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8/3/2019 KOREA magazine [JANUARY 2012 VOL. 9 NO. 1]
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People & Culture
january 2012
keeping the traditionsand culture ofkorea alive
intangible
assets
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Contents january 2012 VOL.9 NO.01
02cover story Korea’s traditional culture lives on today.
12
pen & brushPoet Kim Hye-soon shows the power of words.
16peopleSoprano Sumi Jo reveals her humanitarian side.
18great koreanMonk Wonhyo helped spread Buddhism.
20seoulWarm up with hot food at Kwangjang Market.
22travel: MujuEnjoy winter from the mountain peaks of Muju.
24travel: baeksasilFind peace in Seoul’s hidden Baeksasil Valley
02
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cover story
TheSurvival of
Korea’SCulTuralheriTage
© Y
o n h a p N e w s A g e n c y
In this modern age o quickly-changing trends and popculture, Korea’s intangible cultural properties are standingthe test o time, gaining recognition in the internationalcommunity one step at a time. by Eunice Shin
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www.korea.ne04 | korea | january 2012
It is easy these days to know what’s
happening on the other side o the
world, at any time o day or night,
with the ast growing culture o the
Internet and cutting-edge electronic
devices that bring the web straight into
people’s palms. Tis instant exchangeo inormation leads to lightning-ast
cultural trends, but also endangers more
traditional customs unable to keep up
with the wired community.
Te general public is oen only
exposed to what’s discussed online,
which then results in a skewed
distribution o cultural inormation. And
when it comes to intangible heritage, it
becomes even harder to preserve.
Tat is why it is essential to actively
promote and spread Korean traditional
culture overseas, along with the
trendy K-pop movement. UNESCO,
in particular, has been recognizing
cras rom Korean history since 2001
by listing them as Intangible Cultural
Heritage o Humanity items. Tree more
traditional skills were inscribed onto the
list in November 2011.
perormed ve times a year, since 1971,
the ritual has only been perormed
on the rst Sunday every May, at the
Jongmyo shrine in central Seoul.
It’s not just public organizations
dedicated to cultural preservation that
see the value o Korea’s royal rites.
Radio France, through its world music
label Ocora, produced a Jongmyo
jeryeak album in October, complete
with explanations in French, English
Preserving the Past Taekkyeon (a
Korean traditional martial art), Jultagi
(tightrope walking) and the weaving o
mosi (ramie abric) that originated in the
Hansan region o Chungcheongnam-
do Province, were dubbed intangible
cultural treasures by the UNESCOIntergovernmental Committee or
the Saeguarding o the Intangible
Cultural Heritage in Bali, Indonesia. Te
committee this year added 11 entries to
the organization’s intangible heritage list.
“Tis recent recognition means
that the current generation is not only
trying to preserve the local traditions,
but also trying to hand them down to
uture generations,” said the Cultural
Heritage Administration, a government
organization that seeks to preserve
Korean culture, aer the announcement
was made by UNESCO.
UNESCO rst gave shape to its plan
to protect intangible heritage in 2001,
and Korean cras were some o the rst
included on the List o the Intangible
Cultural Heritage o Humanity. So ar,
over 200 traditions rom more than 80
and Korean. It contains recordings o
a perormance by musicians rom the
National Gugak Center in 2003. Te
album is the rst audio recording o
the entire ritual and is accompanied
with photos o the perormance and a
detailed description o the rite.Radio France, which has introduced
Asian traditional music since 1980, aims
to release one to two albums o Korean
traditional music every year or the
next decade as part o its Korean music
project. For its rst album, it chose
Jongmyo jeryeak and enlisted the aid
o music producer Kim Sun-kuk o Just
Music Entertainment. “It sounds like
noble, rened music, hieratic at times
yet always ull o dignity. I am pleased
to start our cooperation with such a
musical standard,” the producer o
Radio France said.
I traditional music like Jongmyo
jeryeak is too inaccessible to ears more
accustomed to K-pop, gagok might be
just the bridging element needed to help
music-lovers ease into older Korean
traditional genres.
Gagok, which made UNESCO’s
Intangible Heritage o Humanity list
in 2010, is music that was originally
composed to accompany Sijo (a
traditional poetic orm), which was
mostly produced by the aristocracy in
the Joseon Dynasty. Gagok melodiesare typically combinations o wind
and string instruments, such as the
piri (Korean pipe) and gayageumor
geomungo (stringed zither instrumen
Te book Korean Art Song , recentl
published in October, compiled sever
gagok numbers with Korean lyrics, th
English translations and musical scor
Te lyrics to the songs were written b
renowned artists, including poet Kim
Sowol, and the melodies were compo
by notable musicians such as Yun I-sa
and many more.
Te Korean Art Song Research
Institute is planning to publish more
books eaturing other musical genres
according to director Choi Young-sik
“Te book was written to have more
people learn about the beauty o Kor
music and actually make it possible o ©
C u l t u r a l H e r i t a g e A d m i n i s t r a t i o n ; J u n g K y u n g - h w a ( a b o v e l e f t ) ; C h o i J i - y o u n g ( o p p o s i t e b o t t o m l e
f t )
twtaekkyeonm p p f(pp f). a m f Jultagi pwk f j bc (pp). a p f wm pfm Ganggangsullae cc c (bw). a fcm p w mjc bjc (bm).a p f wm w mosi m h, Ccm-Pc ().
nations have been placed on the list.
With the latest additions, Korea
now has a total o 14 recognized by
UNESCO. Te 11 that have been
designated previously are: Jongmyo jerye
(a royal ritual and its music); pansori
(Korean traditional opera); GangneungDanoje Festival; Cheoyongmu(mask
dance); Ganggangsullae(a 5,000-year-
old circle dance); Namsadangnori
(perormances by Korean itinerant
troupes); Yeongsanjae (Buddhist ritual);
Jeju Chilmeoridang Yeongdeunggut
(a shamanistic ritual); gagok (vocal
music genre); Daemokjang (a master o
traditional wooden architecture); and
alconry.
Jongmyo, which was also designated
a UNESCO World Heritage in 1995,
is a Conucian shrine dedicated to the
memorial services or the deceased
kings and queens o the Joseon Dynasty
(1392–1910). Jongmyo jerye is the royal
ancestral rites at Jongmyo, and Jongmyo
jeryeak is the ritual music and dance
perormed or the rite.
Tough the ritual was originally
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www.korea.net06 | korea | january 2012
them to sing along or hum,” Choi said.
I music is something that can travel
to oreign continents and reach out to
people overseas, there are also some
intangible heritage items that can only
be understood and experienced when
seen in person. Daemokjang, which
can be translated as “head carpenter,”
was designated a UNESCO Intangible
Heritage o Humanity item in 2010. ADaemokjang, who directs and manages
the construction o structures made o
wood, heavily inuences the completed
presentation o the overall structure.
Building a Future Daemokjang Shin
Eung-soo has worked with many major
Korean traditional wooden structures,
including the ones that are major
tourist attractions. He has worked on
buildings at Gyeongbokgung Palace or
the past 20 years and the restoration o
Gwanghwamun, the main gate to the
palace that was completed in August
2010. He is currently working on
restoring Namdaemun Gate, which was
destroyed by an arsonist in 2008.
It would not be an exaggeration to
say that Shin has had his hands on the
some o the most important traditionalbuildings in Korea, which need regular
maintenance and repair work to stay in
such pristine condition.
“Tere is new technology that
has been developed to make the
reconstruction process easier, but I
believe that traditional homes need to
be repaired ollowing the old ways,” Shin
said. “I would rather use a hand ax than
an electric saw when cutting wood, and
I would rather use traditional cranes to
move large woodblocks into place.”
It is his responsibility to decide how
to maintain the Korean tradition in
those wooden structures. He careully
inspects the overall harmony o each
building and meticulously matches each
decorative ourish to its original. “Te
intricate wood patterns may all seem the
same to laypeople, but the details andcolors are dierent rom gate to gate and
palace to palace,” Shin said.
Since the techniques that he mastered
can only be acquired by experience, Shin
is also working on training carpenters
who can later become Daemokjang. Te
restoration process o each structure he
works on is being recorded or uture
reerence, but how he came to make
each decision is impossible to document.
It is human skill and inherent technique
that make his work so valuable.
Tis is the most crucial reason why
local governments and organizations
like UNESCO strive to nd waysto recognize the existence o such
heritage and preserve it. In modern
times, customs and cultures are being
lost. Tough people still dance, they
no longer wear traditional masks and
perorm as they once did.
Even on Dano, a Korean traditional
holiday that has spawned many
estivals — including the UNESCO-
recognized Gangneung Danoje Festival
— participating in traditional activities
has become more o a novelty than a
cherished custom. Te Gangneung
estival in particular is well known or its
olk play perormances and cultural arts.
From riding old-style swings to washing
one’s hair with a changpo (sweet ag)
mix, most o the events are now one-
time experiences.
With valuable cultural heritage
diminishing in everyday lie, designated
human intangible properties remind
us that it is important to look or ways
to keep traditions going. Even though
people’s liestyles will continue to change
as new trends evolve into new traditi
there can be a lesson learned on how
preserve one’s history.
“We cannot orce people to take
a serious role in keeping traditionsalive,” said Jung Kyung-hwa, an ofci
practitioner o taekkyeon. “But the
government and other organizations
specialized in preserving the tradition
can try to support people who are
already skillul in certain endangered
cultural heritages, so that we can be
the central orce or handing down th
tradition to the next generation.”
Te Cultural Heritage Administrat
a major proponent in the eld o
preservation, has acknowledged the
need or greater eorts in protecting
Korea’s history. It has increased its
budget or preservation to 545 billion
won (US$465 million) in 2012, and
one o its top priorities is to continue
preserving and managing the cultura
heritages that are recognized by
international organizations.
2005
gdj F
2009
Ganggangsullae, Namsadangnori ,Yeongsanjae(B ), Jj Chilmeoridang Yeongdeunggut ,Cheoyongmu (mk c)
2001
Jongmyo jerye ( c ) jeryeak (mc)
2010
Gagok ( ccmp b c),Daemokjang (mcp), fc
2011
Jultagi , w fmosi ,taekkyeon
2003
Pansori (p pc c)
a mk c g dj F(pp f). a m pansori p(pp ). a pfmc f Jongmyo jeryeak mc p (p). a dj f (b).
history oF Cultural ProPertiesA total of 14 Korean crafts have been recognized by UNESCO and placed on the List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.
From performances to handmade crafts, the traditions of each recognized heritage have a deep and invaluable place in Korean history.
© C
u l t u r a l H e r i t a g e A d m i n i s t
r a t i o n ; Y o n h a p N e w s A g e n c y ( o p p o s i t e r i g h t )
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Heritage Administration, studies Korean
culture in order to pinpoint its greatestpoints o appeal and help market it to
the rest o the world.
In addition to its own researchers,
the institute invites outside experts to
help stimulate study. Currently, they are
receiving applications or the 2012 Asia
Cooperation Program on Conservation
Science, a unded program looking
or candidates to research intangible
heritage and architectural studies.
“Since the area o Korean heritage
is so extensive, we need researchers
rom various elds to work together,”
Kim says. Te institute is most recently
looking into how to promote the three
recently UNESCO-designated items o
intangible heritage: taekkyeon martial
art, Jultagi tightrope walking and
weaving mosi ramie abric.
Q. So ar 14 items have been added
to the List o the Intangible Cultural
Heritage o Humanity. What does theresearch institute do to help promote
each item to the global community?
A. We have been producing
introductory videos o each o the
Korean heritage items that has made
the UNESCO list. So ar, nine o the
14 videos have been made in three
languages, including Korean, English
and French. wo o the most recent
designations, taekkyeon and Jultagi,
will be made this year. A video about
08 | korea | january 2012 www.korea.net
© N
a t i o n a l R e s e a r c h I n s t i t u t e
o f C u l t u r a l H e r i t a g e
It isn’t always easy to understand how
valuable historical customs are whenthey don’t have a tangible ormat. It is
even harder or oreigners who are not
amiliar with Korean culture, who must
picture a tradition they have neither
seen nor heard about in present day lie.
At the center o this dilemma is the
National Research Institute o Cultural
Heritage (NRICH), helmed by Director
Kim Young-won, which promotes the
understanding o these ancient arts. Te
institute, a ormer branch o the Cultural
cover story
weaving mosi will be produced in
2013. We distribute these videos to
Korean culture centers overseas and
other international research centers
specialized in studying Korean culture.
