 Asiatic black bears were slaughtered in the colonial period,” said Jeung Seungjeun of the national parks’ species restoration department. “The effort to preserve and protect these bears started in 2001. We adopted 27 bears from North Korea, and 15 are being groomed to be released into the wild. We recently had two cubs born from adopted bears,” Jeung added. According to Jeung, Mount Jiri is an ideal habitat for these bears due to its size and the abundance of the wild plants the bears eat. For those interested in learning more about Asiatic black bears, an information and guided course is available, offering the chance to see eight of the adopted bears. Another popular destination for families and couples in South Jeolla is Boseong, located near the southern edge of the province and home to a number of breathtaking green tea plantations. The area’s proximity to the sea and high altitude provide the perfect climate for growing the prized leaves. “Green tea has been a part of our county’s history since well before the Joseon period [1392-1897]. But large commercial farming of green April 2009 korea 57

Travel

tea began with the Daehan Plantation in 1939 during the Japanese colonial era,” said Song Ki-ho of the Boseong culture and tourism department. “Today, there are 1,300 green tea farms here in total, taking up approximately 1,048 hectares,” Song said.

the land surrounding it in 1957. The first thing visitors notice at the plantation is the row of Japanese cedar trees and, of course, the roughly 5.8 million green tea trees that paint vast swaths of the hillside a rich green. “The road with rows of Japanese

‘While bitter is better for health, flavor is very important in grading the quality of green tea.’ Tea leaves sprout in early April, with the first batch of leaves picked near the end of the month. The final harvest is done near the end of August. No visitor to Boseong should miss Daehan Plantation. The farm was first established by a Japanese businessman, then left to deteriorate during the turbulent postwar years. The current owner, Jang Young-seob, purchased it and

cedars stretches for a kilometer (0.62 mile). Our plantation went through some tough times during the 1970s, but things began to pick up during the 1990s as people began to recognize the health benefits of green tea,” said Ju Yong-ro, factory manager at Daehan Plantation. “These days, with the recession, our sales have slumped somewhat.” According to Ju, the green tea of the

highest quality is picked near the end of April, around the 20th. “The early pickings produce very soft and mild flavored green tea when brewed. They lack the bitter flavor of the later harvests. While bitter is better for health, flavor is very important in grading the quality of green tea,” Ju said. With green tea such a big part of Boseong’s culture and economy, it only makes sense that an annual festival is held in its name. The Boseong Green Tea Festival, now entering its 35th year, will be held from May 8 to 12 in 2009. At the other end of the province sits Damyang County, sandwiched between North Jeolla Province to the north and Gwangju to the south. Like Boseong, Damyang is verdant during the spring and summer seasons. But it’s known for quite different things: bamboo and strawberries. Nestled in one of the most north-

erly areas capable of growing bamboo, Daenamugol Theme Park is a popular destination for visitors. Billed as the largest bamboo forest in Korea, the lush fields and the sound of the leaves rustling in the wind through the winding paths is a soothing treat. At Daenamugol dense bamboo covers an area large enough to hold roughly 21 football fields. The park also boasts a campground complete with outdoor cooking areas, showers and leisure facilities. Like Daehan Plantation, Daenamugol has been a popular setting for Korean films, television series and advertisements. Damyang County’s PR department touts bamboo shoots, rich in calcium and amino acids, believed to lower blood pressure — that is, if strolling through the forest hasn’t done that already. For history buffs, Mount Geum-

seong Fortress, spanning more than seven kilometers (4.35 miles) at 603 meters above sea level, is a must. Many believe it was built near the end of the Goryeo period (918 to 1392), but a guide published by the county suggests, since a Mongol invasion took place in the 43rd year of King Gojeong’s rule, it was completed before the mid13th century. Despite being at the center of the Japanese invasion from 1592 to 1598, the peasant rebellion in 1894 known as the Donghak Uprising and the Korean War, it has remained intact. All four fortress gates and its imposing stone walls are in great condition. Located roughly 6 kilometers (3.7 miles) north of Damyang, Geumseong is known for its steep incline and cliffs. It’s a lot of walking, but a trip down to South Jeolla Province this month will be well worth the effort. 

