1.sohyun chun (stella) 2.dark side of visa waiver program 3.This article was infomative, because there are lot of visa issues going on these days in korea. (such as tourist U.S visa not neededfor korean tourist, who only wish to do a shopping or tour in U.S) I know that globalization and these process makes world to become connected, but these issues regarding visas and illegal crimes still says that the gap between countries and countries still exist. I know that there are lot of illegal visas and status going on in U.S. However, although they are illegal, I have encountered many people who try their best, to have success in their life. I know it is illegal, and it is wrong to stay in other country without visa status. Also I know that many people try to take advantage of it. However, I want to know is their any other criteria other than visa, that can make people legal to live in country they wish? Also, I want to know that what other policy can government can make to decline these controversial issues or conflict dealing with illegal visa status. ------------------------------ Trips to Give Birth to Babies, Illegal Migrants Expected to Increase
By Kim Rahn Staff Reporter
The U.S.' visa waiver program is expected to facilitate Korean travelers' trips to the country, but is also likely to cause problems and a change in visa-related business.
The program is forecast to increase not only the number of tourists to the U.S. but also that of Korean women wanting to give birth to babies there for U.S. citizenship as well as illegal migrants. Foreign Childbirth
Since the 1990s, some pregnant Korean women have visited the U.S. or U.S. overseas territories such as Guam and Saipan and given birth to babies there ― an attempt to have their children get U.S. citizenship, which guarantees them favorable treatment in study, stay and employment in the country. For boys, it is also a measure to dodge military service, as military service is obligatory for all Korean men.
Pregnant women used to enter the U.S. on a tourist visa roughly one month before their due date. But without the need to obtain a visa, the number of such trips is likely to rise.
A staff member of Dasom House, a Dallas-based postpartum care center, said the increase is not imminent due to the weak won against the U.S. dollar, but more and more people are interested in ``away childbirth.''
``Would-be parents hesitated to come as the won got weak, but we have a growing number of phone calls for consulting. We expect more people to come when the won gets strong again,'' he said.
When a mother stays at such a center for about two months around her childbirth, it costs between $10,000 and $12,000. Some centers now offer a 30-35 percent discount considering the exchange rate.
Another postpartum center in Guam, named ``American Baby,'' holds a session in Seoul in December for those planning childbirth in the U.S. territory ― an indication of high interest from would-be parents. Illegal Migrants, Prostitution
As Koreans can now enter the U.S. more easily, it is feared that the number of people staying there for more than the limited period of 90 days and becoming illegal migrants may increase.
About 235,000 Koreans were illegally staying in the U.S. as of January 2007 ― one in every 5.4 Koreans in the country ― according to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.
It is also worried that prostitutes in Korea may move their ``workplace'' to Korean communities in the U.S.
In 2006, Los Angeles police estimated the number of Korean women who came to the U.S. for prostitution since 2004 at 8,000, according to Korea's intelligence agency. The year 2004 was when Korea adopted a special anti-prostitution law.
Korean residents in the U.S. worry that Korean police's recent massive crackdown on red-light districts in Seoul may cause another mass migration of prostitutes to the U.S., with young females now entering the country without a visa.
Foreign affairs department spokesman Moon Tae-young earlier asked people not to use the visa waiver program for ill purposes such as illegal stays, saying such actions could make the U.S. exclude Korea from its program.
Fall of Visa Agency Business
The long queue of people waiting for visa interviews in front of the U.S. Embassy in central Seoul is no longer there, as most travelers do not need a visa now ― 80 percent of 450,000 visas issued last year were for travel or short-term business.
It is good news for travelers, but bad news for agencies that used to prepare interview documents as proxy.
There were dozens of agencies near the embassy that prepared documents for visa-seekers and translated them into English. Those agencies charged about 40,000 won per client, and their earnings are already nose-diving.
It is said a growing number of the agencies have laid off workers and are now turned to translating other types of documents.
3.Here are groups of news relates to China’s latest boycott. On April 7, the Olympic torch relay in Paris was interrupted several times. The most notable was when supporters of ‘Tibetan independence’ attempted to snatch the flame from wheelchair-bound torchbearer Jin Jing. This issue arise huge reaction in internet. Several websites began to appeal for people to boycott Carrefour, Louis Vuitton and The Body Shop in protest at the disruption caused to the Olympic torch relay in Paris. In a survey by a website, 95 percent of the 43,000 respondents said they were in favor of a boycott. The protesters in different cities gathered in front of shops of the French supermarket Carrefour in the cities, chanting slogans of ‘boycott Carrefour’, ‘oppose Tibet independence’ and others. They also handed out leaflets to passengers. That time, I was in Korea, but I heard many of my friends who study in universities went there for protest or participate in the internet activities. Also people send information and messages through internet and cell phones. Some of the protester said they just want to show their attitude towards the Western’s support of Tibet Independence. While some of the protester were angry and easy to lose control. There were also some people claimed they do not think the boycott was proper. The boycott was going on, some cities’ governments promised to maintain social and business order, including the operating of Carrefour. We did not see much direct reaction of media in China. The People’s Daily, the Communist Party of China flagship newspaper, called for rational action to express patriotism and maintain social stability in a comment. At the same time with the domestic boycott, Chinese people in abroad also rallied to support Chinese government, and oppose biased Western media reportage of the Beijing Olympic torch relay. On the other hand, I did not find much news relates to China’s central and local governments’ reaction to this boycott. I only found some news about the people who is in charge of foreign companies in Chinese Financial Department said in public that most the people work in Carrefour were Chinese and most of the products were made in China. The Governments did not prohibit the protest, but police were sent to keep the order. Strike and protest are not permitted without governments’ permission. The strike and protest must be applied to the government and need permission. Finally, the boycott was stopped by French apology. But the reaction of China’s government is very interesting. Also the protests were organized mostly by internet or cell phone messages without previous organizations.
4. (1)Carrefour to investigate calls for boycott 2008-04-18 07:29 chinadaily French retail giant Carrefour has launched an investigation into an online campaign encouraging Chinese shoppers to boycott its stores. In a survey by Web portal Netease.com, 95 percent of the 43,000 respondents said they were in favor of a boycott. Users of chat site QQ.com have also appealed for people to boycott Carrefour, Louis Vuitton and The Body Shop in protest at the disruption caused to the Olympic torch relay in Paris. Li Jing, public relations manager for Carrefour in Shanghai, said the retailer had begun an investigation into the calls for a boycott. On April 7, the Olympic torch relay in Paris was interrupted several times. The most notable was when supporters of "Tibetan independence" attempted to snatch the flame from wheelchair-bound torchbearer Jin Jing. However, not everyone in the online community agreed with the idea of boycott. Some said most of Carrefour's staff in China are Chinese, who would be hurt by the action. Others said a boycott would do nothing to affect the supporters of "Tibetan independence". Bai Yansong, an anchorman with China Central Television, said he opposed the boycott. Carrefour sells thousands of domestically made products that are produced by millions of Chinese workers, He said. "If such boycotts are carried out, Chinese people's interests will be harmed," he said. Carrefour China released a statement via its website on Wednesday saying the company has not or will not do anything to hurt the feelings of Chinese people. It said allegations that Carrefour supports illegal political organizations are totally fabricated and lack evidence, adding that it reserves the right to take legal action against any individual or organization that creates or spreads such rumors. Yesterday, LVMH, one of Carrefour's major stockholders, said charges made online that the group funds pro-Tibet "independence forces" are "completely groundless". In an interview with French daily Le Figaro, Bernard Arnault, chief executive of LVMH, said his company is not giving financial support to the Dalai Lama.