Q. It is easier to explain what an
intangible property is when it can be
connected to a tangible artiact. For
example, when explaining talchum
mask dance, it is helpul to rst explain
that tal means mask. I understand theinstitution recently published a book
called Tal and Talchum.
A. Yes, we have been publishing
a book series on Korean intangible
cultural heritage in English. Te most
recent one was published in November.
Te book eatures photographs o masks
and dancers, which were discovered in
the course o our studies (the book is the
culmination o research done by NRICH,
which originally published its ndings
in a 12-volume series). We published
the rst book Onggi (earthenware),
in January, which looks into the skills
and techniques hidden in the creationprocess o the wares. Te next book will
be ocused on exploring needlework
and unique clothing designs by looking
at gat (a ormal hat male adults wore in
the Joseon Dynasty (1392-1910) and
nubijang , (a type o needlework). Both
o the books will be available online on
the institution’s website or download at
www.nrich.go.kr.
Q. Te institution does more than
just study history. Te National
Research Institute o Cultural Heritage
recently signed a MOU with the
University o Colorado in the US. Is
that part o the efort to invite more
international interest to Korea and the
work you do?
A. Yes. We have so ar signed MOUs
with various research institutions in
The paThTo preServaTionWanting to keep Korean traditions alive is admirable, buthow does one go about achieving such ambitious goals?
rcfm nrci fChcm b cf(pp).Km y-w pfc mmc ().rc f fc(bm).
Japan, China, Mongolia and France.
Te goal is to not only nd more
details about our historical and cultural
traditions, but also to promote what we
have to the bigger audience members in
the world.
Q. How does signing a MOU help
the institution with its research?
A. It means that we are grant accessed
to the cultural properties possessed by
these other institutions or our researchpurposes. Tis helps connect not
only academics and scholars, but also
students and other culture enthusiasts to
witness rare documents and artiacts.
Q. What is the research process o
studying cultural heritage?
A. Whether the area o study is eith
tangible or intangible, it is necessary
do research on-site, where the traditi
originated. Cultural property not onl
includes artiacts made by nature and
human beings, but also the technique
used to make the artiacts. Tat is
why the National Research Institute o
Cultural Heritage extends its research
area to ossils and natural environmealong with the study o ne ceramics
or perormances such as talchum. It i
important to always go back to where
everything started.
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ended up making the nal list.
aekkyeon is a Korean martial art
that involves rhythmic movements
that resemble dance. Tere are roughly
50 ofcial masters certied by the
aekkyeon Korea Association, but
novices also practice the movements
as a orm o daily exercise. “Since the
movements in taekkyeon are very
uid, it is good or exibility when the
body is sti,” says Jung Kyung-hwa, a
10 | korea | january 2012
cover story
www.korea.ne
© T
o p i c I m a g e s ( o p p o s i t e ) ; K
i m D
a e - g y u n ( t o p ) ; Y o n h a p N e w s A g e n c y ( a b o v e )
government-certied taekkyeon expert.
Tough taekwondo is a more well-
known Korean traditional martial
art, taekkyeon’s selection as a heritage
o humanity will hopeully increase
awareness o the art. Jung speculates that
the reason taekkyeon was chosen was
because o its dance-like, yet surprisingly
powerul, movements.
“When people learn a certain
martial art, they expect the skill to look
UNESCO ofcially designated three
orms o Korean traditional culture as
items o Intangible Cultural Heritage o
Humanity in late 2011. Each addition
marked a special signicance in Korean
history: taekkyeon was the rst time
a martial art has been recognized by
UNESCO; Jultagi tightrope walking was
the rst time Korean tightrope walking
was acknowledged; and weaving mosi
ramie was the underdog nominee that
intimidating, so they can eel they are
learning something that might help
them protect themselves,” Jung says.
“However, taekkyeon, at rst glance,
doesn’t really look like a ‘serious’ martial
art, and I think that’s what has kept
people away rom learning the skill.”
Prior to UNESCO’s designation
in November, it was expected that
taekkyeon would be in competition
or recognition with China’s kung u.
But China withdrew its bid beore thecommittee meeting in Bali, Indonesia,
aer ailing to submit sufcient
inormation about the heritage.
While taekkyeon is a martial art
unique to Korean culture, tightrope
walking is considered more like
entertainment, and questions have been
raised over its distinguishing traits.
While the most common orm
o tightrope walking ocuses on the
acrobatic skill o maintaining balance,
the Korean traditional orm emphasizes
the interaction between the tightrope
walker and an earthbound clown. Te
walker perorms a variety o acrobatic
eats on the tightrope, while the clown
exchanges banter and musicians
accompany the act. A perormance with
all these elements is Namsadangnori ,
another intangible heritage.
Although both taekkyeon and
Jultagi were both highly expected to
make it onto UNESCO’s list, it was a
pleasant surprise to see that the skill
o weaving mosi was also recognized.
Te designation o the skill, which has
predominantly survived in Hansan,
Chungcheongnam-do Province, was
uncertain, as the UNESCO committee
doubted there was a concrete process
and method to maintain the tradition.
However, committee members were
convinced aer being shown how
systematic making quality mosi can be,
and seeing the its sustainable benets.
Te skill o weaving mosi in Hansa
has been handed down rom mother
to daughters. Te region has a suitabl
climate or growing ramie, and villag
women are involved in the harvestin
o the plant, bleaching, yarn spinning
and the nal weaving. oday, about
500 people in Hansan still actively
participate in mosi weaving.
“Mosi is as nely weaved as the win
o a dragony. Te more you wear it,
stronger it gets. And to whomever weit, the material gives a sense o elegan
says Bang Yeon-ok, a mosi weaving
master. Mosi is particularly well-suite
to summertime, when the makers we
the ramie more loosely, allowing the
abric to breathe and cool the body.
As signicant as the tradition is,
the decreasing number o people
learning the skill is making it difcult
or the culture to survive. In the past
housewives rom villages in the regio
would come together to weave — tod
there is no group weaving on the sam
scale. “Since younger generations mo
to cities, only the older generations arle to weave,” Bang says.
Tis is not just a problem weavers
ace. Te question o whom to beque
these unique skills to is a burden
practitioners o intangible cultural
heritages have shouldered or years. O
top o that, handing down the origina
skill is crucial as well. Since a cra is
adapted in accordance to each maste
style, proper documentation is vital o
uture reerence.
“Once an intangible cultural herita
is distorted, I think it will be impossib
to undo it,” says Jung. “I think we
need to have a specialized educationa
acility where all types o intangible
cultural heritage masters can share th
ideas and interpretations o each skill
together. Ultimately, the goal is to kee
the tradition alive.”
hough each o the recognized cultural properties are important, the three heritagesmost recently recognized by UNESCO carry a particular signiicance in Korean history.
CelebraTingThe newly reCognized
Taekkyeon mpcc m(pp). apc f Jultagi pfm cw fp w s (f).W By-k pmosi (bw).
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12 | korea | january 2012
pen & brush
The Transcendental
Power of Poetry
Kim Hye-soon
“Poetry should not be concerned with quantity, as long as it
contains a connotative and implicative nature within,” says
Kim Hye-soon, a poet and proessor at the Seoul Institute o
the Arts. “So it doesn’t matter i the poem goes on or 35 pages
or even 350 pages.”
Kim’s career took o since her debut in 1979, when shebecame one o the rst emale writers to be published in the
inuential quarterly Literature and Intellect . Over the past
three decades, she has published 10 collections, helping gain
ground or emale writers in a Korean literary eld dominated
by males. Her latest book, Sadness oothpaste Mirror Cream
(unocial translated title) was published in November nearly
simultaneously with the release o a new English-language
anthology o her work, All the Garbage of the World, Unite!
Kim’s name has been circulated in international literature
with works translated into Spanish, German and English, and
her growing exposure both at home and abroad sends her
globetrotting requently. Te recipient o the Kim Su-yeong
Literary Award (1997) and the Daesan Literary Award (2008),
this poet is still gaining recognition years since her debut. She
most recently appeared at a poetry estival in B erlin in June
2011 beore heading to the Poetry International Festival in
Rotterdam, the Netherlands.
Tough today her international success is no longer
shocking news to the poet, Kim still recalls a time when it was
revolutionary to e ven write as a woman in Korea. “However
How long should a poem be? Aside rom epic poems, many consider poetry to be aconsiderably shorter orm o literary genre. But one Korean poet, a pioneer in theindustry or years, breaks that pervasive stereotype with 35-page poems and anapproach diicult to contain in simpliied words.by Eunice Shin | photographs by Park Jeong-roh
dicult it was to be recognized as a emale poet, I elt I had no
other choice but to create poetry afer I learned how to read
and write,” Kim says. “I elt I needed to write poetry.”
moving past Language Te charm o writing or her
comes rom creating something o value beyond whatlanguage typically oers. Although poetry is written with
everyday words, the nal meaning and emotion o each piece
represents concepts that exceed human language.
“Words can explain that you are a girl, your hair is long and
your coat is brown,” Kim says. “Te words clariy the external
identity o a person, but there can be more there than these
words that are being spoken.”
However, that does not mean that word choice is any less
important. She believes that a poem is a work o art, and a
sense o dignity is needed or some works to become a true
poem. “Even one postpositional particle should be used to
compose a perect structure,” explains Kim as she asserts
that it is important to pursue perect composition in writing.
“People who say, ‘Oh I just tried something because I was
bored,’ should not call themselves an artist.”
Her desire to have control over the total structure o her
works maniests itsel in each title. Tough it seems some o
the sensational titles o her works (her debut piece in 1979
was Te Corpse Tat Smokes Cigarettes) were made to garner
attention, she says that wasn’t her intent. “I simply choose titles
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www.korea.ne
that represent the entire content o my poems,” Kim says. “Te
title being unique isn’t my rst concern.”
Te recently published All the Garbage of the World, Unite!
includes the 35-page poem titled Manhole Humanity. Kim
eels choosing the word “manhole” to show the relationship o
interactions between humans was necessary. “Although people
wear dierent perumes and dierent makeup, their ‘piping’ is
all the same underneath,” Kim says. “So it was natural to name
the poem that way, because I was in search o the characters o
humanity that are hidden underneath these açades.”
However, she surprisingly takes little interest in the book
covers, which potential readers might judge her work by. Tecover or the recent English collection was designed by her
daughter who is also an artist, but it wasn’t her idea to work
with her amily. She says it was all arranged by her publisher. “I
just ocus on how to make better literary creations,” Kim says.
Te writer was actually introduced to the English-language
international community through one her ans. Choi Don-
mee contacted the poet, explaining that she wanted to share
the insights o Kim’s work with a range o readers. Te writer
agreed, and Choi got to work on translating the poems,
eventually resulting in several collections: When the Plug Gets
Unplugged (2005), Mommy Must Be a Fountain of Feathers
(2008), All the Garbage of the World, Unite! (2011) and others.
Kim ully entrusts the translating to Choi and, though
the expressions used might be somewhat dierent rom the
original Korean, Kim eels condent in her work. “I considertranslated literature as a dierent genre,” Kim says. “It’s a
dierent work o art rom the original and that’s why I just let
her do her own thing with the work. She knows better than
I what English word choice will appeal to readers most to
deliver the message hidden in the poem.”
RuLes of WRiting Kim eels that one o the basics o writing
poetry is to discard the desire to write well. Tis will enable
a writer to think about how to play with words more reely,
experimenting so that the combination o each can allude to
something else in the bigger picture. Tereore, more layers,
undertones and subtle meanings can be embraced by the
words. “Poems do not present exposition. Once a poem
starts explaining things, it’s not a poem anymore, since it is
no longer implicative,” Kim says with conviction. “Being
expository is the basic human urge, and I help students
get rid o it in their works.”
However, this minimal use o explanation has helped
the general public to perceive her works as dicult
to understand. Kim is aware o the act that people
sometimes read her works and ail to grasp the subtexts. “‘Your
work is dicult’ is probably the phrase I’ve heard most about
my work in the past 30 years,” laughs Kim. But she says it is
the readers’ job to take as much as they can. “I’ve put my work
out there or people to interpret as they wish … the degree to
which each person absorbs the meaning o the poems will be
dierent or everyone.”
