News from Korea

Embassy of the Republic of Korea to Norway

March 2014

News from Korea

Picture of Dongdaemun Design Plaza at night. Photo: courtesy of Seoul Metropolitan Government

Dear readers,

This March issue of News from Korea presents some interesting articles. We start off with some politics; a new Presidential Committee is to be established to prepare for unification of the Korean Peninsula. And from the land of technology, who other to host the world’s 1st electric car expo than South Korea? Furthermore, Korea’s plan to become the world’s leading country in technology is moving in the right direction – they are developing 15 marine technologies as you are reading this.

Now we direct our focus to culture; Seoul's new landmark, Dongdaemun Design Plaza has been unveiled. And whilst more tourists are expected to visit the capital city, more

universities are offering more English-only lectures. Meanwhile, foreign publishers have

gotten their eyes up for Korean literature, and at the same time the Koreans are intrigued by the Norwegian antihero Harry Hole.

We hope you enjoy this read!

Kind regards,

the Embassy of the Republic of Korea

Preparations for unification

President Park Geun-hye gives her address during the opening ceremony of the Asian Leadership Conference in Seoul on 3rd of March. Photo: Cheong Wa Dae

On the 14th of March, Cheong Wa Dae (The Blue House) announced that the Committee will work on shaping and developing nationwide sympathy for the peaceful unification of the two Koreas. The Committee will be supporting cooperation between organizations and research institutes tasked with Korea’s unification. There will probably be less than 50 members in the committee picked from the public and private sectors, including two deputy chiefs appointed by the Chairperson. Following last month’s family reunion

meetings, President Park said, “The two Koreas need to open an era of reunification and create a hopeful future so that the lifetime of wishes that the aging separated families have is not in vain.” President Park also believes that the unification would be easier if Pyongyang were to give up its nuclear weapons program.

For complete articles, please follow these links:

http://www.korea.net/NewsFocus/Policies/view?articleId=118192 http://www.korea.net/NewsFocus/Policies/view?articleId=117937

World's first Electric Vehicle Expo hosted on Jeju Island

Jeju Island hosted the world’s first International Electric Vehicle Expo on 15th - 21st of March. Nearly 40

companies and 200 experts in the Electric Vehicle industry attended. Photo:

courtesy of the International Electric Vehicle EXPO. For complete

article: http://www.korea.net/NewsFocus/

Sci-Tech/view?articleId=118254

Developing 15 marine technologies

With the aim of becoming a global leader in the industry, Korea is pushing to develop 15 leading technologies for the maritime industry by 2017. 7 out of the 15 technologies are already under

development. Photo: Invest Korea. For complete

article: http://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/

news/issues/2014/03/178_153780.html

"Spaceship" embraced in Seoul

Dongdaemun Design Plaza (DDP) was unveiled Friday 21st of March. It is predicted that the DDP would over the next 20 years generate 13 trillion won in production and employment. Photo:

Courtesy of Seoul Metropolitan Government. For complete

article: http://www.koreaherald.com/

view.php?ud=20140323000340

More English-only lectures in Korea

To introduce more English-only lectures, universities in Korea have been recruiting professors who are English proficient and providing them with financial incentives.

Photo: Seoul National University website.

For complete

article: http://koreaherald.com/view.php?

ud=20140319001185

Korean literature in various languages

Korean literature has been discovered by foreign publishers, especially through the LTI Korea Distinguished Service Award.

This year’s Award ceremony will take place on June 20th. Photo: Courtesy of the Literature Institute of Korea.

For complete

article: http://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/

news/culture/2014/03/386_153886.html

Jo Nesbø visits Korea

The Norwegian crime writer Mr. Jo Nesbø has attracted a lot of attention from Korean readers. Analysts believe the popularity of Mr. Nesbø's book in Korea is not surprising at all. However, Choi Yeon-soon, the executive manager of the publishing company VICHE begs to differ: “There is no question that the success of the Harry Hole series deserves to be called a phenomenon here.”

For complete article:

http://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/

news/nation/2014/03/176_153030.html

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