South Jeolla Treats Since South Jeolla has lots of arable land and is surrounded by the sea, it’s unsurprisingly full of farms and fisheries — and great food. Some restaurants in Boseong offer samgyeopsal pork belly strips from pigs fed nothing but green tea. “We have ark shell soup and grilled gizzard shards, but in Boseong visitors should try green tea fed samgyeopsal. Pigs fed green tea are leaner and their meat not as pungent as ordinary pork belly strips,” says Song Ki-ho of Boseong’s culture and tourism department. No matter what the pigs ate, there’s nothing like the smell of pork belly strips sizzling on a hot grill. Simply grab a strip off the grill, add sauce and toppings and wrap it in lettuce — but don’t forget to crack open a bottle of soju. Speaking from experience, every pork belly strip consumed should be accompanied by a shot of chilled soju, or at least a kettle of makgeolli. Rice cooked in bamboo shoots is a delicious Damyang specialty, but visitors should also give the local tteok galbi, or grilled minced meat, a try. It’s a mix of beef and pork with chopped vegetables in a grilled patty. In South Jeolla Province, bibimbap, or rice stirred together with vegetables, is served after the grilled minced meat. If there’s any leftover meat on the grill, mix it up with your rice and veggies to enhance the flavor.

By Jason Kim

[JoongAng Ilbo]

The bamboo forest at Daenamugol is the largest in Korea — for those who take their relaxing seriously.

58 korea April 2009

April 2009 korea 59

Fashion

Fashion

New wedding dress designs feature luxurious decoration and a focus on the figure.

Bridal Trends for Spring 2009

’Tis the Season for Married Bliss

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pring is the season of life, of flowers in bloom, which makes it a favorite for weddings. And this spring Korean wedding dresses look to be more luxuriant and brilliant than ever. New bridal collections unveiled this spring try for a romantic flair, a far cry from once-popular slim-lined designs. And the hundreds of companies crowding local wedding shows are eager to set new trends for 2009. The collections at the recent ’09 New Classic Wedding Show and Korea Wedding Expo introduced mermaid-shaped wedding dresses, and piled on the accessories, decorated with luxurious satins, brilliant crystal beads and stone jewelry. As romanticism comes back into vogue, more luxuriant lines go for that perfect silhouette. Limitations on materials and colors have evaporated with the new romantic trend. The bridal shops in Cheongdamdong in southern Seoul and “Wedding

Town” in Sinchon have already updated their store windows. But as designs proliferate, brides’ choices become more difficult. This is because most wedding dresses are designed to fit best on Western bodies, not Asian brides, who are not as tall. When Korean brides-to-be choose their wedding dresses, they tend to select ones that look prettier by simply browsing through magazines. But wedding designers advise brides to select styles that highlight their figures and downplay their weak points. Tall and slim women should try dresses with short necklines and more mixed designs. A dress with a low waist and shirring is also recommended for tall and slim brides who don’t want to tower over their future hubbies. Those who are small and slim should avoid a long dress with a long veil. Instead, choose a simply designed dress with romantic decorations to highlight your cute image. A high waistline is also recommended to make shorter brides

look taller. Tall and less slim brides ought to try simply designed dresses. You’ll cut a cool figure with tight tailoring at the top of the dress and a neckline that accentuates the shoulders. Shorter and less slim women are advised to go with a dress with a long neckline and shoulders. A slightly high waistline and slipped down dress is also a good idea. Fluttery fabrics like silk can also make brides look slimmer and taller. But what’s a wedding without a ring? Recent ring designs feature classic and traditional settings. Solitaire diamond wedding rings are popular yet again, according to Golden Dew, a Seoul-based diamond jewelry maker. In addition, an eternity ring, or a line of diamonds or gems, attached to the main diamond wedding ring is also coming into vogue worldwide. Wearing a main wedding diamond ring together with an eternity ring of colored stones will make for a brilliant sight on the big day. By Sunny Kim

60 korea April 2009

April 2009 korea 61

Provided by the Lee Seung Jin Wedding

[yonhap]

Choosing a dress is a more complicated task than ever, with the proliferation of styles.

