India, Korea take initiative in science

The ambassador of India is confident that 2010 will be a banner year for India and Korea.

"Korea and India have a long-term comprehensive partnership. It is more than an FTA and it also opens a way for investment," said India Ambassador Skand Tayal.

With the enforcement of the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement and the Program of Cooperation in Science & Technology agreement that came into effect last month, both countries have now entered a new phase of cooperation.

These agreements are also expected to help overcome the challenges both countries have been facing in making further developments in science and technology.

"Korea is very strong in manufacturing and engineering hardware. India is strong in innovation and information technology software," said Tayal. "We can both work together to develop new technologies.

"For India, we have to learn how to transfer technologies from the laboratory to a commercial application. For this, we want to learn from Korea."



As part of this initiative, the Indian Embassy has started a partnership with Daedok Innopolis, in Daejeon.

The deal will bring Indian experts together with their local counterparts in a regional cluster of scientific research, development and businesses.

Another goal of this partnership is to develop renewable energy, such as solar energy, wind energy, green growth technology and nuclear technology, which are important for both countries in preventing energy shortages in the global warming era.

For this partnership, the Korean government will allocate 5 percent of its gross domestic product into science research by 2012 and India`s government will encourage research in new sources of energy under their National Solar Mission.

The ambassador, who came here in 2008, still has high hopes for what he can accomplish in Korea.

"My vision is for real friendship and partnership - partnership in peace and prosperity, peace in the region, peace in governance, in different political issues, scientific technology, cultural and educational sectors," said the ambassador.

He also urged for a deeper mutual understanding between the people from both countries.

In terms of friendship, the India-Korea relationship dates back as far as Korea`s Gaya Kingdom, when an Indian princess from Ayodhya, known to Koreans as Huh Hwang-ok, came to marry King Kim Su-ro in 84 A.D.

Since the first consular relations in 1962, India and Korea have shown impressive results in terms of commercial trade, reaching $15.5 billion in bilateral trade by the end of 2008, according to the Korea International Trade Association.

Also, relations in the cultural and educational sectors have grown steadily in the past 40 years.

As of last year, over 6,000 Indians live in Korea with over 1,600 working as professionals, scientists and post-doctoral research scholars.

"This new (scientific) deal will open a new dialogue between Indian and Korean scientists, and scientific institutions in both countries," he said. "Earlier, it was done by individual effort under individual initiatives and there was no particular plan, but now the government and the institutions will come together."

"So it is the beginning and I am very hopeful that it will maintain and foster fruitful mutual relations."

South Korea signs on to finance first Jordan nuclear reactor

Jordan and South Korea have signed a $70 million loan agreement to finance the kingdom's first nuclear research reactor.

	King Abdullah II of Jordan delivering a speech in Amman on June 8, 2010.
	Photo by: AP

The state-run Korean Atomic Energy Research Institute and Daewoo Engineering and Construction Co. are expected to start building a 5-megawatt reactor November 1 at the Jordan University for Science and Technology near the northern city of Irbid.

A planning ministry statement said Monday the reactor will be "fully commissioned within five years and a nuclear power plant will be built by 2017."

Resource-barren Jordan is developing a peaceful nuclear program with U.S. support. But the U.S. has expressed reservations over Jordan's desire to enrich its large reserves of uranium.

Jordan says alternative energy sources are needed to generate electricity and desalinate water.

Last month, Jordan's King Abdullah accused Israel of trying to prevent his kingdom from developing a peaceful nuclear program.

The king revealed in an interview with the Wall Street Journal that Israel had approached South Korea and France with requests to refrain from selling Jordan nuclear technology. Israel's "underhanded" actions are adding tension to already strained relations with Jordan, bringing ties between the two countries to their lowest point since they signed a peace agreement in 1994, the king said.

"There are countries, Israel in particular," Abdullah told the Wall Street Journal, "that are more worried about us being economically independent than the issue of nuclear energy, and have been voicing their concerns."

"There are many such reactors in the world and a lot more coming, so [the Israelis must] go mind their own business," he added.

Israeli officials denied any action to prevent Jordan from developing nuclear energy.

