Opening a communicative space

between Korea and the world

Focus on Asian Cooperation

at Korea-ASEAN Summit
Korea-Central Asia Culture Exchange Festival 6
June
ISSN: 2005-2162

UNESCO Honors 500 Years of Korean Royal History 2009

www.korea.net
  JUNE 2009
CONTENTS  VOL. 10 / NO. 6

10 12 32 34 48
Opening a communicative space
between Korea and the world
Publisher
Korean Culture and
Information Service 06 News in Focus
• Focus on Asian Cooperation at Korea-ASEAN
Summit
34 Korean Artist
• A Humble Operatic Mother: Cho Jeong-sun 52 Travel
• Riding the Steel Horse Across a Divided
Land: Mount Godae

36
Chief Editor
Ko Hye-ryun • Forging an Energy Alliance With Central Asian Korean Literature

Focus on Asian Cooperation

at Korea-ASEAN Summit
Korea-Central Asia Culture Exchange Festival 6
June
Editing & Printing
JoongAng Daily
Nations
• Fragrance of Silk: Korea-Central Asia Culture
Exchange Festival

• Hwang Tong-gyu: A life of many deaths —
and rebirths 58

Food
• A Farmer’s Drink Made Trendy:
Makgeolli
ISSN: 2005-2162

UNESCO Honors 500 Years of Korean Royal History 2009

www.korea.net

E-mail

40
webmaster@korea.net New Growth Engine Industries

16
Cover Photo
Global Korea
62 People
Birds and leaves her-
ald the beginning of Design • R
 enewable Energy, With Water the Only
JoongAng Daily • Grateful Aid Beneficiary Gives Back to the World Waste • Finding His Spirit in Ink and Brush:
Summer
by JoongAng Daily • Teaching Humanity How To Be Good Neighbors Albrecht Huber
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be
reproduced in any form without permission from Korea
• Cutting Through Red Tape With 29,000 Answers
45 Hidden Champions
• Samsung Makes Chips. EO Supplies Sam-


• Gritting Her Teeth and Climbing to the Top:
Oh Eun-sun
26
and the Korean Culture and Information Service.
Green Growth sung.
The articles published in Korea do not necessarily rep-
• Winning the Green Race

66
resent the views of the publisher. The publisher is not
Foreign Viewpoints
46
liable for errors or omissions.
• Local Mayors Take Initiative Sports
Letters to the editor should include the writer’s full name • Meeting the Challenge of Division:
and address. Letters may be edited for clarity and/or • Power Trio Takes Egis to the Top
Edward Reed
29
space restrictions.
Culture
• Seoul En Pointe!
48
If you want to receive a free copy of Korea or wish to
cancel a subscription, please e-mail us. Eco Life
A downloadable PDF file of Korea and a map and glos-
sary with common Korean words appearing in our text
• Celebrating the Wordsmiths: Seoul Book Fair • Spinning a Web of Walkways Across the
are available by clicking on the thumbnail of Korea on • UNESCO Honors 500 Years of Royal Korean History Peninsula
the homepage of www.korea.net.
발간등록번호: 11-1110073-000016-06

4 korea JUNE 2009 JUNE 2009 korea 5


Focus on Asian Cooperation
at Korea-ASEAN Summit
The Lee administration hosts its first multilateral meeting June 1 and 2
on Jeju Island, hoping to strengthen economic and cultural cooperation
M
arking the 20th anniversary of the
first talks between Korea and the
Association of Southeast Asian
Nations, the Korean government
will host a special summit in June on the resort
island of Jeju.
President Lee Myung-bak, leaders of the 10
ASEAN member countries and ASEAN Secre-
tary General Surin Pitsuwan will attend the
event June 1 and 2 to discuss cooperation on
key issues in the region and in the wider inter-
national community, including the global
financial crisis and climate change. The event
will also be an opportunity to deepen Korea’s
two decades of friendship with the regional
organization, the Korean government said.
“This year, the Korea-ASEAN Commemo-
rative Summit celebrates the 20th anniversary
of the relationship between Korea and ASEAN.
[Of course,] Korea’s relationships with indi-
vidual ASEAN nations go back more than a half
century,” President Lee said May 18 as he
addressed about 30 journalists from the 10
ASEAN member nations at Cheong Wa Dae.
“This year, Korea announced the New Asia
Initiative. Asia’s importance in the internation-
‘ASEAN is al community has grown in the 21st century.
Korea wants to form deep ties with its Asian
Korea’s third- neighbors beyond the current economic coop-
largest trade eration. To this end, this commemorative sum-
mit will be an important stepping stone to fur-
partner and ther develop the Korea-ASEAN relationship.”
second-largest Other officials also reaffirmed Lee’s com-
mitment to foster ties between Korea and its
investment Southeast Asian neighbors.
destination... “Korea’s relationship with ASEAN has
steadily developed over the past 20 years in all
[the event] will aspects including politics, the economy, society
be an impor- and culture,” said Foreign Minister Yu Myung-
hwan. “ASEAN is Korea’s third-largest trade
tant stepping partner and second-largest investment destina-
stone.’ tion. Every year, more than 3.5 million Koreans
6 korea June 2009
News in Focus
visit ASEAN member nations.”
The Association of Southeast Asian Nations
was formed in 1967 by Indonesia, Malaysia, the
Philippines, Singapore and Thailand. Member-
ship has since expanded to include five more
countries: Brunei, Myanmar, Cambodia, Laos
and Vietnam.
The organization aims at developing eco-
nomic growth and strengthening social and
cultural ties among its members. It also seeks to
maintain peace and stability in the region.
Korea established official ties with ASEAN
in 1989. In 2004, Korea and the association
adopted the Joint Declaration on Comprehen-
sive Cooperation Partnership, marking the
15th anniversary of the start of talks.
“This event is the latest on the list of grand
international events hosted in Korea, after the
Seoul ASEM meeting in 2000 and Busan APEC
summit in 2005,” Cheong Wa Dae said. “The
June event will be an opportunity to promote
Korea’s strong willingness to cooperate with
ASEAN, expand the country’s diplomatic hori-
zons and strengthen the capacity of the Jeju
Special Self-Governing Province.”
On May 31, the eve of the summit, an open-
ing ceremony for a meeting of Korean and
ASEAN CEOs and a performance by an ASE-
AN-Korea traditional orchestra are planned.
The orchestra is composed of diverse tradi-
tional musicians from the 11 countries, Korea’s
Foreign Ministry said, and the performance
will build a stronger foundation for closer ties
between them.
On June 1, the end of the CEO summit will
take place, and the first session of the com-
memorative summit between Korea and ASE-
AN state leaders will get underway. A welcome
dinner and cultural performance will follow,
under the slogan, “Partnership for Real, Friend-
ship for Good.”
During the first session of the commemora-
June 2009 korea 7

His Excellency Lee Myung-bak
President of the Republic of
Korea
• D ate of Birth Dec. 19, 1941
• B achelor in Business Administration at
Korea University, Seoul, Korea (1965)
• C hairman and CEO of Hyundai Engi-
neering and Construction (1988-92)
• Representative, 15th National As-
sembly (1996-98)
•M  ayor of Seoul (2002-2006)
• Honorary Doctor, Eurasia University,
Astana, Republic of Kazakhstan
(2004)
• Honorary Doctor of Economics,
National University of Mongolia,
Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia (2005)
tive summit, the leaders will evaluate
the cooperative relationship
between Korea and ASEAN. They
will also discuss future develop-
ments in politics, national security,
the economy, society and culture at
the session, with President Lee pre-
siding.
The second session of the summit is
on June 2, when leaders will share their
thoughts on how to overcome the prob-
lems international society is currently
facing.
According to the Foreign Ministry,
“Ways to strengthen cooperative strate-
gies on worldwide issues such as the
global financial crisis, energy security
and climate change” will be the main
items on the agenda. Thailand’s Prime
Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva will preside at
this session.
Next, a signing ceremony for a joint
statement will take place, followed by a
leaders’ luncheon and press confer-
ence.
According to Cheong Wa Dae, the
CEO meetings on the sidelines of the
political summit are aimed at building
networks between companies in Korea
and ASEAN nations. Under the theme
“Change, Challenge, and Collaboration
for Asia’s Prosperity,” the event will be
attended by 400 business leaders, aca-
demic experts and government officials
from Korea and ASEAN countries.
According to the Foreign Ministry,
8 korea June 2009
His Majesty Sultan Haji Hassanal
Bolkiah
Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan of
Brunei Darussalam
• D ate of Birth July 15, 1946
• Coronation 1967
• H onorary Doctor in Law, University
of Oxford, UK
• H onorary Doctor in Literature, Univer-
sity of Aberdeen, Scotland
• H onorary Doctor, University of
Chulalongkorn, Thailand
• H onorary Doctor in Liberal Arts, Uni-
versity of Yogyakarta, UGM, Gadjah
Mada, Indonesia
• H onorary Doctor in Law, Singapore
National University, Singapore
Samdech Akka Moha Sena Padei
Techo Hun Sen
Prime Minister of the Kingdom
of Cambodia
• D ate of Birth April 4, 1951
•M  inister of Foreign Affairs (1979~90)
• P rime Minister (1985~89)
• Joint Prime Minister (1993~98)
• H onorary Doctor in Politics,
Soonchunhyang University, Korea
Thailand
Malaysia
Singapore
Indonesia
the participants will discuss the global
economic outlook and Asia’s role as well
as economic and social development
through trade and investment.
Corporate growth strategy amidst a
changing global environment and the
challenges governments and businesses
face in relation to green growth are also
set to be discussed at this rare gathering
of regional business leaders.
“Green growth and fighting climate
change are not matters of choice. They
are matters of survival,” Lee said on May
18 at a meeting with ASEAN journalists.
“Many advanced countries have already
made progress, and Korea will cooper-
ate with ASEAN on this matter. Korea
has contributed $200 million to the East
Asia Climate Partnership, and I hope
His Excellency Susilo Bambang
Yudhoyono
President of the Republic of
Indonesia
• Date of Birth Sept. 9, 1949
• MBA at Webster University, USA
(1991)
• Minister of Mines and Energy (1999)
• Coordinating Minister of Political and
Security Affairs (2000)
• Ph.D. in Agricultural Economy, Uni-
versity of Agriculture, Bogor (2004)
• Honorary Doctor in Law, Webster
University (2005)
인도
ASEAN member countries
His Excellency Bouasone
Bouphavanh
Prime Minister of the Lao
People’s Democratic Republic
• Date of Birth June 3, 1954
• Third Deputy Prime Minister
• First Deputy Prime Minister (2003)
the fund will be jointly used with ASE-
AN nations for further development.”
The Green Technology Exhibition
will be held in the lobby of the Interna-
tional Convention Center Jeju from
May 31 to June 2, the Foreign Ministry
said. The event is designed to promote
Korea’s low-carbon, green growth vision
to visiting government delegates and
businessmen from ASEAN nations.
Korea hopes to persuade ASEAN
members to join the green growth
movement through the exhibit. By link-
ing the strategy with Korea’s proposal of
the East Asia Climate Partnership, Seoul
seeks to play a leadership role on the
issue in the international community.
The exhibition will also feature tech-
nologies and products that can be used
His Excellency Dato’ Sri Mohd Najib
bin Tun Haji Abdul Razak
Prime Minister of Malaysia
• Date of Birth July 23, 1953
• Deputy Minister of Energy, Telecom-
munication and Post (1978)
• Minister of Culture, Youth and Sports
• Minister of Education
• Minister of Defense
• Minister of Finance
South Korea
Myanmar
Vietnam
Laos
The Philippines
Cambodia
Brunei
News in Focus
His Excellency General Thein Sein Her Excellency Gloria Macapagal- His Excellency Lee Hsien Loong His Excellency Abhisit Vejjajiva His Excellency Nguyen Tan Dung His Excellency Dr. Surin Pitsuwan
Arroyo
Prime Minister of the Union of President of the Republic of the Prime Minister of the Republic Prime Minister of the Kingdom Prime Minister of the Socialist Secretary-General of the ASEAN
Myanmar Philippines of Singapore of Thailand Republic of Vietnam Secretariat
• Date of Birth April 21, 1945 • Date of Birth April 5, 1947 • Date of Birth Feb. 10, 1952 • Date of Birth Aug. 3, 1964 • Date of Birth Nov. 17, 1949 • Date of Birth Oct. 28, 1949
• First Secretary of State Peace and • Ph.D in Economics, University of • Bachelor in Computer Technology, • Bachelor in Political Economy and • First Deputy Prime Minister (1997) •M  aster’s and Ph.D. at Harvard (1982)
Development Council (2004) Philippines, Philippines (1985) Trinity College, Cambridge Philosophy, Oxford, UK • Governor of the State Bank of • S pokesman, Ministry of Home Affairs,
• Assistant Secretary of the Department • Master in Economics, Kennedy School • Master in Economics, Oxford, UK Vietnam (1998) Thailand (1988)
of Trade and Industry (1987) of Government and Graduate School • Member of Parliament (1992) • V ice Minister, Ministry of Home
• Chairperson of the Economics Depart- of Public Administration, Havard Affairs, Thailand (1992-95)
ment, Assumption College University •M  inister of Foreign Affairs, Thailand
• Senator (1992) • Minister of Trade and Industry (1986) (1997-2001)
• Vice President (1998) • Vice Prime Minister (1990) • C hairman, ASEAN Regional Forum
• President of the Central Bank (1998) (1999-2000)
• Minister of Finance (2001)
in ASEAN countries to encourage cooperation ment on merchandise trade took effect in 2007,
‘For Korea’s on green technology in the region. and the accord on opening up the service
success in the According to Cheong Wa Dae officials, the industry came into force earlier this year.
special summit will be an important part of Korea and ASEAN also reached an agree-
international President Lee’s New Asia Initiative. Announced ment on bilateral investment in April, which
community, in March this year, this diplomatic plan seeks to will take effect soon.
engage Asia-Pacific nations, a shift from Seoul’s Officials in Seoul also stressed the impor-
the support of old foreign policy focus on relations with glob- tance of ASEAN for inter-Korean relations. All
Southeast al superpowers. 10 ASEAN member nations have diplomatic
Noting that Korea’s diplomacy had been ties with both South and North Korea.
Asian nations concentrated on Washington, Tokyo, Beijing Noting that the ASEAN Regional Forum
is key.’ and Moscow in 2008, Lee said in March that the is the only regional consultative body for
time has come to reach out to Korea’s regional security dialogue in Asia that counts North
neighbors. Korea as a participant, Seoul officials said
Under the New Asia Initiative, Seoul’s goal ASEAN members can play an important role
is to speak for Asian nations in the interna- in establishing peace and stability on the
tional community. According to Cheong Wa Korean Peninsula amidst the freeze in inter-
Dae, Korea seeks to cooperate with its Asia- Korean relations.
Pacific neighbors while playing a leading role “This is the first multilateral summit hosted
in resolving transnational tasks such as the by the Lee Myung-bak administration,” said
financial crisis and climate change. Seoul will Kim Young-chae, head of the Foreign Minis-
focus on diplomacy to encourage free trade and try’s Southeast Asia Division.
investment within the region. “After China and Japan, Southeast Asian
As part of the initiative, Lee has made suc- nations are Korea’s closest neighbors. They are
cessful visits to Australia, New Zealand and important diplomatic, economic, cultural and
Indonesia. tourism partners. For Korea’s success in the
In this context, Korea’s ties with ASEAN are international community, the support of South-
extremely important both economically and east Asian nations is key.”
diplomatically, officials of the Lee administra- Kim said Korea is also a good example for
tion said. Bilateral trade between ASEAN and for the Southeast Asian nations on economic
Korea was worth $90.2 billion last year, 10.5 development and democratization.
percent of Korea’s total trade volume. “They also have high expectations for
Korea and ASEAN began negotiations on a development and cooperation,” Kim said. “In
free trade agreement in 2005, broken into four the future, ties between Korea and ASEAN will
separate accords on merchandise, services, play a positive role in helping us tackle various
investment and dispute settlement. The agree- global issues.”  By Ser Myo-ja
June 2009 korea 9

