korea [2012 vol.8 no. 7]
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7/31/2019 Korea [2012 VOL.8 No. 7]
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july
2012
www.korea.net
july 2012
An Island of Mysterious Be
Ulleung
Coming Home After 62 Y
First Remains of S. Korean SoldiReturn Ho
Islets of Solitary Beauty in the East Sea
Dokdo
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Lear
A: ?
Who is he?
I buneun nuguseyo?
C: , ?
Then, is he your grandather?
geureom, i buneun
harabeojiseyo?
D: , .
.
Yes, he is my grandather.
He is reading a book.
ne, harabeojiseyo.harabeojikkeseo
chaegeul ilgeuseyo.
B: .
He is my ather.
uri abeojiseyo.
Have you ever had a picnic with your family?
Here is a picture of Jun-seons family picnic.
Lets talk about Jun-seons family.
TalkingabouTyourfamily
-()- makes a verb or an adjective
honorifc. You can use this orm to
show your respect or the subject o
the sentence when you describe the
action or condition o the subject.
I the stem o the verb or the adjective
end in or a vowel use --
and use - or the remaining
occasions. Notice that drops
when - comes ater
basic orm
(be) ida
(do) hada
(put) damda
(wash) dakda
(read) Ikda
honorifc orm(omal)
++
++
++
++
++
honorifc orm(inormal)
iseyo
haseyo
dameuseyo
dakkeuseyo
ilgeuseyo
father mother grandfather grandmother younger sibling
abeoji eomeoni harabeoji halmeoni dongsaeng
cook wash the dish read the book put some food in the dish eat the meat
yorireul hada geureuseul dakda chaegeul ikda eumsigeul damda gogireul meokda
Try to make a conversation with the ollowing vocabulary.Lets practice
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34
Entertainmentpuc IrilFsic FilFsivl
30
festivala w irri2012 arirg Fsivlt arirg
38
Gloal Koreamglieslisse-prcur
36
Sports30 Dys GRdyig fr Ld olyics
28
Now in Koreat bl agiselcriciy
16
PeopleC t-kw,prr f hsik
12
Pen & brushpir Kw Ki-s
20
SeoulLirris i Sulmr t Jus bks
24
Travela Isld fmysrius buyUllugd
18
Great KoreanGwgg Gr
contentsjuly 2012 Vol.8 no.7
02
A Cluster of Volcanic Rockswith a Unique Ecosystem
Dokdo IsFull of life
Cover StoryIslets ofSolitary Beauty in
the East Seadoko
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Cover story
Islets of Solitary Beauty in the East Sea
In the easternmost reaches of Korean
territory sits a cluster of beautiful
islets and reefs called Dokdo. Also
referred to as the Liancourt Rocks,
Dokdo is a collection of volcanic
rocksbig and smallformed from
cooled-down lava that gushed from
two kilometers underwater between
4.6 million and 2.5 million years agoduring the Pliocene Epoch. Dokdo
consists of two rocky islets called
Dongdo and Seodo and about 90
rocks and reefs. More than 1,000
land creatures and over 240 marine
creatures inhabit Dokdo along with
its residents and security guards.
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Many people simply think Dokdo is a singleisland, but it is actually a collection otwo main rocky islets called Dongdo and Seodo
and about 90 smaller rocks and rees including
Kokkiri Bawi (Elephant Rock), Chotdae Bawi
(Candlestick Rock), and Samhyeongje Bawigul
(Three Brother Rocks with Holes). When lava
rst gushed out to orm the rocky cluster 4.6
million years ago, Dongdo and Seodo were one
islet, but having been lashed and pummeled by
winds and waves over the eons, the islet becamewhat it is today.
Dongdo and Seodo are united 151 meters
(495.4 eet) below the water surace. Dongdo, the
smaller o the two, has two major volcanic t races
on its northern side and its peak is 98.6 meters
(323.5 eet) above sea level. Near the eastern
tip o Dongdo is a cup-shaped crater with a
depth o 100 meters (328.1 eet) that contains
seawater coming though two vertical caves
collectively called Cheonjanggul. On the slopes
o Dongdo grows herbage that is rooted in 20 to
30 centimeters o shallow-layered soil.
Carried away by the breathtaking view, you
will likely be awakened rom your trance when
the black-tailed gulls rudely welcome you with
their droppings on your ace, as Dokdo is one o
the major breeding colonies o t he seabird.
The cone-shaped peak o S eodo is 168.5
meters (552.8 eet) above sea level and is the
highest and largest o all the rocky members o
Dokdo. Looking like a single steep peak, it hasnumerous caves on its blus. There is a pool
o groundwater reerred to a s Mulgol (Water
Valley) that holds the water that seeps out o t he
cracks between the rocks. The pool is used as a
precious source o drinking water or those who
live and stay on Dokdo.
Fog, clouds, and wind are old riends o
Dokdo. More than 160 days a year, the cluster o
volcanic rocks is under the shade o the clouds,
which pelt the islets with rain or snow about
A Cluster of Volcanic Rocks witha Unique Ecosystem
DokDo IsFull oF lIFeDokdo is 87.4 kilometers southeast of
Ulleungdo. Due to its volcanic nature and
remoteness from the Korean Peninsula,Dokdo has a unique ecosystem. Howchanges in climate and other natural
elements affect an ecosystem is welldemonstrated on Dokdo. Now lets meet
the inhabitants of this collection ofvolcanic rocks in the East Sea.by Lee Jeong-eun and Kim Min-sun with Dr. Song Im-
geun (Dokdo Ecosystem Service) / photographs by MoonDuk-gwan and Lee Jun-gi
Cover story
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150 days a year. It is oten so windy that you can
only drop anchor on Dokdo or 60 to 70 days a
year. There is even a saying that without ortune
smiling upon you, you cannot enter Dokdo.
CREATURES OF DOKDO
Formed by underwater volcanic eruptions,
Dokdo has a unique ecosystem, dierent rom
that ound on the Korean Peninsula. Its sea
bed steeply drops down to over two kilometers
below the sea, and the species inhabiting itvary with depth. Warm and cold currents
mingle in the sea o Dokdo. Sea currents have
direct impact on the seawater temperatures
and underwater creatures. Large and small
rocks and rees are habitats or sessile marine
creatures, which live attached to hard suraces.
All these actors thoroughly explain the richness
o the marine species o Dokdo.
On the land located above sea level is a
treasure house o biodiversity. More than 1,000
speciesanimal and plantinhabit the islets,
rocks, and rees o Dokdo. Ever since its violent
creation, a wide range o plant seeds have
arrived on Dokdo by wind, currents, and birds.
According to the South Korean Ministry oEnvironment, 57 plant species inhabit Dokdo.
Recently, as more outsiders have been accessing
Dokdo, more non-indigenous plants such as
fowering plants and cultivated species have
been brought along or the ride.
Steep and exposed to strong salty winds,
Dokdo is not covered with thick layers o soil.
Weeds with powerul adaptability tend to
survive in the severe environment. Yet, this
doesnt mean that all the plants growing on
Dokdo are weeds, as there are also rare and
precious plants including three species that
only grow on Ulleungdo and Dokdo throughout
the world. The South Korean Ministry o
Environment has designated 13 foristically
rare species as special protected inhabitants o
Dokdo.
Geographically Dokdo is not a good
habitat or plants, says Dr. Song Im-geun, who
monitors the biological resources o Dokdo three
times a year. Yet still, spindle trees g row on
geography, and almost ba rren soil, the trees
serve as a barometer as to what kinds o trees
can grow on Dokdo.
The most requently spotted species are the
Sedum oryzifolium Makino,Aster spathulifolius
Makino,Artemisia japonica var. macrocephala
Pampan, and Echinochloa crus-galli (L. Beauov.),
and Rumex japonicus Houttuyn is spreading
quickly these days.
Dokdo dresses up with dierent garments in
dierent seasons. The rst plant that blossoms
in spring is the Arabis stelleri de Candolle, which
inhabits the gradual slopes and the parts in
between Dongdo and Seodo. In May and June,
Cover story
Various birds, especially black-tailed gulls inhabit the islets, rocks, and rees o Dokdo.It might be obvious that Dokdo is an attractive place or black-tailed gulls to live.
vertical clis, and new species come in and take
root. All these point to the vitality o Dokdo.
57 PLANT SPECIES BRAVE THE HARSH
ENVIRONMENT
Dierent parts o Dokdo have dierent soil
conditions. The sea clis ace gusty sea winds,
and rain quickly drips rom steep slopes into
the ocean, resulting i n dry, shallow layers o
soil lacking in nutrients. Naturally, the sea
clis have become home to colonies o Sedumoryzifolium Makino, Festuca rubra Linn,Aster
spathulifoliusMaxim, andArtemisia japonica
var. macrocephala Pampan. In the moist cracks
o the rocks are colonies o Phanerophlebia (L.F.)
Copel, while gradual slopes are occupied by
Agropyron tsukusiense var. transience (Hack.)
Ohwi and Echinochloa crus-galli (L. Beauov).
Also, colonies o Fallopia sachalinensis
(F. Schmidt.) RonseDecr. are only ound on
Seodo.