sorces:HAARETZ.COM

Couples bridge the divisions between Koreas

Northern women, southern men offer look at consequences of reunification

They first met at a matchmaking party in April 2008. Like the other men, Jang Seok-do, 43, handed out his business cards to a couple of ladies. One was Kim Hye-young, 37. After the party ended they got back to their lives. A few days later, Kim said she suddenly got the urge to call a few of the men who had given her their cards, but most of them sounded as if they’d already forgotten the light-hearted party where they exchanged glances over tea and cookies. Jang was different. “He was extremely pleased to hear from me because there was no way for him to contact me without me reaching him first,” said Kim, her accent betraying her birthplace in North Hamgyong Province. It was the beginning of a romance between a South Korean bachelor and a woman from the North who had crossed the border. The party where the two met was organized by the city of Anseong, Gyeonggi, to encourage marriages between South Korean men and North Korean female defectors. Kim was a trainee at Hanawon, the government-run resettlement education center for North Korean escapees. She had no address or phone number of her own and was not allowed to leave the center. Jang had to come through a barbed-wire fence to see her. “It seems improbable, but he lives right next to the center. So we could see each other’s faces through the fence,” recalled Kim. “In fact, no one is allowed to approach [the center for security reasons], but the police knew him because he lives in Pumgok Village, which is a sister village of the center. Because of that he could come and see me.” Jang Seok-do, left, is from South Korea, while Kim Hye-young, right, is from the North. They got married in March 2009. [YONHAP] They were both a little older than the other couples, but they went through the same ups and downs in their 10-month relationship. “We grew up in different cultures. It made me unsure about getting married to him in the first place,” Kim said. The most difficult thing for Kim to understand was Jang’s credit cards. “In the North, we spend only if we have cash in our pockets. Jang had a couple of credit cards, and it was one thing that I couldn’t really understand.” Kim found herself feeling sympathy for Jang as their relationship developed, though. “I had no time to settle down as I wandered from place to place, but he grew older as he cared for his mother. He wanted to have a family of his own, but he was not an ideal spouse in the eyes of [South Korean] women here because of his sick mother.” Jang has cared for his mother for the past 12 years. Jang’s bedridden mother reminded Kim of her mother who lived in extreme poverty in the North until she passed away. “I was a bad daughter. Sitting up with Jang’s dying mother was a kind of compensation for me.” Kim’s devotion to Jang’s mother helped the 43-year-old bachelor think of Kim as one woman he couldn’t let go. Kim also thought of Jang as a man on whom she could rely for the rest of her life. “If he’s good to his mother, I thought he would be good to me.” The couple finally walked down the aisle in March last year and became one of a few so-called namnambungnyeo couples. The term, which means “southern man, northern woman,” predates the division of the two Koreas. Traditionally it refers to the perfect couple, since northern Korea was believed to have the most beautiful women, while the southern part of the peninsula was thought to have more good-looking men. The division of Korea into North and South brought new cultural connotations to the term. Now namnambungnyeo couples are depicted in stories of star-crossed love in dramas and films, but the concept has gained a new lease in real life with an increasing number of North Koreans - especially females - crossing the border since the late 1990s, when the North was struck by famine. A South Korean man participates in a soccer game with a North Korean woman at an inter-Korean event held at Munhak Stadium in Incheon in June 2004. [YONHAP] For example, 2,259 female and 668 male North Koreans settled here last year, according to Shin Sang-kyung, an official from the Unification Ministry. “The North is a society where there is a sharp line between men and women. Most men belong to various organizations, and their movements are tracked. “But for women, they have greater chance of mobility which makes it easier to escape,” said Shin. “Because of this, we started to see far higher number of female North Korean defectors than male defectors from 2002.” One effect of this soaring number of female escapees is the growing number of matchmaking companies arranging dates between North Korean women and South Korean men. “My main focus is Vietnam, Uzbekistan, China, Thailand and the Philippines, but I newly added North Korean women after receiving consistent inquires from South Korean men,” said a matchmaking company official who asked not to be identified. He promotes his company by leaving business card-sized flyers in subway cars. Asked what makes South Korean men interested in women from the North, he said he didn’t want to talk about the issue further. But Hong Seung-woo, who since 2006 has run a matchmaking company named Namnambungnyeo Marriage Information Company, had an answer. Hong is one-half of a namnambungnyeo couple since marrying Kang Ok-sil, who came to the South in 2001. His company, like several others, specializes exclusively in marriages between men from the South and women from the North. Hong said his company succeeded in matching about 300 couples so far. “We receive phone calls from male escapees, but we only do marriages between South men and North women. If both men and women have nothing, it is just hard to live.” Although North Korean defectors receive vocational training at the Hanawon center, most of them, especially men, find themselves doing menial jobs such as carrying bricks at construction sites. They also suffer from a high unemployment rate: 13.7 percent as of last December, far higher than the average 3.5 percent rate for all South Koreans at that time. For this reason, marrying a South Korean man is an appealing way for women from the North to try to adapt to a new society. “I strongly recommend North Korean women get married to South Korean men, not to North Korean defectors, ethnic Koreans or Chinese. Otherwise, it is hard to live in this society,” said Kim Hye-young. However, some South Korean men also prefer North Korean women for various reasons. “When my wife and I launched this company years ago, our main clients were men in their mid- to late-30s, but we see men from diverse age groups come and seek advice from us these days.” Hong remembers one 28-year-old male client. “He was deeply heartbroken after he realized his girlfriend was cheating on him. He said he was not going to see another South Korean woman after that.” Hong receives as many as six phone calls per day from South Korean men. “Some say they are sick and tired of demanding South Korean women who keep urging them to buy pricey gifts such as luxury handbags. Some are children of people who used to live in the North before the Korean Peninsula divided. And some simply have fantasies about North Korean women,” Hong said. The popular stereotype of a North Korean woman is pretty, pure, innocent and diligent, according to Choi Young-hee, who manages a matchmaking company named Namnambungnyeo Marriage Consulting. Choi, who came to the South from Pyongyang in 2002, was the first to open a namnambungnyeo matchmaking company in 2005. Since then, she said she has produced 416 couples. “Diverse types of matchmaking companies have been around for decades, but they are all for international marriages. I thought we [women defectors] needed one of our own.” When asked about the divorce rates among namnambungnyeo couples, Choi said, “They all defect from the North by risking their lives. They don’t take marriage lightly as some South Koreans do.” For six dates, men usually pay between 1.5 million ($1,250) and 2 million won, while women pay nothing, Choi added. There are a few worrisome commercial undertones to the namnambungnyeo trend. Some sensational banners read “Let’s get married to North Korean women,” and “North Korean women never run away.” However, the Coalition for North Korean Women’s Rights, located in Sinwol-dong, Yangcheon District, western Seoul, sees some such matchmaking companies as supportive. “Women escapees don’t need to pay for the service, and they are able to meet bachelors who are already filtered by managers from matchmaking companies. Since most women defectors want to get married and get settled here, we view it positively,” said Lee Eun-sil, an official from the coalition. “Some worry about culture clashes between men from the South and women from the North, but we’ve seen more divorces from North Korean couples after they come to the South,” Lee said. “Wives say they can’t put up with their husbands who tend to be patriarchal, which is said to be a common trait of North Korean men.” Despite mixed views about namnambungnyeo, they are likely to increase in frequency in the near future. As of last year, four out of 10 bachelors living in rural areas in South Korea married brides from other countries such as Vietnam, Mongolia, China and the Philippines, according to the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family. Some local communities such as Inje County even hand out subsidies up to 6 million won to help bachelors within the county find overseas brides. But since some international marriages end in divorce due to language barriers and cultural differences, female North Korean defectors have advantages over other foreign brides. Although the central government does not compile data regarding namnambungnyeo marriages, experts on inter-Korean issues say these couples might be a test to gauge the future of a unified Korea. “Family is one of the closest relationships. In that sense, these couples would show what ideology and value conflicts might arise when North and South Koreans actually live together,” said Professor Lee Woo-young from the University of North Korean Studies. “What we know about North Korea is very superficial and theoretical, and one could call these couples experiments.” source: Jung-ang Daily

