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Editor’s Letter

Feature

The Space Race between the Two Koreas

No Compromise: North Korea’s Nuclear Ambitions

SNU Society

SNU and 2013

SNU Incorporated, the Aftermath

Elective Courses in SNU

The Korean Engineering Project in the Himalayas

Arts and Culture

Restaurant Review: Eat, Rest, Pay and Leave

The Berlin File Review

Chungmuro’s Gone Hollywood!

Culture Calendar

Volume 42March 2013

CONTENTS

CHUNGMURO’S GONE HOLLYWOOD!

AND... THERE WAS LIGHT!

The Space Race betweenthe Two Koreas

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Cover Story March 2013. Vol. 42

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THE SEOUL NATIONALUNIVERSITY

uill Staff

Chief Managing Director Yeun-il Jeong

Editor-in-Chief Yun Hwan Chae

Vice Managing Director Eun Hur

Feature

Editor Haesol Kim

Seo Kyoung Lee

SNU Society

Editor Diana Cho

Regina Lee

Young Min Son

Arts and Culture

Editor Abhas Maskey

Tselmeg Chuluunbaatar

Hee Kyung Lee

Jane Park

Creative Director

Suzanne Park

E-Mail snuquill@gmail.com

Website club.cyworld.com/thesnuquill

Advisor Professor Eli Sorensen

Professor Eui Hang Shin

Sponsor SNU College English Program

Office of International Affairs

Printing Late Spring (02—2269—8030)

Design Sun Hee Kim

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November 2012. Vol. 41

In the past winter vacation, I went snowboarding for the very first time with a

couple of friends. None of us really knew what to expect and when we finally got

ourselves on the slope, the initial experience was terrible. The childish glee of gliding

through the snow was only momentary as fear took over and the board spiraled out of

control. My friends and I had chosen the gentlest slope, however, for the entire

afternoon session, none of us could master the techniques that we tried to learn through

youtube. Instead, we found ourselves trying to figure out ways to soften the eventual

crash as eight year olds zoomed past us in their skiing outfits.

As the sun fell down, the falling and crying out in agony had gotten the best of us

and we decided that we’d risk death and take on an actual slope on the mountains

instead of an icy pasture of slight incline. Perhaps we lost our sense of pain and sanity

by then, as the gondola ride up towards the top seemed to promise only further pain

and suffering, but everyone was up for the challenge. When we finally took the leap of

faith down the slope, it was surprisingly easy. The soft fresh snow of the slope allowed

for us to actually control the snowboards and all the techniques came by naturally. The

steering and braking that had been impossible in the gentlest slope was incredibly

simple. I realized that the previous course was too icy for snowboarding and we had

basically wasted time falling down and hurting ourselves. I think I can draw

comparisons between this experience and my involvement in the Quill in the past two

years.

The Quill has been established since 2005, however, despite the fact that we are

nearing our tenth anniversary, the Quill has experienced numerous difficulties. The

lack of financial and community support have hampered our progress towards

becoming a magazine that meets up to the expectations of SNU. Although we tackled

the various challenges head on, we have at times come to the point of stagnation. My

time with the Quill has been full of worries of eventual failure, just like my initial

experience with snowboarding. And it seems that we have been wrong in our approach

fundamentally. The platform of student journalism that Quill was originally founded

upon had long been replaced by aimless wandering without clear direction or ideals.

Starting of spring semester of this year, we have new goals in mind to become an official

independent student press and to be more proactive in dealing with issues that are

relevant to SNU students. With new leadership in the management department along

with the editorial staff and revisions to our constitution, we promise to aim to be the

standard of student journalism at SNU.

CHEERS,

YUN HWAN CHAE

FROM

THE EDITOR

With the successfullaunching of the Naro-1rocket in late January of

this year, South Korea joined theexclusive space club that consists ofonly thirteen countries. The successmarks a new shifting dynamic to thespace exploration scene that had beenpreviously dominated by a handful ofcountries. South Korea follows therecent success stories in orbitallaunches by Iran and North Korea.However, despite the technologicalmilestone that South Korea’s spaceprogram has achieved, the nearly half abillion dollar project has raised eyebrows in the South Korean public as

questions remain whether the programwas a reactionary initiative in responseto North Korea’s developments inmissile technology. The politicalsituation in the peninsula has takenanother turn for the worse from therecent mini space race between the twoKoreas. The Quill has tackled thetechnological and political implicationsto the developments of rocket andspace technology of South Korea.

What is most ironic about aerospaceprograms is that historically, they havebeen motivated by geopolitics.Although the technology enableshumanity to venture out into outerspace, the reasons behind these

programs are mostly to exertgeopolitical prowes on Earth. Asexemplified through the Cold War, theUnited States (US) and the SovietUnion space programs thrived duringthe period for the sake of competition.What had initially begun as an armsrace for advanced missile technologybecame a matter of pride and power.The political implications ultimatelyoutweighed the technological trickleeffect beget by the aerospace industry.The apparent similarities between thespace race of the Cold War and thecurrent developments in the Koreanpeninsula make the two situationscomparable.

March 2013. Vol. 42

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March 2013. Vol. 42

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TimelineThe two Koreas’ space programs both beganin the 1980s and since then,

both countries have launched satellites with their own rocket technologies.