Tese dicult works have made her one o the more
popular proessors at the Seoul Institute o the Arts. Although
the general public may have labeled her an abstruse writer,
her students respect her writing style. “Students look to me
to learn what I have learned over the years as a writer, so they tend to respect my comments on their work regardless o how
harsh I am,” Kim says. “But since it is a creative genre, I can
only tell students what not to do, and not what to do.”
Kim studied Korean literature in college at Konkuk
University, but ocused on poetry as she ound essays and
novels did not suit her style. “Poetic language can be used in
novel writing, but the ctional language used in novel writing
can never be applied to poetry,” Kim believes. “I think I would
eel as i I would plunge down to the bottom i I were to write
something that doesn’t work in poetry.”
gendeR games Tough she made her literary debut in the
late 1970s when the eld was comprised only o male writers,
today, Kim nds more and more aspiring emales in her
creative writing course. She hopes that one day, the eld willbecome so dominated by women, that it will have to be the
men who strive to pave their own way and style amongst the
emale literary giants.
For her part, Kim has trailblazed the way or several writers
in her generation, with her unique style unaraid o graphic
descriptions and sensualized imagery. Her 1997 Poor Love
Machine brought to light a conrontational style that discussed
everything rom love to death. For example, Rat , rom the
collection, discovers an existential philosophy in the simple act
o turning on a light, replete with textual cries, onomatopoeias
and a sense o the unknown.
However, the poet is worried that there is still a long road
to travel or women to be recognized as leaders within the
Korean literary world. “Male writers are just called writers,
but emale writers are specically called emale writers,”
Kim explains. “And, although there is no such categorization
among male writers, women are typically divided up into
‘young emale’ writers, ‘unmarried emale’ writers or even ‘old
emale’ writers. I nd this system to be so odd and hope that it
will be changed one day soon.”
pooR Love machine(1997)
In the collection Poor Love
Machine, poet Kim Hye-soon dives
straight into the topics of feminine
philosophy and sexuality without
looking back. Complete with the
sensational titles Kim is so well
known for and a biting grasp of
reality, the collection provides an
insightful and dark view into the
world of love and death.
The title poem looks into the
symbolic love of a machine, which
is only revived by the narrator’s
human touch. A sharp comparison is drawn between the mach
and the human heart in simple, enlightening sentences. Althou
the word choice in this collection is not overly abstract, the
illustrative imagery can be interpreted in several creative ways
depending on the reader.
The gritty honesty of Poor Love Machine won Kim the
prestigious Kim Su-yeong Literary Award in 1997. Several of th
poems can be found in the poet’s English-language collection
Mommy Must Be a Fountain of Feathers , including Rat .
RepResentative WoRk
Rat
by Kim Hye-soon, translated by Choi Don-mee
Enter the inside of the sunny morning, and it seems as if
the scream can always be heard. It’s so loud that it’s
inaudible to us. The scream let out by last night’s
darkness. This morning the whitish scream suddenly
disperses then gathers in the air — ah, ah, ah, ah! Do
people know how much it hurts the darkness when you
turn on the light in the middle of the night? So I can’t
turn on the light even when the night arrives. The day of
the first snowfall, I took an x-ray of my body. Then I asked
everyone I met: Have you ever turned on the light inside
your intestine? The darkness with a fluid mass moving
through it endlessly — is this my essence? When the light
is switched on inside my darkness, I buzz like a beetle
pinned down, bung, bung, bung, bung, and shake my
head wildly, my muzzle holding onto a black string.
Struck by the light, I regress, in a flash, from a reptile to a
beetle turned upside down. My dignity is the darkness
inside. Was it hiding inside the darkness? Lights on — my
underground prison, my beloved black being trembles in
it. The damaged walls of my room quiver from the car
lights coming in through the windows. Thousands of
rays of light poke at me — my dark, crouched face. The
day of the first snow, the snow was nowhere to be seen.The houses with lit windows. How painful the light must
be for the night.
14 | korea | january 2012
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16 | korea | january 2012
people
www.korea.ne
© S
M I E n t e r t a i n m e n t
Since debuting in rieste, Italy, in 1986,
Sumi Jo has become one o the most
sought-aer sopranos o her generation,
perorming in nearly all the major halls
and conquering seemingly impossible
vocal heights with graceul ease.
Last year, the 49-year-old celebrated
25 years o singing, and she is looking
orward to another 25 — “obviously not
always on the stage but in other ways
that I can share and give,” says Jo over
the phone while on tour in Sydney.
A UNESCO-designated “Artist or
Peace,” Jo will be visiting North Korea in
May with a group o Korean-American
doctors to provide ree vaccinations or
children. “In the past, I had about three
chances to visit North Korea but they all
a good cause.”
A Grammy Award winner with more
than 50 albums to her credit, Jo also
hopes to use her ame to raise awareness
about animal protection in her home
country. “I’ve always been interested
in animal protection ever since I was
young,” says the Seoul native, who is
hersel the owner o three dogs.
“I believe it’s important to care or
not only our beloved pets but all living
creatures, to allow them to live withoutbeing abused.” Jo is currently raising
unds to open an education center
where people can learn about respecting
animals and adopt stray cats and dogs.
Another educational initiative she
hopes to pursue is naturally through
music. “I want to continue giving more
master classes or youths. And i I fnd
talented young singers then I’d like
to support them, to help them debut
without going through the hardships
that I had to endure.”
Looking back at her 25 years, there
were many trying moments. Winning
the approval and support o classical
music greats like the late maestro
Herbert von Karajan did not protect her
rom racial discrimination. “Europe [in
the 1980s] was very conservative, and
it was nothing short o a miracle or an
Asian to play a lead opera role,” she says.
However, she was able to persevere
with an iron will. “First o all, I knew
mysel very well, and knew what I
wanted. Everything I’ve accomplished
was planned in advance and I ollowed
through with it; it didn’t happen
overnight. I am constantly pushing
mysel to move orward.”
Sel-discipline, she says, keeps her
going. “Every moment is challenging
in a way. I eel responsible to live up to
the name ‘Sumi Jo’ — I can’t indulge in
alcohol or atigue my voice with long
conversations, or stay up late or get sick.”
Sumi Jo performs at the United NationsHeadquarters in New York in 2010 (opposite). Jocelebrated 25 years of singing last year (top). Jo isone of the world’s greatest sopranos (above).
Star soprano Sumi Jo hopes to share not only music, butalso humanitarian values with the world. by Lee Hyo-won
Art of Sharing
ell through. I wanted to make the visit
not as a musician but as a humanitarian.
I really want to help children,” she says.
Aer her visit was confrmed, Jo
received an invitation to perorm with
the local orchestra. “I said yes, as long
as it’s a charity concert. Te wonderul
thing about music is that it can not only
give joy to listeners but also be used or
She does, however, always take time
or introspection. “I am in constant
dialogue with mysel.” She thus
encourages aspiring singers to fnd inner
peace. “You need to fnd happiness,
leisure and wisdom in order to deliver
songs rom deep within yoursel. Being
able to move people’s hearts is the
greatest weapon, and no cold-hearted
person can touch others.”
Jo has built an extensive career
sharing music with audiences. She ha
interpreted the hallmarks o the bel
canto — and even recently Baroque
— repertoire, but has also reached ou
to non-classical music ans by singin
Korean traditional songs as well as
scores or V dramas such as HBO’s
Mildred Pierce . Te singer even made
surprise appearance on the talent sho
Operastar Korea last May.
“I eel it’s important to connect topeople outside opera houses. I really
enjoy communicating with the young
generation, rather than waiting aroun
in the opera house,” she says. She kee
in touch with ans through social me
and operates her witter, Facebook a
Cyworld accounts hersel.
“It’s one o the ew things that I can
continue to do wherever I go,” she say
Even at the time o the interview, she
was battling jetlag rom tours in the U
and Mexico. Aer perorming in New
Zealand, the artist will be on the road
again or a charity event in Qatar. “I
believe it’s my mission to sing wherev
am needed — to reach out to youths
interact with the public. Music-makin
itsel is a great joy and blessing.”
Sumi Jo’s
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www.korea.ne18 | korea | january 2012
great korean
© Y
o n h a p N e w s A g e n c y ; C u
l t u r a l H e r i t a g e A d m i n i s t r a t i o n ( t o p r i g h t )
Te Venerable Wonhyo’s lie began
with his birth in 617, in today’s
Gyeongsangbuk-do Province. He le
home at the age o 15 aer relinquishing
his earthly possessions and went in
search o eminent Buddhist priests
to learn rom. However, he didn’t tie
himsel down to any one o his mentors,
and instead roamed reely rom teacher
to teacher, never depending on any one
person to become spiritually awakened.
When he was 45, he started making
his way to China, where he hoped to
study Buddhism urther. Somewhere
along the way, however, he was orced to
take shelter in an old tomb. During the
night, he awoke and was parched. He
reached or what he thought was a gourd
and drank the seemingly cool, rereshing
water it contained. Much to his surprise
the next morning, the “gourd” had
actually been a human skull, and the
“resh water” was rotten and brackish.
Aer vomiting, he realized the power
o the human mind to transorm reality.
Tis experience o “consciousness-only”
enlightenment would go on to orm the
core o Hwaeom philosophy.
Wonhyo decided to stop his journey
to China right then and there, giving up
his long-cherished dream o studying in
the Middle Kingdom because he realized
that truth was ound in the mind, not in
the physical world.
He returned to Silla, one o
Korea’s Tree Kingdoms, to spread
Buddhism to the public and to study
urther. Upon his death, he is said to
have written more than 240 books, 22 o
which are still in existence. His interest
in a wide range o subjects and his
brilliant thoughts were inuential even
to Chinese scholars, who were known to
quote him.
A respected priest and admired
thinker, he also surprised many with his
unconventional b ehavior. For example,
in his later lie, he gave up his monk’s
robes and married Princess Yoseok
(the daughter o Silla’s 29 th king), giving
birth to a son. Adopting the title o a
layman, Wonhyo would drum on an
empty gourd, an instrument used only
by clowns at the time, singing songs that
contained Buddhist teachings. He went
anywhere he could meet new people,
rom bars to markets, and beriended all
he crossed paths with.
Many consider one o his greatest
achievements to be the popularization
o Buddhism in Korea. In his time, Silla’s
Buddhism had been ocially recognized
or just a century, and was only popularamong the royal amily. Unlike other
priests who led aristocratic lives in big
temples, Wonhyo reached out to the
public with the belie that everybody
could be awakened.
“Wonhyo tried to reach out to
the masses and spread Buddhist
teachings that emphasized the mind.
It was because o him that Buddhism
blossomed aer it came to Korea,” says
Lee Pyong-rae, director o the Institute
o Wonhyo Studies.
Wonhyo lived during a tumultuous
period o Korean history, between the
4th and mid-7th centuries, when the
Tree Kingdoms — Goguryeo, Baekje,
and Silla — ought or dominance o the
peninsula, which was only unied by
Silla in 668. But over
the course o those
400 years, people
sufered unimaginable
hardships rom the
warring.
Wonhyo tried to
embrace all o this
through Buddhism.
“Wonhyo made a major
contribution to the unity
o the Tree Kingdomsthrough Buddhism ... he
was someone who had a
thorough understanding
o the spirit o the age, as
well as a great Buddhist
thinker and religious
activist,” Lee explains.
His lie philosophy was based
on ilsim (One Mind) and hwajaeng
(Harmonization), the core principles
behind his Buddhism. A main theme
o his writings — which included A
WonhyoKorean Buddhism’sNew DawnWonhyo is not someone who can bedescribed in just a ew words. A highpriest o Korean Buddhism, one o the greatest scholars in Koreanhistory, an activist who worked withthe masses and a pioneer who wantedto uniy the Korean Peninsula areonly some o the things he was. Morethan 1,300 years ater his death,Wonhyo is still revered by Koreans.by Seo Dong-chul
Commentary on the Vajrasamadh
Sutra and A Commentary on the
Awakening of Faith — One Mind can
be summed up as the belie that every
human being has a Buddhist nature
and can become Buddha as long as
they restore the true source o their
mind. Every creature is equal and the
jeongto (pure land), a religious utopia
o Mahayana Buddhism, is where
everybody is treated merciully and
without discrimination.
On the other hand, Harmonization
integrated theories o diferent sects a
greatly contributed to the developme
o Korean Buddhism. Just as is indica
by his Buddhist name, Wonhyo
(meaning “early dawn”), ushered in a
new dawn o Korean Buddhism with
studies and writings.
oday, he survives in the minds
o Koreans more than a millennium
aer his death. Wonhyo-ro Street and
Wonhyo Bridge in Se oul were named
aer him, while his lie has been
recreated in numerous novels, plays a
musicals. Tis is most likely because h
message is still relevant or those o u
who live in the 21st century.
