THIS MONTH’S HEADLINES
SEPTEMBER 2008 ISSUE. 09-08
KOREA CELEBRATES LANDMARK OF THE 63RD NATIONAL LIBERATION DAY & THE 60TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE KOREAN GOVERNMENT
BEIJING OLYMPICS 2008 CLOSES WITH KOREA AT THE 7TH PLACE IN MEDALS
On 15 August, Korea celebrated its 63rd National Liberation Day and the 60th anniversary of the founding of the Republic of Korea. The nation was liberated from Japanese colonial rule of 35 years on 15 August 1945 and three years later, on the same day, the Korean government was established. The nation's first parliament was convened the same year, along with the promulgation of its consti- tution and the creation of its armed forces. During his ceremony speech “A Great People with New Dreams” given in front of about 20,000 dignitaries and citizens in the central Seoul, the president emphasized that his administration has selected "low carbon, green growth" as the nation's new vision towards the next 60 years.
A magnificent closing ceremony brought the 2008 Beijing Olympics to an end on 24 September. About 10,500 athletes from all over the world who have competed for 16 days over a total of 302 gold medals in 28 events met at the Beijing National Stadium, the "Bird's Nest", where they promised to meet again in London in four years' time. Korea finished seventh in the total medal tally with 13 gold, 10 silver and eight bronze medals, ranking second among Asian nations after China. Korea's performance far exceeded its original goal of winning 10 golds and reaching the top 10 in the overall ranking and was its best performance in Olympic history. Team Korea's last gold medal came in baseball, with a 3-2 victory over power- house Cuba, the 2004 winner, on 23 August. All four Korean taekwondo athletes won gold, defending the country's pride as the birthplace of the martial art. A welcoming parade for the Korean athletes was held on Taepyeongro Street and Seoul Plaza on 25 August. Some 20,000 people cheered their return.
President Lee celebrating with the crowd on 15 August in the central Seoul
1 Jang Mi-ran, women’s weightlifting world record holder, enters the Beijing Olympics Stadium representing Korea at the closing ceremony on 24 September.
* To view more photos of the Korean athletes in the Beijing Olyimpis, please check Photo News.
POLITICAL AFFAIRS
Korea, China set new milestone in bilateral relations
President Lee (right) and Chinese President Hu (left) after the summit in Seoul
The third summit meeting between President Lee Myung-bak and his Chinese counterpart Hu Jintao, held in Seoul on 25 August marked a new milestone in bilat- eral relations. A joint statement issued after the summit called for widening bilateral cooperation beyond the traditional economic and commercial fields to include political and security affairs. In a press conference, Lee said, "We agreed to expand the bilateral relations, which have so far centered on economic and cultural exchanges, to the political and security sectors. We also agreed to meet more often in the future to exchange views on such issues." The two sides agreed to hold the first high-level strategic meeting between the two foreign ministries this year, and to stimulate exchange between ranking defense officials, improve liaison, and seek military exchange and cooperation.
President Lee and Hu also agreed to strengthen consul- tations and cooperation within the framework of the six-party talks to solve the North Korean nuclear issue, and to press for implementation of phase 2 of the denuclearization process. They agreed to increase the annual volume of two-way trade to US$200 billion by 2010, two years ahead of the previous target year, and to
strengthen cooperation in economy and trade.
Exchanges including tourism were also on the agenda:
they designated 2010, the year of Shanghai World Expo,
"Visit China Year," and 2012, the year of Yeosu World Expo,
"Visit Korea Year." The two countries signed five memoran- dums of understanding: closer cooperation in the fields of energy conservation, the prevention of desertification, and state-of-art technology; and two agreements on sanitary control on fisheries products and on educational exchange.
North Korea announces to suspend nuclear disable- ment
North Korean Foreign Ministry's spokesperson made a statement on 26 August that North Korea has suspended disablement of its nuclear facilities in Yongbyon on 14 August which had been in due process according to the October 3 Agreement, and that it will consider restoring the Yongbyon reactor soon. North Korea's move, taken at a time when the six parties should exert collaborative efforts on completing the second-phase actions for denuclearization, is regrettable. The Korean government urges North Korea to resume taking steps for disablement at the earliest date possible, considering the economic and energy aid has been steadily provided to North Korea as a corresponding measure for its disablement. In this regard, the Korean government has had close discussions with the U.S., China, Japan and Russia over this issue.
