Seoraksan Hike and Beach Weekend with Zipline

There is a rare 3 day weekend coming up. So lets do the 3 things you would love to do.
1. Hike Seoraksan
2. Beach Time
3. Zipline over Ocean!

Seoraksan (설악산) is the perhaps the most majestic of parks in Korea. The views from the highest peak will simply take your breath away.

However you have to pay a price for that amazing view. There are two Giant Hike Trails available to you.

The "smaller Giant Hike" hike is a 10-12 hour course. Lets call it the Dae Chung Bong / Chun Bul Dong course. It is so tough but so worth it. ^^

And then for those who like to challenge the toughest or the highest or the most difficult, you may want to take your shot at the Dinosaur Ridge. Let's call this the "bigger Giant Hike". It is similar to the 10hr "smaller Giant Course" course but add 2-3 extra hours. So it takes 12 to 14hrs. Only a few have taken this most difficult of the Seoraksan hikes and perhaps the most difficult one in Korea!

Perhaps the greatest view point in Seoraksan is the masterpiece view at the highest peak (Dae Chung Bong). At 1708 meters (5603 feet) it is 3rd highest of the big 3. Jeju Halasan is 1950 meters (6397 feet) and Jirisan is 1915 meters. Since you can begin the hike at 980 meters, the elevation rise is 700 meters (or about 2400 feet).

And to help be better prepared for the giant hike, instead of departing at 11PM from Seoul and then sleeping less than 2hrs on the bus to then embark on either of the Giant Hikes, lets take advantage of the 3day weekend. We leave 9AM on Saturday so we can check into the motel by NOON. Then you have the opportunity to relax on the very nice beach all afternoon. (Or go to Seorak Mountain)

The hikers should all stay in one room and hit the sack early like 9PM. Then get up at 2:303AM to head over to the hike starting point. You finish at 5:30PM and head over to the motel.

The beginning part of either Giant Hikes is the same. But at Hee Woon Gak you have to decide which of the two routes to take. The smaller Giant Hike to Chun Bul dong Valley or the bigger Giant hike to Dinosaur ridge.

But you are not Decathlon Athlete? No problem. There is a much shorter route available. The walk/hike to Ulsan Boulder is about a 4-5 hour round trip route. The views at the top is also breathtaking. You will see the awesome giant boulder ridges on one side and the ocean in the distance on the other.

So once you get to the beach you have 3 choices for Sunday:
1. Do the Giant Hike (Either Dinosaur Ridge or Chunbuldong)
2. Do the shorter Ulsan Boulder Hike or Go to top by Cable Car
3. Stay at the Beach

Then you will be able to spend the next morning (Monday) relaxing on the beach. Then before leaving for home a thrilling Zipline ride over the ocean!

It is the Longest Zipline in Korea. 419 meters long (1375 feet). And the zipline starts at a place near the beach such that you are ziplining over ocean water and end up on the sandy beach. Maximum weight limit is 110kg.





OPTION #1 - Giant Hikes

The Dinosaur Ridge Course is for people who stay fit:
You start at Osaek Hot Springs and head up to Dae Chung Bong peak (3-5 hrs) which is the peak of Seorak Mountain. Then from the peak head down to Hee Woon Gak (1hr) which is the starting point of the Dragon Ridge trail (4-6hrs) and then hike down to Bi Sun Dae (2 hrs). From Bi Sun Dae its easy stroll down to Seorak Valley (1hr).
Total Hike/Walk Time = 12-14 hours or so.

The Dae Chung Bong to Chun Bul Dong Course is also very tough:
Like the other hike you start at Osaek and head up to Dae Chung Bong peak (4-5 hrs). Then from the peak head down to Hee Woon Gak (1hr). From here continue heading down Chun Bul Dong Valley and on to Bi Sun Dae (3 hours). From Bi Sun Dae its easy stroll down to Seorak Valley (1hr). Chunbuldong Valley is awesome with so many water falls and pools of water to dip your feet in with foliage all around.
Total Hike/Walk Time = 9-11 hours or so.

Both will test your strength and you will be worn out for sure. There is a sauna facility nearby to soothe your aching muscles.




OPTION #2 - Ulsan Boulder Hike or Cable Car

Ulsan Boulder Hike is 4-5 hours and is quite easy except the steep ladders at the end. The view from the top is breathtaking. You get views of giant boulder ridges band also the ocean in the distance.

Chunbul Dong Valley is the most spectacular so if you wanted you could head up to a certain part of it from Bisundae and then come back down the same way.

Leave Seorak valley as the Giant Hike (Option 1) group finishes their hikes and meet up with you.