The Space Racebetween the Two Koreas

BY YUN HWAN CHAE

Feature•

The core of the two Korean space programs isundoubtedly motivated by regional politics. Eachdevelopment in space technology in the peninsula isfollowed up by the other Korea. As the two Koreas firstdelved into the aerospace industry in the 1980s (North), the1990s (South) marked an era of development in satellitesbased on indigenous technology. And since the beginning ofthe 21st century both countries have focused their efforts onproducing rocket technology, as they both have succeeded inrecent months. Although similar to the cold war, there is acrucial difference between the two space races.

Whereas, the competition in the past were between twoglobal superpowers, the space race between South and NorthKorea take place in the ball park of powerful neighbors suchas China, Japan, Russia and to a certain extent the US. Underthe watchful eyes of already technologically advancednations, the two Koreas follow drastically different modelsfor aerospace development. North Korea’s development inrocket technology can be regarded as a defensive maneuverto bring leverage in its precarious diplomatic situation. NorthKorea has gradually developed its rocket technology inconjunction with their nuclear arms program. However,these developments have only further isolated thecommunist state from the rest of the world, and remains asthe only factor that ensures the dictatorship’s continualpower. Meanwhile, South Korea has taken a collaborativeeffort with Russia in its aerospace program that has

culminated in the recent launching of the Naro-1 rocket.The two stage rocket was developed by the two countries,with the first stage rocket by a Russian manufacturer, whilethe latter by the Korea Aerospace Research Institute.Although South Korea’s efforts are commendable, its rockettechnology has not matured to an alleged completeautonomy like that of North Korea.

However, autonomous North Korean technology hasonly been criticized by the international community. TheUnited Nations condemned North Korea’s recent launchingas a facade for testing its missile technology and Japan haslaunched two spy satellites in late January of this year,intended to monitor North Korean developments in itsnuclear technology. Thus, the space race between the twoKoreas is regarded completely different from that of the1960s. Instead of a struggle for national pride, North Korea’sdevelopments are seen as a means for survival for thetotalitarian regime and South Korea’s gradual progress in theaerospace efforts is simply influenced and motivated by thegeopolitics of the region. Ultimately, the space race of thetwo Koreas is hardly the competition of the golden age inspace developments, however, they represent a risingimportance of the peninsula in the global arena.

South Koreans watch the successful launching of the Naro-1.

South Korean Space Program Timeline1989 - Founding of Korean Aerospace

Research Institute (KARI) 1993 - Launching of the solid-fuel rocket KSR-11999 - Launching of the first Korean satellite

into space, Arirang-1, by a US rocketJune 2009 - Establishment of South Korea’s first

space center the Naro Space CenterAugust 2009 - Unsuccessful launching of Naro-1

June 2010 - Second attempt at launching of Naro-1fails again

January 2013 - Third and successful launching of Naro-1

North Korean Space Program Timeline1980s -Founding of Korean Committee of Space

Technology (KCST)August 1998 -Unsuccessful launching of

Kwangmyongsong-1 Satellite using thePaektusan Rocket

July 2006 -Unha-1 Experimental Rocket testApril 2009 -Unsuccessful launching of

Kwangmyongsong-2 satellite launchusing the Unha-2 Rocket

April 2012 -Unsuccessful launching ofKwangmyongsong-3 satellite launchusing the Unha-3 Rocket

December 2012-Successful launching ofKwangmyongsong-3 Satellite launchusing the Unha-3 Rocket

March 2013. Vol. 42

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Unprecedented reforms implemented by NorthKorean leader Kim Jong-un immediately after hisinauguration in late 2012 raised subtle hopes that

North Korea may finally succumb to international pressureand de-isolate. Indeed, photographs of actors in Disneycharacter costumes in the country’s eminent gala wereposted ubiquitously on the front pages of prominentnewspapers and had analysts speculating that its demeanorwas set to be commendable this regime. Yet regrettably forthem, such countenance turned out to be a guise; any hopesthat the new leader would be different from his predecessorswere emphatically quashed as North Korea, despiteunexpected opposition from its traditional ally China, carriedout a successful nuclear test on 12 February, 2013, precisely amonth after putting a satellite into orbit. The news wascertainly not what new president-elect Park Geun Hyewould have liked to hear at a busy time of transition andwould put serious question marks over her pledge to forgecloser ties with North Korea. As for North Korea, suchprovocation is merely a display of their conventionaldiplomacy. In fact, their rocket technology had beengradually proliferating in both depth and quality withclandestine aid from a myriad of other scientificallyformidable countries. It was a matter of time, rather than if,the third nuclear test would genuinely transpire.