O
n a five-day visit to Central
Asia in May, President Lee
Myung-bak took another
step toward cooperation in
energy resource development with
Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan.
Lee visited the two nations from May
10 to 14. It was Lee’s first visit to the
region since taking office in February
last year, and a stepping stone for Lee’s
“New Asia Initiative,” which began ear-
lier this year to broaden Korea’s diplo-
matic horizons in Asia and bolster Asia’s
presence in the world.
“President Lee will seek to reinforce
our energy and resource diplomacy with
the countries, which have rich reserves
of oil and mineral resources, including
uranium,” Cheong Wa Dae said in an
earlier statement. “He will also seek to
strengthen cooperation with Central
Asia on global issues, such as climate
change and overcoming the economic
crisis.”
Lee and his Uzbek counterpart, Islam
Karimov, issued a 12-point joint agree-
ment on May 11, following a summit in
Tashkent. They agreed to an upgraded
strategic partnership and to enhance
energy and economic cooperation.
The Lee administration has made
energy the focus of its presidential diplo-
macy, considering Korea’s dependence
Korean President Lee Myung- on imports. Russia, South America,
bak, left, talks with Kazakh Africa and Central Asia were selected as
President Nursultan the key strategic areas for energy and
Nazarbayev at a joint press resource development.
conference May 13 in the “President Lee’s diplomatic tours
presidential palace in Astana, have been based on the energy diplo-
the capital of Kazakhstan. macy map,” said Lee Dong-kwan, Blue
[YONHAP]
House spokesman. “It began with trips
to Russia last year, and then he went on
to South America, Oceania, Indonesia
and Central Asia. Lee has circled the
globe for energy diplomacy.”
Forging an Energy Alliance During this trip, Korea and Uzbeki-
stan inked 16 deals covering joint explo-
ration projects for five new gas fields and
With Central Asian Nations to drill for new oil reserves.
Korea’s state-run National Oil Corp.
and the Uzbek national oil company
Uzbekneftegaz also signed a memoran-
President Lee Myung-bak signs agreements to develop oil and other resources dum of understanding to carry out the
on a five-day trip to meet with the leaders of Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan oil exploration project.
“Both sides expressed satisfaction
that their bilateral relations in political,
10 korea June 2009
President Islam Karimov of Uzbekistan (far right) gives President Lee Myung-bak, center, a tour
of the historic city of Samarkand, a stop on the old Silk Road.
economic, cultural and humanitarian
sectors have significantly developed in
recent years,” a joint statement read.
After concluding a successful visit in
Uzbekistan, Lee headed to his next des-
tination, Kazakhstan. At a summit in the
capital Astana May 13, Lee and Presi-
dent Nursultan Nazarbayev adopted an
action plan designed to enhance bilat-
eral economic and diplomatic collabora-
tion in energy, trade, culture, labor and
construction.
The two leaders agreed to a “strategic
partnership” through a set of measures
that will increase their diplomatic and
economic cooperation.
“South Korea will support the
Kazakh government’s efforts to diversify
its economy, in addition to supporting
energy cooperation between the two
countries,” Lee said at the beginning of
the summit.
Nazarbayev called for efforts to boost
ties, saying there still is “great room” for
the relationship to grow.
The two leaders also agreed to more
joint development of oil fields and min-
erals in Kazakhstan. The presidents also
agreed to cooperate in building infra-
structure such as power plants, power
lines and railroads, and in the shipbuild-
ing and IT industries.
The leaders signed 10 agreements at
News in Focus
[JoongAng Ilbo]
the summit, including for joint develop-
ment of the Jambil maritime oil block in
the Caspian Sea, construction of a ther-
mal power plant in Balkhash and wire-
less Internet networks.
Another great achievement of Lee’s
tour was deepened trust and friendship
between the leaders. Uzbek President
Karimov welcomed Lee at the airport
upon his arrival in Tashkent on May 10,
and accompanied him throughout his
trip in the nation.
The three-day tour concluded with a
visit to the ancient city of Samarkand,
added at the request of Karimov, who
guided Lee around the historic monu-
ments in this former stop on the Silk
Road between China and the West.
Kazakh President Nazarbayev gave
Lee the opportunity to visit the sauna at
the presidential retreat, a privilege only
afforded to the leaders of select coun-
tries, including former Russian Presi-
dent Vladimir Putin. “It is the highest
level of welcome in Kazakhstan,” said a
Cheong Wa Dae official.
Lee’s aides said the two leaders con-
versed easily during the summit thanks
to a quick rapport and trust.
According to Cheong Wa Dae, both
the Uzbek and Kazakh leaders also sup-
ported Lee’s “New Asia Initiative.” 
By Ser Myo-ja
June 2009 korea 11
 News in Focus

The Uzbek dance company Ofarin appears

on stage at the National Theater of Korea in
central Seoul on May 15. Wearing traditional
costumes, they performed various folk danc-
es from their native country.

Fragrance of Silk: Korea-Central Asia Culture Exchange Festival

12 korea June 2009 Jume 2009 korea 13
 News in Focus

Yu In-chon, minister of culture, sports and tourism, second

from left, chats on the opening night of the festival.

L
ast month saw an amazing opportunity to
appreciate the culture and mystery of most of
Central Asia in one place at the same time.
“Fragrance of Silk: Korea-Central Asia
Culture Exchange Festival” was held at the National
Theater of Korea in central Seoul from May 15 to 20.
Famous orchestras, singers and dancers from
Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan and Turkmenistan presented
their traditional and contemporary music and dances
over these six days to strengthen cultural ties between
Korea and the three countries,
located along the Silk Road,
giving the event its name.
At this festival co-spon-
[JoongAng Ilbo]

sored by the Ministry of Cul-

ture, Tourism and Sports, the
Ministry of Foreign Affairs
and Trade and the Ministry of
Knowledge Economy, curi-
ous spectators gathered fol-
lowing President Lee Myung-
bak’s first visit to the region,
from May 10 to 14.
“History fused with the strong spirit of their
nomadic ancestors to create a unique culture of their
own.” said Kim Hyo-jeong, a professor of Central
Asian Languages at the Pusan University of Foreign
Studies.
Opening night was to feature an address by Culture
Minister Yu In-chon and a rendition of Vivaldi’s “Sum-
mer” concerto performed by the Kazakh National
Philharmonic Orchestra and Korean violinist Gwon
Top, the Ka- Myung-hye.
zakh soprano The festival featured six performing groups from
Smailova Torgyn the three countries. Highlights included the Uzbek
performs with singer-songwriter Sardor Rakhimbon, a group from
the Kazakh Turkmenistan that played traditional instruments and
National Philhar- the Kazakh National Philharmonic Orchestra, which
monic Orchestra. accompanied an aria sung by Smailova Torgyn.
Left, a member Several movies including “Stalin’s Gift” and “With
Clockwise from top: Surkhon, a group of five men, and Ofarin, an acrobatic troupe, perform the traditional of Ofarin dances My Daddy” were shown at the Cinus Dansung The-
dance of Uzbekistan together; two dancers from Ofarin leap, and five members of the Kazakhstan State to traditional ater, while a photo exhibition called “Gems of Central
Symphony Orchestra play a wind quintet. Uzbek music. Asia” took place at the National Museum of Korea in
central Seoul.  By Sung So-young

14 korea June 2009 Jume 2009 korea 15


Olympic Stadium in Tunisia was built in
1997 with international support.
Grateful Aid Beneficiary
Gives Back to the World
About Korea’s Economic Development Cooperation Fund
16 korea June 2009
Employees and executives of the Export-Import Bank of Korea and the Japan Bank for International Cooperation pose during the JBIC-Korea
Exim Bank 2008 Consultation on International Development Cooperation. The JBIC is in charge of the Japanese counterpart of the EDCF.
K
orea is often cited as a success
story for the effects of interna-
tional aid.
From a war-torn, poverty-
stricken country in the aftermath of the
1950-53 Korean War, the South has
become the world’s 13th largest econo-
my - fourth in Asia - in only two gen-
erations. Intense economic efforts by
the government and the people are part-
ly to thank, but according to economic
historians and local policy makers, aid
from around the world, which came in
the form of grants and loans, also played
a crucial part.
The aid was funneled into major
infrastructure building programs such
as the Seoul-Busan Expressway, the
Pohang Still Mill and the Soyang River
Dam. The prestigious Korea Advanced
Institute of Science and Technology, or
KAIST, known to some as the MIT of
Asia, was also established with interna-
tional aid.
The contributions were so great,
former Finance Minister Kwon O-kyu
once said, that “without the money from
USAID, IDA, various international
organizations and developed countries,
Korea would have not been able to sup-
ply basic necessities to its people in the
aftermath of the Korean War.”
USAID is the acronym for the Unit-
ed States Agency for International
Development, while IDA stands for the
International Development Association
under the World Bank.
Among other major donors to Korea
were the Overseas Economic Coopera-
tion Fund of Japan, the Asian Develop-
ment Bank and the United Nations
Development Program.
From beneficiary to benefactor
Korea has paid back almost all its finan-
cial debt from the aid, but the psycho-
logical debt lingers as gratitude, which
prompted the country to turn from net
recipient to net donor 22 years ago.
The Economic Development Coop-
eration Fund has been a key instrument
in that shift.
The Korean government activated
this bilateral loan program in June 1987.
The Export-Import Bank of Korea is
now responsible for operating and man-
aging the fund under the general guide-
lines of the Finance Ministry.
With the goal of supporting indus-
trialization and economic development
in developing countries, the EDCF was
the first full-fledged aid program of the
Korean government.
Korea did implement some aid pro-
grams for less developed countries ear-
lier on, including training programs
sponsored by USAID in 1963, expertise
sharing programs in 1967 and an inter-
Global Korea
national development exchange pro-
gram in 1982.
But unlike those smaller and tempo-
rary programs, the EDCF was designed
as a permanent outlet for Korea to
donate and contribute to the long-term
economic development of its neigh-
bors.
Through the EDCF, Korea provides
loans to developing countries to finance
projects that are expected to enhance
economic conditions for the recipients.
And today, the EDCF is not the only
full-fledged instrument for Korea to
send out aid. In 1991, the government
founded the Korea International Coop-
eration Agency under the Foreign Min-
istry, which has since implemented
grants and technical aid programs. In
the following years, some other minis-
tries including the Education Ministry
also began to create their own global aid
programs, though in monetary terms
they are relatively small.
The EDCF and Koica both act bilat-
erally, with aid allotted for one recipient
at a time.
The Korean government later
expanded coverage and has donated to
programs that benefit developing coun-
tries through multilateral organizations
such as the World Bank, the Asian
Development Bank and the Interna-
tional Development Agency.
June 2009 korea 17
 Global Korea

‘Recipient countries might like receiving aid with no strings Over the years, EDCF loans have tended increasingly to go to
attached, but much research has shown that countries that social infrastructure and services. The EDCF also often helps
receive grants are not as motivated as countries receiving aid with manufacturing and emergency assistance.
loans to develop the economy.’

Motivating new development
Last year, Korea spent about 1 trillion
won ($799 million) on overseas devel-
opment aid, and 25.4 percent of that, or
237.1 billion won, was distributed
through the EDCF, according to the
Finance Ministry. Bilateral grant aid
through Koica and some other govern-
ment agencies accounted for 33 percent,
with the remaining 41.6 percent going
to multilateral grants.
Among the three pillars of Korea’s
ODA programs, however, the EDCF is
still considered by many as the most
effective.
This is because the obligation to pay
back debt motivates recipients to use the
money more effectively, officials say.
“Recipient countries might like
projects that become the basis of eco-
nomic growth, the ministry said.
“With grants, what we can give is
limited to, say, a few hundred comput-
ers. But with the EDCF loans, we can
build bridges,” Kim at the Finance Min-
istry said. “So we think recipient coun-
tries also prefer the EDCF program over
grants.”
The lending fund has grown over
the years, to 2.306 trillion won as of the
end of 2008, according to the de-facto
fund manager, the Export-Import Bank
of Korea.
Loan volume has grown along with
it. In 1987, when the EDCF started, only
two countries — Nigeria and Indonesia
— were approved for funds. That grew
to 16 projects in 11 countries in 2006
EDCF loan and how much.
Most of the beneficiaries of EDCF
loans, as the Exim Bank explains, are
developing countries with strong eco-
nomic ties to Korea or high potential for
economic cooperation. Many have
national per capita income of less than
$5,000, and more than 70 percent are
located in Asia.
Their repayment capacity is also
considered.
In October, the government
approved a $100 million loan to Viet-
nam, the biggest single loan to any
country in EDCF history.
Assistance concentrates on socio-
economic infrastructure likely to make
a major contribution to economic devel-
opment and on sectors related to basic
win EDCF assistance is monitored by
the Exim Bank.
Currently, 75 employees at the bank,
or around 10 percent of its workforce,
are assigned to the EDCF Group, the
department in charge of oversight.
“As the implementing agency of the
fund, we monitor whether the programs
are effectively being executed,” said Um
Sung-yong, senior deputy director of
the EDCF Group.
Sometimes the implementation of a
program is put on hold.
In January 2003, the Korean govern-
ment received a complaint from Uzbeki-
stan about the quality of $34 million
worth of educational equipment a Kore-
an company sold to the country. The
Central Asian country paid for the
products through a loan it had received
from the EDCF.
Korea recalled the products in ques-
tion and replaced them. But the inci-
dent prompted criticism that Korea is
hurting its image through a program
that was meant to bolster it.
Critics said the selection process for
local companies to be involved in EDCF
projects should be more thorough and
transparent.
This point was also raised at an
international conference that Korea
held to commemorate the 20th anniver-
sary of the foundation of the EDCF in
July 2007.
In a statement at the conference, the
Finance Ministry said, “We will
strengthen evaluation of each individu-
al project to enhance the effectiveness of
the EDCF.”
The ministry said clear indicators of
progress will be provided from the proj-
ect initiation stage and throughout
implementation to ensure successful
completion.
“In the evaluation report, lessons to
learn and areas to improve will be clear-
ly laid out, so that they can be referred
to and utilized in upgrading aid pro-
jects,” it added 
 By Moon Gwang-lip

provided by the Export-Import Bank of Korea

receiving grants with no obligations
attached, but much research has shown
that the countries that receive grants are
not as motivated as countries receiving
aid loans to develop the economy,” said
Kim Dong-jun, an official at the Finance
Ministry.
In fact, the Paris Declaration on Aid
Effectiveness, an international agree-
ment announced in February 2005, sets
out “ownership” as the first principle of
aid.
The Finance Ministry said EDCF
loans encourage recipients to work on
governance and fiscal management by
keeping them vigilant.
In addition, the EDCF can hand out
far larger amounts in loans than it is
possible to give away in grants, as loans
are redeemable. This makes them suit-
able for funding the large infrastructure
and last year to 28 projects in 13 coun-
tries. That year the program disbursed
237.1 billion won.
In its history, 45 countries have used
EDCF loans for 200 projects worth
$4.276 billion, the bank said.
According to the Finance Ministry,
both the size of the fund and the loans it
makes possible will continue to rise in
years to come.
Usually, an EDCF loan program is
initiated at the request of a candidate
country. The country applies for the
loan through Korea’s Foreign Ministry.
The application, which should include
detailed plans for how the applicant
country will use the funds, is then
reviewed by the Exim Bank.
Based on the results of this review,
the Finance Ministry makes the final
decision on whether to give out an
human needs, such as health, education
and the environment.
Targeting the public good
The purposes to which EDCF loans are
put are also carefully selected rather
than equally distributed. Sectors where
Korea has competitiveness over other
countries are preferred, since local com-
panies often participate in EDCF-fund-
ed development projects.
Over the years, EDCF loans have
tended increasingly to go to social infra-
structure and services. These projects
made up just 19.9 percent of EDCF pro-
grams in 1996, but that had jumped to
60.5 percent by 2005.
The EDCF also often helps with
manufacturing and emergency assis-
tance. Above, a combined cycle power plant being built in Vietnam in 1996; right, a wastewater
The implementation of projects that treatment facility in Jordan is enlarged the same year.

