korea magazine [may 2010 vol. 6 no. 5]

8/9/2019 KOREA magazine [May 2010 VOL. 6 NO. 5]

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May 2010 www.korea.net

People & CultureMAY2010

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PRELUDE

The Beauty of KoreaThe Tidal Flats on the southwest coast of Korea,spread around Gomso,Yeoja and Hamhae bays and the Sinan archipelago, are

unique macrotidal flats where typical embayed tidal flats turn into open-coast tidal

flats during the monsoons. They have no barrier islands, just like other tidal flats in

the Yellow Sea. During winter, strong waves create sand flats, while in summer, the

mud flats expand as tidal currents overpower the waves. The Southwestern Coast

Tidal Flats, including Suncheon Tidal Flats (pictured on this page), were included

on UNESCOs Tentative List of World Heritage sites in January 2010.

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CONTENTSMAY 2010 VOL. 6 NO. 5

PUBLISHERSeo Kang-soo,Korean Culture and Information Service

EDITING HEM KOREA Co., Ltd

E-MAIL [email protected]

PRINTING Samsung Moonwha Printing Co.

Allrightsreserved.No partofthispublicationmaybereproducedinany formwithoutpermissionfromKOREAandtheKoreanCultureand InformationService.

Thearticles publishedin KOREAdonot necessarilyrepresenttheviewsofthe publisher.The publisherisnotliableforerrorsoromissions.

Lettersto theeditorshouldincludethewritersfullnameandaddress.Lettersmaybe editedfor clarityand/orspace restrictions.

Ifyou wanttoreceiveafreecopy ofKOREAorwishto cancela subscription,pleasee-mail us.AdownloadablePDFfileofKOREAandamapandglossarywithcommonKoreanwordsappearinginourtextareavailablebyclickingonthethumbnailofKOREAonthe homepageof www.korea.net.

: 11-1110073-000016-06

COVER STORY 04

From difficult beginnings, Koreas car

industry is the fifth largest in the world. And

for this, we can thank for strong localiza-

tion policies and old-fashioned Korean grit.

TRAVEL 24

With some of the countrys finest tradi-

tional porcelain and its most exquisite

rice, Icheon, on the outskirts of Seoul, is

a real hotspot for traditional Koreana.

MY KOREA 32

Besides the sounds and sights, a crucial

part of Seouls charms is its smells

especially those coming from its array of

irresistible street foods.

SUMMIT DIPLOMACY 36

At the 1st Nuclear Security Summit last

month, 47 nations gathered in Washing-

ton DC in April to discuss issues related

to nuclear weapons and security. In mak-

ing it a successful event, Korea played its

role, too.

GLOBAL KOREA 40

Cited as a key part in Koreas rapid

growth, the countrys Saemaul

Movement is now being tried out in Africa

with encouraging results.

NOW IN KOREA 44

Long an identifying landmark in Seoul,

today the Han River is increasingly serving

as a locus for walking, cycling, swimming

and practically every sport you can think of.

PEN & BRUSH 16

For Jeon Gyeong-rin, love is invariably

accompanied by pain or loss. With a world-

view like this, it was perhaps inevitable that

she would become a novelist.

PEOPLE 20

Throughout Korea, a group of profession-

als is offering their work for free through a

group called Pro Bono. This is the story of

one such altruist: Dr. Lee Soong-in.

www.korea.net

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Topic

Photo

On the global stage, Koreas automobiles raise rapidly nowadays.The Hyundai-Kia Automotive Group, in particular, strongly spot-lighted on its own quality and reliability. Yet the companys successoverseas certainly hasnt been an overnight affair.It has been builtthrough exhaustive research into local conditions and, in part, itsfactoriesrole in helping revitalize local economies.And as Hyundai-Kias star has continued to rise, otherKorean automakers have being v italized,too.by Shim Hui-jeong

COVER STORY

Koreas Motor WayON THE FASTTRACK

TO SUCCESS

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GM Daewoos compact car model Gentra drive along winding

roads (above). Kia opened a production factory in Georgia,

U.S., positively affecting the local economy (below). Koreancars are exported to all over the world (bottom).

An exterior of Korean car company SsangYong Motors

Chairman H(top). A dashboard ofLacetti Premiere of GM

Daewoo Auto & Technology another Korean automobilecompany (above).

It was like a desert here, and Kia was the fountain. So said Annie Davison last

February as she breathlessly thanked the Korean automaker for setting up shop

in her hometown of West Point, just south of Atlanta, Georgia. In an astonishing

turnaround for the area, which had suffered a long, slow economic decline, con-

struction began on the Kia plant just before the subprime mortgage crisis

engulfed much of the U.S. economy. In 2008, Kia Motors America started hiring

online, a first for the U.S. automotive industry. In addition to 1,100 local hires

of its own, Kias 25 business partners, which all entered the country together,

has hired another 4,000 people thus far. As a result, Kias Georgia plant has

created 5,100 new jobs.

Kia is planning to hire a total of 3,300 people by 2013, with its business

partners upping manpower to 7,500 over the same period, for a grand total of

10,800 employees. The Georgia Tech Research Institute has forecast that

Kias plant will create over 20,000 jobs in nine neighboring counties by 2012

and its overall economic impact will be as high as US$6.5 billion.

A GLOBAL CONCERN Among major automakers, Hyundai-Kia a group formed in

1998 when Hyundai bought a controlling interest in Kia is fast becoming a glob-

al company with local characteristics. Just a few years ago, however, nobody was

predicting Hyundai would be one of the major auto-making success stories. Though

today one of the fastest growing car brands in the United States, Hyundai Motor

Company (as it was known back then) was long hamstrung by a largely deserved

image as a low-cost, low-quality producer. Selling 126,000 cars in its first year

in the market, 1986, and 264,000 cars the following year, Hyundai was undone by

a reputation for being shoddy and unreliable. As a result, sales suffered and sec-

ondhand Hyundais could be had for practically nothing. But things started to

change in 1999, when Chung Mong-koo became the CEO and president of

Hyundai-Kia. Meetings were scheduled twice a month just to address quality

issues, and employees from every single department acknowledging that

quality had to be tackled from the ground up conducted product quality man-

agement with a renewed sense of purpose.

By 2009, just eight years after theyd placed rock bottom, Hyundai cars were

recorded top on a product quality analysis list compiled by J.D. Power and

Associates, a marketing information firm. In March 2010, Hyundai ranked sixth in

J.D. Powers durability performance analysis, a measure of automobile reliability

three years after purchase. Coming higher than stalwarts of trust such as BMW

and Volkswagen, Hyundai reveled in its second top 10 finish in two years.

TURNING CRISIS INTO OPPORTUNITY When asked to select the most intimi-

dating automaker to emerge in recent years, automakers around the world

named Hyundai. This success has brought increasing attention from internation-

al media, who are analyzing just how a company that was something of a joke

less than 20 years ago has grown into the worlds No. 5 automaker (by numberof cars produced and sold).

Just as Hyundai made a name for itself 10 years ago with its Americas Best

Warranty promotion campaign, the company again adopted an astute marketing

strategy targeting the United States in the midst of the global financial crisis. In

January 2009, under its Hyundai Assurance Program, Hyundai succeeded in

making hesitant Americans open their wallets with an astonishing promise to

pay up to three months of installments for people who were looking for work, or

to buy back the cars if employed customers lost their jobs. In a month when

automakers suffered the biggest decline in U.S. car sales since 1963, Hyundai

actually posted a growth of 14 percent.

BRINGING THE WORLD TOGETHER In 2000, Hyundai-Kia had only 3 overseas

plants. As of April 2010, the group has 11 overseas production bases. In addi-

tion, Hyundai is currently constructing a factory in Russia with a production capaci-

ty of 100,000 cars, and is preparing to build other plants in Brazil and China.

As Hyundai-Kia becomes more global in scope, it is investing heavily in locally

customized community services. In China, the group is taking the initiative in

preventing desertification and helping the environment by conducting a five-year

project to turn 50 million square meters of arid land in Inner Mongolia intograssland by 2012. In the Indian market, where Hyundai-Kia is the top seller,

the group donates 100 rupees to the Hyundai Motor India Foundation (HMIF) for

each car it sells there. This year, Hyundai-Kia donated approximately

US$750,000 to the foundation, a 67 percent increase over the previous year.

The company is also helping improve medical and educational conditions in

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GMD

aewooAuto&

Techn

ologyCompany(top);HyundaiMotorCompany(middle,

bottom)

SsangYongMotorCompany(top);GM

DaewooAuto&

TechnololgyCompany(above)

y



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remote and marginalized regions of the country.

