CHU NGD A HM
culture
GEUMCHON APRIL CHRISTMAS PARTY
ICE FISHING FESTIVAL
LEAVING THE COLD BEHIND
WINTER2011
36 HOURS IN BUSAN
Implosion or explosion? What’s next for the “new” regiment in North Korea?
One of the biggest stories of 2011 was the death of North Korean leader Kim Jong-il on...
Project Manager Travis Stewart
CONTENTS
Editor-in-Chief & Designer Andrew Kim
feature
Special thank you to all of the contributors who made this quarter’s issue of the CULTURE possible! For future inquiries regarding the CULTURE, please contact facultylink@chungdahm.com
Vision Workshop
Thank you!
As I entered the gates of KAIST, I was very excited to see how our students...
spotlight
geumchon april christmas party
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3 4 6 contents
ice fishing festival . leaving the cold behind
places&spaces 36 hours in busan
geumchon april christmas party by blake ahalt (geumchon aprill)
Here in Geumchon, our Kindergarten Program worked very hard to prepare for their “Christmas Party” event. The students learned 5 Christmas songs and sang them among smaller groups These included “I Saw mommy Kissing Santa Claus,” “Silent Night,” “Santa Claus is Coming to Town,” and “We Wish You a Merry Christmas.” The singing was accompanied with beautiful decorations and carefully crafted costumes; all created by our fantastic Kindergarten staff! All of the parents were invited to watch the event, on Christmas Eve. In between each song, the parents had chances to win gifts from our raffle
game. All of the parents, teachers and students had a wonderful time. Pictures and laughter filled the afternoon. To top it all off, Santa came to visit and gave each student who participated, their very own gift! It was a really fun event and it helped everyone at Geumchon get into the Christmas Spirit! As the Winter Term is coming to an end, the students and staff are hard at work preparing for their Graduation! A Graduation event is in the making, and we hope it’ll be as fun as our “Christmas Party.”
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FBranchise spotlight
SPOTLIGHT
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ice fishing festival by lauren desmond (gangbuk april)
instructor
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Following a New Year’s resolution to see more of Korea, a few friends and I decided to visit the Hwacheon Sancheoneo Ice Fishing Festival over the Lunar New Year holiday. We bundled up and set out for the subway early on the frigid Monday morning. Our first stop was in Chuncheon, a city known for its dalk galbi, for lunch. We chose one of several restaurants lining the famous Myeongdong Dalk Galbi Street. There, we donned our aprons and devoured a huge pan of deliciously spicy chicken. With happily full bellies, we hopped on a bus to Hwacheon where the ice fishing festival was being held. It was a scenic, at times terrifying, bus ride winding up icy mountain roads. Forty minutes later we arrived at the festival site, marked by a large, inflatable fishing polar bear. The festival was held on a scenic frozen lake. And despite the bustle of the festival, the setting was serene. At first, I hesitated to walk on the large expanse of ice, recalling the childhood horror stories of falling through. But fears
were soon forgotten, and we were all sliding around exploring what the festival had to offer. We bypassed the sledding, snowmobiling, and ice-skating and headed straight for the main event. I was eager to try my hand at ice fishing. We moved out on the ice where we were promptly directed to the “Foreigners Only” section, which was well staffed with friendly fishermen who spoke a bit of English. We shared the ice with some very successful Chinese fisher-women. And just as I was marveling at their skill, I saw the staff dump a bucket of live trout into a hole under the ice. All four of us were able to catch at least one fish, which is more of a testament to the generous supply than to our fishing skills. When the chill got through to us, we warmed up by the oven and handed over our catch of the day to be salted and roasted. The workers put the fish into an antique-looking iron oven with numbered drawers for each order of fish. While the fish were cooking, we took a few rides down the snow sledding hill. After linking arms, we all sped down for a surprisingly exhilarating ride down snowy hills and across the ice. A bit later, our receipt was exchanged for six foil-wrapped, roasted trout. We gobbled up the fruits of our day’s work, washing it down with an ice-cold beer. A day of playing in the ice and snow really brought out a child-like excitement in all of us. Exhausted and satisfied, we boarded a bus back home to the big city.