A portrait of Buddhist monk Wonhyo, whoseteachings helped spread Buddhism across thepeninsula (opposite). The original text of ACommentary on the Awakening of Faith, whichlooked at Mahayana Buddhism (above). One ofWonhyo’s manuscripts was shown in a specialexhibit in Tokyo (below).
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www.korea.ne20 | korea | january 2012
seoul
somewhat akin to hash browns, most
the vendors are located at the market’
main intersection. At its epicenter, in
all directions you can watch as skilled
hands ry plate-sized rounds made
rom crushed mung beans and assort
vegetables atop a large skillet. Once r
to a golden crisp, patrons dip pieces
into soy sauce avored with vinegar a
onions, beore washing it down with
Korea’s signature rice liquor, makgeol
Around dusk, Kwangjang Market’s
hum o activity is ratcheted up a ew
notches. Groups o oce workers,
students, tourists and seniors rub
shoulders atop wooden picnic bench
wrapped in heated blankets. As they e
a handul o eccentric market regular
starts to appear. Among them, “Te
General” dons a top hat and plays the
saxophone. Another nattily-dressed
elderly man may arrive with accordio
portable amplier and microphone
in tow, just in case any diners want an
impromptu karaoke session.
Sitting amongst this rich mix, it’s
obvious that Kwangjang retains Korea
most quintessential charms — delicio
ood and warm-hearted people.
than it seems, some 5,000 shops are
located between Jongno Street’s 4-ga and
5-ga intersections.
For over a century, Kwangjang has
been known or ne textiles. oday,
wholesalers rom better-known markets
like Dongdaemun and Namdaemun
arrive early each morning to purchase
wares or manuacture and resale. Retail
customers come in search o the market’s
hanbok shops, where tailors create
bespoke versions o Korea’s nationalcostume at discounts up to 30%.
In recent years, Kwangjang has also
emerged as Seoul’s premier destination
or vintage clothing. Although retro
boutiques are popular in several o the
city’s trendiest neighborhoods, only
Kwangjang’s upper level can boast 300
shops selling everything rom men’s
couture to women’s accessories imported
rom Japan, Europe and North America.
Nevertheless, Kwangjang is best
known or ood. High-brow Korean
palace cuisine it is not, but it probably is
Seoul’s best single location to enjoy the
sheer diversity o Korean street ood.
Te market’s central arteries burst with
lines o carts carrying vats o simmering
tteokbokki rice cakes, high stacks o pig’s
trotters, ropes o sundae blood sausage
and bowls o red b ean porridge, called
patjuk. Te bright light rom the naked
bulbs that hang rom the rafers is made
hazy by thick clouds o steam.
Among this smorgasbord o Korean
comort ood, mayak gimbap warrants
special mention. Te so-called “narcotic
gimbap” is a miniature version o Korea’s
ubiquitous rice and vegetable roll. Te
name comes rom the assertion that one
2,500-won plate (US$2.12) o 12 rolls
dipped in spicy mustard and soy sauce
won’t be enough.
Controlled substances aside, the
undisputed king o Kwangjang’s snack
stalls is bindaetteok. With a texture
Gorging onKwangjang
For over 100 years, Seoulites have escaped winter’s chill atKwangjang Market. oday, it remains one o the best placesto grab a delicious meal, ind a great bargain, and rubshoulders with a diverse cross-section o everyday olks.
by Matt Kelley | photographs by Choi Ji-young
January is Korea’s coldest month. It’s
when a Siberian high pressure system
brings both gorgeous blue skies and
stubbornly below-reezing temperatures.
In search o warmth, Seoulites ofen
head to Kwangjang Market, a shoppers’
and oodies’ paradise where both a
hot meal and the warmth o authentic
Korean hospitality are readily available.
Established in 1905, Kwangjang is
Korea’s longest-running public market
and also one o its largest. Far bigger
• The best time to visit Kwangjang’s vintage sh
is after 11am, when the wholesale dealer s hav
finished their daily buys. Most shops close at 7
Don’t be afraid to haggle on the pri ce.
• As you might expect, the best time to visit the
food stalls is at major mealtimes. Don’t bother
haggling on the bindaetteok — they’ve been 4
won (US$3.40) each for a decade!
before you go
fm ppsit, clckwis: Th main dintsctin at Kwanjan Makt; a ishvnd insid th makt; whlsalaics; mayak gimbap.
Kwangjang Market
Jongno 5-ga Station,Subway Line 1
8
Mayak gimbap
Vintageshopsentrance
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travel: muju
© K
o r e a T o u r i s m O
r g a n i z a t i o n ( a b o v e ; o p p o s i t e b o t t o m )
Hyangjeokbong peak sits at 1,614m
above sea level, but winter hikers can
reach this scenic viewpoint rom a
gondola at Muju Deogyusan Resort. A
20-minute hike aer the ride up will lead
visitors to a snow-covered landscape.
Te dark blue o winter skies contrasts
with the stretches o land below.
As I walk up the trail towardsHyangjeokbong, the summit o Mount
Deogyusan, the surrounding roads, trees
and rocks are covered in white. Last
night’s snow has covered the mountain
in a thick blanket and branches rozen
with snow appear as natural sculptures.
Mt Deogyusan, which stretches
rom Muju in Jeollabuk-do Province
to Geochang in Geyongsangnam-
do Province, is Korea’s ourth highest
mountain and one o the country’s
national parks. Deogyusan means
“gentle mountain with virtue,” which isepitomized in its accessible trails easy to
climb even or children.
In contrast, Hallasan (1,950m), Jirisan
(1,915m) and Seoraksan (1,708m)
mountains are only accessible to
adults with climbing experience and
appropriate climbing gear.
Te gondola at Muju Deogyusan
Resort is part o what makes the trip
to the summit so stress-ree. Te
2,659m-long cable car transports visitors
rom the ski resort at the entrance o
Deogyusan to Seolcheonbong peak (1,520m). From there, visitors can reach
Hyangjeokbong aer a mere 20 to 30
minutes o hiking.
Dogwoods, Korean rs and maples
O the highest mountain ranges in Korea, not many allow or bothnovice and expert trekkers to experience the beauty o winter.Mount Deogyusan’s accessibility is its greatest appeal, and nature-lovers head to its peaks in the heart o the year’s coldest months.by Chung Dong-muk | photograph by Kim Hong-jin
How to Get tHereTo get to
Deogyusan from Seoul
by car, take the
Gyeongbu Expressway
past Daejeon to Biryong
IC and take Jungbu
(Daejeon-Tongyeong)
Expressway. From Muju
IC take National Road
37 to Deogyusan-ri.
National Road 37 is also great for sightseeing a
highway will circle and pass through MtDeogyusan. Take a bus from Seoul Nambu Bus
Terminal to Muju Intercity Bus Terminal. Buses l
daily at 7:40am, 9:20am, 10:40am, 1:40pm an
2:35pm. From the rear gate of Muju Terminal, t
a free shuttle bus to Deogyusan Resort.
travel information
22 | korea | january 2012 www.korea.ne
Su
vie or one’s attention, but it is the Jumok
(Japanese yew) trees that steal the show.
Jumok trees, which are known or their
longevity but are dicult to calculate
in age, are known in Korea to “thrive
1,000 years alive and 1,000 years dead.”
Beneath the white snow on Deogyusan,
the trees boast geometric branches, red
bark and sharp green leaves.Kim Yu-jung has visited Deogyusan
with her 7-year-old daughter Hye-min.
“I’m glad I visited with my child. I was
worried that this hike would be too
dicult or her, but was I wrong.”
Te scenery aforded at the peak can
be described only by those who climb all
the way to the top. At Hyangjeokbong,
the numerous mountains and valleys
spread out beneath your eet. Te local
saying “below no man and above 10,000
men” best explains this spot. Hikers
can look out to the horizon and even
see neighboring mountains, including
Gayasan, Bigyesan, Jirisan, Daedunsan
and Gyeryongsan.When descending, stop by Deogyusan
Ski Resort or a hands-on experience
o the white snow. Te resort is Korea’s
southernmost skiing and snowboarding
venue with an impressive total area o
over 7sqkm. Te Hotel irol, designed
by amed European architect Karl
Landauer, opened in 1997, augmenting
the area’s natural beauty.
Te areas o Muju, Jinan and Jangsu in
Jeollabuk-do Province are oen reerred
to as “Mujinjang,” using the rst syllable
o each county. Te word, however,
also means “no end” in Korean, and
the people here are known or their
“mujinjang” (endless) sincerity. Farmers
in the area are also known to use only
organic ertilizers, which has led to the
counties being known as the “mecca o
organic arming.”
muju
w hks k h y up Hygjkbpk m Dgyus (pps). vss Schbg pk by cb c (b).fs d ds sk h DgySk rs (b).
a a sas
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travel: baeksasil
© J o n g n o - g u O f f i c e ( s e c o n d f r o m t o p r i g h t , b o t t o m ) ; N e w s b a n k I m a g e s ( o p p o s i t e )
Baeksasil Valley in northern Se oul is one
o the city’s greatest secrets, well-kept by
neighbors and hikers seeking its peace.
Groves o tall trees bridge the ground
to the blue skies in this quiet mountain
valley, where the air is so silent that even
the so alling o snow will lightly sound
on dry leaves.
Oen named one o Korea’s most
picturesque landmarks, Baeksasil dates
back to the the Joseon Dynasty (1392–
1910), where it is believed to have been
the site o a grand villa owned by Yi
Hang-bok, a renowned prime minister
in the early 17th century. Te valley wasnamed aer Yi’s penname “Baeksa.” Its
unmatched views o the city led to it
being called a Baekseokdongcheon —
“baekseok” is short or Mt Bugaksan,
hough oten overlooked orits neighboring hiking trailson mounts Bukhansan andBugaksan, Baeksasil Valley oers one o Seoul’s mostpeaceul, hidden inner-city escapes. by Ines Min | photographs by
Kim Hong-jin
24 | korea | january 2012 www.korea.ne
while “dongcheon” means scenic
outlook — and an ancient rock carving
still proclaims that title today.
Te course to Baeksasil begins long
beore the actual entrance o the valley.
Te hike to its entrance can be ound in
the charming neighborhood o Buam-
dong, home to several hole-in-the-wall
eateries and coee shops boasting beans
roasted in-store.
Explorers head north on Jahamun-
gil, a winding road with an incline thatrises and alls with the side o Bugaksan.
Along the path, pop culture anatics will
appreciate Sanmotoonge Cae, better
known as one o the shooting locations
or the hit Korean drama Te 1st Shop
o Cofee Prince. Tough the area is
undergoing new development, pristine
views o Seoul and the seonggwak-gil
ortress wall can still be glimpsed all
along the walk.
At the entrance o Baeksasil, wave
upon wave o majestic trees greet the
eye, welcoming weary hikers into a
pleasant, downhill walk. Strategically
located wooden benches provide perches
perect or reection, as passersby
dwindle to a minimum.
Remnants o Yi’s villa can be ound
nestled in a clearing in the valley.
Tough the building itsel has long been
lost to time, oundation stones stand in
their original locations. Separated rom
the hiking trails by a stream, the outlines
o a pond and hexagonal pavilion stand
in place by the main building.
At the end o the trail, Hyeontongsa
emple peeks out rom a corner o the
mountain, its entrance located next to
a spring that ows down larger-than-
lie boulders. Te vibrantly painted gate
ushers in curious onlookers, beore they descend once more into the city.
Tough Baeksasil Valley ends at
the temple, many will continue on to
make one last stop, near the end o the
trail. Segeomjeong, a small pavilion
designated a landmark within Seoul,
was a resting place or soldiers. Its
name literally translates to “place to
wash swords and pray or peace,” and
the quiet environment it rests in helps
illuminate the name.
Te original date o construction
is unknown, but its current state was
restored in 1977, aer a fre burnt down
A City’s
How to Get tHereFrom
Gyeongbokgung
Station, Subway Line 3,
walk straight out of exit
3. Take bus 1020 or
7022 to Buam-dong
Community Center. Get
off and follow the signs
to Sanmotoonge Cafe.
wHat to eatJaHa Sonmandu
Indulge in fresh, handmade mandu dumplings
and other cuisine.