18 korea June 2009 June 2009 korea 19


provided by Good Neighbors
A
s the first international non-
governmental organization
born in Korea, Good Neigh-
bors International brings
smiles and new hope to 3.45 million
people in need around the world. For
Teaching Humanity How
example, last year, the international
organization donated 500 million won
($402,252) in relief goods such as blan-
kets, tents, and clothes to victims of dis-
To Be Good Neighbors location, disaster and other hardships.
Established in 1991 in Seoul with
only nine staff members, the non-profit
charity group focuses on humanitarian
and development issues guided by a
Korea’s first international NGO helps children, the poor vision of a peaceful world without star-
vation, prejudice, discrimination or
death from preventable disease.
Since then, the organization has
supported people in need, including
orphans, tuberculosis patients and the
otherwise disadvantaged, while provid-
20 korea June 2009
Global Korea
Far left, a girl in the African nation of Chad welcomes
volunteers. Left above and below, goodwill ambassadors
Byun Jung-soo and Lee Bo-young, respectively. Above, the
logo of GNI’s Good Buy campaign.
’We will keep ing support for poor children, emergency relief, help
to families in need of a home and free medical ser-
on working vices. The group also operates charity campaigns and
rural community redevelopment projects.
hard to care In one of its unique programs, the Korean organi-
for the 1.2 zation sends cassettes of music to Bangladeshi children
in its “Picture of Love” project.
billion people Good Neighbors has played an especially impor-
tant role helping Rwandan refugees, dispatching food
[who] live on and medical relief teams and operating two schools at
less than one
dollar a day.’
refugee camps since 1994, its first notable move over-
seas. GNI has now become the first Korean interna-
tional NGO to receive general consultative status at the
United Nations Economic and Social Council. Today
it has 942 staff members and 2,500 volunteers in Korea
and at 22 overseas branches in countries such as Nepal,
Ethiopia, Sri Lanka, Egypt, Vietnam, Kenya, Mongo-
lia, Tajikistan, Rwanda, Bangladesh, Cambodia and
Indonesia.
“We will keep on working hard to care for the 1.2
billion poverty-stricken people in the world who
struggle to live on less than one dollar a day,” said
June 2009 korea 21

GNI distributes food to disas-
ter areas across the world.
22 korea June 2009
63-year-old president Ilha Yi. “The GNI
announced its ‘Vision 2020’ last year. The goal
is to develop our organization into the seventh-
biggest NGO,” said Yi. “As a representative of
Korea, we will help more people and make a
contribution to make this world better.”
Currently, 498 staff members are stationed
overseas, offering assistance to anyone regard-
less of race, nationality, religion and region.
GNI volunteers have also rushed to disaster
sites all over the world.
For example, last year the international
organization donated 500 million won
($402,252) in relief goods such as blankets,
tents and clothes to earthquake victims in Sich-
uan, China. In 2006, two GNI relief teams were
dispatched to help quake victims in Indonesia
and Pakistan. The following year, the group
sent relief goods to Jakarta after catastrophic
floods.
“I always felt sorry for poor people in the
world. So this February, I decided to go to Cam-
bodia to be help them as part of GNI,” says Lim
Hae-rim, 24, a female volunteer.
“I still remember rebuilding a bathroom for
three siblings who lost their mother in a hit-
and-run.”
GNI is also active in Korea.
The group recently visited 107 schools
nationwide to provide free lunches for 2,590
undernourished children. In addition to deal-
ing with the critical nutrition issue, the organi-
zation offers counseling services to needy chil-
dren, helping them deal with school life.
According to a report released last year by
the Ministry for Health, Welfare and Family
Affairs, 294,599 children nationwide have suf-
fered from hunger.
Of course, starvation is much more severe
in North Korea, and GNI has been providing
humanitarian assistance to children there since
a famine in 1995.
In 1998, the charity organization sent 200
pregnant milk cows directly to the North as
part of a long-term project. Last June, GNI
donated 100 million won ($80,450) worth of
food including powered milk, bean oil
and wheat flour in order to help tackle a
chronic food shortage in North Korea.
GNI also donated 320 million won to
renovate a hospital located in the city of
Nampo, South Pyongan, to give North
Koreans high-quality medical services
with the most advanced equipment.
“I’m very excited to be a help to oth-
ers. I feel happy when I assist other
people,” said Lee Ji-hyun, a staff mem-
ber at GNI. “I will continue to try more
to help more people worldwide.”
Good Neighbors has even taken its
campaign online. At the beginning of
National Family Month in May, the
group launched an online fundraising
drive called “Give Start,” at www.give-
start.org.
As of Tuesday, May 13, a total of
8,892,000 won ($7,154) had been col-
lected from 960 netizens. The money
will be used to help needy people around
Global Korea
Clockwise from far left: Children in Korea also receive sup-
port from GNI; purchases of products with the Good Buy
logo help raise money for GNI, and actor Choi Soo-jong
helps a boy bathe as part of a GNI relief squad.
‘I still remem- the world.
Korean entertainers are also pitching in to help
ber rebuilding children in need, participating in a variety of charity
events hosted by Good Neighbors.
a bathroom Last month, Lee Min-ho, the male lead in the
for three recently-concluded hit TV drama “Boys over Flowers,”
took part in a nationwide charity event called “Coffee
siblings who Free Day,” leading thousands of people to donate mon-
ey for malnourished children and impoverished fami-
lost their lies. Earlier this year, two Korean movie stars, Kim
mother in a Ha-neul and Lee Jun-ki, traveled overseas with GNI to
give direct help to the poor.
hit-and-run.’ Over a week in Tanah Merah, Indonesia, they vis-
ited three siblings who had been orphaned.
The two stars helped build a basketball court and
computer lab room at a local school, contributing a
priceless gift – the gift of hope.
“Though it was only a one-week visit, it will be a
great memory,” said Kim. “I will continue to try to help
other poor children.”
Including the charitable events described above,
GNI has contributed 37.1 billion won worth of direct
aid to the poor in 2008.  By Park Sang-woo
June 2009 korea 23

Professors at U.S. graduate schools of
public affairs and administration tour the
Dasan 120 Seoul Call Center on Feb. 24.
Cutting Through Red Tape
With 29,000 Answers
T
he Dasan Call Center, a one-
stop service for callers with
inquiries or complaints
about Seoul’s city services,
has become a benchmark for gov-
ernments in other countries and
businesses looking to implement
similar information systems.
The center provides informa-
tion on all Seoul city government
services and everyday life in Seoul,
answering questions on every-
thing from the operating hours of
public transportation (buses and
subway trains) to how to pay one’s
water bill before moving out.
As of April 13, over 330 public
servants, scholars, reporters and
24 korea June 2009
businessman from 23 countries
around the world, including Rus-
sia, China, Germany, Spain, Viet-
nam and Turkey, have visited the
center, according to the Seoul Met-
ropolitan Government.
Nguyen Huu Cat, a civil ser-
vant from Hanoi, Vietnam, said his
March visit to the center was very
helpful in mapping out measures
to improve his city’s call center.
“It was impressive that Seoul
put a lot of effort into pursuing
civilian-centered administrative
services to help its citizens.” he
said.
Low Hock Meng, managing
director of the Singapore Produc-
Before the center opened, Seoul
residents had difficulty finding
provided by Seoul Metropolitan Government
information about living here.
Each government department had
a different phone number, so they
had trouble finding the right one.
“Even if they succeeded in call-
ing the right places, they found it
inconvenient because of overly-
long automated messages and the
absence of a civil servant in charge.
What’s worse, many residents
complained about repeated call
forwarding,” said Yoo Gil-jun,
director of customer service at the
Seoul Metropolitan Government.
“At the same time, civil servants
suffered stress caused by repeated
phone calls with the same requests,
which eventually led to unfriend-
liness to customers and a drop in
worker efficiency.”
In a bid to build a communica-
tion channel readily accessible to
customers at any time from any
place, Seoul City opened the Dasan
120 Seoul Call Center in 2007 after
an eight-month trial. The center
integrated all the numbers and
phone services provided by the
city and its affiliated institutions.
Over 220 Dasan counselors
provide services around the clock,
365 days a year.
“Seoul residents’ satisfaction
with the city’s call service was as
low as 41 percent in 2006. But in a
recent survey, 92.3 percent said
tivity and Standards Board, visited they were satisfied,” Yoo said.
the call center a second time with Counselors at Dasan answer
staff from other companies, saying calls in an average of 15 seconds
that he was impressed by the ser- and handle 90 percent of calls for
vice mindset and attention to cus- information and services directly
tomer satisfaction during his first without forwarding them to other
visit to the center. Bangladeshi departments, according to a report
government officials have also vis- from the city.
ited the center twice. The secret of its instant response
Some 360 institutions in Korea, is that Seoul has compiled a list of
including central government some 29,000 frequently asked
administrative bodies such as the questions and answers on civil
Ministry of Public Administration affairs. With this database of infor-
and Security and the Ministry of mation, counselors can provide
Knowledge Economy and local accurate and instant information
governments in Busan, Daegu, to callers in as little as three min-
and Gwangju, have sent officials utes, depending on the question.
to the call center to observe. The number of incoming calls
Global Korea
Satisfaction has tripled from 4,588 a day on average in Sep-
tember 2007 to 15,000 in 2009. The day before
with Seoul’s Children’s Day (May 5), the center received
over 20,000 calls about what parks and facili-
call service ties would be holding events on the holiday.
was 41 per- “Many citizens find it very convenient
because they can get instant answers just by
cent in 2006. dialing 120,” Yoo said.
To ensure equal access to the service, the call
But today it’s center launched a video counseling service in
92.3 percent. June 2008. About 40 hearing and speech
impaired people call the center each day, with
counselors answering their questions in sign
language. As of February 2009, over 4,300 peo-
ple had used the video service.
“There was one time a hearing impaired
person called the center and requested a coun-
selor because he wanted to order Chinese food
for lunch,” Yoo said. “The center’s counselor
ordered for him.”
Robert Shick, a public affairs and adminis-
tration professor at Rutgers University’s New-
ark campus, visited Dasan in February with 14
other U.S. college professors.
Shick called the video and text service “par-
ticularly notable.”
He even mentioned the Dasan 120 Call Cen-
ter in his class as an example of how govern-
ment can be more responsive to its citizens.
“Students usually respond positively to call
centers as some of them have used them and
were satisfied with the process,” Shick said.
Seoul is currently in discussions with grad-
uate schools of public administration at 15 U.S.
colleges including Cornell University, the Uni-
versity of Texas at Austin and the University of
Georgia to discuss the Dasan call center as a
case study in policy management. Dasan will
be included as an example of Seoul’s citizen-
centered policy.  By Kim Mi-ju
Left: An official at the Dasan Call Center
shakes hands with a public servant from
Bangladesh visiting the center.
Top: Public servants from Hanoi, Vietnam,
look around the call center in March.
June 2009 korea 25

Winning the Green Race
I
n January this year, the Korean gov-
ernment announced one of its most
ambitious plans to date, to spend
50.5 trillion won ($40.4 million)
over the next four years to bolster the
country's economy through eco-friendly
measures and create over 956,000 jobs.
Dubbed the “Green New Deal,” the
plan will include government invest-
ments in 36 eco-friendly projects includ-
ing the revitalization of four major riv-
ers, upgraded water facilities, expansion
of low-carbon transportation such as
high-speed railways, development of
eco-friendly vehicles and construction
of 2 million energy-efficient homes.
Finance Minister Kang Man-soo
said the plan has three objectives: job
creation, expanding future growth
engines and establishing a basis for low-
carbon growth.
Of the total sum, 37.5 trillion won
will come from the state while 5.2 trillion
won will come from regional govern-
ments. The rest, around 7.2 trillion won,
will come from the private sector.
With this plan, President Lee Myung-
bak has been called one of the world’s
most eco-friendly leaders in newspapers
and magazines around the world.
The Berlin-based newspaper Die
Tageszeitung last month wrote that no
other G-20 member has invested more
of its national stimulus package in green
growth. The paper added that President
Lee Myung-bak, who led the renovation
of Cheonggyecheon as mayor of Seoul,
has made Korea one of the leading envi-
ronment-friendly economies.
The Cheonggyecheon project, in
which Lee oversaw the transformation
of an aging highway into a stream with
an urban park along its banks, is seen by
many in the media as early evidence of
[JoongAng Ilbo]
Lee’s interest in environmental projects.
Earlier, the American magazine News-
week wrote: “As a politician, it was Lee's
26 korea June 2009
Green Growth
green efforts in Seoul during his stint as mayor from
2002 to 2006 that brought him to national prominence.
Koreans share these priorities: A recent poll reported
that 53 percent think environmental protection is more
important than development.”
Another German daily, Frankfurter Rundschau,
wrote in an article published in March that out of all the
countries at the G-20 summit in London, Korea had the
most pro-environment economic stimulus package.
The daily added that one-third of the total invest-
ment will be used to revitalize the four rivers, helping
Korea ease its chronic water shortage.
In fact, many global media groups have pointed out
that out of all industrialized countries with economic
stimulus packages, Korea may be the only one spending
the bulk on “green investment.” The Financial Times
reported this March, “The United Nations Environ-
mental Programme estimates that only South Korea is
now spending enough of its stimulus on green invest-
ment to cut the costs of climate change.”
The British newspaper the Guardian also reported
last month: “No matter what the the UK promises, it
will pale in comparison with the green boasts of South
Korea's 50 trillion won plan.” But the paper expresses
skepticism about Korea's plan as well. “With few spe-
cific details about how the money will be spent and no
estimate of the impact on carbon emissions, environ-
mental auditing of the plan is difficult. Diplomats and
local journalists said the true amount of green spending
was likely to be far below 81 percent. In the short term,
some suggest, South Korea's carbon footprint could
even go up as a result of the burst of construction.”
Korea's green policies have come a long way since
just a few years ago. Chinese magazine Liaowang
Weekly early this month reported that in 2005, Korea's
EPI (Environmental Performance Index) in 2005 was
‘Only South 122nd of 146 countries — one of the worst in the OECD.
Korea's present status as a world leader in green growth
Korea is now is a result of the country's economic development.
spending The move to become proactive in protecting the
environment is seen by most media groups as a benefi-
enough... to cial step for economic development as well. In the
Guardian, John Ashton, special representative for cli-
cut the costs mate change for the UK Foreign Office, said, "There
of climate seems to be growing consensus in Korea that being an
early mover in the low carbon transition is good for the
change.’ Korean economy.”  By Cho Jae-Eun
June 2009 korea 27
Green Growth
Local Mayors Take Initiative
Ansan and Suncheon planting trees and committed to alternative energy
T W
here was something different
about the utility bill that Choi
Sun-min, 46, received in March. It
said that she used 176 kilowatt
hours of electricity, which emitted 74.6
kilograms of greenhouse gases, and that to
counterbalance CO2 emissions, she
should plant 43.8 trees.
But she’s used to it by now. Some
45,000 households in 65 apartment com-
plexes in Ansan, Gyeonggi, have since
2007 received similar bills alerting them
on the impact of their CO2 emissions.
With people growing more aware, the
complexes cut their electricity use 15.4
percent last year, saving about 25 kilowatt
hours per home each month.
As a resident of Ansan, Choi received
22,000 points on the “Evergreen Environ-
ment Certificate System,” introduced by
Ansan City in 2007 in a bid to promote
green growth. Her membership status is
now blue.
Ansan City is planning to allow resi-
dents to use their points to buy eco-friend-
Ansan City employees view the city hall
building’s 72-kilowatt solar power board.
28 korea June 2009
ly products and gift certificates.
Implementing the certificate system
saved the city electricity, it said. Last year,
residents used 649,946 fewer kilowatt
hours, a savings of 2.6 percent, equivalent
to the amount used by 177 households in
a year and 271 tons of CO2.
Ansan’s environment-friendly plans
date back to 2006.
Prior to implementing the system,
Ansan City Hall built a 72-kilowatt solar
power board that can generate 3 percent
of the electricity used by the building.
To expand their efforts to go green,
Ansan plans to plant 7 million trees. Late
last year, they’d reached 1.44 million.
It also plans to construct three 750-
kilowatt wind power plants this year in
Seongam-dong, Danwon District, and
change guard lamps in apartment com-
plexes for more efficient light-emitting
diodes.
“Ansan will be reborn as a green
growth city and a mecca of reusable ener-
gy with wind, tidal and solar energy,” said
Korea’s most spectacular ballet festival ever begins June 4
hether you don’t
Park Joo-won, Ansan mayor. know a toe shoe
Along with the city in Gyeonggi, Sun- from a tutu, or
cheon, South Jeolla is also contributing to you can name
promote green growth. all the latest winners of the
Roh Kwan-kyu, the city’s mayor, Prix Benois de la Danse, you
recently said Suncheon will plant 5 mil- won’t want to miss the 2009
lion trees by 2010 in a bid to offset emis- World Ballet Star Festival.
sions of greenhouse gases. As its name suggests, the
The city in 2007 said it would plant 3 event invites world-famous
million trees, but has already reached 3.87 ballet troupes to perform in
million. Seoul.
Suncheon also created a 570-square- But this is more than a
meter city forest with 2,000 trees and is regular show. The 2009
now promoting bicycle use. By 2020, the World Ballet Star Festival
city hopes 50 percent of its residents will will include highlights from
use bicycles to get around. well-known ballet pieces,
“We will decrease the volume of both classic and contempo-
greenhouse gases and become an ecologi- rary, including “The Nut-
cal city,” Roh, the mayor, said, noting that cracker,” “Cinderella” and
the city hopes to set a good example for “Don Quixote.”
other regions nearby. “Ballet novices will have
Meanwhile, Suncheon recently took a chance to taste what ballet
out telephone poles located in the habitat is like with familiar classics.
of hooded cranes, which come looking for People who love ballet can
reed swamps.  By Lee Eun-joo see ballet stars on one stage
without traveling around the
world,” said Lee So-young, a
secretary at the Seoul-based
World Dance Center.
The 2009 World Ballet
Star Festival is co-organized
by the WDC and the Joon-
gAng Ilbo, one of the nation’s
leading daily newspapers.
“It usually takes between
three and four months to
decide who will perform at
the festival because all of the
ballerinas and ballerinos
have hectic schedules,” said
Yoo Kyung-su, an official at
JoongAng Culture Media.
[JoongAng Ilbo]
The cast includes princi-
pal ballerinas and danseurs
from the Russian Kirov
Seoul En Pointe!
The world’s greatest ballet dancers from Korea, Cuba, Russia and
more will gather in Seoul to show off at this two-day extravaganza.
Mariinsky Ballet, the Nation-
al Ballet of Cuba and the
Berlin Staatsoper Ballet.
Korean ballet stars Kim Ju-
won, Jang Un-kyu, Hwang
Hye-min and Um Jae-yong
will take part.
When asked how some-
one who has never had the
chance to enjoy a ballet
before (or perhaps has fallen
asleep at a few) can learn to
appreciate the form, Lee at
the WDC replied, “In order
to enjoy this kind of ballet
[JoongAng Ilbo]
festival, which consists of
highlights, you should focus
on the dancers’ techniques,
not the stories. The dancers
are there to show you their
skills at this kind of gala.
“And if you research the
performers and their per-
sonal backgrounds, you
might enjoy this festival even
more,” he said.
Polina Semionova is one
of the most popular balleri-
nas among local fans. The
25-year-old Russian became
Culture
the principal dancer of the
Berlin Staatsoper Ballet at
18, which made her one of
the world’s youngest prima
ballerinas. Her repertoire
includes “Swan Lake,”
“Sleeping Beauty” and “The
Nutcracker.” At the Seoul
festival, Semionova will per-
form “Le Corsaire” with her
elder brother Dmitry Semi-
onov.
Cuban ballerina Vieng-
say Valdes will also show
Korean audiences the defini-
tive Kitri. Valdes first filled
the role in Don Quixote at
age 19 and received rave
reviews from critics for her
balance and spins.
Meanwhile, two prima
ballerinas will face off dur-
ing the festival. Kim Ju-won
and Ekaterina Kondaurova
were both named best female
dancer at the 2006 Prix
Benois de la Danse. A single
winner could not be chosen,
leading to the first shared
best female dancer award in
the competition’s history.
But at this event, you can
judge for yourself.
The prototype for the
festival ran in 2000, and this
year marks the sixth. The
2009 World Ballet Star Festi-
val will be held at the Opera
Theater of the Seoul Arts
Center on June 4 and 5.
Ticket prices range from
30,000 won ($24) to 200,000
won. For more information,
call 02-751-9630 or visit
http://culture.joins.com/bal-
letstar. By Sung So-young
June 2009 korea 29

