Today was a day off, no meetings, appointments or anything else. So I slept in (until 8:00 AM), got up, had my daily breakfast of toast, jam, milk and homemade yogurt, checked my e-mail and headed to the neighborhood mountain with my host and her son.
First let me say that it is nice, when living in the city, to have a neighborhood mountain – and in Korea and even Seoul, the phenomenon is not all that unusual. We walked to the mountain (and we use that term a little generously, but calling it simply a hill isn’t really polite, and anyway, you do get quite a view from the top – at least what bits you can see through all the trees), climbed to the top, and relaxed on a park bench across from two dozen grandmothers doing their morning exercises.
According to my host, part of the reason there is a revival in Korea regarding healthy living is that people are no longer poor. They are not rich, but they are not poor, so they can spare some time and money to take care of their bodies, to exercise, go hiking, take walks, whatever. In a city where everyone seems to walk at an extraordinary pace (though I will admit my near decade in Texas has slowed me down quite a bit), it is interesting to note that many people still have time for exercise, hiking, health clubs and other such physical exertion, while in America, we have no time and now have one of the world’s fattest population. Perhaps it is just a matter of re-ordering priorities.
Speaking of health, my host is rather health conscious, trying to buy primarily organic foods, keeping sweets and fats to a minimum, washing dishes with flour instead of detergent (yeah, I had never heard of that one either. It is the only thing she will use GM flour for). Thus my regular breakfasts of corn toast and homemade yogurt. And it explains why the chapchae I had my first night here was, well, bland. She doesn’t like to use much soy sauce, because some of the soybeans may be from America and therefore may contain Genetically Modified (GM) products.
But back to neighborliness. OK, well maybe not back, as I never really started with that in the first place, but enough babbling. One of the most noticeable differences between Korea and the average city in America is the overt friendliness, the signs of affections from total strangers toward children and even adults and foreigners. In America, we are scared to death to touch a stranger’s child for fear of being labeled a molester. And we are equally scared to let strangers talk to or touch our children, for fear that they are molesters.
Here, that just doesn’t seem to be a big concern. This is a society that is much more tactile. In America, we each try to create a bubble of personal space, no matter where we are, no matter how crowded a place we are. In Korea, it is the exact opposite. Friends hold hands all the time, purely plutonicly, guys rest a hand on their friend’s leg at the coffee shop, people push and shove and jostle together on the metro, and it seems sometimes that the fewer people in an area, the closer together they will gather.
This can be very uncomfortable for a foreigner, and in particular an American, when they first arrive in Korea. I know it took a bit to adjust myself when I first came here. But after a while, it just feels right, the concept that people want and need to be together. Whether it is the result of coming from a small country where most of the land is largely uninhabitable mountains or from some other deeper or more distant sociological or anthropological cause I don’t know, but after a while, it makes the entire country seem like one big family reunion, rather than a foreign and impersonal place.
Now don’t get me wrong, I am not saying one system is better than the other. Korea and America are very different countries, with very different histories and cultures and physical characteristics. And in America, physicality is rather common among friends and within families, just not so prevalent amongst strangers.
The physicality in Korea has its downsides as well, as it transfers not only to the positive side of social interaction but to the negative side as well. Korean television is filled with everyday run-of-the-mill physical violence – between students and their peers, teachers and students, bosses and employees, parents and their children, spouses, patrons and service staff… How much of that is based on reality, I cannot tell, but there must be some bases for it given the prevalence of such images.
And it also can cause problems for Koreans going overseas. Some of the so-called “Ugly Korean” behavior comes from a failure to take into consideration the distinct differences in physical and social interactions in foreign countries. And when there is an understanding, it can sometimes lead to anxiety and a sense of reticence or standoffishness as Koreans fear breaking the social bubbles westerners protect themselves with (a problem my host ran into while visiting England and fearing everything her very outgoing and gregarious son did would offend the British or cause some sort of problems).
Well, I’m off to eat an orange, relax, and ponder the various methodologies for studying languages.
30 April 2004
29 April 2004
Visit to a Remnant of Wars Past, Thoughts on a Korea Future
Today I visited Yongsan, home of the USFK, smack dab in the middle of Seoul, under the shadow of Namsan. Yes, Yongsan was formerly a Japanese military installation, during Korea’s colonial times. And yes, many of the buildings on the base are left over from the Japanese, and many others are “temporary” structures built 50 years ago that have basically become permanent.
There is something culturally odd about Yongsan, which on one hand represents the friendship between the United States and Korea, the sacrifice of U.S. soldiers in the Korean War and the continuing presence and cooperation of the U.S. military in the protection of the South Korean people and yet on the other hand is a remnant of the imperial Japanese past, a symbol of foreign interference and oppression and a a focal point for the frustration of Koreans yearning for nation capable of determining its own destiny.
Even the current reconstruction and improvement processes on Yongsan (which includes removing Japanese imperial stars from some (but not all) of the buildings) is creating a sense of conflict between Americans and Koreans as it comes amid pledges by the USFK to leave Yongsan and return the property to the Koreans.
There is a certain bitterness amongst some of the US military personnel, who feel that they are not being appreciated and in fact are even being treated with derision by the very Korean people they are trying to protect. At the same time, there are Koreans distraught at the perceived arrogance of the U.S. military’s failure to take into consideration the humiliation of having a massive foreign military presence right in the middle of the capital city long after the Soviet forces stopped occupying North Korea. To some extent, there are some who view the U.S. military presence as a continuation of foreign imperial interference and having Yongsan on a Japanese military base does little to dissuade that impression.
It is an interesting love-hate relationship that continues to develop between the Koreans and the United States. Now by this time I should really have a disclaimer that, in any discussion of the “people” of one nation or another, there is a need to use broad swaths of generalities. Certainly not everyone holds these views, and those who do do so to varying degrees. That said, pop sociology would be impossible without generalizing.
There is a rising undercurrent of Korean nationalism that feeds into the collective consciousness, which often expresses itself in “anti-Americanism” – mainly because America is the most visible and overwhelming foreign power on the peninsula. But perhaps “nationalism” has bad connotations, raises thoughts of Nazis and Facists and such. Instead, perhaps patriotism, though even this may be a misnomer, as the new Korean nationalism encompasses more than the South Korean nation. It is perhaps best described as a newfound seeking for a sense of pride in being Korean, and a quest for a redefinition of what being “Korean” means.
There is a new look into the past by some, who fear that the constant rush of Koreans over the past few decades to try to keep up with or beat the west has been to some degree a self-defeating process, good neither for the health of Korean workers nor for the unity and integrity and understanding of history of the nation and the people. Korea, like Japan and Israel, is a nation defined by ethnicity more than nationality, and therefore has unique characteristics when expressing its sense of identity. Yet in Korea, much of being Korean, in a ore culturally historical sense, had been banned by the Japanese, upturned by the Korean War and buried by the drive for economic dominance and power.
With the world opening up more and more each day to Koreans, through the internet, travel, foreign visitors, pop culture and study, there is a sense that Koreans need to define themselves, to build a collective consciousness based on something other than a drive to make money so their children can be doctors and make even more money to take care o their parents and provide for their own children. This sense of family and family commitment, an integral part of “Koreanism,” has been mixed with the capitalist drive to create a sort of bipolarism where the drive to provide for the family leaves no time for the family.
It will be interesting to see how Koreans adapt as the government pushes forward with five-day work weeks and five-day school weeks, and Koreans end up with their weekends free as a family. Will they simply fill those spaces by sending their children to various institutes to “learn more” or will they begin to enjoy the time with family and create new bonds. That is a question best left for history and for the Koreans, as an outsider has no right to pass judgment, but it is something that will be useful to watch, not only from a sociological sense, but from even a capitalist sense, marketing products and entertainments to families that suddenly have free time together every week.
And with that ability to turn what may be a special moment of bonding and revitalization for the Korean family into a cheap marketing study on consumer capitalism, I bid you farewell for now. (Oh, and for those keeping track, the only thing odd I ate today was a hamburger while on the base...)
There is something culturally odd about Yongsan, which on one hand represents the friendship between the United States and Korea, the sacrifice of U.S. soldiers in the Korean War and the continuing presence and cooperation of the U.S. military in the protection of the South Korean people and yet on the other hand is a remnant of the imperial Japanese past, a symbol of foreign interference and oppression and a a focal point for the frustration of Koreans yearning for nation capable of determining its own destiny.
Even the current reconstruction and improvement processes on Yongsan (which includes removing Japanese imperial stars from some (but not all) of the buildings) is creating a sense of conflict between Americans and Koreans as it comes amid pledges by the USFK to leave Yongsan and return the property to the Koreans.
There is a certain bitterness amongst some of the US military personnel, who feel that they are not being appreciated and in fact are even being treated with derision by the very Korean people they are trying to protect. At the same time, there are Koreans distraught at the perceived arrogance of the U.S. military’s failure to take into consideration the humiliation of having a massive foreign military presence right in the middle of the capital city long after the Soviet forces stopped occupying North Korea. To some extent, there are some who view the U.S. military presence as a continuation of foreign imperial interference and having Yongsan on a Japanese military base does little to dissuade that impression.
It is an interesting love-hate relationship that continues to develop between the Koreans and the United States. Now by this time I should really have a disclaimer that, in any discussion of the “people” of one nation or another, there is a need to use broad swaths of generalities. Certainly not everyone holds these views, and those who do do so to varying degrees. That said, pop sociology would be impossible without generalizing.
There is a rising undercurrent of Korean nationalism that feeds into the collective consciousness, which often expresses itself in “anti-Americanism” – mainly because America is the most visible and overwhelming foreign power on the peninsula. But perhaps “nationalism” has bad connotations, raises thoughts of Nazis and Facists and such. Instead, perhaps patriotism, though even this may be a misnomer, as the new Korean nationalism encompasses more than the South Korean nation. It is perhaps best described as a newfound seeking for a sense of pride in being Korean, and a quest for a redefinition of what being “Korean” means.
There is a new look into the past by some, who fear that the constant rush of Koreans over the past few decades to try to keep up with or beat the west has been to some degree a self-defeating process, good neither for the health of Korean workers nor for the unity and integrity and understanding of history of the nation and the people. Korea, like Japan and Israel, is a nation defined by ethnicity more than nationality, and therefore has unique characteristics when expressing its sense of identity. Yet in Korea, much of being Korean, in a ore culturally historical sense, had been banned by the Japanese, upturned by the Korean War and buried by the drive for economic dominance and power.
With the world opening up more and more each day to Koreans, through the internet, travel, foreign visitors, pop culture and study, there is a sense that Koreans need to define themselves, to build a collective consciousness based on something other than a drive to make money so their children can be doctors and make even more money to take care o their parents and provide for their own children. This sense of family and family commitment, an integral part of “Koreanism,” has been mixed with the capitalist drive to create a sort of bipolarism where the drive to provide for the family leaves no time for the family.
