Oldest Korean woman 109, man 107

Joongang Ilbo among other reports of a recent study, which tells that the oldest Korean is Ch'oe Ae-gi, 109, of Cheongun-dong, Jongno-gu. The oldest man is Yi Yông-su, 105, of Naju, Northern Jeolla. The research team concluded that the factors behind a long life are regular eating and other daily habits, diligence, and an overall positive attitude. Seems that research set to find the "secret behind living 100 years" has a high chance of getting funding in Korea. I'm reminded of Aarne Arvonen, at the moment aged 107, from my original hometown Järvenpää. After turning 18 I sometimes went to one of the few pubs in that town; remember someone pointing to an old man of short stature and telling that he's over 90. Sure, I thought. Mr Arvonen continued to be a steady customer of that pub, and perhaps still is; at least that was the place where we went for a beer three years ago with Arvonen and two Korean professors who were here to study Finnish centenarians as a part of their project. He used to walk there way past his 100th birthday, but then his legs got weaker and he had to start using a cab. Here are some snippets of his life from an article two years back: In 1917 Arvonen was recruited to help build fortifications in St. Petersburg. He had a six-month contract, but he did not get a chance to work very long. At first the work was brought to a halt by the March Revolution. Then Arvonen's friend died of smallpox, and the whole team was quarantined. "I was sent to Poland, but I became homesick, and with no money I went to Finland by train. The other passengers helped me hide from the conductor." Back in Finland Arvonen continued to live on the streets of Helsinki and was recruited by the Red Guards. During the Finnish Civil War he was taken prisoner by the Whites at the battle of Joutseno and was sent to the prison camp in Tammisaari for a year. One of the guards at the camp was his own uncle. [...] "After the [Second World] war I did not have any work and I dared not get into anything. Then I found out that some American Quakers were hiring people to go to Lapland to do reconstruction work, and so I went there. At that time I was almost 50 years old. The rest were just over 20." "In Lapland I worked at many construction sites. From there I went on to Norway, and from there to France. I had studied Spanish, and I was interested in going to Spain. I hitchhiked to Barcelona and back to Paris. By then I had run out of money and I wrote to my younger daughter who sent me some." [...] The vivacious 105-year-old keeps track of world events by radio. His eyesight is poor, so he cannot watch television any more. For the same reason he can no longer indulge in a hobby that is dear to him: astronomy. Arvonen used to enjoy calculating the orbits of the planets. "I never had an academic education, but ever since I was a schoolboy I have been reading books. Isaac Newton is a good example to follow. Einstein's theories get so complicated that I wonder if they're of much use. Newton's laws - force and counterforce - apply to other parts of life too. There's always a counterforce. People have to know when to give in." Here's another piece on Aarne Arvonen, made when he was 102.

Your cultural commentator on KBS (this time on gender equality)

Bumped into a bunch of Korean-looking people in the school ground the other week; the one who seemed to be the local guide approached me and told the other two were a KBS crew who were making a story on women's rights and gender equality in Finland (the model nation syndrome again) and that they'd like to interview me. It was a bit strange that they never contacted me beforehand, but sure I'm vain enough not to refuse. (They would've liked to come to our home, but that I refused.) I don't remember very well what they asked, but I remember that some of my answers were in the tongmun sôdap (東問西答, going besides the point) fashion, especially to the question "what do you think of Korean women". I forgot to ask the name of the program, but judging from the airing time, it should be "In-depth 60 Minutes" (추적60분) in KBS2. The program will be aired on October 20.

Korean older popular music (psychedelic or not)

Following the sitemeter referrals leads sometimes to interesting discoveries. So me having some time ago made a note on one of the Pearl Sisters duo singing again googledly lead me to a site of psychedelic music, which also has a quite extensive introduction on "psychedelic" Korean music in English. Not being familiar with psychedelic music I'm not sure if the stuff introduced in the three pages is actually that, but since the contents is mainly about Shin Joong-hyun, it is at least cool. (Hope this also helps to show that there is or at least has been much in Korean music besides all the dance crap.) Once again, nostalgy for the time one has never experienced. A few sound file links to Sin Joong-hyun's music: • Shin Joon-hyun and The Men: Arûmdaun Kangsan, the great 10-minute classic of Korean popular music. • Kim Jung-mi: Param (wma, 20kb/s); she is one of the main performers of Shin's tunes. Such a wonderful voice, deep, strong. • Kim Jung-mi: Kodokhan maûm (wma, 20kb/s) A review on Kim Jung-mi's 3rd album "Param" (wind) (in Korean). 아름다운 강산 하늘은 파랗게 구름은 하얗게 실바람도 불어와 부푸는 내 마음 나뭇잎 푸르게 강물도 푸르게 아름다운 이곳에 네가 있고 내가 있네 손잡고 가보자 달려보자 저 광야로 우리들 모여서 말해보자 새 희망을 하늘은 파랗게 구름은 하얗게 실바람도 불어와 부푸는 내 마음 우리는 이 땅위에 우리는 태어나고 아름다운 이곳에 자랑스런 이곳에 살리라 찬란하게 빛나는 붉은 태양이 비추고 하얀 물결 넘치는 저 바다와 함께 있네 그 얼마나 좋은가 우리 사는 이곳에 사랑하는 그대와 노래하리 오늘도 너를 만나러 가야지 말해야지 먼 훗날에 너와 나 살고 지고 영원한 이곳에 우리의 새 꿈을 만들어 보고파 봄 여름이 지나며 가을 겨울이 온다네 아름다운 강산 너의 마음 내 마음 나의 마음 너의 마음 너와 나는 한마음 너와 나 우리 영원히 영원히 사랑 영원히 영원히 우리 모두 다 모두 다 끝없이 다정해 하늘은 파랗게 구름은 하얗게 실바람도 불어와 부푸는 내 마음 우리는 이 땅위에 우리는 태어나고 아름다운 이곳에 자랑스런 이곳에 살리라 바람 1. 나무가지 사이에 바람 불어가면 어디선가 들리는 그대 목소리 저산 봉우리 위에 움직이고 있는 하얀 구름 속에는 그대 모습이 있네 바람같이 날어 아무도 몰래 그를 지켜보며 날어 가고파 2. 그대 모르게 그를 보고파 나만 사랑하는지 알고 싶고나 보이지 않는 바람과 같이 그대 모르네 지켜 보고파 바람같이 날어 아무도 몰래 그를 지켜보며 날어 가고파 3. 나무가지 사이에 바람 불어가면 어디선가 들리는 그대 목소리 저산 봉우리 위에 움직이고 있는 하얀 구름속에는 그대 모습이 있네 바람같이 날어 아무도 몰래 그를 지켜보며 날어 가고파 4. 바람같이 날어 날어가고파 그대 곁으로 날어가고파 고독한 마음 나무잎이 바람타고 시냇물도 흐르고 모두다 말없이 어디로 가고 있나 나홀로 걸어보는 고독한 마음 바람따라 걸어볼까 시냇물 따라 걸어볼까 너무나 내마음 달랠길 없어라 스며든 외로움에 고독한 마음 내품안을 떠나가고 그시절도 다가고 비여진 내마음 무엇이 남았나 한없이 스며드는 고독한 마음 움직이지 않는 나무 변함없는 저나무 어이해 서있나 나에게 말해주오 참을 수 없는 마음 고독한 마음 Categories at del.icio.us/hunjang: music ∙ culturalhistory ∙ people

syyskuu (chuseok 秋夕)