Celebrating the Wordsmiths
The focus of this year’s
Seoul book fair is the
nexus of art and litera-
ture.
T
he biggest book fair in the coun-
try took place at COEX in Sam-
seong-dong, southern Seoul,
from May 13 to 17. The 15th
Seoul International Book Fair 2009,
which was organized by the Korean
Publishers Association, not only
showed off books but also offered a dis-
play of book cover illustrations and
book-themed art. Screenings of films
based on books also took place. The
theme of the event this year was the
significance of books in art and film.
A total of 836 publishers from 20
countries, including 330 Korean pub-
lishers, participated. Companies came
from the United States, Germany,
France, Taiwan, Malaysia, Vietnam,
Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Ireland, Brit-
30 korea June 2009
ain, Italy, India, Japan, China, Czech
Republic, Canada, Thailand, Poland
and the Philippines to join in.
The event was divided into four dif-
ferent sections: domestic, internation-
al, book art and the “guest of honor”
booth, this year devoted to Japan.
Some 232 Japanese publishers took
part in the event, displaying 2,800
books, from novels to comics. A num-
ber of high-profile Japanese authors
including Kaori Ekuni, Hitonari Tsuji,
Shuichi Yoshida and Yoko Kamio
signed autographs during the event.
Ekuni and Tsuji are the co-authors
of “Between Calm and Passion: Rosso,”
which has been made into a film.
Yoshida has won both the Yamamoto
Shugoro Award for entertainment nov-
els and the prestigious Akutagawa
Prize for “Park Life.” Kamio is famous
as the artist and writer of the manga
“Boys Over Flowers,” which was adapt-
ed as a TV drama in Korea, Japan and
Taiwan, a credit to its enduring popu-
larity across Asia. At the fair, Ekuni met
and talked with female Korean author
Jeong Yi-hyeon.
Korean cartoonist Huh Young-man
also signed autographs to commemo-
rate the publishing of his comic “Sik-
gaek” in Japan. The comic was turned
into a Korean film called “Le Grand
Chef.” Exhibitions of Japanese calligra-
phy and kimonos also took place.
Korean authors who met fans at the
event included Han Seung-won, Cho
Gyeong-ran and Eun Hee-gyeong. Vis-
itors enjoyed 16 films including “The
Da Vinci Code,” “The Devil Wears
Prada” and “Changeling.”
The exhibition of art based on
books and original illustrations for
book covers attracted many spectators.
The drawings were the same ones
shown at the Bologna Children’s Book
Fair in March, where Korea as guest of
honor exhibited 64 illustrations.
By Limb Jae-un
Culture
Joy of collaborating
Kaori Ekuni and Hitonari Tsuji introduced
their second collaboration, “Right Shore/Left
Shore,” at the Shilla Hotel in Seoul on May
13. Tsuji greeted the press in Korean and said
he “always wanted to come to Korea.”
The book is a compilation of six years of seri-
als about a 50-year friendship.
“After finishing ‘Between Calm and Pas-
sion: Rosso,’ Ekuni and I talked about how
to write a story about a lifetime,” Tsuji said.
“In the book, I wanted to illustrate the series
of meetings and separations experienced by
one person.”
“An important theme of the story is the fact
that the two main characters were together
in childhood,” Ekuni said. “Even when they
are old, they always have each other. One
is on the left side of the river and the other
is on the right side. They don’t look at each
other across the river, they walk in the same
direction. Although they are not together all
the time, they always have each other if they
look aside.” Clockwise from top: The
They said it was not easy for two established festival was divided into
writers to co-author a novel, but they gained
a lot from working together.
four sections this year,
with Japan as the guest of
“Co-writing has some disadvantages. There
are limits in the way one can write, but I did
honor; children look over
not have such disadvantages when I worked
a pop-up book at the fair;
book illustrations were part
with Tsuji,” Ekuni said. “Creative destruction
is important in writing, and Tsuji played that of this year’s artistic theme;
role.” Ekuni said she has a lot of trust in Tsuji. and one of this year’s more
“I believe that he will never disappoint me in creative booths.
terms of his work. He is a solid partner.”
Tsuji also met with Gong Ji-young, a bestsell-
ing Korean author, and gave a lecture on Ko-
rean poet Yun Dong-ju at Yonsei University.
“Yun is a great poet and he is incomparable,”
Tsuji said. “His humanism and philanthropic
spirit inspired me a lot.”
[JoongAng Ilbo]
[JoongAng Ilbo]
Kaori Ekuni, left, and Hitonari Tsuji introduce
their second collaboration, “Right Shore/Left
Shore,” at the Shilla Hotel in Seoul on May 13.
June 2009 korea 31
 Culture

U
NESCO is likely to designate the 40 royal tombs of
the Joseon Dynasty (1392-1910) a World Heritage
site in June.
The Cultural Heritage Administration in Korea
announced on May 13 that the International Council on Mon-
uments and Sites had decided to include those 40 tombs on the
prestigious World Heritage list.
“No historic site recommended by Icomos has been reject-
ed by the UNESCO World Heritage committee,” said Kim
Hong-dong, director of international relations at the Cultural
Heritage Administration.
Once the royal tombs of the Joseon Dynasty pass through
the final procedure at the 33rd Session of the World Heritage
Committee this year, they will be officially listed as a World
Heritage. The meeting is set to take place in Seville, Spain from
June 22 to 30.
Included in the listing are the royal tombs for 27 genera-
tions of kings, queens, crown princes and even nobles over-
thrown or posthumously recognized as kings during the dynas-
ty, which lasted 519 years. The tombs are mostly located with-
in 40 kilometers of Seoul, the capital of Joseon and now of

[JoongAng Ilbo]
Above, the tomb of King Sejong the Great
near Seoul is one of 40 UNESCO is likely to
approve as a World Heritage site. Below, stat-
South Korea.
Historians take particular note of the tombs as an extreme-
ly rare preservation of an entire royal lineage. The royal tombs
reflect Joseon’s unique cultural traditions, including its archi-
tecture, rituals and Confucian practices.
The fact that ancestral rituals and other intangible tradi-

World Honors 500 Years ues overlook the tomb of the revered king. tions related to the tombs continue to this day was also well
received by the council. The royal tombs won further points for
being well managed and maintained overall.

of Royal Korean History Korea already has eight UNESCO World Heritage sites,
including the Seokguram Grotto and Bulguk Temple in the
Gyeongju Historic Area in North Gyeongsang, Jongmyo Shrine,
the Changdeok Palace Complex in central Seoul, Suwon
The 40 tombs of the Joseon dynasty would be 9th local UNESCO site Hwaseong Fortress in Gyeonggi, dolmen sites in three areas of
Gochang in North Jeolla, Hwasun in South Jeolla and Ganghwa
in Gyeonggi.
The Tripitaka Koreana at Haein Temple in Hapcheon, South
Gyeongsang, Jeju Volcanic Island with its lava tubes and the
Seongsan Ilchulbong crater are also included.
The royal tombs will become Korea’s ninth World Heritage
[YONHAP]

site, assuming the those tombs win final approval this month
as expected. By Hong Jin

32 korea June 2009 June 2009 korea 33

 Korean Artist

A Humble Operatic Mother

Cho Jeong-sun won’t dwell on missed chances: The music’s the thing

left him, Alfredo comes back to Violetta, thing. But insist and she says, “I read Kore-
‘Sometimes I life would have been very different,” Cho said, elaborating
Provided by Cho Jeong-sun

but soon after they are reunited Violetta,
who is ill, dies in his arms.
“I was so impressed when the audi-
ence, who looked to be in their 60s or 70s,
were singing the arias with me, crying”
when Violetta was dying, Cho said in a
recent phone interview.
This was probably the moment she
realized how important it is to convey the
lyrics clearly to the audience.
Many people take it for granted that
the lyrics of arias are not clearly heard. But
in fact, it is not supposed to be that way. It
is a matter of a singer’s ability to pronounce
words clearly and at the same time
smoothly glide through the notes.
Cho is one of a few opera singers who
are blessed with this ability. The words are
clearly understandable even if you have
never heard the song before — assuming
you know the language.
“Personally, I think lyrics are very
important. Every music has a message in
Cho won praise in Italy before returning to Korea. She now lives in Daejeon. [the melody itself], but what sets songs
an poems out loud a lot.”
When reading poems, she focuses on
where to breathe so as not to break the
sentence and ponders how to express the
emotion that the words contain.
Though she sounds like someone
from a musical family, she is in fact the first
professional musician among her rela-
tives. Her mother was a member of a
mothers’ choir at Cho’s school, and her
father had a great voice, but didn’t usually
sing.
Born in the small town of Onyang,
South Chungcheong, as a girl Cho was
always singing.
“A couple of years ago I met a friend
who went to kindergarten with me, and
her instant response was ‘Oh, Jeong-sun,
the girl who was singing all the time!’,” she
laughed. “I don’t even remember when I
started loving singing, but I always said I
would become an opera singer” whenever
her school teachers asked.
In fact, she wasn’t clear what an opera
that she could have gone to school in the capital Seoul,
think I could where she would have been exposed to more culture.
still be After finishing college and graduate school at Mok-
won, she went to Italy, hungry for a challenge. For four
performing in years starting in late 1993, she studied at the G. Rossini
Europe... But I Conservatory, Roma Arts Academy, and the Accademia
A.I.D.M., just to name a few. But the 1997-98 financial
believe there crisis hit her hard, and she had to come back to Korea.
must be a rea- “Just before I came back, I received a job offer from
an Italian opera agency, but because of the economy, I
son for that.’ couldn’t stay any longer and by that time I had already
arranged a job in South Korea,” she said.
Cho became senior trainer for the Daejeon city boys
and girls’ choir. “Sometimes I think I could still be per-
forming in Europe if I had taken the offer, and regret
missing the chance. But I believe there must be a reason
for that,” says Cho, a devout Christian.
Based in Daejeon, she had many chances to sing
operatic arias at concerts in the city. Once she even per-
formed as Donna Anna in Mozart’s Don Giovanni.
But she didn’t have many opportunities to perform in
Seoul until she met Lee An-sam, a composer of gagok,
about two years ago. That was when she realized the true
value of the opera-like Korean form.