Last March, the Hyundai-Kia Group provided US$200,000 in relief funds to earth-

quake-stricken Chile. Also, in cooperation with Hyundai Mobis, an affiliate that pro-

vides auto parts, the group conducted repair tours for cars damaged by the earth-

quake and offered discounts on auto parts. In previous years, Hyundai-Kia has

looked to fulfill its social responsibilities by providing funds and resources following

disasters such as the 2003 Bam earthquake in Iran, the 2004 Indian Ocean tsuna-

mi, the 2006 Java earthquake in Indonesia and the 2007 Greek forest fires.

In the United States, Hyundai Motor America employees travel across the coun-

try in white Santa Fe to offer financial support to child cancer patients. The compa-

ny is also working as a sponsor of the Soccer for Hope program, which raises

awareness for children with cancer by teaching them how to play the sport.

KOREAN AUTOMOTIVE BRANDS GAINING LEVERAGE OVERSEAS GM Daewoo,

whose parent company is the new GM, is being revitalized as the global auto-

motive industry shows signs of recovery. From January to March this year, GM

Daewoo exported 116,479 cars, while selling 259,508 complete knockdown

(CKD) kits to overseas markets. Those numbers represent a 19.7 percent and

38 percent increase, respectively, over the same period last year.

The rising status of GM Daewoo can be seen through at the Beijing Motor

Show 2010. Ambitious entries from the company are next-generation vehicles

that GM Daewoo has taken the initiative in developing. CEO Mike Arcamone,

who has held his position since last October, said, It shows the importance of

GM Daewoo that the next-generation global cars, whose development was led

by GM Daewoo, were shown as major models fromChevrolet at a recent interna-

Topic

Photo



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tional motor show. The company is playing a leading role in designing cars for

the future as it also develops parent company GMs compact cars. This is seen

in GM Daewoos Seoul Advanced Design Studio, which analyzes trends of the

global automobiles design for GM develops. At present, only four countries

have more than two GM design centers, Korea, the US, UK, and Germany.

Renault Samsung Motors Company is enjoying the greatest boom in its histo-

ry thanks to high sales of its new cars this year. In April 2010, the company cel-

ebrated its 10th anniversary since acquiring Samsung Motors. Over that time,

Renault Samsung has established itself as a premium brand in Korea and has

earned the respect of customers around the world by exporting models melding

Renaults cooperative development platform with Koreas unique style. Indeed,

Renault Samsungs decade of success clearly shows the brand power of

Samsung. Furthermore, as Renault Samsung achieves substantial results with

its great product power in Korea and overseas, the Renault Group has pro-

longed its contract to use the trademark and Samsung name until 2020.

Renault is paying 0.8 percent of domestic sales (2 million to 3 million Korean

won) as royalties to Samsung every year.

In addition, Renault Samsung Motors Company is exporting more cars than it

ever has since its launch in 2000. Starting with the export of its SM3 model,

the company has increased the total number of cars it sends overseas, with

exports making up 48 percent of total sales in 2008. This year, Renault

Samsungs exports from January to March increased by 171.5 percent over the

same period last year. Renault Samsung exports its SM3 CEmodel under vari-

ous names Scala, Sunny, andAlmera to the Middle East, Europe, and

Russia, while its SM5 model is sold as the Safran and the QM5 as the Koleos

to over 60 countries worldwide (except North America).

The SsangYong Motor Company is noted for its creation of a characteristically

Korean SUV. The company was a breath of fresh air to the countrys automotive

industry with the Korando series, Koreas first four-wheel drive station wagon.

Since then it has continued to make SUVs like the Musso (the epitome of

Korean four-wheel drive vehicles with its unique style and excellent perform-

ance), which was first released in 1993, the luxury SUV Rexton in 2001, and

the Kyron andActyon in 2005. SsangYong named its new crossover utility vehi-

cle (CUV) the C200 Korando C, with the aim of reviving the legendary success of

its predecessor, the companys best known model during its heyday, and mov-

ing forward as the new SsangYong.

Korea is the worlds fifth largest carmaker. Many automobile companies have

succeeded in distinguishing their unique characteristics in the global auto mar-ket. Hyundai-Kia disposed of its old image selling low-priced cars and is

instead transforming itself into a leading global brand with amazing product

quality and design. GM Daewoo and Renault Samsung have also contributed to

raising the status of Korean brands, while SsangYong is also continuing with

production of its Korando model in domestic and overseas markets.

SsangYong Motors Super Rexton continues its fame as SUV

maker (top). The Hyundai-Kia Automotive Group supports s ev-

eral sporting activities (above). Renault Samsung Motors,another Korean car company, unveiled its New SM5 model last

January (below).

An orange-colored Gentra of GM Daewoo (above). Hyundai is

an official sponsor of the 2010 FIFA World Cup (below). The

Busan International Motor Show 2010, a biennal motor show,is held from April 29 to May 9 (bottom).

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GM

DaewooAuto&

Techn

ologyCompany(top);HyundaiMotorCompany(middle);BusanInternationalMotorShow

(bottom)

SsangYongMotorCompa

ny(top);KiaMotors(middle);RenaultSamsungMotors(bottom)



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COVER STORY

Throughout Southeast Asia, Korean cars are increasingly vying for

road space with more established Japanese brands. Korean

automakers more recent success in a region long dominated by

Japanese cars is a testament both to Korean cars value for

money, and their ever-improving standards of engineering. And as

sales improve, so do peoples perceptions. In Vietnam, for

instance, being made in Korea has become such a stamp of quali-

ty for cars; many people make a point of not removing Korean-lan-

guage stickers and brochures from the car after theyve bought it.

When Korean cars entered the Chinese market in 2002,

they became the vehicle of choice for taxi firms throughout

Beijing, for their high product value. Building on this success,

Korean automakers have already constructed two manufactur-

ing plants in China with plans to build a third. Indeed, with

sales so healthy in the country, Korean car makers plan to roll

out new models for sale only in the Chinese market. In India,

meanwhile, small Korean cars are having a big impact

thanks to canny localization policies. After thorough research

into local needs and tastes, Korean automakers worked out

that a slightly higher roof in their cars would be very helpful for

the large number of Indians who wear turbans.

In the United States long the most competitive market for

automobiles Korean-made cars are also enjoying great suc-

cess. While top Korean brands continue to do well there, some

American automobile brands manufactured in Korea notably

the Chevrolet Aveo are also

selling well, demonstratingKoreas increasing importance in

all aspects of the automobile

industry. The success story

stretches right across the world

to Russias Far East, where con-

sumers have been attracted by

Korean cars combination of

good value and reliability.

In response to the competi-

tion, Japan, whose carmakers

have traditionally been the

strongest here, has begun offer-

ing state support for exports of

its used cars, in order to enable

dealers in Russias Far East to

sell Japanese automobiles atlower prices. As yet, however,

the measure has had only a lim-

ited effect in stemming the gen-

eral consumer tide toward

Korean cars.

A key part of Korean automakers success overseas has

been their stringent efforts to adapt to regional market condi-

tions. When Korean car firms initially set up a plant in a foreign

country, their first priority is to establish relations with con-

sumers as a means of gauging local sentiment and adjusting

their sales strategies accordingly.

Perhaps most important in the ascent of Korean car firms,

though, has been their willingness to diverge from most major car

makers who tend to rely on unchanged existing models when

they build plants overseas and release new models that are

adjusted for different markets. This has served to reassure local

consumers, who seem more willing to trust the commitment of a

firm that brings new models to a foreign market. In India and

China, for instance, brand-new Hyundai models such as the i10

and a customized version of the Avante have been big sellers.

Korean car makers have gone to great lengths to connect with

local employees, too. Korean managers overseas have tried hard

to adopt local cultural practices and to give workers plenty of

opportunities to air their grievances or make suggestions. Having

had time to fine-tune their employee relations policies, Korean

companies are gaining an ever better reputation as desirable

places to work.

This emphasis on human resources and on adapting to cul-

tures has won Korean automakers a lot of respect around the

world. Thanks in large part to these localization strategies, the

overseas production of Hyundai,

Koreas largest automaker, noweclipses that of its domestic facto-

ries. Between January and March,

2010, Hyundai produced 397,000

cars in Korea, as compared with

442,000 cars at overseas plants,

providing still more evidence of

just how international the Korean

auto industry has become.

From being considered cheap

knock-offs of better brands,

Korean cars are now regarded as

some of the best quality, yet rea-

sonably priced, cars in the world.

Today, the Korean car industry is

increasingly snapping at the

heels of the big boys, with salesforecast to account for as much

as 7 million units 10 percent

of the global market by 2015.

Korean cars, it seems, have

plenty of places to go yet.