It will be interesting to see how Koreans adapt as the government pushes forward with five-day work weeks and five-day school weeks, and Koreans end up with their weekends free as a family. Will they simply fill those spaces by sending their children to various institutes to “learn more” or will they begin to enjoy the time with family and create new bonds. That is a question best left for history and for the Koreans, as an outsider has no right to pass judgment, but it is something that will be useful to watch, not only from a sociological sense, but from even a capitalist sense, marketing products and entertainments to families that suddenly have free time together every week.
And with that ability to turn what may be a special moment of bonding and revitalization for the Korean family into a cheap marketing study on consumer capitalism, I bid you farewell for now. (Oh, and for those keeping track, the only thing odd I ate today was a hamburger while on the base...)
Swellfish and Swell Conversation on a Beautiful Spring Evening
O.K., so just a warning, if this is the last thing I write, it is because this evening’s dinner was … (is the suspense building yet?) … Bok. What is Bok, you ask? Well, at the Bok restaurant, they translate it as “Swellfish,” but you may be more familiar with “Blowfish” or perhaps Fugu. Yes, this was the infamous deadly sushi, the kind that, if prepared incorrectly, I will stiffen up with paralysis in a few hours and then I won’t really have to worry about SARS in China. But since I am still feeling fine, hours after the meal, I guess it was prepared well.
Speaking of Fugu, here are two pages devoted to the classic Simpsons episode, One Fish, Two Fish, Blowfish, Blue Fish. Page 1. Page 2.
My host for dinner wanted to take me someplace unique and special, as he heard that I am a connoisseur of new and interesting foods. If I wasn’t before this trip, I certainly am now. I am getting close to having tried most of the creatures from the sea, be they dead or still alive, raw or cooked, or a combination of all four. Anyway, as with the live octopus and the kaebul, the Bok really didn’t have much of a taste all its own, aside from a very simple fish. But the presentation, the six or seven variations in serving styles and the general mood of the meal was exceptional.
My host is the husband of one of my wife’s school friends. He works for a German multinational, and has quite an interest in everything from history to language to social issues to engineering to… So it was an interesting conversation for an interesting meal. Much of our discussion centered around language and language learning, a topic I may address later. Another large chunk addressed the history of Korea, the idea of being Korean and the differences between China, Korea and Japanese regarding the people.
Here I will briefly describe his ideas, offering no judgment on their legitimacy other than to say this is the way at least one Korea with some broader sense of the world sees things. The first part is the spread of humanity out of Africa. The Human race splits, one part going to Europe, the other through the Middle East to Asia. The Asia branch splits, one half going North to Mongolia, the other half taking the southern route through India and Southeast Asia to southern China, Korea and Japan (The Japan branch links back to the people of Paekche, a state in what is now western Korea that came up in an earlier post on Korean voting patterns).
Now, while the Korean genes are like 60 percent from these southern Asians, they are 40 percent from the Mongolian Asians, and their language is linked to the Mongolian Asians (who also spread through Russia into Northern Europe). The northern Mongolian Asians ruled over the Korean Asians of southern descent, imposing their language system on them. The genetic similarities come not from the northern Mongolian Asians marrying into Korea or moving there, but actually the northern Mongolian Asians RECEIVED the Korean Asian blood because the Korean Asians were required to send their women to the northern Mongolian Asian rulers.
So, breaking my earlier pledge not to discuss this idea, it rebuilds the concept of a single Korean race, despite the “mixed” blood of Koreans and Mongolians, re-claims the right of ancestry of the Japanese for the Koreans and in general plays into the revisionist Korean history that is emerging amid new genetic studies. Interestingly, there is an addendum to the story he added, that the Chinese characters didn’t originate in China but in people of the Koreas, and it was later adopted in China. Another addendum was that the Chinese and Japanese, in all their fights in Korea, always lost many more of their own citizens that the total number of Koreans killed in these conflicts, from the earliest regional battles right through the Korean War.
But anyway, after writing this long diatribe, I am still fine, and the paralysis has not set in, so another victory for a very fine Fugu chef!
Speaking of Fugu, here are two pages devoted to the classic Simpsons episode, One Fish, Two Fish, Blowfish, Blue Fish. Page 1. Page 2.
My host for dinner wanted to take me someplace unique and special, as he heard that I am a connoisseur of new and interesting foods. If I wasn’t before this trip, I certainly am now. I am getting close to having tried most of the creatures from the sea, be they dead or still alive, raw or cooked, or a combination of all four. Anyway, as with the live octopus and the kaebul, the Bok really didn’t have much of a taste all its own, aside from a very simple fish. But the presentation, the six or seven variations in serving styles and the general mood of the meal was exceptional.
My host is the husband of one of my wife’s school friends. He works for a German multinational, and has quite an interest in everything from history to language to social issues to engineering to… So it was an interesting conversation for an interesting meal. Much of our discussion centered around language and language learning, a topic I may address later. Another large chunk addressed the history of Korea, the idea of being Korean and the differences between China, Korea and Japanese regarding the people.
Here I will briefly describe his ideas, offering no judgment on their legitimacy other than to say this is the way at least one Korea with some broader sense of the world sees things. The first part is the spread of humanity out of Africa. The Human race splits, one part going to Europe, the other through the Middle East to Asia. The Asia branch splits, one half going North to Mongolia, the other half taking the southern route through India and Southeast Asia to southern China, Korea and Japan (The Japan branch links back to the people of Paekche, a state in what is now western Korea that came up in an earlier post on Korean voting patterns).
Now, while the Korean genes are like 60 percent from these southern Asians, they are 40 percent from the Mongolian Asians, and their language is linked to the Mongolian Asians (who also spread through Russia into Northern Europe). The northern Mongolian Asians ruled over the Korean Asians of southern descent, imposing their language system on them. The genetic similarities come not from the northern Mongolian Asians marrying into Korea or moving there, but actually the northern Mongolian Asians RECEIVED the Korean Asian blood because the Korean Asians were required to send their women to the northern Mongolian Asian rulers.
So, breaking my earlier pledge not to discuss this idea, it rebuilds the concept of a single Korean race, despite the “mixed” blood of Koreans and Mongolians, re-claims the right of ancestry of the Japanese for the Koreans and in general plays into the revisionist Korean history that is emerging amid new genetic studies. Interestingly, there is an addendum to the story he added, that the Chinese characters didn’t originate in China but in people of the Koreas, and it was later adopted in China. Another addendum was that the Chinese and Japanese, in all their fights in Korea, always lost many more of their own citizens that the total number of Koreans killed in these conflicts, from the earliest regional battles right through the Korean War.
But anyway, after writing this long diatribe, I am still fine, and the paralysis has not set in, so another victory for a very fine Fugu chef!
27 April 2004
A Cold Day for a Cold War: Part IV – Overlooking the DMZ and back to Reality
After the infiltration tunnel, it was on to the final stop – Dora Observatory, which has a wonderful view of Kaesong – unfortunately photographs are not allowed from anywhere near the edge where one can see. Instead there is a “photo line” about three five meters back from the wall where pictures can be taken from – an impossibility unless you are like seven feet tall. If there had to be a disappointment of the day, that was it. From the observatory one could see the new road and rail links between the two Koreas, Kaesong and the new Kaesong inter-Korean industrial zone, a really tall statue of Kim Il Sung and the train that was knocked off the tracks at the opening of the Korean War – and hasn’t moved since.
After Dora it was back to Seoul and the real world. It is interesting and somewhat frightening to think that the greater Seoul metropolitan area comprises about half of South Korea’s total population – around 22 million people in and around the city. This is nearly the entire population of the North. But Seoul area is basically slated for devastation of the North ever decided to launch an attack or reprise an attack on the North. The city is just too close to the border. Pyongyang isn’t joking when they threaten they can turn Seoul into a “sea of fire.” BUT, North Korea has no intention of attacking, as the counter strike would end the existence of North Korea as a nation.
Back in Seoul I had coffee (see, my moratorium is off, after two years, while I am in Korea) with a Seoul correspondent who has lived here five years. Some interesting stories to share. We were also briefly (well, if like 20 or 30 minutes is brief) interviewed by University girls working on a project on the internationalization of English. They were all English language and literature majors. It was a bit funny because they expected two foreigners who had little experience in Korea or with communicating with Koreans and instead got the two of us.
Well, then it was back to the subway, back “home” for the evening, and back to work as well. Tomorrow I have a dinner appointment, Thursday a morning appointment, and somewhere in there I’d like to get to Insadong or to the palaces. I am on a quest for a business card carrying case with a tiger or an old Korean design etched on the cover – but not too expensive. It will be my birthday present, a little belated.
On a totally unrelated note, the Uri Party has come out of its meeting today with a decision not to really name a party ideology but instead to say it is an inclusive, forward-looking reform-minded party, as opposed to the GNP, which the Uri party characterized as Cold War conservatives. If the Uri Party can hold together, and if Roh is exonerated in the Constitutional Court (something that seems increasingly likely), then there may be some changes in Korea, initially in media laws but later in economics, chaebol and labor relations and defense posture.
Oh, one final note before calling it a night. The North Koreans are not the only ones who like to appear bigger and taller. South Korea’s famous (infamous?) “63 story building,” the tallest in South Korea, is actually a bit misnamed, as three of those 63 stories are below ground.
After Dora it was back to Seoul and the real world. It is interesting and somewhat frightening to think that the greater Seoul metropolitan area comprises about half of South Korea’s total population – around 22 million people in and around the city. This is nearly the entire population of the North. But Seoul area is basically slated for devastation of the North ever decided to launch an attack or reprise an attack on the North. The city is just too close to the border. Pyongyang isn’t joking when they threaten they can turn Seoul into a “sea of fire.” BUT, North Korea has no intention of attacking, as the counter strike would end the existence of North Korea as a nation.
Back in Seoul I had coffee (see, my moratorium is off, after two years, while I am in Korea) with a Seoul correspondent who has lived here five years. Some interesting stories to share. We were also briefly (well, if like 20 or 30 minutes is brief) interviewed by University girls working on a project on the internationalization of English. They were all English language and literature majors. It was a bit funny because they expected two foreigners who had little experience in Korea or with communicating with Koreans and instead got the two of us.
Well, then it was back to the subway, back “home” for the evening, and back to work as well. Tomorrow I have a dinner appointment, Thursday a morning appointment, and somewhere in there I’d like to get to Insadong or to the palaces. I am on a quest for a business card carrying case with a tiger or an old Korean design etched on the cover – but not too expensive. It will be my birthday present, a little belated.