B
y general snobbish standards,
soprano Cho Jeong-sun may not
merit media coverage. She did
not graduate from a renowned
school. She has not won prizes at global
competitions. She has not recorded a sin-
gle solo album. And she is not yet widely
known even here.
But all that has nothing to do with her
most important asset: a voice that moves
the heart.
Soprano Maria Callas once said,
“When music fails to agree to the ear, to
soothe the ear and the heart and the sens-
es, then it has missed the point.”
By this standard, the 42-year-old
Korean soprano is successful, her songs
infused with sadness, beauty and love.
Cho’s voice has ample power, yet it is
graceful; her clear ringing instrument
floats evenly throughout her range with-
out a trace of stridency, producing notes
above a high C seemingly effortlessly.
No wonder she won praise as “the best
Violetta ever” when she debuted as Vio-
letta in Verdi’s opera La Traviata at the
Teatro Manzoni in Rome in 1997. She per-
formed an encore at the request of local
musicians and reporters. “I was honored
and very pleased,” Cho said.
La Traviata is a tragic love story: Vio-
letta is a famous courtesan in Paris who
changes her life after falling in love with
Alfredo, a nobleman, who has long
admired her. But when Alfredo’s father
demands she end the relationship for the
sake of his family’s honor, she does so,
breaking her heart. After learning why she
apart is that they have lyrics. If you succeed
in conveying the words through the
human instrument, you get closer to the
audience,” Cho said.
When she sings, she tries hard to deliv-
er the words of the song. She ponders
where it would make sense to pause and
how to express the nuances of the words.
Her talent shines in particular when
she sings traditional Korean operatic
songs, called gagok. The Korean language
is hard to pronounce clearly when singing,
since it is not as rhythmic as Western lan-
guages such as Italian. Singers who try too
hard to pronounce the words clearly can
end up sounding blunt and harsh. But
those who don’t try enough end up mum-
bling.
When asked about her secret, she
laughs and denies that there is such a
singer was and didn’t know what to do to
become one. Only when she entered mid-
dle school in Hongseong, South Chun-
gcheong, did she learn vocalization from
one of the school’s music teachers, who
had majored in opera. When she entered
high school, she sought out private lessons
during vacations.
“Living in a small town, I barely had
any information. And I thought what was
given to me was everything there was,”
Cho said.
When she was a senior in high school,
Cho won the top prize at a musical con-
cours hosted by Mokwon University in
Daejeon, which offered her a four-year
scholarship. She took the offer without
thinking too much about what else was
out there.
“If I had made a different decision, my
After many false starts and
dashed hopes, the Korean
soprano Cho Jeong-sun is
finally starting to receive the
attention she deserves.
“It’s embarrassing, but before, I didn’t realize that
there are so many people who just love gagok. To be hon-
est, I just considered the songs as those that are added at
the end of concerts” as a kind of bonus.
“But I found them more attractive both in terms of
music and lyrics, which contain Korean sentiments that
as a Korean singer I could understand better. I think
blood tells a lot.”
Cho plans to perform gagok regularly at various recit-
als. Through them, she expects to impress audiences
around the nation, and eventually around the world.
Maybe it’s not how fast they become popular that
makes the big names important. Cho is making converts
slowly but steadily, just as she prepares breakfast for her
three kids every morning, even on recital days.
It’s as a music critic once said:
“Cho Jeong-sun has proved that a splendid profile is
a mere mirage.”
It’s the music that matters, after all.
By Park Woo-won

34 korea June 2009 June 2009 korea 35


Hwang Tong-gyu
A life of many deaths — and rebirths
One of Korea’s most revered modern poets uses motifs
of travel and the natural world to renew the self.
H
wang Tong gyu, born in 1938, is
one of the most revered poets in
Korea. A former professor of Eng-
lish Literature at Seoul National
University, Hwang has participated in the
Iowa International Writers’ Program and
taught at New York University. He has received
numerous honors, including the 1980 Korean
Literature Award, 1991 Isan Literature Prize
and the 2002 Midang Literature Prize.
Though his early poems tended to focus
on the sense of melancholy, desolation and
longing that pervade the poet’s inner world,
Hwang soon overcame his preoccupation
with the theme of individual alienation to
achieve communion with external reality.
What characterizes his poetry from this
point onward is strength of perception and
lucidity of mind.
In order to attain this clarity, Hwang often
36 korea June 2009
Korean Literature
employs the theme of journey or travel. Stasis,
in Hwang’s poetry, signifies death, and move-
ment the possibility of rebirth. Traversing Major works
varied landscapes in search of renewal, the
One Clear Day
poet faces death but also experiences regen- (Eotteon Gaein Nal, 1961)
eration in new encounters. Snow Falling in Samnam
Passing through mundane everyday real- (Samnam-e Naerineun Nun, 1975)
When I See a Wheel, I want to Make It Roll”
ity, nature that keeps silent, forgotten history (Na-neun Bakwi-reul Bomyeon Gulligo Sipeojinda, 1978)
and hostile strangers during his travels, the A journey to Morundae
poet seeks to engage in what he calls “meth- (Morundaehaeng,1991)
Wind Burial
odological love.” (Pungjang, 1995)
Synonymous with “vital movement,” Strong Winds at Misi Pass
“methodological love” designates the process (Misiryeong Keunbaram, 1998)
A Love Song in Berkeley Style
of opening up to “the other” that enables a (Beokeullipung-ui Sarang Norae 2000)
being to be reborn. Hwang’s poetry not only There Were Times When I Depended on Chance
describes the new awareness attained as a (Uyeon-e Gidael Ttae-do Itseotda, 2003)
result of this candid opening to the outer Essay collections
world and sincere dialogue with the self, but The Root of Love
enacts this process itself, inviting the readers (Sarang-ui Ppuri, 1976)
Winter Song
to participate in the new awakening. (Gyeoul Norae. 1979)
[JoongAng Ilbo]
The Light and Shadow of My Poetry
(Na-ui Si-ui Bit-gwa Geuneul, 1994)
Source: Korea Literature Translation Institute
June 2009 korea 37

Wind Burial
This volume of poetry, The poet’s wish to be
written over a period of 14 “buried in wind” rather than
years, records the develop- cremated or lowered into a
ment of the poet’s awareness grave reflects his desire to
of death as he transitions confront and accept death, or
from the peak of his life — his the natural process of “disap-
mid-40s — to the beginning pearing.” In death, the poet
of his twilight years — his late envisions himself alone on a
50s. deserted island in late autumn.
The 70 poems collected Bathing himself in the cold
here are linked by the motif of sun, he wants to let his flesh
the “wind burial,” the folk tra- dry and play with the wind
dition of leaving the corpse until the last drop of blood in
out in the open and allowing his body has evaporated.
it to decompose and disap- On his “last journey,” the
pear gradually. poet will leave everything
There Were Times When I Depended on Chance
Youth prefers the idea of sure and abundance expressed
“causality,” with definable in the poems in this volume.
logic and predictable conse- The world of chance,
quences, to that of “chance,” according to the poet, breaks
guided only by randomness. the chains of time and frees
Growing old, however, one one from worldly desires.
often comes to realize that a “Heart that clings like the
large portion of life, from claws of a crab / Cut it off —
birth to relationships with snap, snap — as one would
people and choice of career, is with the claws of a crab! and
shaped by chance, not by live without a heart.” So the
human will. poet aspires to a state of per-
By accepting the unknow- fect freedom in which the
able workings of powers heart, empty of greed, is
beyond human cognizance, unaware even of itself. If Wind
the poet attains a sense of lei- Burial embraced death as a
Translation index
Book Title Year of publication Genre
Strong Winds at Mishi Pass 2001 Poetry
Wind Burial 1990 Poetry
Les racines d’amour 2000 Poetry
Posada de Nubes y otros poemas 1998 Poetry
Windbestattung 1996 Poetry
38 korea June 2009
Poem
behind, even “the moisture
on the tip of the tongue,” but
he will take “a lungful of air”
with which to laugh at the
people still struggling in the
world. Though death is always
tragic, the poet does not
lament or fear it. For him, it
signals a return to nature to
become once again a part of
the cycle of life. The “wind
burial” also represents a puri-
fication process, in which
nature and time gradually
“wash” away the “grime”
encrusting one’s soul.
way of cleansing oneself of
desire, this book transcends
even the idea of death as a
means to a certain end.
In “Step by Step Fading
Away Thusly,” the poet refuses
to flop down and leave
“engravings of knees” in place
of his “fading footprints.” He
will simply continue to walk
until his feet leave no tracks.
The poet wishes to lead a
simple, unfettered life, and
simply succumb to death
when he must without a mur-
mur of protest in his heart.
Language
English
English
French
Spanish
German
Korean Literature
by Hwang Tong-gyu
A Winter Night at 00:05 Hours
I walked watching the stars.
I was about to cross after I got off the local bus
behind the apartment’s back entrance, but I just kept walking.
The stores’ shutters came down, as if trying to conceal their inner cold.
Still, one or two snowflakes blew in the wind
from the snow that had briefly fallen late that night.
The dust must have died down for now.
How long had it been? I adjusted my coat, collected myself,
and walked to the last stop watching the stars.
The last bus stop. Not so long ago, on one side
of the small triangle-shaped square,
an ironmonger’s with scissors and knives
hanging outside its window like baroque music, was demolished,
and a farmer’s market with the sign “To the Field” took its place.
The building lights go off and a streetlamp reads the sign.
On the opposite side, a Shilla Bakery closes its doors for the night.
Where the last side begins, a woman stares hollow-eyed
at her cell phone, as if waiting
for her daughter or husband on the last bus.
She is tall, her waist slightly bent,
and she is memorizing something in a just audible voice.
I stand by her as if I know her
while rubbing my hands together, and look up to the sky.
In the sky that seems to have frosted over, Ursa Major,
over there, Cassiopeia…and Orion.
None torn into separate stars, all still alive!
The woman in a just audible voice now says decisively,
“Now I’m going to kill myself.”
The streetlight just shines off her pale face.
There is no murderous trace staining it.
I feel somewhat at ease.
Silently, I also think, “Just let him or her come!” several times.
A star brightens, and asks,
“What are you waiting for? Someone who might not come?
A world without darkness? A world without dust?
The life of a comet radiating light
as its body of dust freezes and melts in the dark
is probably not a bad life.”
Who let out a dry cough?
If someone hadn’t been next to me,
I would have spoken up precisely to the star,
“I won’t speak about the dark or the light
next to those desperate in their waiting!”
Like the outside of a scuba diving mask,
the stars shimmer, then stop.
It’s time for the last bus to arrive.
Translated by Krys Lee
June 2009 korea 39
 Renewable Energy, With
Water the Only Waste
Special
Series
07
After being announced as one of
New Growth Engine Industries
22 new growth engines by the Lee
Myung-bak government, the fuel cell
power generation system has received
much more public attention. How-
ever, people need more information
to understand why fuel cells are
thought of as revolutionary genera-
tors capable of speeding up economic
growth.
Fuel cells, which have been in
commercial use since the 1960s, have
only recently become big business.
Although the basic principle of the
fuel cell was discovered in 1839, fur-
ther development for commercializa-
tion started only after many decades
because exploitable resources such as
crude oil and coal provided much
cheap energy.
With the depletion of fossil fuels
and climate change looming, sustain-
ability has become more important.
There are two ways to realize this sus-
tainable growth. One is to conserve
fossil fuels and the other is to produce
renewable energy.
Fuel cells, a highly efficient and
ultra-clean power-generation system,
efficiently save on non-renewable
resources with much less pollution
compared to conventional power
generators such as gas turbines. Fuel
cells are now available as an alterna-
tive source for renewable energy.
Moreover, with further technological
40 korea June 2009
development, they are expected to
provide energy from hydrogen any-
time, anywhere.
The fuel cell business compares to
a rough diamond that hasn’t been cut
yet. It’s the jeweler who brings out its
brilliance. Likewise, Korea, aware of
the full potential of fuel cells, will lead
a new energy era by developing fuel
cells to contribute to national
growth.
Before fuel cells are industrial-
ized, some fundamental issues need
to be addressed.
Basic principles of fuel cells
A fuel cell is an enviromentally
friendly form of energy technology
that works by combining hydrogen
and oxygen through an electrochem-
ical reaction to produce electricity
and heat. Because it directly converts
chemical energy in hydrogen and
oxygen atoms to electricity, it is high-
ly efficient in generating power.
Because it burns nothing, it releases
substantially fewer pollutants than
conventional power plants, which
burn fossil fuels.
Benefits
The electrical power of fuel cells
ranges from several hundred kilo-
watts to dozens of megawatts.
Amid increasing energy demand
and costs as well as growing public
awareness of energy conservation,
fuel cell power plants are becoming
the choice for on-site power with
around-the-clock availability. This
green technology has become
increasingly popular with facilities
looking to implement an environ-
mentally friendly electric power
generation system without sacrific-
ing efficiency, availability or perfor-
mance.
First of all, fuel cell power gen-
eration systems make much more
efficient use of fuel than other tech-
nology such as reciprocating engines
and gas turbines. That means that
they can make more usable electric-
ity from the same amount of fuel.
They are 47 percent efficient in the
generation of electrical power and
up to 90 percent efficient in com-
bined heat and power applications.
Conventional thermal power plants
operate at about 35 percent electrical
power generation efficiency.
Fuel cell power systems generate
virtually no pollution or emissions of Provided by Hyundai Kia Automotive Group
greenhouse gases such as nitrous
oxide (NO) and sulfur oxide (SO),
and dramatically reduced carbon Fuel cells can power entire
dioxide (CO2) emissions. They also cities or individual cars, like
eliminate emissions generated by this fuel cell electric vehicle
fossil-fuel-based backup generators made by Hyundai Motor.
which are often required by wind
June 2009 korea 41