The Ministry o Environment has
designated 13 species o Dokdo plants as rare
and endangered. One o the 13 is Orobanche
coerulescens Stephan. Found on the top and
slopes o Dongdo, it has purple fowers andis an extremely endangered species with a high
biological value. It is a rare class 5 endangered
species. Those that are only ound in certain
areas on the Korean Peninsula including
Ulleungdo and Dokdo are class 4 rare and
endangered species. Growing on Dokdo are
our class 4 species, the Lonicera Insularis Nakai,
Fallopia sachalinensis (F. Schmidt.) RonseDecr.,
Festuca rubra Linn, and Campanula takesimana
Nakai.
Phanerophlebia (L.F.) Copel. is another species
to note. Being the only pteridophyte that
naturally grows on Dokdo, it orms colonies
in the slopes o the water pool on Seodo and
a section o Dongdo whose outline closely
resembles the Korean Peninsula. A colony o
Euonymus japonicus Thunb. (spindle trees) can
be observed on the north slope o Cheonjanggul
on Dongdo. Considering how steep the slope is,
it was birds, not people, that gave birth to t he
colony. Despite the strong sea winds, rugged
1
3
2
4
5
1 In May and June, theSedum oryzifoliumMakwhich is the most spreaDokdo, is in ull bloom.2Aster spathulifoliumMand Phanerophlebia (LCopel, the only ern spegrowing wild on the isla3Aster spathulifoliumMblooms splendidly arouOctober.4Sedum takesimense
has yellow fowers.5Orobanche coerulescStephan has purplefowers and is an extremendangered species wihigh biological value.(Photographs provided by Dr
Im-geun)
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Cover story
Actinia equina andAnthopleura japonica can be
spotted along the coastline, and beautiul coral
rees thrive deeper under the sea.
There are more mollusks than cnidarians
in the sea o Dokdo. A total o 125 species
rom 57 amilies h ave been recorded. The most
commonly spotted types are gastropods (snails
and slugs), most o which live on t he suraces o
pebbles and rocks in between seeds. From April
to June, the sea o Dokdo silently celebrates the
mating season o mollusks. Even in the shallowsea o Dongdo, numerous veligers (mollusk
larvae) and tiny young mollusks can be spotted.
The sea o Dokdo is rather cool, so it is a
perect place or seaweed to grow. According
to the Korea Ocean Research and Development
Institute (KORDI), there are more than 160
species o seaweed here. The sea is also rich
with over 100 species o sh including the
striped beakperch (aka rock bream; Oplegnathus
fasciatus), bulgyhead wrasse (Semicossyphus
reticulatus), and largescale blacksh (aka rudder
sh; Girella punctata); 33 species o decapods
including shrimp, hermit crab, and crab; a nd 32
species o tube worms including Serpula watsoni
and Ditrupa arietina.The microorganisms o Dokdo are also
noteworthy resources. In 2005, a research
team led by Dr. Yoon Jung-hoon and Dr. Oh
Tae-kwang o the Korea Research Institute
o Bioscience and Biotechnology (KRIBB)
extracted our new genera and 31 new species
o microorganisms rom samples they collected
rom Dokdo. One o the our genera was
Donghaeana dokdonensis Yoon, and the germ
travelled to outer space with Koreas rst
astronaut, Dr. Lee So-yeon.
Last June, the Dokdo Fisheries Research
Center o the National Fisheries Research and
Development Institute (NFRDI) an nounced its
research ndings on the marine resources othe sea o Dokdo, which ocused on the long-
term changes in the underwater ecosystem
o Dokdo using the two edible marine brown
algae o Eisenia bicyclis and Ecklonia cava as
indicator species. The research ound that
the sea o Dokdo is a stable ecosystem where
creatures grow and breed better than in average
seawaters.
The sea o Dokdo is good or research to
nd how an ecosystem is aected by changes
in nature such as climate change, says Chun
Young-yull, head o the Dokdo Fisheries
Research Center.
MINERAL RESOURCES
In order to be ready or the day when ossil
uels like petroleum and natural gas will bedepleted, advanced countries have been trying
or years to develop new resources within their
own exclusive economic zones (EEZs). One
o the promising alternative uels is methane
hydrate. Methane, which under normal
conditions is a gas, is trapped within a crystal
structure o water under low-temperature and
high-pressure conditions in the deep sea that
orms an ice-like solid. This solid is a highly
potential energy source or the next generation.
the Sedum oryzifolium Makino, which is the most
spread pioneer plant on Dokdo, blossoms. Thespecies grows in thin layers o soil on rocks, and
ertilizes the soil as it withers and decomposes.
From July to September,Artemisia japonica var.
macrocephala Pampan, which usually takes
root in rocky cracks, is in ull bloom. The Aster
spathulifoliusMaxim is in blossom rom July to
November, but its prime is in October.
A HAVEN FOR BLACK-TAILED GULLS
Situated at the center o t he East Sea, Dokdo
serves as a pit stop or countless migratory
birds that pass through Korea. Black-tailed gulls
never ail to visit Dokdo during their mating
season, embroidering Dongdo with their black-
and-white presence. Up to 23,700 black-tailedgulls reportedly visit Dokdo to breed.
So ar, 40 species rom 20 dierent amilies
o birds have been observed on Dokdo. For this
reason, the Ministry o Environment designated
Dokdo as Specic Island No. 1, and the South
Korean Cultural Heritage Administration
designated Dokdo as Natural Monument No.
336 as it is a breeding ground or black-tailedgulls (Larus cassirostris), Swinhoes ork-tailed
petrels (Oceanodroma monorhi), and streaked
shearwater (Calonectris leucomelas). Dokdo is
a habitat or a wide variety o birds including
endangered species such as peregrine alcon
(Falco peregrinus) and honey buzzards (Pernis
apivorus).
MARINE CREATURES LIVING ON
STEEP SLOPES
Marine creatures are not as easily spotted
as fowers, trees, and birds are, but a rich
assortment o marine creatures still l ive together
with the residents and shermen around the
whars and lodging areas. Noteworthy amongthem are the i nvertebrates. Forty-our species
rom 23 amilies o the phylum o cnidarians
have been observed. Recently swarms o
Nomuras jellysh appear rom time to time,
due to having been swept by waves toward
the coastline. Moreover, sea anemones such as
1Corynactis viridisglowbeautiul fuovescent lig2Melithaea abelliferakkenthaladheres to thbottom ace o rocks.3Tetraclita japonicaPilis easily ound on the suo rocks under two metedeep.4Actinia equinaLinn commoly discovered onmeter below sea level.(Photographs provided by Dro
Fisheries Research Center)
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32
Euonymus japonicusThunb.On the steep cli presents a
grand sight.
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The environment isnt very welcoming to human beings, but the island has been inhabited for
over 20 years. Lets listen to a coupleMr. Kim Seong-do and Mrs. Kim Sin-yeol,
who plan to live on Dokdo until they die and be buried in the sea off Dokdo.by Lee Jeong-eun / photographs by Lee Jun-gi
Dokdo has never been very hospitableto its human habitants. It is wi ndy,rainy, or snowy at least 300 days a year.
To add to its hostility, it is almost always
draped with sea og. Yet, it has permanent
residents, who made their home on this
unwelcoming place in the East Sea in 1991.
They are the only two residents o Dokdo,
Mr. and Mrs. Kim.
They arent the rst residents o this
rocky place. The late Choe Jong-deok was
rst. He built a house on Dokdo in 1965,
requenting it as i it had been his home
to catch sea cucumbers and abalones
together with emale divers called haenyeo
(incredibly skilled Korean traditional
emale divers with a long hi story), and
eventually in 1981 he ocially registered
as a resident o Dokdo and lived there or
6 years.
It was just ater he was released rom
his military service that Kim Seong-do
rst came to Dokdo in order to work with
Choe in the 1970s. He was a meoguri (a
Korean traditional male diver) and knew
the underwater world like the back o his
hand, so he managed the haenyeo. Kim
Sin-yeol, a haenyeo rom Jeju, the largest
island o Korea, came to Ulleungdo on a
business trip and met Kim Seong-do, and
the rest we say is history.
WISH TO LIVE ON DOKDO AND
BE BURIED IN ITS SEA
Choe passed away in 1987, and Mr.
and Mrs. Kim moved to Dokdo, eeling
responsible or saeguarding it.
I laid the 998-step stairway rom
Mulgol (a natural pool o groundwater) to
the house with these two hands o mi ne,
let alone the whars and the lodgi ngs,
recalls Mr. Kim.
Dokdo Is Not Reefs But a Home
Mr. and Mrs. Kim
interview
Lie on Dokdo has never been easy
comortable. The hardest moments we
when they missed their children, who
lived on Ulleungdo.
Since the children had to go to sch
they had no c hoice but to leave Dokdo
adds Mrs. Kim. Back then, boats didn
shuttle between Ulleungdo and Dokd
regularly as they do now, so we met ou
children once or twice a month.
I begged my husband to move out t
Ulleungdo, but he was as steady as a r
Now, they both married and come her
with their childrenour grandchildre
every summer vacation.
Their health wasnt good, perhaps
because o their hard lives on Dokdo.
Mr. Kim had her gall bladder removed
1997, while Mrs. Kim had brain surger
in 1995. Even though they werent you
and energetic anymore, they came bac
Dokdo ater they were released rom t
hospital. For Dokdo is their home, a sw
home to rest in.
Their children suggested that they
move to Ulleungdo or Pohang, a port
in Gyeongsangbuk-do province, wher
lie is comortable, but Mr. and Mrs.