Major Events

1. Korea Art Summer Festival (KASF) 2010

http://www.kasf.co.kr

An annual art fair where over 250 artists in genres spanning across painting, traditional Korean art, sculpture, installation art, craft, gather together and interact with visitors.

- Period : July 28 – August 1, 2010
- Venue : Seoul Trade Exhibition Center (SETEC)

2. Sacheon International Percussion Festival 2010

http://www.sacheonpercussion.org

There will be astounding performances by world-class traditional and contemporary percussion artists as well as various exhibitions and workshops.

- Period : July 28 – August 1, 2010
- Venue : Sacheon Art & Culture Center, Sacheon City, Gyeonggsangnam-do


Activities & Announcements

1. Invitation to the Premiere of "Thank You, Master KIM (Intangible Asset No. 82)"

Thank You, Master KIM tells the story of a respected Australian jazz drummer and his search for an elusive South Korean shaman and grandmaster musician. It is a road movie, a philosophical encounter, a showcase of fascinating musicians rarely heard outside of Korea and a tribute to the universal language of music.

- Date & Time : August 11 (Wed) 14:00
- Venue : National Assembly Family Theatre (Gookhwe Gajok Geukjang), Yeouido, Seoul
- Program :
14:00-14:15 Korean traditional "East Coast Peculiar Exorcism's Ceremony" performance
14:20-15:30 Premiere of "Thank You, Master KIM"

Those students who wish to attend the premiere, please contact the following person:
Ms. Soo-Bin Jo
070-7019-0373
oscal@indieplug.net

The “Ethernet” Technology

Have you heard of the term “Ethernet?” Not Internet, mind you, but Ethernet. Well, I suppose it’s not exactly in our everyday vocab list.

Ethernet, stemming from the physical concept of the “ether,” refers to the computer networking technologies for local area networks (LANs). In simpler words, it is a system where multiple computers scattered far and wide can form a network and share information. This system is widely used in the banking or trading industry that operates hundreds of branch stores.

Traditionally, the Ethernet market has been dominated by advanced countries such as the US, Japan, and Germany. But recently, Korean industrial Ethernet technology has been adopted as an international standard, marking a milestone for advancing into the world market.

Let’s learn a bit about this Korean Ethernet technology.

Faster and Easier to Fix

According to the Ministry of Knowledge Economy of Korea, the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) approved of 5 RAPIEnet (Real-time Automation Protocols for Industrial Ethernet) technologies developed by Korea’s LS Industrial Systems. They passed the Final Draft International Standard (FDIS), which means that it is almost at its last step in becoming the international standard (IS).

LS Industrial Systems has developed RAPIEnet as a new industrial communications bus for use with its PLC (Power Line Communication) systems. The company says that in so doing the design has avoided the complications of hubs and switches and the accompanying excessive cabling required by established Ethernet technology.

RAPIEnet, while still compatible with the preexistent Ethernet standards, transmits data at a 1 GB-per-second speed and in case of a communications failure can repair the error 30 times as faster. It can be utilized in a variety of fields operated by automation systems such as semi-conductor and automobile manufacturing, or nuclear energy development.

Korea, the Forerunner of the Industrial Automation Technology

RAPIEnet is the fruit of the collaborative efforts between LS Industrial Systems and Hanyang University – corporation and academia. The volume of tangible and intangible profit generated by this technology’s approval as an international standard is incredibly huge. It laid the groundwork for Korea to advance into the global market of USD 10 billion’s scale. Also, the domestic market, worth of KRW 150 billion, which has so far been dominated by the USA, Germany, and Japan, is expected to be finally claimed back by the Korean technology.

It is also important to note the significance of the collaborative R&D efforts between corporations and schools, backed up by the government support. Korea will surely continue its endeavors to generate world-acknowledged brand-new technologies.

Spend the Summer at the Royal Palace

An event titled “Spending the Summer at the Royal Palace” is being held from July 24 through August 31 at Changgyeonggung Palace. Let me introduce it to you.

Upon entering the palace you will be able to see a banner in front of euhgoo (a stream flowing from a royal place) that traverses the palace.

The clear stream euhgoo flows along Geumcheon path with pleasant, gurgling sounds, and you can take a rest in the shades drawn by the lush trees planted along the path. The path is also adorned with a variety of aquatic plants such as lotuses and water lilies as well as twenty-some photographs.

<Euhgoo flowing along Geumcheon path>

You can spot friends, lovers, families here and there, as well as foreigners visiting Korea. There are kids on a field-trip with the assignment to observe water lilies and hyacinths. There are members of a photography club on an outing. The various aquatic plants with their beautiful features and purifying qualities grab people’s attention for a long time.