On a totally unrelated note, the Uri Party has come out of its meeting today with a decision not to really name a party ideology but instead to say it is an inclusive, forward-looking reform-minded party, as opposed to the GNP, which the Uri party characterized as Cold War conservatives. If the Uri Party can hold together, and if Roh is exonerated in the Constitutional Court (something that seems increasingly likely), then there may be some changes in Korea, initially in media laws but later in economics, chaebol and labor relations and defense posture.
Oh, one final note before calling it a night. The North Koreans are not the only ones who like to appear bigger and taller. South Korea’s famous (infamous?) “63 story building,” the tallest in South Korea, is actually a bit misnamed, as three of those 63 stories are below ground.
A Cold Day for a Cold War: Part III – Under the DMZ
After lunch at the “Sanctuary Club” at Camp Bonifas, it was off to the Third Infiltration Tunnel, one of four North Korean infiltration tunnels found on the ROK side of the DMZ. The Third Tunnel was discovered after receiving intelligence from a defector. North Korean miners had managed to get the tunnel within 44km of Seoul before it was discovered in 1978. There are estimated of up to 17 other infiltration tunnels under the DMZ.
The ride down the elevator/train thingy was an adventure in itself. The South Koreans are proud of sing drilling machines to drill the tunnel down to the tunnel in just three months, compared to the estimated five years work on the tunnel by the North. But the shaft down is a rough-cut tube, barely wide enough for the three-abreast elevator/train and with plenty of places where it was so narrow that the outer people had to lean in and the center person duck. In some places the walls had been sealed with concrete, in others they were bare rock with a metal net bolted to the rock andother parts had Plexiglas sheathing to deflect the drips.
The tunnel itself (the North Korean one, that is) is around two meters in diameter. They claim it can move like 10,000 troops in an hour, well they must be short troops, and rather skinny. Lets just say it was a good thing they handed out hardhats… The shaft down to the tunnel was around 300 meters, then we walked back through the DPRK tunnel around 265 meters to where the ROK forces had sealed it off. It was 20 degrees C inside the tunnel, and felt much warmer than outside. It was also rather wet. On the way back out, I did stop for a drink of “DMZ bedrock water.”
Upon re-emerging to the surface, it was possible to hear North Korean propaganda music wafting on the breeze. I also acted like a tourist and bought piece 04856 of 150625 pieces of barbed wire cut from the DMZ on June 25, 2000 as part of the memorial of the 50th anniversary of the Korean War. It will go well with my piece of the Berlin Wall.
The ride down the elevator/train thingy was an adventure in itself. The South Koreans are proud of sing drilling machines to drill the tunnel down to the tunnel in just three months, compared to the estimated five years work on the tunnel by the North. But the shaft down is a rough-cut tube, barely wide enough for the three-abreast elevator/train and with plenty of places where it was so narrow that the outer people had to lean in and the center person duck. In some places the walls had been sealed with concrete, in others they were bare rock with a metal net bolted to the rock andother parts had Plexiglas sheathing to deflect the drips.
The tunnel itself (the North Korean one, that is) is around two meters in diameter. They claim it can move like 10,000 troops in an hour, well they must be short troops, and rather skinny. Lets just say it was a good thing they handed out hardhats… The shaft down to the tunnel was around 300 meters, then we walked back through the DPRK tunnel around 265 meters to where the ROK forces had sealed it off. It was 20 degrees C inside the tunnel, and felt much warmer than outside. It was also rather wet. On the way back out, I did stop for a drink of “DMZ bedrock water.”
Upon re-emerging to the surface, it was possible to hear North Korean propaganda music wafting on the breeze. I also acted like a tourist and bought piece 04856 of 150625 pieces of barbed wire cut from the DMZ on June 25, 2000 as part of the memorial of the 50th anniversary of the Korean War. It will go well with my piece of the Berlin Wall.
A Cold Day for a Cold War: Part II – Inside the DMZ
Between Checkpoint Bravo and the JSA, there is no photography allowed. There are many smaller bunkers in the area, as well as rice fields and roads. The area is farmed by descendents of original relatives of the Panmun valley, they are exempt from military service, pay no taxes, earn around $82,000 a year, have subsidized housing and farm much bigger plots of land than their compatriots elsewhere in South Korea. Of course they live inside a rather tense area, have a strict curfew and must sleep in their own village 240 nights a year to retain the right to live there.
Anyway, we passed Guard Post 240, manned by the ROK 1st Infantry, which has a clear view several kilometers into North Korea. Nearby is Outpost Ouleutte, or OPO, which is manned by U.S. forces, at least until October. This is the last outpost inside the DMZ manned by U.S. forces, and U.S. forces claim it is the most strategic with the best view of the North. North Korea recently complained about the U.S. decision to leave the outpost, because leaving the DMZ to South Korea, which was not a signatory to the Armistice in 1953 (Syngman Rhee refused to sign, something that has ironically kept South Korea out of the main negotiations over the future of the Peninsula, as only North Korea, China and the United States signed the Armistice Agreement), was considered a violation of the Armistice Agreement. This is pretty much a moot point as South Korea HAS been the main force in the DMZ for years.
There is a quick reaction force in the DMZ not far from the JSA (Joint Security Area), which claims to be able to have its forces inside the JSA in full gear in 60-90 seconds. I guess these are the guys in the JSA movie that come as the lead South Korean characters are running back across the bridge from North Korean territory amid a hail of North Korean gunfire. After this, we passed United Nations Command (UNC) Checkpoint Charlie into the JSA, and were again permitted to take photographs.
Inside the JSA, we visited the Military Armistice Commission (MAC) building, inside which I crossed briefly into North Korean territory. There were no North Korean soldiers inside the building, just ROK soldiers at “ROK Ready,” a modified TaeKwonDo stance they stand at to be more intimidating to the North (They also wear large sunglasses and are taller than the average Korean). Outside, the ROK soldiers stand at the corners of the buildings facing north, only exposing half their bodies to give a smaller target. Apparently they technically have three-hour shifts to stand out there at the ready, but they are usually relieved after an hour and a half – still a fair amount of work to send a message.
On the North Side, as it was cold and windy (though the rain stopped for the rest of the day), there were no North Korean guards except one outside their main building. One note on brinkmanship, which is alive and well at the DMZ, is the North Korean building had a third story added on after the South Korean side built a building planned as a family reunion hall, and it was taller than the North Korean building. The North Korean flag in GiJongDong flys from a flagpole (well, tower actually) that stands somewhere around 120 meters high. It used to be shorter, but when the ROK put a 100 meter flag tower in DaeSungDong, the DPRK built a taller one.
Anyway, we passed Guard Post 240, manned by the ROK 1st Infantry, which has a clear view several kilometers into North Korea. Nearby is Outpost Ouleutte, or OPO, which is manned by U.S. forces, at least until October. This is the last outpost inside the DMZ manned by U.S. forces, and U.S. forces claim it is the most strategic with the best view of the North. North Korea recently complained about the U.S. decision to leave the outpost, because leaving the DMZ to South Korea, which was not a signatory to the Armistice in 1953 (Syngman Rhee refused to sign, something that has ironically kept South Korea out of the main negotiations over the future of the Peninsula, as only North Korea, China and the United States signed the Armistice Agreement), was considered a violation of the Armistice Agreement. This is pretty much a moot point as South Korea HAS been the main force in the DMZ for years.
There is a quick reaction force in the DMZ not far from the JSA (Joint Security Area), which claims to be able to have its forces inside the JSA in full gear in 60-90 seconds. I guess these are the guys in the JSA movie that come as the lead South Korean characters are running back across the bridge from North Korean territory amid a hail of North Korean gunfire. After this, we passed United Nations Command (UNC) Checkpoint Charlie into the JSA, and were again permitted to take photographs.
Inside the JSA, we visited the Military Armistice Commission (MAC) building, inside which I crossed briefly into North Korean territory. There were no North Korean soldiers inside the building, just ROK soldiers at “ROK Ready,” a modified TaeKwonDo stance they stand at to be more intimidating to the North (They also wear large sunglasses and are taller than the average Korean). Outside, the ROK soldiers stand at the corners of the buildings facing north, only exposing half their bodies to give a smaller target. Apparently they technically have three-hour shifts to stand out there at the ready, but they are usually relieved after an hour and a half – still a fair amount of work to send a message.
On the North Side, as it was cold and windy (though the rain stopped for the rest of the day), there were no North Korean guards except one outside their main building. One note on brinkmanship, which is alive and well at the DMZ, is the North Korean building had a third story added on after the South Korean side built a building planned as a family reunion hall, and it was taller than the North Korean building. The North Korean flag in GiJongDong flys from a flagpole (well, tower actually) that stands somewhere around 120 meters high. It used to be shorter, but when the ROK put a 100 meter flag tower in DaeSungDong, the DPRK built a taller one.
A Cold Day for a Cold War: Part I – Getting There
Today it was up bright and early (well, maybe not “bright,” but definitely early) and off to the USO via subway, which is quite empty at that hour. As I may have mentioned previously (my short-term memory has been lost since I largely gave up coffee, they say coffee helps short-term memory but may damage long-term memory… go figure) Korea is called the “Land of the Morning Calm,” probably because no one can get up in the morning after being out so late at night. But now I am really digressing…
Anyway, my first journal entry for today was headed 040427:0550 On the Subway. So we are establishing that, at least for my stay in Korea, it was early. Oh, and did I mention the rain? It rained yesterday. It rained last night. It was raining this morning. And it was cold, in the 40s, and we are not talking centigrade. So it was a cold, gray, drizzly morning, perfect for a visit to the last bastion of the Cold War, a hostile relic clinging to relevance through the sheer tenacity and, some may say stubbornness, of the Korean people and a few American Cold-Warriors.
Really since the end of the Cold War, the collapse of the Soviet Union and the acceleration of China’s economic opening and reform, the strategic importance of the Korean peninsula, at least to the United States, has faded significantly. While there is a long-term consideration of the need to counter China, in general basin 37,000 troops in Korea – troops that cannot be deployed elsewhere – has been a misappropriation of U.S. defense strength – something seen now as Washington tries to find enough troops to rotate through Iraq and Afghanistan. If it weren’t for North Korea’s nuclear weapons (or possible weapons or threats of weapons or…), North Korea would rate about as high as Haiti on the U.S. radar screen these days.
But again I digress, at least from telling the tale of my trip to North Korea (well, I did get to step into North Korean territory for like five minutes). Anyway, so my motto of better early than on-time was certainly in affect today, so I passed the USO and got me a hot can of coffee (this is why I said “largely” gave up coffee, I have taken it up again on a small scale over here) and a “Special Selection Bonito Bread” with chocolate cream. “Bonito is a fresh, elegant and high dignified bakery goods for the young generation that the meaning of it is ‘pretty,’ ‘cute’ in Spanish. And it gives value above taste to consumers.” Well, it didn’t taste too bad, so I’m not sure the last line really was supposed to mean what it says, but maybe that should be McDonald’s motto – “We give value above taste.”