Kim Jong-un adopted insidious tactics to ensure theinternational community turned a blind eye to its missiledeveloping programme. Unlike his predecessors, the juvenileleader would initially act as if the country was embarking in aprocess of reforms. Analysts sympathetic to him assert that

the leader did genuinely want to reform, but was pressurizedby the more belligerent sectors of his cabinet to carry out themissile tests. Whatever the interpretation, it is clear thatNorth Korea, whether under the instruction of the powerfulmilitary figures or under the direct instruction of Kim Jong-un himself, never halted the development of missiledevelopment during his reign. Initially of course, in thediplomatic frame, North Korea agreed to suspend operationsat its Yongbyon uranium enrichment plant on February2013, invite IAEA inspectors to monitor the suspension andeven implement moratoriums on nuclear and long-rangemissile tests. As retribution, the United States promised theprovision of 240,000 metric tons of food to North Korea.Yet once again North Korea’s rhetoric was unveiled as astrategy that would ensure the international society that theregime was no longer war-mongering, yet intimately developa satellite launch in mid-April to celebrate the centennialbirthday of the country’s founder Kim Il Sung. Indeed aspromised, last 13th April, it attempted to launch a weathersatellite using the Unha-3, a three-stage liquid-fueled rocketand consequently, the United States suspended its aidprogramme. Yet humiliatingly for the reclusive nation, afterjust 90 seconds, the rocket disintegrated in its first stage.North Korea, unlike in April 2009 when it deceived thepublic that a satellite was successfully put into orbit,admitted that it had failed with its endeavor. To makematters worse, in a military parade honoring the 100thbirthday of Kim Il Sung two days later, boasting six road-mobile ICBMs (the KN-08), experts concluded that themissiles were mock-ups with imagery analysis revealingsignificant abnormalities in the design features. As a

No Compromise: North Korea’s

Nuclear AmbitionsBY HAESOL KIM

consequence of such persistent mishaps, the internationalsociety did not take North Korea’s missile potential withgreat asperity. Besides, it was implausible, they imprudentlyassumed, that such a secluded and impoverished nationcould gain access to advanced technology that only a handfulof nations had acquired.

Conceivably, the United Nations Security Councilcondemned North Korea's satellite launch, postulating that itwas violation of Security Council Resolutions 1718 (2006)and 1874 (2009) and warned of an extension of sanctions.The international society had believed that they had actedsternly enough to repress North Korea’s missile ambitionsand indeed North Korea remained comparatively indolentfor the best part of 2012. The latency was not to last verylong, however, as on the first day of December, the reclusivestate astounded the world by abruptly announcing their trialof another long-range rocket satellite launch that month.The Unha-3 rocket would be launched from the SohaeSatellite Launching Station. In spite of internationalcondemnation, as had been forewarned, North Korealaunched the Unha-3 on 12 December, 2012. Shortly afterthe launch the North Korean Central News Agency as wellas Japanese and South Korean officials reported that thelaunch was a success and that a satellite had entered orbit. Inresponse, the United Nations Security Council passedResolution 2087 fortifying and expanding existing sanctionsput in place by the earlier resolutions, simultaneouslyfreezing the assets of additional North Korean individuals. Ifthe international body believed that such measures wouldonce again halt the progress of the North Koreans they weresoon found to be miscalculated as the North KoreanNational Defense Commission announced its intentions to

conduct another nuclear test and persist its rocket launches.On 12th February, the Comprehensive Test Ban TreatyOrganization detected seismic activity near North Korea'snuclear test site with the CTBTO Executive Secretary TiborToth claiming that the activity had “explosion-likecharacteristics”. Furthermore, the South Korean DefenseMinistry estimated the yield at 6-7 kilotons and confirmedthat the activity had its origin in the district of the 2006 and2009 nuclear tests.

North Korea remonstrated that the tests were directed atits “arch-enemy” the United States and that two morenuclear tests would take place this year. Indeed, it is fearedthat Kim Jong-un may be going even further than hispredecessors since his approval among the highest ranks ofthe country are second fiddle to that of his father. Sincemissile power is the only avenue that the economicallyimpoverished country believes can demonstrate its strength,it is feasible that North Korea will only become morebelligerent in the near future. The task for the internationalsociety is not to simply tighten its sanctions or become morebelligerent in its rhetoric. It must actually halt the flow ofmissile technology into North Korea. Although missile partswere predominantly domestically produced, most of the vitaladvanced missile technology knowhow was imported. Anabundance of reports have denounced Iran, Russia, Chinaand even Myanmar for bolstering North Korea’s missilepotency. Yet never have these reports been seriously pursuedby the United Nations authorities, perhaps for fear ofprovoking the states concerned. If the international societytruly craves a peaceful Korean peninsula, it must steadfastlyeliminate the origins of the North Korea’s ever improvingmissile potential, or face calamitous ramifications.

Feature•

Kim Jong-un’s regime has been criticized for its nuclear missile program A North Korean soldier at the recent rocket launch site

As we welcome everyone to a brand new year, we looknot only forward to greater expectations, but also bidfarewell to the past. 2012 was a great year seeing as weavoided the apocalypse as some predicted in December 21st.From the ludicrous theories of Planet X to the Mayancalendar, it’s safe to say that doomsday theories won’t beresurfacing anymore in the near future.

According to the Chinese Zodiac, 2013 is the year of theblack snake, an animal that symbolizes abundance and good.It is a sign of fortune as it symbolizes wealth, and the color‘black’ represents unexpected changes and darkness. It isclearly a mysterious year to look out for, but as it is the yearof ‘water’ snake, there are a lot of good omens of finance andwealth headed this year. In other words- be very careful, buttake opportunity at the chance it is given to you. With thatbeing said, we, Quill and Seoul National University, not onlywelcome the New Year, but the freshmen along with alltransfer as well as exchange students from all over the world.It is truly going to be a great year full of variety in thethriving diversity at SNU with the events along the way.