On the first day of the event, water lettuces known for their pollutant-fighting, purifying capacity were given out as a souvenir.

In the olden times, there were purported to be 8 ways of fighting the heat of the summer. According to Jeong Yak-Yong, a leading Korean philosopher in the late Joseon Dynasty, the 8 ways were :

1) Playing Baduk sitting on a cool bamboo mat
2) Practicing archery on a platform of pine trees
3) Playing the traditional Korean game of Tuho (throwing arrows into a jar)
4) Riding swings in the shade of a zelkova tree
5) Listening to the cry of cicadas in the forest
6) Writing poems on a rainy day
7) Washing feet in the moonlit night

How about trying a little vacation at Changgyeonggung palace, hmm?
Give it a try!

South Korea launches energy savings project in Chicago

Owners of some of Chicago's skyscrapers are hoping to tap into new technology that — by dimming lights or lowering water temperature on a massive scale — would dramatically cut energy usage and save millions of dollars.
The $25 million technology project is being bankrolled by the Republic of Korea, which has agreed to install energy-saving equipment in up to 14 Chicago buildings during the next few months at a cost of between $10 million and $20 million. The remaining money is pledged to Illinois colleges for research and development related to smart-grid technology.
Officials from Illinois and South Korea on Wednesday signed an agreement for the project at the Aon Center, one of the buildings being considered for the pilot project.

The Building Owners and Managers Association of Chicago, which represents most of Chicago's downtown buildings said if the project were expanded to the entire downtown, the energy savings would be enough to shutter a coal-fired power plant. The project promises to position Illinois as a leader in smart-grid development, research and development, and related jobs.
South Korea has invested billions in the technology. It is wiring homes and buildings on its island of Jeju as a demonstration project that involves about 6,000 homes. They are being supplied with home appliances, TVs, electric vehicles and even wind mills that communicate with the electrical grid. South Korea plans to expand the smart grid to the entire country by 2030.
In Chicago, people working in the skyscrapers in the pilot might not notice the automated tweaks. The technology enables buildings to communicate back and forth with operators of the electric grid, drawing down power during peak demand hours that reap payments for "returning" energy to the constantly fluctuating power market, said Michael Cornicelli, executive vice president of BOMA/Chicago, whose members represent most of Chicago's office buildings.
"This has been done on a very limited basis in campuslike settings or individual office buildings, but not to this scale," he said.
Between four and 14 buildings will be selected for the project, Cornicelli said, mostly commercial office buildings but also large residential buildings. South Korean engineers are expected to complete their evaluation of 20 buildings whose owners have volunteered for the project this month. Except for the Aon Center, Cornicelli did not identify the buildings being considered.

source:Chicago Tribune

4 times more Filipino students in Korea than in 2005

MANILA, Philippines—The number of Filipino students in South Korea has quadrupled to about 400 this year from 108 in June 2005, Philippine Ambassador to South Korea Luis T. Cruz said in a news release, quoting data from the Korean Immigration Service.
"South Korea is our top source of foreign students, retirees, and tourists. It is no wonder that mutual awareness between our peoples is high. This knowledge has naturally led to situations that allow the transfer of ideas and sharing of experiences in both the school setting and beyond," Cruz said.
“The growing community of Filipino students in the country is making an impact on both academic and social landscapes as Filipino students gain prominence in schools for their cultural and scholarly contributions,” he said.
Most of the Filipino students in South Korea are beneficiaries of both short-term and long-term international scholarship programs and belong to diverse fields such as international relations, business, and the sciences. The Catholic University of Korea alone has accepted around 50 Filipino students pursuing higher education since it launched an international program in 2009.
In 2005, a group of less than 10 students from the Seoul National University started a group called Pinoy Iskolars in Korea (Piko) to provide a support system and serve as a forum for its members.
Today, Piko has more than 100 student-members from different schools and provinces throughout South Korea. These students are often tapped to take part in multicultural activities as Korean schools intensify their push for global curriculums and encourage the entry of foreign students.
"Naiimbitahan ang mga estudyante para magsalita tungkol sa Pilipinas (Students are invited to talk about the Philippines)," said Regina Arquiza, a student from the Ehwa Womans University and Piko president for two years.
She said Filipino students were also often called upon to take part in cultural festivals where they play Filipino music, perform traditional dances, and prepare Filipino food.
While actively participating in embassy-initiated activities, Piko is also able to provide invaluable networking opportunities for its members.
"Kapag may kailangan, nagtutulungan kami, lalo na yung mga seniors (If there’s a need, we help each other out, especially the seniors)," Arquiza said.
The group also offers information on available scholarship programs for people interested in studying in South Korea.
A common challenge faced by the students is the language barrier.
"Isang criticism sa mga Pilipino ay hindi daw tayo kasing-galing ng mga Japanese o Chinese sa Korean (One criticism against Filipinos is that we’re not as fluent in Korean as the Japanese or the Chinese)," she explained, adding that Filipinos make up for it by establishing a reputation for being adept in English.
Nevertheless, the Korean academic system helps students further develop discipline and dedication.
"You have no choice but to be competitive," Arquiza claimed, praising the Korean students' propensity for hard work and skillful time management. "Pagbalik ng estudyante sa Pilipinas, dala-dala iyon (A student returning to the Philippines will bring that home)," she said.
Several schools offer competitive scholarship programs on a regular basis and in varying fields. For example, the Korea Advanced Institute for Science and Technology has a continuing program dedicated for graduate studies in finance for government employees.
The embassy advises interested applicants to periodically visit the websites of Korean schools to check for announcements and the detailed eligibility and documentary requirements. Some schools even accept online applications.
Apart from the students, the embassy also works closely with Korea-based Filipino educators, many of whom are on short-term faculty exchange programs.
The Resource Persons Group, an association of Filipino professors in South Korea, has undertaken several activities that included the publication of a weekly column in a Korean newspaper. They also give the embassy important policy inputs.
"People-to-people exchange between the Philippines and South Korea is continuously expanding," Cruz said.
"It is my hope that our students, once they complete their study here, are able to return to the Philippines and apply the skills and knowledge they would have acquired from a country like South Korea—a country that has become a cultural hub and an economic powerhouse in a span of only one generation," he added.