During the meetings, the related countries came to coin- cide with the view that it is not desirable for the Six-party process to be undermined by North Korea's move. The six countries agreed on establishing a verification mecha- nism during the Six-party Heads of Delegations Meeting on 12 July, 2008. Therefore, the discussion on verification among the six parties will have to continue. Since the six participants all share a common interest in completing the second-phase actions for denuclearization, the Korean government will work in close cooperation with the related parties in order to resume North Korea's nuclear disablement process as soon as possible.
Mr. Kyung-soo Lee, Director-General of the South Asia and Oceania Bureau of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade of Korea visited Wellington from 20 to 21 August. Mr. Lee had a meeting with his counterpart, Mr. David Taylor, Director of the Asia Division (responsible for oversight of North Asia Issues) of New Zealand’s Foreign Minis- try. The two officials discussed ways to further strengthen relations between Korea and New Zealand, following up on the result of the summit between President Lee and Prime Minister Clark last May in Seoul.
Mr. Lee also attended the 20th Post Forum Dialogue of the Pacific Islands Forum from August 22 to 23 in Auckland, New Zealand and Alofi, Niue. Mr. Lee signed with the PIF the agreement on Korea-PIF Cooperation Fund estab- lished in a bid to support the PIF and announce the implementation of 2008 PIF Officials' e-Government Work- shop, which utilizes the Fund. The Korean government will provide $US 300,000 to the Pacific Islands Forum every year for the next three years (2008-2010). Korea has attended the Forum every year since it joined as a member in 1995.
Director of South Asia & Oceania Bureau of the Foreign Ministry visits New Zealand
Korea's e-government ranks world's best for 3rd year
The Ministry of Public Administration and Security announced on 1 August that Korea's e-government has ranked top for the third year running, according to a report from a U.S.-based think tank. Korea has been voted best e-government in the report by the Brookings Institu- tion, which examined almost 1,700 government websites,
including those of education, defense, finance, trans- portation and foreign affairs ministries in nearly 200 countries. According to the report, Korea's government websites scored 100 percent for the second year for their foreign language services, online services for administrative procedures and private information protection. In terms of access for users with disabilities, Korea's e-government showed a noticeable improve- ment by scoring 57 percent this year compared with last year's score of zero, according to the ministry.
Korea's e-government also got high marks in database and online publications, user-based service and Inter- net user trust by providing clear notices of Internet security and protection of private information on the web, the ministry said. In order to improve user satisfac- tion on the homepages of Korean government institu- tions, the ministry has been checking and analyzing government agencies' websites since 2006.
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ECONOMIC AFFAIRS
Government makes a declaration of 'Carbon Neutral' The Ministry of Knowledge Economy declared the launch of a "Carbon Neutral" campaign at the `5th Energy Day` on 20 August. The campaign aims to achieve zero emissions by striving to reduce the amount of carbon dioxide emis- sions in everyday life, and by offsetting emissions. Events can declare themselves carbon neutral by checking the amount of emissions that will be produced in holding the event, submitting a form, declaring participation, making an effort to reduce emissions and paying an offset fee. The ministry has declared that it will make international events such as the "Korea Energy Show 2008" in September, the
"Korea Electronics Show" in October and the "Korea Inter- national Machinery Expo 2008" in November carbon neutral.