Several events have already happened this year, from theresignation of the pope and the inauguration of the firstfemale Korean president. The Seoul National Universitycommunity has also been active since the beginning of theyear with students participating in an engineering project inNepal that has supplied electricity to over 200 households.The project, led by Professor Ahn Sung Hoon, was a successand is a part of SNU’s continuous efforts in third worldcountries.

Starting the spring semester in the beginning of March,there have so far been several orientations and welcomingevents. However, nothing screams welcome as best as thegorgeous cherry blossoms that appears all throughout thecampus early-April. The annual spring festival that lasts forthree days on the Main Field in front of the Student Center(Bldg. 63) happens mid-April, and the fall festival in mid-

October. Both festivals are by far the most popular studentevents as the field is open to students during the festivalperiods. Food and drinks are sold and everyone socializeswhilst on stage there are bands, performances and games bythe student organizations of different sorts (‘dongari’). Thelast night is always the most special as Kpop stars perform.Last, last fall we had the Gangnam Style singer, Psy, lastspring- the Brown Eyed Girls and several more.

In order for these events to be successful, the studentbody led by its representatives has to take greater interestsand responsibilities. However, as we have witnessedconsecutive resignations of the student council over theyears, we hope to see a rise in interest in the new studentcouncil that will boost student opinions and SNU pride.

Last of all, SNU has undergone a great transition last yearthrough incorporation. Although tangible results have yet tobe noticed by the student body, 2013 promises a string ofnew initiatives and changes that will be implemented in ourdaily academic lives.

March 2013. Vol. 42

Feature•

SNU and2013

SNU Society•

BY DIANA CHO

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Cover Story Nuclear Power in Korea

Sims of Princeton University for theirstudy of the causal relationshipbetween macroeconomic policies andeconomic contribution. He will beteaching for two years at SNU until2014.

Along with Sargent, SNU alsowelcomed other several great scholarssuch as Charles Lee whose work andresearch in the field of human genomegenetics is highly recognized and iscurrently the professor at HarvardMedical School. Lee is going to belecturing at SNU as a visiting chairprofessor starting this year.

The new school board anticipatesmore scholars to knock their way intoSNU campus afterwards as they openmore doors for them.

Another news heading our way isthe construction of the second centrallibrary of SNU. The school board hasdecided to reinforce the school’scentral library by constructing anotherone just behind the current one.Anyone who has been going regularlyto the school’s central library foroccasional studies can agree that wecould all use a little upgrade to theplace. Thanks to a successfulfundraiser that raised 60 billion wonand the new school board’s decision,the new central library is set to befinished in June 2014.

Another change with incorporationconcerns SNU students’ humanrights. One of the promises of SNU

Inc. board was to open up variouscenters regarding the students’wellbeing. One of those promises wasto build the Human Rights Center ofSNU that opened in last June. Thecenter had its first big session in lastOctober concerning the status quo ofhuman rights of the graduate studentswho are often subjected to harshconditions of living and studying.Afterwards, in November, the centerhad another forum with foreignstudents of SNU concerning theirhuman rights and various prejudicesagainst them.

Another good news is that SNUfinally decided to build a newdormitory building exclusively forforeign students. The school boardannounced that they were consideringto build such a facility in order topromote diverse lifestyles of foreignstudents of SNU last December andthey recently announced that thegovernment has already granted thebudget for the project. Though thespecific details has not been settled,one can say that it is very good newsfor the future SNU alumni from allover the world.

Promising as it sounds, however,there are still numerous concernsabout the future of SNU Inc. Thebiggest concern is of course about thefact that SNU now motivates itselfwith efficient business models. Therehad been many debates about how aschool should focus on making moneywhile many fear that this mightcontradict with the ultimate purposeof an educational institute to promotethe quality of its education rather thanmaking profits.

Regarding such views, there havebeen some cutbacks on some of theliberal arts subjects in the category ofphysical education and music. TheSNU Liberal Education Departmentannounced that they are reforming

their courses and while doing so, theymight be cutting back on some onclasses open to all the students in orderto enhance the quality of theremaining classes. Even though thereasons for such reform soundsconvincing, there are suspicions withinthe student body that the school isstarting its scheme to reform theschool courses and departmentstructures based simply on a costefficient model.

Meanwhile, there have been someconcrete issues regarding theincorporation within the campus withthe on-campus laborers. Seeing thatthe new personnel policy of SNU Inc.differentiates the levels and incomes ofthe on-campus laborers who, in thepast, were either employees of SNU orgovernment employees. Now they areall employees of incorporated SNU.Over the years, SNU had had twotypes of on-campus laborers; oneswho had been hired by the school itselfand ones who had been put in by thegovernment. The problem is that theones from the government were andstill are eligible public servants whohad passed a certain exam to gain theirpositions. So the board decided to letthe public servants have betterconditions than the other laborers.Seeing that this is an act ofdiscrimination, the worker’s unioneven conducted a strike over lastsummer.

As SNU Inc. transitions into itssecond year, it is now safe to say thatthings are really happening. There is noturning back. Though there are stillmany pros and cons to weigh up, onecan only hope that the new system willstrive to bring about the most desirableresult for the members of the school inthe years to come.

March 2013. Vol. 42

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After the brouhaha over the incorporation of SNU in thelast couple of years, it has come to the fact that SeoulNational University has indeed become an incorporatedorganization. In fact, after the official launch of SNU Inc. onthe 28th of December 2011, the new version of our schoolnow marks its second year.