Kim say that they want to l ive on Dok
until they breathe their last and be
buried in the sea o Dokdo. Ulleung-
appointed Seong-do the ijang o Dokd
title given to the leader o a ri-level vil
in a way to decla re that Dokdo belong
Ulleung-gun, a permanent part o Kor
territory.
Whether they are sick or healthy,
whether it is windy, rainy, snowy, or
sunny, the Kims occupy Dokdo. They
residents o Dokdo.
Cover story
Info
The Obsolete Habitant oDokdo Gangchi, or Sea Lion
Sea lions, known as gangchior
gajiin Korean, are creatures that
have inhabited Dokdo, Ulleungdo,
the coastal areas o the East Sea,
and the sea o Hokkaido, Japan
or hundreds o years.
However, beginning in 1903 the
population drastically decreased
due to ruthless overhunting by the
Japanese, who sought out their
skin. Back then their skin was
used to make premium bags or
bowls or tea drinking.
The number o sea lions that the
Japanese Takeshima Fishing and
Hunting Company hunted rom1904 to 1913 surpassed 14,000.
(Sea Lion Restoration Data Book
o Gyeongsangbuk-do Province).
Later in 1974, one sea lion was
captured alive near Hokkaido,
Japan, and that was the last sea
lion that has been spotted since.
Notice
A Special Exhibiti on, Dokdo,
Korean Land, and Its Creatures
The National Institute o Biological
Resources (NIBR) o the Ministry
o Environment holds a special
exhibition intended to promote
the biodiversity o Dokdo and its
academic value until September
30. Entitled Dokdo, Korean Land,
and Its Creatures, the exhibition
also shows the beautiul scenery
o Dokdo. On display are materials
about the value and biodiversity
o Dokdo and photos o rare
biological resources. The venue
has a special exhibition hall on
the rst foor o the Exhibition and
Education Building at the NIBRpremises in Incheon.
Should you have any inquiry,
please visit the NIBR homepage
at www.nibr.go.kr or call at 82-32-
590-7000.
What are the characteristics othe ora o Dokdo?Since Dokdo is windy and dry, big
plants cannot grow very well. Most
o the plants on Dokdo are short.
Much o the landscape is steep,
so the depth o soil layers usually
ranges rom 5 to 10 centimeters.
In addition, birds dig up the
already thin layers o soil to nest
or make space or breeding, which
causes soil loss.
Have there been any changes inthe ora o Dokdo since the frstmonitoring activity began?There have been no drastic
changes over those our years.
Dokdo was ormed long ago,
but only tiny parts are exposed
above the sea, limiting the plants
that can thrive on the island.However, we can eel gradual
changes are occurring through our
continued monitoring. Orobanche
coerulescensStephan, Sedum
takesimenesNakai, Campanula
takesimana Nakai, and Fallopia
sachalinensisare only oundin certain areas on the Korean
Peninsula including Ulleungdo and
Dokdo, and have a high biological
values. One o them, Orobanche
coerulescensStephan, which has
purple fowers, is an extremely
endangered species. We havent
discovered any plants that are
unique to Dokdo, but over time,
we expect that such plants will
eventually exist through evolution.
Dubbed burning ice, when trapped methane
is released by heating, it bursts into fames.
When 1 m3 o methane hydrate decomposes,
172 m3 o methane gas is released, thereore
making methane hydrate a very e cient source
o energy. Furthermore, it emits much less
carbon dioxide than gasoline and natural gas
when it burns, and the volume o deposits is
also enormous.
In 1992, South Korean and Russia conducted
a joint geophysical investigation in the East Seaand conrmed a possible presence o methane
hydrate deposits. The United States Geological
Survey (USGS) surveyed the worldwide
distribution o methane hydrate deposits
or years and ound that the seabed around
Dokdo is a link that connects methane hydrate-
bearing layers in the Pacic Rim. Three oshore
basins around the Korean Peninsulathe Jeju
Basin, Ulleung Basin, and Japan Basinare all
connected to a b elt o methane hydrate deposits,
which passes through the Kuril Islands and the
Bering Sea to reach Canada, the US, and Chile.
The Ulleung Basin is a link between the
Kuril Islands and the East China Sea, and at the
center o the link is Dokdo. This belt o depositspasses through the Ulleung and Jeju Basins and
reaches the sea near Taiwan. It is not a surprise
that enormous volumes o marine methane
hydrate deposits are being discovered around
Dokdo. A South Korea gas hydrate project team
discovered about 600 million metric tons o
marine methane hydrate 100 kilometers south o
Ulleungdo in 2005. The volume amounts to a 30 -
year gas supply or South Korea.
The development o techniques to prevent
methane emissions during drilling is one o
the challenges to overcome in order to tap into
this potential clean energy source o t he 21st
century. Methane hydrate produces only water
and carbon dioxide when it burns, says Dr.Park Jang-jun, a principal research scientist at
the Korea Institute o Geoscience and Mineral
Resources (KIGAM). In that sense, it is a clean
energy source, but i methane is released into the
air in the process o dril ling or it, it might have
a tremendous infuence on global warming.
talk & talk
D. sng Im-gun, rch f h Dd ecm sic
The fora o Dokdo is gradually changing
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PEN & BRUSH
An Artist Who Talks to You Throughthe Character Dongguri
Painter Kwon Ki-sooDongguri, a character with a round face and spiky hair, is almost synonymous withthe name Kwon Ki-soo. Rooted in traditional Oriental painting, his works tell storie
today and stir t he emotions of audiences of different nationalities and races. Natura
enough, more than half of his works are sold overseas. His growth as an artist seemto know no limits. by Im Sang-beom / photographs by Lee Min-hee
Kwon Ki-soo majored in Oriental painting.He drew with meok (Korean traditionalblack ink) and created hal-painting, hal-
installation works or three to our years.
However, Kwon elt rustrated by his own
limits and wanted to go beyond the realms o
Oriental painting. He elt limited in expressing
the stories o today through the use o meok and
desired a breakthrough. He started training
himsel in a manner to complete a drawing
beore a three-to-our-minute piece o music
nishes. This training went on or two to three
years. Beore then Kwon thought too much and
didnt know what he should do. He would only
have to tell his stories th rough his works.
Philosophy infuences art, but it is not what
art is all about, says Kwon. Without thinking
and calculating, I simply ocused on nishing adrawing beore the music ended, which brought
me such joy. My touches became dierent.
Things inside me came out through the tip
o the brush and meok without any conscious
eort. That is how the people I drew took an
increasingly abstract orm.
The theme Kwon primarily explores is no
something very noble and grandiose, but sto
about peopleincluding himsel and those
are aected by him.
ACCIDENTAL BUT INEVITABLE BIRTH
DONGGURI
An exhibition marked a turning point in Kw
Ki-soos career as an artist. He elt the exhib
prepared would not t the exhibition space,
so or a change, he drew on top o an exhibit
What came out o it was a very simple huma
orm. Without thinking very much, he name
Dongguri. This is how the cha racter Donggu
the gure in Kwon Ki-soos workscame in
being in the summer o 2002. The round sha
o his ace came out o the ngertips o noneother than Kwon, but he himsel didnt expe
that it would be that cute. People commente
that it looked like a cartoon character or pop
Despite such commentaries, the main the
was a clown, recalls Kwon. Beore I create
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Dongguri, I used to draw people who were
suering rom the 1997-1998 Asian nancial
crisis, more specically how they looked rom
behind. They all looked like clowns dancing to
the tune o big nanciers and political orces.
Dongguri also did many clownish things
in my works, too. One day a middle school
student emailed me, saying Dongguri was like
his ather. This encouraged me because I elt
that my works communicated well with my
audience.Later he graduated rom his resistance against
colors, which enriched his works. His works
oten eature a variety o objects including
fowers, rainbows, and bamboo. Whenever
he paints, he attempts novel combinations o
objects in order to convey a new message.
Dongguri signies human beings, and the
puppy symbolizes your animal companions,
riends, or lie partners, explains the artist.
Through them, you can look at yoursel
objectively. The fowers are to express
something beautiul and ideal. Consisting o
circles and lines, my works take on geometrical
orms.
The rainbow is a vessel to contain ancyand ideal stories and also symbolizes a bridge
leading to paradise, much like a narrow log
bridge seen in an Oriental landscape painting.
Oddly shaped rocks that are typically eatured
in Oriental paintings are expressed through the
shape o cubes that a re supposed to represent
apartment buildings or sometimes a
digitized world.
Multiple Dongguri in a
bamboo orest are parallel to Zh
lnQiXin(the so-called Seven
Sages o the Bamboo Grove
who turned their back on the
corrupt political machine in the
third century o China). Donggurilying on a cube leisurely looking
down at the water is a representation
o the painting Gosagwansudo: A Seonbi
Overlooking Waterby Kang Hui-an, a
Korean painter rom the 15th c entury.
Now Kwon uses more than just brushes and
meok. He cuts out shapes o adhesive tape with
a knie, does patchwork, and also works with
assistants. Although he uses contemporary
techniques, it is evident that he is still deeply
rooted in Oriental painting. He grew up in the
analogue era, but works in the d igital era. Kwon
ermented this dual experience into a unique
artistic sensibility.