THE SCHEDULES

5/26 (SAT)
9:00AM Depart Seoul
Abgujeong Station (Line #3) Exit #1 around the corner
NOON Arrive Beachside Motel
Freetime on the Beach!

Dinner Time (Sea Food or BBQ at Restaurants on the Beach)

5/27 (SUN)
2:30AM Depart Motel
3AM Arrive Osaek
OPTION #1 SCHEDULE here
Bus Returns to Motel
11AM Bus Departs Motel
11:30AM Arrive Seorak Park
OPTION #2 SCHEDULE here
5:30PM Seorak Park Exit Parking Lot
Depart
6PM Arrive Motel
Dinner Time (Possible to Head Over to Seokcho Town for Dinner)


5/28 (MON)
Morning Beach time~
11:45AM Depart Beach for Zipline
1PM Start Zipline
3PM Depart for Seoul

7:45PM Arrive Seoul




OPTION #1 Schedule:
3AM Arrive, Start Hike

3PM Finish Hike and Arrive Bisundae
5:30PM Seorak Park Exit Parking Lot

OPTION #2 Schedule:
11:30AM Arrive Seorak, Start Hike

5:30PM Seorak Park Exit Parking Lot






THE COST

The "basic cost" of the trip is 99,000 won.
It includes:
1. Round Trip Chartered Bus
2. Beachside Lodging (2 nights)
3. Breakfast (muffins and coffee)

Earlybird:
If you make your deposit on or before 4/30 then the basic cost is 89,000 won.
If you make your deposit on or before 5/15 then the basic cost is 94,000 won.

Add or subtract the following from the basic cost:
1. Subtract 10,000 won if you meet us there and willing to stand in bus if full.
2. Add 11,000 per person if you want to do Zipline.
3. Add 15,000 per person per night if 2 people want to use a private room with bed.


Frequent Bus Rider Discount:
If you have been on 5 or more bus trips then 5,000 won discount.

The lodging is a motel with typical "ondol" sleep on the floor type and 4 or 5 to a room. We will separate men and women in general but could work out mixed rooms as well.

The large bus is limited to 45 people.


TRIP LEADER: Greg Garrigues


SIGN UP PROCEDURE:

WinK Admin Sunny will be handling deposit confirmations. She can be reached via email to wheninkorea@gmail.com.


1. Please click on "Join" above so that your name appears on the "Going" list to the left column. We will be sending out change notices and updates only to those on the list and have not blocked our messages from reaching your inbox.


2. If # of spots remaining is less than 5 (shown on the deposit list) then please send an email (wheninkorea@gmail.com) to check if there is room for you.
PLEASE DO NOT SEND FACEBOOK MESSAGES we may not be able to see it. Please send us email to wheninkorea@gmail.com. Thanks.


3. Deposit the amount as shown above. Only a deposit AND your name on the Confirmation email guarantees space.
You can deposit for someone else or someone else can deposit for you.
You can use ATM to make the deposit if you or your friend has an ATM card. ATM's generally have an English menu.
Also please do not write "trip" or something like that for the deposit. Then it comes in as "trip" and we do not know who made the deposit.

Make the deposit to:
Kookmin Bank (KB) 국민은행
814302-04-052125
Cho, William (조윌리엄)
BANK CODE: 04

Or you can deposit the Pay Pal amount using the following email address:
wkcho@ix.netcom.com
Paypal amount will be the amount in won divided by 1,000. So as an example if it says 65,000 won then its $65 USD for paypal amount.


4. Fill out information in the following form AFTER you have made the deposit:

GENDER:
FIRST NAME:
MIDDLE NAME (if you have it for your bank account)
LAST NAME:
TRIP NAME WITH DEPARTURE DATE:
DEPOSIT AMOUNT:
BANK NAME:
DEPOSIT DATE:
DEPOSIT TIME:
CELL PHONE #:
WHERE WILL YOU MEET US?:
WHAT TIME?:
ANY ROOMING REQUESTS? DON"T CARE?:
WHAT OPTIONS DID YOU CHOOSE?:


We need the above information for each person of a group if you are a group.

IF YOU ARE CLAIMING FREQUENT BUS RIDER DISCOUNT YOU MUST LIST ALL OF THE CHARTERED BUS TRIPS YOU HAVE BEEN ON.


5. Confirmation
Once we can confirm the deposit we will send you a reply confirmation email. THIS EMAIL IS YOUR CONFIRMATION. IF YOU DON'T HAVE THIS CONFIRMATION EMAIL THEN YOU ARE NOT CONFIRMED.


6. Information for Travel Insurance

You can buy travel insurance online. Here is an example of one of the many sites where you can buy insurance online:
http://www.worldnomads.com/?gclid=CI7gmLS6macCFUeApAodSjUzfg


We do not provide travel insurance. It is not required to have insurance to join the trip but highly recommend to get one in case. Please keep in mind the Liability Disclaimer below. We are not liable in anyway during or after the trip.