However, we, the students did not really have the chanceto witness the impact of incorporation over the last year. Thetuition had not changed as dramatically as most had feared,(in fact, it has been lowered by 0.25% this year.) nor werethere any major changes to the faculty.

The major difference between the original SNU and SNUInc. is that the decision making process has become moreautonomous. That is to say, prior to incorporation, SNUwas bound to the government and all the big decisionmakers consisted of government officials. But now, theschool has its own board with diverse backgrounds. This is agreat deal than it sounds like because now SNU can functionwithout the interferences from the South Koreangovernment, allowing them to be more flexible with budgetsand infrastructure.

Now, all the school faculty members are solely SNUemployees whereas before, their position was rather obscureas the South Korean government appointed them out. Thisindicates that SNU can invite more scholars from abroadsince the procedure of hiring them has become much moresimple. Of course, this can only happen with budget

permitting but another good news is that after incorporation,SNU is allowed to keep its original funding from thegovernment and on top of that, start its own business modelto promote profit.

One of the most significant changes within the campuslast year is that SNU employed some great scholars to teachand research on its premises.

For the first time ever in Korea, the SNU economicsfaculty welcomed the Nobel Prize winning scholar ThomasSargent last year. Sargent won the Nobel Prize forEconomics in 2011 and is a professor at New YorkUniversity. Sargent won the prize along with Christopher

SNUInc. The Aftermath

BY YEUN-IL JEONG

SNU Society•

Thomas Sargent, the Nobel Prize winner of 2011 is teaching at SNU

Diagram of the new central library

March 2013. Vol. 42

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Nepal, although rich in resources for renewable energy production, faces acute electricity shortage.Even in the capital city of Kathmandu, residents must endure an average of fifteen hours of poweroutage daily during the winter season. Thus, it is hard to imagine how isolated villages like Thingan,sidelined from the main power grid, would be able to replace old kerosene lamps with saferalternatives any time soon. The Quill talks to the man who tries to change just that.

Spring has come, and with it, the start of the new semester. For people who are still unsure aboutwhat courses to take, here are some elective courses you might want to incorporate into courseplans. Take note, you wouldn’t want to miss out on these interesting and educative courses whileyou are at SNU.

Fine ArtsIntroduction to the Performing Arts 003.061AThe course examines the boundaries of performing arts

through performing arts theories regarding the relationshipbetween the stage and the audience. Students study opera,musikdrama, ballet and modern dance during the semester.Detailed lectures as well as ample use of visual aids make thecourse fun and interesting.

PhilosophyUnderstanding the Bible and Christian

Thought 024.024The course aims to understand the Bible by learning about

historical backgrounds and symbols used in it. Instead oflearning about the interpretations and dogmas handed downthrough the centuries, students will examine materials andevidences for themselves in order to read and understand theOld Testament and the New Testament.

Society & IdeologyInformation Retrieval 005.045Students will learn how to retrieve information through

the application of various researching methods. They willalso practice using digital information resources as well as theuniversity library during the class. The course promises thatstudents will be able to locate any information regardless ofits specific source or medium. The skills should come inhandy, especially if you are a freshman lost before handing inyour first paper.

Psychology of Interpersonal Relations 005.011The course aims to increase the students’ understanding of

human relationships and to provide models for their analysisand treatment. Small group activities offer the chance toactually analyze and improve relationships, and at the end ofthe term, group members often end up making new friends.

Parenting (005.026)The course examines the true meaning of becoming a

parent. By learning about the role, value, belief of parents inchild development, students will learn how important andnecessary parental education is. The course promises to beinteresting and informing for future parents-to-be.

Nature and TechnologyA Billion Dollar Molecule 027.006Molecules have been the key players in the history of

science. While unknown to us, they triggered numeroustechnological developments crucial in science. The course’sobjective is to introduce students to the work of these smallmolecules which, despite their size, can generate whole newindustries. Students without previous knowledge of physics,chemistry or biology are welcome to sign up for the course,so don’t be daunted.

Liberal Education Special ProgramsCareer Development: Exploration and

Planning 009.013The course aims to help students address career issues.

The course-work and assignments are designed to helpstudents achieve this. Through questionnaires such as MBTIand group activities, students explore their true self. Alumniinterviews help students set and plan career goals. Thiscourse is strongly recommended for undergraduate studentswho are having career problems.

Volunteer Social Service 1, 2, 3 009.006Volunteer Social Service courses offer an opportunity to

merge personal interest with schoolwork. Students who signup for the course receive education in basic knowledge andpractice method of volunteer work. Afterwards, theyparticipate in volunteer work at various local social serviceagencies, putting knowledge into practice.

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March 2013. Vol. 42SNU Society•

Binayak Bhandari sits comfortably on his chair at hisapartment as he narrates his side of the story while heperiodically sips a masala tea. A few weeks before, in theremote Thingan Village of Makwanpur district in Nepal, hewas up on a hilltop overlooking the 20kW Pelton TurbineMicro-Hydro Power Plant that he had designed fromscratch.

Bhandari, a PhD candidate in the School of Mechanicaland Aerospace Engineering, was the one who spearheadedthe rural electrification project into effect in his nativecountry. This was not his first time leading such a project.