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leaving the cold behind by nina walch (daejeon april)
instructor
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making a living, and for such little pay. Having a beer in the Philippines would cost less than 1,300 Korean won. Everything was extremely cheap. We toured the country side on small, windy roads. The view was breathtaking. They really try with their tourism, but it is not very impressive. However, the drive was an experience within itself. You could always see something new around every corner. We also saw the smallest primate in the world! A small monkey with a rat-like tail and huge eyes named the Tarsier. They are only found on the island and apparently carry an infectious disease! It was nice to escape the cold and soak up the sun on the beach. We spent most of our time in Alona Beach where the sand was white and the water was perfectly clear. We stayed for four days and were glad to get back to Korea. Being in the Philippines really made us appreciate our time in Korea. We missed kimchi, t-money cards, and the friendliness of Korean people. Overall, it was an unforgettable experience and we even got a tan! So if you are thinking about traveling somewhere warm, the Philippines would be a nice and cheap choice!
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My boyfriend and I recently traveled to the Philippines over Lunar New Year. We went to Cebu City and Bohol Island. I had never experienced a third world country before, and it was amazing to see the differences between all three (America, Korea, and the Philippines). I was shocked to say the least. At the airport we received a note that said, “Any drug carriers will be put to death.� This was followed by a dog sniffing our bags, talk about intimidating. Every building we passed looked run down. There were goats and cows tied up right outside rusted tin shacks. The poverty was overwhelming. But the scenery had personality! You could always find fresh fruit or seafood around every corner. Since the Philippines stays warm year round, their ecosystem flourishes. Palm trees, bamboo, and greenery were everywhere to be found. We even saw construction being done with bamboo sticks. People tried to sell us everything imaginable, from sunglasses and massages to tours and jewelry. We found out very quickly that you tip people in the Philippines (unlike Korea). You could tell these people worked really hard to
places& spaces: 36 hours in Busan
PLACES
by anton mapoy (haeundae)
FRIDAY 12 Noon 1. SEAFOOD GALORE After getting off the KTX, jump on the subway and head over to the Jagalchi Fish Market (line 1, stop 110). Here you’ll be bombarded with the sights, sounds and smells of all the ocean has to offer. Browse through aisles of live octopus, squid and fish
you never even knew existed, all of it caught in the ocean right outside the doors. As an added bonus, if you can stomach it, that fish you just saw swimming around can be plated up for the freshest 회 (raw fish) you’ve ever tasted. 2 p.m. 2. BARGAIN BIN After having your fill of the sea, walk over to the Nampodong Market. Get lost in a maze of clothing stalls, boutiques and shoe stores. Make sure you use familiar stores (Jeep, Nike, Apple) as landmarks, because its easy to get disoriented walking down the various side-roads and alleys. Try your best “깍아주세요” (kka-ka-joo-sey-yo, “give me a discount”) and see if you can haggle off a few won from your purchase. 4 p.m. 3. I’M ON A BOAT For an extra bit of sightseeing, head over to the port behind Lotte Department Store. Look for Covea Cruise. A sightseeing boat can take you to 해운대 (Haeundae) for 15k won. The trip takes about an hour and a half. Sights include the various small islands that dot the coast, and the skyline from the ocean is a great view as well. If staying on land is your prerogative, you can take a taxi to Haeundae, which will cost over 20k won, or take the much slower (but much cheaper) way via subway. 8 p.m. 4. EAT, DRINK AND BE MERRY The real reason everyone comes 6
I keenly remember the sense of disappointment I felt when my recruiter told me that the position, in Seoul, I was originally offered had been filled. He attempted to temper my disappointment by offering a position, “in Busan, right near the beach.” With these words in mind, I did some research. Everything I read about Busan was that it was a sketchy port city, filled with shady characters. After expressing reservations, my recruiter aptly pointed out the fact that I had gone to school and survived four years in the Bronx. That fact established, I acquiesced and found myself en route to Korea’s second city. Two years later, I couldn’t be happier. With great excitement, it is my joy to give you a mini tour of my adopted hometown. I’ve chosen a long weekend as a starting point, since we all know vacation is a four-letter word here in Chungdahm. While Seoul remains a world-class city, Busan is on the rise. With worldclass feats of engineering and design (The Hyundai I’Park and Doosan’s The Zenith), and the ascension of PIFF as a legitimate international film festival, Busan has established itself as a travel destination all its own.
