november 7, 2014issue 2 volume xvi

seoulite

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SEOULITE Meet the staff

meet the Staffmeet the Staff

Layout artists

Reporters

photographers

Sang Ho LeeAlan Huh

Joonhee Han

Sarah DohSuyoung Yang

William SonSarah KimAlice LeeJulie Song

Marie ParkJustin ChangAngie KimAlice Kang

Jane LeeKelly Kim

Brian M. KimBrian S. KimAndrew Lee

Christopher LeeDongwoo LeeDavid Choe

Esther Hwang

Co-graphics editorsYeni Cho

Hollis Hwang

Layout EditorHyewon Kim

assistant layout editorAlice Rhim

Managing editorJean Cho

assistant editorChristine Seo

Copy editorsJoyce KimYeaji Park

Editors-in-chiefCeline Hwang & Yasmin Yoon

Blast From the Past: mid-term electionsby Christine Seo

For the first time ever, Ebola poses a legiti-

mate threat to humankind. The disease has become extremely pervasive in the United States with around three people contracting the disease. As the number of infected people increase gradually with every passing day, many Americans have revealed their concerns that the toll might eventually match up to the 4,818 deaths

faux news

by jean cho

More channels cover Ebola disease to spread awareness

reported in five African coun-tries. “Each and every life of an American citizen is precious,” said Mary Johnson, housewife in the Tallahassee County of Florida. “I didn’t know that the disease actually existed until it came to America because I mean, there are so many dif-ferent diseases you can catch in Africa. Just in case though, I’ve been taking prevention

measures such as moving my children’s schools to a private school located in Switzer-land.” After the death rate caused by the Ebola virus in the United States rose by exactly 1 count, media coverage in-creased by 400% with more than 750 channels broad-casting hourly updates on the disease’s rampant spread into the American continent.

“It is important that we do not compromise our journal-istic integrity,” said Alexander Iliot, head of the Home Decor channel. “We definitely are not participating in any low-brow fear mongering move-ments and we do not want to make people unnecessarily worried. However, you never know what might happen – we might all be wiped out tomor-row.”

With the election of the first black senator

in the South since Recon-struction in 1877 and more women in Congress than ever before, the 2014 mid-term elections, which oc-curred halfway through the Obama’s second term, has been a topic of great interest. Determining all 435 seats of the House of Representa-tives and 33 of the 100 Sen-ate seats, the elections once again resulted in a divided government, a term used to describe a situation in which the presidential party loses control of one or both cham-bers of Congress. This elec-tion was no different from many previous ones, as the Democratic Party lost many seats to the Republicans, re-sulting in issues of partisan-ship.

There seems to be a pattern regarding mid-term elections in the United States, as the presidential party almost al-ways loses a significant num-ber of seats in Congress. The Six-Year Itch is the idea that since the 1930s, the presiden-tial party has always lost Con-gress seats. In other words, if a Democrat is the head of state, the Democratic Party loses positions in Congress, as is the case with the 2014 mid-term elections. There have only ever been three exceptions to this trend: during Franklin D. Roosevelt’s term in 1938, Bill Clinton’s in 1998 and George W. Bush’s in 2002. The mid-term elections are important because they deter-mine the productivity of the president and the Congress. The 113th Congress, ironically an unlucky number, does not

have bright skies ahead, as political analysts predict that the Republican-controlled Congress will not support many of President Obama’s proposals. If Obama wishes to leave behind any legacies of his term, he may have a hard time because of parti-san gridlock, the idea that parties are so entrenched in their positions that they are not willing to compromise. This year’s elections have also highlighted the repu-tation of ineffectiveness the Congress has received. Ac-cording to a survey by Gal-lup, only seven percent of American citizens have “a great deal” or “quite a lot” of confidence in Congress, setting a record low. This is a three percent decrease from the results of 2013 and a 35 percent decrease from those

of 1973, underscoring the ef-fect extreme partisanship both parties have shown. These statistics are not just random numbers, however; they re-flect the current situation of the legislative body. According to the Pew Research Center, the current Congress is set to become the least productive in almost seven decades. Based on data since 1995, Congress has passed 60 percent of its laws by this point in time, on average. Following this trend, the current Congress will have passed only approximate-ly 275 laws, the fewest since World War II. Based on these statistics, it has become obvi-ous that it is more necessary than ever for both parties to be willing to cooperate, given the current condition of the American economy. SL