245-2 Buam-dong, Jongno-gu, Seoul
Phone +82 2 379 2648SanmotoonGe Cafe
Visit one of the most picturesque shooting
locations from the drama The 1st Shop of
Coffee Prince.
97-5 Buam-dong, Jongno-gu, Seoul
Phone +82 2 391 4737
travel information
S
the structure in 1941. Records show
that it was frst rebuilt in 1748, and
its likeness was captured in a work by
Joseon Dynasty painter Jeong Seon.
Tough the valley’s easy trails will
only take an hour or two, at most, to
traverse, the mini excursion provides
relie rom the city’s bustling renzy o
10 million people.
f pps, ccks: w s s Bkss vy; Hygs tp; c ck h s“Bkskgch”; Sgjg s p c s by sg ss.
festival
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festival
© H
w a c h e o n S a n c h e o n e o I c e F e s t i v a l
Freezing Fish Frenzy
Imagine stepping out onto 40cm thick ice, oating atop a
winter stream. Everywhere around you, couples, riends and
amilies peer into the icy waters below that blur with sh.
Flipping, oundering sancheoneo (trout) make or some
o the best shing, and Gangwon-do Province is the place to
be or the winter sport. Te small village o Hwacheon draws
in more than a million visitors each year with the Hwacheon
Sancheoneo Ice Festival. Tis year’s edition is set to take place
rom Jan 7 to 29, and expectations are running high aer the
last-minute cancellation o last year’s events. CNN included
the estival on its list o seven
winter wonders and organizers
are looking orward to a new year
o estivities.
“A total o 1,330,000 peoplecame in 2010, but our chairman
has decided to dedicate our eforts
on the quality o the estival rather
than on keeping a headcount,”
Ice fishing is 12,000 won
(US$10.21) with a
complimentary 5,000 won
voucher that can be used
toward fishing supplies.
Children and senior tickets cost
8,000 won. Other events and
activities can be accessed for
3,000 won to 5,000 won.
Admission
his January, experience winter to itsullest by ice ishing in Gangwon-doProvince. From seasoned pro to daringamateur, try your hand — l iterally, insome cases — at landingsome o Korea’stastiest wild
trout or a reshcatch. by Ines Min
Fr te t, clckwe: A gru f fre catch ther frt fh f the ay athe Hwache sachee ice Fetval; A a hl u h catch ruly; Tw gare ucceful ther effrt; A wa e wth her catch; Tw ele e wgg fr a re Krea tratal ce le.
says estival PR spokesman Oh Se-bin. “Instead, we are doing
our best to ensure that each individual who comes will be able
to enjoy their time.”
Te main event at the ice estival is, o course, the ice
shing. Most preer to ice sh on top o the rozen stream,
though others with more expertise might opt or lure shing.
Tis year, 11,000 ice holes will be made or visitors and 200
spots or lure shing will be open each day. Kids will also have
a chance to partake, with 500 holes dedicated just or children.
For those who preer to take no chances on the best shing
spots, reservations can be made ahead o time (4,000 o the ice
holes are set aside or reservations). Te remaining holes and
line shing are rst come rst served, so it’s best to arrive early.
Each person is allowed to catch up to three sh, but don’t
worry about there not being enough to catch — organizersreplenish the trout in the stream regularly.
I you’re unaraid o bone-chilling temperatures, try the
hands-on shing pit. Aer stripping down to shorts and a
-shirt, those willing to brave the reezing waters can jump
into a pool o trout and catch their prey with their bare han
Certainly a once-in-a-lietime opportunity, hands-on shin
will take place three times a day (11am, 1pm and 3pm).
However, the best part o the ice estival comes aer all
the hard work has been completed. Successul shers can
enjoy their catch on site, as places to grill or bake are availa
throughout the estival grounds. Alternatively, the sancheon
can be enjoyed as resh sashimi at the sushi stalls, as many
preer the trout raw.
Sledding on Korean traditional sleighs will b e available, a
well as skating, ice soccer and more. Families can explore th
snowman exhibit or wander around cavernous monument
made o ice. Others can go or a stroll on Seong Deung Wa
440m street o lights located in Hwacheon.
Ambitious DIY olks may want to enter the sleddingcompetition, where groups compete or the best homemade
sled. Judged on design, complexity and speed, the grand pr
is 2 million won (US$1,732). For more inormation about t
estival, visit www.naraestival.com (Korean and English).
Catching a trout can take time and patience, so bring a
portable chair to relax into and warm footwear. Don't worry
about fishing gear though, as it’s available on-site!
Tip!
now in korea
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www.korea.net28 | korea | january 2012
now in korea
Te village o Gume, Gyeonggi-do Province, bustles
busily with work around the end o the year. Tis sm
town is home to Korea’s largest production base o jo
bamboo strainers, a traditional cra with a 400-year
history. Tese handmade works can be ound hangin
all around the “village o bamboo strainers,” a symbo
happiness and blessing in the new year.
raditionally, jori was a bamboo strainer Korean
armers used to rinse rice. Te custom was that they
would hang a jori in their house at dawn on the rst
o the year, believing it invoked blessings like bounti
rice harvests in the coming season. Tis custom led tthe term Bokjori, which means a bamboo strainer o
good ortune. oday, people will buy a strainer, place
coins or grain in it, and hang it in their home.
Gume is known or its mountain bamboo, which i
the best material or making the strainers. One-year
bamboo is cut around October, dried and subsequen
split into our parts. It is then soaked in water to so
beore craspeople weave the bamboo into strainers
and all o the work is done by hand.
Choi Bok-soon, who has been making bamboo
strainers or 40 years, says that although they don’t
make nearly as many as they did in the past, the cust
o hanging Bokjori or good ortune has yet to chang
“Over the years, bamboo strainers have come to be u
in more diverse ways. Nowadays, people give Bokjor
presents when an entrepreneur opens a new busines
or a housewarming gi or even as a windshield
decoration or cars.”
Familiar TradiTions More traditional amilies in
Korea will celebrate the lunar new year, which is call
seollal . Tis year’s lunar new year alls on Jan 23, tho
many amilies preer to celebrate New Year on Jan 1.
Tough the typical midnight countdown will be
dicult to nd in Korea, amilies will kick o New Y
celebrations with charye, a memorial service perorm
or one’s ancestors, by preparing a number o dieren
oerings. Aer the memorial service, younger amily
members will perorm a traditional sebae bow to the
grandparents, parents and close amily riends. Peop
will bow to the eldest rst and continue down accordto age. Aer the person bowing wishes a “Happy Ne
Year!” the elderly will typically respond with a “I hop
all your wishes come true this year.”
Without ail, Koreans will eat tteokguk (rice cake
the New YearCelebrating
Around the world, people have many di erent ways to ring in New Year’s Day. In Korea,many hold memorial services or ancestors, have their ortunes read, oer prayers atBuddhist temples or watch the year’s irst sunrise. by Lee Se-mi | photographs by Kim Nam-heon
© K
o r e a T o u r i s m O
r g a n i z a t i o n
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would say things like “Let all our illnesses y away with this
kite.” Aer the kite was high up in the air, they would cut the
string, as this symbolized the hope that the kite’s message
would come true.
new Year’s PraYers Regardless o religious conviction, it is
a longtime custom in Korea to oer a devout prayer by visiting
a spiritual place at the start o the year. Famous places to watch
the year’s rst sunrise — whether near the sea, on a mountain
or at a Buddhist temple — are crowded with people at the
beginning o the year be cause Koreans believe ortune will
smile down upon them i they watch the rst sunrise.
Chiljangsa, an ancient Buddhist temple in Gyeonggi-do
Province, is one such place to greet the new year. Kim Jung-
soon came here to oer a devout prayer and begin her new
year on the right note, saying, “On the rst day o the lunar
calendar year, I always visit a Buddhist temple. I pray or the
health o my amily, the continued saety o the Buddhist
temple that I belong to, the continued health o the aithul
and or Korea’s prosperity. From the third to the seventh day
o the lunar calendar, I also pray or the many people up in
heaven that help keep me sae.”
Fortune tellers are also quite busy at the b eginning o the
year. It has become a common custom around this time or
people to turn to ortune telling, or saju, at amous ortune
teller stalls, saju caes and websites.
Tere are various ways to tell one’s ortune — through
divination or through academic study — and people will
inquire about everything rom business and work to romanceor money. One ortune teller, who goes by the name o
Domyeong (they rarely use their real name), carries out
predictions based on academic studies about saju.
“Saju literally means ‘our pillars,’ with the pillars being the
www.korea.ne 30 | korea | january 2012
time, date, month and year o your birth. Tis kind o ortune
telling helps people learn about their aptitude and abilities,
and which path to choose in lie, while also helping you better
prepare or the uture,” Domyeong explains.
I visited a saju cae in the afuent neighborhood o
Apgujeong-dong, mere days beore the end o the year. Te
cae was crowded with the year-end rush and, save or the
separate area set aside or ortune telling, it wasn’t much
dierent rom any other coee shop. At one table, two young
women were careully hanging on one ortune teller’s every
word. As i amongst old riends, the three o them spoke
seriously about intimate subjects, at times laughing in a
careree manner.
Most people wait to have their ortune told while having a
snack or sipping on some tea. One 35-year-old woman named
Shin Na-young dropped by on her way home rom work,
revealing she visits a saju cae once every two to three months.
“I love that saju caes are easily approachable and that I
can have my ortune told or un. Although I’m Christian, Idon’t eel uncomortable about getting my ortune told,” she
says. “I’ve been to a lot o saju caes, but I come to this one in
particular because I trust one o the ortune tellers who works
here. When I came one time last year with some riends, we
soup) on New Year’s Day. Tis tradition marks a sort o
birthday or Koreans, as they are said to be a year older upon
eating the soup.
teokguk is made with thin slices o rice cake and stock,
but recipes vary rom region to region. In addition, the color
o the rice cakes, which is white, symbolizes brightness, while
its round shape represents the sun. Tus, eating rice cake soup
is believed to ward o disasters in the coming year by starting
the rst day o the year with light.
People also play a number o traditional games on New
Year’s Day, including neolttwigi (a game similar to see-sawing)
andYunnori
(a traditional board game). In the past, when
women spent most o their days indoors, they enjoyed playing
neolttwigi because it allowed them to see what was happening
outside the walls o their home, by jumping as high as they
could. Yunnori is popular with people o all ages. Played with
our sticks, called yut , the game symbolizes the our seasons,
while also wishing everyone a plentiul harvest.
In days o old, children loved ying kites. Aer attaching
bamboo branches to some paper, they would write Chinese
characters on the main part o the kite or on the tail that
© K
o r e a T o u r i s m O
r g a n i z a t i o n ( t o p r i g h t )
were told that we would all get married in the coming year.
And guess what? All o us did. I wonder what I’ll be told wi
happen this year.”
Yu Sang-joon, who has run a saju cae called Jaeminan
Jogakga (Te Fun Sculptor) since 1995, says, “It’s nice that
you can have your ortune told in a un and amiliar way he
so as not to make the whole thing weird or scary. You migh
not believe it, but some o the people who come here includ
doctors, stock traders and proessors.”
Yeonam, a ortune teller at Yu’s cae, reads ortunes by
interpreting the patterns o scattered coins or rice. Howeve
she’s the rst to admit that you should not just blindly trust
the ortune you’re told. “It would be wrong to ask me to dec
something or you while I’m telling your ortune,” she expla
“Your decisions should be made by you. What I tell you sho
merely provide ood or thought. People’s ortunes are alwa
changing, and the uture is not set in stone.”
People gain hope rom the words o ortune tellers, who p
the role o an adviser or those at a crossroads. Whatever yohopes or dreams or the coming year, it can’t hurt to visit a
saju cae and see what might lie in store or you in 2012. W
knows? It might even be un and give you a little something
think about.
F ppt btt, cck: a py t Chjg Tp Gygg-Pvc; b f tt tteokguk c ck up; Bokjori bb t f g uck Gu; a ftu t tpt th ftu f cut; Tp vtt th hp h tt t.
entertainment
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© K
B S
In Korea, the most popular brand o comedy
is known colloquially as “gag concerts” (sketch
comedy). Gag concerts got their start in 1999, a
time when Korea was suering in the wake o the
Asian nancial crisis. Te reality acing comedians
at the time was not that dierent rom the
competitive atmosphere the nancial crisis had
brought about or everyone else. ypical comedy
shows had been pulled rom V, and comics were
mainly perorming on stage at small theaters when
gag concerts came on the air.
