CONTENTSJULY 2014 | KOREA VOL.10 NO.7

14 PEOPLE Sports Climber Kim Jain Liver Surgeon Dr. Lee Sung-gyu

18 TRAVEL Boryeong

22 SPORTS Korea’s Young Players Offer Hope

24 ENTERTAINMENT Illustrated Influences

26 SPECIAL ISSUE Korea’s Medical Tourism Boom

04 COVER STORY The Scent of the People

Traditional markets are a window into the lifestyles of the people

28 CURRENT KOREA Korea’s Coffee Craze

30 SUMMIT DIPLOMACY President Park Goes to Central Asia

34 POLICY REVIEW Rebuilding Safety Mobile Users Get Thrifty

38 CREATIVE TECHNOLOGY A New Kind of Conductor

40 GLOBAL KOREA Enabling, Not Providing

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Publisher Won Yong-gi, Korean Culture and Information Service | Executive Producer Suh Jeong-sun | E-mail webmaster@korea.net | Magazine Production Seoul Selection | Editor-in-Chief Robert Koehler | Staff Writer Felix Im | Producer Shin Yesol | Production Supervisor Lee Jin-hyuk | Editorial Advisor Choi Byeong-guk | Copy Editors Gregory C. Eaves, Jaime Stief, Hwang Chi-young | Creative Director Jung Hyun-young | Head Designer Lee Bok-hyun | Photography Ryu Seunghoo, Robert Koehler, RAUM Studio | Printing Pyung Hwa Dang Printing Co., Ltd. | 발간등록번호 11-1110073-000016-06

42 GREAT KOREAN Eulji Mundeok

44 MY KOREA Hanok Stay

46 MULTICULTURAL KOREA A Western Seonbi

48 TALES FROM KOREA A Love Set in Stone

50 FLAVOR Kongguksu

The copyright to all the content that appears in KOREA, as protected copyrighted material, belongs to the Korean Culture and Information Service unless specified otherwise. Modification of the content beyond simply error corrections and unauthorized copying or distribution of content is forbidden. Content may be used for non-profit purposes only and with the source credited. Violators may be punished under copyright laws.

Content in KOREA may differ from the opinions of the Korean government. This magazine is a monthly publication that is distributed for free in order to quickly and easily promote the understanding of Korean culture and Korean government policies. If you would like to get a free print subscription or download the PDF, please visit www.korea.net. Electronic versions are available at major e-book outlets, starting with the June 2014 issue. For more information, please visit www.korea.net.

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COVER STORYCOVER STORY

Traditional markets are a window into the lifestyle of the people

Written by Jennifer Flinn

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International visitors take in the charms of Gwangjang Market © KTO

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COVER STORY

Koreans use the expression saram naemse, “the smell of the people,” to express the feeling of being surrounded

by humanity. This sense of being together as one with a crowd, even in the absence of a relationship between each individual, is an important part of Korean culture. When people seek this scent of humanity, one of the first places they go to is the local sijang, or market.

Markets have always been a gathering place where people engage with each other, whether it’s by trading tales or trading merchandise, and Korea’s markets remain a vibrant part of the social and commercial scene today. From the gigantic Jagalchi Seafood Market in Busan to the technology-driven Yongsan Electronics Market

in Seoul to the tiny neighborhood markets that dot cities and towns all across Korea, they are a place to truly appreciate the “smell of the people.” By bringing together the people who grow and make things with the people who will use them, markets build a sense of unity and tie together people and products into one community.

The Art of HagglingKorean markets, whether large or small, require some special skills. As fixed prices have become the norm and big box stores can be found everywhere, the art of bargaining may not be exercised much in contemporary life. However, it’s alive and well in the marketplace. While initially intimidating, negotiation is expected. Instead

1. Noryangjin Fisheries Wholesale Market, Seoul's largest seafood market © KTO2. Seongnam's Moran Market © Yonhap News

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of being an adversarial encounter, though, it’s usually a friendly exchange. A good but not greedy haggler commands respect, and merchants enjoy the back-and-forth as they explain their wares and justify their prices. Sellers can also offer tailored suggestions, whether it’s the right fabric for a suit or the best kind of bean paste for a particular sauce. The social nature of the marketplace brings both sides together as friends for a few moments, and many merchants reward repeat shoppers with the pick of the lot or a little extra thrown in.

Marketplaces are often lively with noises and sounds that are hard to find in contemporary cityscapes. Fresh produce piled together gives off enticingly earthy and green smells, and seafood markets bring inland the tangy brine of the sea. The sounds are also specific, since many peddlers and vendors use song, rhythmic clapping and chanting to advertise their wares. All vendors have their own unique calls and patterns. Imploring passersby to buy, they sing out the specials on offer, clapping to make enough noise to be noticed above the general bustle. Even outside the markets, chanting, calling and clapping has become part of advertising. From the small trucks that roam urban neighborhoods with food and produce to even the employees of big box and department stores. They all try to recreate the busy hum found in traditional markets.

The Development of the Traditional Market Before the use of currency became widespread, markets functioned as a way people could arrange the trade of goods and services, saving time and effort. They also became places for people to share news and gossip. Markets grew with cities and towns, and soon people began to move around to sell goods at different markets, leading to the rise of professional peddling. These peddlers were essential sources of news and information in the days before the spread of modern media.

The tradition of markets and market days has carried into the present. Especially in Korea’s smaller towns and in the countryside, weekly markets remain an important part of rural life. Usually meeting every five days, these markets are often filled with a variety of produce and

agricultural items, along with a variety of sundry items for daily living, such as clothes, pots, pans, soap and cleaning supplies.

These five-day markets are still one of the most lively and colorful ways to experience country life firsthand. Most local areas in Korea have at least one, and many areas host several different markets on different days. People flood into town to enjoy themselves in the festive atmosphere a traveling market brings. Sleepy spots come to life as roving peddlers, local merchants and ordinary people come together to shop, gossip and bask in the energy the market brings. It’s also a chance for each area to highlight its specialty products and foods, as well as to introduce these products to a wider audience.

The subtropical island province of Jejudo has some ten markets of this type, with vendors traveling between the main cities of Jeju and Seogwipo, as well as smaller villages around the island, often hitting a different market each day.

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COVER STORY

Visitors might run into a market anywhere from a remote fishing port to the middle of downtown Jeju, but should never pass them up, because each offers an unsurpassed chance to really mingle with the local scene and to get a glimpse into how the people of Jejudo really live. Jejudo isn’t the only place to find these markets, however, as they make the rounds of every province in Korea. Moran Market in Seongnam, Gyeonggi-do, is the largest of these five-day markets, with more than 1,200 vendors regularly gathering to sell everything from flowers to livestock. The schedules for markets across the nation are now often posted online, allowing both residents and visitors to make plans ahead of time.

The Heart of Commerce: Major Markets in SeoulTraditional markets in Korea aren’t just limited to the traveling five-day variety. Throughout the country, permanently situated markets improve people’s lives by making shopping not just a chore to be accomplished, but a fun adventure. Instead of waiting five days to experience the excitement of a market, a quick trip downtown will satisfy most people’s shopping needs with more color than any normal grocery or department store could ever manage.

Seoul is home to several of the country’s most famous traditional markets. Namdaemun is the largest of all, housing more than 10,000 separate stores, with some 6,000 featuring clothing, such as furs, outdoor wear, shoes, accessories and even traditional outfits. The market can be a veritable maze, with different alleys and buildings specializing in belt-fish soup, imported goods, glasses and contact lenses, kitchen supplies, home decor, traditional bamboo crafts and even fresh flowers. While it can seem chaotic and confusing at first, like most traditional markets, the entire area is laid out so that similar retailers are clustered together. The market opens during the daytime to sell items individually, but as night falls the trade turns to wholesale. Many of the items are produced directly by the vendors, so Namdaemun functions as a distribution point

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1. Snack stand at Namdaemun Market© Namdaemun Market2. Crowds of shoppers at Namdaemun Market© KTO3. Dongdaemun Market© KTO4. There are many clothing shops at Dongdaemun Market© KTO

to bring goods to the rest of the country. Many people also stop to sample some of the market’s delectable edible offerings, such as the fried, caramel-filled cakes called hotteok.

The most fashion-forward Seoulites can be found frequenting Dongdaemun Market. Located near the historic eastern gate of Seoul, it dates back to 1905 and includes 20 different shopping malls. While some parts of the market’s sprawl specialize in baking supplies, used books, army surplus or even sporting goods, fashion remains the focus. Fashion-watchers searching out the latest look dominate the market by day, while designers, distributors, retailers and other professionals take over at night when the wholesale market opens. Many of the items are designed and made right in the market itself, making a visit one of the best ways to take the pulse of the Korean clothing industry while picking up some bargains. The market is also home to tailors who design and sew everything from suits to traditional Hanbok clothing.

Because of their size and popularity, Namdaemun and Dongdaemun markets have taken extra steps to be friendly and accessible, especially to the millions of tourists that pass through Seoul each year. Tourist information centers are scattered throughout, stocked with maps and pamphlets. The centers also feature

multilingual staff to help tourists in languages such as English, Mandarin and Japanese. Volunteers clad in red vests also roam the markets to help direct people through the maze of streets and alleys.

Smaller in size than either Dongdaemun or Namdaemun, Gwangjang Market is one of the oldest market associations in Seoul. Situated along the Cheonggyecheon Stream in downtown Seoul, it specializes in fabrics, accessories and bedding. However, it may be most loved for its food. With different alleys offering up street foods like tteokbokki, rice cakes in spicy sauce, and sundae, blood sausage, along with more refined fare like yukhoe, seasoned raw beef flavored with Asian pear and egg yolk, and seafood, Gwangjang Market stands out as one of Seoul’s premier gastronomic areas. Perhaps the biggest draw, though, is the market’s many restaurants and stalls featuring bindaetteok, mung bean pancake, where the atmosphere hums until late into the evening. Other people skip the restaurants and do their grocery shopping in another wing of the market, choosing from its extensive collection of homemade side dishes and sauces. Meanwhile, the second floor always draws fashionable bargain hunters with an eye for the old, thanks to a collection of vintage clothing stores.