KOREAN CARS: MAKING

INROADS OVERSEASKorean cars are going places. Thirty years after first selling cars worldwide, Korea isnow the fifth biggest car producer in the world, according to research carried out bythe Korea Automobile Manufacturers Association (KAMA). This commandingposition is evident in the global expansion of local automakers. In addition toKorean carssuccess in the United States, practically every growing market is home

to auto plants run by Korean companies. Furthermore, one domestic brand hasrecently announced plans to establish an automotive plant in Brazil, the heart ofthe South American market.Today, Korean cars are a truly global presence.by Kwon Yong-ju

HyundaiMotorCompany

SsangYongMotorCompa

ny



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When people think of eco-friendly cars, they usually imagine some

form of alternative fuel: EVs, say, or fuel cells. Much of the focus,

however, is in fact on cars with a higher fuel efficiency or reduced gas

emissions. Today, all major efforts at cutting the use of fossil fuels in

cars include ideas on how to use oil and gas more effectively, while

not compromising on looks or performance. This is why, at last years

Geneva Motor Show, Hyundais next-

generation hybrid concept car caused

such a stir.

Called the i-flow, the car drew at

least as many plaudits for its sleekdesign as for its hybrid-system

power unit. At just 0.25, the i-flows

drag coefficient (Cd) is less than

that of a sports car, meaning low

resistance while driving and greater

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ECO-FRIENDLY:

CLEANER

AND GREENER

fuel efficiency. As the whole concept of eco-friendliness with

car fossil fuels refers to getting more kilometers to the liter,

the lower Cd on this hybrid car was a big development.

Also increasing the cars eco-friendliness is its weight and

its power generation system, which has reduced the cars CO 2

emissions to a minuscule 85 grams per kilometer. Getting a

whopping 33 kilometer to the liter, its no exaggeration to say

that the i-flow has raised the bar for hybrid technology.

However, even more important than hybrids, at least if the vol-

ume of interest in Geneva was anything to go by, are electric cars.

Representing 80 percent of the eco-friendly cars on show at theSwiss car show last year, electric cars seem finally to have come

of age, and Korean researchers and car makers are taking note.

Last March, KAIST, a prestigious Korean technical university,

developed an online electric vehicle (OLEV), which works by

drawing on electric power carried in underground cables.

Another notable emerging technology is neighborhood electric

vehicles (NEVs), which are loaded with lead storage batteries

and lithium-ion batteries. Designed for driving within cities at

speeds of less than 60 kilometers per hour, NEVs are already

being developed by some small- and medium-sized companies.

For those who like a bit more bite in their green cars, Korean

automakers are planning to start production of full EVs by next

year. Though not, yet, quite as powerful as cars powered by inter-

nal combustion engines, EVs are getting closer, and when one

manages to go 200 kilometers at 160 kilometers per hour on a

single charge, the age of electric vehicles will truly have arrived.To date, what weve seen is just a taste of the potential for

eco-friendly cars. But if it can combine all the eco-friendly car

technologies it has accumulated through the development of

fuel cells and EVs, Korea has a good shot at being a contender

in the global eco-friendly market.

The term green has recentlybecome a buzzword in the automo-bile industry.Although there is anational drive to respond to theglobal financial crisis,there is also acollective need to deal with climatechange, which is why Korea is mov-ing foursquare into the field of eco-friendly automobiles.The Koreanautomotive industry has alreadycome up with the LPi hybrid, anLPG engine installed within a hybridvehicle,and i s about to release anext-generation hybrid in the form

of an electric vehicle (EV). Today, aswith the rest of the world,Koreasautomotive industry is thinkinggreen in order to cut carbon.by Kwon Yong-ju

COVER STORY

AD

Motors(oppositeleft,

above);CT&

T(oppositeright)

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PEN & BRUSH

THECONSOLER OFILL-FATEDLOVES

If people define love according to theirown experiences, then Jeon Gyeong-rin has suffered a very painful life.Described by many as Koreas finestwriter of love stories, Jeon says that

peoples loves resemble their lives inthat no one can bear to lose them.There is,she says, no alternative tolove, but thats what makes it so pro-found an experience.by Lim Ji-yeong | photographs by Kim Nam-heon

Jeon Gyeong-rin is a woman for whom love has always

been painful.All kinds of love between a man and a

woman,a parent and a child, even between friends

have at one time or another caused her great pain and

torment.She began writing,she says, to ease the

anguish that love had accumulated in her mind.And

her stories quickly found an eager audience among the

jilted, the lost and the sensitive.It may seem that I am obsessed by themes of love

but that is simply not true,says Jeon.I just want to

talk about women and cant avoid writing love stories,

which are the main stream of their life.The women in

my novels suffer from pain and conflict between their

sense of identity and love.Love is not a new topic,of

course, but I think I describe it with a more intense and

extreme sensitivity.

As befits one whose characters are such hostages to

emotion, Jeon says she became a novelist not because

she wanted to,but because she had to. Her literary

career began withMoon in the Desert, a short story forwhich she won an annual literary contest hosted by the

Dong-A Ilbo, a Korean daily,in 1995. The success con-

tinued over the next three years, with an award from

the Hankook Ilbo (another local newspaper) for 1996sJeon Gyeong-rin17

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A SHEPHERDESS(LA FEMME LA CHVRE)> Language French

> Publisher Edipolis (Lyon)

> Published 2000

The novelA Shepherdesswas published in 1996 in Korean

language. In this novel, for which she won the 29th Hankook

Ilbo literary award, Jeon Gyeong-rin depicts the ups and

downs of life for a woman who has always lived her life fol-

lowing a socially-accepted destiny. Like many others, howev-

er, she doesnt try to escape her fate in the hopes of finding

an easier life. For the heroine of this book, departing fromdestiny is not a way to overcome your problems, but just a

temporary, and ultimately unsatisfying, release. Because of

this, the woman who drives

goats stays within her

course, only dreaming of

change. A powerful, moving

allegorical tale, A Shepherdess

is Jeons meditation on rebel-

lious love and human destiny.

THREE TOMBS,THREE VALLEYS ANDTHREE WATERFALLS(LE TROISIOMETOMBEAU,LATROISIOME VALLEE,LA TROISIOMECASCADE)

Jeons third collection of novels, published five years after

1988s The Last House onthe Beach, Water Station includesthe famous short story Bride of Moon. Translated, along with

Jeons masterworkA Shepherdess (La Femme la Chvre),

into French, Water Station describes collision and conflict

between a conventional man trying to protect his family and

the desire of a woman trying to find her identity.

A STORY ABOUT ORDINARY WATER-DROPPATTERN DRESS(EIN GANZ EINFACHESGEPUNKTETES KLEID)

> Language German

> Publisher Pendragon (Bielefeld,

Germany)

> Published 2004

This short story is part of the Novel

Collection of Korean Modern Female

Writers, a selection of works by Korean

authors that was translated into German.

Its great psychological power prompted

one German newspaper to describe

Jeons contribution to looking at a

womans tears falling like water drops.

In the novel, the author compares the

sexual experience of a girl to a worn

dress, soberly describing the fraying of

the fabric as the girl grows up.

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A Shepherdess ,theMunhakdongne novel prize for the

full-length novelA Man in No Place (1997), and a 21st

Century Literary Award for her 1998 short story

Merry-go-round Circus Woman . Famously self-depre-

cating of her own talent,Jeons insistence that she

merely scribbled her own thoughts in order to hone

her writing ability makes her even more of a favorite

among her ever-growing coterie of fans.

LOVE, PAIN, LOSS As well as having a strong sense of

identity,Jeon often seems to be more affected byevents, or to interpret them differently,from the norm.

Whereas the age of 20 is an exciting time for many, as

youth crosses the threshold into adulthood, for Jeon it

represented a sad farewell to her teens,a sense of loss

she communicated beautifully in her novel While Black

Sugar is Melted.

Birth, old age,sickness, and death in life are all just

too heavy for me,says Jeon.The reason we live is not

because our life is full of happiness. We just live

because life was given to us.We experience painful loss

everyday but we have to overcome it in order to live.

And this task is even harder for women, who are more

physically and socially vulnerable.

The characters in Jeons novels are,very often, not so

different from herself.They are intense and sensitive,with a strong consciousness oftheir own identity. They

love more deeply and get hurt more.With her tendency

to draw out and analyze the hidden desires of women,

Jeon is often referred to as a feminist author, but one

neednt be a feminist, nor even a woman,to take some-

thing from her work. In Habit ofPassion, her most

acclaimed book so far,Jeon talks less about sexual

inequality,and more about the loves and relationships

of women whose lives have been restricted by customs

and traditions.