(2)Chinese holding rallies to back Beijing Games (Agencies/chinadaily.com.cn) Updated: 2008-04-20 16:26 LOS ANGELES - Tens of hundreds of overseas Chinese rallied Saturday in Paris, London, Berlin, Los Angeles and other cities to support Chinese government, and oppose biased Western media reportage of the Beijing Olympic torch relay as well as their distorted coverage of the recent riot in China's Tibet, which was instigated by the 14th Dalai Lama segments.
Meanwhile, protests against "Tibet independence" continued in several Chinese cities on Sunday. Demonstrators were seen in the northwestern city Xi'an, the northeastern city Harbin and eastern city of Jinan,following Saturday's demonstrations in Beijing, Xi'an, Hefei, Qingdao, Wuhan, and Kunming, the Xinhua News Agency reported.
In Los Angeles, more than 5,000 people gathered outside the Hollywood office of TV broadcaster CNN, to protest against one of the channel's commentators, Jack Cafferty, who described Chinese people as a "bunch of goons and thugs", and China-made goods as "junk".
A statement issued by CNN on Tuesday paid lip service to address the rallying anger of Chinese all over the world over the insulting words of Cafferty, who many in China and other countries said is a racist.
In Paris, more than 4,000 Chinese gathered on Saturday in the Place de la Republique wearing T-shirts daubed with the slogan "One China, One family". Many protestors, who came from across France and Europe, unfurled a banner showing wheelchair Chinese athlete Jin Jing who was assaulted by Tibetan extremists during the torch relay in Paris. Emotions ran high as many chanted "Go Beijing".
"We're demonstrating against the disinformation in the French and western media, to promote the Olympic Games and to construct a bridge between the French and Chinese people -- and not a wall as the media do," said one of the rally's spokesmen, Thierry Liu.
Some French also joined the Paris rally. A man surnamed Joseph, 60, said he had travelled often to China and that he was "defending the right to the truth," according to AFP.
More than 1,000 people, mainly students, also gathered outside the BBC office in Manchester, northwestern England, while around 500 staged a demonstration outside the Houses of Parliament in London, police said.
"I was in London ... during the torch relay on April 6 and we saw thousands of students coming from all over the UK just to support the torch relay and were really excited about that," London protestor Becky Qin said.
"But when I went back to Cambridge and saw the recorded version of BBC News, we were disappointed to see nothing about the supporting groups at all."
"It was as if the torch was just struggling its way through London and it was all about how people were so resentful about it," she said, adding that the broadcaster had provided "blurry numbers" about how many innocent people died at the hands of Tibetan rioters on March 14.
Protests against "Tibet independence" continued in several Chinese cities on Sunday.
Protestors gathered in front of outlets of the French supermarket chain Carrefour, chanting "Oppose Tibet independence", and "Oppose CNN's anti-China statements" on Sunday morning.
Chinese police were monitoring the demonstrations, which had no effect on the supermarkets' normal operations, Xinhua said.
More than 1,000 students and citizens in front of the Carrefour in Xi'an held banners, saying "Strongly oppose CNN's anti-China statements" and "Condemn Tibet secessionist in France tearing up the Five-Star Red Flag". They chanted "Support the Olympics", "Go China" and "Condemn CNN" through loudspeakers.
Carrefour has been accused by Chinese Internet users of supporting the Dalai Lama group, which Carrefour China denied in a statement released on Wednesday.
"Today's activity is simply an awareness-raising activity, aimed at finding a way out for the patriotic emotions of our students," said Wu Sheng, Xi'an resident and one of the organizers.
"We do not support a boycott of French companies because the economy is globalizing. We choose Carrefour front doors only because we draw more attention there," Wu said
(3)Demonstrations against "Tibet independence" continue in China (Xinhua) Updated: 2008-04-20 22:10 Demonstrations against "Tibet independence" continued in several Chinese cities on Sunday.
Demonstrators took to the streets in the northwestern city of Xi'an, eastern Jinan, and central city Wuhan, and the northeastern cities of Harbin and Dalian.
The rallies followed Saturday's demonstrations in Beijing, Xi'an, the eastern cities of Hefei and Qingdao, Wuhan, and the southwestern city of Kunming.
They mainly gathered in front of the outlets of French supermarket chain Carrefour, chanting "Oppose Tibet independence", and "Oppose CNN's anti-China statements" on Sunday morning.
Police were monitoring the demonstrations, which did not affect the supermarkets' normal operation.
More than 1,000 students and citizens in front of the Carrefour in Xi'an held banners, saying "Strongly oppose CNN's anti-China statements" and "Condemn Tibet secessionist in France tearing up the Five-Star Red Flag".
They chanted "Support the Olympics", "Go China" and "Condemn CNN" through loudspeakers.
About 50 of the demonstrators wore the same kind of red T-shirts. Passers-by joined them in chanting slogans.
Carrefour has been accused by Chinese Internet users of supporting the Dalai Lama group, which Carrefour China denied in a statement released on Wednesday.
"Today's activity is simply an awareness-raising activity, aimed at finding a way out for the patriotic emotions of our students," said Wu Sheng, Xi'an resident and one of the organizers.
"We do not support a boycott of French companies because the economy is globalizing. We choose Carrefour front doors because we draw more attention there," Wu said.
The organizers folded the banners and persuaded the crowds to disperse as the number of demonstrators kept increasing at around 11:00 am, in order to put the situation under control.
At a Carrefour outlet in Wuhan, capital of central Hubei Province, more than 2,000 people, mostly students, gathered at 5 pm Sunday, holding national flags and banners saying "Let France apologize" and "Go China".
The outlet was still open for business on Sunday with discounts to attract customers. But the number of customers was less than half of that of the previous weekend, outlet staff told Xinhua.
Another 1,000 people in Harbin, capital of Heilongjiang Province, signed a ten-meter-long banner, saying "Support the Olympics and love our China".
Traffic was blocked by the 1,000 demonstrators. More than 100 policemen were monitoring the crowds. The demonstration began on Sunday morning and most protesters had been persuaded to disperse by police.
The city government promised on Sunday to maintain social and business order, including the operation of Carrefour.
One of the three outlets of Carrefour in Dalian, a coastal city of northeast China's Liaoning Province, shut on Saturday because of the protest and remained closed on Sunday.
Chen Bo, media manager of Carrefour Greater China, refused to answer questions over the phone on Sunday, saying he would release a statement by e-mail later in the day.
Carrefour has 112 stores on the Chinese mainland.
Many Chinese newspapers and Internet portals published comments on the "boycott Carrefour" campaign on Sunday.
"We should not boycott Carrefour for many reasons, including the benefits of Chinese employees," said Olympic torch bearer Jin Jing, a wheelchair-bound fencer, on the Internet. She held on to the torch when a protestor tried to snatch it away in Paris on April 7.
The People's Daily, the Communist Party of China flagship newspaper, called for rational action to express patriotism and maintain social stability in a comment written by He Zhenhua.
"We should cherish patriotism and should also express our feelings rationally. Only in this way can we maintain social stability, win the opportunity for development and make our country stronger and more beautiful. This is real patriotism.