DRAWING ANOTHER FUTURE THROUGH
THE PAST
Kwon Ki-soos messages with an Oriental tinge
have been highly acclaimed abroad, especially
in Southeast Asian countries. He has held
exhibitions in Jakarta, Dubai, Paris, and other
cities around the world.
In 2008, when Google collaborated with
almost 70 leading artists rom around the
world to create new themes or iGoogle, Kwon
was one o them. The others included the
celebrated American pop artist Je Koons and
such prestigious ashion brand names such as
Dolce & Gabbana. Kwon states that through thisexperience, he elt honored and was able to nd
an answer to how an artist rom the Far East
could have such global appeal.
Three large works he created using lenticular
printing were on display at the special exhibition
Future Passfrom Asia to the World at the
1 Kwon Ki-soo is grinning, surrounded by Dongguriin various poses.2 A work that is created through a modern interpretation ofclay dolls (tou) from the Silla Kingdom (57 BCE 935 CE),an ancient kingdom of Korea3Time, which uses various colors. 2008. Acrylic on canvas.227 cm x 540 cm4Balloon, an eight-meter work that was on exhibit in 2005 at theMuseum of Contemporary Art in Shanghai
54th Venice Biennale 2011.
Following its debut at the 54 th
International Art Exhibition
in Venice, Future Pass has
been travelling to cities all
around the world including
an exhibition in Taiwan rom
May to July. The next stop orFuture Pass will be Beijing in
October 2012.
Besides Future Pass, Kwons
schedule or the second hal
o this year is already packed,
starting with an exhibition that
marks the 20th anniversary
o the Gwangju Museum o
Art, ollowed by an exhibition at the Whanki
Museum in downtown Seoul and another one
in Taiwan.
Nowadays, Kwon explores new themes.
Last year he looked back on his lie and works
through the theme o refection, requently
eaturing images refected in water. This yearhe attempts to use new techn iques to show how
his works are createdor where they came
rom. With these new techniques, he wi ll show
his past and build a new uture on where he
stands today. It is us, his audience, who awaits
the uture he will draw out.
PEN & BRUSH
1
2
PEOPLE
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Hansik Benefts romGlobal Interest in
Slow and Fermented Foods
Cho Tae-kwon,PromoTer of
hansikCho Tae-kwon is so proud of Hansik, or Korean food, and for
good reason. Chairman Cho of GwangJuYo is convinced thatHansik is healthy for everyone around t he world, and the
timing could not be any better than now since the world isbecoming aware of the value of slow and fermented food.
by Kim Min-seon / photographs provided by GwangJuYo
PEOPLE
Cuisine says a lot about a country.It encapsulates every aspect o thecountrys lie style and culture and enriches
its culture in every respect. Metaphorically
speaking, Hansik is a vessel o Korean culture,
and Koreans should be proud o it.
Cho Tae-kwon, chairman o GwangJuYo,
lavishes in praise o Han sik. GwangJuYo is
a maker o premium ceramic t ableware.
The companys roots are in Gwangju
Gwanyo, which made ceramics or the royalamily o the Joseon Dynasty (1932-1910).
GwangJuYo adds to the dignity o the Hansik
dining table by oering classy tableware with
a royal touch.
What motivated you to help globalize Hansik?
Ceramics have been my amily business
or generations. When I inherited it,
I suddenly elt a tremendous sense o
responsibility and gained a new perspective
as a producer o cultural products. I became
interested in the cultural value o ceramics,
and began to see a bigger picture, which
encompasses ceramics, ood, liquor, and
ultimately cuisine. A range o everydayitems associated with cuisine came into the
big picture. I knew that all o them would
help make Korea bett er known worldwide.
This prompted me to take the lead in the
globalization o Hansik.
How is Hansik good? How is it dierent?
Hansik requires high-quality ingredients
seasonally acquired not only rom elds but
also rom the mountains, rivers, and seas o
Korea. This is very much a result o Koreas
our distinct seasons and its extremely varied
topography o elds, mountains, rivers, and the
sea. Hansik is unlike any other cuisine in that it
includes numerous dierent ermented oods,which Alvin Tofer, a renowned writer and
uturist, reportedly dubbed the favor o the
uture. I also think Hansik is generally very
healthy: many dishes are actually slow oods,
which people all around the globe increasingly
demand.
Youve been engaged in a variety o activities
to globalize Hansik. For example, you threw
a Hansik banquet in Los Angeles earlier this
year. How was it received?
The globalization o Hansik is about applying
science to Korean cuisine. In order to serve it
on dinner tables around the world in a more
attractive and benecial ashion, Hansik also
incorporates Koreas economic, social, c ultural,
and political elements. I have held many events
to raise t he worlds awareness o the benets oHansik.
I held the rst Beautiful Korean Dinner Tables
exhibition in 1998 and have since held ve
more. I threw a Hansik banquet in Napa Valley,
Caliornia in 2007 or 60 diners, and another
Hansik dinner party in Los Angeles this year.
I have invited people rom various elds to
Hansik dinners at my house in Seongbuk-dong,
Seoul quite regularly or more than six years.
All these dinners are intended to help opinion
leaders in dierent elds and the general
public better understand Hansik and learn
about Koreas beautiul culture. I elt extremely
rewarded when I saw both Korean-American
and oreign gourmets taste and praise Hansikduring the dinner party in Los Angeles earlier
this year.
Ater all, ood is rst experienced,
communicated, and shared, and then spread
throughout society. Once a society-wide
understanding about a certain ood is orged,
experts use their imaginations and creativity to
develop new ood, ceramics, liquor, cratwork,
and accordingly interior designs. Thus, a whole
new culture surrounding cuisine is established.
You always emphasize that ood is culture.
What do you mean by that?
Culture o a society is clothing, ood, and
housing that the members o the society enjoyand use. These three elements tell much about
a community or a nation, and showcase the
nations culture and intangible assets. So-called
cuisine culture is about more than ood, but
table etiquette, tableware (ceramics, cratwork,
and other artistic items), and interior design and
architecture that create a space and atmosphere
or dining. Food is more than just a meal to
ll your hunger, but a product o cultural and
economic activities that satis y your ve senses.
In other words, a culture in the 21st century is
an economy.
What is your avorite Hansik dish?
Kimchi jjigae. From time to time, I buy jokbal (pig
eet) to make kimchi jjigae my own way. I also
occasionally makejeon (Korean pancake) withpork, kimchi, and a bit o cheese.
Throughout the interview, Cho emphasizes that
ood is a culture
and an economy.
He expects
the global ood
service market
to reach KRW
5,000 trillion
by 2030. He
believes i Korea
reinterprets and
recreates its 5,000-
year history andtradition, it will
be competitive in
the market.
He believes
that i Hanok
(Joseon-style
Korean housing),
and traditional
Korean interior
design, costumes,
ceramics, cratwork, oods, and liquor are
recreated or the 21st century with the assistance
o world-renowned experts, it will make an
excellent cultural set.
Cho also expects and is convinced thatthe day will come when people around t he
world will enjoy Hansik in their everyday lives.
We look orward to his next creative step
to enriching Hansik culture ollowing the
steps he has already taken rom tableware
to ood to liquor.
1 Cho Tae-kwon is takinthe lead in the globalizaof Hansik with Koreantraditional ceramic table2 Korean cuisine cultureinclude the importance etiquette and proprietie
1
GREAT KOREAN
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GREAT KOREAN
The King Who Rue the Vstest Territory
GwanGGaeto the GreatGwanggaeto the Great expanded the Goguryeo Kingdom deep into Asia. Never before nor
since had the Korean nation controlled such a vast territory. Lets turn the clock back morethan 1,600 years to witness the adventurous and progressive spirit of Gwanggaeto the
Great, dubbed Koreas Napoleon. by Kim Min-seon
ounded in 371 by King Sosurim, the 17 th king
o Goguryeo.
RECONQUERING TERRITORY
Gwanggaeto the Great prepared step by step to
reclaim swathes o land lost under preceding
kings to enemies. The year ollowing his
ascension, this valiant and shrewd king xed
his eyes on the Baekje Kingdom. His attack was
a resounding success, and he then turned his
eyes to Silla and inltrators rom Japan. He alsomoved troops to central Manchuria to strike
and conquer the Khitan tribes that had crossed
the northern border o Goguryeo and aficted
loss o lie and misery on Goguryeo civilians.
When Gwanggaeto the Great went southward
to protect Silla rom Baekje raids, the Later Yan
Kingdom in China attacked Goguryeo with a
orce o 30,000 troops. The two ortresses
o Sinseong and Namsoseong ell into Yan
hands, and tens o thousands o Goguryeo
people were taken as captives. Gwanggaeto the
Great lost no time recapturing both ortresses
and went urther to recapture Liaodong.
The Liaodong Peninsula had been conquered
by his ather but was later lost to Murong Chui,the ounding emperor o Later Yan. As a child,
Gwanggaeto the Great would gaze over the vast
area o land that had been lost, and as king,
he reincorporated it into Goguryeo.
With one victory ater another through
all these campaigns, the realm o Goguryeo
eventually reached west o the Liaohe River
in China and the Nakdonggang River and
Joryeong to the south, where the kingdom
bordered the Silla Kingdom. Dongbuyeo
(86 BCE 410 CE, an ancient Korean kingdom)
and parts o the Russian Maritime province
also ell under the control o Goguryeo.