Wishing the Autumn Moon shines peacefully upon each and everyone.

maik'a

In the light of the Korean development it has been fitting that the idea of just about everyone becoming an owner of a car has been conceptualized with the English "my car", maik'a. Haven't encountered that for a long time, so I thought it's not that valid word anymore, but there it was on the main page of a Korean daily in a campaign with a carmaker (foreign owner, "Korean" car), in which two vehicles are given out to those two who are judged to present their need for an own car (maik'a) the best: "we make true your dream of an own car". Categories at del.icio.us/hunjang: modernization ∙ Koreanculture ∙ Koreansociety

Reaping some at son's wedding

Hankyoreh has a small Yonhap piece, which tells that marriage and wedding still means something in Korea, and that marriage will not be just the bride's and the groom's business. In this case it seems that for the father of the bridegroom, the wedding was also supposed to mean something financially. In Gyoyang, Gyeonggi-do the head of the school administration (kyoyukchang) had sent hundreds of invitiations with the name of his office printed on the envelope to every imaginable educational personality in his jurisdiction. Now this marking of his post on the envelope has raised unfavorable attention (from whom, we don't know), but the Gyoyang educational administration explains that this has been a long-time practice. The financial significance for the groom's father is that with the generous sending of invitations he is likely expecting to reap some of all the wedding congratulation monies (ch'ugûigûm) he must have been giving out quite a deal on his way to his current position. 경기도 고양시교육장이 관내 각급학교 교장 등지인들에게 자녀의 결혼 청첩장을 보내면서 겉 봉투에 교육청 명칭을 명기, 구설수에 올랐다. 25일 고양시 교육청과 교육계 인사들에 따르면 고양시교육장은 내달 서울에서있을 아들 결혼식 청첩장 수 백통을 관내 각급학교 교장과 경기도내 전임지 교육계지인들에게 보냈다. 또 지역 기관장과 학원연합회 간부 등에게도 똑같은 청첩장을 보냈는데 청첩장상단에는 `경기도 고양교육청'이라는 기관 명칭이 명기돼 있다. 고양교육청 관계자는 "이는 교육계의 오랜 관행으로 문제가 되지 않을 것으로생각한 것 같다"고 해명했지만 일부 교육계 인사들은 "상대방에게 심적 부담을 주는것으로 이젠 없어져야 할 관행"이라고 지적했다. (고양/연합뉴스) Categories at del.icio.us/hunjang: money ∙ family/kin ∙ Koreanculture ∙ education

Esa Tikkanen in Halla Winia roster and coaching staff

After all the talk about Esa Tikkanen joining Halla Winia, there he is included in both the coaching staff as a "playing coach" and in the player roster of the South Korean team to take part in the Asian League. There are also two other Finns in the roster, Marco Poulsen and Vesa Ponto. Wonder how Tikkanen will get along with the club management. Update. I took away the Tikkanen photo, didn't really like to see it here.

Politicians at the marketplace

As during the elections to show that politicians are on the side of the people (an earlier note), traditional festivities are the time to go and check the people's feelings (minsim 民心 or the like). Both Pressian and Hankyoreh tell of the cold reception that Chun Jung-bae (Ch'ôn Ch'ông-bae), the floor representative (원내대표) of OOP got in his visit to the Namdaemun market, despite of the fact that OOP is said to be working on a special law for vigorating the traditional marketplaces (재래시장육성특별법). (from Pressian) 송득두 의류업 운영회장(61)은 "지금 서민경제가 어렵다고 상인들이 아우성"이라고 시장의 성난 민심을 전했다. 그는 "얼마전 청와대 민정수석도 남대문 시장에 다녀갔지만 실질적 애국자는 서민들"이라며 "내라는 세금 다 내면서 왜 이렇게 죽어가는지 모르겠다"고 강한 불만을 쏟아냈다. 송 회장은 이어 "지금은 가게를 내놓고 싶어도 못 내놓는다"고 파산 직전의 시장경제 상황을 전한 뒤, "모든 정책의 우선을 서민경제 회복에 둬달라"고 당부했다. 그는 "과거사 청산도 좋지만 우선 서민경제, 밑바닥 사람들이 살 수 있도록 신경을 써달라"고 덧붙였다. 이에 천 대표는 "언론을 볼 때 우리당과 정부가 경제에 관심이 없고 과거사 등 개혁과제에만 신경을 쓰는 것으로 오해를 하시는 데 사실이 아니다"며 "이 나라를 책임지는 집권당으로 국민들의 어려움을 잘 알고 이 문제를 해결하는 것이 국가와 우리당이 해야 할 일인 것도 잘 안다"고 진정시켰다. Chun may be correct that the media available to marketplace traders gives an image of the government party that itself would not want to convey, but what can do (except to plan a law that would restrict the market share of the three biggest newspapers to 60%). By the way, the Pressian piece is not given as a Yonhap article like the one in Hankyoreh, but it has several paragraphs which are almost similar. Addition. Chosun Ilbo was there as well; representative Chun's visit to Namdaemun wasn't really a successful photo-op... Chosun's title goes "invited visitors (customers, sonnim) don't come, better he did some politics instead". Ohmynews has been at the marketplace as well, in Chungang Sijang in Daejeon. Longer and more-faceted article than the previous two. Asking the vegetable seller Ms Yang what's the time when most customers come, she tells it's like this the whole day. On the other hand, the keeper of a traditional Korean clothing (hanbok) shop tells that the business is good (changsa chal twaeyo). "Got to say that it's good, because if I'd say it's not good, customers wouldn't come. Please write that there are a lot of customers." There's also an adjoining piece from Moran Sijang in Seongnam. Categories at del.icio.us/hunjang: marketplaces ∙ Koreanpolitics

breakfast (Korean occidentalism)