[East Sea(10)] Usage of ‘East Sea’ in scientific, reference literature

Portion of the copy of the di Plano Carpini map of 1434. Maereum Orientale (EastSea) is clearly visible near the upper right portion of the land masses.

This is the 10th in a series of contributions and interview articles exploring standardization issues of the geographic names -- the “East Sea” and “Sea of Japan.” Various views on the geographic name of the sea body between the Korean Peninsula and the Japanese archipelago will be presented in the hopes of raising awareness of the controversy. -- Ed.Norman Cherkis became involved in East Sea/Sea of Japan issues in 1995. Among his responsibilities is as a consultant to the Korean Hydrographic and Oceanographic Administration regarding Korean seafloor toponyms in the East Sea. He is a vocal advocate for the adoption of usage of “East Sea” as an alternate name for Sea of Japan, and has published a number of papers on the subject, including a reference list of almost 700 papers that have been published in non-Korean journals.He is also involved in finding an international settlement to ensure that Dokdo is permanently recognized worldwide as South Korean territory. He was a participant and discussant in the recent International Dokdo Symposium in Washington D.C. He is an active member of the Advisory Committee on Undersea Features of the U.S. Board on Geographic Names and a long-standing member of the Subcommittee on Undersea Feature Names of the General Bathymetric Chart of the Oceans, both of which deal with seafloor toponyms.Cherkis has more than 45 years of experience in the field of marine geosciences. His specialty is seafloor mapping (bathymetry), and his work has included compilation of new, state-of-the-knowledge bathymetric charts in the regions of the East/Japan Sea, Arctic and sub-Arctic Oceans and seas, Persian Gulf, Eastern Mediterranean Sea, North and South Atlantic Oceans, Eastern and Central Pacific Ocean and the Southern Ocean. He was the principal investigator on 22 major marine geoscience programs and a participant on 16 other programs. For the past 11 years, he has operated his own business, Five Oceans Consultants, Ltd., providing consulting services and expertise to public-, private-, non-profit- and academic-sector organizations around the world.Background:Maritime toponyms refer to large and small bodies of water and to undersea features. Surface regions i.e., “seas” and “oceans,” have been delineated and boundaries have been published in the International Hydrographic Bureau publication, S-23, of which the last edition was published in 1953. Some of the names have been used for hundreds and sometimes thousands of years as in the case of the “East Sea.” The present-day international maritime community, including most governmental agencies however, has been using the term, “Sea of Japan,” exclusively for that body of water for most of the last 100 years or so. A new edition of publication S-23 has been planned for the past 20 years, but because of disagreements between certain members of the IHO, no final text has been distributed, and until the disagreeing parties resolve their differences, the publication of a revised S-23 is impossible. The reason for using the Sea of Japan term is mainly because Imperial Japan aggressively annexed Korea in the early 20th century, and for the next 40 years, Japan embarked on a campaign to systematically remove all vestiges of Korean heritage, including the Korean language.This practice continued until the end of the World War II in 1945. After cessation of hostilities, the Korean nation was reestablished in the company of nations of the world and the Korean language was likewise resurrected. Underscoring the importance of the sea’s name is the new South Korean national anthem which has, as its first two words, “Dong Hae …” which translates to “East Sea“ in English. The use of the toponym, “East Sea” or, in Korean, “Dong Hae” can be traced back at least two millennia. At that time, ancient China dominated the region and used the term East Sea to indicate that direction from their eastern coastline. The Chinese documents that eluded destruction during informational “purges” of several Chinese emperors over the past 2,000 years are now housed in great historical libraries mostly located in China and Korea. In South Korea, a reference to Dong Hae appears on a stele to King Gwanggaeto and dates to the year 414 of the Common Era.The name East Sea was established for at least 1,000 years before Japan was even known to exist to the Western World. The first Western reference to the East Sea is attributed to a world map created in the 13th century, outlining the travels of Giovanni di Plano Carpini in eastern and Central Asia between 1245- 1247, C.E. That map is unfortunately lost, but a copy from ca.1434 is known to exist, and it presently resides at Yale University.

Moving toward the 21st century we must pause, because in March 1969, the National Geographic Society -- an international geography and map publisher of great regard throughout the world -- published a map of Korea on page 308 of an article that shows the name, East Sea used as an alternate name for the Sea of Japan.

Presently, all major producers of family, school and scholarly atlases, e.g., the Times Atlas, Rand-McNally World Atlas, Langenscheidt Publishers Atlas, Collins World Atlas, National Geographic World Atlas, et al., all give equal importance to the body of water called the East Sea and/or the Sea of Japan.