With her newest novel,Meal on the Grass , released

this year,Jeon hints at a slightly sunnier outlook,with

an underlying optimism that had thus far been hidden

beneath emotional turmoil.At one point writing,One

who has loved more and deeper doesnt get hurt bylove,Jeon demonstrates a genuine warmth, and a

belief that no matter how severe the heartbreak,we can

all eventually heal through the redemptive power of

love. The bigger danger, she seems to be saying, is of

never trying to love for fear ofbeing hurt. After the

desolation of loss, we can all refill our souls through

intimacy and connection.

In While Black Sugar is Melted, one passage reads,

Time is like an ocean, the air,and a nail that is ham-

mered into one point.Without perceiving it,I came to

love vanishing time. To Jeon, love, just as much as

time, helps us to recover from even the most unbear-

able pain.And she knows,and relates, this catharsis as

well as anyone.

A CHANGING PERSPECTIVE For all this,as Jeon hasentered into her 40s, she says she realizes that love is

simply illogical.From the beginning,she says, it is a

kind of big trap.Now with a young,beautiful daughter

of her own, Jeon says that though,superficially,women

in Korea are freer than ever to advance and express

their true feelings, this very openness has forced

expressions of love to hide behind increasingly devious

masks. Perhaps more than ever,p eople disguise their

feelings in order to avoid being hurt.And this era th at

forbids open love has,she says, actually made us all

weaker than ever.

Still, for Jeon,the battle against this affected indiffer-

ence remains a noble one.Currently, she is working on

a story about a man who spends all of his time staring

at the same woman. The theme of the novel may

sound like one that has been so discussed and dissect-ed it seems to have fallen into the realm of clich. But

for Jeon, and for almost all of us,the theme of love

continues to cast a bewitching spell from which we

cannot escape.

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PEOPLE

GIVINGBACK

Lee Soong-in doesnt fit the normal

image of an Oriental medicine doc-

tor. At just 34,Lee is a dashing figure

who knows how to match a pink tie

with a green doctors blazer. But

KOREA didnt travel three hours just

to admire his dress sense.Lee hap-

pens to also be a member of the civic

organization Pro Bono.by Cheon So-hyeon | photographs by Park Jeong-roh

KOREA discovered Lee Soong-in through a recommendation

from Pro Bono Korea. A shortened version of the Latin phrase

meaning for the public good, pro bono refers to volunteerism

or to volunteers who share their expertise with the community.

In the past, the majority of pro bono work took place in the

fields of law or conventional medicine. More recently, however,

that scope has been growing to include such areas as educa-tion, culture and, increasingly, Oriental medicine, too.

Through his membership in the Bokchi Medical Society, Lee

had been volunteering for some time before getting involved

with Pro Bono Korea. However, as Lee says, joining up with the

20-23 people 2010.4.27 9:19 AM 22 Mac-2 T C M Y K


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Lee Soong-in bottles Oriental medicine (top). A Pro Bono Korea volunteer doctor

treats patients (middle). Lee says volunteering work is one of the most precious

things in his life (above).

Some natural materials for traditional Oriental medicine (above).

civic group added new momentum to his voluntary work.

I cant wait for our monthly voluntary sessions, says Lee,

who works in Gwangju city. Doctors enjoy treating patients,

obviously. But by volunteering, I get to meet people who cant

otherwise go to Oriental clinics. It offers me valuable experi-

ence as an Oriental doctor, but on a personal level, I just

delight in watching the patients feel happy.

Since last September, Lee has offered free treatment to

patients on the last Thursday of every month. To assist with

Pro Bonos medical work, the Nam-gu public health center in

Gwangju offered use of its facilities and provided the group

with a list of around 30 patients facing particular financial diffi-

culties. Suffering from such illnesses as angina, asthma, skin

problems and arthritis, the patients couldnt afford convention-

al or Oriental medicine, and so the chance to receive three

months treatment free of charge both from Lee and five

other volunteer doctors was an enormous blessing.

THE POWER OF HOPE As Lee acknowledges, most Koreans

feel somewhat uncomfortable using Oriental remedies, both

because they take longer to work and because they cost more

than Western medicine. But this, he says, is precisely why his

pro bono patients were so pleased to receive the treatment,

and even more delighted when it helped make them better.

These patients have been in endless pain, and for them to

see progress after taking Oriental medicine gives them hope,

Lee says. Thinking there may be only one kind of medicine to

cure certain conditions would be depressing. But just the

knowledge that theres something else that can help gives you

the extra breathing room.

One woman, suffering from renal failure, was able to find

this out for herself when she visited the public health center.

ProBonoKorea(middle,

bottom);GettyImages/MultibitsImage(opposite)

Having donated one of her kidneys to her older brother 13

years previously, her remaining kidney had recently deteriorat-

ed. With kidney problems being so difficult to treat, and her

quality of life dipping so dramatically, the woman was both sick

and despondent. After several months of treatment with

Oriental medicine, however, the woman began to see improve-

ment in her condition. Lee now fondly recalls how, after seeing

her in abject misery for so long, she one day smiled at him for

the first time and thanked him for helping. Though she is now

back on dialysis treatment, the experience, Lee says, gave her

hope in facing her illness again.

As it always was, the human kindness shown by volunteers

such as Lee is a big factor in stirring hope in the sick and less

fortunate. And because Oriental-medicine doctors spend at

least half an hour with their patients, trying to discover not just

what is wrong with them but also how they live and what

makes them tick, they can offer the kind of warm, personable

service that conventional doctors in Korea often cant.

Lees group, the Bokchi Medical Society, places particular

stock in trying to discover patients symptoms and diseases, a

slightly different approach to standard Oriental medicine, whichlooks at physical constitution and the balance of yin and yang.

Eschewing acupuncture and fire cupping (in which cups with

reduced air pressure are placed on the skin), Lee and his asso-

ciates believe that the patients insides contain the information

needed for treatment, and so they press on different parts of

the abdomen to locate the problem. Then, from 220 prescrip-

tions, they select one based on the patients individual body

make-up and also on their symptoms. This, says Lee, is what

they did in the ancient times of Oriental medicine.

Oriental medicine is very sensitive, he says. Western medi-

cine will bring you fast overall effects depending on your condi-

tion, but Oriental medicine needs very specific and accurate diag-

noses in order to work. For instance, muscle relaxant in western

medicine works on all muscles, but in Oriental medicine, wed

use something that would only affect a certain area, such as a

muscle on your inner arm. Oriental medicine can protect the body

and improve your overall physical constitution at the same time.

Someone who can attest to the efficacy of Lees brand of

Oriental medicine is 16-year-old Seo Mi-ju. Suffering from a

rare illness called lupus, Mi-ju lost all her hair and her face was

covered in a rash. At a point of near desperation, Mi-ju turned

to Oriental medicine, and after a course of treatment the infec-

tion on her scalp cleared up almost completely. With the help

of Lee and his associates, Mi-ju is now hopeful that her rash

will soon be gone too.

SHARING WHATS PRECIOUS Lees career as a volunteer

dates back to his days as a student at Wonkwang University.

Though all student doctors have plenty of opportunities to vol-

unteer their services, Lee, being one of the far rarer Oriental

medicine doctors, was in particularly high demand on islands

or other remote parts of the country. Sometimes locals would

be skeptical about the motives of the big-city types sweeping in

to offer temporary care. But soon locals were convinced there

were rewards one could only gain through voluntary work.

After graduating, Lee spent several months working with

local churches to offer free treatment to migrant workers.

Saying he has a greed for volunteering, he is always looking

for new ways in which to offer free treatment, and would like to

travel someday to offer his services overseas.

I think I should share whats most precious to me, says

Lee. Sure, I can make more money now and volunteer when I

am older. But that would only mean Id be sharing something

thats left over. It diminishes the meaning of it all. Offering

Oriental medicine treatment is what I do best today and volun-

teering in that area makes it more meaningful.

Clearly, Lees commitment to volunteering goes way beyond

being merely a hobby or a diversion. At his request, his wife, Lim

Eun-gyeong, herself an Oriental doctor who runs a clinic in Naju,

is now also offering some free services through Pro Bono. As

they help people with even chronic illnesses to get better, Lee

believes that he and his wifes activism will do much to improve

perceptions of Oriental medicine in general. Lee himself was

inspired to become a doctor, and to cure debilitating illnesses,

after his grandfather died of a heart attack. Through his voluntary

work for Pro Bono, Lees dreams are coming true, too.

WHAT IS PRO BONO KOREA?