Te new shows came to represent a break rom
the conventional comedy productions made
locally. Whereas earlier sketch shows were
written by writers, perormed by comics and then
aired, gag concerts were shows heavily edited by a director
aer being perormed. Tis new system led to a rise in
competitiveness, as comedians had to truly gain a lot o laughs
in order to avoid being edited.
Over the past decade, gag concerts have come to evolve
with the people’s tastes. In its nascency, gag concert sketcheswere mainly about sel-deprecation, reecting the general
atmosphere o depression present in society. Te perormers
would make themselves the laughing stock by doing
something humiliating. Tey’d pick up something o the oor
Gag concerts mock politics and current events more reque
and more boldly than ever beore. Members o the Nationa
Assembly are not immune to their crosshairs — something
that is unprecedented in Korean society. Subjects even inclu
the president and high-ranking government ofcials.
wo examples are the sketches Praying Mantis Kindergar
and Emergency Committee. Te ormer parodies the adult
world through the eyes o a kindergarten teacher, while the
latter satirizes Korean bureaucracy by showing ofcials mak
excuses in an emergency instead o trying to solve a proble
Interestingly enough, there has been little political
pressure — so common in the past — in the wake o these
conrontational parodies. In a sense, politicians have
developed a symbiotic relationship with popular culture,
and the public’s enjoyment o these gag concert parodies isbecoming something even the politicians cannot touch.
Tough some gagmen still depend on slapstick, the genr
gag concerts has changed dramatically over the years. Com
tastes are proving a unique window into Korean society.
and eat it, grind a radish with their teeth or
pull an ugly ace. Tere was even a sketch
where all the perormer did was hit his head
incessantly. Tis genre o slapstick lasted or
years on V.
Te ormat o tough competition also
meant that comedians only perormed
certain sketches or a ew weeks, at most.
Tere was, however, one in particular that
survived our years in the industry, rom
2007 to late last year. Darin (Te Master) was
a typical slapstick eaturing a “master” (Kim
Byeong-man), a sel-styled expert o things
such as acrobatics. In truth, he was nothing
but a quack. Te character’s audaciousness
drew laughs rom audiences time and again,
insuring the sketch’s lengthy run.
In recent months, the trend o slapstick
sketches has been replaced with a more verbal
comedy, in which perormers use their wits
to make people laugh. Tis has led to a rise
in more realistic subject matter in sketches,
which has struck a chord with the public. A
case in point is Aejeongnam, which eatures a
quick-witted comic who answers questions on
ambiguous social situations with clever quips.
For example, questions posed in this
comedy routine include “Who should have
the last bite to eat?” or “Who should you give up your seat
or on the subway, an elderly lady or a pregnant woman?”
Aejeongnam replies: “Te last bite should go to whoever picks
up the tab.”
Now, people will bring
up Aejeongnam in
conversation, when
conronted with hard-
to-answer questions
in real lie. Te show’s
popularity is proo
that the general public
now preers verbal comedy to
the sel-deprecating slapstick. Tis can be
interpreted as Koreans longing ormore realistic communication and
honesty.
Alongside this trend, parody has
emerged as a mainstream element o comedy.
The cast from thesketch Darin pose(opposite top). A scfrom an episode of Emergency Commit
which satirizes Korbureaucracy (opposbottom). Darin follothe audacious acts o“master” (above). Asketch show on KBS(left). A character othe sketch PrayingMantis Kindergarte(below left).
Comedy is oten an accurate relection o what’s happening in society. here is
perhaps no better example o this thanCharlie Chaplin, who mocked the dark reality o the Great Depression with his
slapstick comedy. In Korea, what kind o comedy best captures the reality o the
day? by Jeong Deok-hyeon
Comedyof Truths
sports
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www.korea.ne
altogether because o strong winds th
change direction requently.
Tough the situation on the
eld suggests that luck, and n
archery skill, will determine
which color medal is won,
Oh disagrees. “A gold me
cannot be won solely on
archery skills alone, and
the surroundings are poo
they must be overcome,”
believes.
With the help o the Ko
Archery Association and
Korea Institute o Sport Scien
the winds on the London Olym
Archery Range are being analyzed
Rather than hope the wind stops on
a draw, the Korean National Archery
eam members will need to develop t
ability to shoot arrows depending on
predictable wind changes.
“We are in the process o analyzing
the winds at Lord’s Cricket Ground,
which will be the venue or the Londo
Olympic archery competitions. We
are planning to train on Jejudo Island
where there are strong gusts o wind,
and on the East Sea coast in Gangwo
do Province, where the winds are ver
similar to those in London,” Oh revea
With such thorough preparation,
does the Korean National Archery e
have any weaknesses? Oh says yes.
Foreign athletes can gain experience
in international competitions withou
being stressed about National eam
qualiying matches, whereas Korean
athletes with overseas experience are
rare due to heavy domestic competiti
Tis is why the coaching sta stres
the importance o a well-rounded
training experience. “We cannot havea alse sense o comort and relax ae
mastering technical skills. We need
to be two or three levels ahead o the
competition to win the gold.”
34 | korea | january 2012
“We will win gold in Robin Hood’s
home country, the United Kingdom.”
Tis is the mindset and mission o the
Korean National Archery eam, the best
in the world, as they begin training or
the 2012 Summer Olympics in London.
Korea has won a total o 16 gold
medals in the span o seven Olympic
Games, rom the 1984 SummerOlympics in Los Angeles to the 2008
Summer Olympics in Beijing. At the
2008 Olympics, Korea won two gold,
two silver and one bronze medal, and
the small country is consistently one o
the top competitors in archery.
Koreans have long excelled in the
sport throughout their history. In the
past, China called Koreans “Dongi,”
which means Easterners who shoot
well with a bow. Even the progenitor o
the ancient nation Goguryeo (37BC–
668AD), King Dongmyeong, was amedor his skill with the bow and arrow.
Te eld o archery is so competitive
that people at the training acility where
the national team practices say that it is
more difcult to be chosen or either the
Korean National Archery or aekwondo
eams than to win a gold medal in the
actual Olympics.
Tis level o competition is due to the
act that there is a large pool o talent
in terms o archers in Korea. Even the
amed, multi gold-winning Im Dong-
hyun — known or his talent despitebeing legally blind — is not guaranteed
a returning spot on the National eam
each year. “Although Im is one o the
top people in the sport, there are many
others in Korea with a similar level o
talent,” says coach Oh Sun-taek.
Te Korea Archery Association
holds several rounds o
qualiying matches to choose
a total o 12 male and emale
members or the Korean
National Archery eam.
From this elite group, more
qualiers will be held in
March and April to decide
which six will go on to the
Summer Olympics.
General manager Jang
Young-sul has announced the
start o intensive stamina training
and eld exercises on mountains.
Te team cannot be guaranteed
the gold with archery skills alone.
“Olympic Game schedules are tight
with preliminaries early in the morning
and the nals the same evening,” Oh
explains, and without the stamina
to compete all day long, it would b e
difcult to earn the gold no matter how
on-target one’s aim is.
o become a Korean National Archery
eam member, one must also train the
mind or concentration. Im and ellow
teammate Yoon Ok-hee participated in
special training sessions beore the 2008
Summer Olympics. Others trained at
the Army Intelligence School in order
to learn to keep calm in any number
o extreme circumstances, rom mazes
dotted with hidden surprises and live
snakes being placed in athletes’ pockets.
O course, the outside environment
includes all manner o actors. Te team
trained at noisy baseball stadiums and
motorboat racing arenas ahead o the
2008 Olympics, to prepare or the noise
levels at Beijing Olympic Green Archery Field. And i Beijing had a lot o noise,
the London Olympic Archery Range will
have a lot o wind. During the practice
games, many athletes missed the target © Y
o n h a p N e w s A g e n c y
Ahead o the 2012 London Olympics, Korean archers are preparing to take tothe stage once again with their world-class shooting skills. by Lee Sang-jun
Shooting for Gold
From opposite,clockwise: Archers
compete for the 2011National Team; Joo Hyun- jung (second from left)
hugs her teammates at the16th Asian Games; Park
Kyung-mo shoots at the2008 Olympics; Thewomen’s team wins
a gold medal.
special issue
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© Y
o n h a p N e w s A g e n c y
Aer years o negotiations, the Free rade Agreement (FA)
between Korea and the United States was passed late last
year. Te agreement — Korea’s most important trade accord
ollowing its FA with the EU — will mark an economic
milestone between the two countries.
“Te Korea-US ree trade pact will open the door o the
world’s largest market: the US,” said President Lee Myung-bak ollowing its ratication in Korea. Te country already
has trade agreements in place with India, 10 countries in
Southeast Asia and several other nations. “Although we ace
dicult economic and export conditions next year, let's
overcome them through the Korea-US FA.”
Tough negotiations or the KORUS FA initially began
in April 2006, progress was stalled or three years until
2010. Lee and US President Barack Obama both acted as
proponents to kickstart the trade deal and several meetings
or renegotations were held throughout the past year.
Obama commented on the agreement, which is America’smost signicant trade deal or more than 16 years. “I
am very pleased that the United States and South Korea
have reached agreement on a landmark trade deal that is
expected to increase annual exports o American goods by
he Korea-US Free rade Agreement (FA) was passed late last year and isexpected to go into eect in February. he agreement is expected to bring new trade
advantages to both countries, while spurring a global atmosphere o increasingtrade ties with Korea. by Ines Min
Era of Trade
up to US$11 billion and support at least 70,000 American
jobs,” Obama said.
rade between the two countries reached an estimate
o US$90 billion in 2010. Te FA is expected to increase
Korea’s trade surplus with the US by US$140 million each
year until 2027 and expand Korea’s economy more than 5%.
In Korea, the agreement is predicted to create 350,000 jobs,
according to local think tank reports.
Industries that will most be afected include automotive,
electronics and agriculture, and the FA’s biggest change
will be to eliminate tarifs on more than 95% o industrial
and consumer goods within ve years o its implementation.
Tis will dramatically increase the number o exports to
each country.
In terms o the automobile industry, the FA will enable
an atmosphere that will allow more US auto companies to
increase sales in Korea and support more automaking jobs
in the States. As Korea’s car industry makes strides in the
American market, US cars in Korea will start increasing.
According to a statement released by the Oce o the US
rade Representative, “the agreement improves market
access or US auto companies by addressing ways Korea’s
system o automotive saety standards have served as a
barrier to US exports.”
In the Korean car industry, analysts believe auto-part
manuacturers will see great benets. “Te trade deal will
help expedite Korean car-parts makers’ eforts to increase
overseas orders as the tarif removal will give them a
competitive edge,” Yim Eun-young, an analyst with Dongbu
Securities Co, told Bloomberg.
Te US is currently Korea’s top supplier o agricultural
products — rom almonds to corn — and the FA’s act
o removing tarifs is expected to dramatically increase
products exported to Korea. Tough this issue has been
the source o controversy among armers in Korea, Lee has
called or new law revisions that would help protect small
businesses and armers rom the rise in agricultural imports
rom the United States.
Koran Prsdnt L Myung-ak sgns th KORUS Fr Trad Agrmnton Nov 22, 2011 (oppost). Untd Stats Scrtary of Commrc GaryLock and South Kora Mnstr for Trad Km Jong-hoon shak hands ata mtng for dscussons on th FTA last Aprl (top). Oa ma sgns hsapproval of th KORUS FTA n th Untd Stats on Oct 12, 2011 (aov).
• FTA passed in US Senate on Oct 12, 2011
• Korea’s National Assembly passed the FTA on Nov 22, 2011
• 350,000 jobs expected to be created in Korea
• 70,000 jobs to be made in the US
• Trade between the US and Korea reached US$90 billion i n 2010
• 95% of tariffs to be eliminated by 2017
• Korean economy to expand by 5%
• Negotiations for the KORUS FTA began in 2006
FTA iN NUMbeRS
Te efects o the FA are expected to be generally
positive or local electronics companies. Tough tarifs
will be eliminated on more than 6,000 electronic products,
many o Korea’s largest electronic exports to the US —
semiconductors and mobile phones — are already exempt
rom tarifs based on a previous agreement through
the World rade Organization. Te Korea Electronics
Association, an organization comprised o more than 1,000
companies, says that “Korea’s electronics and I industry is
more likely to gain in the amount o exports to the US than
experience disadvantages rom the trade pact.”