Korea re-elected as the member of the Postal Opera- tions Council of the UPU
Korea was re-elected as a member of the Postal Opera- tions Council (POC) at the 24th Universal Postal Congress of the Universal Postal Union (UPU), held on 6 August in Geneva. Korea has been a member ever since it first entered the POC at the 21st Congress in 1994, and this is the fourth time it has been elected to the UPU’s POC. In this most recent election, 64 countries vied for the 40 vacant seats, with 18 competing for the 10 available seats in the Asia and Oceania Group. The Universal Postal Union is a specialized agency under the United Nations, and is comprised of two main bodies: the Postal Operations Council (POC) and the Council of Administration (CA). The Universal Postal Union was established in 1874 in Berne, Switzerland, with 191 member states. Korea first partici- pated in the 1897 Congress as an observer, and acceded to the UPU in 1900 under the name 'The Korean Empire.' Korea sees explosion in trade volume since foundation
On 14 August, the National Statistical Office (NSO) said in its report that Korea's trade volume has grown more than 3,000-fold since the nation was established six decades ago, with its gross domestic product (GDP) expanding at an annual average of 6.8 percent. The nation’s trade volume stood at $230 million at the end of 1948 but surged to $72.83 billion last year, according to the office. Exports grew from a mere $220 million to
$371.49 billion over the same period, while imports rose from $208 million to $356.85 billion. Korea's share of global trade has expanded. Exports accounted for 0.03 percent of the global total in 1960 but accounted for 2.7 percent last year. Imports saw their global share rise from 0.27 percent to 2.5 percent over the same period.
The country's GDP has grown by an annual average of 6.8 percent since 1954. The gross national income, which stood at $67 in 1953, exceeded the $20,000 mark at the end of last year, according to the report.
Seoul unveils tax reforms to bolster consumption and investment
On 1 September, the Ministry of Strategy and Finance announced a wide range of tax reforms, including income and corporate tax cuts aimed at reviving the country's economy by stimulating private consumption and corporate investment. Under the reform plan - com- posed of a total of 16 tax revision bills - the ministry plans to lower corporate, property and income taxes, which it expects will lower people's overall tax burden.
Related tax revisions will be submitted to the National Assembly for approval by 2 October. Income taxes will be reduced by 2 percentage points for all income ranges over the next two years, the ministry said. In a bid to bolster sluggish business investment, the ministry is also seeking to cut corporate taxes. The maximum and mini- mum corporate tax rates will be cut by 5 percentage points and 3 percentage points, respectively, by the end
of 2010. Currently, companies with taxable earnings of fewer than 100 million won are levied minimum rates of 13 percent, while maximum tax rates of 25 percent are applied to businesses whose earnings exceed the 100 million won mark. The threshold will be hiked to 200 million won in order to ease tax burdens for small and medium-sized companies. In addition, the ministry aims to boost corporate spending on research and develop- ment (R&D) to 5 percent of the country's gross domestic product (GDP) by the end of 2012. Around 5.5 trillion won should be spent on R&D every year for the goal to be met, the ministry said, adding that it will offer a range of tax benefits to stimulate corporate investment in the field. In order to stimulate the weakening construction sector, the ministry has said that it will reduce tax burdens on capital gains earned from the sale of high-priced real-estate properties. Under the plan, anyone who owns a single house worth less than 900 million won for at least three years will not have to pay capital gains taxes when the property is sold. Currently, the tax-exemption threshold stand at 600 million won and ownership and residence requirements are over 3 years and 2 years, respectively.
Korea to introduce unified product certification mark- ing in 2009
On 24 August, the Ministry of Knowledge Economy announced that Korea will introduce a unified product certification system starting in July 2009 to help compa- nies cut costs and reduce the time it takes for new goods reach the market. The new "KC" mark will replace the 20 mandatory certificates that companies must now receive from the government or state-authorized laboratories.
Currently, three different ministries, the Broadcasting and
Communications Commission and the National Emer- gency Management Agency all issue different certifi- cates that are usually attached to products in the form of stickers. These stickers tell consumers that the product has met established safety, quality, environmental and health standards. However, due to the diversification of authority, companies must undergo several tests and attach several different certificates to their products. The nine different certificates issued by the Ministry of Knowledge Economy will be unified starting next year, followed by others, with the changeover being com- pleted by late 2010.
Government to offer cash to more foreign invest- ment firms
The Ministry of Knowledge Economy announced on 27 August that it will introduce a bill granting financial support from the Korean government to foreign invest- ment firms that meet certain requirements and create many jobs in Korea. Under the current Foreign Direct Investment Act, the Korean government offers cash grants to foreign investors on the condition that they build new factories or employ a certain number of local workers in Korea, but the range has been limited to businesses with high technology, parts and materials, and research and development areas. The revised FDI law, to be proposed for parliamentary review in Novem- ber, enables more foreign investors to receive the government's cash grant if they contribute to job creation in Korea by generating a certain number of positions, according to the ministry.