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2 a.m. 5. DANCE, DANCE, DANCE! Head to super-club Elune and dance all night. Cover price to get in is 20k won with a free drink. The club attracts internationally-renowned DJ’s 7
to Busan is to visit Korea’s most famous beach Haeundae Beach. During the summer, the area is packed with visitors from all over Korea. Last July, one million people, on just one afternoon, laid themselves out under colorful parasols lined end-toend along the sand. The water has a very gentle surf, and is quite shallow even far out (thanks to a sand bank), which can make for a relaxing hour spent floating around on one of the yellow tubes (5k won). Far from a ghost town in the off-season, Haeundae has enough attractions to keep people coming in the dead of winter. Nightlife and restaurants abound, no matter what the temperature is. For your first dinner in town, head to 오방진 (Oh Ban Jang) a first-rate BBQ place in the heart of the area. Dine under the night sky on their spacious patio (kept warm even in winter), or head inside for the pleasant wooden decor. The christmas lights, up yearround, give the place added charm. Come for the atmosphere, stay for the food. Order the 갈매기 (galmaegisal, 9k) and cook it yourself over an open-charcoal flame. The meat itself is pork, but you’ll swear you’re eating steak after one bite. Round-out your meal with the 김치찌개 (kimchi soup,
10k), a spicy and rich take on the Korean classic. Wash it all down with soju (3k) and beer (5k). Afraid of taking that smokey, bbq smell with you all night? The restaurant has a bottle of Febreeze up on the counter, so you needn’t worry. Now the pub crawl begins. The main road perpendicular to the beach has bars and HOF’s for every taste. For group tables, darts, beer pong and foosball, head over to Thursday Party. This Busan-chain has everything to help you re-live those college days. If that isn’t your thing, try 24/7 Lounge closer to the beach. The strong drinks, low lights, and loud music get everyone going in this place. A more Foreigner-friendly bar is across the street, Fuzzy Navel. The smaller space makes talking to others almost unavoidable, so grab a drink and make friends. If you’re feeling hungry, try the burritos. For a warmer, more intimate atmosphere, head over to Billie Jean. The owner, Danny, is a nice guy who likes to make sure all of his guests are taken care of. Sit in one of the comfortable booths, or around the mahogany bar. For a more intimate gathering, ask to sit in one of the private karaoke rooms and have your own party. Ask for bottle service (Absolut 80k) and you’ll be set all night. Try the fried chicken (15k) or the best-value steak in town (15k). On Friday nights, the bar has live music, which is always nice to hear. When the live music ends, the in-house DJ spins some great songs, so let loose on the dance floor. Or if you prefer, just nod your head to the beat while playing darts or billiards.
SATURDAY 1 p.m. 6. THE EDGE OF THE WORLD After a night of debauchery, why not spend a quiet day at one of Korea’s most alluring temples? Hop in a taxi and take the 15-minute ride to 해동용궁사 (Yongkungsa). I know temples tend to look the same, but 해동용궁사 (Yongkungsa) is different. The compound was built right into the cliffs and rocks over looking the ocean, making for a unique and rewarding experience. The place is enchanting and tranquil no matter the season. In the summer, let the refreshing ocean breeze blow away your worldly attachments. The winter wind, on the other hand, will keep you mindful of the universal suffering we all go through. And if spirituality isn’t your thing, the place makes for great photos. 6 p.m. 7. DRUM KING On your way back from the temple, stop and have an early dinner at 녹슨드럼통 (Noxen
PLACES
Drumtong). Don’t be fooled by the gravel floor inside the restaurant--this place has some serious eats. You and your friends will sit around an oil drum, cut in half, filled with charcoal and fitted with a grill. The meat itself is partially pre-cooked, so you’ll just have to heat it through.While everything is good, try an order of 돼지껍데기 (Pork skin), the layer of fat that makes pork pork. The restaurant is a little out of the way, but the owner will shuttle you back to the nearest beach (quiet Songjeong) or the nearest subway station (Jangsan, where CDI Haeundae is). 10 p.m. 8. DIAMOND SKY For more nightlife, check out Gwangan Beach, the less famous, but by no means less fun, beach on the other side of Haeundae. The 10 minute taxi ride will cost about 5k. Swim under the beautifully-lighted Diamond Bridge. The best thing about this area is that everything you want to do is right on one main strip. Cafes, restaurants, bars, clubs all line the main road that runs parallel to the beach. So choose your place, sit back and enjoy the view. 3 a.m. 9. RESTORE YOUR ENERGY To finish your last night in Busan, grab a taxi to 청사포 (Cheongsapo). This collection of restaurants by the sea offer great grilled sea food. Start with the grilled clams and mussels, and finish off with the BBQ eel. Most owners will extol the health benefits of eel, particularly its affect on stamina and endurance.