It was a cold, drizzly bus ride up the Riverside Expressway to Camp Bonifas. After several pieces of Korean trivia from our tour guide, we began to see signs we were nearing the DMZ – like barbed wire and military outposts all along the bank of the river and a large North Korea propaganda village (GiJongDong) across the river. It is called a propaganda village because, while the buildings are kept neat and trim and the grounds manicured, no one actually lives there. The just come to raise and lower the 30-meter long flag and mow the grass.
From my journal – “040427:0822 - Except for the occasional military check post, it is hard to believe that [looking out on] the right side of the highway they even consider the fact they are near the DMZ. There are apartment high-rises, restaurants, farms; life as usual. I’m not sure what I expected, but not this.” This was written less than 12km from Panmunjom.
After passing through a security checkpoint at the Tongil Bridge (Unification Bridge, over the Imjin River) and weaving through an obstacle course of barriers on the bridge, we passed through one of the three main border defenses, a tank barrier. Basically it was a large concrete overpass wired with explosives to leave a huge chunk of concrete in the road should North Korean forces decide to move south. (The other two main defenses are the minefields and the barbed wire fences.)
At Camp Liberty Bell we passed through another check point, this on manned by U.S. soldiers (the one at the Tongil bridge was manned by ROK soldiers). We stopped at a photo shop/souvenir shop and transferred to the United Nations buses, which would take us into the Joint Security Area. Then it was off to Balinger Hall at Camp Bonifas for our briefing and to get out UN visitor badges. DMZ trivia from the briefing – DMZ is 241km long, has 1292 yellow markers posted along its length, on one side in Hangul and English, on the other in Hangul and Chinese. The fences and such are on the outer limits of the DMZ, about 2-2.4 km from the Military Demarcation Line (MDL), which is the center of the DMZ (Demilitarized Zone).
Anyway, my first journal entry for today was headed 040427:0550 On the Subway. So we are establishing that, at least for my stay in Korea, it was early. Oh, and did I mention the rain? It rained yesterday. It rained last night. It was raining this morning. And it was cold, in the 40s, and we are not talking centigrade. So it was a cold, gray, drizzly morning, perfect for a visit to the last bastion of the Cold War, a hostile relic clinging to relevance through the sheer tenacity and, some may say stubbornness, of the Korean people and a few American Cold-Warriors.
Really since the end of the Cold War, the collapse of the Soviet Union and the acceleration of China’s economic opening and reform, the strategic importance of the Korean peninsula, at least to the United States, has faded significantly. While there is a long-term consideration of the need to counter China, in general basin 37,000 troops in Korea – troops that cannot be deployed elsewhere – has been a misappropriation of U.S. defense strength – something seen now as Washington tries to find enough troops to rotate through Iraq and Afghanistan. If it weren’t for North Korea’s nuclear weapons (or possible weapons or threats of weapons or…), North Korea would rate about as high as Haiti on the U.S. radar screen these days.
But again I digress, at least from telling the tale of my trip to North Korea (well, I did get to step into North Korean territory for like five minutes). Anyway, so my motto of better early than on-time was certainly in affect today, so I passed the USO and got me a hot can of coffee (this is why I said “largely” gave up coffee, I have taken it up again on a small scale over here) and a “Special Selection Bonito Bread” with chocolate cream. “Bonito is a fresh, elegant and high dignified bakery goods for the young generation that the meaning of it is ‘pretty,’ ‘cute’ in Spanish. And it gives value above taste to consumers.” Well, it didn’t taste too bad, so I’m not sure the last line really was supposed to mean what it says, but maybe that should be McDonald’s motto – “We give value above taste.”
It was a cold, drizzly bus ride up the Riverside Expressway to Camp Bonifas. After several pieces of Korean trivia from our tour guide, we began to see signs we were nearing the DMZ – like barbed wire and military outposts all along the bank of the river and a large North Korea propaganda village (GiJongDong) across the river. It is called a propaganda village because, while the buildings are kept neat and trim and the grounds manicured, no one actually lives there. The just come to raise and lower the 30-meter long flag and mow the grass.
From my journal – “040427:0822 - Except for the occasional military check post, it is hard to believe that [looking out on] the right side of the highway they even consider the fact they are near the DMZ. There are apartment high-rises, restaurants, farms; life as usual. I’m not sure what I expected, but not this.” This was written less than 12km from Panmunjom.
After passing through a security checkpoint at the Tongil Bridge (Unification Bridge, over the Imjin River) and weaving through an obstacle course of barriers on the bridge, we passed through one of the three main border defenses, a tank barrier. Basically it was a large concrete overpass wired with explosives to leave a huge chunk of concrete in the road should North Korean forces decide to move south. (The other two main defenses are the minefields and the barbed wire fences.)
At Camp Liberty Bell we passed through another check point, this on manned by U.S. soldiers (the one at the Tongil bridge was manned by ROK soldiers). We stopped at a photo shop/souvenir shop and transferred to the United Nations buses, which would take us into the Joint Security Area. Then it was off to Balinger Hall at Camp Bonifas for our briefing and to get out UN visitor badges. DMZ trivia from the briefing – DMZ is 241km long, has 1292 yellow markers posted along its length, on one side in Hangul and English, on the other in Hangul and Chinese. The fences and such are on the outer limits of the DMZ, about 2-2.4 km from the Military Demarcation Line (MDL), which is the center of the DMZ (Demilitarized Zone).
26 April 2004
Pop Sociology From Seoul
After a cool, drizzly grey day there is nothing like cozying up to a nice warm laptop computer and working.
Hey, a piece of my shirt may be in a Korean TV show or something. They were filming a TV show or movie in the Kimpo metro stop, and I walked right behind the actress. That may be as good as the chance for the headlights of my truck to be in a movie they were filming in Austin a few weeks ago, when I was driving north on Congress and heading south was one of those movie trailers with the car on it with the actors pretending to drive down the street. Oh how close to fame I keep coming, yet so far...
So anyway, a little pop sociology (as the headline so subtly suggested). I have heard several people now talk about the new sense of "empowerment" of the people in Korea -- so much so that they claim the politicians fear the people now, and any small mistake someone makes must quickly be apologized for and perhaps even be punished. This is a far cry from the Korea of the 1970s and 1980s, when the military government had a very firm grip on the people, not the other way around. But the new-found strength is also contributing to a social change, where people consider themselves first, and their neighbors and nation a distant second -- or so I keep being told by Koreans with a tone of disdain in their voice. If they recognize this new self-centeredness, though, then there is certainly a chance for a social backlash against it, a space for a sense of civic pride to emerge, and nationalism to take hold.
Interestingly, another trend I keep hearing is that Koreans are recognizing that Korea is not the greatest power in the world, and probably never will be. But this isn't said with a sense of defeatism, simply an emerging acceptance of reality. That said, it certainly isn't stopping them from TRYING to make it a great and powerful nation. This emerging rationalism is quite anathema to the national Korean character, which is based more on emotion that rationality. How this will play out will be interesting to watch.
I am staying in one of many areas of Seoul designated a "New City" -- which roughly translates to being designated for total demolition and complete from-scratch reconstruction. New roads, new buildings, wider straighter streets, more central planning in the layout and design. Even relatively new buildings, just a year or two old, are slated for destruction to make way for the New City. For the people who live here, that means property prices are rising, as the government and companies will have to buy them out at whatever cost. Of course, it also means that in a few months o a few years, they will have to move and watch their houses, apartments and shops be bulldozed.
Well, tomorrow its off to the DMZ. Until then, I'll be pondering over how the Uri Party and the GNP can reshape themselves before the start of the new parliament session and whether either of the dominant parties can find a way to become unified in policy and plans, rather than fragmented entities.
Hey, a piece of my shirt may be in a Korean TV show or something. They were filming a TV show or movie in the Kimpo metro stop, and I walked right behind the actress. That may be as good as the chance for the headlights of my truck to be in a movie they were filming in Austin a few weeks ago, when I was driving north on Congress and heading south was one of those movie trailers with the car on it with the actors pretending to drive down the street. Oh how close to fame I keep coming, yet so far...
So anyway, a little pop sociology (as the headline so subtly suggested). I have heard several people now talk about the new sense of "empowerment" of the people in Korea -- so much so that they claim the politicians fear the people now, and any small mistake someone makes must quickly be apologized for and perhaps even be punished. This is a far cry from the Korea of the 1970s and 1980s, when the military government had a very firm grip on the people, not the other way around. But the new-found strength is also contributing to a social change, where people consider themselves first, and their neighbors and nation a distant second -- or so I keep being told by Koreans with a tone of disdain in their voice. If they recognize this new self-centeredness, though, then there is certainly a chance for a social backlash against it, a space for a sense of civic pride to emerge, and nationalism to take hold.
Interestingly, another trend I keep hearing is that Koreans are recognizing that Korea is not the greatest power in the world, and probably never will be. But this isn't said with a sense of defeatism, simply an emerging acceptance of reality. That said, it certainly isn't stopping them from TRYING to make it a great and powerful nation. This emerging rationalism is quite anathema to the national Korean character, which is based more on emotion that rationality. How this will play out will be interesting to watch.
I am staying in one of many areas of Seoul designated a "New City" -- which roughly translates to being designated for total demolition and complete from-scratch reconstruction. New roads, new buildings, wider straighter streets, more central planning in the layout and design. Even relatively new buildings, just a year or two old, are slated for destruction to make way for the New City. For the people who live here, that means property prices are rising, as the government and companies will have to buy them out at whatever cost. Of course, it also means that in a few months o a few years, they will have to move and watch their houses, apartments and shops be bulldozed.
Well, tomorrow its off to the DMZ. Until then, I'll be pondering over how the Uri Party and the GNP can reshape themselves before the start of the new parliament session and whether either of the dominant parties can find a way to become unified in policy and plans, rather than fragmented entities.
SARS Wars, The Phantom Menace
I am keeping an ever vigilant eye on the re-emergence of SARS in Beijing and currently there is one important fact that must not be overlooked -- the current outbreak is still contained among a very small group of people who either worked in the virus control institute at China's Centers for Disease Control or had close contact with someone who worked there. (See the World Health Organization notice about the initial SARS cases in Beijing this time around) This does not mean it isn't a risk -- particularly with Golden Week approaching and travel expected to pick up substantially. But it does indicate that, thus far, it is not spreading through the general population.
And the off-screen announcer replied, "Now you know, and knowing is half the battle. G.I.Joe!"
And the off-screen announcer replied, "Now you know, and knowing is half the battle. G.I.Joe!"