OTHER NEWS
Seoul to issue e-passports for citizens
Korea issues e-Passorts from August
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade began the full-scale issuance of electronic passports, designed to prevent forgery, through local authorities across the country from 25 August. The Korean government aims to join the group of 27 countries benefiting from the program by the end of this year. The new passport has been issued to diplomats and other government officials since early this year. A spokesman of the Ministry said
that each applicant for the chip-embedded passport should visit issuing offices in person, as proxy applica- tions are not allowed. The ministry expects the introduc- tion of the system to raise international confidence in the country's passport and pave the way for more conve- nient overseas trips. Korea's electronic passport includes a machine-readable strip and a digital photo. Finger- prints will be included from 2010, despite a controversy over whether it infringes on citizens' rights.
Korea sets goals to recruit 100,000 foreign students On 5 August the Ministry of Education, Science and Tech- nology unveiled plans to double the number of foreign students in Korea to 100,000 by 2012. The ministry revised the aim of its "Study Korea Project,” launched in 2004, as the number of foreign students in Korea passed 50,000 last year, three years ahead of its original target.
Alongside efforts to increase foreign student numbers, the ministry has also introduced measures to bring quali- tative improvement to Korea's academic and living envi- ronment for foreigners, under the “Study Korea Project Development Plan.”
According to the plan, the ministry will develop study programs that specialize in areas of Korea's comparative strengths, such as information technology. The idea is to induce more foreign countries to dispatch excellent students on their own government scholarships. At the same time, the number of Korean government scholar- ships available to foreign students will jump to 2,450 in 2010 and to 3,000 by 2012, up from 1,500 this year.
In order to diversify the nationalities of foreign students in Korea, the ministry will conclude educational agree- ments with various foreign governments as a basis for facilitated student exchange, and ease regulations to encourage the joint curricular operation of Korean and foreign universities.
The government's foreign student management system will also be improved. More practical and accurate proce- dures will be applied in recruiting and selecting students.
An online information service will be launched to efficiently manage standardized foreign student data, which will enable better linkage with the government's financial support schemes for universities. Universities will receive a subsidy of 2 billion won (approx. $2 million) to open more English-only and Korean-language classes from 2008, up from 400 million won last year. Universities will be encouraged to expand their on-campus accom- modation for foreign students, and also collaborate with other universities in the near vicinity to build dormitories for shared usage. Lastly, the chances are likely to improve for foreign students to find job opportunities in Korea, as rules will be eased for student visa holders. The ministry currently allows foreign students to sojourn in Korea for a certain period after earning a Korean graduate degree, so that they may search for employment. Future plans will allow the special sojourn for those who earn bachelor's and associate bachelor's degrees in Korea as well. The ministry will also encourage universities and industries to collaborate on developing internship programs for foreign students.
Korean air carriers top in aviation safety
Korean airlines have emerged as the safest in the world, with Korea receiving an international safety standard compliance rating of 98.82 percent in a recent assess- ment conducted by the International Civil Aviation Orga- nization (ICAO). According to the Ministry of Land, Trans- port and Maritime Affairs and the Civil Aviation Safety Authority, Korea tops the list of 108 countries, out of 190 ICAO member states, in the Universal Safety Oversight Audit Program (USOAP). ICAO evaluates 190 member states from 2005 to 2010 on various safety standards in eight areas. Korea has achieved an international safety standard compliance rating of 96.35 to 100 percent in each area. Until recently, the world's top safety compli- ance rating was at the 96 percent range and the world's average was 57.77 percent. In view of this, Korea's safety standard compliance record will not likely be broken even after the ICAO's evaluation of all members is com- pleted in 2010.
Korea was once anything but a stellar performer in aviation safety. In 2000, it ranked 53rd out of 162, with a safety standard compliance rating of 79.79 percent. As a result, the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) gave Korea a Category 2 rating in 2001. Following a re-evaluation four months later, however, the nation was given a Category 1 rating. With the ICAO's latest assess- ment as momentum, the Ministry of Land, Transport and Maritime Affairs will continue efforts to enhance Korea's status in the global aviation industry by introducing a variety of safety systems, such as the Safety Management Information System (SMIS), a ministry official said.