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SEOULITE columns

ISSUE 2 VOLUME XVI

Launching Seomun XVIIby Alice lee

photo by brian m. kim

Once the delegates filed into the auditorium,

three booming taps on the microphone marked the start of the conference. Af-ter greeting this year’s MUN delegates to the SEOMUN XVII conference, Albert Kim, Secretary General, began the opening ceremo-ny as he invited Courtney Caldwell, MUN adviser, to the podium. “I have never been as proud of my students as I am of the chairs on the stage right now,” Ms. Caldwell said. “I feel grateful for all of the del-egates and how they are ea-ger to learn about the world and understand deep global complexity. I think all del-egates should keep in mind that struggling to come up with resolutions is inevitable and will be frustrating from time to time.” Following Ms. Caldwell’s speech commending the chairs, members of the Sec-

retariat welcomed all attendees of the SEOMUN conference, including delegates, chairs, advisers and administrative staff members. Daniel Choi and Yoo Jeong Lee, Directors of Information and Technol-ogy, brought up the issue of technology and connected it to the theme of the confer-ence, ‘fostering transparency.’ “If we’re being generous, we coordinate all of the techno-logical and online aspects of the conference, such as the projectors, printers, and the SEOMUN website,” Daniel said. “However, technology plays a greater role in mod-ern day and age, for many key international issues are now centered on the issue of tech-nological ethics and rights. For example, in the US, net neutrality is a hot topic of de-bate—with many discussing the morals of Internet fast lanes and corporate interests when it comes to online ac-tions.”

As the opening ceremony came to a close, guest speak-er Young Jin Choi, the for-mer Special Representative of the United Nations Secre-tary-General for Cote d’Ivo-re, gave a presentation on his personal experience as a dip-lomat. Mr. Choi emphasized the difference between win-ning and winning fairly, and the importance of the latter in present-day society. “While I was in Cote d’Ivo-re, I learned that transparen-

cy and justice are key elements to becoming a honorable UN delegate,” Mr. Choi said. “The incumbent president refused to recognize the results of the election, where the people elected a different president, clearly violating the freedom of the citizens. As a UN del-egate, I assisted the current president of Cote d’Ivore win the election. Now, I would like you guys to always remember that one can only win with fairness.”

When Ban Ki-Moon, Secretary-General of the United Nations, was a

high school student, he met President John F. Kennedy on a trip to San Francisco, and decided “to become a diplo-mat.” Likewise, delegates may utilize their MUN experienc-es to not only pursue careers in international relations but also contribute to world peace. From engaging in debates about political issues, indi-viduals can gain awareness of international issues. This heightened interest in cur-rent events has prompted del-egates such as Kenneth Yim,

delegate of Republic of Korea in Security Council, to con-sider working for the UN. “When I first started MUN last year as a freshman, I was hesitant and scared, but lat-er learned about the impor-tance of dealing with political problems,” Kenneth said. “I want to consider working for the UN because people al-ways talk about changing the world and the most realistic and viable way to do so is to participate in global confer-ences.” Rather than working in the UN, delegates such as Irene Myo, delegate of Mali in Economic and Social Coun-

cil, hope to contribute to the global community by focus-ing specifically on the affairs and problems affecting her own country. “MUN has helped me be-come more aware of global issues around the world and motivates me to want to solve similar issues in my country,” Irene said. Though I do not have much desire to work in the UN in the future, I do want to work in my coun-try’s government and bring change to the world.” Even delegates who do not necessarily wish to pursue po-litical or diplomatic careers, plan to maintain their knowl-

edge of global issues. Inhae Hong, delegate of Australia in Human Rights Council 2, emphasized her interest in such issues, which has stayed with her all throughout her MUN career. “Debating about world is-sues is a commitment I make in order to make the world a better place, rather than focusing solely on local is-sues,” Inhae said. “Though I personally think [participat-ing in] the UN [would be] too large of a responsibility for me, my interest in world issues will not lessen just be-cause I decide not work in the UN.”

world issues

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by alice kang

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MUN inspires delegates to actively follow

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project munwayby yeaji park

“Today I wore a classy and conserv-ative outfit because I wanted to have a professional aura as chair of the Human Rights Council. I also added gold jewelry and shoes to counter the mundane formal attire that seems to be the norm here. MUN is a chance for people to show a different side of themselves and the attire is a way to show this uniqueness.”

“It is my first MUN conference and I wanted to dress formally but stand out. At the same time, I decided not to show too much skin by wearing a knee length dress. I saw my dress at Zara and I felt the need to buy it. I think that clothes are important be-cause they represent the atmosphere and the seriousness of the issues being discussed.”

“I thought that everybody would wear a tie to the MUN Conference so I wanted to be a bit different by wearing a bowtie. It was just something that I thought would make me unique. I think formal apparel is important be-cause it makes one look much more professional and well-prepared for conferences.”