Basic principles of fuel cells
Special
Series
07
and solar power facilities. Because
New Growth Engine Industries
fuel cell plants make the least noise
compared to fossil fuel power plants,
it is possible to install them in resi-
dential and office areas in cities.
Unlike wind and solar technolo-
gies, which generally have an overall
availability of 15 to 25 percent, fuel
cell technology operates indepen-
dently and has an availability of 95
percent.
A continued fuel supply is much
easier because various gases can be
used, such as natural gas, methane
gas and gas generated from sewage
disposal plants and landfills. A num-
ber of industrial and agricultural
plants generate this gas in the manu-
facturing process. Fuel cell power
plants can even use byproducts of
methane gas as an energy source,
although they generally use natural
gas. They can also use alternative
fuels such as synthetic natural gas
and coke oven gas, which will be
commercialized within a few years.
In the long term, when a hydrogen
economy is realized, hydrogen gen-
erated by electrolysis of water will be
the main nourishment for fuel cell
power plants.
Market prospects
As an independently modulated
system, fuel cell power plants are
42 korea June 2009
Efficiency
Source : IEA, Experience curve for energy technology policy,2000
ideal for a wide variety of markets
and applications, spanning indus-
trial, institutional and commercial
customers. They can be installed in
almost any place that needs energy:
food and beverage processing or
manufacturing plants, hospitals,
prisons, hospitality facilities, univer-
sities, even water treatment plants.
Fuel cells, which provide reliable,
on-site and uninterrupted power 24
hours a day, are ideal as an emer-
gency backup power source. They
can be useful in public facilities such
as telecommunications base stations,
police stations and fire stations.
Based on its diverse use, the
global fuel cell market is dramati-
cally growing at 80 percent a year.
Experts forecast the market will
reach $60 billion by 2018.
Research and development
Generally, fuel cells are catego-
rized by the type of electrolyte they
use. The three main electrolytes for
the industry are phosphoric acid fuel
cell, molten carbonate fuel cells and
solid oxide fuel cells.
Phosphoric acid, commercial-
ized the first among the three, had an
efficiency rate of 37 percent. It was
installed in more than 200 sites in the
late 1990s. However, because of
expensive raw materials and the lack
of reliability, the number of installa-
tions has not increased since then.
In the early 2000s, a new type of
fuel cell, the MCFC, was commer-
cialized. Its efficiency rate, operating
at high temperatures of 600 to 750
degrees Celsius, was between 50 to
60 percent, depending on cogenera-
tion with gas turbines.
MCFCs are under development
for use with a wide range of conven-
tional and renewable fuels. MCFC
development has focused on large
stationary and marine applications.
As of now there are three types,
producing 2.8 megawatts, 1.4 mega-
watts and 350 kilowatts of electricity.
More than 60 commercial units are
operating at about 50 locations all
over the world. The market is now
rapidly growing, with the trend
heading toward larger units and
multi-megawatt electricity genera-
tion.
SOFCs, called the next genera-
tion of fuel cells, are still in the devel-
opmental stage, but Korea aims to
commercialize them within five
years. Due to high operating tem-
peratures of around 700 to 1,000
degrees Celsius, the efficiency rate is
expected to increase to 55 percent
and, possibly to 60 or 70 percent in
case of cogeneration. Other major
benefits of SOFCs include the lowest
cost and the smallest size of installa-
Hydrogen, the universe’s most abundant element,
will be the linchpin of the new energy economy.
tion sites among the large stationary
fuel cells.
Outlook
Fuel cells, one of the best pro-
spective alternatives to fossil fuels,
are at the final stages of becoming
our next major power source. The
technology gap between advanced
nations and late starters can be nar-
rowed in a short time, because it was
only in the 1990s that developed
countries like the United States, Ger-
many and Japan began to develop
fuel cell technology in earnest.
Future investment will be the
decisive factor to become a leader in
the fuel cell industry. That means
that Korea, having already started
boosting the fuel cell industry, has
the potential to be the next energy
leader in the world.
Second, the fuel cell industry has
a ripple effect that can create a new
market for metal, electricity, machin-
ery, and related equipment. It could
bring about a huge economic
impact.
The market has huge potential
not only as an alternative to fossil
fuel power plants but also as emer-
gency backup power sources for
ultra-clean marine transportation
systems such as commercial or naval
ships.
According to the Lee Myung-bak
government, the large stationary fuel
cell industry will be able to produce
1,290 megawatts of electricity by
2012, and the market will grow to
$60 billion by 2018. The government
plans to support development, aim-
ing to control 40 percent of the glob-
al fuel cell market and developing the
industry into one of the nation’s top
nine export industries by 2018. The
government also expects 9,000 new
jobs will be created over the next five
years and 68,000 jobs over the next
10 years in the sector.
Fuel cells could play an impor-
tant role in preparation for a hydro-
gen-based economy. Hydrogen, the
most abundant element in our uni-
verse, needs to be extracted from fuel
sources — traditionally natural gas
and more recently renewable waste
gases.
Raw hydrogen is not yet used as
a fuel because its storage, transporta-
tion and production are seriously
under-developed at this time.
Although experts have differing
points of view about when a hydro-
gen society will arrive, they generally
agree that the energy industry has
yet to undergo a significant transi-
tion from a carbon base to a hydro-
gen base.
In the future hydrogen society,
fuel cells will certainly be a core part
of power generation.
Efforts for industrialization
There are three significant ways to
realize the mass production of fuel
cell power generation systems. One is
a government support to boost the
market in the beginning. Second,
research and development should
focus on localization and securing
original technology. Last, manufac-
turing capacity should be continu-
ously advanced to reduce costs to an
extent where competition with con-
ventional power generators is possi-
ble.
With the government’s announce-
ment of new growth engines on Sept.
22, the government and private sector
prepared a long-term plan to focus on
market growth by expanding incen-
tives to R&D and manufacturing
facilities. With policy makers paying
unprecedented attention to fuel cells,
the government has used a so-called
feed in tariff, or FIT, system, since
2006. FIT is an incentive program to
cover the margin between the stan-
dard price of fuel cells and the average
price of electricity, as conventional
power plants are still cheaper than
renewable ones. This program guar-
antees a certain profit as the unstable
renewable energy business gets its
start.
June 2009 korea 43
 Environmental index
Special
Series
07
Today, the standard price of power
New Growth Engine Industries
from fuel cells using LNG is up to
274.04 won per kilowatt, after FIT. The
official price falls 3 percent every year,
while the support program will only
support capacity of up to 50 mega-
watts. However, the market is growing
more quickly than expected and the
50-megawatt ceiling is likely to be
reached within one or two years, while
LNG prices fluctuate. Experts say the
50 megawatt ceiling should be lifted to
a higher level as well as reflecting
increased LNG prices.
In the private sector, POSCO has
injected $15 billion toward developing
technology and establishing product
lines. In 2007, POSCO started a five-
year project to develop 180-kilowatt
SOFC systems, aiming to become the
world’s first company to commercial-
ize the next-generation fuel cell power
system. Currently POSCO has devel-
oped a five-kilowatt stack and com-
pleted the basic design for a 50-kilo-
watt system.
The success of this SOFC project
would be recorded as a significant
milestone for the Korean energy
industry, because it means the localiza-
tion of the most advanced practical
power generation system in the
world.
In addition, POSCO has made an
effort to ramp up manufacturing capa-
bility to meet current and future
44 korea June 2009
Source : IEA, Experience curve for energy technology policy,2000
demand and realize economies of
scale. In September 2008, POSCO
completed construction of the world’s
largest fuel cell power generation facil-
ity, with a net capacity of 50 megawatts
from MCFC cells, at Pohang. This
plant has the capacity to generate
enough electricity for 17,000 ordinary
households. An additional 50-mega-
watt MCFC plant will be built near the
already completed plant by 2011.
Conclusions
A transition in the energy industry
is now taking place, with scarce and
dangerous fossil fuels phasing out and
sustainable renewable sources emerg-
ing. Korea needs to take immediate
action on this significant change to
secure its survival and establish energy
leadership in the global market.
There are two main ways to devel-
op sustainable energy. One is to devel-
op renewable energy such as sun,
wind, hydroelectric, geothermal heat
and biomass power in a sustainable
way. The other is to discover new ener-
gy sources such as fuel cells, which are
one of the best solutions to replace fos-
sil fuel generators in terms of efficiency,
eco-friendly features and fuel flexibil-
ity.
Fuel cells are also one of the most
effective alternatives to natural energy,
which is limited by its intermittent
Hidden
Champions
Samsung Makes Chips.
EO Supplies Samsung.
Semiconductors may be a leading
export product, but that wouldn’t be
possible without the laser markers EO
Technics specializes in.
nature. A relatively young company, EO
In short, fuel cell power generation holds a 50 percent global market share
systems are a central pillar of a future in the machines, which use lasers to
built on sustainable energy, as well as a engrave materials like microchips,
national new growth engine for green according to the Ministry of Knowl-
industry. The future of this remarkable edge Economy. Even during this eco-
technology in Korea depends on our nomic downturn the company has
next move. continued to perform well.
EO’s operating profit last year was
9.1 billion won, up 23 percent from the
2007. Revenue increased by 23 percent
to exceed 100 billion won. The firm
also saw a 40.4 percent surge in profit
to 9.8 billion won.
Its outlook is promising with mar-
ket analysts expecting the global
marker and display sectors to grow
over 100 percent and 40 percent,
Chung Ki-suk EO Technics respectively, this year thanks to a big-
ger non-memory chip market.
Chung Ki-suk is manager of Holds over 50 percent of the EO signed a contract worth 796
the research and development global market for laser markers million won with Samsung Electro-
department at the fuel Mechanics in February, and a month
cell business division of later inked a $1 billion contract with a
POSCO Power. He received Chinese company to export laser
his Ph.D. in chemical engineering equipment for manufacturing liquid
at Postech. crystal displays.
Previously, Chung served as EO Technics was founded in April
manager of the manufacturing 1989. Five years later the company
technology department established its own research institute.
at the semiconductor business In March 1999, EO set up its first over-
[Provided by HJC Helmet]
and memory division of seas office in the United States. The
Samsung Electronics, from second opened in Singapore that May.
March 2003 to September Today the company operates branch
2005. offices also in Malaysia, the Philip-
E-mail: kisukch@poscopower. co.kr Provided by EO Technics pines, Indonesia, Thailand, Taiwan,
India and Japan. The company entered
the Chinese market, setting up an
office in Tianjin, in February 2003. It
now has other offices in China in
Qingdao, Shenzhen and Suzhou.
The company was listed on Korea’s
secondary Kosdaq market in 2000.
Though in its early years EO Tech-
nics’ main target was manufacturing
laser markers, the company has since
expanded into other laser solution
businesses including laser deflashers,
laser wafers, level makers and laser
trimmers, used in the manufacturing
of semiconductors and displays.
Today its laser equipment drills,
cuts, trims and repairs memory chips
and flat panel displays.
CEO Sung Kyu-dong stresses
innovation and aggressive expansion.
The company used every resource
available including support from the
state-run Korea Trade-Investment
Promotion Agency, which helped its
exports to Japan reach $3.7 million just
two years after entering the country in
November 2006.
In April the company unveiled a
new laser marker at an exhibition. Not
only could it burn letters with precise
accuracy according to the specified
size, it was shown to be safe even at the
level of under 25 micrometers.
The laser marker is also effective in
making different products, including
mobile phone keypads. The process is
now four times more efficient, with
the machine able to write 4,000 words
a second, eight times faster than cur-
rent markers.  By Lee Ho-jeong
June 2009 korea
June 2009 korea 45
45

Power Trio B
asketball is a team game, and every player
has a role. But the KCC Egis owe their 2008-
09 season championship largely to three
Takes Egis
standouts.
The Egis were able to overcome some mid-season
distractions to finish at the top thanks to the leadership
of head coach Hur Jae, the dominating presence of
to the Top center Ha Seung-jin and the quiet confidence of
12-year veteran Choo Seung-kyun. At the end of the
post-season, Choo was named the finals MVP, Ha was
named Rookie of the Year and Hur was given the reins
Hur Jae, Ha Seung-jin and to Korea’s national basketball team.
It’s not easy to win a title as a player and then anoth-
Choo Seung-kyun lead team er as head coach. Some of the greatest champion play-
to Korean championship ers have failed to succeed off the court. But since he
took on the head coach post for the KCC Egis in 2005,
Jae, the lanky, scrappy guard who won so many acco-
lades as the player wearing number 9, has found great
success as a coach too.
He now has the difficult task of leading an injury-
plagued national team in the preliminary round of the
FIBA regional tournament, which takes place June 8 to
14 in Nagoya, Japan. If the team can place in the top
two, they will secure a spot in the FIBA Asia tourna-
ment to be held in Tianjin, China on August 6 to 16.
The KCC owe their success not to Hur alone but
also to Ha and Choo. So it’s a good sign that both have
been included on the national team’s roster for the
summer tournament.
If Ha was the star who drew attention from the
media and fans for his thunderous dunks and colorful
facial expressions, Choo was the opposite, his
veteran leadership a calming influence.
Ha Seung-jin was in fact the first
Korean to play in the NBA, drafted in
2004 in the second round by the Portland
Trail Blazers. Ha had the size to fill the
shoes of an NBA center but looked awk-
ward and lost in his precious few
minutes on court during his
short career overseas.
In his rookie Korean sea-
son this year, not everything
went smoothly for Ha. The
duo of Seo Jang-hoon and Ha
were supposed to provide the
basis for a dominating squad.
KCC Egis players celebrate after win-
ning game seven of the KBL finals,
[NEWSIS]
98 to 82, on home court in Jeonju,
North Jeolla
46 korea June 2009
Sports
But the team’s star center, Seo, angry at the decreased
playing time, demanded a trade. Ha had his outbursts
too. After a January 15 game against the KT&G Kites,
when Ha was still getting acclimated to the KBL, he
complained at a press conference about what he per-
ceived to be the less than adequate playing minutes he
was being assigned.
But as the season progressed and the post-season
started, Ha began to mature on and off the court,
improving with each game. The KBL had never seen
Left, the coach, Hur Jae;
below, the star, Ha Seung-
a true seven footer dominate the paint. It also helped jin, and bottom, the veteran,
that Ha came from a family of ballers. His father was Choo Seung-kyun
once a national team member, and his sister current-
ly plays on the Shinhan Bank team.
Ha’s only flaw seemed to be his dismal numbers
from the free throw line, where he averaged less than
50 percent during the regular season. During the
finals, Ha was hobbled by what was thought to be an
ankle sprain, but an MRI on the ankle after the season
revealed two ligament tears that will require sur-
gery.
“I enjoy playing for the national team. I have nev-
er pulled out of the national team by using injury as
an excuse. I hope my teammates can play well in the
upcoming tournaments so that we can secure a place
[JoongAng Ilbo]
in the tournament in China in August. I wish to join
my teammates in August,” said Ha at the national
team’s first meeting on May 13.
Choo, a solid but not a spectacular player, stepped
up and took charge in the finals to earn an MVP
award. It was the first time the 34-year-old guard had
won an award in his entire 12-year career. He was also
selected as one of the best five players of the year.
“I believe I won this award for my consistent play
during my 12-year career. I don’t think I can
reproduce this season’s performance, but I will
continue to work hard to win another title with
the younger guys on the squad,” said Choo at the
awards ceremony.
Having gone through a lengthy and physical post-
season, it remains to be seen whether Choo can deliv-
er for his coach on the national team. But the future
of the KCC Egis looks bright.
Ha, the centerpiece of the KCC squad, is still
young, and joining him to form a formidable inside
and outside threat will be half-Korean point guard
Tony Akins. The left-handed Georgia Tech grad has
the ability to dominate the back court and feed crisp
passes to Ha in the post. Although it’s never easy to
make accurate predictions on sports, at this point, it
would be hard not to pick KCC to repeat their win
next season.  By Jason Kim
June 2009 korea 47
 Eco Life

The Olle Walkway on Jeju island

combining 400 kilometers of
trails along 12 routes.

F
rom the packed sidewalks of Jongno to the
blind curves of narrow back roads, Seoul is not
a particularly pedestrian-friendly place.
But those who really enjoy a good walk
will have a place to go, if the Ministry of Culture,
Sports and Tourism has anything to say about it.
The ministry plans to complete a massive network
of walkways through scenic areas by 2017, with a bud-
get of 100 billion won. The ambitious project seeks to
expand existing walkways and pave new ones, essen-
tially creating a web of paths crisscrossing the country
that visitors can use to wander. Each will have a theme,
such as history or art. Currently the ministry envi-
sions a history and culture walkway along the Nak-
dong River. In order to protect the local environment
and reduce damage from construction, the ministry
plans to utilize existing walkways to their fullest
potential and reopen ones that may have closed or

Spinning a Web of Walkways

eroded away over time. Once completed, the whole
network will be an impressive 1,200 kilometers in
length. Starting in 2009, the ministry plans to com-
plete about 130 kilometers each year.

Across the Peninsula “This project will be centered around the four
main rivers, old walkways and the demilitarized zone,”
said an official at the Culture Ministry who declined
to be named. “We want to create a space where culture
and the ecosystem coexist together for a green cul-
Over 1,200 kilometers of pedestrian paths are planned tural journey.”
The official added that the project aims not only
to stretch across South Korea by 2017 to provide citizens an opportunity to take a walk and
improve their health but also to bolster the tourism

[JoongAng Ilbo]
industry and spark local economies.
“We are aiming to create a new trip culture as
people reflect by talking a stroll. Each walkway will
48 korea June 2009 June 2009 korea 49

More than simple hiking trails, each walkway will have a theme —
historical, cultural or natural — with guides on hand in designated
locations to help illuminate the local landscape.
Students on a field trip harvest salt at a salt pan on Jungsan Island.
50 korea June 2009
have its own story to tell,” said the official, adding that
workers will be on hand in some places to teach visi-
tors the local history or folk tales associated with the
area.
In order to ensure the best possible outcome, the
ministry in March asked tourism experts, citizens and
private travel clubs to recommend possible locations.
Delegates from the various groups took fact-finding
trips and mapped out five test courses in accordance
with preselected themes.
The ministry has also laid out plans on how to best
utilize this vast network of walkways once completed.
For instance, special trips for troubled youth and adult
mentors are in the works. The thinking is that a pro-
longed walk in the woods will help form a bond
between the youths and their mentors, to help them
get on the right track.
Certificates will be available for walking a certain
distance on the network, giving a sense of satisfaction
for those who choose to explore. To help bring citizens
together, the ministry plans to facilitate meetings
online and off between those interested in a stroll.
At designated points the ministry will establish
information centers to provide information on the
surroundings, from the ecosystem to the walkways
themselves. To maximize effectiveness, each walkway
will have a Web page, where visitors can obtain infor-
mation on traffic, overall length, underlying theme
and nearby accommodations.
Needless to say, in order to maintain quality, visi-
tors will be surveyed periodically, while constant
monitoring will ensure the increased inflow of visitors
poses no threat to local wildlife.
The whole plan is well in line with the govern-
ment’s national green growth agenda. Culture Minis-
ter Yu In-chon said earlier in April that the Korean
tourism industry, now based just on having fun and
eating, needs to change its approach for the future.
“Green growth tourism in the 21st century is tour-
ism that nurtures one’s internal energy,” the minister
said. “As part of green growth tourism we will restore
walkways to integrate them with the culture and the
ecosystem, and we will also build eco-culture cities.”
Experts say the government’s plan
needs careful coordination in order to
achieve the desired results.
“There needs to be a strategic
approach in determining who is going
to be the main customer here,” said Lee
Mu-yong, a professor of culture at
Chonnam National University.
Lee stressed that if a walkway is to
be developed along a river, the indi-
vidual soul of the river should be con-
sidered, with a unique philosophy for
the walkway, along with entertainment
factors.
“Making a walkway filled with cul-
ture is the key for the overall success of
this project,” said the professor.
The ministry plans also to actively
promote cultural assets along the walk-
ways that have fallen into obscurity in
an attempt to revive popular interest in
tradition and history. In a separate proj-
ect, the ministry is scheduled to pro-
duce a map that will record designated
cultural assets along the nation’s four
main rivers.
Since the walkway project also
dovetails with the government’s plan to
restore those rivers, experts such as
Kim Seong-beom, who heads the Naju
National Research Institute of Cultural
Heritage, have pointed out that the ini-
tiative provides an opportunity to
restore historic sites or even discover
new ones.
“In a recent survey in the Yeongsan
River area 61 possible sites have been
identified as containing relics,” said
Kim. “After discovering such sites and
doing the proper research it’s important
to package them together as resources
for cultural tourism.”
By Brian Lee
Eco Life
Korea’s latest government push has been for biking as transportation — but that doesn’t
mean these paths can’t be used for pleasure as well.
The Olle Walkway
Hoping to provide walkers with insight into the heritage of Jeju Island, the Olle Walk-
way was created by combining 400 kilometers of trails along 12 routes.
“Olle” refers to the narrow pathway that led to the front gates of a traditional house
from the street, giving some idea of the cozy atmosphere of this path. The routes
provide scenic views of Jeju’s famous shores.
The culture of tourism in Jeju has already changed thanks to these paths. Until recently,
the first step on arrival was to rent a car and drive to the cabin where the family would
stay, but today more tourists come with nothing but backpacks and water bottles.
The Olle pathway has won notice from other regional governments for its economic
and ecological benefits. As of this March 39,000 tourists have used it.
The government of Seogwipo, Jeju estimated each visitor spent an average of 10,000
to 60,000 won on lodging and food. Just last year, the value created by the walkway
was estimated at over 10 billion won. With just 10 million won spent to develop each
walking course, the walkways have been a boon to the island’s economy.
Due to the increasing number of tourists, additions to the path for the entertainment
and convenience of visitors have taken place. More markings and guideposts have been
added along with regularly scheduled walking programs. Also, distinctly themed events
have been sprouting up on the pathways such as the Honeymoon Couples event, the
Walking Backwards event and a network of classes teaching about the regional culture
of Jeju called the Olle Academy.
The first walkway in the network was opened to the public in September 2007, and
since then the Jeju Olle Exploration Team has added 11 more, with others still on the
way.
June 2009 korea 51
 Travel
Travel