Government to improve support system for multicul- tural families
On 14 August, the Anti-Corruption & Civil Rights Commis- sion announced plans to improve the current family regis- tration system for non-Korean residents. The commission said that it will review opinions received from Internet users through an online survey on Korea's marriage immi- gration system and will develop the system to afford more convenience to non-Korean spouses of Korean citizens, and to their children. From 1 July this year, the commis- sion has been receiving opinions and suggestions through its online petition portal service “Sinmoongo”
(www.epeople.go.kr).
According to the commission's survey, most respondents pointed out the Korean government's lack of administra- tive support in Korean language education or job search support and childcare for children of multicultural fami- lies. Non-Korean spouses experience difficulties in regis- tering the birth of their children, as they are required to register their children's name in Korean, not in their mother tongue. There are also obstacles in filling out paperwork at the district office or in opening a bank account due to the limitations of the existing registration system. Spouses from overseas also have difficulties in receiving Korean language education, driving lessons or in finding a job, according to the commission's survey.
Based on the on-going survey, the commission said it will review the introduction of driving tests in foreign languages and governmental support for Korean language education. The commission will continue to receive opinions about the marriage immigration system on their website until the end of this month and will review them in order to reflect immigrants' voices in improving the system.
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UPCOMING EVENTS
Korea-NZ to start preparatory talks on FTA
On 29 and 30 September, Korea and New Zealand will hold preparatory talks on a free trade agreement in Seoul. This meeting will be co-chaired by Mr. Hyo-sung Park, Director-General of FTA Negotiations Bureau of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs & Trade, and Her Excellency Alison Mann, the current New Zealand Ambassador to Brazil. The preparatory talk to be held in September was agreed in the bilateral summit between the two coun- tries during Prime Minister Rt. Hon. Helen Clark’s visit to Korea in May this year.
ASI Research Seminar – ‘Stories of Kisaeng: Life, Music and Training’
Date: Friday, 12 September 2008 Time: 4.10pm to 5.30pm
Venue: Wood Seminar Room 406, Old Kirk Building, Kelburn Parade
Kisaeng, the only female group allowed to be involved in musical and artistic activity during the Choson dynasty, had all but vanished by the beginning of twentieth century. In spite of women's poor status in the pre-modern era, kisaeng were educated systematically and thoroughly to entertain men. Kisaeng were privi- leged creators, performers and audiences. Among the subjects of a kisaeng's curriculum, kagok (Korean tradi- tional classical song) was taught everyday. This paper will examine the history of kisaeng, their roles, educa- tional methods and music, with a focus on kagok.
Insuk Lee received her PhD in Music (Ethnomusicology) at the University of Canterbury. She won an NZASIA Research Award (2000) and a Canterbury Doctoral Schol- arship (2000-2003), and was also awarded the second prize by the National Center for Korean Traditional
Performing Arts (Gungnip-gugakwon) in the 2002 com- petition for a scholarly work on Korean Traditional Music Education and the 1997 Thesis Prize for New Figures in Korean Musicology by the society for Korean Historico- Musicology. Her main research area for her doctoral research was Korean traditional vocal music, focusing on the relationship between musical sound and social and cultural aspects. Her articles include 'Aesthetics of kagok:
the integration of music and Korean culture' and 'Tradi- tional music education: Present and Past.' She has taught Korean Music and Understanding Korea at the University of Canterbury since 2001.
Korean Navy hosts International Fleet Review 2008
The Republic of Korea Navy (ROK Navy) is to hold an International Fleet Review (IFR) to mark the 60th anniver- sary of the foundation of the Korean government and its Armed Forces. It is scheduled to take place from 5 to 10 October in Busan. A fleet review is a magnificent demon- stration by the navy of a country under the command of its head of state. IFR 2008 will bring together 50 warships and 30 airplanes from 13 different nations under the motto, "All in One to the Sea, To the World." This is the second IFR for the Korean Navy. The first one was held in Jinhae in 1998. The ROK Navy will host "Western Pacific Naval Symposium" (WPNS) to discuss maritime security and cooperation with representatives from 24 member countries.