Evaluating resolutions, responding to points of

information and offering sug-gestions are three of the many tasks that delegates have to juggle over the three-day con-ference. Such duties are even more difficult for first-time delegates to fulfill, and they may face many obstacles in their efforts to do so. For delegates such as Eri-ca Choi, delegate of India in Human Rights Council 2, the opening speech was the first time she was required to speak in front of an unfamiliar audi-ence. “I was so nervous during my opening speech because I was one of the last delegates to speak,” Erica said. “I was astonished to see how good the other, more experienced delegates were at expressing their thoughts, which made

me even more anxious.” For other delegates, this MUN conference was also full of surprises that were not nec-essarily pleasant. According to Claudia Choi, delegate of Indonesia in Human Rights Council 1, lack of background knowledge about MUN can pose several hindrances dur-ing discussions. “I was expecting the more experienced delegates to have welcoming attitudes to allow less experienced delegates to speak up confidently,” Claudia said. “But because the skilled delegates kept talking non-stop, I found it difficult to fit into the discussion to convey my ideas. Because discussions can be quite overwhelming, it was not easy to vocalize my opinion. ” Though delegates encoun-tered difficulties related to

their lack of experience during the first day of the conference, support and cooperation from the chairs helped them over-come various obstacles. “Because it is my first time at-tending an MUN conference, I did not know all the rules regarding main-submission,” said Daniel Yi, delegate of the Republic of Korea in General

Assembly 2. “It was hard for me to convince everyone to get them to support me. How-ever, because I was able to get a lot of help and assistance from the chairs while adjust-ing to the environment and rules of MUN, I was able to overcome this complication. and comfortably express my opinion during debates.”

by sarah KimInexperienced delegates resolve initial problems

photo by David Choe

photos by jane lee

Eva hong: President, HRC 2 Anisha Kandira: delegate of South Africa, SC

Harry si thu: delegate of Laos, Ga 2

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HRC 2 prepares for debate on

BY william sonHRC 1 lobbies for fruitful debate

By william son

Focusing on measures to assist endangered peo-

ple in the current Gaza-Is-rael conflict, Human Rights Council 1 (HRC1) spent its time discussing ways to im-prove conditions of the cit-izens. This issue, which is concerned with the conflict between Israel and Hamas, a Palestinian Islamist organ-ization, puts many lives at risk. Israel’s blockade around Gaza, citizens has prevented citizens from accessing the aid and other necessities that have been sent to them by foreign nations and organi-zations. “The issue in the Gaza-Israel area is exacerbating exponen-tially and needs to be solved immediately,” said Saachin Sivakumar, delegate of Soma-lia. “I believe it is the biggest humanitarian issue of the decade, and if it is not tack-led and resolved quickly in the following years, an even worse violation of human rights will occur.” Realizing that tackling the Gaza-Israel conflict will re-quire great effort, delegates of HRC1 collaborated to present resolutions for the upcoming debates by lobbying. Human-itarian organizations such as International Committee of the Red Cross were men-tioned in delegates’ discus-sions because the organiza-

tion’s aid is essential to setting up hospitals. “Taking on a more neutral stance, we are planning on simply providing basic nec-essary aid for the immediate survival of the Palestinian refugees including medical aid and education programs in refugee camps,” said Hy-ong Kim, delegate of USA. “In order to improve condi-tions for refugees, we should call for all available human-itarian organizations to act immediately.” Because citizens are in need of medical aid and basic ne-cessities, increasing safety and providing refuge to them are of utmost importance. Although delegates shared conflicting opinions and ide-as, Joanne Na, delegate of the Republic of Korea, shared confidence in drafting a solid resolution. “I can already tell that this year’s conference will be in-teresting because we have already seen a great diversity of opinions and innovative resolutions,” said Joanne Na, delegate of Republic of Korea. “We haven’t come up with a conclusive resolution on this issue yet and I know it will take time to write one that satisfies everyone but I am confident that we will be able to do so during the remaining days of the conference.”