7. Refund or Credit Policy:

Time of Deposit to 7 Days Before Departure Time = 10,000 won Cancellation Charge per person for Refund of Deposit Amount to your bank account. Or you can apply full amount toward a future trip.

7 day before Departure to 72 Hours before Departure Time = 30,000 won Cancellation Charge per person for Refund to your bank account.

72 hours to 12 hrs Before Departure Time = 50,000 won cancellation charge per person for Refund to you Bank.

12 Hours Departure Time to No Show = No Refund.

Please provide account # by email to wheninkorea@gmail.com in order to receive refund.


Liability Disclaimer:
This travel group is not liable in anyway during or after your trip.
Please be careful and be mindful of safety. You are responsible for your own safety. You have the right to not do anything that you believe is too dangerous. None of the activities will be forced on you against your own will.

more information from:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/wheninkorea/events

My friends, enjoy with this amazing trip!

Colorful spring making my heart filled with Natural feeling with an extraordinary aesthetic sense, Exploring defined beauty here in Korea. I felt like nothing is as young like Flowers. Wish to be like Flowers throughout the life.

Spring in Korea has a wonderful attraction. Korea has an extraordinary gift of clear seasons and its colorful appearances in the concerning seasons. The Flora looks very colorful and it matches very well with the clean  roads and streets. 

Here is a simple look of the spring on my way to school

T

                           
                           Clean streets with Spring Flowers. Good matching.

Like Perfect Beauty in the world, it makes me happy and I feel so lucky in my everyday life in Korea.

       This picture was taken by sitting down near the street of a flower  tree. Yes it was like a Flower tree. Countless number of flowers were there.

                              Flowers which give hopes of being alive forever in the lab of nature

                 What would you say now?  Well I would say, If you love Nature. Do not forget to Come Korea.

                                                              Innocence of Flower.

                                                         Feeling of being inspired by Nature

                                                               Simply Wonderful

                                                       
                                                              Stay like this forever hahha

                         Meeting an innocent flower. Hey But do not worry at all will never pluck.

                                   Red Roses  trying to propose. Hey don't get more romantic.
               

                                                                   Roses Together

                                                     Hey Beautiful rose. Are u shying?

                                               OMG. I cannot believe I took this picture

                                                     Clear image   in sunlight

                                        Catch if you catch can, but remember not to pluck.

                                                             Beauty in its own style.

                                          Buyana from Mongolia enjoying the wonderful spring in Korea.

                               
                                          Sun is setting , taken from my laboratory room's window.

                                       

I am happy, Yes , I am. I am happy because of the Flowers. I can' t stay untouched in front of the natural flowers,  Yes,I am happy.  I am happy because in this scientifically advanced country Natural beauty in the form of Natural flowers are around me. Yes , It does makes me happy.  Yes , I am happy.

 Buyaana.

 Photos are copyright reserved of Buyanaa, Please contact or let me know before copying.

Important Information for International Students in Korea. Extending Visa more comfortable!

It is a welcome decision. Wow!

The submission of  Visa Extension Application form [D-4] and [D-2] can also be submitted through a Government for Citizen G4C website called "HI-KOREA".
To provide  more convenience to International Students in Korea [ D-4, Student Visa ] and [D-2, Korean language training visa] while extending the sojourn period,  your visa extension form can be submitted through Government for Citizens (G4C) website called HI KOREA (www.hikorea.go.kr).

  Target Work :   -Application for permitting extension of Sojourn, Student Visa (D-2) and  (D-4) Visa Holders

The Ministry of  Justice  has made it compulsory to register the fingerprints at the time of extending period of sojourn. Accordingly  while applying for Sojourn period extension through Internet , fingerprints  registration will also  be confirmed.

If  Fingerprints are found  not registered,  then Application for Sojourn extension will not be accepted through Internet. 
Note:  Those who are under 17 years of age are exempted from Fingerprints registration and also exemted from  G4C(Governemt for Citizens support) . 

World Bank picks Korean-American Kim as president

The World Bank chose Korean-American physician Jim Yong Kim as its next chief Monday in a decision that surprised few despite the first-ever challenge to the US lock on the Bank's presidency.

The Bank's directors chose Kim, a 52-year-old US health expert and educator, over Nigerian Finance Minister Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, who had argued that the huge development lender needs reorientation under someone from the developing world.

Kim, currently president of the Ivy League university Dartmouth College, will succeed outgoing president Robert Zoellick, a former US diplomat who is departing in June at the end of his five-year term.