25 April 2004
Welcome to Seoul
This morning we forgot to get up, so it was a mad dash to get ready and down to the bus station, on board five minutes before it pulled out of Kwangju and headed for Incheon. All along the route (well, at least the parts I was awake for) are small farms, a reminder that despite its technology and industry, South Korea is still primarily an agricultural society. Perhaps that explains both the friendliness and the confusion as the country rushes through decades or centuries of growth all at the same time.
At the Incheon international airport, there was an unexpected demonstration of security forces in action. Apparently some absent minded traveler left a small suitcase sitting near a bench, and the South Korean security in their black uniforms swooped in to take control of the situation. The area around the bag was roped off, the bomb sniffing machine brought in, as was the portable x-ray machine (which takes a sort of really oversized Polaroid, right through the bag). The contents were then displayed all over the floor of the airport as the security forces sorted and recorded all items. They were then neatly repacked and the bag taken away. All in all an interesting view of security procedures in action, though if it HAD been a bomb, I wouldn't be writing this now, given the proximity they allowed the curious to get to the suspicious suitcase...
After a sad farewell to the family, I hopped a bus to Kimpo, transferred one subway stop and am now at my homestay in Seoul with a very friendly small family of three. I have internet access, my own bathroom and bedroom, and company when I need it, as well as folks from which to ask directions and get guidance. It is a little odd to them, I think, that I have a Korean wife and know some of Korean "culture," but I am happier being here than in a hotel all alone. I really don't know Seoul very well (if it weren't for the subway, I'd probably never get around here) so it is useful to stay with people who know the area. Tomorrow it is off to the USO to get my ticket for the DMZ tour, then off to the War memorial and perhaps to meet a few folks.
I have been looking at the pictures of the North Korean rail explosion and the devastation is amazing. (Here and Here) The hole where the explosion took place is massive, and parts of the city resemble pictures of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. There are some interesting bits of everyday North Korean life visible in the furniture and items being carted out of the rubble, something I will be looking at more over time to compare to South Korea. At first glance, the basic furnishings are the same, the large free-standing closets being the most noticeable, but the design and decoration is much simpler. Pyongyang has taken the important step of asking for aid, publicizing the incident, and even asking South Korea directly for assistance. It is interesting to watch how Pyongyang handles the incident further, whether it can gain assistance in revitalizing not only the immediate area but the rail lines overall -- something that South Korea, China and Russia may pay for if they want a connected rail system with each other.
Oh, on a parting note, here is the latest SARS update from China.
At the Incheon international airport, there was an unexpected demonstration of security forces in action. Apparently some absent minded traveler left a small suitcase sitting near a bench, and the South Korean security in their black uniforms swooped in to take control of the situation. The area around the bag was roped off, the bomb sniffing machine brought in, as was the portable x-ray machine (which takes a sort of really oversized Polaroid, right through the bag). The contents were then displayed all over the floor of the airport as the security forces sorted and recorded all items. They were then neatly repacked and the bag taken away. All in all an interesting view of security procedures in action, though if it HAD been a bomb, I wouldn't be writing this now, given the proximity they allowed the curious to get to the suspicious suitcase...
After a sad farewell to the family, I hopped a bus to Kimpo, transferred one subway stop and am now at my homestay in Seoul with a very friendly small family of three. I have internet access, my own bathroom and bedroom, and company when I need it, as well as folks from which to ask directions and get guidance. It is a little odd to them, I think, that I have a Korean wife and know some of Korean "culture," but I am happier being here than in a hotel all alone. I really don't know Seoul very well (if it weren't for the subway, I'd probably never get around here) so it is useful to stay with people who know the area. Tomorrow it is off to the USO to get my ticket for the DMZ tour, then off to the War memorial and perhaps to meet a few folks.
I have been looking at the pictures of the North Korean rail explosion and the devastation is amazing. (Here and Here) The hole where the explosion took place is massive, and parts of the city resemble pictures of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. There are some interesting bits of everyday North Korean life visible in the furniture and items being carted out of the rubble, something I will be looking at more over time to compare to South Korea. At first glance, the basic furnishings are the same, the large free-standing closets being the most noticeable, but the design and decoration is much simpler. Pyongyang has taken the important step of asking for aid, publicizing the incident, and even asking South Korea directly for assistance. It is interesting to watch how Pyongyang handles the incident further, whether it can gain assistance in revitalizing not only the immediate area but the rail lines overall -- something that South Korea, China and Russia may pay for if they want a connected rail system with each other.
Oh, on a parting note, here is the latest SARS update from China.
24 April 2004
Farewell Kwangju, Hello Seoul
Tomorrow early I say farewell to Kwangju, then its off to Seoul. In Seoul I will say farewell to my family (again) and send them back to the states, leaving me here to face Korea and Beijing alone. Today after church while my son was in art school I sat in Sajick Park with my wife and relaxed -- a last moment of calm before the rush of packing and organizing and reorganizing and repacking and trying to get to the bus station on time to get to the airport in Seoul... It was relaxing and peaceful, if only for 30 or 40 minutes. The breeze was cool, most of the yellow haze cleared off, the kids were chasing the pigeons and everything was peaceful and right.
Traffic in Kwangju hasn't been quite as bad as I expected, despite the massive increase in the number of cars on the roads. What is lacking, however, is a common sense of road etiquette and a belief in or understanding of the rules of the road. It does make for some interesting times. Red lights, turn only lanes, speed limit signs -- all of these seem more like guidelines than rules, like optional items the government left lying around rather than requirements for sane and safe driving. Yet not one (knock on wood) were we in an accident.
The Kwangju subway (finally) opens in a few days. That should make things much easier on a person like me who mixes up the dozens of buses and cant keep track of all the bus routes. I am considering coming back down to Kwangju at the end of my stay in Korea for the May 18 memorial. In the past few years, I have heard that it has become more of a street fair than a serious memorial or symbol of the opposition forces that once ran strong in Kwangju -- I guess having Kim Dae Jung as president really took a lot of the win out of the sails of the opposition forces, once they were in charge. But with Roh's impeachment still pending and the Uri Party victory in the parliament, it may turn out to be interesting. I mean, I have been here a week -- in the spring no less -- and not once smelled a whiff of teargas. What has happened to the Kwangju of my memories, the Kwangju of nearly a decade ago?
For those who care, I will be doing a homestay in Seoul. I chose this option because it is both cheaper than a hotel (around $30 a night, breakfast included) and because it is an opportunity to meet more people and get a better understanding of a broader cross section of the country's citizens. I will be doing a homestay in Beijing as well, which will also give me some guidance and direction in a city that is even more foreign to me than Seoul, where at least I can read the signs and get by with the barest smattering of Korean. In Seoul, I will be staying near the Songjeong station (purple number 5 line), which is one stop away from Kimpo (or is it now Gimpo) airport. On the Seoul Subway map, it is on the left side, just below the airport symbol. You can right-click your mouse on the map to zoom in to see the station location better. Also, if you are interested, the Seoul Times offers some of what's happening in Seoul for foreigners, you can see all the things I would have been going to see and enjoy if I wasn't working and if I actually had money...
A final note. I broke my self-imposed moratorium on drinking coffee tonight (it had lasted two years). I had a cappuccino with my father-in-law. They made it quite well, extra frothy (though for some reason they put sugar in it) -- all for 2000 won, which is like $1.80. Anyway, such things -- cappuccino machines -- are a bit of a novelty here still, at least down here in Kwangju, so not all the customers were exactly satisfied when they ordered espresso and got, well, espresso rather than some drink with milk and sugar. It will take some time for a country (or at least a city) whose coffee shops charge two to five dollars for a single cup of instant coffee with powdered creamer to switch to appreciating espresso and cappuccino and the like, but really, with such wonderful teas and other assorted domestic drinks, why they need espresso is a bit beyond me.
And with coffee-induced dreams already beginning to spin in my head, I bid you all good night, farewell fair Kwangju, tomorrow will find me heading north toward Seoul -- the big city.
Traffic in Kwangju hasn't been quite as bad as I expected, despite the massive increase in the number of cars on the roads. What is lacking, however, is a common sense of road etiquette and a belief in or understanding of the rules of the road. It does make for some interesting times. Red lights, turn only lanes, speed limit signs -- all of these seem more like guidelines than rules, like optional items the government left lying around rather than requirements for sane and safe driving. Yet not one (knock on wood) were we in an accident.
The Kwangju subway (finally) opens in a few days. That should make things much easier on a person like me who mixes up the dozens of buses and cant keep track of all the bus routes. I am considering coming back down to Kwangju at the end of my stay in Korea for the May 18 memorial. In the past few years, I have heard that it has become more of a street fair than a serious memorial or symbol of the opposition forces that once ran strong in Kwangju -- I guess having Kim Dae Jung as president really took a lot of the win out of the sails of the opposition forces, once they were in charge. But with Roh's impeachment still pending and the Uri Party victory in the parliament, it may turn out to be interesting. I mean, I have been here a week -- in the spring no less -- and not once smelled a whiff of teargas. What has happened to the Kwangju of my memories, the Kwangju of nearly a decade ago?
For those who care, I will be doing a homestay in Seoul. I chose this option because it is both cheaper than a hotel (around $30 a night, breakfast included) and because it is an opportunity to meet more people and get a better understanding of a broader cross section of the country's citizens. I will be doing a homestay in Beijing as well, which will also give me some guidance and direction in a city that is even more foreign to me than Seoul, where at least I can read the signs and get by with the barest smattering of Korean. In Seoul, I will be staying near the Songjeong station (purple number 5 line), which is one stop away from Kimpo (or is it now Gimpo) airport. On the Seoul Subway map, it is on the left side, just below the airport symbol. You can right-click your mouse on the map to zoom in to see the station location better. Also, if you are interested, the Seoul Times offers some of what's happening in Seoul for foreigners, you can see all the things I would have been going to see and enjoy if I wasn't working and if I actually had money...
A final note. I broke my self-imposed moratorium on drinking coffee tonight (it had lasted two years). I had a cappuccino with my father-in-law. They made it quite well, extra frothy (though for some reason they put sugar in it) -- all for 2000 won, which is like $1.80. Anyway, such things -- cappuccino machines -- are a bit of a novelty here still, at least down here in Kwangju, so not all the customers were exactly satisfied when they ordered espresso and got, well, espresso rather than some drink with milk and sugar. It will take some time for a country (or at least a city) whose coffee shops charge two to five dollars for a single cup of instant coffee with powdered creamer to switch to appreciating espresso and cappuccino and the like, but really, with such wonderful teas and other assorted domestic drinks, why they need espresso is a bit beyond me.
And with coffee-induced dreams already beginning to spin in my head, I bid you all good night, farewell fair Kwangju, tomorrow will find me heading north toward Seoul -- the big city.