Overall, the FA will ease trade on both sides. Te United
States was once Korea’s largest trading partner, but ell toourth place behind China, Japan and the European Union
in 2003. rade analysts say the biggest advantage to the
agreement will be improved investment conditions, which
will help attract oreign investors in the uture.
summit diplomacy
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www.korea.net 38 | korea | january 2012
attended the international aid orum.
Lee and Clinton met on the morning
o Nov 30 at the orum’s venue,
BEXCO in Busan. Senior oreign aairs
and security aides o the president
accompanied him to the meeting,
while Clinton was accompanied by
her aides and the newly appointed US
Ambassador to Korea, Sung Kim.
In addition to her meeting with
the president, Clinton attended a
separate meeting with her Korean
counterpart, Foreign Minister Kim
Sung-hwan, to discuss bilateral and
regional issues. Following her meeti
with the top Korean ofcials, she hea press conerence to address the tw
countries’ relations.
“Today, here in Busan, I had the
opportunity to address two high
priorities or US oreign policy,” she
said. “In meetings with President
Lee and with Foreign Minister Kim,
reafrmed America’s deep bond wit
one o our closest allies. And at the
High-Level Forum on Aid Eectiven
I engaged on a great global challen
and a personal passion o mine —
creating sustainable growth and
improving lives around the world.”
“The alliance between the United
States and the Republic o Korea is
a lynchpin o security, stability andprosperity in the Asia Pacifc,” she sa
“This alliance has never been strong
President Lee, Foreign Minister Kim
and I discussed issues o global and
regional importance, as we always
do when we have the opportunity t
exchange views.”
According to Clinton, she and the
Korean leader particularly ocused
on the importance o ending North
Korea’s nuclear arms programs. The
North’s shelling o Yeonpyeongdo
Island one year ago was also addres
by the secretary o state. “Let me
reafrm that the United States stan
with our ally, and we look to North
Korea to take concrete steps that
promote peace and stability and
denuclearization,” she said.
Clinton stressed the importance
Korea Goes GlobalPresident Lee Myung-bak’s eorts
to realize his “global Korea vision”
continued in recent months as he
attended a series o meetings to
discuss pending international issues
with world leaders visiting Korea in
late November. As Korea hosted the 4th
High-Level Forum on Aid Eectiveness
in Busan, Lee met with leaders rom
around the world. He also held a
meeting with his group o advisors in
preparation or the Nuclear Security
Summit in March.
STRONGER KOREA-US ALLIANCE On
Nov 30, Lee visited Busan to attend
the opening ceremony o the 4th High-
Level Forum on Aid Eectiveness (HLF-
4). He gave a welcoming speech at the
event beore 3,000 guests, including
state leaders and government
delegations rom 160 countries and 40
international organizations.
“Lee’s participation in the event willreconfrm Korea’s strong intentions
to contribute to international
development and cooperation eorts,”
Cheong Wa Dae (the Blue House) said
in a statement. “We also believe that
Lee’s participation will contribute to
the successul hosting o the orum
and improve Korea’s image as a
mature, responsible member o the
international community.”
On the sidelines o the orum,
Lee hosted a luncheon to meet with
leaders who visited the southern port
city or the event. He held a summit
with Rwandan President Paul Kagame,
and meetings with Australian Foreign
Minister Kevin Rudd, OECD Secretary-
General Angel Gurría and US Secretary
o State Hillary Clinton. This was the
frst time that a US secretary o state © Y o n h a p N e w s A g
e n c y ( o p p o s i t e ) ; N e w s b a n k I m a g e s ( t o p ) ; F o u r t h H i g h L e v e l F o r u m o n A i d E f f e c t i v e n e s s ( b
o t t o m )
President Lee Myung-bak meets with theEminent Persons Group on Nov 29 (opposite). Ameeting at the National Assembly (above). Leewith US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton at the
aid forum in Busan (below).
Since its successul hosting o the Group o 20 Summit in Seoul in 2010, Korea’s eorts to play
a greater role in the international arena have grown. President Lee Myung-bak’s diplomacy
endeavors in November were in line with his campaign to promote a more global Korea as headdressed world leaders at an international aid conerence in Busan and met with eminent nuclear
and international aairs experts in Seoul to prepare or March’s Nuclear Security Summit. by Ser Myo-ja
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www.korea.ne40 | korea | january 2012
ADVICE FOR THE NUCLEAR SUMMIT
On Nov 29, Lee hosted a luncheon
at Cheong Wa Dae or his advisors
rom around the world to prepare or
the successul hosting o the Nuclear
Security Summit in Seoul in March. The
event will discuss cooperative measures
to combat the threat o nuclear
terrorism, protect nuclear materials
and related acilities, and prevent illicit
trafcking o nuclear materials.
At the initial Nuclear Security
Summit in 2010 in Washington, US
President Barack Obama announced
that Korea would be the next host o
the event in 2012. Since then, the Lee
administration has made a series o
eorts to prepare
or the international
conerence, which
will be attended
by the heads o 46
states, international
organizations andInterpol.
To better prepare
or the largest
international summit
in the history o
Korea, the Eminent
Persons Group
was launched in
November 2011. The
group is composed
o 12 oreign dignitaries and three
Korean experts.
“The members have been actively
involved in the areas o international
politics and security based on their
extensive experience and insights,” said
a spokesman o the Ministry o ForeignAairs and Trade. ”In light o Korea’s
growing role in the international arena
with its hosting o the G20 and the
upcoming Nuclear Security Summit,
we expect meaningul discussions on
peace, stability and prosperity on the
Korean Peninsula and in the world to
take place.”
Kang Chang-sun, chairman and chie
regulatory ofcer o Korea’s Nuclear
Saety and Security Commission, Han
Sung-joo, ormer oreign minister, and
Oh Myung, ormer minister o science
and technology, are the three Korean
members o the advisory committee.
The 12 oreign members o the
Eminent Persons Group are dignitaries
with a deep understanding o nuclear
security issues. The members are
Graham Allison, director o Harvard’s
o the National
Assembly’s approval
o the long-pending
trade agreement,
which will remove
most trade and
investment barriersbetween the two
countries. “I also
congratulated
President Lee on
the passage o the
Korea-US Free Trade
Agreement,” she
said. “It has been a
long time coming, it
took a great deal o
work on both sides, but now we can
get down to the important business
o creating more jobs and economic
opportunities or both our people.”
During her talks with Foreign
Minister Kim beore the press
conerence, she praised the trade dealand the Lee administration’s eorts
to persuade the National Assembly
to approve the FTA. Stressing that it
would be a win-win arrangement or
both economies, she expressed high
anticipation or the trade deal’s eects.
At the press conerence,
Clinton thanked Lee or hosting
the international orum on aid
eectiveness and providing opening
remarks at the major event. “As
he eloquently told the audience
this morning, 50 years ago Korea
was recovering rom a devastating
war,” she said. “Today, it is a vibrant
industrial power and a major
contributor to growth in other
countries. And no one understands the
importance o eective development
better than the Korean people.”
Beler Center or Science and
International Aairs; Hans Blix, ormer
director-general o the International
Atomic Energy Agency; Gareth Evans,
ormer oreign minister o Australia;
Goh Chok Tong, emeritus senior
minister o Singapore; Igor Ivanov,ormer oreign minister o Russia; APJ
Abdul Kalam, ormer president o
India; Henry Kissinger, ormer US state
secretary; Shinichi Kitaoka, proessor
o the University o Tokyo and ormer
ambassador o Japan to the United
Nations; Li Zhaoxing, chairman o the
Foreign Aairs Committee o China’s
National People’s Congress; Sam Nunn,
ormer US senator and head o the
Nuclear Threat Initiative; William James
Perry, ormer US deense secretary and
proessor at Stanord University; and
Hubert Vedrine, ormer French oreign
minister and head o the François
Mitterrand Institute.
O the 15 advisors to Lee, ninegathered in Seoul on Nov 29 to have
their frst discussion. The attending
group — the three Korean members
and Kalam, Blix,
Evans, Goh,
Kitaoka and Li
— adopted a
joint statement
and shared their
insights with the
Korean president
at a luncheon.
While
acknowledging
that the 2010
Nuclear Security
Summit in
Washington
made the issue o
nuclear security
a major ocus o world leaders, the
advisors said they are confdent that
the Seoul summit will serve as a
“catalyst or realizing a world ree
o nuclear and radiological terrorism
by both reafrming the principles
and the spirit o the WashingtonSummit and reaching agreement on
new commitments and measures to
enhance nuclear security.”
In the joint statement, the advisors
also said the participating leaders
o the summit will enhance public
confdence in the peaceul uses o
nuclear energy. “We also urge them to
reduce the threats to nuclear acilities
and their operating systems, such as
sabotage or cyber-attacks, by discussing
in a responsible manner the ways in
which nuclear security and nuclear
saety can be mutually reinorced,
bearing in mind the implications and
lessons learned rom the Fukushima
nuclear accident,” the advisors said.
“We have every confdence that the
Republic o Korea can play a leading
role to this end as the chair country
the Seoul Summit.”
The advisors oered specifc advicto make the Seoul summit more
successul in bolstering the global
nuclear security regime. The need to
reafrm the role o the Internationa
Atomic Energy Agency to saeguard
and oversee nuclear security and a
saety ramework was highlighted,
along with the eorts to take into
account new circumstances in the
international community that have
taken shape in recent months. The
ongoing nuclear disasters at the
Fukushima plants in Japan were not
“In particular, in considering the
lessons o the Fukushima accident,
releases o radioactivity into the
environment have grave consequenand the Seoul Summit should
recognize that just as insufcient
nuclear saety may put nuclear secu
at risk,” they sa
“In conjunction
it should develo
measures or
cooperation to
reduce the thre
o radiological
terrorism. The
Seoul Summit
should promote
the strengtheni
o internationa
and regional
cooperation
mechanisms in
nuclear saety a
security.”
Lee speaks with former Indian President APJAbdul Kalam (opposite above). Lee at theluncheon with the Eminent Persons Group onNov 29 (opposite below). Lee meets with theNational Economic Advisory Council (below).
© C h e o n g W a D a e ;
Y o n h a p N e w s A g e n c y ( o p p o s i t e )
global korea
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www.korea.net42 | korea | january 2012
Ater hosting major international
events such as the 2005 Asia-Pacic
Economic Cooperation Leaders’
Meeting and the G20 Summit in Seoul,
Korea has established itsel as a nation
capable o bringing together some
o the world’s largest global events.
Last month, the southern port city o
Busan urthered this reputation by
hosting the 4th High Level Forum on
Aid Eectiveness (HLF-4).
Korea’s current incarnation as a
prosperous country owes as much
to aid as it does to hard work, and it
was because o this that the country
was a natural choice to host the HLF-4. In act, since joining the OECD’s
Development Assistance Committee
in 2009, Korea has donated around
US$2.3 billion worth o aid and plans
to increase the amount to 0.25% o its
gross national income by 2015.
Setting goalS HLF-4 in Busan
convened to address issues that were
brought up at previous orums in
Rome, Paris and Accra, but also to see
what progress has been made over
the last eight years. The topic o aid
eectiveness was a major ocal point
and solutions were recommended
to help overcome these problems,
culminating in the Busan Declaration.The orum opened with a session
called “Progress Since Paris: How Far
Have We Come?” which described
Joining hands for aid
Korea’s second largest city o Busan hosted the 4 th High Level Forum on Aid Eectivenessrom Nov 29 to Dec 1. More than 3,000 delegates rom 160 countries and 70 international
organizations met to review the current state o aid around the world. by Rob McGovern
© F
o u r t h H i g h L e v e
l F o r u m o
n A i d E f f e c t i v e n e s s
th 4h Hh lv Frm a effcvssp Bs nv 29 (pps). QR a abh f Jr, frm vss c sch Kr (bv).
what actions were needed to move
orward. Other sessions looked
at problems in society that i also
addressed could help with aid
eectiveness, such as one on gendeequality and women’s empowermen
that was opened by US Secretary
o State Hillary Clinton. “The vast
majority, as much as 60% to 70%,
o the people in the elds at small
agricultural holdings who are doing
the work o planting, o tending
livestock, o harvesting, o marketin
are women,” Clinton said.