"To better serve the fundamental and core interests of our country and show real patriotism, we need to show the Chinese people's calm, wisdom and unity in a complicated international situation," He said.
(4)Protests erupt in Chinese cities (Xinhua) Updated: 2008-04-19 15:54 BEIJING -- Protests against "Tibet independence" supporters in some western countries erupted in a few Chinese cities on Saturday.
The protests were seen in Beijing, the eastern cities of Hefei and Qingdao, the central city of Wuhan, the southwestern city of Kunming and the northwestern city of Xi'an.
Protesters gathered in front of shops of the French supermarket Carrefour in the cities, chanting slogans of "boycott Carrefour", "oppose Tibet independence" and others. They also handed out leaflets to passengers.
A dozen of young people on Saturday morning held a protest march in front of the French Embassy and the Beijing French School in the Chinese capital, which lasted less than half an hour.
Pan Yuming, an engineer and one of the protesters in Kunming, said they wanted to express their anger at western support for "Tibet independence" and did not want to cause social disturbance.
Many participants in Kunming persuaded elders and kids to leave the crowd and maintained order during the protest.
A shareholder of Carrefour was accused by Chinese Internet users of supporting the Dalai clique, which Carrefour China denied in a statement released on Wednesday.
Zhang Junsheng, director of the WTO research institute of the Beijing-based University of International Business and Economics, said the protests were a spontaneous move by Chinese nationals to express their attitude toward "Tibet independence."
However, Zhang said China's economic ties with foreign countries were getting closer and the country would not shut its door to the international community.
Ren Gang, a customer at a Carrefour store in Beijing, said on Saturday that he understood the protests but he personally believed it was improper to boycott Carrefour.
"We need to separate economic activities from politics," Ren said.
Employees at Carrefour stores in Beijing said the number of customers dropped drastically.
"We used to be in bustle at weekend, but now we are waiting for customers," said a cashier, who refused to be named, in the store at Zhongguancun, Beijing.
Online and text messages began to call for boycotts of Carrefour and other foreign retailers to protest western supports to "Tibet independence" secessionists after the disruptions of the Olympic torch relay in Paris and other foreign cities.
The calls attempted to mobilize Chinese citizens to boycott purchases in chain stores of Carrefour and Louis Vuitton, a French luxury brand, and Body shop, a cosmetics retailer belonging to L'Oreal SA.
French retailer giant Carrefour has opened 109 supermarkets in China by the end of last year since it entered the Chinese market in 1995.
Chinese torch bearer Jin Jing, a wheelchair-bound fencer, held the torch tightly from her wheelchair while a few mobs tried to snatch it away in Paris on April 7. She had to bend her body to protect the torch, but the mobs did not stop in their attempt, leaving her bruised and scratched on her chin and right leg.
French ambassador to China Herve Ladsous told Chinese media on Friday that he felt "regretful" for the disruptions of the Olympic torch relay in Paris, and hoped to meet Jin Jing. -------------------------- (1)http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/cndy/2008-04/18/content_6625897.htm (2)http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/china/2008-04/20/content_6630183.htm (3)http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/china/2008-04/20/content_6630358.htm (4)http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/china/2008-04/19/content_6629332.htm
1. Ji-A, RYU 2. title: the picture as the role making discourse made by media 3. After I attached the news of similar topic of this before, we haven't confirmed the health of the Dear Leader of North Korea, Kim Jong-Il. As this news article shows, (even though I cannot copy those different two pictures, if you want to see, you can click the link below) he seems to be normal with this picture(the left one when you see the pictures on the original webpage). If he had a brain operation as you have heard, I think, his hair style on the picture should be different because when we have a brain operation, we have our hair shaved and 50 days are not enough the hair are grown that long at all. As one of doctors said in this article, wiht this picture, we can imagine Kim may not have the operation. However, I am inclined to think of the positive chance of his operation but the political elites do not want to let people know the truth with a particular reason we just can guess only. As we reviewed from Arendt's article before, even autocratic countries need sorts of legitimacy and discourses to maintain their political system once a state has formed. In the same context, because North Korea has had a big cleavage of political leadership because of leader's health, they need a discourse which their leader's health condition does not have a problem at all to maintain their political system in normal condition. In this sense, I doubt the authenticity of the picture. Media can produce discourses more easily than any other types of organizations. In this context, the media of North Korea cannot be independent from the government at all, so they can make the discourse toward the way the government wants to release, I think.
Pictures of Kim Jong-il Raise Questions Over Authenticity
North Korean leader Kim Jong-il makes a public appearance after more than 50 days of seclusion, inspecting a military unit in this undated photo, left. The North’s media released roughly 10 photos Saturday without mentioning when the pictures were taken. Few differences were found between the photo and another one, right, released by Pyongyang Aug. 16. / Korea Times
By Kim Sue-young Staff Reporter
North Korean leader Kim Jong-il has allegedly made a public appearance after more than 50 days in seclusion according to photos released by the North Korean media Saturday, but suspicions are rising that the pictures were taken before his alleged brain surgery.
North Korean Central Television aired roughly 10 images of Kim in his trademark khaki jumpsuit and sporting sunglasses inspecting a military unit.
Other state media repeatedly reported the news but none confirmed when the pictures were taken.
A senior official at the Unification Ministry in Seoul, asking to remain anonymous, said that the ministry had difficulty identifying when the pictures were taken because the North gave little information about them.
The release of the undated images is construed as a move to show that its Dear Leader is perfectly fine despite rampant rumors regarding his health.
The official said that the unprecedented statement of the reclusive ruler aired in line with the photo release the same day is aimed at consolidating the unity of the communist state.
The statement was issued to celebrate the 63rd anniversary of the founding of the North's ruling Workers' Party.
``It is very unprecedented that the North gave the long statement one hour before the official announcement. As it highlighted unity, it seems to be aimed at solidifying the state,'' he said.
The 66-year-old North Korean leader has not made a public appearance for 58 days, the second longest seclusion since his father and North Korea founder Kim Il-sung died in 1994.
After he failed to show up at the key event of the 60th anniversary of the North's founding on Sept. 9, speculation was rampant that Kim, who has suffered from heart disease and diabetes, might have undergone brain surgery because of a stroke.
The Stalinist state denied the rumor and its state media reported that its leader watched a football match between two local universities on Oct. 4, but provided no video footage or photos.
Meanwhile, medical doctors here cautiously stated that Kim looked fine in the released pictures after the alleged surgery, if the photos were real.
Pointing out that Kim was seen standing with his hands behind his back and also clapping, Prof. Park Yoon-ghil at the department of rehabilitation medicine of Yongdong Severance Hospital in southern Seoul said he may have had just a minor stroke and was now almost fully recovered.
Kim may have difficulty swallowing or talking, but it is impossible to see those conditions through photos only, he added.
As his hair length is similar to that before he disappeared from the public eye, some doctors surmised that Kim may not have undergone brain surgery.
After the release of the controversial photos, North Korean media reported that Kim sent a reply telegram to leaders of foreign countries who sent a congratulatory message to the North to mark its 60th founding anniversary.
Recipients included Chinese leader Hu Jintao and U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon but the media did not say when he sent the reply.