People People

People

db Provide

y the D

iscovery

Rain has managed to ride the Korean Wave all the way to a film career in the U.S. 

The Hollywood Forecast: Rain The Korean celebrity has a special on his life airing worldwide, and will star in a U.S. film.

A

ctor and pop music singer Rain, whose ambitions took him from Korean superstar to Asian heartthrob, has been featured in a documentary titled “Hip Korea,” produced by the Discovery Channel. It is the first time the American cable television network, available in 170 countries around the world, has run a program devoted solely to a Korean celebrity. The program first aired on the channel in January. The second episode of “Hip Korea,” featuring Korean actor Lee Byung-hun, will be broadcast in May. Since the first episode hit television screens in Australia and New Zealand on Jan. 31, it has been rerun several times. The show started broadcasting in

62 korea April 2009

Asian countries including Korea on Feb. 23. The episode featuring Rain will rerun in April here. The documentary, which is 45 minutes long, tells the life story of the 26-year-old singer and actor, who rose from poverty and recovered from the pain of losing his mother to become an international star. It portrays the hard work and passion that has helped Rain go beyond the Hallyu, or Korean cultural wave, to become an up-and-coming Hollywood actor. Rain appears in “Speed Racer,” the English adaptation of the classic Japanese racing anime directed by Andy and Larry Wachowski. After this relatively small role as Taejo Togokhan, Rain landed a job in another Hollywood film,

“Ninja Assassin,” as Raizo. What makes this documentary special for Koreans is it was filmed for seven months last year at various locations in Seoul, featuring the city’s most spectacular sights, including the Han River and Namsan, along with the trendy neighborhoods of Myeong-dong, Hongik University and Cheongdam-dong. One scene shows Rain participating in the filming of a music video in Apgujeongdong. Another scene sees him looking out over the Han River and Mount Nam from the rooftop of a building in Hannam-dong, Seoul. The second episode will show another Hallyu star, Lee Byung-hun, driving a Ferrari on a riverside highway and taking the subway. His feature film credits include the starring role in the critically acclaimed “Joint Security Area” and, most recently, in the fantasy remake of “The Good, the Bad, the Weird.” Lee also landed roles in two Hollywood films now in post-production, playing Su Dongpo in the thriller “I Come with the Rain” starring Josh Hartnett and Storm Shadow in the Stephen Sommers film “G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra.”  

By Limb Jae-un

27 Years Inside ‘Unknown’ Korea David Mason first visited Korea in 1982. He had no idea he’d still be here today.

Provided by David Mason

el Chann

T

o David Mason, Korea was one of those exotic, unknown Asian countries perfect for an American fresh out of college and aching to explore the world — but he didn’t discover that right away. Mason first went to Thailand, then Hong Kong, the Philippines, Japan and Taiwan, before finally stepping onto Korean soil. It was 1982, one year after his college graduation, and what Mason now describes as Korea’s unexpected charms ended up keeping him here, on and off, for the next 27 years. "Korea is beautiful. Korea is an interesting country," Mason, now 51, said in a recent telephone interview for this magazine. He said that view hasn’t changed since he arrived. Mason now works as a tourism professor at Kyung Hee University in Seoul, one of the few rare non-Korean experts in Korean tourism. He’s taught himself almost everything there is to learn about Korea. Back at the University of Michigan, Mason studied China and was enthralled by East Asian culture — but he was only really aware of China and Japan. Several decades ago, Korea, he said, was only vaguely known and rarely studied even among Asian scholars in the U.S. At that time, the University of Michigan’s research materials on the country were scant. So Mason simply thought Korea would be similar to China. But over time he came to realize the country’s uniqueness. "I began to recognize a different style in Korea, different from China and Japan. Then I said to myself, wow, it's a third country. There are three countries in East Asia," he said. "[Korea] has its own character, but nobody knew anything about it." Driven by the desire to share his knowledge, Mason has written several