Alongside Clinton, attendees at th
orum included UN Secretary-Gener
Ban Ki-moon; Angel Gurría, director
general o the OECD; President Paul
Kamage o Rwanda; Queen Rania A
Abdullah o Jordan; and ormer Brit
Prime Minister Tony Blair.
Blair, who established the AricaGovernance Initiative in 2009, had t
to say in a statement about the oru
with regard to aid and Arica. “Toda
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www.korea.net44 | korea | january 2012
Arica oers opportunities one could
scarcely imagine a generation ago.
The continent is on the move. Foreign
direct investment increased veold
rom 2000 to 2010, domestic revenues
have grown, and aid dependenceallen. Demand or Arican resources, i
managed transparently and eectively,
holds the potential to transorm the
economies o Arica.”
“Ultimately, this progress will
only be sustainable i we get both
governance and growth right. All
societies, no matter how wealthy,
need governments that can deliver
real improvements in the lives o their
citizens and also be held to account or
the results.”
Ethiopian Prime Minister Meles
Zenawi spoke o Korea’s increasing
exchanges with Arican countries.
“Korea provides an extraordinary
opportunity because o itsdevelopment experience, because o
its very dynamic private sector, and
because o its large market,” he said.
aid-recipient countries, I say: Set clear
development priorities and strategies.
Build up your planning capacity. Deliver
on your policy commitments. Enhance
transparency. Stamp out corruption,
which undermines trust in governance
and institutions.”
FutuRe oF aid According to www.
aideectiveness.org, a report on the
progress o the Paris Declaration ound
that o the 13 goals set, just one had
been met — and that was only by a
marginal amount. A rank evaluation
report on the Paris Declaration was
published in May 2011 and the reading
was grim. “Overall, the picture on
eciency gains is mixed, but so ar
disappointing in relation to the original
hopes o rapidly reduced burdens in
managing aid.”
It wasn’t all bad news, however,
as progress was made. “The
Frm bv, cckws: un Scrry-gr BK-m (sc frm f) vss h unMmr Cmry; Prs l My-bk;frm s; as s sm;Frmr Brsh Prm Msr ty Br spks.
a PReSident’S WelCoMe
“tHe RePuBliC oF KoRea WillFulFill itS CoMMitMentS“
The forum was opened by President Lee Myung-bak who
started by recognizing the attendees. “I would like to take t his
opportunity to pay tribute to all of you for your noble endeavor,
which is epitomized in the slogan for the 4 th High Level Forum on
Aid Effectiveness (HLF-4), ‘Toward a Better World for All.’”
Lee also mentioned the importance of Busan as the host city
and how it has played a large part in Korea’s development. “The
city of Busan, where we are having this historic meeting, has a very
special place in our history. This city was the last frontier where
Koreans defended our freedom during the Korean War about six
decades ago. This city was also where relief goods from all around
the world arrived once the war was over in a time of desperate need.”
“Busan has now transformed into the fifth largest port city in the world. With the history of war
successful transformation into a bustling port city, I believe Busan offers an inspiring setting to discu
the new framework for effective development cooperation,” he said.
Lee then went on to explain how vital it is to maintain aid even in times of financial hardship. “I
would like to emphasize the importance of resolutely fulfilling the pledges we have made for Offici
Development Assistance (ODA) in spite of economic difficulties. I would like to take t his opportunit
reaffirm that the Government of the Republic of Korea will fulfill its commitments.”
“The Republic of Korea has successfully overcome the financial crisis of 1997. Many of our
enterprises went bankrupt and more than 2 million workers lost their jobs during the financial crisis
the period of restructuring with a tight fiscal policy. Yet, we continued to expand the volume of OD
We still face difficulties at home including job insecurity and youth unemployment. The Koreangovernment will, nevertheless, faithfully fulfill our plan to double the current level of ODA by 2015
we have announced previously,” he said.
Korea’s reliance on aid after the Korean War was mentioned along with personal recollections fro
Lee’s childhood. “I would like to briefly introduce the development experience of the Republic of Ko
in which the government made full use of foreign aid for development. When I was a child, Korea w
one of the poorest countries in the world. Our per capita GDP stood at less than US$100, and the
country was full of people without jobs. However, within half a century, Korea rebuilt itself, emergi
from the ashes of a devastating war and extreme poverty to a vibrant economy and democracy.”
“Labor costs in Arica are very low.Arica is well endowed with natural
resources, cultural resources. So I think
it’s benecial or both sides.”
Perhaps the most pertinent speaker
at the orum was ormer Korean
Foreign Minister and current UN
Secretary-General Ban, who laid out
the importance o the orum and
talked about how its goals can be
achieved.
“First, to the traditional donors, I
say: Do not let this economic crisis, do
not let short-term austerity defect
you rom your long-term commitment
to the world’s poorest people,” he
said, beore going on to talk about
the obligations o the receivingcountries. “Ladies and gentlemen, my
second message to the countries that
receive aid is equally urgent: To those
Declaration has placed an explicit
ocus on aid relationships, and
opened up important dialogues about
partnerships themselves — between
countries and donors, among donors,
and with other stakeholders, rather
than just the technical or nancing
aspects o managing aid. A number
o clear practical benets are already
being elt,” according to the report.
This year’s orum culminated in
the 36-point “Busan Partnership or
Eective Development Cooperation,”
signed by ministers o developed
and emerging economies, marking a
critical turning point in development
cooperation. “Our success depends
on the results and impact o our joint
eorts and investments as we address
challenges such as health pandemics,
climate change, economic downturns,
ood and uel price crises, confict,
ragility and vulnerability to shocks and
natural disasters,” the statement reads.
HLF-4 also conronted the reality
that previous commitments had not
been met, but resolved to exceed
them with the new declaration. “We
can and must improve and accelerate
our eorts. We commit to modernize,
deepen and broaden our cooperation,involving state and nonstate actors
that wish to shape an agenda that
has until recently been dominated by
a narrower group o development
actors. In Busan, we orge a new
global development partnership tha
embraces diversity and recognizes
the distinct roles that all stakeholde
in cooperation can play to support
development.”
Ultimately, it will take time to see eect the Busan Declaration and th
orum will have on aid eectiveness
but the general outlook is positive. © F
o u r t h H i g h L e v e
l F o r u m o
n A i d E f f e c t i v e n e s s
my korea
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PostnatalPerfection
www.korea.net46 | korea | january 2012
Witnessing the birth o your child is the most humbling
experience a man can go through. All o the coaching, verbal
encouragement, etching o water and towels, and hand
squeezing is nothing compared to the physical and mental
exertion the mother endures. Still, I can now acknowledge that
I was a physical wreck the rst night ollowing the birth o my
daughter. Hours o conusion, struggle, tears, joy, phone calls
and hearty congratulations combined with lack o sleep, lack
o ood, and eelings o complete uselessness le me nothing
more than a rotund mass o esh on a hospital cot. When
the nurses came to check on
my wie, we were casually
inormed that our child’s birth
had been smooth and my wie
was healthy, and thereore, we
could check out o the hospital
the ollowing morning. As I
attempted to t in a ew hours
o sleep, my mind rittered
rom thought to thought,
ultimately resting on the one
question that had not been
answered the previous hours
beore: What was I supposed to
do now?
A ew weeks earlier, with the due date approaching, I had
given a riendly call to my mother to inquire about what I
should expect regarding the day o the birth and the weeksto ollow. Predictably, there were many soothing words o
encouragement, which momentarily alleviated my ears that
I may do the wrong thing once my child became an actual
physical presence in our house. But her answers were quickly
orgotten as intermittent eelings o insecurity now slipped
among the torrents o excitement that accompanied my
new status as ather. Paternity leave had not yet become a
viable option in Korea, so it had been decided earlier that my
mother-in-law would stay with us or a while to assist with
the baby and ease my wie’s recovery. But I would not be there
during the day. So as I lay there listening to my wie’s peaceul
sighs, I was apprehensive over what my role would be over the
next ew weeks. It was at this moment that my crash course in
Korean postnatal care began.
I soon discovered that Koreans believe the rst three weeksollowing childbirth (known as samchiril )are paramount to the
uture health and welare o the mother and newborn child.
Great care is taken so that the mother remains as comortable
and stress-ree as possible, while the child is shielded rom
the outside world to the point that only close amily membe
are allowed to see the baby. Mothers are to avoid physical
labor, relax and avoid hard oods that are dicult to chew a
digest. Sometimes a helper is hired to take care o the house
but typically the maternal grandmother o the newborn mo
in or the rst ew weeks to handle household afairs. Now,
ather’s job in most cases is quite simple: Do as you are told
and don’t annoy anyone. Since it had been determined that
my mother-in-law would in act be staying with my wie o
the rst three weeks, I would have the two tasks o being th
when my wie wanted me to
there and disappearing whe
she had no desire to see my
ace. Tese were jobs I knew
could handle.
Te rst day began
innocently enough as our b
was brought to us wrapped
snugly in pink and white
blankets. Aer the obligato
smiles, coos and baby talk,
my sister-in-law and mothe
in-law arrived to help us
get ready or the trek to our
apartment. While my sister-in-law helped my wie get dres
my mother-in-law expertly held my child, and I was given t
simple duty o retrieving the car and moving it to the ront
exit so we could proceed home. With a resh “baby on boarsign splashed on the back window, we all got settled into ou
suddenly cramped sedan and started the simple, yet daunti
journey to our apartment. Te trip that had taken 10 minut
just two days beore became a 20 minute careul crawl as I
made sure to miss every pothole, stay at a comortable spee
and avoid lane changes. As we pulled into the parking lot, I
a euphoric sense o achievement having completed step one
the expert ather manual: getting the baby home.
When we entered our apartment, it was as i some
mysterious cleaning el had broken in and gone through the
place top to bottom with a mop, broom and cloth. In this ca
the el in question was actually two elves, as my sister-in-la
and mother-in law had spent the previous day ensuring our
place was immaculate. Additionally, the unmistakable scent
o Miyeokguk (seaweed soup) permeated the air. I headedor the kitchen to observe a massive pot o the chunky gree
broth sitting on our stove. I quickly learned that one o the
traditional oods that new mothers are required to consume
is Miyeokguk, as it is believed the nutrients contained in th
Arriving home with a new baby can be an overwhelmingexperience. But, as an expat ather soon learns, rom mothers-in-law to seaweed soup, Korean postnatal care is beyondcompare. From particular rules o recovery or the mother toentire centers established throughout the country or
postnatal care, locals ollow a speciic set o traditionalprocedures or proper recovery.by Scott Lumsdon | illustrations by Jo Seung-yeon
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soup help the mother recover by improving blood circulation
and generating sucient breast milk or nursing. I had tried
Miyeokguk many times beore and somewhat enjoyed its
avorul taste o the sea. So, as my mother-in-law started
preparing a bowl or my wie and asked i I’d like a sample,
I had no hesitation in saying yes. Soon, the baby was tucked
away in her new
little crib,
One day, upon arriving home and seeing her asleep on
the soa, I made the decision that i and when we were to
be blessed with another addition to our amily, I would
recommend that my wie spend the rst ew weeks at one o
the postnatal recovery centers that are popular throughout
Korea. Tough expensive, these little gems are smaller versions
o maternity wards where mothers can rest in their own
rooms, while their babies are taken care o by trained nurses.
Sure enough, when our second child was born three years
later, I checked my wie into the postnatal center near our
home. Here, all o her medical, nutritional and emotional
needs could be met, and my mother-in-law couldocus on taming the indeatigable 3-year-old that was
running around our house while I was at school. My
job was to visit, etch whatever essential items were
not provided by the center, and take care o my
daughter when I came home rom work.
Soon, an enjoyable routine emerged, where
I would visit my wie and newborn son in the
morning, go to work, return home, pick up my daughter, and then visit my wie and son again in
the evening. Tree weeks later, as I picked up my
newborn son and wie rom the postnatal center, I
couldn’t help but notice how rereshed they looked
and how much smoother the process had been the
d ti d
korean heritage
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Ssireum Te traditional national
sport of Korea, ssireum or Korean
wrestling, dates back to the Tree
Kingdoms (57BC–668AD) era.
Gaining widespread popularity
during the Joseon Dynasty (1392–
1910), ssireum developed into a
modern sport in the 20th century.
In its modern incarnation, two
contestants wear satba bands that
wrap around the waist and thigh,
lock on to each other’s band and try to bring any part of the opponent’s
body above the knee to the ground.
korean heritage
i b Onggi earthenware jars
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Onggi earthenware jarslie dusted in snow.
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