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Everything under the SunNestled between Dongdaemun Market and Gwangjang Market is one of the more unique markets in Seoul: the Dongdaemun Medical Supply Market, home to both to an impressive number of pharmacies and a large collection of stores that specialize in medical supplies. Wheelchairs, canes, prosthetic limbs, bandages, stethoscopes and a whole host of other devices meant to keep the body functioning and well are on sale here. People who would prefer a more traditional treatment, however, usually head out to Gyeongdong Market, where traditional Oriental medicine doctors, acupuncturists, pharmacists and herb sellers congregate. Located alongside a thriving agricultural market, Gyeongdong Market has more than 1,000 vendors of herbs for traditional medical treatments, including Korea’s famed ginseng and red ginseng. A walk here is an aromatic pleasure as the normal scents of the city recede in favor of heady bursts of mugwort, cinnamon and myriad

herbs and spices. People looking for antiques and vintage items can search where the dealers do, at the Seoul Flea Market near Sinseol-dong Station or Janghanpyeong Antiques Market near Dapsimni Station. Other specialty markets in Seoul include the Yongsan Electronics Market, Yangjae Flower Market and Noryangjin Fisheries Wholesale Market. These specialty markets often have a dual purpose, inviting everyday people to visit and pick up a few items, while also providing centralized distribution for professionals. Regular folk and florists can choose from the same flowers, newbies can purchase the same electronic parts as IT experts and restaurants and home cooks peruse the same ingredients.

Seoul isn’t the only place where people can enjoy the busy pleasures of large-scale traditional markets. Just about every major city, from Gwangju to Daegu, can boast of at least one large marketplace, and specialty markets spring up around major points of interest, like the Punggi Ginseng Market in Yeongju and the

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sprawling Yangdong Market in Gwangju. Busan’s Nampodong International Market features local goods alongside those of major international retailers. The most famous market in Busan, though, is Jagalchi Market, one of Asia’s largest fish markets. Because of its location directly next to Nampo Port, the fish sold there are amazingly fresh, having been swimming in the sea only hours before. Chances are you’ve enjoyed seafood from Jagalchi Market, since many restaurants from around the country depend on the market for their own menus.

Challenges and InnovationModern life and conveniences have chipped away at the role of markets in Korean culture. Most people now shop online or at major retail stores. Big box stores offer a large variety of merchandise in one location and eliminate the need for bargaining, while online shopping makes it possible to find almost anything at any time and get it shipped directly to your door. The consequence, however, is that there’s no direct contact with the people who make things, as well

as a diminished sense of community and a loss of cultural space. In response, the government, local communities and businesses are working to reverse this trend and are looking for a new place for markets in the country’s contemporary life.

The government has taken an active role in promoting traditional markets by conducting advertising campaigns, introducing special vouchers and creating tours. Another major measure that has helped boost both traditional markets and local independent stores is the introduction of legislation limiting the operating hours of major retailers to promote smaller businesses. The government has also stepped in by providing help to renovate aging buildings and improving infrastructure, while still preserving the local atmosphere.

Markets themselves are taking some innovative steps to reconnect with the communities around them and to be revitalized as local centers. Tongin Market in Seoul has introduced several new programs, like hosting art projects and community classes, while their innovative “lunch box café” concept has helped bring new life to the market. During lunch hour, visitors purchase a bowl of rice

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The first written record of a market in Korea traces back to the Three Kingdoms period (57 BC–AD 668), with a mention of a market held in the year 490 in the old Silla

capital of Gyeongju. Historical and archaeological evidence from the Three Kingdoms and Unified Silla period (668–935) indicates that markets were both common and important throughout the peninsula. By the Goryeo Period (918–1392), markets were extremely well developed, with the largest located in the city of Kaesong, making it a center for local and international trade. Markets continued to grow and thrive as the population expanded and as cash gained wider circulation to help supplement existing barter systems during the Joseon Dynasty (1392–1910).

Named for the adjacent gate, Namdaemun Market, perhaps Korea's best known market, can trace its history all the way back to the early days of the Joseon Dynasty. The market has seen several ups and downs during the 20th century, but despite the ravages of colonialism and war, it has survived to be one of Korea’s oldest continuing markets. Even though its has undergone renovations and the construction of modern buildings, it still holds fast to elements of the past with its winding, narrow alleys, the layout of which predates the introduction of the automobile.

Brief History of Korean Markets

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and tokens that can be exchanged for individual portions of side dishes from participating vendors. This gives diners an easy way to try traditional foods and specialties, and has increased traffic through the market. Even though it’s just a small local market, Tongin Market’s campaign has made it an important part of the community and lets people rediscover the joys of shopping for what they need in their own neighborhood.

Traditional markets have historically been places where ideas ferment, especially culinary and cultural ideas. Andong jjimdak, a spicy braised chicken dish, emerged in Andong’s old marketplace as local restaurants were trying to figure out a way to compete with Western-style fried chicken franchises. Sinpo Market in Incheon helped start the trend for dakgangjeong, sweet-and-spicy Korean-style fried chicken. Meanwhile, Nangman Market in Chuncheon, Gangwon-do, has gone another direction by incorporating the arts, using murals and paintings to decorate the physical space while performance artists take advantage of the crowds to find an audience. At the Onyang Hot Springs Market, people can enjoy

a radio show produced in and by the market, using modern technology to return the market to its traditional role as a center of gossip.

New Markets and New IdeasNot all markets in Korea fit the traditional mold. Combining old and new, farmers’ markets have been springing up to help small-scale and organic farmers bring their produce directly to urban consumers. These farmers also often join forces with artisan food producers, craftspeople and artists to create a neighborhood market. There is the Marché held in Seoul’s Daehangno district, the weekly combined citizens’ flea and farmer’s market in Gwanghwamun Square, and the Hongdae Free Market. The latter requires vendors to only sell original, handmade pieces, letting people meet the artist directly and learn about the creative process. This invaluable connection between maker and consumer helps customers understand the real value of what they buy, while makers find joy in knowing the things they have worked so hard to produce will be appreciated.

The IT sector has stepped up to make traditional markets more accessible and efficient. KT sent out teams to help train merchants in social media, to extend their presence online. They also help vendors manage supplies using smartphones and bring their technology up to date so they can compete with large retailers. Some markets have started using touch-screen displays to help people find their way around. Apps like “Our Charming Market” help people find what’s available at their local traditional markets, provides notifications about upcoming events and specials, keeps track of points from merchants that can be redeemed for discounts and can even be used to arrange for home delivery.

Traditional markets aren’t just a part of Korea’s history, but a vibrant and particular part of the present and future. They tie together traditional culture and experiences with people’s modern lives, while also tying individuals and communities together. To visit a market is to get a real sense of people’s daily lives and to truly inhale the scent of humanity.

A model shows off a "smart payment service" allowing users to accept credit card payments via mobile phone at the 2013 Outstanding Market Expo in Incheon. © Yonhap News

Kang Heon-soo sits in a community coffee shop in an alleyway off Seongnam's sprawling Sujeong-ro market district. The bespectacled architect is hardly a grizzled market veteran,

yet as the head of the Seongnam Market Revitalization Foundation, he's tasked with leading one of the nation's most ambitious market revitalization projects.

“In pushing traditional market revitalization, the most important thing is that you've got to follow a two-track path: hardware and software,” he says. “A market is a living organism where people operate. If you fix the hardware first, the people have to move out because the rents go up.” Not only do high rents push out merchants, the bulk of whom rent their store spaces, but the higher costs and improved facilities attract big companies and major chains that invariably transform the neighborhood, and not necessarily for the better. The original charm gone, shoppers move on to other areas, and the market becomes a ghost town. Sadly, it's a common cycle. “To continuously keep the charm of a market going, all the interested parties need to participate in running the market,” he says. “If they can't, then a market will rise and quickly die.”

A Very Special MarketThe social importance of Seongnam's Sujeong-ro Market is tied to the history of Seongnam itself. Kang explains that Seongnam proper, where the market is located, was formed by people evicted from the Cheonggyecheon area of Seoul due to postwar development. The original town, gritty and decidedly working class, was later surrounded by upscale “new towns” like Bundang and Pangyo, leading locals to feel they were being ignored and victimized. The situation worsened after the city hall was moved from the old part of town. This made the revitalization of the old market area a social imperative.

Kang explains that while merchants tend to complain about infrastructural deficiencies such as the lack of parking spaces or insufficient bathrooms, Kang chose first to focus on the merchants themselves, whose goods and service style did not match the needs of today's consumers. “I first focused on educating merchants,” he says. “At first, the merchants were like, 'Why do I have to learn? Who the heck are you?' But I kept stressing that they needed to learn in order to earn more money and stay in business longer.” Called a “merchant's university,” the educational program taught local merchants about today's consumer trends and store management skills. “We taught merchants how to turn people into regular customers,” he says. They also taught merchants how to use modern technology like smart phones to better promote their shops, in so doing also driving up sales. “While the government can support merchants, the decisive work of getting people into their stores has to be done by the merchants themselves. We can't do it for them.”

Seongnam Market Revitalization Foundation chief Kang Heon-soo stresses that infrastructure isn't everything

Interview by Robert Koehler

Helping Merchants Help Themselves

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Sports climber Kim Jain shows that the only way to climb is up

Written by Felix Im Photographed by Cha Ga-yeon

Stuck in the Moment

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Watching sports climber Kim Jain f luidly ascend a climbing wall, the muscles of her shoulders and back bulging and f lexing with tension,

not only strikes the viewer with awe and admiration. It also lends a feeling of one’s own physical inadequacy. Kim is not tall and is built rather modestly, but a single look at her reveals a unified network of muscles that can work in perfect coordination—not a single useless ounce on her body.

“I used to think that my height was a disadvantage, but then I realized that I can use my f lexibility to my advantage, undertaking maneuvers that other climbers have trouble with,” Kim says, her smile radiating with youth, her fingers caked with climbing chalk.

A Family Tradition The 25-year-old climber recently became the first woman from Korea, second in the world, to completely ascend one of the world’s most difficult natural climbing walls, the Reinis vibes, near Arco, Italy. She is currently ranked number one in the world by the International Federation of Sports Climbing in her division, lead climbing. The IFSC has three categories of competition: lead, bouldering and speed. Lead requires climbers to ascend a preset route within eight minutes. They are attached to a rope that they clip into carabiners as they progress. Kim has consistently acquired first or second place throughout the past four years in IFSC’s Climbing World Cup championships. She is also the first climber in the world to earn top rankings in both bouldering and lead climbing at the same time.

Yet it hasn’t been that long since Kim actually started enjoying climbing.

“I used to consider climbing just something with which to prove myself, not a passion or life-calling. Then, one day, I realized that I actually enjoy climbing walls,” she says, laughing.