The Bank's directors expressed "deep appreciation" to Kim, Okonjo-Iweala and a third candidate, Colombian economist Jose Antonio Ocampo, who pulled out of the race Friday.

"Their candidacies enriched the discussion of the role of the president and of the World Bank Group's future direction," the Bank said in a statement.

"The final nominees received support from different member countries, which reflected the high caliber of the candidates."

The US nomination of Kim, breaking the pattern of the 11 American bankers and diplomats who have come before him, had surprised many, as he was little known outside global health circles and has no background in development economics.

But the South Korea-born, US-raised physician and anthropologist, with degrees from Harvard University, has a strong record in developing programs to fight diseases like HIV/AIDS and tuberculosis in poor countries.

He said after being nominated that he had the ability to work with economists and other specialists in running the Bank, which has a staff of 9,000 and a loan portfolio that hit $US258 billion in 2011, including $US43 billion in new loans and grants.

"I will come with an open mind and apply my medical and social-science training to take an evidence-based approach," he said, before embarking on a globe-spanning trip to convince other countries to back him.

"There's just no comparison between him and any of the prior World Bank presidents," Mark Weisbrot of the Center for Economic and Policy Research in Washington said Monday.

"The others were political insiders; they spent most of their lives getting rich or becoming politically powerful, or worse. Kim, by contrast, has spent most of his life trying to improve the lives of poor people."

There had been little doubt about the Bank's choice of Kim. By a longstanding pact Washington has chosen the head of the World Bank while Europe has held control of who leads its sister institution, the International Monetary Fund.

On Friday Ocampo pulled out of the race, saying the decision would be made on politics and not merit.

Okonjo-Iweala said the same earlier Monday.

"You know this thing is not really being decided on merit," she told reporters in Abuja.

"It is voting with political weight and shares and therefore the United States will get it."

Even so, after earlier promising the Bank's directors would decide by "consensus", there was no mention of the word in the announcement, suggesting that some directors held out for Okonjo-Iweala, who spent more than two decades working at the Bank.

In reactions to the choice, US Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner said Kim would "breathe new life" into the Bank.

Zoellick said "his rigorous, science-based drive for results will be invaluable for the World Bank Group as it modernizes to better serve client countries in overcoming poverty."

But the global development agency Oxfam called the selection process a "sham" even as it praised Kim.

"Dr. Kim is an excellent choice for World Bank president and a true development hero," said Oxfam's Elizabeth Stuart.

"But we'll never know if he was the best candidate for the job, because there was no true and fair competition.

Source: http://www.smh.com.

Global Green Growth Summit 2012

Global Green Growth Summit










Thursday, May 10, 2012 – Friday, May 11, 2012

Lotte Hotel Seoulhttp://worknplay.co.kr/korea-directory/hotels/832/lotte-hotel

Must RSVP online http://www.gggsummit.org/

02-2260-2054, 2051

Gggs2012_reg@paradisepco.com

Korean Government and GGGI will hold Global Green Growth Summit 2012 in Seoul. The theme is “Global Governance for Green and the Green Economy.”

Programs
Speech by Mr. Masayoshi Son, CEO of Softbank Corp. in Japan
Speech by Mr. Jeremy Rifkin, senior lecturer at Wharton School of Business, University of Pennsylvania
Discussion led by Ms. Rachel Kyte, VP of Sustainable Development, World bank, Dr. Loic Fauchon, President of WOrld Water Council, Dr. Woo Hyo-Seop, President of Korea Institute of Construction Technology, and .E. Paul A. Menkveld, Ambassador of the Kingdom of Netherlands to the Republic of Korea.
More

Topics
Water and Green Growth
Agriculture and Land Use
Financing sustainable Energy
Journalism and Green Growth
Green Growth Knowledge Platform
International Architecture for Green Technology and Innovation
Global Governance for Green Growth and the Green Economy
Of First and Fast Movers: Strengthening the Global Goverance of Green Growth through Country Leadership
Policy and Capacity Building Support for Developing Countries
Ocean and Fisheries Cooperation
Sustainable Energy Trade
An Action Agenda for 2012

Source: www.workmplay.co.kr

2012 Seoul Summit: Pivot to Global Nuclear Security

By Duyeon Kim

The 2012 Nuclear Security Summit in Seoul, Korea could have been a watershed moment for nuclear security. The 58 heads of state and world leaders were expected to implement nuclear security measures conceptualized by the Obama administration’s first Summit in Washington two years ago, and pivot toward a harmonized and coherent roadmap. After all, participating nations fulfilled over 90 percent of their voluntary summit commitments since the Washington Summit resulting in the reduction of vast amounts of highly enriched uranium and numerous reactor conversion measures.

The expectation, or hope, was that the Seoul Summit would build on these successes by reenergizing the international community on security issues, collecting new commitments to strengthen global nuclear security, implementing measures, and innovating global governance.