This year, Human Rights Council 2 (HRC 2) will

focus on three different is-sues, one of which regards the abuse of human rights during mega sporting events. As the committee’s debating session started, delegates expressed their concerns about the im-pact of human rights issues on numerous hosting nations such as Brazil, where near-ly 170,000 individuals were forcefully evicted from their homes with no prior alert by the government. To deal with the implications of these mega-sporting events, delegates of HRC 2 attempted to resolve the government’s lack of transparency in dealing with citizens and reasonable working conditions. “Mega sporting events are breaching many individuals’ human rights, such as those of the civilians living in the areas of the newly constructed are-nas and those of the construc-tion workers,” said Michael Hein, delegate of Mexico. “Major changes are necessary in order to prevent the force-ful evictions and illegal child labor that occur. Also, the dire working conditions and exploitation of laborers is a factor that calls for further re-form.” To create more effective res-olutions, delegates in HRC 2 discussed the consequences of

mega sporting events in two different groups. To combat this issue, delegates such as Cheng Foo, delegate of Italy, suggested the implementation of stricter government regula-tion. “Government intervention is necessary in order to solve this issue of the abuse of hu-man rights,” Cheng Foo said. “ There are many upcoming events such as the Russian Olympics and if we do not re-solve this issue in the upcom-ing years, conditions will only exacerbate. Therefore, govern-ment intervention is impera-tive so that reform measures such as appropriate housing is provided for the workers.” However, other delegates, such as Aaron Hedrick, del-egate of Japan, believed gov-ernment intervention was not an appropriate solution, due to the retributions that could occur. “I strongly believe that gov-ernment intervention may worsen the situation because the people might not view the government’s attempt to pro-vide aid as a helping hand,” Aaron said. “Government intervention can be misper-ceived by the public and fur-ther stress the public, which could lead to further upris-ings from the citizens and ul-timately a more complicated catastrophe.”

photo by Jane leephoto by Jane lee

mega sporting events

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by alice lee

GA 1 and 2 create proposals to combat issues

ECOSOC proposes several

Delegates of General As-sembly 1 (GA 1) debat-

ed on international security, government transparency in South Sudan, and the fun-damental rights of Pakistani people to tackle terrorism. With these issues at hand, Ryan Jang, delegate of France, proposed the enhancement of telecommunications regard-ing international security. Ryan addressed cyber attacks and cyber warfare, which may potentially be destructive in the near future, by suggesting the use of Information and Communications Technology (ICT) in developed nations. His proposal addressed the need to adapt a standard of behavior in cyberspace and advance ICTs in Less Eco-nomically Developed Nations (LEDCs). “I support the Delegate of

France’s proposal as it ad-dresses all of the problems in the issue at hand,” said Kang In Park, delegate of Estonia. “With the use of ICTs in devel-oped nations, I believe many of the current problems will be solved. I have no objections to the Delegate of France as we have the same stance.” In General Assembly 2 (GA 2), Daniel Yi, delegate of the Republic of Korea proposed to alleviate the misappropria-tion of financial aid to LEDCs by targeting corruption. Sug-gesting instate regulations in the corrupt governments of LEDCS, Daniel attempted to increase transparency. “To tackle corruption in some LEDCs, there needs to be a program by civil servic-es and joint support for an-ti-corruption strategies from donors in order to ensure that

these funds be used respon-sibly,” said Victor Kang, del-egate of France. “I don’t want the donor’s financial aid to be wasted and I want LEDCs to use these funds wisely to help poorer nations develop.” According to Raj Shah, del-egate of South Africa, gov-ernment transparency within financial aid is important be-cause funds are not effectively allotted.

“Donors should know what the recipients are doing with the money.,” Raj said. “I disa-gree with pressure sanctions towards corrupt LEDCs since they disrupt the allocation of funds. Ceasing financial aid to these corrupt LEDCs is bad because this creates fights and non-negotiable acting, which may lead to the further cor-ruption of an already corrupt government.”

of women is raising awareness about female-centered pun-ishments like genital mutila-tion in developed countries like Africa and the Middle East,” Clare said. “Although such abuse may be a result of culture and social norms, all

delegates should get togeth-er to enforce women’s rights. Hopefully, raising awareness of such horrid exploitations, while educating the women to stand up for themselves, will contribute to improving the obstacle.” On the other hand, rather than focusing on specific ways to tackle the discrimination of women, Helen Jeon, delegate of Afghanistan, noted the sen-sitive nature of the topic. In Afghanistan, because issues related to gender are linked

with the dominant religion, women’s rights are difficult to address. “Tackling this topic is ex-tremely controversial for my country, because the degra-dation of women in our so-ciety is part of the Muslim beliefs,” Helen said. “Despite what my country believes, I would emphasize on how Af-ghanistan should separate the fundamental rights of women from Islam. As most delegates should be aware, religion can be used as a powerful weapon, which may define the causes of gender inequality.” Though delegates had var-ying perspectives on ways to approach women’s rights, they shared the common goal of searching for the best course of action.