Kim didn’t enjoy her first climb at all, which was sometime around second or third grade. Her parents were avid mountaineers and hikers, and her brothers were already on their way to becoming great climbers in their own right. So it was only natural that Kim would have to scale her own wall to join the family ranks. However, she was too young. The wall was too high. She cried. She pleaded to be let down. In tears, she lashed out at her parents for making her do such a thing, vowing to never climb again. However, in middle school, her brothers opted to attend a climbing camp just outside Seoul. Being

the youngest, Kim tagged along and was once again faced with a climbing wall. This time, she approached it with a ferocious competitive instinct.

“At that point, I just wanted to do something better than the other kids,” Kim recalls, “so I worked really hard at it. I didn’t cry that time.” She laughs again.

Busy BeeThat’s how Kim approached climbing for most of her formative years: something to excel in, not enjoy. Hard work has paid off, however, as she went from being ranked number 41 at her first international climbing competition in 2004 to consistently placing at the top. She is now officially sponsored by The North Face and Samsung. Aside from sweeping international competitions, she also occasionally climbs buildings—just for fun. In order to promote sports climbing and share her passion with the public, Kim scaled a 128-meter building in Busan in 30 minutes last July, using only her rope for 50 of those meters. As if she wasn’t busy enough, she’s also currently studying to earn a Master’s degree in Sports Psychology at Korea University, one of the nation’s top institutions.

“What interests me most about sports psychology is how athletes get completely absorbed in their field, that moment when they know or feel nothing else,” Kim says.

In a world full of distractions and outlets designed for instant gratification, perhaps we could all do well to become absorbed in something, to focus on that single moment of individual perfection.

Kim Jain wins at the 2010 Arco Rockmaster in Italy. © Yonhap News

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Dr. Lee Sung-gyu takes his work, and his patients, seriously

Written by Ogan GurelPhotographed by Park Sang-guk

The Devoted Life

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The Devoted Life

Dr. Sung-gyu Lee, one of the world’s foremost liver transplant surgeons, sits in his unassuming office, walls lined with books, desk piled with

papers. “Devotion,” says Dr. Lee, nodding in thought, when

asked what the key to his success was. His career has indeed been enormously successful, for

Dr. Lee and his Asan Medical Center team have performed more liver transplants, nearly 400 per year, than any other center in the world. Their 96 percent success rate, calculated based on operations that rank among the most complex ever performed, easily surpasses standard survival rates. Without exaggeration, one could say that Dr. Lee is the world’s best liver transplant surgeon.

With a gentle smile, the good doctor would calmly demur, humbly explaining how his extraordinary career has been, more than anything, a result of luck. “Good fortune is necessary,” he says, and the kindness of others. “Back in the 1970s, finishing residency, I was planning to be a colorectal surgeon with a nice private practice,” he says. “My wife, however, said I should study more.” The pensive look returns. “She said the time for learning is when you are young.” So this doctor, one who daily decides the fates of many, followed his mother’s advice, joining the famous Prof. Min Pyung-chul—the first Korean to be board-certified for surgery in the United States—at Seoul National University and later Korea University Hospital.

“Yes, devotion,” nodds Dr. Lee, going back to his central idea. “A surgery can take up to 24 hours,” he explains. “The organ recipients are extremely sick. Without the devotion of the surgeon, both senior and junior, it is impossible.”

Facing New ChallengesIn 1989, Dr. Lee followed his mentor to the new Asan Medical Center. Competing with the traditional heavyweights, the hospital had to embrace a variety of challenges, and indeed they did, performing Korea’s first laparoscopic cholecystectomy in 1990. The following year, Dr. Min, now president of the hospital, asked Dr. Lee to start a liver transplant program. So for one year, each Saturday, the young doctor perfected his technique on animals, enabling the first human transplant in 1992.

“In Korea, over 95 percent of transplants are living donors. Unlike the recipients, the donors are completely healthy. The organ removed must be meticulously

preserved. As there is no room for error, devotion is critical. In Korea—not at Asan—two donors have died, but even two is too much.” Dr. Lee’s smile fades. Beneath the calm, professional demeanor appears a twinge of emotion.

In 1999, Dr. Lee performed the world’s first modified right lobe transplant using an outf low reconstruction technique that eventually became the global standard. To the layperson such may mean little, but this accomplishment, along with Dr. Lee’s many other contributions to surgical science, have made donor surgery safer, and liver transplants more successful.

“After residency, our fellows train for five years,” he says. “For the first two years they are expected to be in the hospital two weeks straight at a time. Of course, they learn much technically, but they also strengthen their character of devotion.”

In Western countries, cadaveric liver transplants are the norm. In Asia, however, with strong Confucian family ideals, living donor transplants are much more common, usually with children donating to their parents. It is, by any measure, devotion at its most awe-inspiring. Dr. Lee says, “Without devotion, it is impossible.” Inspired—indeed, compelled—by such profound dedication, it seems that Dr. Lee has truly devoted his life, a life he considers extraordinarily lucky, to saving the lives of others who, to put it simply, have been unlucky. He is not just an accomplished surgeon—one of the best in the world—but a great human being.

Lee performs a liver transplant in Mongolia© Asan Medical Center

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BoryeongFun in the mud at one of Korea's hottest summer destinations

Written by John Power

TRAVEL

Lots of mud and lots of fun at the Boryeong Mud Festival © KTO

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No discussion of the West Sea town of Boryeong is complete without mentioning the eponymous mud festival, which has gained a reputation as a particular favorite among expatriates. From its humble

beginnings, this celebration of the city’s mud, touted for its rich mineral content, now attracts upward of 2 million visitors over a 10-day period each July.

Dirty FunKicking off on July 18, the festival, which is now in its 17th year, promises to be no less action-packed than previous editions. It was originally conceived of as a way to promote the reported rejuvenating effects of the area’s mud, which has been used in cosmetics since the mid-1990s.

The biggest attraction for many visitors, however, is rather less health-minded: the rare chance to ditch decorum and literally get dirty with thousands of other fun-seekers in an electric atmosphere. Slides, obstacle courses, pools waist-high in mud and much more ensure that no one stays clean for long.

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The bulk of the activities take place in a large enclosure set up on the main strip of Daecheon Beach. Since passes do sell out, be sure to get there in the morning to ensure you get your fill of mud-based frolicking.

There are also plenty of less messy, but no less worthwhile, attractions on offer. Live music provides the soundtrack to the celebrations throughout, while a futsal tournament caters to budding football stars and spectators alike. A stunning fireworks display closes out the first Saturday and second Sunday, the latter being the final day of the festival.

More Than Just MudBoryeong’s energy may peak in July, but that is no reason to ignore it the rest of the year. The city and its environs at the southern end of Chungcheongnam-do feature a wealth of leisure, historical and cultural attractions that easily justify a visit outside of the festival period.

Given Boryeong’s location on the west coast, much of the area’s allure lies in its proximity to the ocean. As well as being the main site of the mud festival, Daecheon Beach is a haven for seekers of sun and surf throughout the summer. A short taxi or bus ride from Daecheon’s train station and main bus terminal, the 3.5 km stretch of golden

sand along the Yellow Sea is arguably best appreciated outside the crowded festival period.

A plethora of restaurants line the strand to sate appetites worked up after a bracing swim or a day spent simply lounging in the sun. The local specialty, naturally, is seafood, typically barbecued and served with a healthy dollop of ssamjang, a condiment made by mixing red pepper, soybean paste, sesame oil, garlic and other ingredients.

For those with a taste for the open water, a boat trip is a great way to appreciate the full beauty of the surrounding bay. Headquartered just a few kilometers from the main beach, Daecheonhang Cruise Ship operates several tours that navigate the patchwork of picturesque islands studding the coast. The biggest of these islands, Wonsando, is home to two beaches and several accommodations for visitors.

Inland DelightsBoryeong’s highlights, however, do not begin and end at the sea. Daecheon Rail Bike, a 15-minute taxi ride inland and to the east, is one less ordinary way to take in the Chungcheongnam-do countryside, which is set apart from Korea’s typically mountainous provinces by its abundance of plains extending to the horizon. Visitors whizz along a 5 km course sandwiched between rows of hills and brilliant

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1. Daecheon Beach, one of Korea's top summer destinations © KTO 2. Mud-covered participants at the Boryeong Mud Festival © Yonhap News 3. Galmaemot Martyrs Sacred Site © Yonhap News4. Boryeong Coal Museum © Yonhap News

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Jejudo

Seoul

Boryeong

Boryeong is a seaside town, which means seafood and sashimi, and lots of it. Typical delights include clams, razor shells and prawns. Daecheon Hoetjib (041-933-7121) and Dapo Hoetjib (041-931-3111) are just two of the many such restaurants that line Daecheon Beach.

As a popular summer vacation spot, Daechon has plenty of mid-range accommodations, largely in the form of motels concentrated around the beach area. Santana Motel (041-931-8511) is just one example. Pensions are also available for rent at www.daechongaza.net (0505-828-6000).

Mugunghwa and Saemaeul trains operate between Yongsan Station in Seoul and Daecheon Station in Boryeong more than 20 times a day on weekends. Regular trains also depart from Iksan in Jeollabuk-do.

green rice paddies. You can pedal hard if you are hankering for a workout or simply sit back and enjoy the scenery since the carts are partially self-propelled.

The nearby Boryeong Coal Museum, meanwhile, offers an insight into the region’s history of coal mining, documenting a way of life that has since been eclipsed by cheaper forms of energy. The area’s Simwon Coal Mine saw its

last haul brought to the surface in 1994.Today, the museum keeps the memory of the industry alive, featuring

exhibitions about the formation of coal as well as much of the actual equipment and machinery used in its extraction. Visitors can also explore an underground tunnel supplied with cold air from an adjacent shuttered mine and get a sense of what it is like to descend 400 meters underground in a specially-designed elevator.

History that goes back even further is also in rich supply. Some 30 km outside of the city lies the Galmaemot Martyrs Sacred Site, where three French Catholic missionaries and two Korean laypeople were executed on Good Friday in 1866. Today, a shrine commemorates the five, who were victims of what came to be known as the Byeongin Persecution, in which the Confucian ruling class of the time resorted to violence in an attempt to suppress Catholicism. As many as 10,000 Catholics are estimated to have been martyred during the Joseon period, during which Confucianism was the state ideology.