East Sea/Sea of Japan toponyms

East Sea/Sea of Japan toponyms discussed here deal mainly with features completely outside of the territorial limits of the nations that border the region, i.e., beyond 12 nautical miles from the shores of Korea, Japan and Russia.Early 20th century maps note the existence of the Korea/Tsushima Strait, that body of water that separates Korea and Japan and though which a branch of the oceanographically important Kuroshio Current flows northward. The Strait contains a historically Japanese island, Tsushima, hence it was given the name, Tsushima Strait a bit over 100 years ago, during the beginning of the colonial annexation period. However, a significant number of Western publications, dating from the middle 1850s, show it as Korea Strait, or the equivalent in other Indo European tongues, e.g., as ”detroit de Coreé“ in French. Some of these maps also refer to the East Sea as “La Mer du Coreé,” or “Sea of Korea.” No organization dedicated standardization of maritime geographic terminology body, e.g., the IHB, existed at the time.Tsushima Basin is a name applied to a more-or less-circular depression in the southwestern-most East Sea/Sea of Japan. According to IHO/IOC publication B-6 guidelines, “The first choice of a specific term, where feasible, should be one associated with a geographical feature: e.g., Aleutian Ridge, Aleutian Trench …” The nearest geographical feature to this depression is Ulleung-do (Ulleung Island), and therefore, according to the IHO/IOC principles for naming undersea features, should be called Ulleung Basin because the basin is immediately adjacent to Ulleung-do. However, since the name Tsushima Basin has been previously used in the scientific and geographic literature, and almost exclusively between 1910 and 1970 due to political events that will not again revisited. Tsushima Basin should be retained as a variant name within gazetteers, or used concurrently with Ulleung Basin, as can be seen in the appended reference list.During the 20th meeting of the GEBCO Sub-Committee on Undersea Feature Names (GEBCO-SCUFN) in Monaco in June of 2007, the recently-formed Korean Committee on Undersea Feature Names (K-CUF) submitted ten names for approval by the Sub-Committee. Those names are Anyongbok Seamount, Gangwon Plateau, Hupo Bank, Igyuwon Seamount, Kimmu Seamount, Onnuri Basin, Saenal Basin, Ulleung Plateau, Usan Escarpment and Usan Trough. Most of these features were recently discovered in the East Sea/Sea of Japan by Korean research ships. (fig. 3). All of these features were approved by unanimous vote of the GEBCO Sub-Committee and were placed in the GEBCO Gazetteer of Undersea Feature Names (IHO-IOC Publication, B-8).
Locations of undersea toponyms. (After: Ocean Atlas of Korea East Sea;

NORI, Republic of Korea, 2007)At the 21st meeting of GEBCO-SCUFN in mid-May, 2008, at which time the Korean Committee on Undersea Feature Names (K-CUFN) proposed eight new undersea feature names, four of which are in the East Sea: Jugam Ridge, Ulsan Seachannel, Usan Ridge and Wangdol Reef. All of the names were approved by the GEBCO-SCUFN committee and added to the GEBCO gazetteer.Statistics:In 2006, an extensive literature search of non-Korean-language publications was initiated to locate print media articles that support the Korean position that alternate names and dual usage of the term, “East Sea” can be and have been used within the science community. At the time of this writing, 694 papers have been located in published literature and governmental sources which contain East Sea/Sea of Japan toponyms. For relevance in this paper only, the subaerial toponyms have been limited to the following: East Sea/Sea of Japan.Of the 694 papers, 519 contain the toponym, East Sea, in either the title or in the text. Further, of the entire list of 580 references, 309 contain the names of non-Korean authors, many of whom are from Japan.

KU to run 'Korea University Studies' course

KU to run 'Korea University Studies' course

Korea University (KU) reminds people of “Minjok Godae” and “makgeolli” among other things. “Minjok Godae” means “people’s Korea University” and makgeolli is the milky traditional Korean alcoholic drink that has been loved by everyday folk for hundreds of years. The words compose the key elements that conjure up the brand image of KU, the nation’s first university established by Koreans. They may sound a bit outdated but they are the reasons that make its students and graduates proud of their alma mater. It’s also the base on which the school hopes to attain globalization. “I believe all globalization efforts should start from our own tradition. What’s truly Korean can become truly global. Knowing ourselves is very important before pursuing globalization,” KU President Lee Ki-su said in an interview at his office in Seoul. Under his leadership, the school has taken a leap forward in globalization — forming a lot of alliances with top universities and academic organizations around the world, attracting more students from diverse countries, and expanding lectures taught in English. As its globalization drive finds its groove, Lee is moving to give students the opportunity to do some soul-searching regarding their own school. Lee said the school will establish a course for “Korea University Studies” to teach students all about the school, beginning next semester. “Our students must learn about their own school and its founding spirit of ‘save the nation with education,’” Lee said. “Korea University’s frontier spirit has been embodied in various initiatives for more than a hundred years — from fighting for the nation’s independence to its contribution to democratization and industrialization. Some Korean history professors and I will teach students about Korea University’s spirit and culture.” In addition, Lee said the school will pay greater attention to supporting and promoting Korean studies at foreign universities. The school has provided assistance to the Korea Foundation to establish courses for Korean language or Korean studies at universities abroad. It has maintained a close relationship with Tubingen University in Germany. Lee said the school will expand ties with Waseda University of Japan and Peking University to form a “tripartite academic alliance” on Korean and Asian studies. “Korea University will continue to make efforts to promote Korean and Asian studies and foster exchanges with other schools around the world,” Lee said. He said that the G20 summit, to be held in Seoul in November, will also be a good opportunity for schools belonging to the member nations to strengthen exchanges. “Korea University as well as other schools are planning diverse programs ahead of the G20 summit. I hope it will expand to something like a ‘G20 University summit,’” Lee said.

source:Korea Times

Sacheon International Percussion Festival, Thur – Sun, 29 Jul- 1 Aug 2010, Gyeongsangnam-do

The International Percussion Festival mainly led by professor Choi Jong-shil, the pioneer of Samulnori, is the nation’s first festival devoted to the percussion instrument and its musicians. This 4-day festival will be held to promote the excellence of Samcheonpo Korean farm music with 12 episodes, which was designated as Intangible Asset No. 11 and the Hanryo Maritime culture.