David Mason holds a roof tile with a Buddhist monk.

books about Korea. He also runs a Web site (www.sanshin.org) offering English-language information about Korean mountains, which he amassed over several decades. Sanshin is the Korean word for mountain spirit. In 2007, two men from New Zealand — Roger Shepherd and Andrew Douch — launched a hiking project along Baekdudaegan, the 670-kilometer series of mountain ranges that forms the backbone of the Korean Peninsula,

and Mason has played a key part in their ongoing expedition, turning the information the two hikers collect into academic materials, which they plan to publish as books. In collaboration with the Korean Tourism Organization, they are also working on a comprehensive Baekdudaegan trail route. "I want to promote unknown aspects of Korea so that the world can find them out," Mason said. "I wish Korea would be more recognized in the world."  By Moon Gwang-lip

April 2009 korea 63

People People

People

Not Just Another Diplomat The first female U.S. envoy is no stranger to Korea.

I

n recent years, Washington’s envoys to Seoul have tried to talk directly to the Korean public, but the new ambassador, Kathleen Stephens, takes it to a whole new level She has a Korean name — Shim Eun-kyung — which she uses to post about her experience as ambassador in Korean and English on the embassy Web site and at Daum, a major Korean blog site. The nuances may get lost in a translation on occasion, but not very often — after all, Ambassador Stephens speaks Korean. Some diplomats take crash courses on the host country's language, but the first female U.S. ambassador to Korea first encountered the Korean language not as a diplomat but as a teacher. Stephens taught English at a middle school in rural South Chungcheong Province for three years beginning in 1975 as a Peace Corps volunteer, and she returned to the country in the 1980s as a junior diplomat. Her blog entries are as apolitical as possible, recounting experiences meeting with members of the public rather than government officials. In a February entry she wrote, “Another sport I enjoyed in Korea many years ago was taekwondo. I shared this sport with my embassy colleagues last week when the embassy hosted a demonstration by some well-known taekwondo masters in our cafeteria area. We observed breaking and self-defense techniques from a team led by Master Lee Kyung-ho. The ceiling was so low that the taekwondo athletes were not able to jump as high as they might have, but their performance was still impressive.” Her blog post continues, relating that experience to her past memories of the sport and the country. “When I took taekwondo in the 1970s, very few women were involved in the sport, and there were no female taekwondo athletes in Yesan. It is terrific to see that today the sport is practiced with enthusiasm by both men and women,” she wrote. In another entry the same day she writes about a different sport. “I also had fun attending the Korean Basketball League's All-Star game on Sunday as an honorary referee. What a great atmosphere! I learned that Korea's professional basketball league is only about 10 years old, so I was really impressed by the quality of play and the great enthusiasm of the fans,” she wrote.

Well aware that person to person interaction can go a long way, Ambassador Stephens struck a deliberate note when, during her first press conference after arriving, she introduced herself with her Korean name, Shim Eunkyung. Because of the importance she places on language, the ambassador has urged her staff members to learn Korean to understand the locals better. “Pressure it is, but it's good pressure,” said an official at the U.S. embassy, referring to Ambassador Stephens’ language campaign. In any case, sincere messages get through, and the ambassador's philosophy is a fitting one. When asked in an earlier interview with the JoongAng Daily about the philosophy behind her approach, the ambassador replied, “I want to make sure that I keep speaking Korean and just engage people. I encourage my people to do the same. Once people think a foreigner like me speaks Korean they come up and talk to me.” Though her predecessors laid the foundation, it is only fitting that Korea has been added to the United States’ visa waiver program, which allows Korean citizens to visit the United States for up to 90 days without a visa, under Stephens’ watch. Both sides have also agreed to a student exchange project between the two countries that will

allow young people to spend 18 months abroad, including five months of language study, a year-long internship and a month of tourism. Some 5,000 Koreans will participate annually. But perhaps the most poignant symbol of the ambassador’s long relationship with Korea is what she bought from an acquaintance in Hongcheon, Gangwon: a pair of Korean sabsal dogs, named Yeoyu and Mushim. With two Korean dogs, a Daum blog and her fluent Korean, anyone would agree that Shim Eun-kyung fits right in. By Brian Lee

64 korea April 2009

[JoongAng Daily]

[JoongAng Ilbo]

Far left: Ambassador Stephens returns to Yesan Middle School, where she taught 30 years before. Left: The envoy serves as honorary referee for a KBL basketball game. Right: Ambassador Stephens sits with her two dogs, Yeoyu and Mushim.