photo by Brian m. kim

photo by Kelly kim

Preparing for upcom-ing debates regarding

women’s rights and the role of women in Africa and the Middle East, delegates of Eco-nomic and Social Council (ECOSOC) discussed differ-ent methods of combating the key issue. According to Sok-jun Hong, delegate of Brazil, gender inequality is a signifi-cant subject that all delegates should speak out against. “Although gender inequality appears to be gradually im-proving in developed coun-tries, most people do not re-

alize that the gap is actually increasing in most develop-ing countries, where women’s rights are constantly violated, atrocious ways” Sokjun said. “In order to mend this gap, all nations should encourage its citizens to advocate for wom-en’s rights.” Another proponent of wom-en’s rights, Clare Kwon, dele-gate of Sudan, stated that na-tions must strive not only to raise awareness about the is-sue but also to educate young girls in developing countries. “Key to lifting up the status

By justin chang

approaches to women’s rights

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Delegates reveal skepticism toward by joyce Kim

For a significant amount of time, Scotland has wanted in-

dependence from Britain. Leading up to the current situation, there have been various home rule movements accompanied by both first and second devolution ref-erendums. The Scottish powers experienced a watershed victory in 1967, when the Scottish National Party (SNP) won a seat in Parliament with the representa-tion of Winnie Ewing. This positive pro-gression continued in the years follow-ing 1979, when the Campaign for a Scottish Assembly was established and the 1989 Claim of Right was imple-mented. Current-ly, Scotland stands defiant and confident. The leader of SNP, Nicola Sturgeon, has even declared, “Scotland becoming independent is a question of when, not if.” However, some delegates believe that this “when” will not come at all. “Personally, I feel that the fight for Scottish inde-pendence is close to over,” said Clara Yoon, Assistant President of General Assem-bly 1. “In the 2014 September referendum, more than half the voters voted against the separa-tion between Scotland and Eng-land. The movement is lessening in momentum, and I think the referendum was a clear sign that

independence will not happen any time soon.” It is clear that a large portion of the Scottish population is against Scottish separation, as 44.7 per-cent of an 80 percent voter turn-

out voted against the movement. In fact, MUN delegates have expressed skepticism towards imminent separation, some even saying that the split should not be attempted at all. “Scotland is made up of the

most leftist political faction in the United Kingdom,” said Junwon Park, President of the Interna-tional Court of Justice. “If they split, this means that certain polit-

ical parties will gain lots of power, and they will

ultimately become the political ma-jority in Scotland. Therefore, this would produce

biased politics in both Eng-land and Scotland.” The neg-ative senti-

ment regard-ing Scottish

independence lasted to impact not only political

but also economic repercussions. Oil tycoons have voiced oppo-sition against the independence movement, especially amid the recent oil found in the North Sea. In order to continue their profit-

able trade, major oil compa-nies hope to maintain the capacity and integrity of the United Kingdom.

“Scotland has to un-derstand that if they want

economic development, being together is better than being separate,” said Albert Kim,

Secretary General. “The Scot-tish government has to remember that many bank corporations have threatened to leave the country if the Scottish gain independence because they know that Scotland alone will not provide for a com-petitive and lucrative market.”

Scotland’s independence

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HONG KONG PROTESTORS CALL FOR ACTIONby Marie Park

Hong Kong, a former British colony that is currently part of

China, has enjoyed a different po-litical system from that of China

with a “one country, two sys-tems” mindset until July 1, 1997. Since then, Chi-na’s Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress (NPCSC) has proposed a new elector-al voting reform in order to create a 1200-member committee that chooses three members for citizens’ election, instead of civil nominations. Enraged by this proposition, the Hong Kong Federation of Students and Scholars led a protest outside the govern-ment building, which was promptly followed by a civil disobedience campaign called Occupy Central with Love and Peace. Despite the strict police intervention, the number of pro-testors rose exponentially over a couple of days. “The Hong Kong protests haven’t affected me directly, but show the nature of youths in society,” said Jungho Daniel Choi, Director of Information and Technology. “I believe the youth holds a large influence in society due to its distinct charac-teristic of audacity and its more open mindsets which contrast

to those of older people, who are usually more heavily embedded in the status quo and tend to favor tradition.” Protests in the past have made a difference in various societies. As a former colo-ny of Britain, the United States also experienced a similar situ-ation regard-ing the lack of

representa-tion in the British

par-liament.