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from Asia and Europe. Stand in the corner and watch others get down to the latest dance and electronic music. Or jump into the fray and get learned in the art of the “Busan Stomp,” a type of aggressive dancing common to the area college kids. If you’re into hip hop or rap, head over to Club Maktum, which is popular with the service guys and has a younger crowd. Stay out all night and watch the sunrise while sitting on the beach. You won’t be disappointed.
PLACES
SUNDAY 12 noon 10. SUNDAY BEST How you spend your last day in Busan depends on your mood. If you’d like to shop ‘til you drop, take the subway (line 2, stop 206 Centum City) to the Guinness World Records Largest Department Store, Shinshegae. With shopping, great food, Spa Land, ice skating and a movie theater, there’s no shortage of activities to keep you busy until you leave. Headache? Have a hair of the dog at Gecko’s, the Seoul import right on Haeundae Beach (in the Pale de Cez building). The mojitos (9k) are excellent and freshly made, but the real reason to go is the bloody mary (9k). Whatever you choose, sit back and watch the waves come in. In a more quiet mood? Head to 달맞이 (Dalmaji), the hill that overlooks the beach. Make the climb and you’ll find great coffee shops—both small locally-owned shops and the big chains (Angel-in-us, Twosome Place, etc). Find Cafe Van about halfway up the hill and sit in one of the comfortable couches under the awning while reading a book or chatting with friends. There’s also a craft’s market at the top of the hill where you can find unique jewelry and trinkets. Whatever you choose, you won’t be ready to head back north. Busan has a way of making you feel that life is (or could be, if you stayed) great.
IF YOU GO Stay in Haeundae at the Ice Motel (051-7432888 www.motelice.com) or Anytel (051-7313114 www.designanytel.com) Restaurants 오반장 (Oh Ban Jang): 051-747-8085 녹슨드럼통 (Noxen Drumtong): 051-721-8295 (big groups should make a reservation) 청사포 (Cheongsapo): 청사포: 051-702-4092 Attractions: Covea Cruise: www.coveacruise.com 해동용궁사 (Yongkungsa): 051-7220-7744 www.yongkungsa.or.kr
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If you come late (or early) enough, you can stay and watch the sunrise again.
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Implosion or explosion? What’s next for the “new” regime in North Korea?
by colin chau (dongjak)
This is an abridged version of the full length article originally published on January 6, 2012, in the Vancouver Observer.
The “new” regime in North Korea
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The death of Kim Jong-il on December 17 led to the succession of his youngest son, Kim Jong-un, who was also established as Supreme Leader of the ruling party and the people of the Democratic Republic of Korea (DPRK). Initially, there were worries about an unstable regime change and the possible ramifications of an unstable regime change in DPRK. However, these worries have been stymied as a result of the death and there have been additional indications within the last two months that Kim Jong-un is solidifying his position. The worries were attributed to Kim Jong-un’s clear disadvantages due to limited experience, an uncertain power base, political barriers towards economic reforms, and the military’s important role in high politics. The peninsular state falls within the sphere of interests of important powers such as China, Japan, Russia, and the United States. Until now, we have seen the DPRK continue to hold, and Kim Jong-un’s biggest suspected opposition, the military establishment, making clear its vital support. On January 3, a mass rally of fist-pumping spectators filled the main square of Pyongyang with an impressive showing of military pomp, whose public display of support for Kim Jong-un is of symbolic significance. It is important to note that many in the military elite are of the second generation (Kim Jong-il’s rule), and their loyalty has been tested numerous times. Propaganda aside, what are the hard factors involved in perpetuating the Hermit Kingdom? Dr. Un-Chul Yang, Director of Unification Strategy Studies at the Sejong Institute, believes that the only thing legitimizing Kim Jong-un’s rule is the hereditary personality cult combined with cruel violence. His comments are in the original article.