23 April 2004
On Farms, SARS and Exploding Rail Cars
Well, I spent part of the morning out in the farms -- it is strawberry and tomato season in the rows and rows of greenhouses -- and flags fluttered in the breezes protesting the World Trade Organization (WTO) and its impact on Korean agriculture. The farmers are always the ones hit the hardest (or so they claim) by market openings, as foreign competition (China for many products) eats quickly into their way of life. In Korea, there are still many smaller farmers, and the agricultural techniques really haven't changed in decades. But most troubling for many is the idea that the WTO requires Korea to open its rice market to foreign (USA) competition even more. Talks on this very issue were underway earlier this week in Geneva. Korean farmers have been in the forefront of protests against the WTO regulations in the recent past, going so far as to disembowel themselves in an attempt to become martyrs for the cause and press forward their agenda.
From the farms we turn to SARS, which is apparently rearing its ugly head again in China -- in Beijing in particular -- which is where I am headed in a little over a week. For those interested, here is what the CDC has to say about SARS. I guess its time to buy a mask or two and a container of alcohol wipes. I may even take to wearing gloves, so I can look like Michael Jackson (who has now crept into this journal twice in recent days). What will be interesting to see is how well the airports and public facilities not only in China but throughout Asia are handling another potential outbreak. Masks are already in vogue in Korea, but for the Yellow Dust, which also comes from China, but has a much more widespread affect on the general population.
And finally,exploding rail cars. So if my visit to North Korea hadn't been cancelled by Kim Jong Il's visit to China, I am guessing it may have been postponed at least by the rail accident in Ryongchon, which has killed dozens and injured more than a thousand -- something that happens when fuel trains collide in the middle of a densely populated city. There are rumors galore floating around that this was an assassination attempt against Kim Jong Il, who passed through the station not nine hours earlier, but if that were the case, close really didn't count, especially not given the long time between his passing and the explosion. What appears more likely is that a "gift" train of fuel products came through a rail system with little collision warning equipment and smashed into a train that was off schedule due to Kim's passing, which shuts down all rail traffic. That or there was an accident loading fuel into a train and that spread quickly. All is supposition at the moment, however, and more will come later here and elsewhere. But the question now is whether this serves as a way for some cooperation -- on a humanitarian level -- between the United States and North Korea similar to the recent earthquake in Iran, or as natural disasters and major accidents have served as launch points for diplomatic tension-easers in the past.
Oh, and see -- no more live food stories (at least until I get to China?!)
From the farms we turn to SARS, which is apparently rearing its ugly head again in China -- in Beijing in particular -- which is where I am headed in a little over a week. For those interested, here is what the CDC has to say about SARS. I guess its time to buy a mask or two and a container of alcohol wipes. I may even take to wearing gloves, so I can look like Michael Jackson (who has now crept into this journal twice in recent days). What will be interesting to see is how well the airports and public facilities not only in China but throughout Asia are handling another potential outbreak. Masks are already in vogue in Korea, but for the Yellow Dust, which also comes from China, but has a much more widespread affect on the general population.
And finally,exploding rail cars. So if my visit to North Korea hadn't been cancelled by Kim Jong Il's visit to China, I am guessing it may have been postponed at least by the rail accident in Ryongchon, which has killed dozens and injured more than a thousand -- something that happens when fuel trains collide in the middle of a densely populated city. There are rumors galore floating around that this was an assassination attempt against Kim Jong Il, who passed through the station not nine hours earlier, but if that were the case, close really didn't count, especially not given the long time between his passing and the explosion. What appears more likely is that a "gift" train of fuel products came through a rail system with little collision warning equipment and smashed into a train that was off schedule due to Kim's passing, which shuts down all rail traffic. That or there was an accident loading fuel into a train and that spread quickly. All is supposition at the moment, however, and more will come later here and elsewhere. But the question now is whether this serves as a way for some cooperation -- on a humanitarian level -- between the United States and North Korea similar to the recent earthquake in Iran, or as natural disasters and major accidents have served as launch points for diplomatic tension-easers in the past.
Oh, and see -- no more live food stories (at least until I get to China?!)
22 April 2004
What Is Big, Pink and Lives at the Bottom of the Sea?
Ok, have you heard that joke? Well, the answer is a play on the title of a Melville novel, and I'm not talking about Typee or Omoo. Anyway, it is what I thought of when I saw these (CLICK FOR PICTURE), which I then found out are affectionately called Kaebul, or, well, dog penis. They are some sort of sea creature, I have not identified just what yet, though I am thinking it is a form of sea cucumber. Well, this was one of the live dishes at tonight's party, though they did cut it up just before serving it with the live seacucumber and the live octopus and all the sashimi and assorted other seafoods (like sea squirt and various shells). Anyway, like the octopus, it has no flavor other than the sauce. And the Sea Cucumber, despite looking really slimy and soft, isn't soft at all, its like chewing on lightly softened cartilage.
Anyway, enough of the live dinners, though we did see two fresh-water eels escape down into the sewer today from a bowl in front of a shop. They leaped over the rim, wriggled and writhed around the ground, found a crack in the sidewalk and slipped into the sewer. Now if this was New York City, there would be stories of giant eels slipping in through the toilets and eating people...
Anyway, my time in Kwangju is drawing to a close soon, then it is off to the big city (Seoul), leaving all the small town (1.4 million people) charm behind. I was looking at the voting pattern of the recently finished election earlier this week, and it seems that, despite the attempts to end regionalism, it is still clearly there, though perhaps in a slightly different form, but from what I hear, Seoul area had been shifting to the more "liberal" parties for at least the past election or two. It leaves the east coast for the conservatives. This may have something to do with heavy industry in the east and agriculture or modern tech industry in the west, the farmers going for the reformist candidates to stop being "oppressed," the modern techies going for the new younger politicians, and the industrial heartland going for the more conservative folks, which is interesting, considering that in most places labor would consider going with the folks that used to be labor activists, the more liberal parties in Korea. Something I will have to look into further. Until then, here is the Korea Herald's take on the face of regionalism in the April 15 elections. I wonder if there is anything to note about the similarity of the current voting pattern with this variation on a map of the three kingdoms period of Korean history, with the Uri Party winning back all of Paekche, or if this is just reading too much into things...
Anyway, enough of the live dinners, though we did see two fresh-water eels escape down into the sewer today from a bowl in front of a shop. They leaped over the rim, wriggled and writhed around the ground, found a crack in the sidewalk and slipped into the sewer. Now if this was New York City, there would be stories of giant eels slipping in through the toilets and eating people...
Anyway, my time in Kwangju is drawing to a close soon, then it is off to the big city (Seoul), leaving all the small town (1.4 million people) charm behind. I was looking at the voting pattern of the recently finished election earlier this week, and it seems that, despite the attempts to end regionalism, it is still clearly there, though perhaps in a slightly different form, but from what I hear, Seoul area had been shifting to the more "liberal" parties for at least the past election or two. It leaves the east coast for the conservatives. This may have something to do with heavy industry in the east and agriculture or modern tech industry in the west, the farmers going for the reformist candidates to stop being "oppressed," the modern techies going for the new younger politicians, and the industrial heartland going for the more conservative folks, which is interesting, considering that in most places labor would consider going with the folks that used to be labor activists, the more liberal parties in Korea. Something I will have to look into further. Until then, here is the Korea Herald's take on the face of regionalism in the April 15 elections. I wonder if there is anything to note about the similarity of the current voting pattern with this variation on a map of the three kingdoms period of Korean history, with the Uri Party winning back all of Paekche, or if this is just reading too much into things...
On Secret Visits and More Live Octopi
Well, Kim Jong Il really DID visit China -- wow, what a surprise (said with a high level of sarcasm). Good Grief, I mean this secret visit had almost as much press coverage as an official state visit -- or at least as much coverage as a Michael Jackson visit to Las Vegas... There are two reasons for the "secrecy" of these "unofficial" visits -- first, Kim doesn't want any trouble at home while he is abroad, and second, he doesn't want live coverage of his talks with the Chinese should they not turn out in his favor. So if there is no official coverage until after the meeting, then they can put their best face on whatever fails to materialize.
Economics were the cornerstone of this visit -- Kim is getting desperate to get his own economy going, and each recent attempt has fallen flat. Rajin-Sonbong Free Trade Zone has been everything BUT a success (and I would have had a chance to go there this trip if Kim didn't decide o go to China... darn him, he should take into consideration MY travel plans before he tries to find a solution to an international nuclear crisis. I mean really, last time I was here, my trip to the DMZ was cancelled because the two Koreas were having meetings to discuss economic cooperation and family visits -- you would think they would have more consideration for me than for easing tensions in one of the last bastions of the Cold War...)
The Sinuiju Special Economic Zone never got off the ground after China arrested the North-Korean chosen head of the zone, and the Kaesong area is developing at a snails pace. And the Kumgang tour -- site of a planned (wished for?) North Korean Silicon Valley, well, it remains on life support by both Korean governments.
For North Korea's economy to do much of anything, the country can no longer seem like it is staring down the barrel of an M1 Abrams tank all the time. So Kim concocted the latest nuclear crisis in an attempt to get the united States to, ultimately, sign a formal peace agreement and grant North Korea full diplomatic recognition. Really it does make sense, but I can explain it later if anyone is interested. Anyway, the China visit is about investment, economic cooperation, ending the nuclear crisis, and rail links.
So we are now waiting to see what came of the visit.
Now, for the live octopus, well, really three live octopi, well, they were alive, but didn't last long once they hit the simmering spicy stew on the table... Seems lunch at the seafood restaurant was also a show -- cook at the table, get the seafood stew boiling, then bring out the three live octopi, slowly pull them out of the bowl they were clinging to and drop them one at a time into the boiling stew. One didn't want to let go of the chef, but as he warmed up, is suction cops got weak and... well, that was his demise.
So this trip is becoming a new series of live octopus stories, so I will retell a story from the last visit. We were out in Mokpo with some friends who were trying to convince us to move there and take a job with their institute so they took us out to a several course seafood meal. The desert was the most expensive part, four live big shrimp. The server came out with these shrimp swimming around in a bowl, picked them up one at a time and ripped their little heads and legs off and placed them on our plates. They were still twitching, and when a fly landed on one, the shrimp wiggled to try to get it off. So anyway, the host ate his, and had his wife try hers before I could have mine. She was a little nervous, so took a gentle bite, rather than a quick clean bite. This, I earned, is the WRONG WAY to eat live shrimp. As she bit into it, the nervous system went into full gear and the tail kicked back an forth and she leapt up from the table, spitting the shrimp out as she flew backwards. A good laugh for all.
Anyway, bon appetit...