Hankyoreh reminds the readers that it's important to eat a good breakfast. It's said that more than 20% are not eating a breakfast at all. Below is a table of typical, or stereotypical Korean, Western, and snack types of breakfasts. I plead to be excluded from the category of "Western" if I'm expected to have a breakfast such as in the table: (white) bread, butter, strawberry jam, fried egg, salad with mayonnaise dressing, milk. What category would the following very very welbing breakfast typical in our family be included: three-grain wholemeal porridge, two pieces of wholemeal rye bread (see pic) with tomato, low-fat cheese, no-fat turkey cold cuts, milk coffee ("latte")? But what am I complaining: this is a Korean idea of a Western breakfast; I'll allow for some exaggeration if it helps in propagating the healthiness of the Korean kind of breakfast. Categories at del.icio.us/hunjang: food/alcohol ∙ Koreansociety

(Family and kin) The family register (chokpo)

Won't go into more detail in the recent controversy concerning the family origin of OOP MP Kim Hee-sun (Kim Hûi-sôn), whether the independence fighter, general Kim Hak-kyu is actually her grand uncle (chagûn harabôji) or not, but just noting how the presence or absence of a person in the family register (or a lineage register), chokpo (族譜) is being used here to prove or disapprove the family line (from Chosun Ilbo). Andong Kim, one of the most prestigious and illustrious lineages, or actually both the new Andong Kim line (sin Andong Kim-ssi), the old Andong Kim line (ku Andong Kim-ssi) and Euiseong Kim (Ûisông Kim-ssi) are telling that General Kim may belong to the Euiseong Kim lineage instead of Andong Kim. General Kim's name is not listed in the 12-volume lineage register (Taedongbo 大同譜) of the new Andong Kim line published in 1984. The Kyu (圭) in his name is not the same (奎) that the 25th generation of the new Andong Kim line uses as its generational character. Likewise, the man with whom his mother is said to have remarried does not have in his name the generatinal character of the 24th generation, pyông(炳). The representatives of both old and new lines of Andong Kim tell that a famous person such would surely hve been recorded in the lineage register, and that the Andong Kim have been able to preserve the use of the generational character throughout the crises and transformations in the recent Korean history. The representative of the Euiseong Kim lineage tells that it took some time to check among the 250 000 people registered in the lineage record (taedongbo) published in 1992, but rep. Kim's grandfather was confirmed to belong Euiseong Kim. So does this prove that rep. Kim was correct in claiming to have the independence fighter general Kim Hak-kyu as his grand uncle? Seems it proves nothing else that the probability that they are of the same lineage (munjung 門中) is high. I just love these intricacies. Got to take this up later in my class... Now if only someone appeared and claimed ancestry from a slave or a paekchông and drove a policy for a greater social equality. Guess that happens as soon as the sun rises from the west. Categories at del.icio.us/hunjang: family/kin ∙ Koreanculture ∙ Koreanpolitics

(Small businesses) Marketplaces dying away, again

Charlie the KimcheeGI at Budaechigae pointed me to a recent series of KBS reports on the plight of marketplaces, or traditional marketplaces (chaerae sijang) is you like. It's ch'usôk (chuseok) soon, which is a usual time for reporting how bad the economy in marketplaces and other sites of "ordinary people's economy" is compared to department stores or discount stores. (Actually the latter if any is ordinary people's shopping place.) Also the death of traditional markets has been a constant topic for some time (my previous post), and also this time it seems as if it really was the case. • Pushed away by discount stores (in Korean) (the same in English) Among about 190,000 [stores in] traditional markets across the nation, 17 percent remains vacant. While the traditional markets' commodity items are losing popularity, big retailers are rapidly gaining recognition among consumers. As a result, the number of traditional markets has currently decreased to about 1100 from about 1500 five years ago. (translation original) • No survival without change Categories at del.icio.us/hunjang: marketplaces

Makkolli cartel

Korean sign language for makkôlli: the sign for rice and a squeeze with hands. Googled from the sign language site of Northern Jeolla Internet Education Broadcasting. If anyone has been paying attention to any abnormalities in makkôlli (alcohol made of rice) distribution lately, it's been because the manufacturers have been agreeing on measures to restrict makkôlli (t'akchu 濁酒 in legalese Korean) supply after the restrictive legislation had been loosened (Hankyoreh). The Fair Trade Commission has been investigating the matter. Ytimekkäin kuulemani suomenkielinen määritelmä makkôllille on muuten riisikilju. A couple of more words of Korean sign language from the food signs page and elsewhere: Soju: grabbing one's nose with thumb and index finger Alcohol: raising middle and index finger from chin to forehead Coffee: raising the right index finger to one's nose and then lowering it as if to stir coffee in a cup formed with the other hand Western food (yangsik 洋食): signs for USA and to eat (ok, I'll allow some shortcuts, but wouldn't that sign have been appropriate for junk food ;) Jong-no (street in downtown Seoul): grabbing right wrist with left hand and swinging right hand to left and right (hmm?) Han River: making nr 1 with right hand and making waves with both hands Categories at del.icio.us/hunjang: food/alcohol ∙ Koreanlanguage

Korean arts blog / 미술에 관한 한국 블로그

There is a richly illustrated art blog in Korean called arts, which keeps track on all kinds of art events; definitely a place to visit regularly for an art connoisseur in Korea. 사진이 가득찬 arts라는 한국에서의 미술, 전시회 정보에 대한 블로그가 있습니다. 미술에 관심이 있으면 정말 들를만한 곳입니다.