Intelligence industry insiders try to decipher the future of North Korea
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In the last few weeks, commentators, political risk consultants, and intelligence analysts scrambled to put a microscope on the diplomatic and military manoeuvres on the peninsula and in the wider region as a whole in order to decipher the possible ramifications to their stakeholders. Those in the intelligence trade rely on various sources for their information, with the general categories being: HUMINT (human intelligence), SIGINT (signals intelligence), MILINT (military intelligence), and, most importantly, OSINT (open-source intelligence). It is widely accepted that approximately 80 per cent of all actionable intelligence used by security firms such as Strafor and governments come from open-source, unclassified information. The theatres of operations in Iraq and Afghanistan were prime examples of this. How about North Korea? “South Korea, China, and the US would have had ongoing detailed knowledge of Kim Jong-il’s condition through intercepts as well as semi-official back channels designed to prevent dramas from becoming crises,” security analyst Gavin Greenwood commented. Greenwood is a senior analyst at Allan & Associates, a Hong Kong-based security and political risk consultancy. “Foreign intelligence services monitoring a country such as North Korea would also be hyper-sensitive to any change in ‘atmospherics’, meaning any break from regular communications patterns and procedures that mimicked behaviour from past crises,” said Greenwood. A good example of this would be a sudden flood of messages from the centre to peripheral state organs and military units and how these formations responded. “Silence or disciplined communication would mean that orders have been received, understood, and acted upon as part of an existing plan, while chatter and spontaneous communication would suggest confusion.”
What the death of Kim Jong-il really means
How quickly the government of the Republic of Korea (ROK; South Korea) publicly responded to the demise of Kim Jong-il and the wording of the statement was highly important in signalling how the current Lee Myung Bak regime of the South is planning to take bilateral relations as he faces an election next year. President Lee’s choices led the DPRK government to declare that it will never have any dealing with Lee’s government, and that revenge will be taken for the insult. “[South Korea’s] initial response of raising the alert status for its armed forces was probably as much about assuaging its own population than reflecting a genuine concern over North Korea’s likely conduct,” said Greenwood. “The subsequent offers at negotiations and ‘talk’ of turning points were again largely for domestic and foreign consumption – primarily to the US and Japan.” Dr. Shin Beomchul, Director of the North Korean Military Division at the Korea Institute for Defense Analyses (KIDA), offers a more positive view of the response. “Focusing on the stability of the Korean peninsula is a proper policy that South Korea took, with a goal of not escalating the situation and having the Ministry of National Unification stress that the Korean government will maintain a flexible approach to the North,” said Dr. Shin. The March 2010 attack on the South Korean naval vessel Cheonan, a South Korean corvette, and the November 2010 shelling of Yeonpyeong Island in the Yellow Sea led some to speculate that the military was taking rogue actions to ramp up tensions on the peninsula. But some believed that it was Kim Jong-un asserting his imminent leadership. The DPRK officially denied responsibility for the sinking, although a joint civil-military investigation that included experts from Canada concluded a North Korean
NK (3/3) CHT-02D type torpedo was used in the sinking. The Yeongpyeong Island incident, meanwhile, was an overt action that claimed the lives of two soldiers and two civilians meant to send a warning to the South not to cross the Northern Limit Line in its naval exercises. “Kim Jong-un may wish to usher in his reign literally with a bang – so another nuclear test, missile test over Japan and perhaps on towards Guam to jolt the US may happen,” said Greenwood. Dr. Shin agrees with this view, believing that a missile test can be masked as a satellite launch while he disagrees that a nuclear test would occur soon, making China uncomfortable. He also disagrees that an attack on South Korea is imminent, saying that “the risk of the failure of a military operation would hurt [Kim Jong-un’s] position domestically.” So, if a power struggle during this succession is possible, there are several things to look out for: a disconnect between public pronouncements by Kim Jong-un, and any off-track actions by the military could significantly weaken both domestic and international “confidence” in his control. Secondly, the defection of North Korean elites could mean an uprising with a possibility of various factions. In addition, the dismissal of elites by Kim Jong-un could mean he is paving the way for a third generation that will empower previously disenfranchised or professionally frustrated bureaucrats and military members. Finally, the current famine combined with paralyzing unrest and infighting could push the population to the edge, and many may choose to flee to China or South Korea. The following conclusions