Han Asia Times

For such a small country -- it ranks 109th in the world for total area , right behind Iceland -- South Korea sure is in the news a lot. Occasionally that news is grim -- something to do with a troublesome cousin across the border. Sometimes it's pure mainstream pop -- a bunch of cute singers taking down Lady Gaga on the world stage. Sometimes it's just plain astonishing -- no one throws out the first pitch at a baseball game with as much panache as South Koreans. From the weird to the wonderful to sci-fi stuff from a Samsung galaxy far, far away, here are things South Korea pulls off more spectacularly than anywhere else.   1. Wired culture   Want to see what the future looks like? Book a ticket to the country with a worldwide high 82.7% Internet penetration and where 78.5% of the entire population is on smartphones. Among 18 to 24 year olds, smartphone penetration is 97.7% .   The world's first "virtual supermarket" opened inside a su...

Groups declare Dokdo Day The Korean Federation of Teachers’ Associations, together with various civic groups here, proclaimed Monday Dokdo Day. The day celebrated the 100th anniversary of Oct. 15, 1900 when Emperor Gojong of the Daehan Empire officially announced the jurisdiction over the islets and nearby Ulleung Island in the East Sea. The KFTA has decided to proclaim the day in order to remind all Koreans of their historic connection to Dokdo, said the federation in a statement. “While the Korean government has shown only passive responses to the Japanese illicit claims over our territory, the National Assembly has also failed to pass the bill on designating the Dokdo Day,” said a KFTA official. “We especially hope that young students shall acquire through such commemorative events a thorough understanding of the meaning and the history of Dokdo.” Foreign press, including the Japanese NHK, covered the events. DOKDO DAY — Civic group members hold a rally for the proclamation of...

    The South Korean government had to pursue Khan for over two months before he agreed to officially accept the offer. Times of Indi   RELATED   NEW DELHI: Shah Rukh Khan is the new poster boy for South Korea — not its conglomerates, but the nation. The Bollywood superstar has just been appointed goodwill ambassador for South Korea. So you know South Korea only as the land of Samsung and Hyundai? The King Khan could introduce you to Kukkiwon, the world famous taekwondo academy, Psy of Gangnam Style fame and K-pop, the mouthwatering Korean barbeque. To South Koreans, the actor could teach their first cricket team a thing or two about the business of the game — maybe organize the first match between Kolkata Knight Riders and the Koreans. And, perhaps, open Bollywood to a new part of the world. Khan as a public diplomat and an ambassador of India ’s soft power is not hard to imagine. But only if the man...

Korean National Institute for International Education(NIIED) has announced the plan for recruiting Global Korea Scholarship program for undergraduate degree in Korea. Interested applicants are instructed to apply for the program following the directions of the attached instruction manual no later than October 31, 2013. . Source: mofa.go.kr

  Samsung SDI in Vietnam is currently internationalizing battery manufacturing company. Become the face of this rapidly growing corporation.     1.     Job description -           Position : R&D, Engineering and Management in SDI Vietnam ※       SDI in Vietnam Address : Bac ninh province, Yen Phong I district.   2.     No. of Positions : 0   3.     Quailifications -           Graduated or graduates from B.A., M.A from university -           Intermediate or high English skill,   preference to speak Korean -           Electronic, Electrical, Mechanical engineering or Liberal arts   4.     Takeaways -           In...

    유성선 강원대 교수, 시민교육센터 전임교수 장면1. “조선노동당의 당면 목적은 공화국 북반부에서 사회주의 강성대국을 건설하며, 전국적 범위에서 민족해방 민주주의 혁명의 과업을 수행하는 데 있으며 최종목적은 온 사회를 주체사상화하여 인민대중의 자주성을 완전히 실현하는 데 있다.”-북한조선노동당 규약서문. 장면2. “국가안보는 물리적 공격으로부터 국가의 국민과 영토를 보호하는 것이다.”-아모스 조르단(Amos A. Jordan). 장면3. “자신들이 알지도 못하는 나라, 만난 적도 없는 사람들을 지키기 위해 부름에 응한 우리의 아들과 딸들을 기린다.”- 미국 워싱턴 한국전 참전 기념비. 국가정보원이 경기동부연합의 지하조직 RO(Revolutionary Organization·혁명조직) 조직원 등으로부터 확보한 3대 강령의 핵심 키워드는 `주체사상'이다. 주체사상을 지도 이념으로 남한사회를 변혁하고, 남한사회의 자주·민주·통일 실현을 위해 주체사상을 심화·보급·전파한다는 게 강령의 골자이자 조직의 존재 이유다. 이 3대 강령 중 남한사회의 자주·민주·통일 강령을 주의깊게 살펴야 한다. 우리 학생들이 일부 교육의 잘못으로 6·25남침·북침의 개념을 혼동하듯 북한의 인민민주주의혁명 수행에도 이 대남 전략의 3대 투쟁과제가 우리의 민주주의 통일과제와 흡사하다. 먼저 북한과 종북세력들이 주창하는 자주는 미군 철수에 있다. 민주의 구호는 대한민국 정권타도에 있다. 통일은 연방제 통일이다. 따라서 이들이 앵무새처럼 반복하는 민족해방은 주한민군 철수와 남한민족해방이요. 인민민주주의혁명은 남한정권 타도와 인민정권 수립에 있다. 결국 경기동부연합의 지하조직 RO 조직원 등으로부터 확보한 3대 강령의 핵심 키워드는 `주체사상'으로 북한조선노동당 규약서문과 판박이다. 주체사상을 지도 이념으로 남한사회를 변혁하고, 남한사회의 자주·민주·통일 실현을 위해 주체사상을 심화·보급·전파한다는 게 강령의 골자이자 조직의 존재 이유...

In 1893, ten musicians from Korea navigated to the United States on a special mission of King Gojong (1852-1919), the 26th ruler of the Joseon Dynasty (1392-1910). They played the music of Joseon and received the spotlight in the Chicago World’s Columbian Exposition where 37 countries participated. To promote Joseon as an independent country in the world and differentiate the nation from its neighbors China and Japan, the musicians donated their musical instruments to the United States before returning home. At the opening ceremony for the “Returned after 120 years: Joseon instruments in the U.S.” exhibition on September 30, Culture Minister Yoo Jin-ryong points at the piri double reeds on display (photo: Jeon Han). Over a century has passed since then and these instruments, currently owned by the Peabody Essex Museum in Boston, will return to Korea for a special exhibition titled “Returned after 120 years: Joseon instruments in U.S. (unofficial translation)” The exhibition, jo...