The New Zealand delegation will visit Seoul from 4 to 10 October to attend the International Fleet Review and the Western Pacific Naval Symposium meeting (hosted by the ROK Navy). Rear Admiral Ledson will be making a call to his ROK Navy counterpart, Admiral Jung, Ok-keun.
* For more information about the 2008 International Fleet Review, please visit the website, www.navy.mil.kr.
KOREA-NEW ZEALAND BILATERAL AFFAIRS
Korea-NZ Agricultural Cooperation meeting held in Wellington
Korea-NZ Agricultural Cooperation meeting will be held on 11 and 12 September in Wellington. The Arrangement between the Korean Ministry of Agriculture & Forestry and the New Zealand Ministry of Agriculture & Forestry on Agricultural Cooperation was signed in April 2007. The meeting will be attended by 5 representatives from Korea led by Mr. Jong-jin Kim, Director-General of International Agriculture Bureau of the Ministry of Agriculture &
Forestry, and 5 representatives from New Zealand led by Chris Carson, Director of International Division in the New Zealand Ministry of Agriculture & Forestry.
Korea’s Candidate for WHO visited New Zealand
Dr. Young-soo Shin, Korea’s candidate for the Western Pacific Regional Director of the World Health Organiza- tion (WHO) visited New Zealand 25 to 26 August. Dr.Shin met with senior government officials of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs & Trade and the Ministry of Health in Wellington. He also visited Cook Islands prior to his visit to Wellington.
Asia Downunder’s Filming Trip to Korea
A team from TV One’s popular show, Asia Downunder, visited Korea from 24 to 31 August. The group, consisting of a reporter/director, camera man and sound man were supported by the Korea Tourism Organization (KTO) and the Embassy of the Republic of Korea in New Zealand.
The crew filmed four shows in Korea, which will air on the following dates;
1. Korea’s Broadband Advancement : (14 September) - The story outlines Korea’s emergence as a global leader in broadband internet.
2. Andong : (5 October)
- The story covers a famous sculptor in Andong and a traditional house Hakbong Jongtek.
3. English for Speakers of Other Language in Korea : (12 October)
- English teachers are in high demand in Korea.
4. Gyeongju : (19 October)
- This show visits Korea’s cultural heritage sites including Bulguksa temple, Daereungwon Tombs, Bomun Lake, Gyeongju Folk’s Hand Craft Village and Yangdong Tradi- tional Village.
The show is available to watch on;
TVOne - 8:30am on Sundays
TVNZ 7- 6:30pm on Wednesdays, 10:10am on Thursdays, 8:35am on Saturdays
Stratos- 7pm on Sundays, 6pm on Saturdays
CTV (Christchurch)- 8:30pm on Mondays, 4:30pm Tues- days
Channel 9 (Dunedin)- 6:30pm on Mondays Family TV- 7:30pm and midday on Saturdays Tararua Television- 7:00pm on Sundays
7 by Paul Bellamy
AUCKLAND KOREAN COMMUNITY NEWS
Joint Robotics Laboratory Launched in Auckland
A delegation from the Electronic and Telecommunica- tions Research Institute of Korea (ETRI) arrived in Auck- land on August 19th to participate in the launch of the ETRI – University of Auckland Joint Robotics Laboratory.The laboratory brings together a team of the world’s most eminent robotics researchers to work on develop- ing robotic technologies for aged care support.
A safety meeting for the Korean Community was held on the North Shore on 12 July 2008, in response to a number of crimes concerning members of the Asian community in and around the Auckland area. The meet- ing was organised by Inspector Les Patterson, Area Com- mander of North Shore Police, and was attended by Consul-General Young-Geol Kim and the President of the Korean Society, Mr. Shi-Chung Yoo. Consul-General Kim gave a speech at the opening of the meeting in which he thanked Inspector Paterson for his concern toward the 22,000 Koreans residing in North Shore City. He also highlighted the necessity of increasing public awareness of safety-related issues as well as the importance of cooperation between the Korean Community and Police to effectively deal with challenges such as the language barrier, differences in legal systems, and cultural differ- ences.