“We have, including this one, completed four projects inNepal,” recalls Bhandari, “We had a 2.2kW PVP in Lamtangin 2011, a rather small PVP installation in Rimche and in2011 and 2012, a 7kW PVP installation in Thingan. Thecurrent project was an expansion to what we did last year.”

“We” refers to the “Solar Nepal Volunteer Corps” thatconsists of thirty seven Korean students and three professorsled by Prof. Ahn Sung Hoon (MAE,SNU) who has beenactively supporting Bhandari’s mission.

This time, Bhandari undertook a government level projectthat involved High Voltage Transmission which had to bedistributed to about 126 new houses. The whole projectincorporated three sources of energy: A 3kW Wind Turbine,2kW PVP (Solar Panels) and a 20kW Hydro Power Plant.In addition, the project implemented the “ondol” system andorganized a science exhibition in a local school as part of thesocial responsibility program. It was an achievement in itselffor Bhandari to convince Prof. Ahn that he was capable ofcompleting such a project as large amounts of funding wereobviously required.

“For students, this is a mega project. I don’t think therehas been a student project of such scale in Korean history”claims Bhandari, “Fortunately, the Korean government andprivate donors financed us.”

But what made a mechanical engineering graduate take onsuch an ambitious civil project?

“We wanted to impact the lives of people living in ruralNepal and we found out that the best way to do so was tofocus on renewable energy. This required both mechanicaland civil engineering. With the suggestion and help of someof my colleagues and professors and with a handyhandbook, not only were we able to attract funds and designthe whole project but also implement it on the field in ashort span of time.”

The design and placement of the powerplants in theproject are unique. The whole system is, in fact, a smaller

And... There Was Light!The Korean Engineering Project in the Himalayas

Elective Courses in SNU

BY ABHAS MASKEY

BY HEE KYUNG LEE

Handing it over : Prof Ahn Sung Hoon shaking hands with the president of thevillage electricity consumer’s community on February 3rd.

version of a grid, or rather called a“mini-grid” where power plants areinterconnected to provide a stablesupply chain. So if one of the sourcesneeds maintenance or fails abruptly,there will still be power. But first, thesources need to be synchronized toone another.

“We are still working on that,” statesBhandari in between tea sips, “It isdefinitely a technical hurdle right now.We have thought of two methodsthrough which this can beaccomplished, one possible being theGrid Tie Inverter which automaticallymatches the frequency between the“Follower” (slave) and “Leader”(master) sources.” He further addsthat this will take more time.

The Korean Volunteer team arriveda week before the handing overceremony of the project to the localconsumer community and workedextremely hard in an unfamiliarclimate. By the time they had wornthe silk scarf as a gesture ofappreciation from the village, they had

been able to install “ondol”- theKorean traditional floor heatingtechnique- in some homes andorganize a science exhibition in a localschool.

The project was supposed to beginon February 3rd but due to a host ofunavoidable circumstances, it couldnot take place. “Firstly, we could notobtain the hardware required in timeand secondly, working with backward,illiterate and untrained workforce waschallenging.” The deal was simple: thevillage provided the labor force whileKorea financed. Even so, as Bhandaristates, it was difficult to get the localsto work daily. This eventuallyprevented the project to meet itsdeadline.

The project now is at its final stage.“We want a sustainable future for thepeople of the village.” adds Bhandari,“Keeping this model in mind, we haveencouraged and helped the villagers tostart a poultry farm, mushroom farmand an electric mill so that they couldturn energy into hard cash. Not only

are we aiding in eradicating darknessbut poverty as well.”

It is a project like this that improveshow people go on about their lives. Asmall combined effort from thefortunate to the unfortunate can makea world of a difference. However,Bhandari insists that this needscontinuity and that the nextgeneration should, at least, help thosewho need the most.

The Quill insists the same.

Bhandari would like to thank ProfAhn Sung Hoon(Seoul NationalUniversity) , Prof. Caroline S. Lee(Hanyang University), Prof. Song ChalKi (Gyeongsang National University),Prof. Ramesh K. Maskey (KathmanduUniversity, Nepal), Prof. Won ShikChu (Seoul National University),Volunteers, Lab friends, and mostimportantly, his wife Pratibha.

March 2013. Vol. 42

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SNU Society•

•IN NUMBERS30,000m long transmission line

5000km Bhandari on his motorbike

2,000 directly affected villagers

200 rural houses

25kW of energy production

3 months construction time

2 Schools, 1 Cottage industry, 1

Health Post, 1 Police Station

•Terms for Dummies: - PVP: Photo Voltaic Panel or rather

Solar Panel

- kW: Kilo Watt. Also known as Power

- Grid: Network transmission lines

through which electricity is

transmitted. Look for “National Grid”

- Mini-Grid: A “Main Grid” like grid

system interconnecting energy

sources

- Hybrid-Grid: Interconnecting

heterogeneous energy sources

- Pelton Turbine: High head Turbine

•Team Alpha - Nepal Solar Volunteer Corps

- Director: Prof. Ahn Sung Hoon

(MAE, SNU)

- 37 Korean Volunteers

- 7+ 1 Universities (Korea + Nepal)

- 3 + 1 Professors

- 4 Nepali Volunteers (Studying in

Korea)

Defying time: Korean traditional room heatingtechnique “Ondol” installed in one household.

The combo: Solar Panels (PVP) with the WindTurbine installed in Thingan Village.