During the festival period, the Percussion Instrument Festival will also be held with the participation of world famous percussionists from the US, Taiwan, Japan, France and Brazil.

The Percussion Instrument Exhibition will display 1,000 kinds of musical instruments. What’s more, there will be a World Percussion Musical Academic Convention, a National Percussion Musical Contest, and a Percussion Musical Experience.

Date: Thursday-Sunday, 29 July- 1 August, 2010
Venue: All around the Sacheon City and Samcheonpo Bridge Memorial Park, Gyeongsangnam-do
Getting there: Seoul Nambu Terminal (stop 341) → Use the express bus headed towards Samcheonpo (first bus comes at 9:30am, and last bus comes at 8:00pm / travel time: 4hrs) → Samcheonpo Terminal → Take a taxi to Samcheonpo Bridge Park (comes out to about ￦3,000)
Info: 055-835-6493~7

Please visit: http://www.sacheonpercussion.org

Aqua Festival, 28 Jul - 1 Aug 2010, Jeollanam-do, Korea

This event, which will take place around Tamjin-gang River and its ecological park and nearby dam, will allow wooden boat rides, or a wooden raft or rope boat, which is tied to the shore. Other fun activities include fishing with bare hands, playing at the ice pool, making pottery, riding on an ox cart or rodeo.

Date: 28 July- 1 August 2010

Venue:Tamjingang River, Jangheung-gun, Jeollanam-do

Admission: Free. Note that some events/activities may charge a fee.

Info: 061-860-0224, 0380, 061-863-7071(Weekends) (Korean only) or KTO's 02-1330 (English, Chinese, Japanese). Event website in Korean only.

Getting there: It takes more than two hours to get from Yongsan Station to Gwangju by KTX. Transfer to bus heading to Jangheung.

AustCham - LOHAS Working Luncheon, Fri 30 July 2010, Grand Hyatt Hotel, Seoul

AustCham is organizing Working Luncheon on 30th of July with Adam Horler, President LOHAS Asia Pacific will present "LOHASians emerging fast - market trends and opportunities in Korea".

LOHAS, the acronym for Lifestyles of Health and Sustainability, describes a market segment focused on health and fitness, the environment, personal development, sustainable living, and social justice. Products range from natural and organic products, integrated health care, sustainable buildings and furniture, eco tourism, and alternative transport and energy. Join this intimate, open discussion style presentation to hear the latest LOHAS research on Asian markets. What opportunities could there be for your business?

Date: Friday 30 July 2010

Time: 11:45 registration for 12:00 noon lunch

Cost: Set lunch menu
W45,000 members / W55,000 non-members

RSVP by 10AM Wednesday 28 July via AustCham website or email mary-jane@lohas-asia.org (limited 20)

Bucheon Intl Performance Art Festival, 30 July-1 Aug 2010, Bucheon

Date: Friday 30 July to Sunday 01 August
Times: Friday from 3 PM to Sunday 6PM

Venue: Bucheon Station Even Hall (www.bucheon.go.kr)

Info: websites in Korean only - try KTO's 02-1330 number for details

Programme includes visual performances by 4 International Artists Community artists:
Hong O-Bong (Bucheon)-visual performance (July 30th)
Dara Sheahan (Ireland)-music performance (July 31st)
Eric Scott Nelson (USA)-visual performance (August 1st)
Anthony Ragucci (USA)-visual performance (August 1st)

Performers:
Friday 30th July:
1. Pak Mi-Roo(Seoul)-music performance
2. Ji Chi-kwon(Bucheon)-music performance
3. Midori Kadokura(Japan)-visual performance
4. OMAYUMI(Japan)-visual performance
5. Mok Chiu-Yu(Hongkong)-visual drama performance
6. Gang Seng-Suk(Seoul)-visual performance
7. Bea Hee-kweon(Seoul)-visual performance
8. Hong O-Bong(Bucheon)-visual performance (IAC ARTIST)

Saturday 31st July:
1. Catherine Khounlivong(France)-music performance
2. Dara Sheahan(Ireland)-music performance (IAC ARTIST)
3. Myvanwy Birds(Ireland)-music performance
4. Tim Koelling(UAS)-music performance
5. Greg James Hanford(U.K.)-music performance
6. Azhaar(Australia)-dance performance
7. G.T. Arpe(USA)-music performance
8. Shim Yeong-Chol(Seoul)-visual performance

Sunday 1st August:
1. Teruyuki Tanaka(Japan)-visual performance
2. Nopawan Sirivejkul(Thailand)-visual performance
3. Eric Scott(USA)-visual performance (IAC ARTIST)
4. Waldemar Tatarzuk(Poland)-visual performance
5. Anthony Ragucci(USA)-visual performance (IAC ARTIST)
6. Yoon Myeong-Kuk(Goryeong)-visual performance
7. Do Ji-Ho(Gimcheon)-visual performance

Please visit: http://blog.naver.com/hongobong

Aqua Festival, 28 Jul - 1 Aug 2010, Jeollanam-do, Korea

This event, which will take place around Tamjin-gang River and its ecological park and nearby dam, will allow wooden boat rides, or a wooden raft or rope boat, which is tied to the shore. Other fun activities include fishing with bare hands, playing at the ice pool, making pottery, riding on an ox cart or rodeo.

Date: 28 July- 1 August 2010

Venue:Tamjingang River, Jangheung-gun, Jeollanam-do

Admission: Free. Note that some events/activities may charge a fee.

Info: 061-860-0224, 0380, 061-863-7071(Weekends) (Korean only) or KTO's 02-1330 (English, Chinese, Japanese). Event website in Korean only.