Through public dissent, the young

country was able to achieve rep-resentation first and

then, freedom. “Protests should be used as outlets to express concern because they have proven to be suc-cessful in changing the society in the past,” Jungho said. “Though I believe they are effective and beneficial in improving the

status quo, they should never

become violent. Vi-olence complicates the original matter more and also results in injuries and deaths of in-

nocent individuals. As

long as individuals do not resort to violence, I think that most gov-ernment problems can be solved

through cooper-ation between

civilians and the govern-

ment.” Citizens of Hong

Kong are willing to

compensate disturbanc-

es in their personal lifestyles

in hopes of achieving democracy. For instance, Justin Chan, delegate of Colombia from Human Rights Council 1, can sympathize with the picketers and hopes others will take on their example. “The consequences of protests, such as implementation of traffic blocks and the shutting down of businesses, have affected the everyday lives of the people,” Jus-tin said. “The way the government is dealing with the protests seems to be provoking more hostile responses. The use of tear gas and the exertion of excessive force are unnecessary. Such protests should serve as an impetus for other countries around the world that are suffering similar prob-lems of oppression and limitation. Though these countries may not exactly replicate the style or cause of the protests that are currently in Hong Kong, the impact of the Hong Kong protests will be felt worldwide because it teaches us all to question the government when needed.”

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BY SARAH KIM

AP exchanges views on

Gathered in a circular formation, delegates

from Special Conference dis-cussed various ways to ensure the accountability of UN offi-cials and employees. Delegates also suggested various ways to eliminate corruption in the UN and addressed each aspect of the resolution at hand de-spite the vastness of the agen-da. “Our resolution focuses on regulation and minimizing corruption,” said Jenny Phyo, delegate of Democratic Re-public of Korea. “In the posi-tion of the DPRK, we do not have particularly good rela-tions with the UN but I think having explicit measures to ensure the reliability of UN officials will eventually lead to friendly relationships between the organization and my na-

tion.” The resolution emphasized the possible consequences of wrongful conduct regarding peacekeeping crimes, sexual assaults and fraudulent activi-ties among UN officials. With hopes of strengthening the proposed solutions, the del-egates attempted to establish clear, straightforward policies. “Through our zero-tolerance policy, we are trying to estab-lish a system that will allow nations to track down exactly who broke a law during opera-tion, “ said Henry Zhong, del-egate of Iran. “Our first sub-clause focuses on setting the definition of what is a crime and what is not, while the oth-er clauses focus on specific measures of punishment such as a holding a trial to make the officials accountable for their

actions. ” According to Angela Yoon, Assistant President of Spe-cial Conference, as a result of their work ethic and passion, delegates were able to create a comprehensive, detailed res-olution with well-developed causes and reach consensus quickly. “I think the delegates are

working really well togeth-er,” Angela said. “As soon as I walked into the room, they naturally formed groups and started talking to each oth-er right away. I have not seen many distractions and can clearly see that all groups are engaged in insightful discus-sion and are working consist-ently.”

photo by David Choe

photo by BRIAN M. KIM

By ALICE KANG

SPC emphasizes specificity of resolution

chinese ethnic groups

In China, there are 55 un-derrepresented minority

groups other than the Hans, most of which are concen-trated in the Xinjiang region. One of these minorities, the Uyghurs, has been oppressed by the state’s domineering crackdown and retaliation for numerous years. In this year’s Advisory Panel (AP), advisors discussed this issue, which is one of the three other topics that will be debated on dur-

ing the conference regarding China and its problems, and proposed clauses that would address such ethnic problems within the country. “There has to be better communication between the central government and the specific regions that are pop-ulated by these minorities,” said Anastasia T, the advisor of the United States of Amer-ica (USA). “To facilitate such efficient communication, I

believe we should enforce a triangular conference that oc-curs three times a year, with representatives from both the government and the regions consisted of these minori-ties.” According to Minji Suh, ad-visor of the Republic of Korea, Anastasia’s clause was able to generate support from the other advisors due to the elab-orate and precise details that were provided within it. “The proposal of a trian-gular conference mentioned by the advisor of the USA is both efficient and effective, as it guarantees direct discus-sion between members of the government and the minority groups,” Minji said. “It makes sure that the most recent and important ideas are negotiated by and informed to both in-

volved bodies, which is abso-lutely necessary to have a fair negotiation.” Most advisors, including Jongwhee Jeon, advisor of In-donesia, generally agreed on the importance of the Chinese government’s involvement in issues regarding minori-ties. The immediate need for reform outweighed the neg-atives of the clause, which included potential problems such as government exploita-tion and misuse of power. “I think we can propose an international treaty incorpo-rating the clauses we agreed on so far, the triangular con-ference being one of them,” Jongwhee said. “This will cre-ate obligations that China will have to follow, and it will not be able to escape its responsi-bilities.”