Launched on Dec. 17 last year, Pro

Bono Korea is attempting to make

pro bono work a key part of the

third generation of Korean civic

activism. The group has so far

drawn volunteers including theater

actors, art therapists, lawyers,

teachers and firefighters. Pro Bono

continues to offer help in an array

of fields: The group has hosted a

kimchi making event, offered free

Oriental medicine treatments, and

set up the so-called living library

where people with extensive knowl-

edge meet with those who need

help in a particular area. Inquiries

+82-(0)2-2168-0280Website

www.probonokorea.com

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TRAVEL

Icheon, located in southeast Gyeonggi-doProvince, is the bona fide center of Koreanpottery and the home of Koreas highestquality rice. With more than 1 million visi-tors to the Icheon Ceramic Festival, heldfrom the end of April through mid-May,Icheons traditional pottery is a feast for theeyes, while its many restaurants provide abanquet for the taste buds.by Lee Se-mi | photographs by Kim Hong-jin

ICHEON:

The Soul ofPorcelain

Pots are dried out in fresh air at the halfway point to their completion. After drying,

firing in the kiln is the next step.



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Though not quite as thriving as it was in its late-1950s heyday,

Icheon today remains one of the most important places in tra-

ditional Korean pottery. Concentrated in the Saeum-dong and

Sindun-myeon areas, Icheons pottery industry is now based in

a village comprising 300 or so houses that are just an hours

drive from the bustle of Seoul. A short trip on National Highway

No. 3 will lead the visitor directly into downtown Icheon, where

the Sindun-myeon pottery village is located.

We arrived early at Handoyo, the shop and studio of Seo

Gwang-soo, whose renown as a potter has seen him elevated

to the position of Gyeonggi-do Provinces Intangible Cultural

Properties No. 41. Located in the secluded end of Namjeong-ri,

where bamboo leaves rustle gently in the spring breeze,Handoyos entrance is decorated with broken shards of pot-

tery, giving hints of the owners passion.

Seo entered the world of pottery in 1961, at just 14, and

has devoted the rest of his life to his art. He is famous for

Anyone can learn to create pottery in Icheon, as classes are available in order to fully

experience the traditions of the city (above).

Icheon Ceramic Festival welcomes foreign visitors who are interest-

ed in learning the art (top, middle). Master potter Seo Gwang-soo

handpaints his pieces (above).

reviving the lost art of Korean traditional white porcelain, espe-

cially the Muji Dal-Hangari (moon-shaped) white porcelain from

the late Joseon Dynasty period (13921910). The deep milky

color of Dal-Hangari is what makes this pottery distinct, and

Seo insists on using a traditional kiln fired with pine trees,

instead of the cheaper gas kilns that are mostly used today.

Unlike gas kilns, which can make several pieces of neatly

finished pottery at once, the traditional kilns success rate is

only 30 percent or so. However, the traditional method leaves

a distinct, earthy finish that gas could never emulate, even

using the exact same material and glaze.

Beginning with a bisque firing at 900 followed by a glaze

firing at 1,300, the kilns fire changes from black to white tored, imparting a deep and mysterious hue to the porcelain. Seo

teaches his students that the most important part of pottery is

feeling the fire, yet admits that he still doesnt entirely under-

stand it himself. Fiercely devoted to his art, Seo has kept many

pieces in his gallery that he refuses to sell, whatever the price,

because he feels they best capture this ineffable essence of

traditional Korean porcelain making.

Though many of the students here are themselves devotees,

there is a host of programs for the more casual learner as well.

The process begins with students flattening out the clay and

forming a round bottom, which is then followed by the coiling

method, an easy means of making pottery using long, thin

strips of clay. Although each program is a bit different, all of

them last about two hours and include elements of the spin-

ning wheel, hand painting, tea ceremonies and lighting the pot-

tery kilns. Whatever pottery you make is then sent to your

home within a month.

THE ART OF RICE Just 10 minutes away from the pottery vil-

lage is Sansuyu Village, which, along with Sandong-myeon in

Gurye-gun, is home to Koreas largest colonies ofsansuyu, or

Korean Dogwood. The sansuyu colonies here are between 100-

and 500-years-old, and every April they host special festivals to

mark the blooming of the sansuyu flowers (although the red,

autumn foliage is no less spectacular).

At the entrance to the village, vendors sell sansuyu in fruit

form and in tea, both of which are known to be effective at

fighting fatigue. Nearby, painters and photographers await visi-

tors, ready to capture them in pictures alongside the transcen-

dent beauty of the Korean Dogwood.

So engrossing are the nature and ceramics on show in the

pottery and Sansuyu Village, it is easy to forget all about eating

lunch. But this can be remedied in style as soon as you get to

one of Icheons famous rice restaurants. Given that white rice

is the staple of the Korean diet, Koreans are very exacting

about its taste and quality. It takes something truly special for

a regions rice to be renowned in Korea. But Icheons passes

that test with flying colors.

Korean rice differs from that found in Southeast Asia, which

tends to be glutinous in character. For the distinct type of rice

preferred here, the earth, climate and water of Icheon are all

perfect. When cooked, the grain of Icheon rice becomes trans-

parent and shiny, and when eaten, it is chewy, with a flavor

that sweetens the longer it stays in your mouth. The rice of

choice for kings in the Joseon Dynasty, Icheon rice has lost lit-

tle of its luster today, with a string of restaurants in the city

serving slight variations of their local specialty.

Typical, local rice dinners consist of a bowl of cooked riceserved in a hot dolsot (stone pot) and is nicely presented with

abundant side dishes including doenjang-jjigae (bean paste

stew), kimchi, soy crabs, roasted fish, galbi(ribs),jeon (Korean

traditional pancakes) andjapchae (glass noodles). After

IcheonCeramicFestival(top,middle)



17/31

scooping the rice from the stone pot, water is added to make

sungnyung(scorched-rice water), which is enjoyed after the

meal. Though the rice tradition here is old, the restaurants,

surprisingly, are not, with the first one popping up a little less

than 20 years ago. Today, there are more than 40, and each

one is constantly busy, even on weekdays.

A REUNION WITH NATURE Relaxing after lunch begins with

Seolbong Park, a 330,000-square-meter swath of land located

in the Gwango-dong part of Icheon. The venue for such festi-

vals as the World Ceramic Biennale, the Icheon Ceramic

Festival and the Icheon Rice Cultural Festival, Seolbong Park

includes Seolbongho Lake, the Seolbong International

Sculpture Park, the Icheon Museum and the Icheon World

Ceramic Center, which houses a wonderful collection of mod-

ern pottery and porcelain. As well as being a pleasant nature

retreat, Seolbong Park has some great educational venues

for kids, with a wide selection of artistic and historical

exhibits from around Korea and the world. At Toya Land,

unusual looking sculptures catch the eyes, and none more

so than the worlds largest ceramic instrument, Sorinamu, a

12-meter-tall structure with 2,007 small ceramic bells chiming

at the slightest breeze.

Making pottery is a skill of pat ience and perfection. The art can become a finished

good after meeting the approval of Seos fastidious eyes.



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HOW TO GET TO ICHEON

> By car 5 minutes from the Jungbu Expressway

Seoicheon I.C. (Local Road No. 12)

5 minutes from the Yeongdong Expressway Icheon I.C.

(National Road No. 3)

> By bus Buses depart the Dong Seoul Terminal from

06:0022:40 (buses every 15 minutes, 50-minute ride)

Buses depart the Seoul Express Bus Terminal from

06:3021:30 (buses every 30 minutes, 1-hour ride)

POTTERY HOUSES WITH POTTERY MAKING CLASSES

> Yewon pottery house 192-7 Namjeong-ri, Sindun-myeon,

Icheon-si, Gyeonggi-do Province Inquiries +82-(0)31-634-

2144 www.yewonceramic.co.kr

> Haegang Ceramics Museum 330-1 Sugwang-ri, Sindun-

myeon, Icheon-si, Gyeonggi-do Province Inquiries +82-

(0)31-634-2266 www.haegang.org

ICHEON RICE RESTAURANTS

> Taepyeongseongdae 573-1 Saeum-dong, Icheon-si,

Gyeonggi-do Province Tel +82-(0)31-638-8088~9088

> Cheongmok 626-11 Saeum-dong, Icheon-si, Gyeonggi-do

Province Tel +82-(0)31-634-5414

FESTIVALS

> The 24th Icheon Ceramic Festival The Icheon Ceramic

Festival has been running for 24 years, with some 23 mil-

lion visitors from 1987 coming in 2009 in total. This year,

the festival will be held in Seolbong park, Icheon from April

24 through May 16. Under the theme Joyful Ceramic Trip

to Icheon, the festival welcomes visitors to experience tra-

ditional Korean ceramics with programs including pottery

experiences, design exhibitions and superb pottery and

porcelain exhibitions. Website www.ceramic.or.kr

Handoyo kiln

454-2 Namjeong-ri, Sindun-myeon, Icheon-si, Gyeonggi-do

Province Tel +82-(0)31-632-7105

Yeongwolam temple438 Gwango-dong, Icheon-si, Gyeonggi-do Province

Tel +82-(0)31-635-3457

Icheon World Ceramic Center

69-1 Gwango-dong, Icheon-si, Gyeonggi-do Province

Tel +82-(0)31-645-0614

A view of Sansuyu Village is seen (opposite). The Buddha statue in

Yeongwolam temple (top). Sorinamu, a structure with ceramic bells

at Toya Land (above left). Icheon is the main producer of a famous

type of Korean rice (above right).