Renewable all the way: The Pelton Turbine ready for service.

March 2013. Vol. 42

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In 1999, Shiri, a Korean blockbusterdirected by Kang Je Kyu, was releasedand became an instant hit. It was thefirst of its kind, and was to pave wayfor movies dealing with the trickytopic of North Korea. Joint SecurityArea (2000) followed, and since thenthe theme of international conflictbetween North Korea and South

Korea has become a favorite withmovie directors, perhaps due to thefact it is based on the real-life situationthe Korean people face as a citizen of adivided nation.‘The Berlin File’is another (and

rather successful) attempt at followingthis time-old tradition, but with colorsof its own. In Shiri, we saw a South

Korean secret agent fighting toconserve national security threatenedby the mortal enemy, North Korea.Joint Security Area focused more onindividuals oppressed under nationalfeelings and examined how a new sortof relationship could develop betweenNorth and South Koreans. Thebudding relationship even evolved intocamaraderie approaching brotherhoodin The Secret Reunion (2010), inwhich a former North Korean spy andSouth Korean intelligence agent bondwith one another as they go through aseries of events. Now, in 2013, ‘TheBerlin File’presents a North Koreanas the main protagonist of the movie.Although there are also other

A&C•

On one of the mainstreets of Seoul National UniversityStation, Muksheedona (Literally interpreted as “eat, rest, pay,and leave”), has quite a large hold on a diverse range ofcustomers. Perhaps it is the direct, concise nature of thename or because of its well-known appearances on localtelevision shows, this restaurant is quite popular with all agegroups. Whether it is the nostalgic older crowd searching fora taste of childhood, or the younger generation looking for acheap eatery, this restaurant facilitates to all such demands.This chain restaurant prepares its own rendition of thetraditional Korean “ddukboki” dish prepared over a stove.

The ups of the location are that it is just a couple of stepsin front of exit 3 of the subway station. Its display is easilyoverlooked, but more than often, its crowd is not.

As you enter, the order is a self fill-out as at the table thereis a checklist of all the variations you can order. The aura isthat of a retro-esque diner of the older generation, with self-serve water and utensils. Surprisingly, lack of service is oftenoverlooked, as people go to enjoy the blast from the past.

You have a choice between cheese, beef, sausage,vegetable, or seafood ddukboki. Additional add-ons mount

to just a thousand won, including various choices fromnoodles to eggs to dumplings. Popular choices, according tothe local owner, include cheese and seafood, with optionableaddons such as ramen and dumplings. The restaurant is alsowell known for its healthy ingredients, as they are organicallyproduced. Ddubokki, a traditional Korean dish, which isusually followed by an unhealthy stigma, takes on a oppositerole at this restaurant.

Price is also relatively cheap compared to other restaurantsnearby, and reasonable in terms of how much is given. Youhave a choice between cheese, seafood, or regular ddukboki(spicy rice cakes) and optional add-ons (noodles, kimbabrolls, dumplings, sausages, etc.). Be sure to ask forbokkumbab (fried rice) as you devour the last of the dish!

Restaurant Review:

Eat, Rest, Pay andLeave

The Berlin FileReview

Seafood Ddubokki 2,000 wonCheese Ddubokki 2,000 wonMeat Ddubokki 2,000 wonVegetable Ddukbokki 2,000 wonRamen Noodles 1,000 wonUdon Noodles 1,000 wonDangmyun Noodles 1,000 wonYaki Dumplings 1,000 wonFish 1,000 wonMeat Dumplings 1,000 wonEgg 1,000 wonHam 1,000 wonAdded Cheese 1,000 won

Common Menu Choices

BY HEE KYUNG LEE

Ha Jung-woo as Pyo Jong-seong Gianna Jeon as Ryeon Jung-hee

BY SEO KYOUNG EUNICE LEE

March 2013. Vol. 42

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March 2013. Vol. 42A&C•

In this ever-changing era of theperspective change towardsthe Korean culture around the

globe, one of the most definitechanges in the scene that hasoccured has happened within theKorean film industry. Yes, youhave heard of many Koreanactors engaging in the biggerscreen. Not to mention Ms. BaeDoona whose recent film debutin Hollywood, the “Cloud

Atlas” has been a major success and Rain, who has beennominated by TIME as one of the hundred most influentialfigures in the world twice in a row after starring in severalHollywood blockbusters. However, it was not until nowthat the Korean film directors had so eagerly engaged insetting their foot outwards into Hollywood.

Director Park Chanwook, although already recognized forhis famous revenge thriller piece, “Old Boy” has been busydirecting the mystery thriller “Stoker”. It premiered in theSundance movie festival and has been largely acclaimed bythe media. The movie is set to open at 28th of February.

Director Bong Junho, whose original Korean films such as“The Host” and “Mother” are already yielding promisingresults around the world, has also been directing aHollywood based flick named “Snowpiercer”. The movie isset to release on July and it stars Chris Evans and SongKangho (A friendly face, maybe?).

Last but not least, there is “Last Stand” directed by Jin-woo Kim. The movie has already opened in other areas ofthe world and is set to open on the 21st of February. Thehighly acclaimed action flick is significant as it stars ArnoldSchwarzenegger. Even though critics has denounced themovie as a way for “Mr. Terminator” to come back to thefilm scene after years of retirement, (Rember SylvesterStallone and Bruce Willis?) the film promises to be adelicious piece of old-fashioned action flick.