His glory did not last long. His health
deteriorated, possibly because o the extremerigors o his many campaigns. He died an
untimely death o an unknown ill ness in 413,
the 23rd year o his reign. He was posthumously
granted the title Gwanggaeto the Great,
which literally means The Great K ing o Vast
Territory Expansion.
STElE TO GWaNGGaETO ERECTEd IN
HIS MEMORY
His eats are inscribed on the Gwanggaeto Stele,
a monument erected in 414 by his son, King
Jangsu, in what is Jian, Jilin Province, China
today. This is where Crown Prince Damdeok
was coronated.
The stele is 6.39 meters tall, roughly the
height o a three-story building. It is the
largest stele in Korean history, which itsel
gives us some insight into the culture oGoguryeo.
The inscriptions on the Gwanggaeto Stele
state that Gwanggaeto the Great captured 64
ortresses and 1,400 villages, and the stele gives
us signicant inormation on the relations
between Koreas Three Kingdoms. A total o
1,755 characters are inscribed in 44 lines. About
140 o the characters are now illegible.
About 200 meters rom the stele is t he tomb
o Gwanggaeto the Great, and in its vicinity are
many other tombs o Goguryeo. On the walls o
the tombs are murals that tell us much about the
lives o the Goguryeo people. One o t he tombs
is called Muyongchong (Tomb o Dancers).
Inside is a mural called MuyongchongSuryeopdo (Painting o Hunting Scenes).
It depicts Goguryeo people hunting with vivid
dynamism. Any one o the hunters shown must
have been much like Gwanggaeto the Great
riding a horse over a vast eld.
No introduction to Gwanggaeto the Greatails to note that the king ruled the vastestterritory in Korean history. He was born i n 374
to a prince o Goguryeo who reigned rom 384
to 391 as the k ingdoms 18th monarch and was
posthumously titled King Gogugyang.
Goguryeo was an ancient Korean kingdom
(37 BCE 668 CE) ounded by Jumong, a prince
rom Buyeo. It was the rst o the three
kingdoms that thrived during the Three
Kingdoms Period o Korea, the other two being
Baekje and Silla. Goguryeo occupied the rugged
mountainous northern part o the peninsula
and much o what is Manchuria today.
While Gwanggaeto the Great was crownprince, he travelled extensively throughout
Goguryeo. He declared, Beore I become king,
I will look around the territory. I will not only
observe how my people live, but ocus on the
kingdoms geography in order to be ready or
enemy attacks.
Upon ascending the throne as the 19th mon-
arch o Goguryeo in 391, he named the era o
his reign Yeongnak, which means everlasting
joy. Goguryeo had previously used Chinas
era name, and his own designation o an era
name was a clear declaration to the world that
Goguryeo was an independent kingdom ree
rom Chinese intererence. He then instituted
policies that specically beneted the peopleand sternly punished ocials and infuential
gures who committed irregularities.
He also showed keen interest in education.
To educate the best and brightest young people
o the kingdom, he improved Taehak, which
was Koreas rst-ever public education system1 IncooperationwithGuriCityHall
1 The statue of Gwangthe Great in Guri City oprovince of Gyeonggi-d2 The stele of Gwanggthe Great in Jian, JilinProvince
SEOUL
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SEOUL
Libraries in seouLMore Than Just Books
There are over 100 public libraries th roughout the greater Seoul area, all ofwhich are open to foreigners residing in the city. A summer day spent at these
libraries will give you more than just books but also hidden treasures of fun.by Chung Da-young / photographs by Kang Min-gu
The National Library o Korea is the counlargest library, housing a rich depositoryo books and hi storical publications. From o
and rare books and documents, including th
that are designated as National Treasures,
to documents and records on North Korea, t
extensive library serves as the country s trea
house o records and literature. The library a
more than 500,000 new items to its collection
every year.
In 2009, the National Digital Library was bright next to the main building o the library
Equipped with state-o-the-art acilities, the
digital library provides digital and multime
services. Visitors with library cards are ree
use the computers and digital meeting room
ound all over the three oors o the library
visit the Multimedia Zone to see the latest in
house movie. The Creative Zone houses the
UCC Studio, Video/Audio Studio, and the
Digital Editing Zone with all the equipment
space necessary to record and produce video
and audio materials.
NAMSAN PUBLIC LIBRARY
The area o Namsan is popular among touriand oreigners or its various attractions and
places to see. Located in the center o downt
Seoul, Namsan is very accessible rom Itaew
Namdaemun Market, and Myeong-dong.
Attractions such as N Seoul Tower, Namsan
Park, and the Namsan Cable Car are requen
by locals and oreigners alike. Many oreign
embassies and residences are also situated in
the slopes o Namsan. The locational advant
and nearby attractions o Namsan Public
Library make it the most popular library am
oreigners living in Korea.
Foreigners residing in the area are regular
visitors to the library. To better accommodate i
oreign readers, the library provides access to o67,000 Asian books (mostly Chinese and Japan
and 13,000 English books. The Multicultural
Corner is also ound on the ourth oor, in wh
shelves are packed with English books and
materials about Korea and learning Korean.
The Squirrel Library is another acility th
1
2
1 Visitors are free to usethe computers with Internetaccess in the Digital Library.2 The Digital Library seen
from the main road.
SEOUL
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Lena arrived in Korea with her husband Brian last August. She has explored many popular attractions and areas in Seoul,
but she had not yet visited the National Library o Korea. Here is a glimpse into Lenas frst day at the library.
readers love to visit. It is an outdoor mini library
setup where readers can enjoy a good book and
nature while squirrels scurry up and down the
thick tree trunks.
JEONGDOK PUBLIC LIBRARY
The quaint and trendy area o Hwa-dong, east
o Gyeongbokgung Palace, buzzes with tourists
and young people all day long. The small cas,
womens shoe shops, and boutiques are just
a ew o the things that attract thousands opeople every week, but there is another place
in this trendsetting area that cannot be missed.
Jeongdok Public Library is a hidden jewel in
Hwa-dong, oering more than just shelves ull
o books.
The library, almost obscured rom the main
road, is high up on a hillside next to a small
alley leading to the main shopping area o
Hwa-dong. The library has an old educational
historical background as it was the original
grounds or Gyeonggi High School, the frst
high school in Korea, which was ounded by an
order o Emperor Gojong in 1900. In 1977, the
library was built over the high school.
Jeongdok Public Library houses over 500,000books, local historical documents, and more
than 10,000 oreign books. The library is more
popularly visited by locals or its quiet study
halls and peaceul reading area surrounding
the ountain on the library lawn. In the summer,
the library grounds are green with lush trees
and plants including a 300-year-old locust tree.
A relaxing, quiet hour spent reading
at the library ollowed by a delicious dinner in
Samcheong-dong will make a perect Saturday
aternoon.
a Day at the nationaL Library of Korea
1 There are over 270,000old and rare books at theNational Library availableto the public.
2 The Namsan Public Libraryis the perfect place to enjoya good read in the open air.3 The Jeongdok PublicLibrary at Hwa-dong, Seoul.
Lena sigs up or a library
card on the frst oor o the
main building. Good thing
she didnt orget to bringher passport!
1
1
Lena is inormed that any
visitor is ree to look at old
and rare books on the sixth
loor. Intrigued, she goes
up to the sixth loor or a
rare opportunity to take
photos o manuscripts rom
rare books o the Joseon
Dynasty.
3
Walking out rom the main
building, Lena spots a new
bui ldi ng na med Dig ita l
Library. She tries the IPTV
Zone inside, an area or
watching Internet television
and visual material.
5It dawns on her that she
needs to check an email
rom her mother who is back
home. She uses a computer
in the lobby o the Digital
Library. Her library card is
the only thing required or
Internet access.
6
She searches or books
using a computer.
Then she goes to the pick-
up desk where the books
she has chosen are already
w a i t i n g o r h e r t o b e
checked out just like magic.
2
Coming downstairs, she
drops by the Map Room on
the ith loor. Voila! Her
eyes roam over atlases and
maps o every corner o the
world.
4
32
1
She wants to celebrate
her irst visit to her host
countrys national library,
so she goes to the LibraryGit Shop. It is a great place
to ind unique souvenirs
and gits with traditional
a n d m o d e r n K o r e a n
designs.
7Feeling accomplished, Lena
sits down at the Book Ca
with the books she checked
out. She opens one o thebooks while sipping a glass
o ice coee. What a cool
way to end a day at this
wonderul library!
8
travel
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An Island of Mysterious BeautyUlleUngdoUlleungdo is a volcanic island located to the east of the Korean Peninsula. Enshrinedin lush primeval forests and armed w ith perilously sheer cliffs, the island doesnt grant
outsiders easy access. Lets travel to this island of mysterious beauty that sits in thetransparent, emerald-green waters of the East Sea.
by Lee Jeong-eun /photographs by Moon Duk-gwan
The name Ulleungdo means hill-like islandwith dense primeval orests. The prospecto a trip to Ulleungdo can make your heart
utter not only because o its matchless beauty
but also because o its arrogant inaccessibility.
Weather permitting, you can set oot on the
island within three hours ater your departure
by ship, but due to strong winds and heavy
waves, there are many days in which not even asingle ship to Ulleungdo will heave up anchor
and leave dock.