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2014 World Cup shows promise for the future

Written by Kim Tong-hyung

Korea’s Young Players Offer Hope

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SPORTS

At the time of writing, it seemed almost certain that the Taeguk Warriors were on their way out of this year’s World Cup, quicker than anticipated.

Death in the group stage qualifies as a letdown for Korea, which was making its eighth consecutive World Cup appearance and had reached the knockout stages in two of the previous three tournaments.

Even in the heels of the nation’s early exit, however, which feels inevitable, Brazil 2014 wasn’t all doom and gloom for Korea’s supporters. The brilliant play of young players such as Son Heung-min gave them a reason to take a positive spin on a disappointing tournament.

Son Gets His MomentPerhaps, Korean fans will prefer fast-forwarding their thinking to 2018 when the national team hopefully will have completed its rebuilding around Son, the 21-year-old Bayer Leverkusen standout, and other young stars who managed to hold their own against world-class competition. He was Korea’s most consistent performer

in the first two games in Brazil, threatening opposing defenses as an inside-out attacker on the left.

In the Algeria match, Son played with fury as he pounded the Algerian back-line with speed and stubbornness. He was finally rewarded for his efforts in the 50th minute. After a long Ki Sung-yueng pass deflected off his back, Son quickly got around the ball and whipped in a left-footer between the legs of Algerian goalkeeper Rais M’Bolhi. His strike marked Korea’s first shot on goal of the game. When he attempts it from that close, it feels inevitable that the ball will go in.

More Young GunsThe loss against Algeria left pundits and fans second-guessing whether Korea would have fared better if manager Hong Myung-bo had paired Son with Lee Keun-ho as the axis of his attack, instead of bringing the latter off the bench. Lee, 29, a Sangju Sangmu striker, looked impressive in the Russia match when he came off the bench and scored the opening goal. Hong substituted Lee Chung-yong late in the match

Lee Keun-ho celebrates after scoring the first goal against Russia at Arena Pantanal in Cuiabá, Brazil, on June 18. © Yonhap News

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against Algeria who once again made an immediate impact, cutting deep into the penalty area and finding an open Koo Ja-cheol, who slipped in Korea’s second goal.

Despite his stellar scoring rate in the K League Classic, Lee has been chronically undervalued as a football asset for the national team. He was left off the 2010 World Cup team despite a brilliant showing during the preliminaries as then-coach Huh Jung-moo wasn’t convinced Lee’s success in Asian competition would translate to success in South Africa. In Brazil, however, Lee’s bullish, direct style in the attack looked vital as Hong’s starters quickly ran out of ideas on the offense.

Lee has never been accused of lacking confidence, and his goal against Russia demonstrated his quality. Taking the ball from the midfield, Lee saw space in front of him and did not hesitate to fire a right-footer from distance. Goalkeeper Igor Akinfeev failed to gather the ball and spilled it over his head and into the net.

While Lee was credited for the goal, it looked more like Akinfeev’s blunder. However, these are exactly the kind of goals the shoot-first, think-later Lee will pull out of the blue.

Koo, 25, the Mainz attacker and Korea’s captain, gave an uneven performance in the No. 10 role, but probably has his best football ahead of him. Another impressive young player is Ki, the 25-year-old Sunderland midfielder who is quickly growing into an elite, deep-lying playmaker.

Legend at the Helm It remains to be seen whether the national team will continue to be helmed by Hong, the superb ball-playing center back who captained Korea during its magical semifinal run in 2002.

Hong is a football legend, Korea’s most-capped player and has appeared in four World Cups. He worked up the coaching ranks from the youth level to leading Korea to a bronze medal at the 2012 Olympics in London. Taking over the senior national team a year ago, he dramatically altered Korea’s style of play, scrapping the dreadful long ball strategy and installing a more technical approach designed to maximize the strength of wingers such as Son.

While Korea expected to do better in Brazil, Hong’s coaching credentials and close relationship with key players such as Son suggest it’s worth giving him more time at the senior level.

Popular Support ContinuesKorea has become famous for its feverish cheering during football tournaments, and despite the Taeguk Warriors’ struggles, the Brazil World Cup has been no exception.

Although the matches in Brazil were broadcast hours before commuting time, this didn’t prevent thousands of people from pouring onto the streets of Gwanghwamun and other areas to cheer for their team under giant screens.

1. Son Heung-min releases a shot against Algeria at Estádio Beira-Rio, Porto Alegre, Brazil, on June 23. © Yonhap News 2. Koo Ja-cheol of Korea reacts after the match between Russia and Korea at the Arena Pantanal in Cuiabá, Brazil, on June 17. © Yonhap News

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ENTERTAINMENTENTERTAINMENT

Webtoons serve as the forerunner of the next Korean wave

Written by Paola Belle Ebora

Illustrated Influences

With school out for the summer, teenager Chris Reyes and his friends huddled around a computer. “Have you seen this scary Korean

cartoon?” Chris asked his peers. Together, everyone inched closer to the screen as they read the warning. What followed was the most intense moment the group has ever experienced, according to Chris.

“We were so shocked, we didn’t expect it to come at us. I got to hand it to the Koreans, they really know how to make scary cartoons,” said Chris.

The “scary Korean cartoon” is the popular “Bongcheon-dong Ghost,” an online comic strip by writer and artist who goes by the name HORANG. Often dubbed as the scariest webtoon of all time, it first became popular in 2011 when it was published on the portal site Naver. With its engaging storytelling and unexpected twists, the “moving toon,” a webtoon with moving visuals, quickly went viral.

The webtoon, a portmanteau of web and cartoon, is an illustrated comic available on the Internet. It is seen as a more modern version of the comic strip as it is modified to adapt to its different distribution platform, the web and mobile devices. Instead of flipping a page to see the

next frame, viewers scroll down through the whole page to view each frame. Flash and GIF animations, as well as background music, are also included for more gripping effects. It is a step up for comic strips, as some webtoons, called “smart toons,” are also optimized for mobile devices such as smart phones.

The Birth and Boom of WebtoonsWebtoons have been around for a while, starting out as picture diaries by cartoonists who released their works on their personal homepages in the 1990s. This was when the first generation of webtoons, such as Kwon Yoon-joo’s “Snow Cat” and Jeong Chul-yeon’s “Marine Blues,” became hits.

Later, as more cartoonists found that publishing their work online was more rewarding—with immediate reactions from viewers easily seen through the comments section—the number of webtoons published independently grew such that the major portal sites Daum and Naver took notice and started hosting them in the early 2000s. At the same time, many serialized comics lost their platforms as magazines that published comic strips went out of print.

Visitors take in the "All Webtoon" exhibit at the

Digital Library of the National Library of Korea. Some 100 works depicting

a decade of webtoon history in Korea were on display. © Yonhap News

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The free and easy-access of the webtoons quickly earned the favor of Korean users, who are used to doing things quickly and on the go. With Korea being one of the most wired countries in the world, it comes as no surprise that every day, more than 10 million people scroll through Naver and Daum’s webtoons as they go about their daily lives. Naver Webtoons, which churns out 140 webtoons weekly, is said to have about 6 million users every day. Popular webtoonist Kang Full’s “Soonjung Manhwa” averaged two million views per day and got 32 million hits in total page views on Daum.

Popularity Beyond Computers and Smart PhonesEventually, webtoons went outside the Internet. Popular titles including Yoon Tae-ho’s “Moss,” Kang Full’s “I Love You,” “Ba:Bo” and “Hello Schoolgirl,” as well as “I Watch Him Every Day” and “Her Lovely Heels,” were turned into movies and television series that, like the webtoons themselves, generated a significant viewership. More recently, the film adaptation of the webtoon “Secretly, Greatly” became a box office hit, with a total of 7 million viewers and raking in over USD 48 million. Meanwhile, Kang Do-ha’s “The Great Catsby” was adapted into a musical.

Reaching Out to Global ReadersIt’s only a matter of time before this phenomenon spills out onto the global scene. Readers of Korean webtoons were initially limited to Korean culture enthusiasts and learners of Korean

language. Eventually, however, other illustrated comic lovers started taking notice, welcoming the foray of webtoons made available through unofficial translations.

Recently, Naver displayed an English version of its webtoon site at the London Book Fair, announcing plans to make content available for global audiences. Soon, international webtoon fans may no longer be required to depend on unofficial translations. Albeit still in its infancy, the project is expected to take immediate hold of an untapped market.

Han Sung-suk, head director of Naver’s service department, is optimistic about the future of webtoons and their global popularity. “In the next decade, webtoons will become the new center of Hallyu if we work hard,” Han said at the 2014 ICT Public-Private Strategic Seminar held this past March. According to a report by the Korea Herald, the company plans to raise awareness of Korean webtoon artists abroad while expanding international readership over the next decade. It also looks to expand its platform to include its mobile instant messaging application LINE.

Daum, for its part, recently forged a partnership with Tapastic Media, owner of the first North American webtoon portal, tapastic.com. It started publishing the translated version of “Like a Wolf” this past January.

The original success of webtoons was made possible through portal sites that gave them a platform. Now that similar platforms for international distribution have been established, it is only a matter of time before webtoons reach their full potential on a global scale.

1. Noblesse © Naver2. Tower of God © Naver3. Cheese in the Trap © Soonkki

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SPECIAL ISSUE

Korea’s cutting-edge, low-cost medical services are drawing a global audience.

According to the Ministry of Health and Welfare, over 200,000 overseas patients came to Korea to receive treatment last year. Some 211,218 patients from 191 different countries underwent treatment at Korean hospitals in 2013, generating KRW 39.34 billion in sales, a 47 percent increase from the previous year.

The economic benefits did not stop there. International

patients spent on average KRW 1.86 million won each, a 10.7 percent increase from the previous year and 1.8 times the average annual treatment costs of Koreans. Of those patients, 117 underwent treatments priced at KRW 100 million or more.

Perhaps unsurprisingly, given the country’s proximity, China accounted for the most foreign patients, with 56,075 coming in for treatment. The United States came in second with 32,750. Other major patient groups were Russians (24,026)

As nation tops 200,000 international patients for the first time, officials plan for even bigger things to come

Written by Kim Hansol

Korea’s Medical Tourism Boom

A Korean medical institution conducts a thyroid examination on a visitor at the 2013

Moscow International Travel & Tourism Exhibition. © Yonhap News

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and Japanese (16,849). Mongolia, Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan are also sending an increasing number of patients to Korea, in accordance with continuous government-to-government cooperation.