Economics were the cornerstone of this visit -- Kim is getting desperate to get his own economy going, and each recent attempt has fallen flat. Rajin-Sonbong Free Trade Zone has been everything BUT a success (and I would have had a chance to go there this trip if Kim didn't decide o go to China... darn him, he should take into consideration MY travel plans before he tries to find a solution to an international nuclear crisis. I mean really, last time I was here, my trip to the DMZ was cancelled because the two Koreas were having meetings to discuss economic cooperation and family visits -- you would think they would have more consideration for me than for easing tensions in one of the last bastions of the Cold War...)
The Sinuiju Special Economic Zone never got off the ground after China arrested the North-Korean chosen head of the zone, and the Kaesong area is developing at a snails pace. And the Kumgang tour -- site of a planned (wished for?) North Korean Silicon Valley, well, it remains on life support by both Korean governments.
For North Korea's economy to do much of anything, the country can no longer seem like it is staring down the barrel of an M1 Abrams tank all the time. So Kim concocted the latest nuclear crisis in an attempt to get the united States to, ultimately, sign a formal peace agreement and grant North Korea full diplomatic recognition. Really it does make sense, but I can explain it later if anyone is interested. Anyway, the China visit is about investment, economic cooperation, ending the nuclear crisis, and rail links.
So we are now waiting to see what came of the visit.
Now, for the live octopus, well, really three live octopi, well, they were alive, but didn't last long once they hit the simmering spicy stew on the table... Seems lunch at the seafood restaurant was also a show -- cook at the table, get the seafood stew boiling, then bring out the three live octopi, slowly pull them out of the bowl they were clinging to and drop them one at a time into the boiling stew. One didn't want to let go of the chef, but as he warmed up, is suction cops got weak and... well, that was his demise.
So this trip is becoming a new series of live octopus stories, so I will retell a story from the last visit. We were out in Mokpo with some friends who were trying to convince us to move there and take a job with their institute so they took us out to a several course seafood meal. The desert was the most expensive part, four live big shrimp. The server came out with these shrimp swimming around in a bowl, picked them up one at a time and ripped their little heads and legs off and placed them on our plates. They were still twitching, and when a fly landed on one, the shrimp wiggled to try to get it off. So anyway, the host ate his, and had his wife try hers before I could have mine. She was a little nervous, so took a gentle bite, rather than a quick clean bite. This, I earned, is the WRONG WAY to eat live shrimp. As she bit into it, the nervous system went into full gear and the tail kicked back an forth and she leapt up from the table, spitting the shrimp out as she flew backwards. A good laugh for all.
Anyway, bon appetit...
21 April 2004
Lego (knock-off) Meets the Cold War
OK, so today I broke down and splurged and bought the coolest toy I have seen for some time. It is made by Oxford, a Korean company that makes a Lego-esque product (and is considered by Lego to be a major competitor in the South Korean market, giving good quality and lower prices, according to a study on Lego in the Asia market). It is part of their military series of Lego-esque toys and is... get this... the Joint Security Area (JSA) up at Panmunjom. A picture of the set is here. It comes with little Lego-esque South Korean soldiers wearing big mirrored RayBans and little Lego-esque North Korean soldiers with their red stars on their hats and little goose-stepping legs. This will be proudly displayed on my office desk when I get back to the states. Also in the series is a South Korean command post, complete with a Lego-esque map of the battle plans for an assault on North Korea. Oh, and to add to the marketing, the cover picture on the box I bought is basically a Lego-esque reproduction of one of the famous scenes from the movie JSA.
A Day in the City, an evening with the Ancestors
Spent the day yesterday in the city with my son. One thing to be aware of is that, while a single Miguk stands out, one with a kid in tow (or being towed by a kid?) stands out even more. This time, we attracted more attention from the grandfathers, several of which approached my son to admire him When he travels with his mom, then it is the grandmothers that approach him. But one good thing was my son's decision to treat me to Lotteria for a bulgogi burger set... of course he has more money than me cause he's cuter and can't visit a relative or friend without having 10,000, 30,000 or even 50,000 won deposited into his pocket.
In the afternoon we met up with a former student, a life-long "white-hand," living without a job and bumming off the folks. But he is looking, and has his eyes set on a managerial spot at a clothing store. Korea has a fairly high (by Korean standards) unemployment rate for recent college graduates (recent as in less than a decade...). One problem with having such a high rate of education is that there are way too many over-qualified workers who don't want menial tasks, so while there ARE jobs available, these are being filled by immigrant workers while the Korean college graduates go overseas for a year or two to pass the time while waiting to try to get a job.
In the evening, we went off to my wife's father's eldest living brother's house for an evening memorial service for their parents. It was less solemn that I expected, though I am not really sure what it was that I expected. There was plenty of food set out, though, stacks of fish and assorted seafood, fruits, nuts, side-dishes, rice, chicken and duck, alcohol, and more. There was the main table for the grandfather and two grandmothers and a smaller side table for all the rest of the ancestors, who got a third the number of plates, each with three types of food on them. One of the things that may have made this one a little less organized was that they were trying a new version of the memorial service, so they had instruction books and read along as they performed the various rituals. Mostly what it seems like was a reason o get together, remember the parents, hang out with family and eat and drink a lot, something that is getting to be a pattern this week as we continue to celebrate my father-in-law's 60th birthday.
Well, this was not terribly insightful, but I will have a little more research to do to get anything more useful, and anyway, its off for a fun-filled day of shopping.
In the afternoon we met up with a former student, a life-long "white-hand," living without a job and bumming off the folks. But he is looking, and has his eyes set on a managerial spot at a clothing store. Korea has a fairly high (by Korean standards) unemployment rate for recent college graduates (recent as in less than a decade...). One problem with having such a high rate of education is that there are way too many over-qualified workers who don't want menial tasks, so while there ARE jobs available, these are being filled by immigrant workers while the Korean college graduates go overseas for a year or two to pass the time while waiting to try to get a job.
In the evening, we went off to my wife's father's eldest living brother's house for an evening memorial service for their parents. It was less solemn that I expected, though I am not really sure what it was that I expected. There was plenty of food set out, though, stacks of fish and assorted seafood, fruits, nuts, side-dishes, rice, chicken and duck, alcohol, and more. There was the main table for the grandfather and two grandmothers and a smaller side table for all the rest of the ancestors, who got a third the number of plates, each with three types of food on them. One of the things that may have made this one a little less organized was that they were trying a new version of the memorial service, so they had instruction books and read along as they performed the various rituals. Mostly what it seems like was a reason o get together, remember the parents, hang out with family and eat and drink a lot, something that is getting to be a pattern this week as we continue to celebrate my father-in-law's 60th birthday.
Well, this was not terribly insightful, but I will have a little more research to do to get anything more useful, and anyway, its off for a fun-filled day of shopping.
20 April 2004
Watch It Wiggle, See It Jiggle...
We aint talkin' Jell-O here. Nope, we are talking the living appetizer at this evening's all seafood dinner in honor of my father-in-law's sixtieth birthday (today was apparently only day one of three days of events). But back to that appetizer, yes, it was those live little octopus legs, squirming and writhing together in a mass of disembodied tentacles on a plate of lettuce. And yes, I did try one, but in reality, there is no taste to them aside from the sauce they are dipped in (my personal preference being the standard vinegar-hot pepper paste combination). I was contemplating the interesting phenomenon that they stick to he chopsticks by themselves (they are still active, suction cups and all) and thought it may be a good food for folks first trying chopsticks, as the food will tenaciously grip the chopsticks, therefore avoiding any embarrassing slips or dropped food. But then I had second thoughts -- seeing ones disembodied dinner-to-be slowly inching its way up the utensils may not be the best first meal for new users of chopsticks -- unless they are rather adventuresome.
On another, less Klingon-esque note, foreigners remain enough of a novelty here in Kwangju that the occasional clump of middle school girls get up the nerve to sing "hello" in unison before breaking into blushing giggles, and the smaller kids still tug at their parent's shirt tails, point and shout "Miguk Saram." But hey, it could be worse, at least I am not the target of abuse or anything. And I wonder what Korean or Asian travels to America or Europe and becomes the center of attention in some form other than tossing racial epithets and mockingly calling out for more "Flied Lice..."
But enough deep social commentary. My son had a little of his own. As we were driving back from dinner, we passed through the more famous (infamous?) of the city's red light districts, with all the girls dressed up in matching outfits in the windows waiting for customers. My son huffed in semi-exasperation an complained about too many "fancy girls," wondering aloud what those fancy girls would be doing. Maybe dancing, he suggested...
So the Lotteria/McDonald's battle for the fast food championship continues here, with price cuts, new services (McDonald's has walk-through windows and even a few drive throughs near the bigger apartment blocks), and new foods -- like Lotteria's Shrimp Burger, which complements the existing Bulgogi burgers and Kimchi Burgers. It is all about appealing to the local tastes. McDonald's uses its American "I'm Loving it" slogan, translated into phonetic Korean, while Lotteria has signs saying "I Love Lotteria" and "Lotteria: Happy Together." Just remember, though, as it says on the side of the drink cups at Lotteria -- "We Provide High Quality, Good Service and Amenity." Good luck finding amenity at McDonald's. If I may be somewhat biased, I hope Lotteria wins, because McDonald's will never have a shrimp burger half as good looking, it is unlikely to serve Potato Balls, and Lotteria is home-grown, not a foreign import.
Now, there IS one foreign import I would like to see win out over here, and that is the shower. I don't really mind having to squat in the middle of the bathroom with a hose to wash my hair, but really there is nothing quite as luxurious as standing for fifteen minutes under a scalding hot shower to relax the muscles and get one ready to face the day. While most new apartments and houses have "real" showers, plenty of the old ones are still lacking such amenities. If only they would emulate Lotteria...
On another, less Klingon-esque note, foreigners remain enough of a novelty here in Kwangju that the occasional clump of middle school girls get up the nerve to sing "hello" in unison before breaking into blushing giggles, and the smaller kids still tug at their parent's shirt tails, point and shout "Miguk Saram." But hey, it could be worse, at least I am not the target of abuse or anything. And I wonder what Korean or Asian travels to America or Europe and becomes the center of attention in some form other than tossing racial epithets and mockingly calling out for more "Flied Lice..."
But enough deep social commentary. My son had a little of his own. As we were driving back from dinner, we passed through the more famous (infamous?) of the city's red light districts, with all the girls dressed up in matching outfits in the windows waiting for customers. My son huffed in semi-exasperation an complained about too many "fancy girls," wondering aloud what those fancy girls would be doing. Maybe dancing, he suggested...