Unfortunately, domestic agendas and geopolitics stole the show, and what few accomplishments were achieved ended up more toothless than most analysts had hoped.

World leaders will and should take advantage of a major international assembly to discuss other pressing issues on the sidelines. But it was all too clear that 2012 is simply too crowded with domestic issues and election races for most leaders or media to concentrate on the task at hand.

North Korea grabbed the first headlines on the eve of the Summit. Then a Russian Foreign Ministry statement suggesting Moscow would not present new commitments to reduce its stockpiles of highly enriched uranium had a dispiriting effect on analysts, those with good-faith, and those with earnest intentions for the reduction and security of fissile materials. Headlines during the summit were taken by President Obama’s open-mic gaffe ensuring President Medvedev of his second-term political flexibility on missile defense and other issues.

It, of course, doesn’t help that nuclear security is a tough sell to a global public more focused on the economy and other kitchen-table issues than on the global stockpile of nuclear materials, a topic that’s too wonky for most people.

Seoul Communiqué

The format of the Seoul Communiqué intended to ensure all nuclear security issues are given the highest political attention by producing one combined document instead of the two (Communiqué and Work Plan) seen in 2010. The rationale was that a second, more technical document could be treated as an “Appendix” or side note with lesser importance. The intention was commendable. However, since a communiqué is a political statement at the top level, a combined document runs the risk of only agreeing on the lowest common denominators.

Alas, the Seoul Communiqué did just that, with weaker language used, such as “we encourage” instead of “we will” or “we call on” seen in the 2010 Summit documents. It also focused more on what was achieved in the past two years, though extremely important, and less on how to chart a deeper, coherent course of action for the future.

Still, Some Progress

Despite the lack of more detailed, future-oriented commitments in Summit documents, there were four noteworthy points of significant progress this year.

The most prominent achievement was tackling the nuclear safety-security interface — an initially controversial topic — for the first time in the Summit. By doing so, it sent an important reminder that the facilities that house nuclear materials should also be strengthened. Not only did world leaders recognize the commonalities of two distinct measures, but they advanced the idea by stating that the interface should be considered in all stages, from design to emergency response, in a synergistic manner so that strengthening one area does not compromise the other. Summit participants also aimed to seek the International Atomic Energy Agency’s (IAEA) assistance in further enhancing the interface by, as a first step, organizing meetings on this matter. These are all part of an extremely significant first step, but the key is implementing measures that strengthen both nuclear safety and security until and beyond 2014. Fukushima provided the impetus to think in terms of safety-security, but the passing of time should not be allowed to dilute the sense of necessity and urgency. Safety-security measures should also be implemented as long as nuclear terrorism exists and as long as countries continue to use nuclear power.

The bulk of nuclear security measures rests on reducing the global stockpile of fissile materials — highly enriched uranium and plutonium. The summit set a target date, the end of 2013, to announce specific voluntary actions that countries will implement in order to minimize the use of highly enriched uranium in their civilian sectors. That’s a goal-oriented statement, and a noteworthy achievement considering the complexities of multilateral diplomatic negotiations. However, it is merely an encouragement rather than a unanimous commitment. Not to mention, some states may find it difficult to meet this deadline due to technical difficulties such as the time it takes to convert existing or newly-ordered reactors to use low-enriched uranium fuel instead of highly-enriched uranium. It is also the first official acknowledgement that completely securing all vulnerable nuclear materials by December 31, 2013 — Obama’s four-year goalpost — is not within reach.

The third area of progress was in radiological security. Thousands of sites worldwide house radioactive materials. So it’s significant that world leaders have not only raised the importance of radiological security since the first summit in 2010, but they’ve set forth a more detailed vision for the safety and security of radioactive materials. For example, they’ve realized the need to establish national registers of high-activity radioactive sources and committed to work closely with the IAEA to cooperate on advanced technologies, and share best practices and management of radioactive sources. It’s not just nuclear materials that are game-changers. Radioactive materials can be used for terrorist means to make dirty bombs. Since radioactive materials are also widely used for benign purposes — industrial, medical, research, agricultural — their security is just as important to prevent and recover lost, stolen or orphaned sources.

Finally, a new contribution this year is the presentation of “gift baskets,” or joint pledges, from like-minded countries to strengthen nuclear security. For example, Belgium, France, Korea, and the United States announced a joint project to develop high-density low-enriched uranium fuel to replace highly enriched uranium fuels in high-performance research reactors. If the technology — developed by Korea — is effective, it could have a profound impact on minimizing highly enriched uranium usage globally.