International patients revealed unique preferences, depending on their home country. For instance, patients from China, where Korean music and TV shows are quite popular, leaned toward cosmetic procedures, such as plastic surgery and skin care, although internal medicine procedures were also popular. Russians, on the other hand, made frequent use of internal medicine, general check-up and obstetrical/gynecological services, as well as skin care.

The biggest spenders, however, were Emiratis, who spent an average of KRW 17.71 million on each treatment, 9.5 times the national average.

A Quantum LeapSince medical tourism was designated a new economic growth engine in 2009, over 630,000 international patients have chosen Korea as a medical services destination. In total, they’ve spent about KRW 1 trillion on treatments.

The year 2014 represents the ministry’s launch year for its “quantum jump” initiative to bring an annual 1 million international patients to Korea by 2020. Accordingly, it is strengthening intergovernmental collaboration with the provision of comprehensive support to medical institutions serving international patients. This includes focusing on systemic improvements, making efforts to expand services though government-to-government cooperation, promoting Korean medical services, inviting international medical personnel to study and conduct research in Korea, promoting medical volunteer efforts and developing integrated models to draw patients to Korea. It will also firm up existing infrastructure for international patients, the export of medical services and institutions overseas, and diversify the avenues available to international patients through such things as increasing the number of pre-post care centers. To promote a stable, ordered market, the government will also establish a tip center where scammed patients can alert the government of illegal practices, thereby boosting alliances with local governments and related institutions.

Medical Revenue Figures from International Patients

60,20181,789

122,297159,464

211,218

5471,032

1,8092,673

3,934

2009 2010 2011 2012 2013

Medical Revenue

Number of Patients

Source: Ministry of Health and Welfare

The Russians Are Coming

A rapidly growing number of Russians are coming to Korea for medical treatment. Over the past five years, the number of Russian medical tourists has

grown by 13.7 times, or 92.3% per annum, climbing from just 1,758 in 2009 to 24,026 in 2013. By number of patients, Russians now place third behind Chinese and Americans, but they place second in terms of money spent. They spend on average KRW 3.6 million on treatment, double the amount the average Chinese does, and they stay for an average of 10.9 days, far longer than the 6.8 days the average international patient spends in Korea. Russians account for 20.6 of international patients who come to Korea for infertility treatments, the most from any country.

With the potential of the Russian market in mind, the Korea Medical Tourism Convention was held in Moscow on June 13 to promote Korea as a destination for medical treatment. Speaking to Korea.net, an official involved in the Russian medical tourism sector said, "Up until now, Russian patients only looked at close neighbors, such as Turkey or Israel, as possible destinations for medical tourism. It’s literally a shock how Korea’s medical technology has improved over the years."

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Korea’s a hotbed for coffee lovers

Written by Kim Tae-gyu

Fancy a Cup?

In the past, office workers in Seoul tended to return to work as soon as they finished lunch. Many of them, however, now head

to a coffee shop or café. The trend has prevailed across the country without showing any signs of slowing. It even overcame the lingering economic slump in the late 2000s as the country’s coffee market is now estimated to be far larger than KRW 4 trillion, some 2.5 times bigger than the KRW 1.6 trillion estimated in 2007.

Developing Palate The upsurge in the coffee market caught analysts by surprise because the economic downturn demolished many other businesses, including the real estate market, which many Koreans believed to be unshakable. The coffee market is one of the few industries that survived the economic tsunami and thrived in Asia’s fourth-largest economy. In addition, many Koreans also care

about the quality of their coffee. As consumer tastes continue to become more sophisticated, an increasing number of folks are buying their coffee at specialty shops, no longer content with instant coffee.

As a result, some 15,000 coffee shops are currently tucked into practically every spare sliver of real estate. On top of foreign franchises like Starbucks, homegrown chains such as Caffé Bene are available nationwide. The average Korean drinks approximately 500 cups of coffee a year, and per capita

CURRENT KOREA

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coffee consumption is a few times more than the country’s neighbors in the Asia-Pacific region. This fad of coffee consumption is especially intriguing because Korea does not produce coffee. Instead, it imports roasted coffee beans from 80-plus nations including Vietnam, Brazil and Colombia.

A Place for RefugeResidents say that coffee, which was introduced here in the late 19th century, has become an indispensable part of people’s daily lives in just some 120 years because it has something to do with our society. In particular, they point out that specialty coffee shops provide not only something to drink, but other attractive benefits as well.

“It’s hard to find a place in Seoul to sit down with your friends for a nice chat. Expensive restaurants are too expensive for students like me,” said a university student in her early 20s in Seoul.

“For us, a coffee shop is a perfect fit. With less than KRW 10,000 per head, I can stay with my friends as long as we want.”

Another university graduate in his late 20s concurred, “I study English with my classmates so we can get decent jobs. On the whole, coffee shops are by far the best places to convene and study for hours on end,” he said.

“Many coffee shops are equipped with special study rooms you can use for free. Plus, they provide free Wi-Fi. In summer, when it’s really hot, coffee shops are like a cool refuge.”

Experts predict that the annual double-digit growth of the coffee market will continue for years to come, even though the population is only growing at a snail’s pace. This means that per capita coffee consumption will also keep rising. More notable, however, is the question of whether or not Koreans’ recent interest in health and well-being will negatively affect their love affair with coffee.

1. People enjoying coffee at Coffeesmith

in Seoul's trendy Garosu-gil

neighborhood. © KTO 2. Seoul's

Samcheong-dong district has many

cafés.3. A barista prepares

coffee. © Yonhap News

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SUMMIT DIPLOMACY

President Park holds a summit with Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbayev in Astana on June 19.© Yonhap News

President Park gives an opening address at a forum of Korean and Uzbek business leaders on June 17. © Yonhap News

President Park takes in works of art at the opening of "People," an exhibit of work by Korean artists and ethnic Korean artists from Central Asia, at the Palace of Independence in Astana, Kazakhstan on June 19. © Yonhap News

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In late June, President Park Geun-hye made a six-day, three nation tour to Central Asia. During her tour, she bolstered relations with the nations of Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan and

Turkmenistan, concluding important agreements on economic cooperation, particularly in the fields of power and energy. The tour provided an opportunity for the president to underscore her commitment to the “Eurasian Initiative,” her vision for an Asia and Europe connected by energy and logistics infrastructure, including a “Silk Road Express” that would connect Korea to Europe by the great Eurasian network of railways and roads.

Boosting Ties with UzbekistanPark kicked off her Central Asian tour with a state visit to Uzbekistan on June 16–18. The visit was significant as Uzbekistan is Korea’s largest trading partner in Central Asia and home to the region’s largest community of ethnic Koreans.

President Park began her visit by meeting with about 130 members of the Korean community of the Uzbek capital Tashkent. Largely descended from Koreans forcibly relocated from the Russian Far East by Joseph Stalin in the 1930s, Central Asia's Korean community has put down strong roots in their nations of residence thanks to their diligence and determination. Park spoke to those gathered about her commitment to expand cooperation with Central Asia and stressed the importance to Korea of the 7 million ethnic Koreans who reside overseas. Noting Seoul’s role in ensuring that ethnic Koreans can live happily wherever they are, she said her administration would push for a variety of policies tailored to the needs and conditions of individual communities. In addition to greater outreach from Korean diplomatic missions, Korea would also support programs to teach young ethnic Koreans about Korea and their cultural heritage.

On June 17, President Park met with Uzbek President Islam Karimov for a bilateral summit, the 13th such summit since the

Building a Stronger EurasiaPresident Park's tour of Central Asia focuses on economic cooperation and expanding ties

Written by Robert Koehler

President Park meets with Turkmen President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedow in Ashgabat on June 20. Park was the first Korean president to visit Turkmenistan. © Yonhap News

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SUMMIT DIPLOMACY

establishment of diplomatic ties between the two countries in 1992. The two leaders reaffirmed their commitment to ongoing projects, including the construction of a gas chemical complex at the Surgil field, the construction of a combined thermal power plant in Talimarjan and a gas-to-liquids (GTL) plant. They also agreed to push new projects to develop the Kandym gas field, including the construction of a gas processing plant and a photovoltaic power station.

The two leaders also agreed to economic cooperation in other sectors, including e-government, the environment, textiles and infrastructure. President Park also won Uzbekistan’s support for the “Eurasian Initiative,” discussing with President Karimov various measures to realize the plan.

President Park completed her state visit with a trip to the historic Silk Road city of Samarkand, where she toured important historical and cultural sites.

New Opportunities in KazakhstanAfter Uzbekistan, President Park moved on to Kazakhstan for a state visit on June 18–20. Kazakhstan is Korea’s largest investment destination in the region, with about 250 Korean businesses involved in a variety of projects in the country. This includes three cooperative projects: the construction of the Balkhash coal-fired power plant, the Atyrau petrochemical complex and the exploration of the Zambil offshore oilfields. The two nations are also set to commence new projects, including the expansion of oil production at the Tengiz oil field and the joint exploration of a lead and zinc mine in Karagandy Province. As she did in Uzbekistan, Park began her visit with a meeting with the Korean community of the Kazakh capital, Astana. She praised Kazakhstan’s ethnic Korean community, saying that their success in Kazakh society made it possible for Korea and Kazakhstan to upgrade their ties into a strategic partnership, despite the short history of official bilateral relations. She reiterated her administration’s support for overseas Koreans, including in Kazakhstan, where, among other things, Korea set up an an agriculture center in 2010 in Ushtobe in the Almaty Province to provide support for ethnic Korean farmers. She also said her administration was making efforts to help overseas Koreans visit Korea.

On June 19, Park met with Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbayev for a bilateral summit. The two leaders agreed to find ways to combine Kazakh resources and Korean technology to generate synergy as well as expand cooperation in the fields of health care, forestry and infrastructure. They also agreed to continue efforts to boost people-to-people and cultural exchanges as the two nations signed a visa waiver agreement for ordinary passport holders. Draft agreements are being concluded on temporary employment and the issuance of multi-entry visas, too.

During her visit to Kazakhstan, President Park also met with Kazakh Prime Minister Karim Massimov and toured Nazarbayev University.

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The Korean government is working hard to ensure that Pope Francis’ visit to Korea in August is a historic one.

Pope Francis will make a five-day visit to Korea on August 14–18 to beatify 124 Korean Catholics who were killed during persecutions in the 18th and 19th centuries. Under the motto “Rise Korea, clothe yourself in light, the Lord’s glory shines upon you,” this papal visit will see the pope visit Catholic-related holy sites around the country, including the Myeong-dong Cathedral, the Solmoe Shrine, the Haemi Fortress and the Seosomun Catholic Martyrs’ Shrine. He will also meet President Park Geun-hye at a Mass for young Asian Catholics to be held at the Daejeon World Cup Stadium.