Fourth Duruje Festival Opens at the University of Auckland
The Fourth Annual Duruje Festival was opened at the University of Auckland on 1 September 2008. The festival was organised by the University of Auckland Korean Students’ Association and the New Zealand United Korean Students’ Association. Consul-General Young- Geol Kim spoke at the opening of the festival and expressed his wish that the festival would unite Korean students in the bonds of friendship and introduce Korea’s dynamic traditional and youth cultures to the New Zealand community.
Opening of the First Waikato Korean Music Festi- val in Hamilton
The First Waikato Korean Music Festival was opened in Hamilton on 6 September 2008. The opening ceremony and concert was attended by His Worship Bob Simcock, Mayor of Hamilton City, the Honourable Martin Gallagher, Member of Parliament for Hamilton West, the President of the Waikato Korean Society, Mr. Youngho Shim, and Consul-General Young-Geol Kim.
Korean Night Held in Auckland on 11 September
The annual Korean Night event was held at the Bruce Mason Centre on Auckland’s North Shore on 11 Septem- ber. This year, Korean Night included a special perfor- mance of traditional Korean music and dance by the Seoul Metropolitan Traditional Music Orchestra, on their first visit to New Zealand.Consul-General Young-Geol Kim gave a speech before the concert in which he noted that year’s Korean Night was especially significant as it coincided with the celebrations for the 60th anniversary of the foundation of the government of the Republic of Korea, and expressed his hope that Korea Night would contribute to the strong friendship between Korea and New Zealand by introducing Korean heritage to the New Zealand community and bridging the two cultures.
New Korean Police Attaché Posted to Auckland
Consul Keysun Shin arrived in Auckland on 25 August to take up the post of Police Attaché at the Korean Consul- ate in Auckland. Consul Shin succeeds Consul Woo-Hyun Park, who returned to Korea at the end of August.BOOK
‘The Very Best of Korean Cooking : Simple Reci- pes for Beginners’
Author: Kim Young-hee, Publisher: Discovery Media With people becoming increasingly health conscious, wholesome dishes have recently drawn special atten- tion. However, the complicated recipes for such dishes often put off foreign gourmets interested in learning how to prepare them. Simplifying the recipes, with photos clearly depicting all the processes, the book introduces 107 traditional Korean dishes that are presented in 10 categories, including kimchi, soups, noodles, stews, streamed dishes, and seasoned vegetables. The book focuses particularly on Korean
preparing Korean dishes such as kimchi, which requires a time consuming process of fermentation. Authored by Kim Young-hee, a renowned culinary researcher on Korean traditional cuisine – which, she claims, contains the thoughts, emotions and philosophies of Korean people, this book also offers a chance to experience and understand Korean culture at large.
cuisine on the assumption that food and medicine are, in essence, the same, which means one’s physical and mental health can be maintained by eating proper foods. With this mind, this book also highlights the some- times very slow process of
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FEATURE ARTICLE
Korea, My Overseas Experience
by Mr. Rohan Satyanand
Mr. Rohan Satyanand spent fourteen months in Korea between 2003 and 2004. While in Korea, he taught English at a private learning academy in Changwon-si, near Masan, in Gyeongsangnam-do. Rohan now works as a Wellington-based film and television producer and technician.
The overseas experience or “O.E.” is a tradition among young New Zealanders, so when my partner and I began to get itchy feet, we decided to go to the Republic of Korea. One of the major reasons was that neither of us knew very much about the country, and it seemed a perfect opportunity to acquaint ourselves with the culture. We had friends who had gone to Asia, some to Korea, to work as ESOL teachers and all reported positive experiences. So in July 2003 we packed our bags and caught a plane to the Land of the Morning Calm. At first, there were a several cultural differences to get used to.
An example of this was when my new boss and her husband took me to the apartment they had organised for me. They let me go in first, but were then horrified when I walked in without taking my shoes off! There were a few embarrassing situations like this, but we soon became accustomed to the new culture. Of course one of the best ways to understand a culture is to learn the language, so we both became the diligent students of our Korean friends, taxi drivers, shop keepers, and street vendors.