3. This is an editorial written by one foreign professor, and it concerns the position of Korea in the six-party talk and reunitication matter. I agree to his argument. In Germany's reunification, the agent creating the result was Germany itself. However, as we can see in the north and south Korean matter ongoing, the focus of discussion as a agent belongs to China and US. I think everybody knows this, but I also think this should be changed. I do not want to say that other countries are right or wrong, greedy or good, smart or stupid. I just want to argue that Korea should refind our position and reflect our actions about our own matter.
The right to solve the problem wisely is not given by other neighbor coutnries. China and US are not responsible to leave a position for Korea's subjectivity. We should be more aggressive to this matter.
These days, I am learning the modern Korean hisotry after the freedom from Japanese colony (1945). At the moment, the world was divided into two faces. Korea was in a hard situation, but president Lee Seung-man and Park Jeong-hee somehow made a good diplomacy, I think, for the country to get as much as benefits and resources from other developed coutnries. Even though sometimes they were brave, stubborn, selfish, and obedient, I think it is the unneccesary aspects of the diplomats. This is because the international politics has been always hard and tought for one small country to survive.
Of course, the reunification matter can be approached in the other perspectives. However, with any reaans, I think the agent in reunification matter should be Korea and Koreans. We should think more about why this is important in many reasons, not only in the substantial benefits.
----------------------
Who owns Korea's future? This sounds like an odd question. Of course Koreans are in charge of their own future, one would say. But is this true? What about the major issue, national unification? As soon as Germany became formally divided in 1949, East Germany and West Germany started struggling over the ownership of "Germany." Both national anthems and both constitutions proclaimed unification as a top priority. Having lost World War II, Germans were of course aware that their division was a consequence of their own actions. They knew that the Four Powers (United States, France, United Kingdom and Soviet Union) had certain rights but they never permitted any doubt that the future of Germany was a German issue.
Eventually, East Germany built the Wall in 1961 and officially gave up on unification. The national anthem was not sung there anymore; only the tune was played since the line "Germany, unified fatherland" was not politically correct anymore. West Germany gratefully accepted this propagandistic present and used it widely. Only on export products one could find the hint "Made in W. Germany" to show to customers that this wasn't a low-quality Eastern Block product. In most other instances, the Western part simply used "Germany," even on football uniforms in the World Championships, while the East insisted on the odd abbreviation G.D.R., or German Democratic Republic.
If we look at Korea, we see a number of differences. Both sides still officially promote unification as one of their top priorities, although with varying intensity over time. Both sides call their country Korea, although using different Korean terms (Hanguk vs. Choson). Korea has not been divided as the punishment for a lost World War - legally, outside forces have little to say. So shouldn't everything be perfect and easy in Korea? Obviously, this is not the case.
The two parts of Germany had to pay tribute to their geopolitical and ideological situation. Both had to abstain from aggressive pan-German nationalism, had to deal with the Fascist past and the heavy guilt they carried on their shoulders. East Germany had the additional problem of the theoretical incompatibility of orthodox Communism and nationalism.
But never was there any important meeting or talk about Germany's future where Germany did not participate. It was legally clear that the Four Powers had to be consulted, but Germany would lead the way. Germany, in particular West Germany, owned German unification.
What about Korea? Are Koreans really in charge? Do they even try to claim ownership of the major question concerning their nation? Reading the news, one could get the impression that Korean unification is something that is decided in Washington and Beijing, not in Pyongyang or Seoul. The presidential election in the United States was observed with great nervousness, and everybody wonders whether Barack Obama will be good for Korea's unification.
Many analysts suspect non-Korea related factors behind the United States' North Korea policy, such as the upcoming rivalry with China, a geopolitical strategy, or excuses for the development and deployment of new weapons systems. When eyes turn to China, Koreans get nervous when they see the massive investment of Chinese companies into North Korean natural resources.
When Kim Jong-il did not show up in September, Koreans became afraid of a potential Chinese intervention in the case of North Korea's collapse. When North Korea reacted in their typical, predictable way to the offensive rhetoric of the new administration in Seoul, South Koreans started complaining about the tendency of being sidelined in the Six Party Talks.
All this might be true: South Korea is not the leading country in the Six Party Talks; Washington and Beijing are the major factors in the region; and without any doubt, they do and will strongly influence Korea's future. It would be highly unrealistic to expect that such powerful players would not try to pursue their interest. But there is something wrong with leadership: Korea is lagging where it should be leading. After all, what is at stake is not the formation of a regional security alliance or economic community, but the future of Korea.
Not least against the background of a looming instability up North, it is time that one of the strongest economies and one of the most respected democracies in the region stands up and claims ownership of its own destiny. This will not be easy, there will be resistance, and allies as well as economic partners will complain.
But we are not talking about becoming the Hub of East Asia or the Balancer of the Region. This is about Korea. A calm but principled and consistently repeated stance that Korea and its unification belong to Koreans will eventually have to be accepted in Washington, Beijing, Tokyo and Moscow. Pyongyang has been trying this for decades but failed because it disqualified itself in the eyes of the international community. But South Korea does have the potential. It is time that government and society overcome the past 100 years and put Korea's future firmly back where it belongs - into the hands of Koreans.
3. Ewha President has published a book several weeks ago. It is of interest to anyone wanting to think comparatively and historically at
- all the (Foucauldian) changes that the category of 'female' went through during Korean history
- the (Foucauldian) changes in the category of the family during Korean history
At least I think this is an interesting 'data set' to plumb for knowledge. It would be interesting to have a set of books of 'the history of private life' like this for other Asian countries over time. I know that the Japanese state constructed women quite differently from the 700s CE to the 1400s CE when they moved from an equal person before the law with property rights and independent capacities to a completely 'non-person' position in the state. Remember what I put in the reading packet #2 about the gender regimes of state institutions?
These types of changes of gender categorization or the meaning of the family or certain categories of political rights protected or destroyed by the state are only approachable over the 'longue duree' (long duration of history).
At least I hope the book could be useful to analyze such things about Korea.
------------------------
10-31-2008 15:14 Recent Books
Women in Korean History
Lee Bae-young; Ewha Womans University Press: 320 pp., 28,000 won
This book, written by Ewha Womans University President Lee Bae-young, reviews the lives of Korean women from ancient times to the 20th century through in-depth analysis of various customs and institutions related to them as well as brief biographies of women in many fields who distinguished themselves.
The history of women has largely been ignored in the official history of Korea and often distorted under the predominant male-centered patriarchal viewpoint.
The book sheds light on the significant contributions and achievements of Korean women, which have been hidden or underestimated.
From a broad humanitarian perspective, the author looks back on the dynamic and glorious paths trodden by Korean women overcoming feudalistic constraints in the past. [or perhaps a dystopian future....]
The English version, illustrated with rich visual material, is intended to arouse interest in the past lives of these women and history and culture in general at home and abroad.
Through the wisdom of women from the past, the book seeks to create a new history for the future, thereby contributing to humanity and civilization.
A very down to earth* kind of guy. I'm an environmental sociologist interested in establishing material and organizational sustainability worldwide. I'm always looking for interesting materials/technologies, inspiring ideas, or institutional examples of sustainability to inspire others to recognize their choices now. To be fatalistic about an unsustainable world is a sign of a captive mind, given all our options.
*(If "earth" is defined in a planetary sense, concerning comparative historical knowledge and interest in the past 10,000 years or so anywhere...) See both blogs.
5 comments:
1.sohyun chun (stella)
2.dark side of visa waiver program
3.This article was infomative,
because there are lot of visa issues going on these days in korea.