(Social strata) University admittance, high school differentiation

Ohmynews interviews the representative of "Citizen's Alliance for Educational Reform" (교육개혁시민운동연대), who at the time of the interview was on the second day of a hunger strike against the new university admittance system to be implemented in 2008. There's a small irony that she herself lives in Gangnam, the status of which is largely a consequence of the educational environment there. She has also been active in Tto Hanaûi Munhwa, an alternative culture movement - the use of a double surname (in her case Kim-Jeong) is very common among people there. I surely won't question her sincerity in the campaign, but it'd still be interesting to know where her own children are getting their education. My guess is that the one in a university is not in a provincial school. She herself is not one of those "ordinary mothers [sômin ômma] shedding bloody tears" because of the system. Not many in Korea can afford and have the leeway to be alternative in their educational choices. I'm reminded of a case of a son of a professor who is active in Tto Hanaûi Munhwa; the son quit high school because he didn't like the educational atmosphere (or something like that), but was later given a special admission to a university - Seoul National. 교육부가 마련한 대학입시제도를 반대하는 까닭은 무엇인가. "이번 입시안은 대학서열체제를 고치려는 노력이 전혀 없다. 교육부가 학생과 학부모들을 입시병 환자로 만드는 학벌사회 현실을 외면한 것이다. 또 내신비중 강화에 대한 뚜렷한 대책 없이 대학자율성만 확대시켜놨다. 고교등급제나 본고사와 같은 교육적 파행을 예고하고 있는 것이다." The reporter asks also what the proposition of the association for an admittance system is, but I can't find any concrete in her answer - and that tells a lot of the problem. Addition. Forgot to add the quote why I paid attention to the Ohmynews piece in the first place. "Nowadays mothers of high-school seniors joke like this. If the university admission officer asks in the interview that where did you sleep last night, one has to answer 'Lotte Hotel' even if the honest answer would've been yôinsuk. Once I went to Korea to interpret and guide for some Finnish company people, and stayed behind after they returned. During the assignment I lived in Myeongdong Lotte Hotel, and after they left and I had to pay my own loding, I went to stay in a yôinsuk in Sillim-dong. I felt more at home in the latter. Categories at del.icio.us/hunjang: education ∙ stratification ∙ Koreansociety

Saemaul Song in Finnish

새벽종이 울렸네 새아침이 밝았네 너도 나도 일어나 새마을을 가꾸세 살기 좋은 내마을 우리힘으로 만드세 초가집도 없애고 마을길도 넓히고 푸른동산 만들어 / 알뜰살뜰 다듬세 살기 좋은 내마을 우리힘으로 만드세 서로서로 도와서 땀흘려서 일하고 소득증대 힘써서 / 부자마을 만드세 살기 좋은 내마을 우리힘으로 만드세 우리 모두 굳세게 싸우면서 일하고 일하면서 싸워서 / 새조국을 만드세. 살기 좋은 내마을 우리힘으로 만드세 Aamukello kilkahtaa, päiväkin jo sarastaa, Kaikki ylös nouskaamme, kylä uudeks tehkäämme Omin voimin saamme sen, kylään hyvän elämän. Olkikatot unholaan, kylätiekin suoraksi, kasvimaatkin vihertää, ahkeraan kun hoitaa vaan. Omin voimin saamme sen, kylään hyvän elämän. Toisiamme autamme, säästä emme voimaamme. Rahan tulon takaamme, kylän vauraaks saatamme. Omin voimin saamme sen, kylään hyvän elämän. Kukaan periks anna ei, taistellen käy työmme tää työskennellen taistellaan, isänmaamme uudeks vaan Omin voimin saamme sen, kylään hyvän elämän. (Words and music Park Chung-hee, transl. AL) It's hastily done, but looks ok and should follow the original quite well. No, I didn't do this for fun (even though it was that as well) but for a lecture on Korean modernization in my class. The Park Chung-hee in the credits is president Park; both the song and the lyrics have been attributed to him. Click here to listen to the song and to sing along. Categories at del.icio.us/hunjang: music ∙ contemp.history ∙ Korea-Finland

More revisionism, please

It is mostly because of my own political leanings and voting behavior here why I keep a more keen eye on a publication like the monthly magazine Mal than would be desirable from the point of view of my thesis; the other reason is, despite of the way I vote here, the pervert satisfaction I get from seeing the nationalistic left in Korea to shoot itself in the leg time and time again - this from my revisionist/comrades-in-arms(*) point of view. But anyway, not that I'd expect the magazine Mal to show much tendencies that I'd see desirable, but here it is again making itself and the progressives it professes to represent and the ROK left to look silly by letting out a column in which the writer ponders whether the Chinese cultural revolution was actually good for the Chinese: 그러나 문화혁명이 정말 그렇게 부정적이기만 한 것이었을까? 문화혁명이 아니었으면 그 넓은 중국대륙에 인간의 평등에 대한 사상이 그리도 깊게 뿌리박힐 수가 있었을까. 아직도 봉건사회에서 벗어나지 못한 중국에 시민이란 존재가 등장할 수가 있었을까. 봉건적 잔재를 청산하고 꿈으로 무장하고 새로이 등장한 새로운 세대의 사람들의 존재가 없었다면 오늘날 중국의 경제성장이 가능했을까? 나는 또 다시 생각해본다. 아니 나의 이런 미련을 가진 항변이 아니더라도 변화를 꿈꾼다는 것, 사람이 사람답게 사는 세상을 만들기 위한 꿈을 가지는 것이야 말로 아름다운 것이 아닐까? (*) "Comrades-in-arms cooperation" was the cooperation between social democrats and the bourgeois Coalition Party to curb the influence of communists in the post-war Finland. "Comrades-in-arms socialists" were those social democrats who took part in that activity on the basis of connections established during the war in the service. Categories at del.icio.us/hunjang: Koreanpolitics ∙ Korea-Finland

(Korean family) The rise of Chung the son in Hyundai Motor

Those affiliate companies of Hyundai Motor, in which the only son of the Hyundai Motor chairman Chung Mong-koo (정몽구 鄭夢九) is a large shareholder, have been growing quickly, notes Hankyoreh. Chung's son is the vice president (pusajang) of Kia Motors, which belongs to the Hyundai Motor group. For example Amco (엠코), construction company founded as lately as 2002 has been this far building only for Huyndai, but is now finishing an apartment block in Incheon, and is expected to grow further, and there's also talk about it ending up taking over Hyundai Construction (E-daily article). Chung the son owns 60% of Glovis, which owns 60% of Amco. Looking at the article, Amco is a prime example of a company made fat by intra-group transactions, in this case by construction deals. Glovis, originally founded as a transportation company in 2001 has grown similarly ever since. It makes 90% of it transactions within Hyundai Motors. An unnamed person from stock exchange circles notes that transferring assets to companies in Chun the son's ownership is likely a one step in the transfer of ownership and managerial power, but Hyundai Motor tells that all these affiliate companies are needed for business: 이 세 계열사의 성장과 수익 증가는 배당금 확대와 주식가치 상승을 통해 정 부사장의 재산 증식으로 이어지게 된다. 한 증권업계 관계자는 “그룹 차원의 밀어주기를 통해 회사를 키워줌으로써 정 부사장의 상속세 마련을 위한 재산 증식에 도움을 주고자 하는 것 아니겠냐”고 해석했다. 이에 대해 현대차그룹 관계자는 “공장 건설은 회사기밀상 외부에 맡길 수 없어 엠코를 건설했으며, 물류사업이 복잡해지면서 하청업체들을 관리하기 위해 글로비스를 만들었다”며, “최근 몇년 사이 현대차가 호황이었기 때문에 이익이 난 것이지, 불황이면 손해를 감수해야 한다”고 주장했다. So anyway, it's a bit early to expect business to be just business for the affiliate companies of Korean conglomerates, and to expect capitalist principles interfere too much with the family interests. (By the way Chung the son is a mere pusajang, while Mr Pak, second from right in the header picture working in his pangakan, is sajang. I'm sure he'd know how to crack a good joke about this...) How moving that someone from Canada should google for Sillim-dong pictures. Dear googler, you've come to the right place! And I would've been upset and disappointed if my site hadn't come first in the search... Categories at del.icio.us/hunjang: Koreaneconomy ∙ people