Getting there: It takes more than two hours to get from Yongsan Station to Gwangju by KTX. Transfer to bus heading to Jangheung.

Please visit: http://www.jhwater.kr

U.S. teens learn Korean in program

U.S. teenagers are taking part in an intensive Korean language course in a classroom.

This is not out of the norm at Sogang University’s Korean Language Education Center, but these students, all of whom are 15-18 years old, are here as part of a special program sponsored by the U.S. State Department.

Each student had their own unique reason for coming to Korea and joining the National Security Language Initiative for Youth.

“I started watching Korean dramas and listening to Korean music and I got tired of watching them with subtitles,” said Zaneh Williams from Maryland.

“This is a chance to see the world on my own and have a bit more independence,” said Gabrielle Hanley from Virginia.

The students study Korean for four hours in the afternoon, with a strict “no English” policy.

Learning Korean is “fun, but really intensive. We learned reading and writing in about a week,” said Gabrielle.

But she said understanding Korean vocabulary and sentences is the hardest part.

Even students in the beginner classes have already mastered Hangeul, the Korean alphabet.

These students are not only here for Korean, but also to learn the culture.

“We’re partnered up with university students around Seoul to take a group of us out to different places,” said Gabrielle.

U.S. teenagers attend a Korean language course at Sogang University’s Korean Language Education Center in Seoul. Yonhap News

The students also live with host families to help speed up their progress with the language and culture.

“The host families have really been taking care of us.”

“Hanging out with the kids (host sisters) a lot, they’ve shown me real Korean life. We do a lot of fun stuff together. I really like how they value the family, and family togetherness,” she said.

The students had to compete against 1,500 other applicants for 600 spots. They were chosen based on academic performance, essays and interviews.

“I’m grateful for this opportunity. (The government) never told us that they would be giving us a full stipend. You don’t get this opportunity too often,” said Zaneh.

The students are encouraged to continue their studies in Korean after the program, and that is what some students plan on doing.

Zaneh plans to study Korean when she starts her college career. When asked what she will do with her knowledge, she said “either work for the government, or I plan to go to law school and be an international lawyer.”

Before coming to Korea, the students answered a questionnaire to help match them up with host families. The host families are all volunteers.

The NSLI-Y, originally started by the George W. Bush administration, offered students a chance to study Chinese and Arabic during summer sessions in China and Arabic-speaking countries. In 2009 after Barack Obama took office as U.S. president, the program expanded to include Hindi, Korean, Persian (Farsi), Russian and Turkish. And now, students may study for up to a year. These languages are not traditionally taught in the U.S school system. The languages were chosen based on the political importance and number of people speaking the language, among other things.

During the NSLI-Y’s first year, 2006, it funded only 46 students. Now, the 2009 program has increased its participants to 390 students, more than the previous three years combined.

The purpose of the program, as described in a grant proposal, is to increase mutual understanding, strengthen ties and develop friendly peaceful relations between the people of the U.S. and other countries. Through it, the U.S. government wishes to prepare these students to become global world leaders.

source:Korea Herld

concert calendar

“Summer IS+land”: K-pop artists SG Wannabe, MC Mong, Min Kyung-hoon, Shin Jung-hwan and Maybe will hold a concert welcoming the heat of summer at the Yonsei Culture and Art Center on July 24. Each singer will not only have his/her own stage, but also perform with other artists to mix it up. Tickets cost 55,000 to 66,000 won. For more information, call 1544-1555.

“Danny Jung, 11 am”: The first Korean saxophonist to be listed on the Billboard chart, Danny Jung will look to bring his cool and breezy renditions of both local and international pop songs popular with to the Goyang Aram Nuri Arts Complex on July 29. A graduate of Berklee College of Music, Jung has worked with many Korean celebrities such as soprano Sumi Jo and a legendary rock star Seo Tai-ji. Tickets cost 15,000 won. For more information, call 1577-7766. 　

“Hoyoung 2 Ocean”: Taking on a concept of the summer season, pop star and former G.O.D. member Son Ho-young will stage a solo show under the theme of “vacation” at the KT&G Sangsang Art Hall in Seoul from July 8-25. Tickets cost 77,000 won. For more information, call (02) 3404-4314 or visit www.sangsangarthall.com.

“Stevie Wonder Live in Seoul”: Fifteen years after his first show in Korea, “Eighth Wonder of the World,” Motown legend Stevie Wonder will be in Seoul next month to call on his Korean fans and tell them he loves them once again. As part of Hyundai Card’s large scale concert series, the multi-Grammy Award winning hit-maker will stage his latest show at the Olympic Park Gymnastics Arena for a one-night only performance on Aug. 10.
Tickets for the upcoming concert range from 196,000 won to 77,000 won. For more information on tickets, visit www.privia.hyundaicard.com, www.ticketlink.co.kr, or www.ticket.interpark.com.

“Smashing Pumpkins Live in Seoul”: Ten years since the band’s first concert in 2000 on the eve of their subsequent split -- alternative rockers Smashing Pumpkins will be back in Seoul next month to perform songs off their latest release, “Teargarden by Kaleidyscope Vol. 1: Songs for a Sailor,” part of an epic 44-track project set to be spread out to 11 four-track records. Gone will be the original members James Iha, D’Arcy Wretzky, Melissa Auf Der Maur and Jimmy Chamberlain when frontman and songwriter Billy Corgan comes to Olympic Park Gymnastics Arena Aug. 14 with an all new line-up. Tickets for the concert are set from 88,000 won to 99,000 won. For more information, visit www.ticket.interpark.com or call 1544-1555.

source:Korea Herald