(such as tourist U.S visa not neededfor korean tourist, who only wish to do a shopping or tour in U.S)
I know that globalization and these
process makes world to become
connected, but these issues regarding visas and illegal crimes
still says that the gap between
countries and countries still exist.
I know that there are lot of illegal visas and status going on
in U.S. However, although they
are illegal, I have encountered
many people who try their best,
to have success in their life.
I know it is illegal, and it is
wrong to stay in other country
without visa status. Also I know
that many people try to take advantage of it. However, I want to
know is their any other criteria
other than visa, that can make
people legal to live in country
they wish?
Also, I want to know that what
other policy can government
can make to decline these controversial issues or conflict
dealing with illegal visa status.
------------------------------
Trips to Give Birth to Babies, Illegal Migrants Expected to Increase
By Kim Rahn
Staff Reporter
The U.S.' visa waiver program is expected to facilitate Korean travelers' trips to the country, but is also likely to cause problems and a change in visa-related business.
The program is forecast to increase not only the number of tourists to the U.S. but also that of Korean women wanting to give birth to babies there for U.S. citizenship as well as illegal migrants.
Foreign Childbirth
Since the 1990s, some pregnant Korean women have visited the U.S. or U.S. overseas territories such as Guam and Saipan and given birth to babies there ― an attempt to have their children get U.S. citizenship, which guarantees them favorable treatment in study, stay and employment in the country. For boys, it is also a measure to dodge military service, as military service is obligatory for all Korean men.
Pregnant women used to enter the U.S. on a tourist visa roughly one month before their due date. But without the need to obtain a visa, the number of such trips is likely to rise.
A staff member of Dasom House, a Dallas-based postpartum care center, said the increase is not imminent due to the weak won against the U.S. dollar, but more and more people are interested in ``away childbirth.''
``Would-be parents hesitated to come as the won got weak, but we have a growing number of phone calls for consulting. We expect more people to come when the won gets strong again,'' he said.
When a mother stays at such a center for about two months around her childbirth, it costs between $10,000 and $12,000. Some centers now offer a 30-35 percent discount considering the exchange rate.
Another postpartum center in Guam, named ``American Baby,'' holds a session in Seoul in December for those planning childbirth in the U.S. territory ― an indication of high interest from would-be parents.
Illegal Migrants, Prostitution
As Koreans can now enter the U.S. more easily, it is feared that the number of people staying there for more than the limited period of 90 days and becoming illegal migrants may increase.
About 235,000 Koreans were illegally staying in the U.S. as of January 2007 ― one in every 5.4 Koreans in the country ― according to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.
It is also worried that prostitutes in Korea may move their ``workplace'' to Korean communities in the U.S.
In 2006, Los Angeles police estimated the number of Korean women who came to the U.S. for prostitution since 2004 at 8,000, according to Korea's intelligence agency. The year 2004 was when Korea adopted a special anti-prostitution law.
Korean residents in the U.S. worry that Korean police's recent massive crackdown on red-light districts in Seoul may cause another mass migration of prostitutes to the U.S., with young females now entering the country without a visa.
Foreign affairs department spokesman Moon Tae-young earlier asked people not to use the visa waiver program for ill purposes such as illegal stays, saying such actions could make the U.S. exclude Korea from its program.
Fall of Visa Agency Business
The long queue of people waiting for visa interviews in front of the U.S. Embassy in central Seoul is no longer there, as most travelers do not need a visa now ― 80 percent of 450,000 visas issued last year were for travel or short-term business.
It is good news for travelers, but bad news for agencies that used to prepare interview documents as proxy.
There were dozens of agencies near the embassy that prepared documents for visa-seekers and translated them into English. Those agencies charged about 40,000 won per client, and their earnings are already nose-diving.
It is said a growing number of the agencies have laid off workers and are now turned to translating other types of documents.
rahnita@koreatimes.co.kr
--------------------
http://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/news/nation/2008/11/117_34831.html
1. Yao Lu
2. China's latest boycott
3.Here are groups of news relates to China’s latest boycott.
On April 7, the Olympic torch relay in Paris was interrupted several times. The most notable was when supporters of ‘Tibetan independence’ attempted to snatch the flame from wheelchair-bound torchbearer Jin Jing. This issue arise huge reaction in internet. Several websites began to appeal for people to boycott Carrefour, Louis Vuitton and The Body Shop in protest at the disruption caused to the Olympic torch relay in Paris. In a survey by a website, 95 percent of the 43,000 respondents said they were in favor of a boycott.
The protesters in different cities gathered in front of shops of the French supermarket Carrefour in the cities, chanting slogans of ‘boycott Carrefour’, ‘oppose Tibet independence’ and others. They also handed out leaflets to passengers. That time, I was in Korea, but I heard many of my friends who study in universities went there for protest or participate in the internet activities. Also people send information and messages through internet and cell phones. Some of the protester said they just want to show their attitude towards the Western’s support of Tibet Independence. While some of the protester were angry and easy to lose control. There were also some people claimed they do not think the boycott was proper. The boycott was going on, some cities’ governments promised to maintain social and business order, including the operating of Carrefour. We did not see much direct reaction of media in China. The People’s Daily, the Communist Party of China flagship newspaper, called for rational action to express patriotism and maintain social stability in a comment.
At the same time with the domestic boycott, Chinese people in abroad also rallied to support Chinese government, and oppose biased Western media reportage of the Beijing Olympic torch relay.
On the other hand, I did not find much news relates to China’s central and local governments’ reaction to this boycott. I only found some news about the people who is in charge of foreign companies in Chinese Financial Department said in public that most the people work in Carrefour were Chinese and most of the products were made in China. The Governments did not prohibit the protest, but police were sent to keep the order. Strike and protest are not permitted without governments’ permission. The strike and protest must be applied to the government and need permission.
Finally, the boycott was stopped by French apology. But the reaction of China’s government is very interesting. Also the protests were organized mostly by internet or cell phone messages without previous organizations.
4. (1)Carrefour to investigate calls for boycott
2008-04-18 07:29 chinadaily
French retail giant Carrefour has launched an investigation into an online campaign encouraging Chinese shoppers to boycott its stores.
In a survey by Web portal Netease.com, 95 percent of the 43,000 respondents said they were in favor of a boycott.
Users of chat site QQ.com have also appealed for people to boycott Carrefour, Louis Vuitton and The Body Shop in protest at the disruption caused to the Olympic torch relay in Paris.
Li Jing, public relations manager for Carrefour in Shanghai, said the retailer had begun an investigation into the calls for a boycott.
On April 7, the Olympic torch relay in Paris was interrupted several times. The most notable was when supporters of "Tibetan independence" attempted to snatch the flame from wheelchair-bound torchbearer Jin Jing.
However, not everyone in the online community agreed with the idea of boycott.
Some said most of Carrefour's staff in China are Chinese, who would be hurt by the action. Others said a boycott would do nothing to affect the supporters of "Tibetan independence".
Bai Yansong, an anchorman with China Central Television, said he opposed the boycott.
Carrefour sells thousands of domestically made products that are produced by millions of Chinese workers, He said.
"If such boycotts are carried out, Chinese people's interests will be harmed," he said.
Carrefour China released a statement via its website on Wednesday saying the company has not or will not do anything to hurt the feelings of Chinese people.
It said allegations that Carrefour supports illegal political organizations are totally fabricated and lack evidence, adding that it reserves the right to take legal action against any individual or organization that creates or spreads such rumors.