40% of Seoulites: no retirement preparations

Ok, I'll leave the title as it was in the newspaper article, but the contents tell that it's 40% of the people past 65 who have no income (Hankyoreh). This piece of info is from a recent survey "Life patterns and wellbeing (haengbok chisu) of the Seoulites" by the Seoul Development Institute. 서울시민 가운데 노후 준비를 전혀 못하고 있다고 답한 비율이 39.7%에 달해 노령층에 대한 사회보장 대책 마련이 시급한 것으로 나타났다. 특히 서울시민의 23.6%는 노후준비의 필요성은 느끼지만 어떠한 준비도 하지 못하고 있다고 답했다. 노후준비 방법으로는 보험이 34.0%로 가장 많았고, 그 다음이 연금(30.9%), 은행저축(26.7%) 등이다. 한편, 서울시민의 과반수(51.3%)는 “나이가 들었을 때 자녀와 가까운 거리지만 독립된 공간에서 살고 싶다”고 답했고, “노인전용 거주공간에서 살고 싶다”는 비율도 26.6%나 됐다. 그러나 세대 동거에 대한 생각은 연령에 따라 큰 차이를 보였다. 60대 이상 연령층의 29.5%는 아들과 살기를 바라지만, 20대와 30대에서 아들과 살고 싶어하는 비율은 각각 6.2%, 6.5%에 불과했다. Categories at del.icio.us/hunjang: money ∙ Koreansociety

Redenomination of Won considered

The "economy vice premier" Yi Hôn-jae has announced that the ministry of finance is in the beginning of the concrete plans for the change of the nominal value (redenomination) of Korean Won (Chosun Ilbo). (The term for the change used in the article is hwap'ye tanwi pyôn'gyông 화폐단위 변경.) The process is expected to take 3-5 years. After the change of the value of money, the big amounts are not expected to be a problem, but the prices connected with the "ordinary people's life" (sômin sanghwal) may well rise: 그는 “서민생활 물가와 직결돼 있는 그 부분에 대해 물가수준을 어떻게 완화시키느냐가 가장 큰 문제”라고 지적했다. A couple of weeks ago I had an entry of this, noting that some parliament representatives were active in the matter, but there was no mention of any government activity. And now it's suddenly announced that all the necessary research has been done. Joongang Ilbo reminds that the mentioned vice premier of economy (? 경제부총리) Lee has thus far been of the opinion that the nation's economy doesn't allow the consideration of issuing new money. Joongang's editorial opinion is that it's not the time to think of money redenomination, but the problem of the need of bigger value bills should be solved by issuing bigger bills with the current denomination. Good example by the way of the all the more common manner of adding the English-language term in brackets behind the (Sino-)Korean term in Joongang's editorial: 화폐단위 변경(리디노미네이션). At least it's redenomination and not denomination as was the case recently. Other Joongang pieces on the topic: • "몸집 커진 경제규모 걸맞게" "비용 수천억 … 물가 악영향" • [느닷없는 화폐단위 변경 논의] "연구·검토는 끝나" Categories at del.icio.us/hunjang: money ∙ Koreaneconomy ∙ seomin

headlines

I don't know what kind of statements politicians or people of social activity will give when the situation in the Republic of Korea really gets bad after making the following kinds of headlines: 돌아온 정형근, "지금은 제2의 6.25 전야" (Reappeared Chông Hyông-gûn: "we're on the eve of the 2nd Korean War"; Pressian) - "The Roh government is trying to disarm the Republic of Korea and grab the power for good" says the arch-conservative representative Chông (Chung/Jeong/Jung, don't know which). (핀란드에선 "소련놈을 경계하라"는 뜻으로 쇠붙이를 국경으로라는 말이 있는데, 조갑제 월간조선 편집장이나 정형근 의원이 나타날 때 그 말이 생각난다. "쇠붙이"는 물론 무기라는 뜻이고 국경은 옛소련과의 국경이다.) Oh, The Voice of People which is so far politically from rep. Chông that they almost meet after going a whole circle, interprets him having said that the 2nd Korean War has already started. "동학농민전쟁 이후 최대 봉기 맞게 될 것" ("There's going to be the biggest insurrection since the 1894 peasant war"; Ohmynews) - the farmer activists the ubiquitous Han Sang-nyeol if the Korean rice market is opened. (I think I've yet to see a picture of a so-called progressive demonstration where the Catholic priest Han wasn't present.) "한나라당의 정치는 결국 히틀러의 정치" (Grand Korea Party's politics is nothing but Hitler's politics", from Voice of People) - the lower part of the headline for a discussion of the national security law between two veterans of hunger strike against the law. Categories at del.icio.us/hunjang: media ∙ Koreanpolitics

Korea in Venice

Cannot but pay attention to the recent attention Korea has been given in Venice as someone who's been to the place. (One week in Venice seems to give an as lasting impression as a much much longer time in Korea...) • First things first: the Cheonggyecheon restoration project has been awarded the first price in the Venice Biennale for a public administration project (Hankyoreh). Cannot tell whether this soothes the huge criticism that the project has gather this far. (Just see for example the list of Hankyoreh articles at the bottom of the linked story.) Must be that the Biennale people didn't really have much concern for the evicted street stall keepers who first lost the money they had paid for the selling site for someone who has no legal right to get money for it, and then lost the site and had to move to the Dongdaemun stadium. As is known, it's not actually a restoration: Cheonggyecheon will not be made into a laundry site of the turn of the 20th century or a trench lined by squatters' shacks as it was until the 1960s. Photograph: life at Cheonggyecheon in the 1960s before it was covered. (c) Kuwabara Sisei. • The second piece of Venetian news: Kim Ki-duk has been awarded the director's price for his new film Pin Chip (빈 집, Empty home/house), which for some reason is named 3 Iron in English (Chosun Ilbo, Hankyoreh). (Oh, reading through the synopsis of the film, that must be the name of the kind of golf club used to beat someone in the story.) Good for Kim and good for Lee Seung-yeon starring in the film, who'll manage to regain some of her reputation lost in the unbelievably stupid attempt at making a photo album on the Japanese imperial army sex-slave theme. Perhaps it couldn't have been anyone but Kim Ki-duk who gave Lee Seung-yeon a chance after that. Categories at del.icio.us/hunjang: urbanspace ∙ art ∙ literature/movies ∙ Seoul ∙ cities

