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Opinion

Columnists

Joseonjok and reunification

Have we thought about the Joseonjok lately? This term refers to the people living in Northeast China who are of Korean ethnicity and ancestry. The Joseonjok live in the provinces of Liaoning, Heilongjiang, and Jilin. The Yanbian autonomous prefecture in Jilin is a famous area. The Chinese government recognizes them as a minority nationality, part of the Zhonghua minzu. There are around 2 million Joseonjok. Many Joseonjok come to South Korea and may toil as seasonal workers. I’ve read that marriages between South Korean men and Joseonjok are now popular. I think the Joseonjok suffer discrimin...

2017-10-10 18:10

Moon and local autonomy

President Moon Jae-in has said Korea must do more to develop local governments. By that I hope he means more than just tourism and economic development, and he will further the basis for and culture of local autonomy in South Korea. What is local autonomy? Do Koreans need it today? There are three basic forms of national government: unitary, confederal and federal. Most countries have a unitary form of government. The central or national government exercises all powers except those delegated by the central government to states, provinces, cities, and other units of more local authority. Conf...

2017-09-26 16:58

My Marado

Mara Island or Marado marks the southernmost point of South Korea, roughly 11 kilometers from the popular Jeju Island. Mara Island is popular, as a place of natural beauty, solitude for walking and reflection, and as a place of the famous haenyeo or diving grandmas. We need to think about Mara Island and cultivate its natural beauty and potential. Mara Island’s population is small, in part because the island is so small, less than a quarter square mile. One can reach Mara by ferry from Jeju. There’s plenty to see and do there. I enjoy walking around the island. It doesn’t take that long to c...

2017-09-12 17:31

Up from the DMZ!

These days I think of the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) as a negative symbol and don’t like it. Oh, I don’t mean any disrespect to the lives of soldiers and civilians past and present or to the significant investments of South Korea and the United States. So many men and women support the presence. Many provide layers of support surrounding the DMZ. The Zone remains a buffer between North and South Korea. It’s part of the armistice that ended open hostilities of the Korean War. This bloody chapter in modern history continues nonetheless. It continues because the war hasn’t ended. There’s no peace...

2017-08-15 17:50

North Korea backs off Guam threat

Remember Dongbaekseom

I’ve traveled to Busan’s Dongbaekseom Island and want to write about this special place. It's a monument to Korea’s success and a living site for learning and cultivating a spirit of peace. Located in Haeundae, a wonderful, growing section of South Korea’s second largest city, this “Island of Camellias” contains beautiful walking paths. It reticently showcases the global vision of President Roh Moo-hyun. It centers on a shrine to the Confucian scholar, Choi Chi-won. Just like the flowers that carry its name, Dongbaeksom continues to carry the everlasting possibility of life for those who bel...

2017-08-01 17:26

On Forty Steps

By Bernard RowanBusan may be South Korea’s second city, but it includes a monument central to the history of present-day Korea. I’m talking about the Forty Steps Stairway in Jungang neighborhood. Don’t overlook this deceptively simple space and place. I think it’s a symbol of the past and the way forward for Korea. That means a future of peace and eventual reunification. During the Korean War, the new Republic struggled. The Chinese Army and the North pushed the U.S.-ROK forces all the way to Busan. Many Korean people in the So...

2017-07-18 17:47

Hold that tiger!

This week I’m discussing the mythical figures of the tiger and rabbit. Recently, I visited Busan and stayed at a hotel that featured the remarkable portrait of a tiger with a rabbit smoking a pipe. The image surprised me a bit, and I’ve done some more reading about this pair. In general, the tiger is a powerful figure that doesn’t do good. He’s eager to kill and eat humans, and he appears as a source of danger and force without reason. His hunger represents the power of nature to destroy the human without aid of reason. The rabbit is a figure of good using his wits and trickery. The rabbit h...

2017-07-04 17:38

Thinking of Otto Warmbier

I’m finding it sad and disturbing to read about Otto Warmbier. He’s the American college student who took a trip to North Korea in 2015 and then suffered arrest and imprisonment at the hands of the authorities. Afterwards he likely had a heart attack and existed in a coma-like state. Last week, the North Korean government released him. Other Americans and nationals of other countries remain imprisoned there. On June 19, Warmbier died. It's a fool’s errand to visit North Korea. North Korea isn’t a friendly place. It's not an exotic location. It's not a suitable destination for an “adventure”!...

2017-06-20 17:37

Warmbier's death overshadows summit

Humpty dumpty's fall

Last week, Donald Trump announced the United States will leave the Paris climate accord. This action pleases some of his constituents. It's raised a greater firestorm of criticism throughout much of the world. I’m afraid it signals to many an abdication of global leadership, creating various power vacuums. Trump advances unreasonable positions that threaten years of careful efforts and show a needless, reckless part of his foreign policy vision. What do I mean? It's a sad day when China trumps American influence by default. True, America has a horrible record of exempting itself from interna...

2017-06-06 17:36

Election day

On Tuesday, South Koreans continued the life of a young and vibrant democracy by going to the polls and voting for their president. This vote has great importance. It continues the healing from painful events of impeaching and removing a president. It shows the vitality of Korean political culture in facing international and regional pressures. Koreans celebrate the life of their great state, country, and people through democratic participation. I’ve watched from Chicago, Illinois, the impressive displays of the omni-partisan community at debates and other shared forums. Of course, the diffe...

2017-05-09 21:03

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