Soon ater embarking on a boat heading to
Ulleungdo, the utter that started in your heart
goes down to your guts. Even i t he boat is a
large high-speed erry, it navigates no better
than a tiny lea on the high waves. Overcome
by seasickness, you become oblivious to the
expectations you had. However, the moment
you set oot on the island, your heart once
again utters. Wherever your eyes all there is
breathtaking scenerythe turquoise sea, thick
orests, and rocks o all sorts o odd shapes and
sizes. You soon convince yoursel that there
must be nothing like them anywhere else.Besides the main island, Ulleungdo has
44 islands and islets, and is inhabited by
some 10,000 residents. They mostly live in
Dodonghang (the largest port o Ulleungdo),
Jeodonghang (a multipurpose port with
a range o acilities), Taeha Maeul (a small fshing
village amous or its dried squid), and Cheonbu
Maeul (the most remote village o Ulleungdo).
From May to June, the island generously grants
easier access to outsiders and you will spot more
tourists than residents on the island.
There are two primary ways to enjoy the
island. You may want to travel along the
seashore or climb Seonginbong (Holy Hill),
a peak more than 984 meters (approx. 3,230 eet)above sea level.
CLEAR, EMERALD-GREEN SEA
Lets frst stroll along the coastline. One o the
best seashore walking trails stretches rom
Dodonghang to Chotdae Bawi (Candlestick
Rock) in Jeodong. The trail bends along the
meandering rocky coastline with clis o
bizarre shapes and natural caves. When a
series o volcanic eruptions created the isla nd
Ulleungdo, they carved out wonderul shapes
on the rocks. Amazed, excla mations come out
o your mouth that can not be held in. You wade
into the crystal-clear seawater and enjoy the
waves as they splash against your calves. Beoreyou reach Chotdae Bawi, you will come to
Dodong Lighthouse.
I you are tired, you ca n end your walk here.
Once you are back at your lodging, you wi ll fnd
that two hours have own by. Another beautiul
seashore trail leads you to the Naesujeon
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what to eat
Once you are on Ulleungdo, dont miss the
opportunity to eat honghap bap(seasoned rice
with mussels), myeongi namul, and yakso bulgogi
made rom cattle that eed on herbs and wild greens
including bujikkaengi namul(Erysimum aurantiacum
Maxim) and kudzu (wild arrowroot). Yaksois less atty
and more delicious than regular bee.
Honghap bapis a sort o special favor bibimbapin which
rice is cooked with mussels and then mixed with soy
sauce and sesame oil. Myeongi namulis oten pickled
in soy sauce and has a sweet and sour, and bitter taste.
However, do take caution as pickled myeongi namulwillstimulate your appetite so much that you will end up
eating much more than a normal portion o rice.
how to get there
Sip Weather permitting, high-speed erries depart rom
Gangneung, Mukho, and Pohang once a day during the
weekdays and twice a day on the weekends. Travel time
is roughly two and a hal to three hours.
travel information
Pohang
Seoul Mukho
Gangneung
Sunrise Observatory rom where you can see
Jukdo (the largest island belonging to Ulleung-
gun behind Ulleungdo) and its picturesque
surroundings unolding beore your eyes.
Driving along the coastal road is an excellent
way to look around the entire island. The
coastal ring road starts at Waoksa in Sadong.
From the car window, you can gaze upon t he
pebbly seashore and the clear seawater through
which you can even see the dancing seaweed
underwater. Along the road are beautiul rocks
with interesting namesGeobuk Bawi (Turtle
Rock), Tugu Bong (Helmet Peak), and Saja Bawi
(Lion Rock).
Pull your car over at
Taehahang (Taeha Port) where
there is a monorail that will
bring you up to a natural orest
o cedars. When ascending to
the top o the mountain, oddly
shaped rocks and green cedar
woods come into view, and when
descending, your eyes will take
in the magnifcent sea west o
Ulleungdo.
Lets drive urther clockwise.
A 452-meter-high, pointy peak
called Songgotbong (Awl Peak)
that extrudes rom Seonginbong
(Holy Hill) grabs your attention,
ollowed by Gwaneumdo (an
island belonging to Ulleungdo
with a pair o twin natural
caves), Samseonam (Three Angel
Rocks), and Gongam (Elephant
Rock), which are called the three mysterious
scenic views o Ulleungdo.
At some point you have to turn your ca r
around. The coastal ring road has been under
construction or the past 50 years, and roughly
4.4 kilometers are let to be paved yet.
SEONGINBONG COVERED IN
PRIMEVAL FORESTS
The various treks leading to Seonginbong
(984 m) are all narrow cuts through thick
natural orests preserved rom ancient days.
When Lonely Planet, t he worlds largest
publisher o travel guide books, dubbed
Ulleungdo one o t he worlds best kept secret
islands in 2011, it mentioned Seonginbong
in its short introduction o the island.
Walking a steep hillside or more than two
hours, you are then greeted by a thick virgin
orest flled with camellia, silver magnolia,
hemlock spruce, island linden, and mountain
ash trees. The closer you get to the summit, the
more Korean beech trees there are, which grow
exclusively on Ulleungdo.
Coming down rom the peak toward the
north, you reach Nari Bunji, a basin that is the
only atland on Ulleungdo. Having been born
as a volcanic island, Ul leungdo experienced
two major volcanic eruptions. The crater
rom the frst eruption, Nari Bunji, is unliketypical craters as it holds no water. Covered
with volcanic ash, Nari Bunji is unable to
retain enough moisture in its soil or arming.
In addition, it is covered with up to three
meters o snow during winter, which does not
start thawing until April. This harsh natural
environment gave rise to unique housing
styles such as tumak jip and neowa jip, which are
made o log walls surrounded by g round-to-
eave outer walls o cornstalks or silver grass.
Despite this unwelcoming natural environment,
16 households still inhabit Nari Bunji, and many
o them rent out rooms or run restaurants as the
number o tourists that visit the basin is steadily
increasing.One o the nicknames o Ulleungdo is the
heaven o herbs and wild greens. All greens
that sprout rom the earth in the mountains
and felds o Ulleungdo are edible, some o
which are even medicinal herbs. Famous among
them are myeongi namul (Allium victorialis
Linn), bujikkaengi namul
(Erysimum aurantiacum
Maxim), osmund, and
goatsbeard. In particular,
myeongi namul (an herb
that helps sustain lie
during elderly years)
grows through piles o
snow in early spring.
DOKDO MUSEUM
Dodong is the most bustling area o Ulleungdo.
More than hal o the population lives here,
and its narrow alleys are lined with restaurants
and lodgings. A port and public ofces are also
ound in this area.
It is also in Dodong where the Dokdo
Museum is located. The museum exhibits
historical materials that support Koreas claim
that Dokdo, also known as the Liancourt Rocks,
is part o Korean territory. Items here also
show the liestyle and natural
environment o Ulleungdo and
Dokdo.
Next to the museum is a
cable car railway that carriespeople to the peak, Manghyangbong (Peak o
Nostalgia). I the weather is good, you will be
able to see Dokdo (which is just 87.4 kilometers
away) with your naked eye.
1 Various erns orm acolony and homlock sprbeechtrees, and rowan grow around Seonginbo2 Scenery o Dodong, oway to Seonginbong.3 Bongnae Falls is asource o drinking wateUlleungdo.4 Squid fshing boats aranchored at the dock.
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Te Batte Aat EectctThe unprecedented blackout in mid-September 2011 amid an unseasonable heatwave
aected over 2 million households and businesses, stranding people in elevators,
causing trafc accidents at intersections, and disrupting actory operations. In ear oanother electricity shortage, the Korean government and companies have stepped in tocombat excessive electricity consumption beore the peak summer season.
by Julianna Chung
At the same time, the government has plan s
to raise electricity charges. The state-run Korea
Electric Power Corp. (KEPCO), provider o 90%
o the nations electricity, has recently called or
a hike in electricity prices citing the current low
price as the main source o its widening defcit.
Experts expect higher electricity charges will
curb the demand or electricity.
Cool-Biz CAmpAign
In line with the temperature ban, government
agencies and private frms have started to adopt
the Cool-Biz campaign. A compound o cool
and business, Cool-Biz reers to an energy
conservation initiative launched in Japan in
2004 that advised workers to dress lightly and
casually rather than in heavy suits or ormal
clothing to enable air conditioners to be turned
down. Koreas Ministry o Environment
launched a similar campaign in 2009 under the
name Coolmaepsi, a combination o cool and
the Korean word maepsi meaning style.
From June to August, public servants o the
Seoul Metropolitan Government will have
the option o wearing shorts and sandals to
City Hall. The customer and client-acingdepartments, however, are encouraged to
dress ormally. Suwon City Government
will participate in the Cool-Biz movement by
wearing T-shirts to the ofce.
High-ranking bureaucrats are also taking
part in the Cool-Biz movement. On June 12,
President Lee Myung-bak and ministers
attended a Cabinet
meeting in short
sleeves in an eort to
save energy.
Companies are no
exception. KT&G,
Koreas largest
cigarette maker, hasliberalized workplace
dress codes by
permitting employees
to wear shorts and
sandals. This is the
frst dress code policy
Korea is no exception to global warm ing.The summer season has recently expandedto approximately six months, rom ea rly May
to mid October. Tropical night weather o over
25C is no longer a surprise. As a result, the
countrys reliance on air conditioning in the
summer is extraordinary. As a country solely
dependent on imported oil, t he government
has put orth measures to prevent anothernationwide blackout beore one o the hottest
summer seasons expected in recent years.