A concert for ajummas and ajôssis

Nice example of the use of the terms ajôssi and ajumma in a Chosun Ilbo piece of a nostalgic concert for middle-aged men and women. The acts were said to represent the folk singers and the like of the 1970s and 1980s, but it should be noted that what this concert stands for is different from the democracy movement (or whatever it's called, minjung movement) singing of the 1980s - the used terminology of ajumma and ajôssi tells that already. Of the acts, I was familiar with Pearl Sisters (it was only Pae In-sun of the two who weren't real sisters who appeared), but Onion, which appeared for the first time in 25 years is a for me a new act. Pae In-sun reminded of her existence after a longer silence when she published her memoirs especially about the exploits of her former husband, the Donga Group (not the media outlet) chairman Ch'oe Wôn-sôk, and now she's published a comeback album, if I remember correctly. Perhaps the best known, or at least most often heard tune sung by the Pearl Sisters is K'ôp'i han chan, "Cup of coffee" by the great Sin Joong-hyun (신중현). Pae In-sun fan club at Daum. Categories at del.icio.us/hunjang: music ∙ culturalhistory ∙ socialcategories

Seoul photography online exhibition

I could spend the whole day browsing the photographs in the online exhibition of Seoul on June 9, 2004 by Cine 21 magazine, but I won't. And true to myself, I choose to link a picture from the Alley (kolmok) subsection of the Streets of Seoul section. This is taken on an alley in Jongno-gu, with the Jongno Tower (was that the name?) looming in the background. (Sorry about a huge picture [270k] for those with a slow connection.) (c) Seo Yeong-ae Categories at del.icio.us/hunjang: photography ∙ Seoul ∙ urbanspace

DPRK human rights in Monthly Mal - articles

In an earlier post I noted that the latest issue of the leftist monthly Mal has a special section on DPRK human rights. Now the articles are available online. I'm too busy to make any summaries, but here are some notes anyway. • "Progessive guidelines about DPRK human rights"; recognizes that DPRK refugees cannot be said to be brainwashed by the NIC to talk anti-North; progressives have been ignoring the DPRK human rights issue, but the problem of being used by the rightists if the progressives even mention it. These are the guidelines: - 첫째, 북한인권문제를 남한의 문제로, 진보진영의 시급한 과제로 인식해야 한다. (DPRK human rights issue is an issue for ROK, and the progressives need to realize this) - 둘째, 북한정부를 비판하지 않은 채 북한인권 문제를 거론하려는 강박관념에서 벗어나야 한다. (Must shed the obstinate idea that the DPRK human rights problem needs to be discussed without criticizing the northern government) - 셋째, 북한인권 문제의 특수성을 인정하고, 일괄해결이 아닌 단계적 대안을 제시해야 한다. (It is a particular problem, and cannot be solved at once but gradually) - 넷째, 북한인권문제와 기타 현안(대량살상무기, 마약, 위조지폐 등)의 연계를 최대한 차단해야 한다. (Must not be connected with other issues such as weapons of mass destruction, drugs, fake bills etc.) - 다섯째, 자본주의/사회주의라는 이분법을 버리고 동북아시아의 평화와 한민족 경제공동체라는 기준을 제시해야 한다 (Need to delineate the basis for Northeast Asian peace and Korean economic community outside the dichotomy of capitalism/socialism) Quoting one researcher's experiences of "progressives" facing the problem: "각종 토론회에서 만나본 진보진영 사람들은 탈북자들이 이데올로기를 떠나 자신의 체험을 호소하는데도 굉장히 냉소적으로 대했다. 그래서는 안된다. 북한정부를 비판하지 않고 북한인권문제를 거론하는 것은 사실상 불가능하다는 것을 직시해야 한다. 북한 정부도 이제 남한진보진영의 비판을 견디는 맷집을 키워야 하며, 그것이 북한정권을 위해서도 이롭다고 생각한다." • "DPRK human rights act: barbarous scheme of the 3rd-rate US far right" (written by a Yonhap News person). The last paragraph: 그러나 문제는 이들 법안의 입법화 여부와 관계없이 우리네 남측 언론과 여론은 미국내 3류 극우세력의 교묘한 여론조작에 항상 노출돼 있으며 저들이 조장하는 대북적대감을 여과 없이 수용하게 된다는 점이다. 미국의 여론 조작 놀음은 다름 아닌 남측 주민들의 의식 마비 또는 왜곡을 노린다는 점을 잊지 말아야 할 것이다. • "DPRK defector solution: finding the solution by South-North cooperation for the right to return home"; he doesn't seem to be subscribing much to the second paragraph of the guidelines given above; sees the solution for the right to return safely back to DPRK as economical - ROK should even consider giving economic assistance to returnees (I'm under the impression that with money [read: bribes to border guards] it's relatively safe to return to DPRK, but still the writer is as if DPRK wasn't part of the returning problem) Categories at del.icio.us/hunjang: DPRK

Hunjangui karuch'im

Those who read Finnish are welcome to take a look at my class beginning next week here. The number of prospective students is so small that I don't think of giving a course of any specific topic (like my own research) after the disappointment of last spring. So be it just "society and culture", that's what there's demand for.

Conference on Park Chung-hee era

The Korean Studies list brought a notice of the International Korean Studies Conference at the University of Wollongong in Australia 11 and 12 November this year with an interesting theme The Park Era: A Reassessment After 25 Years. 2004 marks the 25th year since Park's assassination, and yet his legacy lives on, underlining the position of great importance the Park era holds in South Korea's development as a nation. The Republic of Korea has been guided by five administrations over the past 25 years, but among these it is the Park administration that marks the turning point in Korea's modernization, and South Korea today is in many respects the product of that era. The Park regime was, furthermore, a central player and agent in the political, economic and social conflicts that mark the period and drew much of the world's attention to the peninsula. It is therefore essential to our understanding of South Korea as a modern democracy and economic powerhouse that we reassess this administration. The conference theme, The Park Era: A Reassessment After 25 Years, reflects some of the key questions that need to be examined by academics and other commentators on Korean affairs, about how Korean culture, psychology, democracy and national infrastructure has come to be what it is today. It also reflects the need for a deeper understanding of the importance this era holds in Korea's modern experience, based on analysis of new materials and enhanced by fresh approaches to a period characterized by widely divergent ideological commitments. This search for a new understanding is given added importance by rapid change in the global environment driven by the rise of the United States of America's unilateralism and its categorisation of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK) as a core member of the "axis of evil", the globalisation of South Korea's industry, and the ever watchful eye of the world on Korean economic and security matters. Love him or hate him, appreciate what happened to South Korea during his rule or be critical or both at the same time, there he stays in the minds of people. Categories at del.icio.us/hunjang: academic ∙ Koreanstudies ∙ Koreanpolitics ∙ contemp.history ∙ Koreanhistory