Each scheduled stop on Pope Francis’ itinerary has formed its own preparatory committee to improve infrastructure, control traffic and to clean up the environment. For instance, one of the pope’s destinations will be the Kkottongnae, or “Flower Village,” a Catholic charity community founded in the central Korean town of Eumseong in 1978 to house the physically and intellectually disabled. The pope has expressed his intention to offer a prayer in Korean, so the preparatory committee for the local diocese is preparing a Korean prayer with the pronunciation written out in the Roman alphabet. In the province of Chungcheongnam-do, meanwhile, a joint preparatory committee led by the provincial governor is working to designate Catholic-related sites in Haemi as cultural properties, expand parking, build pilgrimage routes, improve visitor infrastructure around the Haemi Fortress and strengthen safety precautions for the Daejeon Mass.

Korea Busy Preparing for Pope’s VisitLocal committees working hard to make papal trip memorable

A Korean First in TurkmenistanPresident Park finished her Central Asian tour with a visit to Turkmenistan on June 20–22. When she stepped off her plane at Ashgabat International Airport, she became the first Korean president to visit the Central Asian nation, which has gained international attention for its rich reserves of natural gas.

President Park held a bilateral summit with Turkmen President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedow at the presidential palace in Ashgabat on June 20. During the summit, the two leaders agreed to bolster economic cooperation between Korea and Turkmenistan, including expanding the participation of Korean companies in Turkmen national development projects. In particular, the two inked USD 4 billion in agreements to build natural gas processing plants in Turkmenistan. President Park also won President Berdimuhamedow’s support for her “Eurasian Initiative.”

President Park also visited the Independence Monument and visited a carpet museum.

1. President Park tours Registan Square, the

historic center of the city of Samarkand, with Uzbek President Islam Karimov.

© Yonhap News 2. Accompanied by Turkmen President

Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedow,

President Park inspects an honor guard at an official

welcoming event at the presidential palace in Ashgabat on June 20.

© Yonhap News

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Rebuilding SafetyDisaster management is the goal of new safety control tower

Written by Bae Ji-sook

President Park Geun-hye announced on May 19 the establishment of a ministry to supervise safety-related issues across the

nation. The new ministry is expected to harness resources scattered across a number of areas and among various entities, make a nationwide effort to counter unpredictable accidents and rebuild public confidence in disaster management.

“The safety agency combines the functions of existing safety-related agencies, streamlining the chain of command to allow for coordinated onsite responses to emergencies on land and at sea,” Park said in her address to the nation on the same day, explaining the measures taken by the government in the aftermath of the Sewol ferry sinking. En route from Incheon to Jejudo Island,

the 6,825-ton vessel capsized on April 16 off the coast of Jindo Island in Jeollanam-do. There were 476 people aboard, mostly students from Danwon High School in Ansan. Since then, calls for a more comprehensive and efficient disaster control system have been increasing.

Streamlining Departments According to a bill prepared by the Ministry of Security and Public Administration, which will be submitted to the National Assembly after Park’s announcement, the planned ministry will have the right to receive prior consultation about the national safety budget and to allocate special funds for disaster prevention. The agency is expected to absorb the functions of the Korea Coast Guard,

POLICY REVIEW

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the emergency control duties of the National Emergency Management Agency and the safety management role of the Ministry of Security and Public Administration. It is slated to become a powerful department, with more than 8,000 people on its staff and a budget of more than KRW 1 trillion.

President Park also delegated authority to the organization and reinforced its power. She said the ministry will have an open recruitment policy. With strict limitations on job rotation, it will be promoted as a model for the changes that can be realized in the public sector through a partnership between the experts and the people.

“We will carry out an extensive survey, seeking suggestions from the public and from related experts, that will then serve as the basis for creating a master plan for safety innovations. We will also speed up the conclusion of the project to build a national disaster and safety communications network, which has continued for eleven years without progress.

“This way, all of the disaster response organizations will be able to work within a single communications network to mount a unified response and solidify cooperative efforts,” President Park said.

A New Era The establishment of the new ministry is said to

have been inspired by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, a cabinet department created in response to the September 11 attacks. It has the primary responsibility of protecting the United States and its territories from terrorist attacks, accidents and disasters, both natural and human-made, as well as responding to such events.

In general, experts have been positive about the establishment of the new agency, but they are calling for care in the execution of the plan.

“It is meaningful that a central point for overall disaster management will be erected. The fact that the government is willing to nurture professionals should also be welcomed,” said Professor Chung Jae-hee of Seoul National University of Science and Technology.

“I hope the president and cabinet members will be able to delegate the ministry with authority so that during emergencies it can show strong leadership in directing other governmental organizations,” he said.

“At the moment, the ministry is expected to counter disasters, but in the long term, the agency should be on alert against various threats including North Korean issues and possible terrorist attacks, as well as non-military threats, such as climate change, earthquakes, tsunamis and others,” said Chung Chan-kwon, a researcher at the Dankook University Disaster Institute.

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1. Emergency personnel conduct a drill in Busan's

Geumjeong Tunnel, Korea's longest tunnel. © Yonhap

News 2. President Park

announces the disbanding of the Korea Coast Guard

following the Sewol disaster at Cheong Wa Dae on May

19. © Yonhap News 3. Rep. Kim Tae-hwan of the National Assembly's

Security and Public Administration Committee

speaks at a policy debate on creating a national disaster

management system at Cheong Wa Dae on May 19.

© Yonhap News

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POLICY REVIEW

Korea might produce some of the world’s most advanced and upscale smartphones, but it's also proven

itself quite adept at making it possible for even the lowest rungs on the economic ladder to take advantage of all the mobile revolution has to offer.

Introduced to the market three years ago, so-called altteul, or thrifty, phones are heating up the Korea mobile market. As of June, these phones, which make use of super-cheap mobile virtual network operators (MVNOs), have garnered over 3 million subscribers, accounting for around 5 percent of total mobile subscriptions. While initially planned as primarily a venture between the government and small companies, the popularity of the affordable plans has attracted the interest of major corporations as well.

Post Offices Jump into the Phone BusinessThe government launched the altteul phone initiative in July 2011 in order to lessen the burden of telecommunication costs, particularly on working families, and to provide a ladder to small- and medium-sized companies. The key to lowering costs is making use of MVNOs, wireless communication operators, usually small-scale, that do not own the wireless network infrastructure over which they provide services to customers. These companies enter into agreements with established mobile network operators secure wholesale rates for bulk access to networks and frequencies, which the companies provide in turn to customers at independently decided rates. As these small-scale providers needn’t build their own networks and are relatively free from marketing expenses, they can provide services at relatively low costs. For customers, this means that they can use existing handsets and their existing numbers and enjoy the same quality service for about half the rates currently offered by Korea’s “Big Three”

Korean Mobile Users Get ThriftyIntroduction of super-cheap phone services brings the mobile age to new users

Written by Lee Kyehyun

Altteul phones on sale at a department store

© Yonhap News

37

telecom companies.While these phones and plans have been around

for several years, sales really began to take off last year, when the government began selling the phones through 226 post offices nationwide. This move attracted new customers, particularly older users with a preference for simpler modes of communications. In just seven months, over 100,000 people subscribed to services at the post office, an impressive feat considering Korea’s saturated phone market. Of the 38,796 people who subscribed to altteul phone services through the post office last year, 65.8 percent were in their 40s, 50s and 60s. Many of these customers preferred feature phones, which sport only basic functions such as voice calls and text messaging, over smartphones that offer a wider range of services.

The post office move has proven so popular that the government has expanded the number of post offices participating in the program to 359, with plans to gradually expand that number to about 600 by the end of the year. They also plan to boost

the number of feature phones on offer from five to seven, while keeping prices low—to the tune of KRW 3,000 a month with 50 minutes of voice call time.

In addition to the post office, the phones are sold at convenience stores, major supermarkets and select banks as well.

Big Companies Also Show InterestKorea’s big three telecom companies are showing interest in altteul phones, too. SK, LG and KT have all either applied to the government to enter the altteul market or have expressed their intent to do so. SK, in fact, entered the market early in 2011 through its subsidiary, SK Telelink.

With the “Big Three” already gearing up for entry into the market, service costs are expected to decrease even further as the competition heats up. SK Telelink, for instance, is offering a plan that lets users use up to KRW 30,000’s worth of voice calls, text messaging and data usage for just KRW 15,900.

2012. 12 2013. 12 2014. 01 2014. 02 2014. 03

1,276,411

2,485,004

2,605,9322,731,366

2,868,960

Source: Ministry of Science, ICT and Future Planning

Altteul Phone Subscribers

A customer examines altteul phones at a convenience store. © Yonhap News

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2 3

CREATIVE TECHNOLOGY

Since its discovery a decade ago, graphene has become one of the most researched substances in the world, with properties

including incredible strength, high transparency, flexibility and efficient conduction of heat and electricity. With numerous applications in physical and organic chemistry, electrodynamics, semiconductor design and flat screen technology, graphene is gradually changing our lives. It has had a particularly large impact on IT-based products.

Composed of a sheet of carbon just one atom thick, graphene is incredibly thin and nearly transparent. Laid out in a honeycomb lattice, the material is remarkably strong considering how light

it is—200 times stronger than steel and 20 times stronger than a diamond. The material is efficient at conducting heat and electricity, and it transfers electrons around 100 times faster than the silicon that is currently used in chips and transistors.

Getting StartedThe technology is currently in the early stages of commercialization, with advanced economies rushing to dominate the global graphene market by offering financial support to domestic companies. Fully aware of its significance, both the

A New Kind of ConductorStronger, lighter and more efficient, new material catches the attention of government and private researchers

Written by Sohn Tae-soo1

2

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Korean government and private researchers in the country are going all out to develop this cutting-edge technology.

The Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy said in May last year that it would spend USD 45.9 million over the next six years to encourage domestic companies to develop graphene for making touch screen panels and organic light-emitting diode panels. The ministry said it will promote the commercialization of graphene in the IT sector, with more than half of the investment going to small businesses.

Last year, a research team at the Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology developed a technology called “edge-selectively functionalized graphene nanoplates,” using a “ball milling” process. In this process, a powder mixture placed in a ball mill, or industrial grinder, is subjected to high-energy collisions with the balls in the mill. This eco-friendly method is expected to help researchers mass-produce graphene at a lower cost.