26 And 28 dEgrEEs CElsius
One o the energy-saving measures set
orth by the government is enduring indoor
temperatures above 26C in large private
buildings and above 28C in public ofces
between June and September. Private buildings
using more than 100 kilowatts o electricity
per hour are subject to the temperature limit
as well as businesses that use more than 2,000
tons o oil equivalent (TOE) o energy per year.
Violators will be subject to a fne o up to 3
million won. Department stores, ranchise coeeshops, clothing stores, cosmetics shops, banks,
and insurance company branches that turn on
air conditioners with their doors open will also
be subject to a fne. The names o public ofces
and departments that do not observe the rule
will be made public. IncooperationwithMinstryofEnviro
nment
change or the company
since its establishment in
1987. Financial institutions
including Samsung Securities,
Woori Securities, and Daishin
Securities also allow a no-tie,
no-jacket dress code or their
employees until September.
This is an exceptional case
or Daishin Securities which
was known to have a strict
ormal dress code, checking
employees attires b eore and
ater work hours.
lEAding To A ChAngE
in dAily livEs
The governments energy
conservation eorts have started to have
an impact on citizens as well. Realizing the
importance o energy consumption, consumers
have started to show interest in power-efcient
electronic goods. Customers always ask about
the power efciency when looking at elect ronic
goods these days. They are more cautious about
energy consumption than beore, says LeeSung-bum, the store manager o an electronic
goods store in Heukseok-dong.
The government hopes the energy
conservation campaign will not be a one-o
compulsory event, but one that will lead to
a undamental c hange in the nations power
consumption habits.
1 A sta member o LotMart, a large supermarin Korea, checks the indtemperature o the store2 Light clothing oCoolmaepsi campaignreduces the sensibletemperature by 2, andit causes decreasing theannual use o air conditIt can cut down 1.97 miltons o CO2 emission.
3 Fans are used at pubofces to stay cool and energy.
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A new interretation
2012 Ariran FestivalThe ArirAng
Arirang, the unofcial second national anthem o Korea and the song thatresonates in the heart o every Korean, was given the spotlight at the 2012 Arirang
Festival, The Arirang. From the origins to the modern interpretation,
Koreans are rediscovering the Korean traditional olk treasure.by Julianna Chung / photographs by Moon Duk-gwan
Arirang, the song that resonates in the hearto every Korean, is a Korean traditionalolk song that embodies the sorrows and
happiness o the Korean people. The song
originated rom the countryside o the province
o Gangwon-do, where villagers sang while
cutting trees, planting rice, weeding dry elds,
or simply or entertainment. The song refected
the personal lives and emotions o the people
and played an instrumental role in overcoming
the harshness o reality while acting as a media
tool or the lower classes. In the end o the 19th
century, Arirang became popular throughout
the country, resulting in the ormation o many
regional variations.
THE FESTIVAL
Oten played at international sports
competitions, the song inspires patriotism
among athletes and Korean residents abroad.
While it is a song that every Korean is amiliar
with, Arirang is oten considered a somber old
olk song.
In an eort to position it as a riendly song
to all generations and raise the national and
international awareness o Arirang, the Ministry
o Culture, Sports and Tourism hosted a one-o-
a-kind estival: the 2012 Arirang Festival The
Arirang. The three-day ree event held at t he
National Museum o Korea rom June 15 to 17,
Incooperationwith2012ARIRANG
FESTIVAL
provided people the opportunity to touch, eel,
and experience Arirang.
THE CONCERTS
Two concerts were eatured at the Festival:
Smiling Arirang on June 16 and Sharing
Arirang on June 17. The ormer concert, one
o the highlights o the estival, reinterpreted
the traditional olk song in a aster and more
cheerul version through collaborations with
K-pop artists. Children and adults rom all
generations enjoyed the concert with enthusiasm
as K-pop idol groups Sistar and Teen Top,
R&B diva Insooni, a capella g roup Sweet Sorrow,
and choreography team Nana School who
work with Girls Generation, IU, and Rain each
perormed a modern interpretation o Arirang.
Park Soon-hye, who attended the concert
with her 12 and ten-year-old daughters, was
1 Koreas R&B diva I nssings Arirang with theaudience.2 K-pop girl group Sistasings a modern interpre3 K-pop idol group Teenperforms at the SmilingArirang concert.
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participants story
tristan Geiller from france (23)Tristan, who has been living in Korea for one year,
found out about the Arirang Festival through a friend.
Participating in the Arirang Singing Competition, he
won the Popularity
Award by singing
his favorite Korean
song Good Dayby IU. I chose
this song because
it is the easiestK-pop song for
me. I am going to
practice more and
participate in the
competition again
next year!
WHAT dId yOu THINk AbOuT THE SmILINg ARIRANg
CONCERT?
I think its wonderul to have a concert like this but it also eels like the
estivities around Arirang started too late in Korea. As Arirang is a son
that runs i n the blood o every Korean, we must have more concerts an
estivals like this to share and embrace our traditional music with all
generations and the international community.
HOW dO yOu FEEL AbOuT THE mOdERN REINTERpRETATIO
OF ARIRANg?
It is a natural outcome. As time changes, dierent singing methods, lyr
and tempos are requested by the public. As you can see in todays conc
Arirang is no longer old traditional olk music but something that is on
with hip-hop and contemporary music. We must continue to showcase
side o Arirang to the public.
WHAT dOES ARIRANg mEAN TO OH JuNg HAE?
Arirang is like the nametag o Korea. When one tries to introduce Kore
oreigners, there is a limit to how much can be expressed in words or t
The olk song Arirang, however, delicately displays the history, though
and daily sentiment o the people in all regions very easily.
HOW WOuLd yOu INTROduCE ARIRANg TO FOREIgNERS?
I would just let them hear the music. Instead o trying to translate, exp
and convey the meaning o the song, I would let them listen and eel th
history o Korea to let the song move them itsel. Once they ask questio
ater listening to the song, I would give them explanations about the
history and meaning o Arirang.
extremely pleased with the concert. It is great
to see my kids listen to Gugak. They are only
interested in K-pop, but since t heir avorite
K-pop singer is singing Arirang, I am sure they
will become interested in it now.
The latter concert ocused on the themes o
tradition, amily, and Asia. Traditional musicians
including the triplet group IS (Innity o Sound)
and the Millennium Symphony Orchestra
played dierent regional arrangements o
Arirang, such as Jeongseon Arirang rom the
province o Gangwon-do, Jindo Arirang rom
the province o Jeollanam-do, and Miryang
Arirang rom the province o Gyeongsangnam-
do. The Asian Music Ensembles perormance
o Arirang with traditional musical instrumentsrom Vietnam and Mongolia was indeed a
unique experience or the audience.
ACTIVITIES FOR CHILdREN
For children to become more amiliar with
Arirang and its legacies, the theatrical
perormance Go! Go! Arirang! was run twice
at the estival. Theater group Kkocdusoeh
dynamically introduced local variations o
Arirang through masquerade dances, olk
dances, and pungmul (instruments or Korean
traditional percussion music) perormances.
Arirang is a song my grandmother likes and
I always heard her hum it alone, but I ca n sing
with her now! says Kim Sojin coming out o
the theater.
Young participants also had the chance to
experience and play with Arirang at 12 booths
prepared in ront o the museum. The booths
included Singing the various Ari rang beats,
Arirang puzzle booth, Tasting Korean
traditional ood, and Arirang Singing
Competition. Through these ha nds-on activities,
children and adults alike had the chance to
learn about Arirang and embrace the national
treasure as their own.
AN ACAdEmIC REVIEW
A symposium was also held under the theme
Arirang in Culture, Arirang in the World, in
which 24 speakers presented on the origins and
diusion o Arirang, Arirang in contemporary
literature, comparative studies on oreign olk
songs and Arirang, and Arirang in Korean
pop culture. The symposium provided an
opportunity or scholars and the mass public
alike to speculate on the uture path o the song.
Intervi ew
Oh Jn HaePansori Singer and Actress
Pansori (a genre o Gugak)singer and actress Oh Jung H
hosted the Smiling Arirangconcert. Oh is most amous o
her perormance in directorIm Kwon-taeks 1993 Pansori
themed movie Seopyeonje. Inan interview withKOREA,
Oh expressed her passion orArirang.
1 Theater group Kkocdusoehperforms at the childrenstheatrical performance Go!Go! Arirang!2 Gugak (Korean traditionalmusic) performer Lee Choon-hee performs with her youngdisciple at Smiling A rirang.3 Children enjoy the hands-on activity booths preparedin front of the museum.
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ENTERTAINMENT
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Fantastic Films at
Puchon InternationalFantastic Film FestivalThe 16th Puchon International Fantastic Film Festival is ready to shock audiences with
antastic blood-curdling flms by international flmmakers.by Chung Da-young / photographs provided by PiFan
as smartphones have been submitted. Most o
these flms have imaginative storylines o the
kind that are rare in commercial flms.
The producer in charge o the initial screening,
Han Sun-hee, stated, We selected flms that
have antasy and imaginative storylines aligned
with the estivals message. They all clearly
depict human nature.