ISSUE 2 VOLUME XVI

BY MARIE PARKSPT discusses possible threats of DPRK

As the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK)

exercises a strict communist government, the isolated na-tion limits trade with other countries, especially those in the west. As the success or failure of the Korean Penin-sula Trade Corridor is crucial to countries all around the world, delegates of the Six Party Talks (SPT) focused on finding methods to improve the global trade economy. “Because DPRK has nuclear power, which poses a threat to everyone, it would be helpful to try to open the country up to trade and create possible al-liances,” said Alyssa Choi, del-egate of USA. “However, for now, the best we can do is to ally with Russia and China, which are currently allies of DPRK.” According to Neo Choi, del-egate of Japan, certain coun-

tries should develop stronger defenses against such missile threats in order to demilita-rize further missile activity. In addition to discussing such benefits of self-defense, del-egates also worked to ne-gotiate a permanent peace treaty for the two Koreas. “Though the issue is most relevant for the Korean pen-insula, it is as significant to other countries, as North Ko-rean threats put world peace in danger,” said Natalie Kim, del-egate of USA. “The situation is especially uncomfortable for USA because there are US troops deployed in South Ko-rea. Because the DPRK vehe-mently opposes the presence of western countries like us, the tension must lessen before we try to arrange any sort of agreement with North Korea.” Based on DPRK’s history of

dispute with other countries, some, such as Jerry Kim, dele-gate of Russia, found the pros-pect of forming an alliance with North Korea impractical. Friction among the countries also hindered the process of reaching a compromise. “Considering that our coun-tries are conflicting as of now,

I personally disagree with the more idealistic proposi-tions,” Jerry said. “China has the greatest chance of form-ing an alliance with DPRK due to their common stance against the US and their geo-graphical proximity but we’ll have to see what happens in the next few days.”

BY JULIE SONG

PHOTO BY JANE LEE

PHOTO BY KELLY KIM

Human rights concerns have escalated as the

Shia-dominated forces have begun to target the Sunni mi-nority while air strikes have killed civilians and caused na-tional discord. To combat vio-lence and stabilize conditions in Iraq, delegates of Security Council (SC) separated to dis-cuss each other’s resolutions on the issue. “The clauses proposed in the joint statement focus on

border control and supervi-sion in Iraq,” said Aiswarya Nagasubramony, delegate of the United States of America (USA). “This would result in a reduction of illegal transfers. Another clause focuses on the idea of a more representative political body, which would alleviate oppression suffered by the minority. Although am-bitious, this clause takes the overall efficiency of this reso-lution to another level.”

Furthermore, delegates dis-cussed the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS)’s attack on Mosul and the battle over the oil-rich city of Kirkuk, which led to the loss of hu-man lives and money. Though the delegate of USA hoped to mitigate the consequences of these events with his resolu-tion, other delegates noticed the need for more internation-al action and regulations. “The proposal is a good approach,” said Sabin Kim, delegate of Iraq. “However, Iraq cannot do anything until the international community funds the entire program. Al-though we want the support of USA, strict regulations are fundamentally necessary so the forces do not go too far as to taking control of the na-tion.”

According to Hok Yin Kong, delegate of India, social impli-cations and traditional values must also be taken into con-sideration when discussing this issue. As delegates con-tinued to discuss Al-Qaeda offshoot and its Sunni insur-gency, chairs were glad to see all delegates passionately par-ticipating in lobbying. “I’m excited to see all 15 del-egates participate in lobbying,” said Janet Lee, Deputy Assis-tant President. “In terms of format, I cannot skip over the veto process exclusive to the Security Council. Sometimes, [when nations veto stances], they receive a certain degree of animosity since they may delay or create a shift in the debate. As the nations have different stances, I am expect-ing many amendments” SL

SC delegates suggest ways to achieve peace in Iraq

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By YEAJI PARK

By angie Kim

Environmental Commission analyzes solar radiation management

Solar radiation manage-ment is a new geo-engi-

neering technology that de-flects sunlight and reduces green house emissions from the surface of the Earth. The delegates in Environmental Commission discussed this very topic and separated into two groups, one supporting and one against the new tech-nology. Due to its cheap price and effective short-term effects, nations such as Mexico and Togo expressed support for the system and its potential to prevent further environmental degradation. “Green house gas emissions are increasing on a global scale and are detrimental to our health, which is one of the prime reasons for why we support solar radiation man-agement,” said Zin Shwe War,

delegate of Mexico. “Due to the problems we face in Mex-ico such as limited fresh water and decreasing air quality, I am looking forward to pass-ing this resolution and gaining support from developed coun-tries that we have been trading with for a long time, such as the United States.” On the other hand, other countries that do not support this system showed concern about the long-term effects and the possible financial and economic problems that could rise from its implementation. One especially controversial point was the use of sulfate aerosol spray, which is ben-eficial for drawing away the sunlight but is said to have un-known long-term effects. “Island nations, like my country, are vulnerable be-cause of environmental prob-