[JoongAng Ilbo]
Accessible by train, Mount Soyo, also called
Mount Godae, is located at the edge of the
demilitarized zone, the most heavily fortified
border in the world.

Riding the Steel Horse Across a Divided Land

52 korea June 2009 June 2009 korea 53

A
fter World War II, the con-
frontation between the
Soviet Union and the United
States tore the world apart.
In Germany and Vietnam that division
was felt quite viscerally, with the coun-
tries themselves split in half. But today,
years after the fall of the U.S.S.R., those
nations are reunited.
Only Korea remains cut apart, into
north and south, 56 years after a cease-
fire ended the Korean War. Until
recently South Koreans could travel to
Mount Kumgang and Kaesong in
North Korea for pleasure and business,
but a state of war still technically exists
between the two halves and there’s no
way to tell how long even these limited
cooperative projects will continue.
In many ways the peninsula is still
united by its mountains, all part of a
range known as the Baekdudaegan.
Most mountains in Korea can be
reached by bus or car. But of course the
54 korea June 2009
[JoongAng Ilbo,JES]
most romantic way to visit the mountains is by train.
Convenience and reduced carbon footprint are extra
bonuses.
The Korean mountains accessible by train are:
Mount Samak in Chuncheon, Gangwon (645 meters)
via the Gyeongchun Line; Mount Mindung in Jeong-
seon County, Gangwon (1,023 meters) via the Tae-
baek Line; Mount Jiri in South Jeolla (1,915 meters)
via the Jeolla Line; Mount Deoksung in Yesan Coun-
ty, South Chungcheong (495 meters) via the Jang-
hang Line; Mount Sobaek in Yeongju, North Gyeo-
ngsang (1,440 meters) via the Jungang Line, and
Mount Godae in Yeoncheon County, Gyeonggi (832
meters), via the Gyeongwon Line.
It takes around 10 minutes by car from Sintanri
Today a sign Station to reach the trailhead on Mount Soyo, also
at the terminal known as Mount Godae, at the edge of the demilita-
rized zone. The Gyeongwon Line opened in 1914
declares, ‘The connecting Seoul and Wonsan, and until the nation-
al division Sintanri was just a small stop on the way
steel horse to the city in Kangwon in North Korea. But after the
wants to run Korean War, Sintanri Station became the end of the
line. Today a large sign at the site reads, “The steel
through.’ horse wants to run.”
Top, Sintanri Station has been the last stop on the Gyeongwon Line since
the end of the Korean War. The original terminus, Wonsan, is in North
Korea. Above, hikers climb Mount Soyo.
Travel
The most convenient way to reach it is to take the
subway to Dongducheon Station, near the U.S. army
base at Camp Casey, then switch to the train.
Many people think the name Mount Godae
means “large whale” in Korean, but more likely is a
connection to the area’s topography — deep valleys
and high ridges and peaks. The 45-minute train ride
up the mountain offers a scenic view of the Korean
countryside.
From the trailhead three routes stretch on a steep
slope up the mountain. Route No. 1 and 3 are along
gorges. Route No. 2 runs along the ridge that leads to
Maldeung Boulder and on to the peak. The second
route offers a great view, but it’s crowded and too
steep for beginners, so it may be more peaceful to
take the easier third route. Over two hours of hiking
will take you to Daegwang Peak, where the second
and third routes reunite. The top of Mount Godae is
just 10 minutes away.
Route No. 1 is best for coming down the moun-
tain, which takes about an hour and a half. The path
runs through a trench for about 300 meters and past
a military barracks, reminders that this is the front
line against North Korea. Most of Korea’s mountains
are shaded by coniferous pines and firs, but Mount
Godae is covered with bushes. Trees cast shadows,
natural hiding places for infiltrators from the North.
Stretching out below Mount Godae is the Cheor-
won Plain, over which the North and South fought
fierce battles during the war, one of the most famous
atop Baekma Hill. It’s said that the mountain was
scarred during the war and that’s why trees refuse to
grow here. The ridge connecting Mount Jijang (877
meters) in Pocheon, Gyeonggi; Mount Bogae (752
meters) in Cheorwon County, Gangwon and Mount
Godae is popular among serious hikers. With the full
trip taking more than 10 hours, perseverance and
strength are necessities.
They say life is too short to hurry. Train travel
helps us realize the beauty of going slowly.
Though the agony of Korea’s separation still con-
tinues and signs of the confrontation between North
and South still remain, at least one thing of beauty has
come from it: The demilitarized zone, free of human
interference for 64 years, is now a thriving natural
preserve. Perhaps one day it will become a park that
all Koreans can enjoy together in peace.
June 2009 korea 55

Sightseeing
Goseokjeong: The only place in
South Korea with deposits of volcanic
basalt, these cliffs on both sides of the
Hantan River create a mystical atmo-
sphere. In the middle of the river stands
a 10-meter-high boulder. About 2 kilo-
meters up the river from here are the
Jiktang Falls, while 2 kilometers down
lies Sundam Gorge. During the reign of
King Myeongjong of the Joseon Dynas-
ty, a sort of Korean Robin Hood, Im
Kkeok-jeong, gathered some followers,
stole tribute to the royal court and dis-
tributed it to commoners in need here.
The area is full of legends about his chiv-
alrous acts.
Sambuyeon Falls: This 20-meter-
high, three-tiered waterfall is located in
the middle of Mount Myeongseong and
is regarded as one of the eight most out-
standing sights of Cheorwon. Water
runs here throughout the year, while the
56 korea June 2009
splendid rockface provides a spectacular setting. Kore-
ans believe the three levels look like three Korean tra-
ditional cast-iron pots, which is why it was named
Sambuyeon, meaning waterfall of the three iron pots.
Legend has it a dragon flew to heaven here, and so the
village is called Yonghwa-dong, meaning a “village that
has transformed into a dragon.” Supposedly, in the
past, when a drought hit the area a stage was set up
below the waterfall and a shamanist ritual to pray for
rain was held there.
Sundam: Located 5 kilometers northwest of the
Cheorwon City Office, this is the most beautiful of the
gorges and streams along the Hantan River. Fantastic
boulders, steep cliffs and ponds dot a white sand beach,
a rarity here, drawing tourists all year round. Beyond
Legend has it the gorge is a famous rafting spot, a favorite of water
a dragon sports clubs here.
The Second Underground Tunnel: North
ascended to Korea’s second underground infiltration tunnel was
found in March 1975 on South Korea’s side of the
heaven near demilitarized zone. The spot where the tunnel opens
Sambuyeon is a thick layer of granite. It runs between 5 and 160
meters beneath the earth and is 3.5 kilometers long in
Falls. total, with 1.1 kilometers on the south side of the mil-
Travel
itary demarcation line. The tunnel itself is two meters high with an arch-shaped Transportation and
ceiling. Thirty thousand heavily armed troops and field artillery could pass restaurants
through the tunnel every hour, the government estimates, meaning the North
presumably meant to use this tunnel for a large-scale incursion. Fortunately, that Yangpyeong Sondubu Restaurant
never happened. (031-834-8297) specializes in pork
Weoljeongni Station: A whistle stop on the Gyeongwon Line and the duruchigi, or pan-broiled pork and
closest train station to the border, this is a must-see spot for tourists visiting seasoned vegetables. Fatty pork is cut
Cheorwon with an interest in a divided Korea. Now only part of the remains of into large chunks and grilled atop a
a train are still here. large metal barrel, which also serves
Office of the Workers’ Party of North Korea: After liberation from as a makeshift table. Three-year-old
Japanese occupation, North Korea set up an office here in order to strengthen kimchi is then put on top of the pork
the communist Workers Party and bolster their control of the local population. bits. The finishing touch is handmade
It was used as the office of the Cheorwon branch of the Workers’ Party of North tofu, or sondubu. Though the owner
Korea until the Korean War broke out. For five years, North Korea governed shouts swear words in Korean, it only
Cheorwon, Gimhwa, Pyeonggang and Pocheon. Terrifying stories remain of
citizens arrested, tortured and slaughtered. In a bombproof shelter behind the
adds to the lively atmosphere. There’s
just one rule: Even if you come alone,
building, skeletons, countless bullets and wire were found, telling a tragic story. there’s a minimum order of about 600
The building was eventually designated Modern Cultural Heritage Site No. 22. grams of pork. From Sintanri Station,
Cheorwon Peace Observatory: This exhibition hall opened November the restaurant is across the rails on
2007. It offers views of the natural landscape inside the demilitarized zone, the
fortress of Gungyedoseong and the capital of the old Korean kingdom of Hugogu-
the left side. Pork costs 20,000 won,
half a cake of tofu is 5,000 won, and
ryeo, Sonjon Village, now located in North Korea. Telescopes and a model of the dwenjang jjigae, or bean-paste stew,
local topography bring visitors into close contact with the realities of national 5,000 won.
separation.  By Kim Se-jun Pyongyang Memil Makguksu (031-
834-7782) has all the signs of a deli-
cious hole in the wall — awful interior
and huge crowds. The specialties are
makguksu (buckwheat noodles in cold
kimchi soup), and chogyetang, cold
noodles with chicken. Makguksu, a
traditional dish of Gangwon Province,
tastes close to the more common
naengmyeon noodles. The watery
soup contains dongchimi and nabak
kimchi. What most people think of as
kimchi, baechu kimchi, made of cab-
bage, is also used, with beef stock
sometimes added. The chicken dish
before the main is called chogyetang,
part of Korea’s old royal cuisine.
Clockwise from far left: Beautiful landscapes Boiled chicken is served cold with veg-
abound in the sparsely populated area; Sam- etables. Rice vinegar and mustard to
buyeon Falls got their name because their three cut the fat. Traditional breeds of Ko-
tiers resemble Korean cast-iron pots; boaters ride rean poultry are used, with unusually
the rapids on the Hantan River past the Sundam chewy skin. Cold kimchi water makes
Gorge; visitors wander into the ruins of the Che- a refreshing accompaniment. The res-
olwon offices of the North Korean Workers’ Party. taurant is in front of Sintanri Station.
Above: Handmade tofu, or sondubu. Train information: Trains depart every
hour from Dongducheon Station, 6:50
a.m. to 10:50 p.m., and back from Sin-
tanri Station, 6:00 a.m to 10:00 p.m.
A one-way ticket costs 1,000 won,
and the trip takes 45 minutes.
June 2009 korea 57

A Farmer’s Drink
Made Trendy
Once considered old-fashioned, makgeolli is
making a comeback — and not just in Korea
A
nyone who’s been out in
Korea at night knows about
soju, the popular Korean
distilled liquor, always
served with samgyeopsal, strips of pork
belly.
But soju isn’t the only traditional
tippler on the peninsula: There’s also
makgeolli, fermented rice wine, which
was ubiquitous until the 1960s but later
lost ground to soju and Western alco-
holic beverages such as beer, whiskey
and wine. But makgeolli is now back,
this time winning fans in an unexpect-
ed quarter: among Japanese tourists.
This isn’t just because of the price
difference — a one-liter bottle of mak-
geolli sells for 800 yen in Japan but the
equivalent of just 150 to 200 yen here
— but also because the wine suppos-
edly tastes better before going through
the sterilization process required for
export. Perhaps the most important
reason, however, is the appeal of the
special experience of tasting makgeolli
58 korea June 2009
Food
in a minsokjujeom, a traditional Korean
drinking house. Accordingly, local
tourist agencies are busy coming up
with packages offering Japanese visi-
tors trips to jujeom, most located in the
Myeong-dong and Jongno areas in
downtown Seoul.
Meanwhile, in Japan, makgeolli is
no longer an exotic novelty, with the
number of bars offering several differ-
ent types on the rise in trendy Tokyo
areas such as Shinjuku, Ginza and
Shibuya.
“We have sold 3.4 billion won ($2.74
million) worth of makgeolli in Japan
last year, and sales of the liquor have
grown 20-25 percent annually over
recent years,” said Lee Jin-seong, direc-
tor of E-dong Rice Wine Brewery, the
first Korean company to export mak-
geolli to Japan, through a Japanese Unlike soju, which comes
affiliate established in 1993. in glass bottles, makge-
[JoongAng Ilbo]
At Foodex Japan 2009, an interna- olli is typically served in
tional food trade show held in March bowls or kettles.
at Makuhari Messe near Tokyo, the
June 2009 korea 59

