Odds and Ends 31/12/09

by Robert Koehler on December 31, 2009

in Odds and Ends

Thank God the “Yongsan Tragedy” has finally come to an end. The Hani, though, wants a full account of the situation, and the issue of urban redevelopment — which, personally, I think comes in second only to strategic bombing as an effective way destroy a city’s culture and heritage — has been left unresolved.
MUST SEE: White Christmas in Pyongyang.
Are you an ethnic Korean with 500 million won in property in Korea or pay more than 500,000 won in property taxes? Well, you’ll get F-5 permanent residency visas from next week! The Ministry of Justice is also making it easier for foreign foreigners to get permanent residency, too — you’re in if you make double the Korea’s GNI of US$38,000. From the Chosun: “The government decided to ease the regulations after only 30 people met the criteria last year to apply for permanent residency. That number is seen as far too small to overcome the looming demographic challenges that the nation faces.” I doubt this means much to a lot of foreigners residing in Korea, though.
Minister of Knowledge Economy Choi Kyung-hwan wants Korea to seek “peaceful nuclear sovereignty,” and in particular, liberate itself from “excessive” limits imposed on Seoul by a bilateral nuclear deal with the United States. Sounds OK to me, although of course, I’m also on record calling for South Korea to develop its own nuclear deterrent. Happiness is a closed fuel cycle.
President Lee promised the Grand Canal scheme is dead. The Four Rivers, ahem, “Restoration” project is a full go, though. From the Chosun Ilbo: “Lee said the UN Environment Programme “regards the four-rivers project as a model for responding to climate change and seeking green growth at the same time. Korea is now a powerful country that exports nuclear power plant, the world’s largest semiconductor maker, an advanced automobile producer, and a country that prepares to launch satellites. Dredging rivers is not nearly as difficult as those things.” I’ll let you ponder that.
The Justice Ministry is relaunching its investigation of the 12-year-old “Itaewon Murder Case.” Unfortunately, I couldn’t watch it, but SBS’s “I Want to Know That” interviewed both Edward Lee and Arthur Patterson, the results of which you can read here.
In case you haven’t decided where to take in the first sunrise of the New Year, the JoongAng Ilbo (English) offers some suggestions… although Hyangil-am is probably not the best choice right now, sadly. If you read Korean, the Kyunghyang Shinmun offers some suggestions, too, including a good many in and around Seoul. My wife and I did the sunrise tour boat on the Hangang River last year — it was cold as hell, but highly recommended.
When it comes to Korean food, New Yorkers and Los Angelenos apparently have different tastes.

{ 13 comments… read them below or add one }

1 WangKon936 December 31, 2009 at 3:15 pm: I call bull shit on that Korean food survey. New Yorkers like pumpkin porridge? Angelenos like sweet potato porridge? Neither of these two cities liked kalbi? Strange conclusions… or perhaps the Korean powers that be just asked the wrong questions?
2 WangKon936 December 31, 2009 at 3:46 pm: Oh, btw… nice article Joe.

http://www.koreaherald.co.kr/NEWKHSITE/data/html_dir/2009/12/30/200912300047.asp
3 MrMao December 31, 2009 at 5:07 pm: Oh, no you dihn’t!

That’s all that Korean nationality is worth to you guys? 8 million won a month and I can get down and smoke and spit with the rest of you? Why didn’t you say that before?
4 seouldout December 31, 2009 at 7:31 pm: Some day hot pepper eating Mexicans will move to NYC, and then the foreigners will be ready for Korean food… left-coast style.

No one likes galbi?! Really now, c’mon. Never in my life have I had the misfortune of meeting someone who disliked galbi. Too much deliciously!
5 seouldout December 31, 2009 at 7:41 pm: I forgot to mention that I’m heartened to see the US-wide acceptance of gruel. Gruel – it’s not just for Goldilocks and bears! Perhaps this opens the door for the Brit fave mushy peas?
6 englishmonkey December 31, 2009 at 10:29 pm: Korea has a GNI of just $38,000? That’s just 8 cents per person! I guess I am getting paid well!
7 JW December 31, 2009 at 11:37 pm: “NKorea bans foreign currencies in market clampdown”

http://finance.yahoo.com/news/NKorea-bans-foreign-apf-2947667657.html?x=0&sec=topStories&pos=6&asset=&ccode=

http://www.dailynk.com/korean/read.php?cataId=nk09000&num=79828
8 seouldout January 1, 2010 at 12:03 am: Glad to be finished with the noughties. A happy, healthy and prosperous new year to y’all!
9 gangpehmoderniste January 1, 2010 at 12:06 am: 38k is twice the GNI or the level of last year GNI (hence you gotta make 76k ?)

I know nominal Korea Gdp per capita was around 18.k a year and GNI was around 19-20, on a PPP basis it’s around 29-30K, comparable to Southern Europe and with much lower Gini…that means a middle class family in Korea has a standard of living comparable, if not slightly better, than the equivalent in Northern Italy/France and in a below-average US state.

If the the GNI ( iassume on a PPP basis) was estimated at 38k $ Korea would be already richer than Northern Europe and the vast majority of the US
10 Arghaeri January 1, 2010 at 2:52 am: I think the 38K is what is required to meet the 2x GNI (2×19=38)
11 JW January 1, 2010 at 3:08 am: 지난 일주일동안 본방송이 북한의 내부통신원들을 통해 교차 확인한 바에 따르면 평양시를 비롯한 북한 전역에서 오후 4시부터 6시 사이에 FM-TV라는 로고를 단 정체불명의 TV가 정규방송형태로 시청되고 있다.

http://www.fnkradio.com/board.php?board=qqqnewsmain&config=&command=body&no=2102

Is somebody among North korean higher ups intentionally allowing this “regular” broadcast of south korean TV programs? Fascinating…
12 hardyandtiny January 1, 2010 at 4:58 am: Yongsan Tragedy: Every day they’d have eight “riot cops” lined up in two rows standing all day long doing absolutely nothing. It’s no surprise there’s a tremendous amount of anger and aggression in South Korea’s society. It’s not about urban development or money; the people who died were abused just like the guys who had to stand in rows for ten hours every day outside the Yongsan site.
13 JG29A January 2, 2010 at 1:23 pm: Huh. Didn’t realize that “Korea” made semiconductors or cars. Should the international success of the Wonder Girls give us confidence in government projects, too?