New Methods for a New SubstanceThe Ministry of Science, ICT and Future Planning (MSIP) said in May this year that a research team led by Kim Soo-young, professor of chemical engineering and materials science at Chung-Ang University, and Lee Jong-lam, professor of materials science and engineering at Pohang University of Science and Technology (POSTECH), had grown graphene film through chemical vapor deposition (CVD) on a copper

substrate, which is promising for future industrial applications. The research, titled “Eco-friendly Graphene Synthesis on Cu Foil Electroplated by Reusing Cu Etchants,” was published online in the April 29 issue of Scientific Report.

The ministry said that another research team composed of Cho Kilwon, professor of chemical engineering at POSTECH, researcher Kim Hyun-ho and Chung Yoonyoung had succeeded in producing, “water-free method for the transfer of CVD-grown graphene onto a water-sensitive substrate and the application of this method to fabricate flexible, air-stable, low-voltage GFETs (graphene field-effect transistor).” The study, titled “Water-Free Transfer Method for CVD-Grown Graphene and Its Application to Flexible Air-Stable Graphene Transistors,” was the cover story for the May 28 online issue of Advanced Materials.

“The key feature of our transfer method is preventing the contact of water with the target substrate through the lamination of dried graphene. Thus, graphene can be transferred onto a variety of materials, even those that are easily damaged or dissolved by water, such as water-sensitive inorganics, silk and organic semiconductors,” Cho said in the paper.

Although scientists have theorized about graphene for decades, it was not until 2004 that it was first produced in the lab. The researchers, Andre Geim and Konstantin Novoselov, received the Nobel Prize in physics in 2010 for their groundbreaking experiments on the substance.

1. Samsung Electronics' 105-inch curved UHD TV on display at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas. © Yonhap News 2. A 19-inch sheet of flexible electronic paper is presented by LG Display in Seoul in January 2010.© Yonhap News3. The "ball milling" process is expected to help produce graphene at lower costs. © UNIST

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GLOBAL KOREA

Give a man a fish, so the saying goes, and he can eat for a day; teach a man to fish, though, and he can eat for a lifetime.

Much the same can be said for national development. It’s one thing to provide aid, but another to share knowledge and experience that makes sustainable economic development possible. This philosophy is at the heart of the Ministry of Strategy and Finance’s Knowledge Sharing Program, launched a decade ago to share Korea’s development know-how, built up over Korea’s own remarkable development run, to assist partner nations and lessen the knowledge divide.

Knowledge. Sustainability and PartnershipThe Knowledge Sharing Program, or KSP for short, began in 2004 with the inking of partnership deals with Vietnam and Uzbekistan. It has steadily grown since then, currently involving 46 partner nations in Africa, the Middle East,

Europe, Asia, Latin America and the Caribbean.The KSP is a knowledge-intensive development and

economic cooperation program designed to share Korea’s development experiences with participant nations. This includes comprehensive, tailored policy consultations based on the needs of individual partner nations. The program places great value on friendship created through partnership and hopes for co-prosperity.

Ultimately, the program is based on the principle of “enabling” rather than simply “providing.” Accordingly, it follows a philosophy that, interestingly enough, also follows the acronym of KSP: Knowledge-based, Sustainable Growth and Partnership. This is to say, the program promotes, first, knowledge-based development by sharing Korea’s development experience with policy makers with the aim of nurturing local capacities; second, the creation of a base for ownership-driven and self-reinforcing mid- to long-

Enabling, Not ProvidingWritten by Robert Koehler

Knowledge Sharing Program shares Korea’s development experiences with the world

Seminar for the Knowledge Sharing Program between Korea and Libya, held in Tripoli, Libya, in July 2013© Korea Institute for Development Strategy

41

term economic growth; and, third, partnership coupled with active participation of policymakers in partner nations.

Multi-Pillar ApproachBroadly speaking, the KSP has three components. The first is policy consultation, which is conducted through the Korea Development Institute (KDI). Established in 1971, the KDI is Korea’s foremost think tank for matters pertaining to economic development. Policy consultations include in-depth research based on Korea’s own development experience, policy advice tailored to policy priorities and policy research workshops for experts from participating countries. One such program, conducted by KDI and the Korea Institute for Development Strategy, involves helping Libya build an employment information network. Partner nations are divided into Strategic Development Partner countries, which receive three-year consultations, and Development Partner countries, which get two-year consultations.

Modularization, the second component of KSP’s mandate, has involved completing case studies of Korea’s development experience, which in

turn are used as basic materials for future policy consultations. The KDI’s School of Public Policy and Management has been tasked with conducting the modularization.

The third component is joint consulting with international organizations. For this, the Export-Import Bank of Korea combines Korea’s development lessons with the international organizations’ development expertise to produce a synergy effect. It also provides an opportunity for mutual learning.

Getting ResultsIn the decade since its launch, the KSP has yielded considerable results. In Vietnam, policy consultations between 2004 and 2011 resulted in the establishment of a credit guarantee system, the introduction of export insurance and even the establishment of the Vietnam Development Bank. Similar consultation led to the creation of the Navoiy Free Industrial Economic Zone in Uzbekistan, the Private-Public Export Promotion Council in the Dominican Republic and the establishment of the Saudi Arabia Development Institute and Educational Broadcasting System in Saudi Arabia.

2GhanaGabonSouth SudanSouth Africa리리 MozambiqueEthiopiaEquatorial GuineaDemocratic Republic of the CongoTanzania

LibyaSaudi ArabiaUnited Arab EmiratesAlgeriaOmanKuwait

RomaniaAzerbaijanUzbekistanUkraineKazakhstanTajikistanTurkey

LaosMongoliaMyanmarBangladeshVietnamBruneiSri LankaIndonesiaCambodiaThailandPakistanPhilippines

Dominican RepublicMexicoBoliviaBrazilHaitiEcuadorEl SalvadorHondurasUruguayJamaicaColombiaTrinidad and TobagoPanamaPeru

KSP at a Glance© Ministry of Strategy and Finance

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1

GREAT KOREAN

Goguryeo leader fended off massive invasion with strategic brilliance

Written by Felix Im

Eulji Mundeok

In Seoul there is an iconic avenue that runs parallel to the Cheonggyecheon Stream, stretching from City Hall in the west to the

Dongdaemun area in the east. Euljiro, or “Eulji Avenue,” is one of the city’s best known and busiest streets, named after one of the greatest figures in Korean military history.

Eulji Mundeok is one of those indisputable heroes that draws unilateral praise. Despite his historical importance, however, very little is actually known about Eulji. Historians can only estimate his birth and death based on his victory at the Battle of Salsu River in AD 612. It is the only period of his life that is recorded in detail in the Samguksagi, a historical record of the Three Kingdoms period written in the 1140s.

A New Enemy Eulji lived in tense times. The Sui Dynasty brought the scattered kingdoms of China together in 589. Forces from the Chinese mainland had tried to attack Goguryeo before, but they were too busy fighting among themselves to execute a concentrated offense. Faced with a united enemy, King Yeongyang of Goguryeo took precautionary measures, strengthened his military and even corresponded with the Turkic Khaganate, which spanned the far corners of the Mongol plateau. When the Sui emperor Yangdi heard of Goguryeo’s communication with the Turks, he demanded unconditional obedience from King Yeongyang, who, of course, refused. In fact, Yeongyang had even launched a series of raids along the Sui border years earlier just to demonstrate his independence. When the Sui responded with a counter-invasion, they were defeated and driven back. Thus, although Emperor Yangdi made a show of treating Goguryeo as a subordinate, he actually viewed the kingdom as a serious threat. The Sui had already failed in their first attempt to take Goguryeo; they did not want to fail again.

In 612, Emperor Yangdi responded to King Yeongyang’s disobedience with a massive army of over a million soldiers, not to mention auxiliary forces and slaves to carry supplies,

1. Portrait of Eulji Mundeok © Yonhap News2. Children look at a model of the Battle of Salsu River, where General Eulji Mundeok scored a great victory, at the War Memorial of Korea © Yonhap News

bringing the total to over 3 million. Before the emperor’s forces arrived, however, the Goguryeo military transported all its people, food and supplies to their fortresses, burning everything else and filling all available wells, leaving the Sui military nothing but a barren landscape. To further starve their military, dispatches of Goguryeo soldiers cut off Sui supply trains.

A Victory of Brains over Muscle Desperate, Emperor Yangdi dispatched a separate invasion of over 300,000 troops to invade Pyongyang, the Goguryeo capital. This is where Eulji Mundeok enters the story. In a preliminary show of surrender, Eulji personally visited the Sui base to determine how well-equipped they were. After he saw their depleted supplies and hungry forces, he quickly returned to Pyongyang to launch his counter-campaign. Sui generals intended to capture Eulji and even kill him, but a high-ranking official insisted that it was improper to kill a messenger, and they released him. It didn’t take long for the Sui to regret that decision.

To draw Sui forces further from their supply routes and closer to Pyongyang, Eulji consistently launched a series of small, concentrated attacks upon Yangdi’s army—up to seven a day—purposefully retreating every time. Swollen with false confidence, Yangdi’s generals charged ahead until they neared Pyongyang’s fortress walls. It was then that Eulji sent them a cleverly written poem, the crux of which being,

“Why not cut your losses and quit while you’re ahead?” Starved, thirsty and tired, the Sui forces must have realized that invading Pyongyang was unrealistic, for they started their march home. Eulji had forces lying in wait, however, and unleashed a full-scale strike on the Sui from all sides, driving them into the Salsu River, northwest of Pyongyang, where Eulji had more reinforcements, as well as a dam to control the river’s flow.

An Empire Interrupted Goguryeo’s archers decimated countless Sui soldiers while its infantry and cavalry drove the rest into the river. Desperate to escape, the Sui forces scrambled across the water, where several thousands more were slaughtered. Eulji then released his dam to send a deluge that drowned thousands more. Records indicate that out of the more than 300,000 troops that the Sui dispatched to take Pyongyang, only around 2,000 survived. The mighty Sui Dynasty, despite its ability to unite the Chinese mainland, could not penetrate the Korean Peninsula.

Although almost no record of Eulji’s life outside the Battle of Salsu River has been found, his victory over the Sui Dynasty alone has been enough to cement his status as a national hero and a symbol of fortitude. He is considered to be the main reason for the Sui Dynasty’s defeat in its war against Goguryeo, which was so costly that the empire eventually collapsed internally and was replaced by the Tang Dynasty.

