From the Editor

Thelingering rains of Korea’s rainy season are weakening with more drawn-out intervals in between. Heat-wave warnings are becoming recurrent on everyone’s smartphone, and the shrill sirens of ambulances rushing heatstroke victims to the hospital are an everyday occurrence. These are all signs of the intense heat of August, host to the third of Korea’s “dog days.” August also signals the publication of another issue of the Gwangju News, and we hope that we have compiled a summer edition that is, at the very least, as enjoyable and as informative as previous issues.

This month’s cover at once looks like a grocery store and the inside of a bus. Well, it is both. “Bus Mart” is a little-known market on wheels, catering to the South Asian cuisine-loving community but little known over the past seventeen years. Read our cover feature to learn more about this unique mobile supermarket. In a related piece, discover how one Malaysian resident of Gwangju deals with the challenges of maintaining a halal diet in Korea [Community].

How aware are you of the massive emigration from the Korean Peninsula beginning in the early 20th century and the role that Koreans in the Americas played in supporting the Provisional Korean Government in exile during the colonial period? Find out more about the history being uncovered in our second feature. Turning to present-day politics, an upto-date analysis is made of the comings and goings of third (and fourth) parties in the whirlpool of South Korean politics [Political Focus].

Teaching and learning earns a greater than average spot in this issue. Interested in learning Korean in a quality program at no cost? Check out the KIIP program covered in our third feature. And of course, there is also our regular Everyday Korean lesson in this issue. This month’s Language Teaching discusses value shields and how they can be integrated into a language class. Montessori Education deals with developing the child’s imagination this time around.

In your August downtime, consider hiking and sightseeing at several little-known spots along the west coast [Lost in Honam]. Or you may wish to consider something closer to home – a baseball game or a soccer match. Can’t decide which would be better – seeing the Kia Tigers or watching Gwangju FC? Our managing editor will let you know his opinion. And of course, there is much more on offer.

Stay health-conscious, stay heat-conscious, and enjoy August’s Gwangju News!

David E. Shaffer Editor-in-Chief Gwangju News