lems, such as rising sea levels,” said Keerti Palanisamy, dele-gate of the Solomon Islands. “Solar radiation management can force us to relocate and depend on other countries if we lose the ability to sustain ourselves. Because there is not enough research done, if something goes wrong, island nations such as the Solomon Islands will be the first to be affected.” According to Seung Ho Oh, President of the Environmen-

tal Commission, this issue was selected in order to reflect the rising problem of global warming in modern society. “It is a huge problem that umbrellas other issues so it is necessary that we take a spe-cific approach,” Seung Ho said. “It is not that we don’t [sup-port solar radiation manage-ment], but we want to inform the delegates that there are other ways to combat global issue other than typical carbon management systems.”

Icj Judges debate on independence of Kosovo

photo by David Choe

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The International Court of Justice (ICJ), which de-

bates previously resolved UN issues, initiated the first debate on the unilateral independ-ence of Kosovo. Located in the central Balkan Peninsula, Kosovo is a subject of contro-versy, as Russia considers its declaration of independence illegal. In order to resolve this issue, Judges worked on rank-ing the documents based on authenticity and importance. “I personally support the independence of Kosovo be-cause I strongly believe that it is a violation of basic hu-man rights for Kosovo to be a non-autonomous nation,” said Judge Nathan Cheung. “Because 90 percent of the Albanians in Kosovo sought independence, denying Koso-vo’s independence would also

be denying 90 percent of the country’s majority rights.” Following a speech by High Judge Dustin Yoon, judg-es presented their various perspectives and proposed several cases, such as previ-ous UN resolutions (Securi-ty Council Resolution 1244) and America’s Declaration of Independence, that further intensified the debate. Many judges emphasized the legality of Kosovo’s independence and the potential consequences of retracting Kosovo’s independ-ence. “As this debate is about whether Kosovo can rightfully claim independence from Ser-bia, the documents that either supported the nation’s inde-pendence or opposed it helped the process of legalizing and supporting Kosovo’s identity as an autonomous state,” said

ICJ Judge May Lee. “Without proper evidence, this debate would not have gone as well as it did.” Although official debate did not begin yet, judges still man-aged to express their thoughts regarding the issue. Most of the Judges supported the inde-pendence of Kosovo, but were not able to reach a conclusion yet. “The topic of the documents varied greatly, since each judge focused on different aspects of the issue,” said Jeongmin Cho, Deputy Assistant President. “Some focused on the consti-tution of Serbia, while others referred to the Declaration of Independence. Debating on the documents separated the majority, which supported Kosovo’s independence, from the dissenting side, which op-posed Kosovo’s independence.

Separating these two parties will result in a final conclusion about whether Kosovo should gain independence or not.”

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ACROSS3. name of un peacekeeping troops? 6. group that authorizes the un peace keeping missions8. location of seomun xvii9. institution that carries out the day- to-day procedures of the un12. current prime minister of japan13. country with the least population in the world

DOWN1. CURRENT SECretarY GENERAL OF THE UN2. INSTITUTION OF UN that dicusses some of THE WORLD’S MOST PRESSING PROBLEMS4. COUNTRY WITH THE HIGHEST GDP5. CITY THE UN was CREATED IN7. ONE OF THE COUNTRIES IN SOUTH AMERICA THAT DOESN’T BORDER BRAZIL10. COUNTRY WITH THE MOST LAKES IN THE WORLD11. HOST SCHOOL OF SEOMUN

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crossword

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Joonhee’s new to Earth, please help him figure out what’s going on in 2014.

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2.minus plus

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ALan’s New language1.

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alien alan is trying to talk to you. try to figure out the words he’s saying.

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Can you finish the sentences?

One day during the MUN conference, Joonhee walked in with a 1._______. He was looking for Alan because he felt 2._______. Joonhee couldn’t find Alan in the 3._______ , so he went to the 4.________ instead. All of a sudden, Joonhee saw a 5.________. He was about to 6._________ the 7._________, but he decided to go back and look for Alan. Little did he know, Alan was at 8.____________. Alan was in the middle of 9.__________, when Joon-hee walked in. Joonhee was shocked when he saw Alan 10._________. Joonhee said, “There you are!” Alan, very 11.________, ran away screaming 12._______.

1. noun2. adjective3. place4. place5. thing6. verb

7. thing8. place9. -ing verb10. -ing verb11. adjective12. exclamation

Free food couponfinish the two activities on page 13 and 14 for free food.

come to the seoulite room to receive your reward.

ISSUE 2 VOLUME XVI

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