Yesterday, LVMH, one of Carrefour's major stockholders, said charges made online that the group funds pro-Tibet "independence forces" are "completely groundless".
In an interview with French daily Le Figaro, Bernard Arnault, chief executive of LVMH, said his company is not giving financial support to the Dalai Lama.
(2)Chinese holding rallies to back Beijing Games
(Agencies/chinadaily.com.cn)
Updated: 2008-04-20 16:26
LOS ANGELES - Tens of hundreds of overseas Chinese rallied Saturday in Paris, London, Berlin, Los Angeles and other cities to support Chinese government, and oppose biased Western media reportage of the Beijing Olympic torch relay as well as their distorted coverage of the recent riot in China's Tibet, which was instigated by the 14th Dalai Lama segments.
Meanwhile, protests against "Tibet independence" continued in several Chinese cities on Sunday. Demonstrators were seen in the northwestern city Xi'an, the northeastern city Harbin and eastern city of Jinan,following Saturday's demonstrations in Beijing, Xi'an, Hefei, Qingdao, Wuhan, and Kunming, the Xinhua News Agency reported.
In Los Angeles, more than 5,000 people gathered outside the Hollywood office of TV broadcaster CNN, to protest against one of the channel's commentators, Jack Cafferty, who described Chinese people as a "bunch of goons and thugs", and China-made goods as "junk".
A statement issued by CNN on Tuesday paid lip service to address the rallying anger of Chinese all over the world over the insulting words of Cafferty, who many in China and other countries said is a racist.
In Paris, more than 4,000 Chinese gathered on Saturday in the Place de la Republique wearing T-shirts daubed with the slogan "One China, One family".
Many protestors, who came from across France and Europe, unfurled a banner showing wheelchair Chinese athlete Jin Jing who was assaulted by Tibetan extremists during the torch relay in Paris. Emotions ran high as many chanted "Go Beijing".
"We're demonstrating against the disinformation in the French and western media, to promote the Olympic Games and to construct a bridge between the French and Chinese people -- and not a wall as the media do," said one of the rally's spokesmen, Thierry Liu.
Some French also joined the Paris rally. A man surnamed Joseph, 60, said he had travelled often to China and that he was "defending the right to the truth," according to AFP.
More than 1,000 people, mainly students, also gathered outside the BBC office in Manchester, northwestern England, while around 500 staged a demonstration outside the Houses of Parliament in London, police said.
"I was in London ... during the torch relay on April 6 and we saw thousands of students coming from all over the UK just to support the torch relay and were really excited about that," London protestor Becky Qin said.
"But when I went back to Cambridge and saw the recorded version of BBC News, we were disappointed to see nothing about the supporting groups at all."
"It was as if the torch was just struggling its way through London and it was all about how people were so resentful about it," she said, adding that the broadcaster had provided "blurry numbers" about how many innocent people died at the hands of Tibetan rioters on March 14.
Protests against "Tibet independence" continued in several Chinese cities on Sunday.
Protestors gathered in front of outlets of the French supermarket chain Carrefour, chanting "Oppose Tibet independence", and "Oppose CNN's anti-China statements" on Sunday morning.
Chinese police were monitoring the demonstrations, which had no effect on the supermarkets' normal operations, Xinhua said.
More than 1,000 students and citizens in front of the Carrefour in Xi'an held banners, saying "Strongly oppose CNN's anti-China statements" and "Condemn Tibet secessionist in France tearing up the Five-Star Red Flag". They chanted "Support the Olympics", "Go China" and "Condemn CNN" through loudspeakers.
Carrefour has been accused by Chinese Internet users of supporting the Dalai Lama group, which Carrefour China denied in a statement released on Wednesday.
"Today's activity is simply an awareness-raising activity, aimed at finding a way out for the patriotic emotions of our students," said Wu Sheng, Xi'an resident and one of the organizers.
"We do not support a boycott of French companies because the economy is globalizing. We choose Carrefour front doors only because we draw more attention there," Wu said
(3)Demonstrations against "Tibet independence" continue in China
(Xinhua)
Updated: 2008-04-20 22:10
Demonstrations against "Tibet independence" continued in several Chinese cities on Sunday.
Demonstrators took to the streets in the northwestern city of Xi'an, eastern Jinan, and central city Wuhan, and the northeastern cities of Harbin and Dalian.
The rallies followed Saturday's demonstrations in Beijing, Xi'an, the eastern cities of Hefei and Qingdao, Wuhan, and the southwestern city of Kunming.
They mainly gathered in front of the outlets of French supermarket chain Carrefour, chanting "Oppose Tibet independence", and "Oppose CNN's anti-China statements" on Sunday morning.
Police were monitoring the demonstrations, which did not affect the supermarkets' normal operation.
More than 1,000 students and citizens in front of the Carrefour in Xi'an held banners, saying "Strongly oppose CNN's anti-China statements" and "Condemn Tibet secessionist in France tearing up the Five-Star Red Flag".
They chanted "Support the Olympics", "Go China" and "Condemn CNN" through loudspeakers.
About 50 of the demonstrators wore the same kind of red T-shirts. Passers-by joined them in chanting slogans.
Carrefour has been accused by Chinese Internet users of supporting the Dalai Lama group, which Carrefour China denied in a statement released on Wednesday.
"Today's activity is simply an awareness-raising activity, aimed at finding a way out for the patriotic emotions of our students," said Wu Sheng, Xi'an resident and one of the organizers.
"We do not support a boycott of French companies because the economy is globalizing. We choose Carrefour front doors because we draw more attention there," Wu said.
The organizers folded the banners and persuaded the crowds to disperse as the number of demonstrators kept increasing at around 11:00 am, in order to put the situation under control.
At a Carrefour outlet in Wuhan, capital of central Hubei Province, more than 2,000 people, mostly students, gathered at 5 pm Sunday, holding national flags and banners saying "Let France apologize" and "Go China".
The outlet was still open for business on Sunday with discounts to attract customers. But the number of customers was less than half of that of the previous weekend, outlet staff told Xinhua.
Another 1,000 people in Harbin, capital of Heilongjiang Province, signed a ten-meter-long banner, saying "Support the Olympics and love our China".
Traffic was blocked by the 1,000 demonstrators. More than 100 policemen were monitoring the crowds. The demonstration began on Sunday morning and most protesters had been persuaded to disperse by police.
The city government promised on Sunday to maintain social and business order, including the operation of Carrefour.
One of the three outlets of Carrefour in Dalian, a coastal city of northeast China's Liaoning Province, shut on Saturday because of the protest and remained closed on Sunday.
Chen Bo, media manager of Carrefour Greater China, refused to answer questions over the phone on Sunday, saying he would release a statement by e-mail later in the day.
Carrefour has 112 stores on the Chinese mainland.
Many Chinese newspapers and Internet portals published comments on the "boycott Carrefour" campaign on Sunday.
"We should not boycott Carrefour for many reasons, including the benefits of Chinese employees," said Olympic torch bearer Jin Jing, a wheelchair-bound fencer, on the Internet. She held on to the torch when a protestor tried to snatch it away in Paris on April 7.
The People's Daily, the Communist Party of China flagship newspaper, called for rational action to express patriotism and maintain social stability in a comment written by He Zhenhua.