Also within Seolbong Park is Seolbongsan Mountain, which

is scattered with numerous Buddhist relics. Shaped like a

crane hovering over Icheon, Seolbongsan, at just 394-meters-

high, takes no more than 30 minutes to climb. From the sum-

mit, visitors are treated to tremendous scenery, with strange

rock formations and a panoramic view of Icheon.

Around 15 minutes walk further downhill, amid the chirping

of countless birds, Seolbongsan reveals Yeongwolam, a beauti-

ful, 1,300-year-old Buddhist temple from the Jogye Order of

Korean Buddhism. After a drink from the mineral spring to

quench your thirst, the temple steps lead to the

Maaeyeoraeipsang (Buddha statue), designated a national

treasure, carved into the rocks of the mountain. Better still,

visit this month and Yeondeung (lotus lanterns) of different col-

ors will illuminate the statue to mark the Buddhas birthday.

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KINETIC STREET

CUISINE

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MY KOREA

To tell the truth, street food in Korea is nothing new. On every corner andevery street, youll find food stalls selling the new, the bizarre and the play-ful. All the food is designed to travel and youll often see high-heeledwomen walking with a hot dog on a stick or suited men standing next to afood stall to grab a quick bite. In Korea, this is the original fast food.

Korean street food is a wonderful fusion ofcreativity, culture, and mobility.

Some of the foods,like braised silkworm larvae, are simply bizarre, while oth-

ers are playful, such as the tornado potato:A whole potato cut to look like a

spiral staircase. Others seem to have come straight out of the TV show

MacGyver. The ColPop,for instance, is a soda cup with a bowl on top for a lid.

Pieces of crispy fried chicken sit on top, so you can sip your soda and eat your

chicken on the run.The Korean streets are a wonderland of interesting treats

and you can eat three full meals (and between-meal snacks) on the go.

The avenues of Myeongdong,besides being rammed with shoppers,are

awash with fabulous street carts. Here, youll find thick ribbons offish cake

skewered on long wooden poles and cooked in cr ab stock.Youll see savory

hamburger patties wrapped around chewy white rice cakes. And youll cer-

tainly smell the massive dried and smoked octopus tentacles that are sliced

and grilled on heated black stones.

With so many of them fighting for the attention ofpassersby, street foods

in Myeongdong have to make a statement. One of my favorite treats when I

visit is the dokkaebi hot dog, a hot dog on a stick that is battered, fried and

then studded with crinkled French fries.I ask one of the vendors what

dokkaebi are and she explains that they are prankster demons who carry

32-35 my korea 2 010.4.27 9:25 AM 34 Mac-2 T C M Y K


20/31

spiked clubs not unlike the hot dog I am eating which they bang on the

ground to bring forth magical feasts or golden coins.

I take my demon club hot dog and continue down the road to find my next

treat. These days,seemingly every thing is available from street food vendors.

As with the citys restaurants,street foods are increasingly picking up foreign

influences,with Myeongdong itself home to vendors selling kebabs, thirty-

centimeter-tall ice cream cones, hamburgers and much else besides.

After I finally finish my hot dog,though, I know just what I want next:

ppopgi. Served on a popsicle stick,ppopgi is a lollipop that smells just like

crme brulee. Youll see old women squat on the ground as they heat up sugar

in a small metal pot until it melts to a rich, caramel brown. Add a pinch of

baking soda and the candy bubbles up and thickens.Theyll then put this

34

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2010

sticky mixture on a board,flatten it, and stencil a shape such as a cloud,a star,

or maybe a bird. Now,ppopgi isnt just a food; its a game, too.If you can eat

around the stenciled shape without breaking it,then the vendor will reward

you with another ppopgi.I d ont succeed,but one was enough.

Later,as dinnert ime approaches,I know Im going to need something more

substantial. Luckily,at just this moment, I draw near a street cart selling spicy

rice cakes and fried snacks. Sauteed along with fish cakes in a spicy and sweet

red chili paste sauce, these rice cakes are typically served along with your

choice ofbattered, fried treats including sweet potato slices, dumplings, egg,

noodle rolls and vegetable fritters. Its all about the sauce with this streetside

delicacy,so what I like to do is order a selection and have the vendor mix it up

in the sauce.Yummy,very filling and cheap:only 3,000 won(US$2.73).

In the evenings,tented food bars will open right on the edges ofSeouls

streets. One of the best places to experience this is over by Jongno 3-ga near

the middle oftown. Here, on most nights, the main drag will be lit up by a

procession of orange tents and yellow lights.

There is something peculiarly enticing about sitting in these tents at night

with friends. The conversations are more down to earth and personal. The

foods you order there are made to accompany alcohol typicallysoju,

Koreas best-known fire water, but sometimes milky rice wine ( makgeolli) or

beer.S oju is served in small glasses and throughout the evening everyone will

propose continuous toasts and,more often than not, down the drink in one.

It could be a toast ofcongratulations but often it is simply a toast of together-

ness, of friendship.Koreans drink to build relationships and a sense of com-

fort youll never see a Korean drink alone.

As I look around the tent, I can see people of all backgrounds united under

one plastic roof.Next to me sits a group of elegantly dressed women in busi-

ness attire,bottles of beer spread around their table.They are wearing clear

plastic gloves and eating chili sauce-coated chickens feet (supposedly full of

gelatin, which is good for your skin).Adjacent to them is a middle-aged cou-

ple in casual attire sitting across from a Korean man wearing a beret and,

though night has fallen,sunglasses. A movie star, perhaps?

They have plates of rolled egg omelette dishes specked with small pieces of

carrot and green onion with a drizzling of ketchup on top.The soju has

already begun flowing,and three green bottle s sit atop their small red plastic

tabletop like emeralds on a royal carpet. Then, on the corner of the bench

where my friend and I are eating, two older men, looking like theyve just fin-

ished construction work, pull up a seat. Loud and boisterous, they seem on

the verge of fighting each other,before their booming laughs clear the air.

They sit and recount stories to one another as they take turns pouring white

rice wine into little tin cups.

Inside this roadside tent,in the middle of the night,I feel like I am seeing

the real Korea.When people ask me to tell them stories of life here,I will

invariably talk about the street foods and the atmosphere in these tented

restaurants. Just like the city that they and I call home,street foods here are

fast, piquant and always on the go. by Daniel Gray | photograph by Kim Nam-heon |

illustrations by Jo Seung-yeon

PROFILE

Daniel Gray, a Korean-

American, is the creator ofthe popular restaurantreview blog www.

seouleats.com. When heis not writing about food,

eating food, or taking pic-tures of food, he sleeps.

He works at Ongo FoodCommunications where he

writes books on Koreanfood and develops culinary

tourism programs andcooking classes for travel-

ers to Korea.

36-39 summit diplomacy 2010.4.27 9:27 AM 1 Mac-2 T C M Y K


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three international agencies the

United Nations, the International

Atomic Energy Agency and the

European Union together in a single

forum. Leaders from the five recognized

nuclear power states the U.S.,

Britain, China, France and Russia

were joined by top figures from India,

Pakistan and Israel, non-signatories of

the Nuclear Non-proliferation Treaty

who are either known or believed to

have nuclear weapons. With such a

large number of attendants, it was the

biggest summit hosted by a U.S. presi-

dent since the international conference

to launch the UN was held in San

Francisco in 1945.

The summit was divided into various

sessions under different topics, with theleaders free to discuss these issues

with each other. Addressing the assort-

ed world leaders at the Walter E

Washington Convention Center,

President Obama said, Just the small-

37

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NUCLEAR SECURITY SUMMIT AGREES

TO SECURE NUCLEAR MATERIAL

KOREA TO HOLD NEXTSUMMIT IN 2012

The first Nuclear Security Summit concluded last month after twodays of meetings. With the aim of preventing nuclear terrorism andpreparing safety measures for existing nuclear material, heads ofstate from around the world ga thered in Washington DC as U.S.President Barack Obama, the summits host, attempted to forgecommon ground for dealing with nuclear weapons on a global level.South Korea, meanwhile,was selected as the host of the nextNuclear Security Summit in 2012. by Kwon Kyeong-hui

On April 13 in Washington DC, the

first Nuclear Security Summit wrapped

up its two-day session with leaders

agreeing to implement new systems to

prevent terrorists getting hold of

nuclear materials. The first summit of

its kind to deal with nuclear security

issues, the conference was called in

response to the perceived growing

threat of nuclear terrorism since the

September 11 attacks in 2001.