The 36 short flms will be shown in the
Fantastic Short Films and Puchon Choice
section. These flms will compete or USD 13,000
in cash prizes or the our awards o the Puchon
Choice section. At last years PiFan estival, Dead
on Time by Greek flm director Kostas Skitas
won the prize or Best Short Film and The
Adults Flesh by Jeong Ki-jeong won or the Best
Korean Short Film.
SPOTLIGHT ON
INDONESIAN FILMS
The Network o Asian Fantastic Films
(NAFF) will also be held during the
estival. NAFF is a genre project market
that was established as part o PiFan to
promote and support Asian genre flms
in such respects as flm development, co-
production, fnancing, and post-production.
NAFF 2012 is celebrating its 5 th
anniversary rom July 22 to 25 at the PiFan
venues. This year, NAFF will showcase
Indonesian flms in its Project Spotlight:
Indonesian Selections. The flms include
The Puchon International Fantastic FilmFestival (PiFan) began in 1997 in Bucheon,a metropolitan city in the province o Gyeonggi-
do. Ensconced between Incheon and Seoul, the
city receives heavy business and government
support or flmmaking and the visual arts.
The city gradually became a mecca o South
Korean visual arts including animation,
games, and flms. The PiFan estival committee
chose this city in 1997 to eature a specifc
genre o flms ull o resh new creativity and
imagination and to address topics that are too
unique or risqu or mainstream cinema. Since
then, the estival has showcased hundreds o
new South Korean and international horror,
thriller, mystery, and antasy flms, with a
particular ocus on East Asian and Southeast
Asian cinema.
The estival has garnered increasing support
over the years rom ans and cinema gurus
alike. PiFan earned its reputation as the most
dynamic and energetic flm estival in Asia.
The estival also closely collaborates with
the Yubari Fantastic Film Festival in Japan
and the European Fantastic Film Federation
or cinematic projects, and now has a major
presence in the world o cinema a s the biggest
gala o Asian genre flms.
From July 19 to 29, the 16th edition o PiFan
will showcase more than 210 flms rom 40
countries. For the Korean short flm section, 630
short flms were submitted or initial screening.
The competition was tough and the review
was rigorous. Ultimately, 38 flms made the cut
and were selected or the est ival. This year,
interesting flms created with new media such
Curious Grandma: The Murder of Annet Van
Houten by Lucky Kuswandi, vampire love story
Blue Blood by Billy Christia n, and Paul Agustas
Beautiful Beast, inspired by a classical Indonesian
horror flm.
The selection conveys not only a aithul
genre convention, but also characteristic
eatures based on deeply rooted Indonesian
traditions, said NAFF organizers. Previous
NAFF Project Spotlights have ocused on the
flms o China (2008), Singapore (2009), Taiwan
(2010), and Japan (2011).
Come to the Puchon International Fantastic
Film Festival this month and enjoy a wide range
o flms. The horror flms and dream-like stories
will send chills up and down your spine and
tickle your imagination, a great way to orget
the summer heat.
1 King Kellyby theAmerican flm produceAndrew Neel, will beeatured at the PuchonChoice section.2 Spellboundby Hwanho, will be eatured at World Fantastic Cinemsection.3 Horror Storiesis theopening flm or this yePiFan estival.
Date July 19 - 29
Place Korea Manhw
Contents Agency,
Bucheon
Tickets Tickets for
the opening and
closing features and
regular features can
be purchased online
www.pifan.com.
How to get there
Subway Get off at
Songnae Station,
Seoul Subway Line
1. Exit towards theNorth Square and ta
Bus 37 or 87. Get of
at the Korea Manhw
Museum.
Bus From Seoul
StationBus 1200From Yeongdeungp
StationBus 905
PiF
InFormatIo
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30 Days to GoReadying for the London Olympics
The 30th Summer Olympics in London is only a month away. South Korea aims to win ten
gold medals and rank at least tenth, as it did at the preceding two Summer Olympic events.Korea is ready to start. by Kim Min-seon
Olympic event) at the 2008
Olympics. So, it isnt too
ambitious o a goal to win
at least ten gold medals
and rank 10th or higher
at the London Olympics
this summer. Experts
predict that the goal could
be achieved with a big
margin.
S. KOREA TARGETS TEN
GOLD MEDALS
TO LAND IN TOP TEN
South Korea plans to send
more than 260 athletes to compete in 26 sports
at the London Olympics this summer. The
Korean Olympic Committee expects at least two
gold medals in each o the events o archery,
taekwondo, and judoin which the country
has been strongand at least one in each o the
events o swimming, badminton, gymnastics,
shooting, encing, and wrestling.
There are athletes that hope to continue their
gold medal streak ollowing their success at the
2008 Beijing Olympics, such as Park Tae-hwan
(a swimmer who won gold in the 400-meter
reestyle), Lee Yong-dae (a badminton player
who won gold in mixed doubles), and Jang Mi-
ran (a weightliter who won gold in the +75
kg category). In addition, the men a nd women
archery teams, who are the undisputable world
leaders, expect at least two out o our gold
medals in archery.
Jang Mi-ran says that she will be more
exible when aced with a crisis because she has
become more experienced and skilled.
Park Tae-hwan, nicknamed Marine Boy,
looks more confdent than beore. When he
was training overseas, he participated in the
Mel Jajac Jr. International Meet in Vancouver to
see what kind o shape he was in and won in
the mens 200 and 400 reestyle. With 50 days
let until the start o the London Olympics,
Park said that he places top priority on how he
manages his race.
My practice ocuses on records and races. I
The 2012 London Olympics, the largestsporting event o this year, is withinsight, and the South Korean athletes who will
represent the country in t he event are more
determined than ever to do t heir best, sweating
hard with last-minute preparations. The London
Olympics is going to be a global estival where
more than 10,000 athletes rom a round world
will fercely compete in 26 sports or a total o
302 gold medals. The number o gold medals
is the same as the 2008 Beijing Olympics, but
baseball and sotball are no longer on the list o
ofcial competitions.
London, the venue o the 2012 Summer
Olympics, is a city with special meaning to
Koreans when it comes to the Olympics. The
14th Olympics hosted by London in 1948 were
the frst Olympics South Korea frst part icipated
in. At the 1948 Olympics, 67 Korean athletes
competed in basketball, weightliting, boxing,
wrestling, and cycling and won two bronze
medals. Since then, the country has sent teams
o men and women athletes to every Summer
Olympics so ar, barring only t he 1980 Moscow
Olympicsall 15 Summer Olympic events
including the 1948 London Olympics.
The Korean Olympic Committee announced
that South Korea aims to rank 10 th or higher or
three consecutive Olympic events ollowing
the 2004 Athens Olympics and 2008 Beijing
Olympics. The country was ranked 9th with
nine gold medals at the 2004 Olympics and
7th with 13 gold medals (the most gold medals
South Korea has ever won in a single Summer
want gold, but its not
my goal. What I want
is a world record.
The Korean
Olympic Committee
and the Taereung
Training Center are
almost done with their
preparation or the
London Olympics.
The strategies they
have used are to select sports that South Korean
athletes can perorm well in, ocus on them,
resort to science in planning the training
regimes, operate training camps in London, and
create a stable training environment.
The number o training days the national
team members spent at t he Taereung
Training Center and the Jincheon Training
Center were increased rom 210 to 240, a nd more
trainers have been provided. Overseas and
customized special training has been oered,
as well.
The Korean Olympic Committee aims or
10th place with at least ten gold medals, says
Park Jong-gil, director o the Taereung Training
Center. I believe our athletes will win up to 13
gold medals. Im sure they will.
The only thing let or all the athletes
participating in the London Olympics is or
them to do their best and play air in keeping
with the spirit o t he Olympics.
1 Park Tae-hwan swimmmightily towards his secOlympic medal2 South Korean athletecheer for victory atthe Olympic inauguralceremony.2 Shooter Jin Jong-oh ithe mens 10 m air pistocompetition is stronglyexpected to win the golmedal.
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Korea Helps MongoliaEstablish E-ProcurementThe Mongolian Ministry of Finance implemented an electronic procurement systemwith a grant from the South Korean government last May. An adaption of the Korea
Online E-Procurement System (KONEPS) of the South Korean Public ProcurementService, the system is expected to help the Mongolian government achieve transparent
public procurement. by Im Sang-beom / photographs provided by the Korean Public Procurement Service
transparent e-procurement system, which is a
core part o its e-Mongolia policy, will boost the
international perception o the country.
SECOND TIME HELPING WITH AN
E-PROCUREMENT SYSTEM IN ASIA
This wasnt the rst time or the Korean
government to export its e-procurement system
in Asia, as Vietnam was the rst Asian country
to import the Korean-style e-procurement
system. The rst step o the project was taken
when the South Korean and Mongolian
governments inked an agreement in June
2007. The National IT Industry Promotion
Agency (NIPA) o South Korea conducted a
easibility study i n November 2007, and KOICA
perormed another easibility study in March
2010, which was ollowed by the signing o an
agreement between KOICA and Samsung SDS
in September the same year.
The development took o with a project
launch ceremony in January 2011, and Korean
experts in law, institutions, and unit price
contracts few to Mongolia in February. The
last month o last year saw a pilot testing o
the system, and nally an opening ceremony
last May marked the roll-out o the Mongolian
governments rst-ever e-p
top related