"We should cherish patriotism and should also express our feelings rationally. Only in this way can we maintain social stability, win the opportunity for development and make our country stronger and more beautiful. This is real patriotism.
"To better serve the fundamental and core interests of our country and show real patriotism, we need to show the Chinese people's calm, wisdom and unity in a complicated international situation," He said.
(4)Protests erupt in Chinese cities
(Xinhua)
Updated: 2008-04-19 15:54
BEIJING -- Protests against "Tibet independence" supporters in some western countries erupted in a few Chinese cities on Saturday.
The protests were seen in Beijing, the eastern cities of Hefei and Qingdao, the central city of Wuhan, the southwestern city of Kunming and the northwestern city of Xi'an.
Protesters gathered in front of shops of the French supermarket Carrefour in the cities, chanting slogans of "boycott Carrefour", "oppose Tibet independence" and others.
They also handed out leaflets to passengers.
A dozen of young people on Saturday morning held a protest march in front of the French Embassy and the Beijing French School in the Chinese capital, which lasted less than half an hour.
Pan Yuming, an engineer and one of the protesters in Kunming, said they wanted to express their anger at western support for "Tibet independence" and did not want to cause social disturbance.
Many participants in Kunming persuaded elders and kids to leave the crowd and maintained order during the protest.
A shareholder of Carrefour was accused by Chinese Internet users of supporting the Dalai clique, which Carrefour China denied in a statement released on Wednesday.
Zhang Junsheng, director of the WTO research institute of the Beijing-based University of International Business and Economics, said the protests were a spontaneous move by Chinese nationals to express their attitude toward "Tibet independence."
However, Zhang said China's economic ties with foreign countries were getting closer and the country would not shut its door to the international community.
Ren Gang, a customer at a Carrefour store in Beijing, said on Saturday that he understood the protests but he personally believed it was improper to boycott Carrefour.
"We need to separate economic activities from politics," Ren said.
Employees at Carrefour stores in Beijing said the number of customers dropped drastically.
"We used to be in bustle at weekend, but now we are waiting for customers," said a cashier, who refused to be named, in the store at Zhongguancun, Beijing.
Online and text messages began to call for boycotts of Carrefour and other foreign retailers to protest western supports to "Tibet independence" secessionists after the disruptions of the Olympic torch relay in Paris and other foreign cities.
The calls attempted to mobilize Chinese citizens to boycott purchases in chain stores of Carrefour and Louis Vuitton, a French luxury brand, and Body shop, a cosmetics retailer belonging to L'Oreal SA.
French retailer giant Carrefour has opened 109 supermarkets in China by the end of last year since it entered the Chinese market in 1995.
Chinese torch bearer Jin Jing, a wheelchair-bound fencer, held the torch tightly from her wheelchair while a few mobs tried to snatch it away in Paris on April 7. She had to bend her body to protect the torch, but the mobs did not stop in their attempt, leaving her bruised and scratched on her chin and right leg.
French ambassador to China Herve Ladsous told Chinese media on Friday that he felt "regretful" for the disruptions of the Olympic torch relay in Paris, and hoped to meet Jin Jing.
--------------------------
(1)http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/cndy/2008-04/18/content_6625897.htm
(2)http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/china/2008-04/20/content_6630183.htm
(3)http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/china/2008-04/20/content_6630358.htm
(4)http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/china/2008-04/19/content_6629332.htm
1. Ji-A, RYU
2. title: the picture as the role making discourse made by media
3. After I attached the news of similar topic of this before, we haven't confirmed the health of the Dear Leader of North Korea, Kim Jong-Il. As this news article shows, (even though I cannot copy those different two pictures, if you want to see, you can click the link below) he seems to be normal with this picture(the left one when you see the pictures on the original webpage). If he had a brain operation as you have heard, I think, his hair style on the picture should be different because when we have a brain operation, we have our hair shaved and 50 days are not enough the hair are grown that long at all. As one of doctors said in this article, wiht this picture, we can imagine Kim may not have the operation.
However, I am inclined to think of the positive chance of his operation but the political elites do not want to let people know the truth with a particular reason we just can guess only. As we reviewed from Arendt's article before, even autocratic countries need sorts of legitimacy and discourses to maintain their political system once a state has formed. In the same context, because North Korea has had a big cleavage of political leadership because of leader's health, they need a discourse which their leader's health condition does not have a problem at all to maintain their political system in normal condition. In this sense, I doubt the authenticity of the picture. Media can produce discourses more easily than any other types of organizations. In this context, the media of North Korea cannot be independent from the government at all, so they can make the discourse toward the way the government wants to release, I think.
----------------------------------------------------------
10-12-2008 17:21
Pictures of Kim Jong-il Raise Questions Over Authenticity
North Korean leader Kim Jong-il makes a public appearance after more than 50 days of seclusion, inspecting a military unit in this undated photo, left. The North’s media released roughly 10 photos Saturday without mentioning when the pictures were taken. Few differences were found between the photo and another one, right, released by Pyongyang Aug. 16. / Korea Times
By Kim Sue-young
Staff Reporter
North Korean leader Kim Jong-il has allegedly made a public appearance after more than 50 days in seclusion according to photos released by the North Korean media Saturday, but suspicions are rising that the pictures were taken before his alleged brain surgery.
North Korean Central Television aired roughly 10 images of Kim in his trademark khaki jumpsuit and sporting sunglasses inspecting a military unit.
Other state media repeatedly reported the news but none confirmed when the pictures were taken.
A senior official at the Unification Ministry in Seoul, asking to remain anonymous, said that the ministry had difficulty identifying when the pictures were taken because the North gave little information about them.
The release of the undated images is construed as a move to show that its Dear Leader is perfectly fine despite rampant rumors regarding his health.
The official said that the unprecedented statement of the reclusive ruler aired in line with the photo release the same day is aimed at consolidating the unity of the communist state.
The statement was issued to celebrate the 63rd anniversary of the founding of the North's ruling Workers' Party.
``It is very unprecedented that the North gave the long statement one hour before the official announcement. As it highlighted unity, it seems to be aimed at solidifying the state,'' he said.
The 66-year-old North Korean leader has not made a public appearance for 58 days, the second longest seclusion since his father and North Korea founder Kim Il-sung died in 1994.
After he failed to show up at the key event of the 60th anniversary of the North's founding on Sept. 9, speculation was rampant that Kim, who has suffered from heart disease and diabetes, might have undergone brain surgery because of a stroke.
The Stalinist state denied the rumor and its state media reported that its leader watched a football match between two local universities on Oct. 4, but provided no video footage or photos.
Meanwhile, medical doctors here cautiously stated that Kim looked fine in the released pictures after the alleged surgery, if the photos were real.
Pointing out that Kim was seen standing with his hands behind his back and also clapping, Prof. Park Yoon-ghil at the department of rehabilitation medicine of Yongdong Severance Hospital in southern Seoul said he may have had just a minor stroke and was now almost fully recovered.
Kim may have difficulty swallowing or talking, but it is impossible to see those conditions through photos only, he added.
As his hair length is similar to that before he disappeared from the public eye, some doctors surmised that Kim may not have undergone brain surgery.
After the release of the controversial photos, North Korean media reported that Kim sent a reply telegram to leaders of foreign countries who sent a congratulatory message to the North to mark its 60th founding anniversary.