(Small businesses, marketplaces) E-Namdaemun opened

A portal site for making purchases at Namdaemun market has been opened at www.enamdaemun.com (Chosun Ilbo) for both wholesale and retail customers. "Overcoming the limits of traditional marketplace" goes the latter part of the headline. Photo: Namdaemun market, Sept 6, 2001 (c) AL Categories at del.icio.us/hunjang: marketplaces

Plans to raise the nominal value of ROK won

Economy terminology is difficult for an anthro, even though doing research on an economic subject, but loan terminology is apparently also difficult for Koreans. Then on the other hand, why should the loanwords always retain the meaning of the original language... Anyway, seems that the change in the nominal value of the currency (in the Korean case it'd be "taking off zeroes") is being called "denomination" (디노미네이션) in Korea, while the term as far as I understand should only refer to the nominal value (face value) of the currency; "high-denomination bill such as $1000" etc. Now the problem in writing this post is that I cannot recall what the English term was for changing the nominal value of currency, which has been taken under discussion in Korea by Lee Kye-ahn of OOP (Chosun Ilbo). (The Korean Bank tought of issuing a 100 000 W note earlier this year [my post from January], but I haven't heard anything about it since.) Rep. Lee is gathering opinions on the currency change, and there's also a considerable opinion within the opposition party for the need of the change, so perhaps something comes out of this. After all, it is quite strange that the biggest bill is 10 000 won, worth 7 euros or 8 dollars. 100 won bill issued in 1962 (from www.stampcoin.co.kr) At least in people's imagination the worth of Korean currency would improve if two or three zeroes were taken off; the idea that bigger the nominal value the better the currency is quite widespread in my experience. The mentioned subtraction of three zeroes would require a currency unit 1/100 of the Won; wonder what that would be... And the things or persons on the new bills? I think the good old historical figures are still the best, if there needs to be human beings. What about Korean or things or objects, which do not represent any actual existing objects, as the imaginary bridges and buildings in the Euro bills? Update. A commentator tipped that the term for what is being planned is redenomination - logically so now that I think. The commentator also tells that the term used in Japan for some 10 years ago when contemplating taking one zero off of Yen was denomination; so interesting once again to see the kind of "language union" existing between Korea and Japan, words and terms going back and forth. Checking older Korean newspaper articles from KINDS, the word denomination appeared first in the early 1990s in connection with the Japanese redenomination plans, and again frequently in 1998 when there was a lot of talk about the subject in Japan. Update 2. Pak Yông-sôn, the vice representative of OOP tells that the party is not thinking of having the redenomination ("denomination" in Anglo-Korean) on its agenda, and leaves the matter for the government to do (Chosun). She notes that Korean Bank has pointed out the need to change the nominal value of Won, but the Ministry of Finance denounced it maintaining that prices would rise. "We haven't considered the matter" was what the minister of finance (actually "vice premier of finance", kyôngjebuch'ongni) has replied. The Korean Chamber of Commerce (대한상공회의소) is of the opinion that a 100 000 won bill (or is it called note) needs to be issued (Chosun). 작년 한해동안 발행된 10만원짜리 자기앞수표가 11억6천400만장에 달해 3천600억원의 제조.취급 비용이 들었고, 여기에다 수표 부정사용 방지 및 소비자 취급 비용 등을 추가하면 전체 비용이 연간 1조원대로 추산된다는 것이다. 아울러 전체 현금수송 물량의 80-90%를 차지하는 1만원권 운송비로 매년 250억원이 필요해 10만원권을 발행하면 현금수송비만 연간 100억원 가량 절감될 것으로추정됐다. Categories at del.icio.us/hunjang: money ∙ Koreanpolitics ∙ Koreaneconomy

(Family and kin) Marriage expenses doubled in 3 years

I think I've noticed it already in an earlier post how establishing a kind of a research institute seems to be a good way to create credibility and status for a company. Sunoo (Sônu) is a marriage information (read: matchmaking) company, which also operates a Korean Marriage Research Institute (한국결혼문화연구소). It has now surveyed that in three years, the marriage expenses have doubled from 78 mil W to 135 million (€ 52000->90000) (Chosun Ilbo). In five big cities, 294 couples married last year were surveyed. Can't say what kind of couples they were and how representative the sample is; if they were Sunoo customers, the sample should be representative of the upper-scale income strata. But that steep rise is an interesting piece of info in itself, and we can also marvel the outragously sounding sums of money. The groom and the bride use their own money 32 mil and 14 million respectively; the rest is of course the parents' burden (1/3 for the couple, 2/3 for the parents) In Korea the huge expenses of getting married is made of mostly of the housing expenses, as the newlyweds need a place to live (that's why I say marriage expenses, not wedding expenses). The survey says that housing makes 63% of the all expenses. The rise in the housing expenses comes not only from the generally more expensive housing but also from the newlyweds increasingly living apart from anyone's parents (pun'ga 分家), 87% as compared to 81% in 2000. The average size of housing diminished slightly from 24.7 p'yông (pyeong) to 23.8. Even though the economy was worse last year than in 2000, expenses for wedding gifts (yedan, yemul) doubled during that period from 11 to 22 million (€15000). Funny to see that a research institute (?) established by a matchmaking company should describe the hugely growing marriage expenses as a consequence of "distorted marriage culture" (kyôrhonmunhwaûi waegok). Categories at del.icio.us/hunjang: family/kin ∙ money ∙ Koreanculture ∙ women-men

lotto

얼마전에 죽은 핀란드 뮤지션 여스타 순드퀴스트의 핀란드 보통사람들의 삶을 아이러니컬하면서도 따뜻하게 그려내는 수많은 인기곡 중에 하나에서 부양비를 로또쿠폰으로 낸다는 구절이 있다. 여스타 순드퀴스트를 어느 프로그램에서 기념했을 때 이 구절은 아마 외국에서 이해가 안 가는, 순드퀴스트가 핀란드사람들의 정서를 얼마나 잘 파악할 줄 아느냐는 사례로 누군가 제시했다. 그런데 롯도가 한국에서 이르키는 사회적은 영향을 보니까 아마 한국사람들도 저 구절이 잘 이해하지 않을까 싶다. 아버지랑 둘이서 사는 직장을 그만 둔 30살의 여자가 로또로 10억 벌려고 실패하다가 둘이서 동반자살을 했다는 소식을 보면서 순드퀴스트의 노래의 바로 저 구절이 생각날 수밖에 없었다... 경향신문의 사설: ‘10억원 만들기’와 동반자살