The leaders in attendance endorsed

a joint communiqu and a plan of

action, with the goal of securing loose

nuclear material around the world with-

in four years. The communiqu called

nuclear terrorism one of the most

challenging threats to international

security and reaffirmed the fundamen-

tal responsibility of each state to pre-

vent non-state actors, such as terror-

ist groups, from obtaining nuclear

materials.

In another positive development,

the United States and Russia reached

an agreement to dispose of 34 metric

tons of plutonium, enough to build

17,000 nuclear weapons. Hailing it as

an essential step in the nuclear dis-

armament process, the U.S. State

Department said the deal was signed

to prevent the plutonium from ever

being reused for weapons or any other

military purpose.

At the summit, the U.S. also adopt-

ed a firm stance on North Korea.

Sanctions are not a magic wand,

said U.S. President Barack Obama,

but it is our hope that as pressure

builds for North Korea to improve its

economic performance, for example, to

break out of that isolation, that well

see a return to the six-party talks and

that we will see a change in behavior.

ACHIEVEMENTS AND CHALLENGES

Inviting 47 countries to this summit,

the United States looked to bring themost important nuclear powers in

terms of possession of nuclear materi-

als, operational nuclear plants, plans

to bring more plants online, and region-

al balance plus representatives from

SUMMIT DIPLOMACY

Cheongwadae

Yonhapnews

Agency

est amount of plutonium about the

size of an apple could kill and injure

hundreds of thousands of innocent peo-

ple. Terrorist networks such as al-Qaida

have tried to acquire the material for a

nuclear weapon, and if they ever suc-

ceeded, they would surely use it.

Through a mixture of plenary ses-

sions, with all leaders participating,

and individual summit meetings,

President Obama managed to secure

all the agreements hed been looking

for. In his summits with leaders of

China, India and Pakistan, Obama

offered a variety of tradeoffs to bring

them on board. As the summit drew to

a close, the 47 heads of state and

three representatives of the interna-

tional bodies agreed that nuclear ter-

rorism was the biggest threat to inter-

national security and that each coun-

try should build a security system to

control nuclear material.

In the months and years ahead, the

effectiveness of the communiqu willdepend entirely on the actions and

intentions of its signatories. But the

real significance of this summit is that

it has formed a widely agreed basis on

the nature of the threat and how to

47 countries heads gathered at a round table for

the first Nuclear Security Summit in Washington

DC (opposite). Korean President Lee Myung-bak

arrives in Washington DC with his presidential

plane in April (above).

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on Iran was inevitable. German

Chancellor Angela Merkel also spoke

up in favor of sanctions, further bol-

stering U.S. efforts to isolate the

Middle Eastern nation.

However, with the host country, and

many others, so eager to seal big

agreements, the summit steered clear

of several key contentious issues,

including nuclear disarmament and

nuclear non-proliferation. The New

York Times reported that President

Obama, in his summits with Indian

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and

Pakistani Prime Minister Yousaf Raza

Gillani, asked neither man about his

plans for manufacturing new nuclear

weapons. Administration officials said

raising the issue would be too politi-

cally divisive, but for many observers,

encouraged by the sheer scope of the

meeting, President Obamas reticence

on this issue represented the biggest

single failing of the summit.

KOREAS TIME Of particular interest

to the southern part of the Korean

peninsula was the news that Korea

would be the venue for the next

Nuclear Security Summit. In his open-

ing address, President Obama

announced that President Lee Myung-

bak has agreed to host the next

Nuclear Security Summit in Korea.

President Lee said I assure you I will

do my best to make this summit a

success, and added I hope to see

all of you in Korea.

The unanimous decision means that

in two years, Korea will be at the cen-

ter of world efforts to curb nuclear pro-

liferation. Quite how this news will

play in North Korea, whose own

nuclear arsenal is one of the biggest

challenges to global nonproliferation

efforts today, remains to be seen.

Participating leaders welcomed

South Koreas hosting of the nextsummit. They showed a great deal of

interest in the countrys planned oper-

ation of a nuclear security training

center as well as its stated intention

of sharing its know-how in IT-based

deal with it. Before the summit ended,

leader after leader took to the podium

to declare that his or her country

would dispose of its nuclear material

or would ship it out safely. The

Ukraine, which possesses a huge

amount of Soviet-era nuclear material,

announced that it would destroy all of

its highly-enriched uranium by the time

of the next summit in 2012.

And this was far from President

Obamas only success. When heasked President Hu Jintao of China for

cooperation in tackling Irans nuclear

ambitions, Hu, in a big departure from

regular Chinese policy, reportedly

acknowledged that placing sanctions

management of nuclear materials. In

a special press conference after the

decision was announced, President

Lee said, The international communi-

ty should strive toward the fundamen-

tal goal of making this world without

nuclear weapons, he continued. But

perhaps whats more important for

South Korea is to achieve a nuclear-

free peninsula.

Though denuclearization of the

Korean peninsula remains a top priori-

ty for President Lees administration,

the North has traditionally refused to

negotiate with Seoul on the matter,

insisting it must be settled directly

with the United States. But with

Seouls new pre-eminence in the issue

of global nuclear security, that may

become a harder position for the

North to maintain.

In a press conference, President

Lee referred to the North as he gave

his feelings about the purpose of the

summit. North Korea and Iran have

been identified as countries that seek

or hold nuclear weapons without join-

ing the Nuclear Non-proliferation

Treaty, he said. This meeting will

form a big part of efforts to persuade

them to abandon these weapons.

President Lee also announced the

Souths hosting of the 2011 Global

Initiative to Combat Nuclear Terrorism.

Proposed by the United States and

and Russia during the G8 Summit in

2006, this working-level conference is

designed to help prevent the trading

of illegal nuclear materials and to

allow participants to exchange infor-

mation on countermeasures to

nuclear terrorism. Seventy-seven

nations have now signed up.

As the host of the 2012 Nuclear

Security Summit, Korea is expected to

enjoy a big boost in its international

standing and in its exports of safe

nuclear power plant technology. Therewere three major factors behind the

decision to bring the summit to Korea:

first, its solid track record in nuclear

power development; second, the

recent rejuvenation of the US-ROK

alliance; and third, it sends a strong

message to North Korea regarding its

own nuclear ambitions.

As the fifth largest producer of

nuclear power, Korea was hailed at

the summit for its world-class opera-

tion of nuclear power facilities, and

also for its unwavering commitment to

nonproliferation. The first speaker at

the inaugural summit, President Lee

stressed how far South Koreas

nuclear power had come, and added

that the country planned to add anoth-

er 19 nuclear plants by 2030, bringing

the total in Korea to 39.

President Lee also pointed out that

South Korea has made great strides

in nuclear security. He cited the 2006

founding of the Korea Institute ofNuclear Non-proliferation and Control,

an independent body overseeing pro-

tection of nuclear material, and the

setting up of an IT-based comprehen-

sive control system to track down and

monitor atomic materials. Regarding

North Korea, President Lee said that

the South Korean government has pre-

pared a grand bargain approach to

address North Koreas motives for

possessing nuclear weapons, and is

working to cooperate it with the other

members of the six-party talks.

Improvements in U.S.-Korea ties

since Lee came to power in 2008

were also instrumental in bringing the

next summit to Seoul. In a summit

between the two countries last June,

the United States endorsed the Joint

Vision for the Alliance of South Korea

and the U.S., and has since recog-

nized South Korea as a global partner.

A high-ranking source in Washington

said, The Obama administration sees

South Korea as a country that shares

the U.S. vision of a nuclear-free world

and one that will responsibly try to

bring this goal about.

In 2012, presidential elections will

take place in Korea and the UnitedStates, with changes in the Chinese

leadership also scheduled. Along with

the 2012 nuclear security summit in

Korea, it promises to be a very inter-

esting year.Cheongwadae

Korean President Lee and US President Obama

have a discussion during the conference.

President Lee visited the Korean War Veterans

Memorial during the Nuclear Security Summit, in

Washington DC, with US Secretary of State Hillary

Clinton.

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KOREA HELPS DEVELOP

NEW VILLAGES IN AFRICA

A well-known Talmud saying has it that rather than just giving a hungryman fish, you should teach him how to catch them. And in Africa, where 33of the worlds 49 least developed nations are located,that kind of help isdesperately needed. Under the Seoul Declaration,agreed upon at the 2009Korea-Africa Forum, Korea promised to double its official developmentassistance to Africa by 2012. One year on, and that pledge is edging closer tobeing realized. by Oh Kyong-yon

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GLOBAL KOREA

Of the government and civil assis-

tance programs that have taken place

around the world, Koreas Saemaul

Movement is a fine example of sup-

porting people to help themselves.