makgeolli booth at the Korea Pavilion almost always
had a long line of curious visitors awaiting their turn
to sample the rice wine and perhaps even strike an
import deal.
According to the Korea Customs Service, 4,891
tons of makgeolli were shipped overseas last year, a
25.4 percent increase from 2007, worth $4.02 mil-
lion, a leap of 53 percent on-year.
Bae Yong-joon, the Korea Wave star known in
Japan as “Yon-sama” – “sama” is an honorific suffix
in Japanese – has climbed on the bandwagon, ink-
ing a deal with Kook Soon Dang, Korea’s leading
traditional wine brewer, to produce a special
makgeolli named Gosireh, after his restaurant
chain in Japan.
“Gosireh makgeolli, which was introduced in
Japan in April, had sold about 30,000 bottles as of
the first week of May, ranking at the top in terms of
all kinds of liquor sales in the online market on
Yahoo! Japan,” said Koh Bong-hwan, marketing team
manager at Kook Soon Dang.
Even taking into account Yon-sama’s huge popu-
larity in Japan, such high sales in such a short period
says something. Why are so many Japanese custom-
ers attracted to makgeolli?
“Makgeolli is gaining popularity because it is low
60 korea June 2009
Makgeolli is derived from a fermented rice
paste called nuruk, which is then diluted with
water to achieve an alcohol content of 6 to 7
percent. The active cultures in raw makgeolli
are thought to have health benefits.
proof, with an alcohol content of 6 to 7
percent, so that weak drinkers can also
enjoy it, and it’s also been proved to be
healthy, as it contains lots of lactoba-
cilli and fiber, matching up with the
‘well-being’ trend sweeping the world
and Japan,” said Shin Woo-chang, dep-
uty director of the research institute of
Kook Soon Dang Brewery.
The liquor was even found to be
effective in suppressing cancer as well
as preventing high blood pressure in a
report released last year by the research
team at the Department of Food and
Nutrition at Silla University in Busan.
Makgeolli brewing mainly consists
[JoongAng Ilbo]
of two processes – the making of the
rice malt, or nuruk, and the fermenting
of steamed rice.
Shin Woo-chang Nuruk is an essential ingredient to
deputy director of the re- make makgeolli, as it facilitates the fer-
search institute of Kook Soon mentation of rice starch into sugars. It
Dang Brewery is usually made with crushed rice,
shows “ehwa nuruk,” a placed in a wooden box for about a
special nuruk used to make week until it begins to mold.
“ehwa wine.” The nuruk is then added to a mix-
Food
ture of steamed rice and water to produce an undi-
luted makgeolli, which will later be mixed with a
First made the liquor by packaging it in cans and
fancy bottles have succeeded in win-
fixed quantity of water to get an alcohol content of 6 around the ning the hearts of young and new cus-
to 7 percent. 10th century tomers,” Shin said.
Makgeolli dates back to the Goryeo Dynasty And as evidenced by the introduc-
(918-1392), when it was also called “ehwa wine” – A.D., makge- tion on the local market in April of the
ehwa is the Korean word for pear blossom. The name olli was the so-called “cocktail makgeolli,” a more
came about because nuruk was usually made about
the time the pear trees bloom.
basis for all versatile and colorful variety mixed
with fruit flavors such as strawberry
“Since it was the first wine made by our ancestors the Korean and grape, makgeolli’s evolution con-
thousands of years ago, it is fair to say that makgeolli rice wines that tinues down the path to capturing the
is the prototypical traditional wine of Korea. Other hearts of Korean customers and those
Korean rice wines, like yakju, actually originated came after. around the world.
from makgeolli,” Shin said. By Park Sun-young
In fact, makgeolli was the most popular alcoholic
beverage in Korea until the 1960s, when it accounted
for about 70 percent of domestic alcohol consump-
tion. At that time, Korea was still an agrarian society,
with the greater part of the country’s population
being farmers. Nongju, another popular term for
makgeolli, literally means “farmer liquor” in Korean,
after its traditional consumers.
“Makgeolli was called ‘nongju’ due to its popular-
ity among farmers, though it was not meant solely for
them,” said Yu Tae-jong, a food engineering professor
at Korea University.
“Makgeolli was actually the alcoholic beverage
usually enjoyed by commoners due to its accessibility,
as it is made from rice, the staple of the country,” he
explained.
However, with the ban on the use of rice to make
makgeolli by the government in 1965 due to a chron-
ic food shortage, makgeolli makers started to use
other grains instead, affecting the taste and turning
the public against it. The ban on rice makgeolli was
lifted in 1971, but by then the damage was done. With
the introduction of various Western alcoholic bever-
ages like whiskey and wine in the boom years of the
1970s, the percentage of the population consuming
makgeolli fell as low as single digits.
But the drink recovered a few years ago and is
now back in the limelight, Shin at Kook Soon Dang
said, thanks to the “well-being” health craze. Scien-
tific research purporting to show that the fermented
rice wine had health benefits, in addition to its low
price and relatively low alcoholic content, helped
boost the popularity of makgeolli, he said.
[YONHAP]
“Advances in the quality and taste of makgeolli in
recent years apparently contributed to recapturing
the old generation, who often feel nostalgia for mak- Top: “Cocktail makgeolli“ varieties are now available in fruit flavors. Bottom:
geolli, which they used to drink in their younger A significant percentage of makgeolli sales now derive from Japanese tourists,
days, while makgeolli makers’ efforts to popularize who come to Korea to buy it for its health benefits and low alcohol content.
June 2009 korea 61

Albrecht Huber, a German lit-
erature professor at Chungnam
National University, paints a
Korean landscape with a brush
and ink on hanji, traditional
Korean white paper.
Finding His
Spirit in Ink
and Brush
Professor Albrecht Huber has
an unusual hobby: painting
classical Korean landscapes
62 korea June 2009
[YONHAP]
I
f you’re passionate about something, it may find its
way into your work. Even if your work has nothing
to do with your hobby.
Take Albrecht Huber, 52, a German literature
professor at Chungnam National University in Daejeon,
central Korea. His passion: classical Korean painting.
Huber held his second solo art exhibition, displaying
26 traditional Korean ink paintings at the university
museum from April 30 to May 23. His first (though not
of Korean paintings) took place in 1989 in Freiburg,
southern Germany. The exhibition was subtitled in Ger-
man — “Geistesland: Philosophische Landschaft” —
meaning “Spiritual Land: Philosophical Landscape.”
Anyone who has the opportunity to glance at these
paintings for a moment is immediately drawn into
Huber’s nature scenes.
Although, since the paintings are done in Korean ink,
none are in color, they somehow manage to project peace
and calm, an expression of the birth of a close friendship
between humanity and nature.
Huber believes a profound philosophy exists within
Korean ink landscape paintings.
“I began to get interested in ink paintings of beautiful
scenery as well as how the human spir-
itual world was expressed using noth-
ing but a brush and ink,” he says. “I was
able to see those characteristics in mas-
terpieces by late Joseon painters Kim
Hong-do and Cheong Seon, as well as
contemporary painters Pyeon Kwan-
shik and Cho Pyeong-hui, in many
albums and exhibitions.”
This artist-professor says Korean
paintings were not meant to be realistic.
Instead they were created with – and
require – deep imagination.
The artists express their own
thoughts in their landscapes. In this
way, they intertwine the natural world
intimately with the human one.
Huber says, “My perspective on
Korean landscapes is that they cannot
exist without humans, and vice versa.
Both entities are correlated and should
be harmonized.”
Though he majored in both Ger-
man literature and geography during
his college years, he once dreamed of
entering art school and has long been
interested in painting.
In 1994, he earned his doctoral
degree in German literature at Freiburg
University. While he was in a post-doc
program, a female friend who was
studying German literature at the same
university suggested he look into teach-
ing in Korea.
The female friend from Jeonju,
North Jeolla, contacted a professor
whom she know at Chungnam Univer-
sity and recommended Huber for their
German language and literature depart-
ment. Huber came to Korea in 1997, at
first as a visiting professor, in the depart-
ment.
His love affair with classical Korean
ink painting began when he happened
upon brushes, ink stones or byeoru and
traditional hanji paper while in down-
town Daejeon.
“I still recall the moment I discov-
ered the most precious treasures in my
life,” he said.
People
People
‘In the world, While still in Germany, he had many chances to
see classical Korean ink paintings in art books and
there is no study their characteristics, but he never dreamed of
actually seeing and touching the tools used to make
country like them.
Korea, [with Huber said he had never taken a lesson on Korean
painting until he came to Korea. After buying brushes
so many] and ink, he painted for hours three to four days a week
after work. Huber tries to finish paintings in one try,
fairytale-like instead of going over them several times until he is
landscapes.’ satisfied.
“I start painting spontaneously without any plan.
This act begins basically from the point where there
is nothing, rather than from premeditation,” says
Huber. “Naturally, this is an informal and a free ges-
ture that allows the brush to move quickly.”
The professor says humanity’s longing for the
spiritual world is evident in imaginative Korean paint-
ings, which offer a portal to that other plane.
In 1999, Huber married a Korean woman, a junior
high school art teacher in South Chungcheong Prov-
ince.
His wife went to Germany that year to earn her
master’s degree in art, and Huber went along. After
staying in Germany for four years, he came back to
Chungnam University.
“My wife knows much more about painting than
I do. Although I paint Korean paintings and my wife
majored in Western painting, she has been providing
me with a lot of criticism and advice on my work,” he
says. “She has been very helpful and I want to thank
her.” The German professor has been traveling across
Korea, mostly in the central and southern regions, to
gather material for his landscapes. He says he has
toured national parks, Buddhist temples and country-
side villages. In particular, he says he has been search-
ing for places with lively and powerful gi, or primal
energy.
“I get a lot of inspiration for my paintings from
those sites. In the world, there is no country like Korea,
where you can actually see many fairytale-like land-
scapes,” Huber says.
“Korean ink painting has the potential to show the
genuine nature of the world with just three tools – the
brush, ink and white paper. I will keep on painting the
beauty of the Korean landscape.”
Finally, he says, “I want to introduce the greatness
Albrecht Huber’s “Stone and beauty of classical Korean paintings to the world,
Gate” (top) and “Acheron so that someday everyone will be as fascinated with
River” (bottom) [JoongAng Ilbo] Korean paintings as I am.”  By Lee Min-yong
June 2009 korea 63

Oh Eun-sun, 43, is in a tight race with
four other women to climb the tallest
peaks in the world. By Kim Min-gyu
Gritting Her Teeth
and Climbing to the Top
Oh Eun-sun is in a race to become the first woman
to climb the world’s 14 tallest mountain peaks.
M
ountain climber Oh Eun-
sun is tough. There’s no
other way to describe
this hard-nosed woman,
who has recently climbed the Himala-
yan peak Kangchenjunga without sup-
plementary oxygen.
Kangchengjunga, at 8,586 meters
above sea level, is the sixth-highest peak
in the world. According to her sponsor,
Black Yak, Oh left base camp (altitude
5,600 meters) on May 4 and reached the
top on May 6 after a climb that took 19
hours and 40 minutes. She left Korea on
March 19.
Oh has conquered 10 peaks to date,
and this eager climber’s goal is to con-
quer all 14 that stand above 8,000
meters by next year. There aren’t many
who have conquered all 14, and if Oh is
successful, she will be the first woman
to do so.
Oh climbed her first Himalayan
peak in 1997, reaching the top of Gash-
enbrum II (8,035 meters). Then in 2008
she became the first woman to climb
four peaks in one year — Makalu (8,463
meters), Lhotze (8,516 meters), Broad
Peak (8,047 meters) and Manaslu (8,163
meters). Finally, she has the distinction
of being the first Asian female to reach
the top of the world’s highest, Mount
Everest (8,848 meters).
The 43-year-old Namwon, North
Jeolla native is known to grow deter-
mined and stone cold when driving
towards her goal. As Oh is just 155 cen-
[JES]
64 korea June 2009
People
People
timeters (5 feet one inch) tall and weighs ing seems to have won out.
48 kilograms (106 pounds), it’s hard to Oh is on a solid pace to complete all
imagine how she can carry 20 kilo- four peaks by next year, but there are
grams of climbing equipment on her three women ahead of her. Spain’s
back through treacherous conditions Edume Pasaban, Austria’s Gerlinde
without extra oxygen. To say it takes Kaltenbrunner and Italy’s Nives Meroi
willpower would be a vast understate- have all conquered 11 Himalayan peaks
ment. to date. Oh even has Ko Mi-young fol-
During her 2004 Everest climb, she lowing closely behind her with eight
passed the lifeless body of Korean peaks.
climber Park Moo-taek, but continued The feat of conquering all 14 Hima-
on to the top. layan peaks might seem improbable to
She caught a lot of flak from the most, but after one meeting no one
media when she returned home for would doubt this diminutive but iron-
“lacking compassion.” But in an inter- willed climber is up to the task. 
view in March prior to leaving for her By Jason Kim
latest climb, she said things are different
near the top, and that people don’t think
logically when faced with life or death
situations.
Oh’s no ordi-
nary woman,
that’s for sure.
But prior to
trekking up her
new path in life
in 1997, she was
like any other
working single
woman, employed
by the Seoul Met-
ropolitan Govern-
ment. Although she
dabbled in business,
Oh cimbs to the summit of
opening an Italian Kangchenjunga. She successfully climbed
restaurant a few years her 10th summit over 8,000 meters on May 6, making her
ago, her love for climb- the first Asian woman to achieve that feat.
Provided by Black Yak
June 2009 korea 65
Foreign Viewpoints
Meeting the
Challenge
of Division
Though South Koreans don’t
think about the North on a
daily basis, the division of their
nation still has a subtle but
serious psychological impact.
Edward Reed is the Asia Foundation’s
country representative in Korea. For more
than 30 years Dr. Reed has been involved
in development including as a Peace Corps
volunteer in Korea. He was country director
for North Korea for World Vision from 1997
to 2000, developing a $4 million program
for relief and agricultural assistance in the
North. From 1994 to 1997, he served as
Quaker International Affairs Representative
for Northeast Asia, organizing seminars and
exchanges involving a wide range of actors
in South and North Korea, China, Japan,
and the United States. He has published
articles on agricultural development and
humanitarian assistance to North Korea.
66 korea June 2009
R
apid change is the hallmark of
modern South Korea. Everyone
knows the story of how Korea
advanced from one of the poor-
est countries in the world following the
Korean War (1950-53) to join the ranks
of industrialized nations in little over a
single generation. Korea is definitely not
the same place that it was when I first
arrived here as a U.S. Peace Corps volun-
teer in 1970. And change continues at a
dizzying pace as Korea competes to seek
its place in the world.
But there is one very important real-
ity about Korea that has not changed:
Korea is still a divided nation. The Cold
War line still splits the peninsula into two
very different and antagonistic states.
Visitors see the vibrant, modern society
in the South and it is easy to forget that
this is not the only Korean reality. North
Korea doesn’t directly intrude into life in
the South and its existence can almost
be overlooked. The young have created
a consumption culture that seems oblivi-
ous to the misery of their fellow Koreans
just to the north. Local and foreign busi-
nessmen talk of a “Korea discount,” but
the stock market continued to climb the
day after North Korea launched a long-
range missile into the Pacific Ocean.
In the South Korea of the 1970s the di-
vision was a constant and stark reality.
Slogans were screamed from every office
and classroom: “Oppose Communism!
Report Spies!” (“Ban gong bangcheop!”)
The midnight to 4 a.m. curfew caused a
mad dash to catch taxis or board buses.
Military police boarded public transit to
check the IDs of travelers.
It was understandable. Just two years be-
fore I arrived, North Korean commandos
intruded across the DMZ in an attempt
to assassinate President Park Chung
Hee, and reached the mountain behind
the presidential mansion before being
stopped. Once I picked up a crudely made
flyer near my rooming house and showed
it to my host. He was shocked and fright-
ened when he saw it was a North Korean
propaganda leaflet, known as ppira. This
constant sense of threat and tension was
certainly one factor prompting Koreans
to keep their heads down and work hard
to create the new modern economy we
see today.
Most South Koreans probably do not
think much about the North, but I think
the division of the peninsula is still the
most important fact about Korea. The
modern industrial economy that Koreans
have created is trapped on an island cre-
ated by the DMZ, preventing the Korean
people from bringing into play the full
resources of the peninsula, both natural
and human. Until that is achieved, Ko-
rea’s true economic potential will not
be realized. The yawning gap between
the living conditions of Koreans in the
South and North is a chasm that must be
bridged or it is likely to generate serious
economic and social problems for gen-
erations to come. The 15,000 North Ko-
rean refugees who have sought asylum
in the South are harbingers of what is in
store. Most have found it very difficult
to integrate into the highly competitive
society of the South and have met with
widespread discrimination and prejudice.
Many observers also contend that Korean
politics will continue to be distorted and
deeply divisive as long as the national di-
vision persists.
More than anything else I think the di-
vision of Korea has a subtle but serious
psychological impact. Koreans are ready
to take a leadership role in Asia and the
world, but there always seems to be an
insecurity that holds them back. I think
this can be traced to the incomplete na-
tionhood that is the legacy of the Cold
War. The threat posed by the North
may not be shouted in slogans as in the
1970s, but it still plays its role.
The amazing thing is that in spite of this
handicap, and in the face of a real threat,
South Koreans have pressed forward at a
record pace. They have lifted themselves
out of poverty and seized control of their
future. I am confident Koreans will rise to
the challenge and eventually overcome
national division. It will take all the wis-
dom and energy they have demonstrat-
ed over the past 50 years, but eventually
Korea will be whole and its transition into
the modern world complete.