(Small businesses) 1000W hamburgers

In the Chosun Ilbo series introducing successful young small business keepers, this time it's a hamburger place keeper who makes yearly sales of 700 mil W [€470 000] with 1000W a piece hamburgers. These are the cases that have been introduced in the series: 청년실업 90만명과 신용불량자 300만명 시대, 생존만으로도 버거운 이 때에 남다른 성공으로 주목을 받는 이들이 있다. 1000원짜리 햄버거를 팔아 월매출 6000만원을 올리고 고려대에 장학금까지 기탁한 ‘영철street버거’의 이영철 사장, 300만원 노점상으로 시작해 가맹점 30개를 거느린 닭꼬치 전문점 COF 장정윤 사장, 망할뻔한 10평 규모의 커피숍을 월매출 1500만원대로 끌어올린 ‘비미남경’ 이동진 사장, 9평 떡집에서 수십억대 재산을 모은 ‘건강떡집’ 홍일태 사장, 웰빙붐을 타고 창업 5개월만에 월매출 1000만원 올리는 모발관리업체 ‘트리카’ 정해정 사장…. 차별화된 아이디어와 성실함으로 숱한 어려움을 딛고 ‘부자’의 길에 들어선 이들의 성공비결을 알아보았다. This kind of successes are of course exceptions, but it's good to remember that the purpose of this series is not to generalize but the present sort of model cases of success to emulate.

깎쟁이의 검소함

한국의 동네사람들이 내가 카메라의 플래쉬를 테이프로 고친 것을 보고 잘 사는 선진국사람들이 참 검소하게 사는구나 했다. 또 한편으론 떡방앗간의 박 사장은 부모한테 돈 보내 달라고 새로운 것을 사라고 그렇기도 했다. 같은 골목의 미용실 원장한테 물었더니 검소하다는 말은 베풀 줄 모르는 뜻으로 이해할 수도 있으니 그렇게 좋지 않은 말일 수도 있다. 박 사장은 나의 최근의 깎쟁이짓을 봤으면 뭐라고 그렀을까, 크게 웃은 다음에? 핸드폰 이어폰의 집게가 고장나서 뭔가 고칠 수 있는 법이 나타날 줄 알고 버리지 않았다. 맞다, 해결은 남아 있는 부분에 잘 붙는 나무발래집게였다. 이것을 알뜰팁으로 여러분께 드린다.

Workers and seomin

Pressian introduces and prints in full a critical essay on the present state of the Korean labor movement by Pak Sûng-ok (Park Seung-ok?), who should have credentials for his criticism. He's a long-time labor activist, at present a researcher at the Korea Democracy Foundation (민주화운동기념사업회), and he's been a representative of the Chôn T'ae-il Labor Archive (? 전태일노동자료연구실). Lack of representativeness (only 12% of labor force is organized), lack of constructive alternatives, concentration on only wage hikes, need to discard violence etc. Chôn T'ae-il (Jun Tae-il/Chun Tae-il) Memorial organization has a nice and informative homepage, all in Korean though. See especially the touching and revealing cartoon of his life. But all they were given by the owner, labor office, and the police was a false promise, and nothing changed. - "Don't sleep, work! Don't get fooled by all that talk, or it's going to be your end as well." Chosun Ilbo editorial: no light at the end of the tunnel of recession for the 'small people' (seomin)". Associating the term sômin (庶民) with the undeniable signs of bleak economy makes a nice but usual combination for some criticism of the government. Categories at del.icio.us/hunjang: work ∙ contemp.history ∙

(Urban space) "Northern village" in Seoul

Hankyoreh has an interesting story on the so-called Pukch'on (北村, Northern Village) in the historical part of Seoul between Changdeokkung and Gyeongbokkung, where there's a large area of Korean-style houses (hanok maûl). Considering the changes in the cityscape of Seoul in the let's say last 50 years it's not a small wonder that the houses have remained, and now it's said that the character of the area as a residential neighborhood is even in a bigger danger. Most of the houses which are sold end up being not in residential use but kept as some sort of reception places or as "villas" (pyôlchang). There's an association called "Appreciators of Korean houses" (?, 한옥을 아끼는 모임), which has lately acquired 20 houses in the area, "to prevent the houses getting torn down and multi-family houses (tasedae chut'aek) built in the place." The representative tells that the houses have been bought in order to preserve them, but "circumstances" have prevented many to move in. The price of a hanok (韓屋) has been around 10 million W per p'yông [€2000/sqm], but the recent demand has elevated the price to around 15 mil W. (The average apartment price in Seoul is 11.7 mil W/p'yông [€2400/sqm]; my earlier post.) Adjoining Hankyoreh article on Pukch'on. "Northern village" (北村) and "Southern village" (南村), two parts of the historical Seoul divided by Cheonggyecheon. The former used to be high-status area during Chosôn with the government official residences in the vicinity of royal palaces, but the tables turned during the Japanese colonial era, as the latter became the residential district of the Japanese. • An esthetic view on the Northern village streets in Joongang Ilbo Categories at del.icio.us/hunjang: housing ∙ urbanspace ∙ neighborhood ∙ money ∙ contemp.history

Outside of home, inside of shop: work and family of small business proprietor women

It is handy to send in a conference paper proposal when one gets a useful summary of a dissertation chapter done as well. It's quite difficult to write one without all the typical academia jargon - that's after all that's the kind of English that I know the best. Also wondering whether I'm doing justice to these dear people, and I don't mean using them as research material for they knew what I was doing, but whether I'm talking about them in a relevant manner. Outside of home, inside of shop: work and family of small business proprietor women AKSE 2005 Conference 4-8 JULY, 2005 Halifax Hall, The University of Sheffield This paper is about the livelihood and lives of married women, who are occupied as sole proprietors of their business establishments. The departing point of this presentation is that the position of women as shopkeepers and as money-earning self-employed provides an interesting and important angle to Korean family, marital relations, gender, and also social stratification. Continues... Photo: hairdressing shop keeper and her husband talking about the need for a new home. Categories at del.icio.us/hunjang: academic ∙ anthropology ∙ Koreanstudies