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Hanok StayTraditional housing for the modern visitor

Written by Gregory Curley Illustrated by Kim Yoon-myong

MY KOREA

45

Whether you’re Korea-bound or you’ve been calling the country home for the last little while,

Hanok stays are a healthy alternative when you’re on the prowl for a place to lay your head for the night.

Historically relevant, environmentally friendly and ineffably elegant, the Hanok represents the cultural backbone of Korean heritage. They are also a truly great way to explore Korean heritage a little deeper.

Broadly speaking, Hanok refers to the Korean traditional home. The sloping eaves, sturdy wooden pillars and beautifully intricate lattice work that adorns the doors and windows all lend to its truly unique design. Sure, one can fork out for a hotel with all the trappings of modernity, but it certainly won’t add any level of uniqueness or exclusivity to the trip at hand.

Many of a Kind Hanok structures vary in size, with some being relatively large and featuring a guest house attached to a main building, while others are smaller with only a limited number of bedrooms and a living room. Hanok also offer various programs to experience Korean culture even further, including tea ceremonies, pottery making, painting and even traditional folk games.

A personal favorite of mine is Rak Ko Jae, somewhat of a boutique Hanok guesthouse. Located in the heart of Seoul but designed to keep the rush of the city well outside its walls, the grounds here are immaculately kept and beautifully preserved. Unlike many other modernized Hanok guesthouses, the owners at Rak Ko Jae haven’t compromised authenticity at any corner.

Comprising antique furniture, hanji-pasted windows, or windows decorated with traditional mulberry paper, assortments of clay sculptures and various other colorful artwork, the rooms at Rak Ko Jae are fitted with televisions and

modern bathroom amenities. Witnessing the grounds during daylight is memorable in itself, but Rak Ko Jae’s true elegance is more apparent at night when its wooden lanterns bathe the inner courtyard in a calming glow.

Not Just for the Past Although much of the infrastructure has been renovated to accommodate individuals or larger groups, the Hanok has retained its traditional, rustic charm. Seoul’s affluent areas, like neighboring Bukchon, make it hard to believe that the houses were once a sign of poverty, considered behind the times and impractical.

It’s also neat to note that given Korea’s Confucian roots, Hanok were built to accommodate inhabitants in relation to their social rank. Men were housed in rooms called sarangchae and women in separate quarters called anchae, while servants slept in the smaller room closest to the front door.

Another advantage of staying in Hanok housing is the optimal cooling and heating system, thanks in large part to its architecture. Hanok can be characterized by their dual flooring, ondol and maru, with ondol being the stone flooring heated from below with a fire-heating system, and maru refering to the raised wooden flooring, porous and cool in the summer. This innovative architectural design staves off the heat during the summer and traps warmth during the winter. A far better alternative to being blasted by air conditioning units and suffocating in overheated rooms, Hanok are naturally climate-controlled to allow for a more than comfortable stay.

That being said, the trend does seem to be catching on now, more so than when I arrived just over a decade ago. As the number of Hanok hotels rises, however, it’s best to research them carefully so as not to end up sacrificing authenticity at the expense of popularity.

Hanok Stay

46

MULTICULTURAL KOREA

A Western SeonbiAfter spending 40 years driving Korean studies in Europe, German-born Werner Sasse lives the gentleman’s life in rural Korea

Written by Robert KoehlerPhotographed by Cha Ga-yeon

47

One suspects that sagely advice regularly pours from Werner Sasse, a German-born scholar and one of the

godfathers of Korean studies in Europe. Painter, writer, anthropologist and amateur brewer, Sasse now spends his days at his beautiful home in rural Anseong, Gyeonggi-do, emulating the seonbi, or righteous scholars of the Joseon Dynasty who dedicated their lives to learning and self-improvement. “Be serious about whatever you do in life. When you’re working, work. When you’re having fun, have fun,” he says.

An Almost Accidental StartSasse’s first experience with the country was almost by accident, coming to Korea in 1966 to help his then father-in-law at a technical school in the southwestern town of Naju. He did that for two years before heading up to Seoul to, as he puts it, “bum around,” including stints as an English and German instructor.

His experience sparked a desire to learn more, however. “I’d seen so many things I did not know or understand,” he says. He returned to Germany to study, but there were no Korean studies departments in Germany at the time. He enrolled in the Japanese studies department of Ruhr University Bochum, where he was fortunate enough to have a professor who was very interested in Korea.

Sasse immediately set to work rectifying the lack of Korean studies in Germany by founding a department at Ruhr University Bochum, which is now in the process of becoming Germany’s first Korean studies PhD program. “Fortunately, the university where I studied had one of the largest East Asian departments, and the people there had realized long before I got there that Korea was not Japan and not China and that we needed Korean studies,” he explains. “So it wasn’t all that difficult [to found the department].”

Sasse promoted Korean studies in Europe for his entire academic career, from 1975 to

his retirement in 2006. He even founded another Korean studies department at Hamburg University. In the time since he first embarked on this mission, student interest in Korea has grown significantly. “In the beginning, we were less than ten people, and nobody cared,” he recalls. “I understand now that both institutions have more than 100 students.”

Multiculturalism as a Normal StateOne of Sasse’s academic interests has been Korea’s rediscovery of its cultural self, especially in the modern period. He takes particular note of the insecurity and tension. “Just one generation ago—okay, now it’s nearly two—Koreans were farmers and now they are city people, but they haven’t found their own, new identity,” he explains.

Multiculturalism is now part of the discourse. For Sasse, multiculturalism is both a normal and necessary element of any large society. “I think multicultural education is necessary and it should start from getting away from [the ideas of ] our passport and their passport and our political entity and their political entity, and we should see that within Korea there are all sorts of cultures,” he says. For instance, he points out that people from Seoul’s aff luent Gangnam area differ in culture from people from the older Gangbuk area: “We must realize that multiculturalism is a normal state in every large community, be it a country like Korea or the world.”

To further illustrate, he takes the example of kimchi, which in Sasse’s eyes is a perfect example of how culture is really about what people do with outside inf luences. “Cabbage came from Yan China. Until Goryeo, the only kimchi we had was like dongchimi. Then in Goryeo times, they began adding spices, and in the 17th century pepper came in, and so they changed it again,” he says. “The interesting thing is that it’s a real Korean thing. You don’t have it anywhere else in the world in the same way, but its ingredients have come from abroad.”

In Gyeongju, the ancient capital of the Silla Kingdom (57 BC–AD 935), there are many historical relics that give one a glimpse into the ancient world whose

remnants now serve as artifacts to modern humanity. Bulguksa Temple is among the most famous of such historical sights, a reminder of the country’s rich Buddhist traditions. On the temple grounds, a majestic stone pagoda known as Seokgatap, designated National Treasure No. 21, stands tall for all visitors to see, shrouded in a mysterious beauty that’s amplified by its nickname, the Shadowless Pagoda. Awe-inspiring as the pagoda may be, its nickname reveals a tragic tale associated with its construction.

A Master CraftsmanSometime during the mid-eighth century, King Gyeongdeok of Silla had the pagoda constructed under the direction of Kim Daeseong, an expert stone architect and a chief royal official. Determined to construct the best pagoda possible, Kim called upon a master sculptor and stone carver, Asadal, who was originally from the Baekje Kingdom that had been conquered by Silla. Supposedly the best in his craft, Asadal was dragged away from his beloved wife and home and taken to Gyeongju, where he was to stay until his work was finished. The two were known for being an inseparable couple and both were in tears.

TALES FROM KOREA

A tale of a master stone carver and his wife who go to the deepst depths of love

Written by Felix ImIllustrated by Shim Soo-keun

A Love Set in Stone

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Devastated, Asadal’s wife waited in agony for her husband’s return, but no matter how much time passed, she received no news of his homecoming. Desperate and sick with longing, she set out for Gyeongju, taking almost no rest until she arrived in front of Bulguksa Temple. However, women were not allowed on temple grounds back then, and she was told to wait outside until her husband was finished. Days passed, then months, but the pagoda’s construction showed no sign of ending. Asadal’s wife grew more haggard and desperate each day, while Asadal continued to toil ceaselessly in order to finish his work and return home.

A Deceptive MonkOne day, a monk saw Asadal’s wife waiting outside the temple gates. When she told him her reason for waiting so persistently, he sent her to a nearby pond, telling her that the pagoda’s shadow would appear on the pond’s surface once construction was finished. Yet the monk must have just gotten sick of seeing her, for no matter how long Asadal’s wife waited for the pagoda’s shadow to appear, the pond’s surface remained as still and clear as ever. Finally, just as she was reaching her physical and emotional limit,

something appeared on the surface of the pond—but it wasn’t the pagoda. It was Asadal. Distraught and love-sick, Asadal’s wife cried out for her husband and leaped into the pond to join him. She ended up drowning, unbeknownst to Asadal, who finished his work a few days later.

The Shadow PondWhen Asadal heard of his wife’s tragic death, he mourned her by carving her image in a rock near the pond. Upon finishing his last project, he saw her image in the pond—just a brief shadow, but it was his beloved wife nonetheless. Crying out to her, Asadal leaped into the pond, where he drowned and joined his wife in the afterlife. Thus we now have our pagoda and pond, which are respectively called the Shadowless Pagoda and Shadow Pond in honor of Asadal and his loving wife.

The story of Asadal and his wife was given new meaning in the 20th century by poet Shin Dong-yeob and novelist Hyeon Jin-keon, who both used the two characters as symbols of Korea’s struggle for independence and national identity. Both writers recognized the metaphorical merit of Asadal and his wife as ideal for representing the passion and spiritual dignity of the Korean people.

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2014JULY

50

FLAVOR

Written by Shin YesolPhotograph courtesy of Ttottirang's Food Talk Talk (http://kshee04.blog.me)

Kongguksu

A summer favorite, kongguksu, or “bean noodles,” is one of Korea’s most delicious noodle dishes. To make this dish, wheat noodles are placed in a thick broth of iced soy milk and topped with sliced cucumber. Diners sometimes add a bit of salt to the broth to add some bite. For a bit more

protein, a sliced boiled egg is often added.Beans have been a Korean favorite for generations. In particular, common folk have long turned to

beans as an important source of protein. Cheap and tasty, kongguksu does a fine job preserving the beans’ protein and fat content, making it a perfect restorative in the hot Korean summer.