Seoul Achievements

Korea displayed significant leadership as Summit Chair and succeeded in adding a Korean twist to the summit agenda while achieving its major goals. It surely impressed the skeptics who predicted Seoul would merely play host and organizer with Washington in the driver’s seat. Over the years, Korea has hosted major international summits, but this one is perhaps the first in which Seoul fully exerted its influence on substantive issues.

Seoul showcased its skills in multilateral diplomacy by deflating the highly controversial safety-security issue, overcoming stiff opposition from its closest ally to include safety, and garnering global consensus on a vision to strengthen nuclear safety-security. Korea also contributed a significant technology to replace highly-enriched uranium fuels in high performance research reactors, while showcasing its know-how in tracking radioactive materials. Seoul, together with allies and partners, was also able to send Pyongyang a message on the sidelines of the Summit. While it set out to regain public confidence in nuclear energy via the Summit, this will only be achieved through future actions that strengthen nuclear safety-security.

These notable outcomes came under some difficult circumstances. It puzzled many, even during the Summit, as to why Korea would and would want to take on a gathering that began as a U.S.-centric initiative. When Seoul agreed to receive the baton after the 2010 Summit, it was, knowingly or not, walking into tough waters. Unlike the U.S., which had engaged in nuclear security programs for decades, nuclear terrorism and “nuclear security” are foreign concepts for South Korea — it doesn’t have nuclear weapons or fissile materials, and security is always framed in the context of its number one threat, North Korea, which did not even make it on the Summit agenda, though for good reason. In other words, while the Nuclear Security Summit was established to deal with the U.S.’ greatest security threat — terrorists and non-state actors — South Korea’s greatest security threat has always been a state that produces nuclear material.

Thus, the natural lack of initial public interest and awareness was indeed a challenge. Another problem was the lack of public outreach on the issue ahead of the Summit, but this was true for most countries. The Summit also faced stiff competition with the entire country focusing on Korea’s April 11^th general elections, nuclear security becoming a partisan issue, major media outlets going on strike for their own reasons, and every presidential initiative becoming tough sells during the final lame duck year.

While the Nuclear Security Summit process began as President Obama’s idea with an American focus, the scope has clearly expanded in the Seoul Summit to address the global realities of today’s and tomorrow’s challenges.

Next Steps

The challenge for the Nuclear Security Summit process going forward is sustaining nuclear security initiatives while keeping states accountable to their summit commitments. It is crucial that world leaders reestablish the sense of urgency, existentiality, and awareness of the terrorism threat that the planet faces. Summit fatigue among heads of state could threaten global nuclear security; there are already questions as to whether the summit process needs to continue regularly or be absorbed by existing mechanisms, like the IAEA.

Attracting all heads of state to future Summits may become another challenge. For months, it was unclear whether the Seoul Summit would see 100 percent participation, but including a safety discussion with the security conversation in the aftermath of Fukushima helped considerably. This is why 2014 should leave open the door to again expand the scope to ensure full participation and interest.

The Nuclear Security Summit process places a burden of proof on all states to implement their nuclear security pledges as well as on the three chairs — Korea, the U.S. and the Netherlands — to continue to lead the process together. The Chairs should adopt, officially or unofficially, the troika system familiar in the G-20 when preparing for 2014.

International negotiations and diplomacy is indeed challenging when 53 different national interests are involved. There was — and will always be — push back from states on more ambitious commitments. But the Nuclear Security Summit needs to chart a deeper and wider course of action. Global nuclear security also needs to move beyond the voluntary, patchwork nature of the current effort toward the creation of a coherent global architecture and governance, starting with a minimum universal guideline for the security of nuclear materials and facilities. Without structure, the summit and nuclear security initiatives could be rendered impotent, and leaders will have even less incentive to pay attention to the goal. Universal standards can be devised and recommended without running into the complexities of sovereignty.

The 2014 Summit in the Netherlands must be drastically different and must not be a meeting that spends more time reviewing past accomplishments; it should not only address new or evolving security concerns that may arise over the next two years, but also set future goals. The Nuclear Security Summit may have begun as President Obama’s project, but Seoul 2012 has proven that nuclear security is a global responsibility with regional contexts. The Seoul Summit ultimately served as a pivot to a more global agenda.

The fundamental dilemma moving forward is narrowing the gap in threat perceptions among states and reconciling the debate on whether to include more nuclear issues or maintain a narrow focus on nuclear terrorism.

Nuclear terrorism is indeed a low-probability scenario, but the threat is real, and its consequences are unimaginably devastating. The human tendency is to wait until after a catastrophe to devise preventive measures. But when a nuclear or radiological incident occurs, a chance to even clean up may not be granted.

A version of this op-ed was published in The Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists on 30 March 2012.