So the Lotteria/McDonald's battle for the fast food championship continues here, with price cuts, new services (McDonald's has walk-through windows and even a few drive throughs near the bigger apartment blocks), and new foods -- like Lotteria's Shrimp Burger, which complements the existing Bulgogi burgers and Kimchi Burgers. It is all about appealing to the local tastes. McDonald's uses its American "I'm Loving it" slogan, translated into phonetic Korean, while Lotteria has signs saying "I Love Lotteria" and "Lotteria: Happy Together." Just remember, though, as it says on the side of the drink cups at Lotteria -- "We Provide High Quality, Good Service and Amenity." Good luck finding amenity at McDonald's. If I may be somewhat biased, I hope Lotteria wins, because McDonald's will never have a shrimp burger half as good looking, it is unlikely to serve Potato Balls, and Lotteria is home-grown, not a foreign import.
Now, there IS one foreign import I would like to see win out over here, and that is the shower. I don't really mind having to squat in the middle of the bathroom with a hose to wash my hair, but really there is nothing quite as luxurious as standing for fifteen minutes under a scalding hot shower to relax the muscles and get one ready to face the day. While most new apartments and houses have "real" showers, plenty of the old ones are still lacking such amenities. If only they would emulate Lotteria...
18 April 2004
A Rainy Day in the Southwest
A rainy day in the Southwest of Korea today, but as there really hasn't been any rain in Kwangju for a while, and the dust levels were still rather high, this is a welcome change. Of course, it had to rain on one of my travel days, but what's new. Took a drive to Damyang to try to hunt down a restaurant we saw on SBS this morning. Didn't find the restaurant in question until we had already given up and went to a different one. The county is known for its bamboo, and ironically when they replant bamboo in different areas, they use cut bamboo to support the transplants.
One thing that was reinforced today is the total lack of understanding or acceptance of traffic laws by most anyone in the country. Red lights, double-yellow lines, traffic lanes... few of these are really respected. It makes any type of driving an adventure, to say the least. On the mountains, with all the switchbacks, it is particularly hair raising, though they do have mirrors set up at the corners. Saw at least two accidents in the mountains, and that was before it really started to rain. Oh, a little later we were briefly stuck at a traffic signal as the truck about three vehicles ahead wasn't moving. Upon passing it, it looked like the driver had fallen asleep -- or died.
After Damyang we went to Buan (or Puan, but we wont get back into the spelling thing again, now will we...). Buan was the site of a little bit of controversy earlier this year, when the government decided to make it the site of the new nuclear waste dump. There were yellow anti-nuclear flags planted in nearly all the farmers' fields and at the shops, and entire streets had paintings on the buildings protesting the nuclear material and extolling the natural beauty of the area.
We spent an hour or so at the boardwalk (well, breakwater with some tents set up on it serving really fresh seafood and alcohol), wandering in the rain and admiring the bowls of baby octopus, sea squirts, sea cucumbers, etc. The area is typical of the coasts around here, with rocky hills jutting out of the water's edge.
This evening was a Samul Nori (well, a Poongmul Nori) at the Kwangju Arts and Culture Center. The group, Hanul Ddang, has been around since 1992 and have quite a stage show, including their own variation on the old farmers' song with found instruments like a tea kettle, a 3 gallon water jug and tin boxes. Being the sole Miguk in the audience guaranteed a little singling out -- so I was "invited" to learn to sing the songs and even had a moment of stage time to dance. What joy.
Well, after a long and eventful day, it is off to dreamland. On a side note, it appears Kim Jong Il is heading to Beijing a little earlier than even the Japanese predicted. If KBS can be believed, Kim is already on the slow-train to China. The timing explains in part the sudden cancellation of my North Korean trip, which was set and arranged for early May and then abruptly abandoned by the DPRK officials. Well, I guess I will only step into DPRK from the DMZ...
One thing that was reinforced today is the total lack of understanding or acceptance of traffic laws by most anyone in the country. Red lights, double-yellow lines, traffic lanes... few of these are really respected. It makes any type of driving an adventure, to say the least. On the mountains, with all the switchbacks, it is particularly hair raising, though they do have mirrors set up at the corners. Saw at least two accidents in the mountains, and that was before it really started to rain. Oh, a little later we were briefly stuck at a traffic signal as the truck about three vehicles ahead wasn't moving. Upon passing it, it looked like the driver had fallen asleep -- or died.
After Damyang we went to Buan (or Puan, but we wont get back into the spelling thing again, now will we...). Buan was the site of a little bit of controversy earlier this year, when the government decided to make it the site of the new nuclear waste dump. There were yellow anti-nuclear flags planted in nearly all the farmers' fields and at the shops, and entire streets had paintings on the buildings protesting the nuclear material and extolling the natural beauty of the area.
We spent an hour or so at the boardwalk (well, breakwater with some tents set up on it serving really fresh seafood and alcohol), wandering in the rain and admiring the bowls of baby octopus, sea squirts, sea cucumbers, etc. The area is typical of the coasts around here, with rocky hills jutting out of the water's edge.
This evening was a Samul Nori (well, a Poongmul Nori) at the Kwangju Arts and Culture Center. The group, Hanul Ddang, has been around since 1992 and have quite a stage show, including their own variation on the old farmers' song with found instruments like a tea kettle, a 3 gallon water jug and tin boxes. Being the sole Miguk in the audience guaranteed a little singling out -- so I was "invited" to learn to sing the songs and even had a moment of stage time to dance. What joy.
Well, after a long and eventful day, it is off to dreamland. On a side note, it appears Kim Jong Il is heading to Beijing a little earlier than even the Japanese predicted. If KBS can be believed, Kim is already on the slow-train to China. The timing explains in part the sudden cancellation of my North Korean trip, which was set and arranged for early May and then abruptly abandoned by the DPRK officials. Well, I guess I will only step into DPRK from the DMZ...
Update from Kwangju
OK, first off, I realize I am still using a "K" to spell Kwangju, but I just don't like the newer "G" beginning. I saw an add recently for classes to learn to make Gimchi... I mean, what in the world is Gimchi??? It should be Kimchi. Basically, transliteration is always pretty bad and confusing, so I guess there should be some standard, but they have changed the standard in Korea at least three times in the past decade and that simply makes things more confusing. I'd rather just read it all in Hangul and be done with it.
OK, that rant is over... Kwangju really hasn't changed in the past four years. It is still all construction and dust everywhere. The downtown area in behind the post office is still packed with students, though the food carts have added a few new delicacies, including strawberries n a stick dipped in sugar and really fat octopus and squid legs, much meatier than the nice flat shoe-leather squids. One main difference is that all the new apartment complexes have begun to sprout their own downtowns around them, so the center of town is no longer the sole mecca of modern commercialism.
The movie theaters have modernized, losing some of their charm. They are now all run by the department stores and even have assigned seating. No more sitting in the aisles, no more kimbap and fried chicken allowed. It is all Pepsi and Popcorn, served in Konglish-adorned cardboard containers. But those of us who complain about foreign places "losing their charm" through modernization expect nothing less at home, so I guess this isn't a complaint as much as a lament for what was before, for the things of my memory, the things that stood out as different or unique from my previous travels. It is somewhat sad that the entire world is homoginizing, but that is a rant for another time...
Anyway, off for a day with family, and rumor has it off to the beach too.
OK, that rant is over... Kwangju really hasn't changed in the past four years. It is still all construction and dust everywhere. The downtown area in behind the post office is still packed with students, though the food carts have added a few new delicacies, including strawberries n a stick dipped in sugar and really fat octopus and squid legs, much meatier than the nice flat shoe-leather squids. One main difference is that all the new apartment complexes have begun to sprout their own downtowns around them, so the center of town is no longer the sole mecca of modern commercialism.
The movie theaters have modernized, losing some of their charm. They are now all run by the department stores and even have assigned seating. No more sitting in the aisles, no more kimbap and fried chicken allowed. It is all Pepsi and Popcorn, served in Konglish-adorned cardboard containers. But those of us who complain about foreign places "losing their charm" through modernization expect nothing less at home, so I guess this isn't a complaint as much as a lament for what was before, for the things of my memory, the things that stood out as different or unique from my previous travels. It is somewhat sad that the entire world is homoginizing, but that is a rant for another time...
Anyway, off for a day with family, and rumor has it off to the beach too.
16 April 2004
South Korean Election Results
OK, so I have nine more minutes on my rented internet account. The results of the South Korean election are outstanding for the Uri Party, much higher than they ever hoped before the impeachment. The results can be seen here . They now have a total of 175 seats out of 299, more than half but not quite the two-thirds they need for total dominance. The GNP came in with a total of 100. As I said earlier (in a different forum), the MDP all but disappeared, with just nine seats. The ULD ended with just four seats. The wildcard is the newer Democratic Labor Party, with 10 seats total. But given the 100 seats of the GNP, unless there are defections, Uri can never gain, even in collaboration with all the other parties, a two-thirds majority. But given the party's undeniable public mandate, it will have at least a few months of power to largely do whatever it pleases. And one thing possibly on the horizon is overturning the impeachment of Roh, though if they let the Constitutional Court do that, it will have more of an impact than if his party sets him free.
In Japan (for an hour or so)
Well, after a bit of a flight, I am currently in Japan. I only have a few minutes here in Narita, but basically the flight was uneventful, as most flights should be. Alaska from the air is exceptional, after that it was just across the Bering Sea and down to Tokyo. Coming into Narita, everything is flat -- all probably reclaimed land, will check on that later. Some of the fields were being flooded, others being planted, but most appeared still brown and barren. The houses were clumped in among the trees on the high spots of land for the most part. My arrival in Seoul is set for around 9:35 local time, then its the bus to Kwangju and a week to relax...
Boring as this post is, there are like 16 pages of notes in my journal from the flight, so I can transcribe some of that later. I am most interested, though, in the outcome of the South Korean parliamentary elections. When I left home, the Uri was in the lead. Roh's impeachment plan seems to be working well. Now its just a matter of time to see if the Constitutional Court or the parliament absolves him first...
Boring as this post is, there are like 16 pages of notes in my journal from the flight, so I can transcribe some of that later. I am most interested, though, in the outcome of the South Korean parliamentary elections. When I left home, the Uri was in the lead. Roh's impeachment plan seems to be working well. Now its just a matter of time to see if the Constitutional Court or the parliament absolves him first...
12 April 2004
Welcome to Yi Sun Shin's Yeohaeng Ilgi
Welcome to Yi Sun Shin's Yeohaeng Ilgi (travel diary) - observations and commentary at home and abroad, focusing on Korea and East Asia. This is somewhat self-gratifying, as are all of these blogs, as there is an assumption that I have something to say that will interest other people. But this also serves as a record of what I observe and my own understandings of events, which, in the long run, will help me keep better track of the evolution of my ideas and insights. Comments are welcome, and I can be contacted at yisunshin@aol.com. To those who decide to read this, enjoy.
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