Recipients included Chinese leader Hu Jintao and U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon but the media did not say when he sent the reply.
ksy@koreatimes.co.kr
---
http://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/news/nation/2008/11/120_32530.html
1. Gowoon JUNG
2. Title: Who is in charge of Korea's future?
3. This is an editorial written by one foreign professor, and it concerns the position of Korea in the six-party talk and reunitication matter. I agree to his argument. In Germany's reunification, the agent creating the result was Germany itself. However, as we can see in the north and south Korean matter ongoing, the focus of discussion as a agent belongs to China and US. I think everybody knows this, but I also think this should be changed. I do not want to say that other countries are right or wrong, greedy or good, smart or stupid. I just want to argue that Korea should refind our position and reflect our actions about our own matter.
The right to solve the problem wisely is not given by other neighbor coutnries. China and US are not responsible to leave a position for Korea's subjectivity. We should be more aggressive to this matter.
These days, I am learning the modern Korean hisotry after the freedom from Japanese colony (1945). At the moment, the world was divided into two faces. Korea was in a hard situation, but president Lee Seung-man and Park Jeong-hee somehow made a good diplomacy, I think, for the country to get as much as benefits and resources from other developed coutnries. Even though sometimes they were brave, stubborn, selfish, and obedient, I think it is the unneccesary aspects of the diplomats. This is because the international politics has been always hard and tought for one small country to survive.
Of course, the reunification matter can be approached in the other perspectives. However, with any reaans, I think the agent in reunification matter should be Korea and Koreans. We should think more about why this is important in many reasons, not only in the substantial benefits.
----------------------
Who owns Korea's future? This sounds like an odd question. Of course Koreans are in charge of their own future, one would say. But is this true? What about the major issue, national unification?
As soon as Germany became formally divided in 1949, East Germany and West Germany started struggling over the ownership of "Germany." Both national anthems and both constitutions proclaimed unification as a top priority. Having lost World War II, Germans were of course aware that their division was a consequence of their own actions. They knew that the Four Powers (United States, France, United Kingdom and Soviet Union) had certain rights but they never permitted any doubt that the future of Germany was a German issue.
Eventually, East Germany built the Wall in 1961 and officially gave up on unification. The national anthem was not sung there anymore; only the tune was played since the line "Germany, unified fatherland" was not politically correct anymore. West Germany gratefully accepted this propagandistic present and used it widely.
Only on export products one could find the hint "Made in W. Germany" to show to customers that this wasn't a low-quality Eastern Block product. In most other instances, the Western part simply used "Germany," even on football uniforms in the World Championships, while the East insisted on the odd abbreviation G.D.R., or German Democratic Republic.
If we look at Korea, we see a number of differences. Both sides still officially promote unification as one of their top priorities, although with varying intensity over time. Both sides call their country Korea, although using different Korean terms (Hanguk vs. Choson). Korea has not been divided as the punishment for a lost World War - legally, outside forces have little to say. So shouldn't everything be perfect and easy in Korea? Obviously, this is not the case.
The two parts of Germany had to pay tribute to their geopolitical and ideological situation. Both had to abstain from aggressive pan-German nationalism, had to deal with the Fascist past and the heavy guilt they carried on their shoulders. East Germany had the additional problem of the theoretical incompatibility of orthodox Communism and nationalism.
But never was there any important meeting or talk about Germany's future where Germany did not participate. It was legally clear that the Four Powers had to be consulted, but Germany would lead the way. Germany, in particular West Germany, owned German unification.
What about Korea? Are Koreans really in charge? Do they even try to claim ownership of the major question concerning their nation? Reading the news, one could get the impression that Korean unification is something that is decided in Washington and Beijing, not in Pyongyang or Seoul. The presidential election in the United States was observed with great nervousness, and everybody wonders whether Barack Obama will be good for Korea's unification.
Many analysts suspect non-Korea related factors behind the United States' North Korea policy, such as the upcoming rivalry with China, a geopolitical strategy, or excuses for the development and deployment of new weapons systems. When eyes turn to China, Koreans get nervous when they see the massive investment of Chinese companies into North Korean natural resources.
When Kim Jong-il did not show up in September, Koreans became afraid of a potential Chinese intervention in the case of North Korea's collapse. When North Korea reacted in their typical, predictable way to the offensive rhetoric of the new administration in Seoul, South Koreans started complaining about the tendency of being sidelined in the Six Party Talks.
All this might be true: South Korea is not the leading country in the Six Party Talks; Washington and Beijing are the major factors in the region; and without any doubt, they do and will strongly influence Korea's future. It would be highly unrealistic to expect that such powerful players would not try to pursue their interest. But there is something wrong with leadership: Korea is lagging where it should be leading. After all, what is at stake is not the formation of a regional security alliance or economic community, but the future of Korea.
Not least against the background of a looming instability up North, it is time that one of the strongest economies and one of the most respected democracies in the region stands up and claims ownership of its own destiny. This will not be easy, there will be resistance, and allies as well as economic partners will complain.
But we are not talking about becoming the Hub of East Asia or the Balancer of the Region. This is about Korea. A calm but principled and consistently repeated stance that Korea and its unification belong to Koreans will eventually have to be accepted in Washington, Beijing, Tokyo and Moscow. Pyongyang has been trying this for decades but failed because it disqualified itself in the eyes of the international community. But South Korea does have the potential. It is time that government and society overcome the past 100 years and put Korea's future firmly back where it belongs - into the hands of Koreans.
By Rudiger Frank
2008.11.19
-------------------
http://www.koreaherald.co.kr/
1. Mark Whitaker
2. Ewha President Lee Bae-young has been busy
3. Ewha President has published a book several weeks ago. It is of interest to anyone wanting to think comparatively and historically at
- all the (Foucauldian) changes that the category of 'female' went through during Korean history
- the (Foucauldian) changes in the category of the family during Korean history
At least I think this is an interesting 'data set' to plumb for knowledge. It would be interesting to have a set of books of 'the history of private life' like this for other Asian countries over time. I know that the Japanese state constructed women quite differently from the 700s CE to the 1400s CE when they moved from an equal person before the law with property rights and independent capacities to a completely 'non-person' position in the state. Remember what I put in the reading packet #2 about the gender regimes of state institutions?
These types of changes of gender categorization or the meaning of the family or certain categories of political rights protected or destroyed by the state are only approachable over the 'longue duree' (long duration of history).
At least I hope the book could be useful to analyze such things about Korea.
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10-31-2008 15:14
Recent Books
Women in Korean History
Lee Bae-young; Ewha Womans University Press: 320 pp., 28,000 won
This book, written by Ewha Womans University President Lee Bae-young, reviews the lives of Korean women from ancient times to the 20th century through in-depth analysis of various customs and institutions related to them as well as brief biographies of women in many fields who distinguished themselves.
The history of women has largely been ignored in the official history of Korea and often distorted under the predominant male-centered patriarchal viewpoint.
The book sheds light on the significant contributions and achievements of Korean women, which have been hidden or underestimated.
From a broad humanitarian perspective, the author looks back on the dynamic and glorious paths trodden by Korean women overcoming feudalistic constraints in the past. [or perhaps a dystopian future....]
The English version, illustrated with rich visual material, is intended to arouse interest in the past lives of these women and history and culture in general at home and abroad.
Through the wisdom of women from the past, the book seeks to create a new history for the future, thereby contributing to humanity and civilization.
- Chung Ah-young
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http://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/news/art/2008/11/152_33619.html
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