Duyeon Kim is the Deputy Director of Nuclear Non-Proliferation at the Center for Arms Control and Non-Proliferation. The views expressed here are her own.

Image from Blue House photos of the Seoul Nuclear Security Summit.

Source: Site of Korean Economic Institute

Where golden clouds of flowers blossom

This month your traveler sets foot in Gurye, Jeonnam-do, where yellow cornelian cherry blossoms are proudly showing themselves after weeks of last-ditch winter cold spells and heralding the long-awaited arrival of spring. There are a number of villages in Gurye, including Sangwi Maeul, or Sangwi Village. This is the first destination of your traveler’s trip to Gurye. The village commands the most magnificent view of cornelian cherry blossoms in Gurye as it stands at the highest elevation in the entire county. Another attraction of Sangwi Village is a narrow path lined with stone walls called Saranggil, or Path of Love. Here, lovers whisper words of their budding love while walking along this romantic path amid delicate, classical beauty.

Sangwi Village in Gurye has more cornelian cherries than other towns and the flowers are first to bloom every year.

Sangwi Village is naturally dubbed Sansuyu Maeul, or Village of Cornelian Cherry Blossoms, and hosts a festival of cornelian cherry blossoms every year. Other villages in the country bear the same nickname, including Bonghwa and uiseong in Gyeongsanbuk-do and Icheon in Gyeonggi-do, but none of them matches Sangwi Village. It is not only that Sangwi Village has more cornelian cherries; it is also because Sangwi is the first every year to become shrouded under the golden, fresh clouds of cornelian cherry blossoms.

Now that your traveler has taken in the breathtaking scenery of golden clouds of blossoms, she demands her due portion of culinary delight.
What fare is best in this beautiful mountain village?
Sanchae jeongsik, or a full course meal of wild herbs and vegetables with rice and soup, is the obvious choice.

There are many restaurants in Gurye that are renowned for this special meal. The restaurant Geuyennal Sanchae Sikdang is especially well recommended. After your traveler sits on the warm floor of one of the rooms, two elderly ladies come in bearing a table full of dishes.

The dishes are prepared from a variety of seasonal wild herbs and vegetables. They are picked and dried in a manner that retains their unique tastes and flavors, and then blanched, fried, or grilled. For example, deodeok, a variety of bonnet bellflowers (Codonopsis lanceolata), is grilled, but only slightly to retain a crispy taste. With blanched herbs, grilled deodeok, pickled vegetables, salted fish, and other delicious side dishes, your traveler devoured her entire bowl of rice, leaving not a single grain. Hence, the reason the Koreans call tasty side dishes “robbers of your rice.”

Hwaeomsa is the largest and most majestic in Gurye.

Reaching out to those in need
Having eaten delectable food to her heart’s content, your traveler made her way up the near mountain to Hwaeomsa (Hwaeom Temple). Gurye is home to a number of Buddhist temples besides Hwaeomsa: Cheoneunsa (Cheoneun Temple), Yeongoksa (Yeongok Temple), and Munsusa (Munsu Temple), to name a few. Hwaeomsa is the largest and most majestic. Here and there on the grounds of Hwaeomsa are important cultural assets including Gakhwangjeon Hall (Korea’s largest extant wooden structure), a stone lantern in front of Gakhwangjeon Hall, and Sa Saja Samcheung Seoktap (a three-story stone pagoda with four pillars in the shape of lions).

Perhaps, the best time of year to visit the temple is spring, when the apricot blossoms are out. They are a strong red with a hint of black and are so sensually fragrant that they are emotionally moving even to the ascetic monks. These bewitching darkreddish blossoms called heungmae come into bloom only after the bright yellow blossoms of cornelian cherries wither and fall down to the ground, so your traveler was not able to experience them on this trip. She now turns toward Unjoru Pavilion.

Dried cornelian cherry berries.

Unjoru Pavilion is a traditional Korean house built in 1776 by Ryu I-ju, a local official during the reign of King Yeongjo (1724~1776) of the Joseon Dynasty. It was originally 99 kan (approximately 327m2), but just about one-third remains. Back then, only royal palaces could be as big as 100 kan. The name of the house, Unjoru Pavilion, literally means ‘house of clouds and birds.’ It may be interpreted either as a secluded house like a bird in the clouds or as an outstanding house where birds that fly over the clouds dwell.

Noteworthy at Unjoru Pavilion is a wooden rice chest placed in front of the storeroom. The stopper of the rice chest bears four Chinese characters pronounced as tain neunghae (他人能解), which means “Other people can open the chest.” Anyone in need of food could come, pull out the rectangular stopper, and get some rice from the wooden chest.

The house is also notable for its short chimney. It was built not even one meter high in order to not show the smoke to hungry neighbors when rice was being cooked in the kitchen. Your traveler feels humbled at her ancestors’ heart-warming consideration of their needy neighbors.