Implemented in the 1970s, Saemaul,

or New Village, was a rural develop-

ment program that made help condi-

tional on villagers taking the initiative.

Now considered a key part in Koreas

economic rise, it now informs the

countrys overseas relief activities.

Since the Saemaul Movement was

aimed at rural Korean areas in the

1970s, it is often well-suited to condi-

tions in agricultural communities else-

where. In recent years, many local

development programs in Africa have

switched to the Saemaul method,

which Hwang Chang-young, the head

of international affairs at the Korea

Saemaul Undong Center, insists is

not just a relief program.

Its not simply about providing pes-

ticides or seeds, Hwang says. The

townspeople hold meetings and draft

action plans for regional development

and then we support their implementa-

tion. We pursue the localization of the

Saemaul Movement.

Last March, the Korea Saemaul

Undong Center invited 25 representa-

tives from Uganda, Tanzania,

Cameroon, the Philippines and three

other Asian countries to offer insights

into the Saemaul Movement. The dele-

gates were told about Korean agricul-

tural communities, the countrys agri-

cultural policy and specific cases of

how Saemaul had worked. They also

visited farming villages and agricultur-

al schools, picking up some practical

tips while they were there.

The Saemaul training program

could be enormously helpful for the

development of poor countries, said

Rubwiriza David from Uganda. I

hope Koreas training continues and

that they add a Korean language pro-

gram, too.

SAEMAUL MOVEMENT: MADE IN

AFRICA Osmundi Zakaria Ndunguru, a

village head in Tanzania, called the

Saemaul Movement a theory to help

overcome poverty, and added, I will

disseminate the message movement

across my country so everyone can

draw on it to try and escape poverty.

Congolese farmers, who are members of theSaemaul Movement Center, cultivate a corn farm

(opposite). Ugandan fishers look on at a fish farm

that is participating in a Saemaul-related project

(below left). Koreas MIFAFF visited three countries

on the African continent to support regional agricul-

tural development in March and April (below right).

KoreaSaemaulUndon

gCenter(above,

bottoml

eft);MinistryforFood,

Agriculture,

ForestryandFisheries(bottomr

ight)

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had the most success with Saemaul.

Set up in 2004, Congos Saemaul ini-

tiative has successfully run programs

such as the New Village Project, the

Rich Village Project, Build Your Own

Farm, Build Your Own Home, and the

Goat and Pig Bank. Today, 1,075

members across 18 villages are tak-

ing part in Saemaul-related projects in

Congo, and the Korean government

now hopes to make the country the

center of Saemaul activities for the

whole of Africa.

At present, there are 25 nations

where the center is offering support to

Saemaul programs, with another 51

expressing interest. In the past three

to four months, the vice foreign minis-

ter of Cte dIvoire, the chief presiden-

tial adviser from Burundi, and Ghanas

minister of agriculture have visited the

Saemaul center, with all showing con-

siderable enthusiasm for the training

program.

Of the countries to have adopted it

so far, Congo is considered to have

The Saemaul Movement is also a

spiritual one that instills confidence in

people, said NKumu Frey Lungula,

chairman of the Congo Saemaul

Movement Center. A student in Korea

in 2003, Lungula is credited with intro-

ducing the movement to his country.

COMMITTED TO AID Since the

OECDs foundation in 1961, Korea is

the first country to develop from a

recipient nation into a donor, and is

now a member of the exclusive donors

club called the Development

Assistance Committee. Today, in addi-

tion to the Saemaul Movement, the

government is continuing to provide

aid through other channels, such as

international organizations.

One such organization, the Korea

International Cooperation Agency

(KOICA), has been running projects to

increase productivity in farming and

fishing villages, as well as to improve

their market access and living condi-

tions. KOICA plans to concentrate on

sustainable programs led by African

countries themselves, such as the

Comprehensive African AgriculturalDevelopment Program. In the most

impoverished countries, KOICA helps

build basic living infrastructures, while

more developed nations get help in

agricultural and marine production,

processing and distribution. This year,

the agency plans to build shrimp

farms in Algeria, help agricultural and

marine product processing in Nigeria,

and develop regional farming inEthiopia. Overall, KOICA will assist in

29 projects over 16 countries, with

more than US$33 million earmarked

for the effort.

Koreas Ministry for Food,

Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries

(MIFAFF) is also taking steps to help

Africa. During March and April, the

Agriculture, Marine and Food

Cooperation Agency visited three very

different countries in the continent. In

the Congo, the agency selected model

villages for agricultural development.

In Ghana, it agreed to pursue coopera-

tive projects in food, livestock and

fishing. While in Tunisia, the agency

signed a memorandum of understand-

ing over forestry cooperation in a bid

to help strengthen the two countriesagricultural and marine cooperation.

With projects such as these, Korea is

sharing its own valuable experiences,

and making good on its 2009

promise.

Saemaul Movement members hold a briefing ses-

sion with locals in Tanzania, to explain the concept

and meaning of the Saemaul Undong (opposite). A

farmer participating in the project shows off his pro-

duce in Congo (above left). KOICA now actively runs

projects to help build farms and develop villages inZanzibar, Tanzania (above right).

KoreaSaemaulUndong

Center(below,right);

KoreaInternationalCooperationAgency(farright)

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NOW IN KOREA

With spring comes the warm sunshine thatilluminates the waters of the Han River, thebody of water that bisects Seoul.Everyspring, city residents stream out to enjoy awhole range of sports and leisure activities bythe Han. Flowers are in full bloom by theriverside,as people take full advantage of anarea that is fast becoming the center of sportsand relaxation.Today,the Han is not just a barrier separatingthe north and south, but one of the majorspots for outdoor fun in the capital.WithSeoul having come so far so quickly,the Hanis a reminder to its people that the city,andlife here,are now meant to be enjoyed andreveled in. by Seo Dong-cheol | photographs by Kim Nam-heon

A man practices his take-off for a day of paragliding on the grasses of the Han River Park.

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beach volleyball. Seo Eun-gyeong, who recently moved from

Incheon to Seoul because of her job, said excitedly, I didnt

know you could do so much at the Han. I definitely want to

learn how to windsurf on the Han this summer.

BEYOND THE HAN Even away from the central stretch of the

water, there is still plenty to do. Besides Jungrangcheon, which

passes through the northeastern part of Seoul, branches of the

Han River such as Tancheon, Anyangcheon, Bulgwangcheon

and Hongjecheon all have jogging lanes and bicycle lanes that

are teeming with people throughout the week.

I mostly go to mountains to mountain bike, said Heo

Geum-dong, a member of the cycling club Suwon MTB. But

sometimes I use the path from the Han River to Anyangcheon

in the west. There is no better place than this to enjoy long-dis-

tance racing with such convenience. On weekends, mountains

in Seoul such as Bukhansan, Dobongsan, Gwanaksan,

Inwangsan and Cheonggyesan are crowded with people in col-

orful hiking attire. At 836.5 meters above sea level,

Bukhansan Mountain forms part of a national park whose

One fine spring day, I visited Yeouidos recently completed Han

River Park. Cyclers in figure-hugging gear, swarms of inline

skaters and joggers running with friends greeted me upon my

arrival. From the soccer field nearby I could hear players shout-

ing. Tandem cyclists, with the rear rider looking suspiciously

relaxed, then caught my eye, as did water skiers and wind-

surfers splitting the waters of the Han in two.

Choi Jin-gyu, who works in the sales department for LG Life

Sciences, was busy cheering for his companys soccer team. We

have goodwill matches with a soccer club from another LG affili-

ate once every two weeks, Choi explained. Sometimes we rent

a nearby elementary school playground, but we started coming tothe Han River a lot more after they built a few soccer fields here,

where we can also get nice views and a lot of fresh air.

I later met Oh Jong-ryeol, an assistant manager of People

Who Commute by Bicycle (Koreas largest cycling club with

more than 330,000 members), who has been cycling for over a

decade. A few of us are planning to cycle back and forth

between Yeouidos Han River Park and Gangseo Wetland

Ecological Park, which borders Gimpo to the west of Seoul, he

explained. Its safe and comfortable to travel this route

thanks to the new bicycle lanes along the Han River. In recent

years, cycling has become a lot more exciting because these

bicycle-friendly facilities are being improved in Seoul.

The reason the Han is attracting ever more fun-seekers lies

in the large-scale refurbishment and expansion of related infra-

structure taking place here. The total length of bicycle lanes

along the Han in Seoul is over 41 kilometers on the south sideof the river, and roughly 30 kilometers on the north side. When

you factor in the bicycle lanes along branches of the

korea magazine [may 2010 vol. 6 no. 5]

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