Teaching
We arrived in Korea with no formal teaching training so it was a case of learning on the job. However, with the help and support of the other teacher and my hagwon direc- tor, I quickly became more at ease in front of the class- room. Each class had around ten students, aged between 6 and 12 years old. Many of them were very new to English, so the level of English I was teaching ranged from basic to intermediate. It was difficult not to feel sorry for the students who were understandably exhausted after a huge workload of school, academies and homework. However, we tried to make learning English fun for them, incorporating many educational games into the lessons. While I started teaching at a hagwon, I later found myself contracted out to various local public schools for two days a week. I assisted the Korean teacher in front of a class of forty primary school students. This of course posed some different challenges from teaching in the hagwon, but it was also very rewarding to successfully teach a larger group how to use the language.
Lifestyle
My partner Maribel Marquez was living in the city Jeonju, in Jeollabuk-do, so that every weekend we would alter- nate travelling to each others’ cities, or even travel to other cities, visiting friends or just sightseeing. This
meant that we were able to experience a wide range of what Korea has to offer. We became familiar with Seoul, Busan, Daegu and Ulsan, and their bustling subways and shopping malls. We generally travelled by inter-city bus, but I was also very happy to get the opportunity to travel on the bullet train from Busan to Seoul. Korean food, with its strong flavours, can take some people a while to get used to. However we quickly learned to love sam- gyeop-sal, galbi, bulgogi and, of course, gimchi. Korean friends were very helpful in teaching us recipes, and very soon we were cooking Korean meals in our own kitchens.
However, eating out is so inexpensive that we would tend to leave the cooking to the professionals! Visiting the doctor in Korea is a very different experience than in New Zealand. Whether I had a cough or a sprained back, a trip to the doctor would often involve several acupunc- ture needles and a prescription for a huge number of pills of all sizes and colours. Acupuncture is very popular in Korea, and we would often go to specialist acupunc- ture clinics for general wellbeing. Also, we enjoyed visiting the acupuncture parks that can be found in most cities, where you walk barefoot across textured stone surfaces.
Activities
I have always wanted to study the martial arts, and when a friend started attending a hapkido do-jang in my neighbourhood, I joined as well. On my first day, I was amazed at the age range of the other students. I found myself practising and training alongside students as young as 7 and as old as 55! I took to the challenge of passing the monthly tests with gusto, attending training 5 days a week. The fitness training was rigorous, and the study of the forms meticulous, but the real challenge lay elsewhere. Twenty-four years of not stretching had made my limbs very stiff, so I had to improve my flexibil- ity with a series of agonising stretches- much to the amusement of my fellow students. However, with their help and under the expert tuition of the instructor Mr Kim, I eventually achieved a red belt, which is still proudly displayed on my wall.
Also on my wall is a photo of me hanging beneath a paragliding sail, with the majestic Dae-Am San in the background. Myself and three friends had joined a para- gliding club soon after I arrived in Korea. We trained up and very quickly we were ready to start leaping from mountains! The first time I tried it, take-off was very scary, but that feeling faded quickly once airborne. With Korea’s spectacular mountain ranges stretching off into the distance, and nothing but a tranquil breeze to keep me company, I quickly learned to love paragliding and I would try to go most weekends. Taking off always remained a challenge for my nerves though!
We had a fantastic time in Korea and hope to return one day- even if its just long enough to try the sun-du-bu in our favourite restaurant in Jeonju!
10
PHOTO NEWS
‘Team Korea celebrates glory in the 2008 Beijing Olympics’
Korean atheletes entering the Beijing Olympics Stadium at the opening ceremony on 8 August.
‘Golden Moments’: [Clockwise] Son Tae-jin (Taekwondo), baseball players after beating Cuba on 23 August, Park Tae-hwan (swimming) & gold medalists in mens’ archery celebrating their golden moments.
(Left) Gold medalist Jang Mi-ran won the gold medal at the women's +75 kg weightlifting competition on 16 Aug. Jang set new world records.
(Right) Jang Mi-ran enters the “Bird’s Nest” representing Korea at the closing ceremony on 24 September
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