are made in the original article: - a voluntary collapse and absorption is unlikely as those placed into favourable positions in the DPRK now have their own interests to protect in a cohesive government. - the more likely scenario is violence due to a disagreement or confrontation rather than violence spurred on by starvation intentionally brought upon by the denial of life support from China, the U.S., South Korea, and the international community. - When the show’s over, the world can expect to see the United States and China contending to carve out the short-term future of humanity in the Asia Pacific. The full article in the Vancouver Observer includes: 1. The regional security implications of a North Korean collapse for other nations like Japan, China (Blue Ocean Navy policy), and the United States (USMIL Asia-Pacific assets augmentation) 2. Likely post-reunification scenarios (and the role of US/China) 3. Policy and cultural insight into reunification politics 4. North Korea’s nuclear card and how it protects its interests and extracts concessions 5. North Korean kidnapping of foreign nationals 6. South Korea’s desire to reunify while desiring not to reunify
VISION (1/2)
Vision Workshop Reflections by sunny kim (april program team) & eugene rhee
names of their own. It seemed they were struggling just to understand how this motion thing worked. However, they totally got it when they started to make a movie using their motion pictures. When it was time to present, everyone in the class enjoyed watching their movies. After being a scientist, they had to present what they had done. This was where I entered the stage. We gathered volunteers to present. In the beginning, students were shy to raise their hands to present. But after the first presenter, everyone in the class wanted to do it! I was very proud of them, that they were our Chungdahm kids! The presentations went smoothly. They made a speech about what they had done and what they wanted to be. The coolest part was when they showed their projects. I wish we had more time for everyone. To summarize, I enjoyed being part of this workshop so much. I have learned that our students have great potential. In the end, I notice that they did not actually make any cool robots, but I am sure they gained a lot of great confidence. I hope that every single one of them fulfills their dreams.
[sunny kim]
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As I entered the gate of KAIST, I was very excited to see how our students would make fabulous robots that have cool functions. I even had a dream to be a scientist doing all sorts of cool things. I am very happy to share my adventure from KAIST with the wonderful students that I met. On the very first day, students were working on 3D space. I was surprised to see everyone in the class so quiet and concentrating on something so hard. I was a little jealous because I never had a class like this—so much concentration. Maybe I should have my own robot in my class so my students will focus. Students were making a house that had rooms with couches, beds, tables, and even a garage with a cool car in it. They all looked so happy to make their own house. After that, they made a game. I guess they had never made one before, only played it. The students were overwhelmed trying to make a game. I heard excited voices from here and there. I wish I had a chance to do cool things like they did. On the next day, it was even more exciting. Students were making motion pictures with stick men! Of course they had different colors with
A frosty majestic campus tragically associated with student depression was the setting for newfound vision and inspiration for a group of Chungdahm and April students at KAIST from January 16th-21st. Nestled within the university classrooms for nearly 12 hours a day, the students completed a rigorous curriculum that exposed them to more software programs and hands-on experimentation in five days than most people might complete in a lifetime. While I have only played video games on an Atari, these elementary students created 10 second versions of the same games on their worn laptops. We’ve all seen movies with their opening and closing credits, but these visionary munchkins actually learned how to set and design their own rolling credits. 3D imagery no longer instills the same awe within me as when it first appeared, but that’s because I had never taken the chance to actually design a 3D layout of a model house like they were able to. Ever wonder what we could do with a robotic assistant at our beck and call? Well, I say wait a decade and we just might get to purchase one that was designed by one of these students. Although many may bemoan the lack of vision and foresight among Korean youth, I can no longer echo their sentiment after having seen a group of students from all across the various branches and branchises coming together as
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strangers and leaving as comrades. They exuded an energy that I knew existed within their core but had not seen in a while. Five days are usually not enough time for a person’s life to be changed, but a spark stoked under the right conditions will only do what it is meant to; and that is to burn brightly. Imagine what can happen with forty-eight sparks.
[eugene rhee]
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Vision Workshop Reflections