April 2009 korea 65

Foreign Viewpoints

O The Past Is Another Country In Seoul in 1980, a foreigner was still a rare sight. But for Paul Mooney the warmth of the people made enduring the homesickness worthwhile.

Paul Mooney is Vicar for the international congregation at Seoul Anglican Cathedral. He first came to Korea as a missionary student on overseas training in 1980 and has spent about 15 years in total living in Korea since then.His wife, Soonduk Park, is a Korean and they have two almost grownup children. 66 korea April 2009

n Wednesday evenings I attend a Korean class for foreigners at the Korea Foundation Cultural Center. Korean is our common language, and we inevitably end up talking about our experiences living in Seoul. I was quite surprised at the interest my fellow students had in life in Seoul in the early 1980s. To me it seems like yesterday, but this preInternet, pre-cell phone time was before most of them were born. In fact, 1980 is as long ago to my fellow students now as the end of the Korean War was to me when I first came to Seoul. When I arrived in August 1980, Korea had experienced a difficult period of trauma since the death of President Park Chung Hee. But not all was grim politics by any means; life goes on and Seoul was then as now a busy place. One of the first things that struck me was the almost complete absence of ordinary private cars, and the abundance of taxis, buses and commercial vehicles. Except for a few Hyundai Ponies and Kia Brisas the only private cars seemed to be large black sedans which obviously carried persons of some importance. At 80 won for a single fare, buses were not only convenient but cheap. The small orange and green taxis were also a very good value, and the compact cabs would fill up with passengers going in the same general direction, especially coming up to the crucial curfew hour when the streets would clear from midnight till four. The subway was still small, but work on the new lines was going on in almost every quarter, and this added to the general bedlam of Seoul traffic. Though the capital city of a budding world-class economy, Seoul in 1980 was not quite cosmopolitan. Foreigners still raised eyebrows and were a source of wonder off the beaten track. Western foods that we can now pick up in any local supermarket had to be accessed at premium prices in the foreigners’ commissary or stalls in the back alleys of Namdaemun. For many Westerners, choco pies were the nearest things to bis-

cuits or cookies in local stores. But there were many compensations: People went out of their way to make one welcome, and many embarrassing blunders were gracefully forgiven. Spontaneous acts of kindness and consideration mitigated the force of homesickness and culture shock. Warm-hearted humanity and a spirit of solidarity capable of transcending racial and national boundaries often broke through Confucian formality and the myriad regulations that governed everyday life. Despite the changes, relationships were then and still are the key to all of aspects of life here in Korea. When I am pressed to identify the difference between Korea in 1980 and the Korea of today I have to look to society itself. Korea in 1980 was in many ways highly collectivized. In private or public companies, in the military or in education, people knew their place and rank in the structure. But Koreans have never been happy just to take their place in the hierarchy, and much of Korea’s success has been due to people forging ahead armed with personal ambitions and taking risks on new ventures. Little did we imagine that it would all change so fast. Economic liberalization brought a consumer society, political liberalization, a strong civil society. Private cars began to throng the streets, and individualized life gradually took hold. When it was announced in 1980 that Seoul would host the 1988 Olympics, few realized the city would change so far beyond a few sports facilities. By 1988 Seoul would be well on its way to becoming the world-class city it is today. So, what do I miss? I don’t miss the unabashed personal questions and the irksome niggling requests which reflected no understanding of individual boundaries. However, I do miss the spontaneous simplicity, the almost naïve wonderment and that strong dose of human warmth and affection that Koreans call cheong. The warmth is still there, but in the end, all I can echo is the famous quote: “The past is another country, they do things differently there.”