The Seomjingang (Seomjin River) flows with beautiful stories to tell
The final destination of this trip to Gurye is Hwagae Jangteo, or Hwagae Market. This street market crosses the border between Gyeongsangnam-do and Jeollanam-do. It was one of the five largest markets in Korea before the national liberation from Japanese colonial rule, and was always thronged with buyers, sellers, and spectators. Today, the marketplace bears a façade of modernity, but still exudes all of the vitality and human touch of a traditional country market of old with many attractions such as dotori muk (acorn jelly), jaecheop guk (small clam soup), wild edible greens, green tea, traditional inns called jumak, and taffy sellers. You can also see a traditional blacksmith where hoes, sickles, and other implements are still made in the traditional ways. What a sight to enjoy!

From Sangwi Village to Hwaeomsa to Unjoru Pavilion and finally to Hwagae Market, these fascinating tourist destinations are all along the Seomjingang. The river springs in Jinan, Jeollabukdo and runs more than 200 kilometers before it empties into the sea. It passes through Imsil, Gokseong, Gurye, and Osan; flows between Jirisan (Jiri Mountain) and Baegunsan (Baegun Mountain) and runs through Hadong and Gwangyang. The river must have a great deal of beautiful stories to tell to spring travelers.

Source: Korea Magazine (March 2012)

Important Korean Cultural Treasures Hidden Around the World

Ahn Hwi-joon

Professor Emeritus of Art History
Seoul National University;
Former Chairman of the Cultural Heritage Committee

It has been reported that 150 items from the collection of Gregory Henderson, a deceased American foreign service employee who acquired a large number of Korean art works while he was posted at the U.S. Embassy in Seoul, will be exhibited in Korea.

The collection, comprised mainly of ceramic works, was donated to the Arthur M. Sackler Museum at Harvard University upon Henderson's death. It was made known to the American public and the Western world through an exhibition held at the museum in 1993, under the title “First Under Heaven: The Henderson Collection of Korean Ceramics,” but has never been properly shown here. The home exhibition of Henderson's collection would increase the Korean public's understanding of their nation`s art works and cultural treasures and be a great help for researchers.

When I first heard the news, two things came to mind. When I was studying in the United States about 40 years ago, I once visited Henderson's home at his repeated invitations. Decorating his living room were pieces of Goryeo celadon, Joseon white porcelain and Silla earthenware, and hanging on the wall was a calligraphy work by Yi Wan-yong (prime minister at the end of the Joseon Dynasty).

How good it would be if my tangled feelings at the time could be wiped away by such an exhibition. The other thing that came to mind was how useful it would be if the exhibition served as a catalyst for more active moves to bring our cultural treasures scattered in various countries overseas for exhibition at home.

Once, when I was looking at some exquisite works of Goryeo celadon at the Art Institute of Chicago in the United States, I was saddened to think that those pieces might have been designated National Treasures if they were back in Korea. I had a similar experience at the Seattle Art Museum. While examining the range of Korean art works in the storehouse under the guidance of the head curator of Asian art, I was astonished at the superb quality of the Goryeo celadon wares in the collection.

Aside from world famous museums such as the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, the Boston Museum of Fine Arts and the British Museum, other comparatively lesser known museums have vigilantly collected a surprisingly large number of significant Korean artifacts. This is the situation not only found in the United States but also in Japan and some European nations.

The Korean collection at the Osaka Museum of Oriental Ceramics is one of the finest in the world, and another noteworthy example is the collection of Joseon Dynasty portraits kept at Tenri University in Nara Prefecture, where An Gyeon's masterpiece, a painting titled “Dream Journey to the Peach Blossom Land” (Mongyu dowon do), is also preserved.

If the Korean cultural treasures in other countries are successively brought home for exhibition, the potential benefits are numerous. By enabling people to see works of Korean art kept overseas without going overseas themselves, opportunities for cultural nostalgia will expand and understanding of traditional art will also deepen. For specialists in this field, it would provide great help in the research of Korean art and culture.

Important in this respect was last year`s “Masterpieces of Goryeo Buddhist Painting” exhibition at the National Museum of Korea, which brought together great works of Goryeo Dynasty Buddhist art scattered in museums around the world. Sixty-one paintings from as many as 44 museums and other institutions in Japan, Europe and the United States were brought home for public display for the first time in 700 years.

Thanks to the efforts of curators from the museum who made dozens of trips to Japan and other countries over two years to gather the works together, some of the greatest works of art left by our ancestors could be seen in one place. It is hoped that similar exhibitions of Korean art works preserved overseas will be held more often. 
Source: Korea Focus magazine