On the other hand, Korean directors who are sticking to

the Chungmuro film scene are doing just as fine as thedirectors who have leaped into Hollywood. Most recently,Mr. Ryoo Seungwan, another influential director fromKorea, has released the film “The Berlin File”. Set in the heartof Germany, the movie tells us the story of a North Koreanassassin who was abandoned by his own country and whotries to reclaim his innocence. Although critics claim themovie to be almost identical to the already well-knownBourne series and the 007 franchises, the movie has clearlyproved to the world that the Korean movie industry isgetting serious about its quality.

If Director Ryoo’s style is about applying Korean cultureinto Westernized story-telling methods, there is anotherdirector who chooses to go by an ever-so self-cultureoriented sort of style. Director Hong Sangsoo is an indiemovie director of South Korea who is famous for hisauthentic Korean themed films. Not recognized very oftenin his own home country due to his ‘overly exhaustedKorean styled mise-en-scenes’, his films are criticallyacclaimed overseas. Though he had failed his second attemptto win the Golden Bear Award at the Berlin Film Festivaljust recently, the critics are saying that this meister’s latestfilm, “Nobody’s Daughter Haewon” is the sheer proof that‘this modernist is trying to describe postmodernistcharacters in his own ways’.

Needless to say, this year is going to be a great one forKorean film buffs and also a good chance for moviegoersaround the globe to finally witness the current situation ofthe Korean movie industry and be mesmerized by it.

Chungmuro’sGone

Hollywood!

characters, there can be no doubt that the film revolvesaround the character of Pyo Jong-seong, a North Koreansecret agent caught in a deadly crossfire betweeninternational powers.

Pyo Jong-seong is a unique character. Played by the actorHa Jung-woo, Pyo first comes alive on screen as a NorthKorean agent who is nicknamed “ghost”for his particularlydeadly and dangerous espionage skills. However, as themovie progresses, Pyo finds himself in the midst of acomplicated plot from which he must extricate himself.Making matters worse, Dong Myung-soo, a North Koreanagent with as ruthless and deadly skills as Pyo himself, is hoton his trail as Pyo is accused of treason against his country.Pyo is unable to trust anyone, even his wife Jung-hee, whoseems to play a part in the events around him. The way Pyofaces seemingly insurmountable ordeals and confrontsoverwhelming number of enemies is reminiscent of the wayJason Bourne tackles his foes in the international hit, theBourne series. Pyo bears some resemblance to Bourne aswell. Like Bourne, Pyo Jong-seong is essentially a loner. Heis not a character who openly forms bonds with thosearound him. By nature, he is a man of few words, and hisposition as a spy in a foreign country makes him naturallydistrustful of others. However, behind the facade of wooden,unemotional face he hides conflicts triggered by thecircumstances surrounding him. Pyo’s inner conflict arisesfrom struggles between what he was brought up to be, aloyal agent to the ‘North Korean party,’and his precariousposition as a runaway which forces him to accept a new setof values and a way of life alien to him. As long as thisconflict is not completely resolved, Pyo will continue to be a

loner. In other words, Pyo Jong-seong is a figure whichcould be seen as a Korean “Bourne,”only with grimdetermination the harsh reality of a divided nation canendow to a character.

Action scenes in ‘The Berlin File’are captivating as well.During their flight for their lives, North Korean agent Jong-seong and his wife Jung-hee must face enemies who seek tohunt down the couple with differing motives. As Jong-seongpits his wits and strength against vicious foes, the movieplays out into an exhilarating panorama of action afteraction. Director Ryu Seung-wan and the martial arts directorJung Doo-hong are known devotees to the Korean actiongenre. Their accumulated experience resulted in speedy,powerful, but realistic action sequences exceedingexpectations.

This is not to say that the movie does not have its weakpoints. Although the plot attempts to be complicated, itdoes sag at points. Without action to spice it up, the moviemight have amounted to a dull 120 minutes. Also, for some,the cast’s smattering of North Korean dialects might behard to bear (and quite incomprehensible as well, making thetwisted plot even harder to understand). However, theKorean “Bourne,”Pyo Jong-seong is certainly a fascinatingdiscovery, which is why it might be safe to have high hopesfor ‘Vladivostok’(if there is one).

Director Hong Sangsoo at the Berlin Film Festival

Han Suk-kyu as Jung Jin-soo Ryu Seung-beom as Dong Myung-soo

BY YEUN-IL JEONG

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A&C•

1 2

Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat

The Seoul RaceChampionship

3 4 5 6SNUTOR recruitment(~3/7)Application forCampus Mentoringprogram (~3/7)

7 8 9

10 11 12 13 14 15Rufus WainwrightConcert at Uniqlo Ax

16

Seoul InternationalMarathonUniversity LibraryOrientation (~3/22)

17 18 19 20 21 22Seoul Comic WorldFestival at Yangjae ATCenter(~ 3/24)

23

24 / 31Seoul Fashion Week(~ 3/30)

25 26The Script Concert atUniqlo Ax

27 28Seoul Motor Show2013(~4/7)

29Jane Birkin Sings SergeGainsbourg at UniversalArt Center

30

Culture CalendarBY

SCHEDULER

National Gallery ofPrague at DeoksugungArt Museum( ~ 3/31)