This Makes Me Angry

Translation of the green sign.
Give notice of Withdrawal
Myung -bak Resign


I just found these via Naver. I was not going to say anything else about the meat protest, but I hate when priest get involved in politics. I shouldn't say that I hate when they get involved in politics, but more when they march with a crucifix and in full vestments, it sends a message that the whole Catholic church is wanting the president of Korea out of office. The image that makes me sick is the lead guy carrying the protest sign and the crucifix. I got to think about this a little more, but I still think that this is over the line.

**Edit**

At least The Korean Herald editorial staff feels the same way I do. Well, may not as strong, but still it is a step in the right direction. I can't link directly to the article, but it is named Priest's Actions.

**Edit #2**
GI Korea over at ROK Drop provides some background on why the priests were protesting in this post about moral cover. I know that the priest looked familiar. I just couldn't place his face. I thought for a second maybe he presided over a mass I attended.

Teachers Send Their Students Home!

Just read this in the Korean Times

More than 800 teachers, mobilized by the education authorities, attempted to send home their students participating in the rally against the U.S. beef imports at Cheonggye Plaza, Saturday.

The teachers were there to ``guide'' the participating students to go home at the instruction of the Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education. The education office said students could get hurt in the crowd if they are involved in a clash with police.

I like the word guide in quotes. I am not really sure what exactly that means though.

This is comforting!

Read Here

"but even if the damages wildly exceeded expectations it seems unlikely more than 10 percent of Seoul's area would see widespread destruction."

Never thought it out like this before, and I am not in Seoul, so I have nothing to worry about right?

Bill Kapoun Passes Away

I was just getting ready to write a post about how I encourage everyone to donate to Bill's fund who was burned in a fire in a Haebongchon last week. I was looking over the facebook group and just noticed where his sister posted that he died last night. I really hated to read this, but at the same time I know that he was in a lot of pain. I never knew him, but felt like I did after seeing all the pictures of his life before the accident. I still plan on donating and I hope that everyone else will as well. Please keep him and his family in your prayers.

Kimchi at Zero Gravity

Check out this CNN article.

It appears that kimchi has been authorized as a space friendly food aboard the international space station.

The approved menu includes fresh and cooked kimchi, spicy chili paste, rice, bean paste soup, instant noodles, sweet cinnamon punch, ginseng teas and a mixed grain and vegetable bar, Yonhap reported, quoting the Korea Aerospace Research Institute (KARI)

No Kimbap? What's up with that? I see that they are allowing dwenjang jigae or bean paste soup. I wonder if this variety will have the same smell as when they cook it here. If so, the other members of the space station should be forewarned. It definitely tastes better than it smells.

Cultural Destruction

If you live in Korea you probably already know that Sungnyemun (Namdaemun) Gate was burned down. The police have recently caught the man who started the fire. He claims to have started the fire as a protest over a land dispute. You can see more over at the Marmot's Hole or Zen Kimchi. Almost every Korean blogger has wrote about this and I didn't want to be left out. I really can't believe that someone would burn down Korea's number one national treasure. I guess this would be the same as someone destroying the Statue of Liberty or demolishing MT Rushmore, or burning down the White House. I am hoping that he was drunk and full of rage, but it sounds like it was planned out and he brought the right equipment to do the job. (Image borrowed from Yonhap News Via the Marmot) It appears that this was not his first time to try and burn a cultural landmark. I hope they throw the book at him this time!

I added a photo that I took in 2005 when I first got to Korea. This is what it looked like before the fire. My photo really doesn't do it justice. Check out some of the links above for some better shots of the gate pre and post fire.

Talking with the Beauties, Handsome Men Version*

I know I have read comments before about this never happening , but this was on TV tonight. Here is an image from Daum.








Here is a photo from the lady version.

It will be interesting to see the comments from the expat population about this new show. I did not get to catch it tonight, but I am sure that they will be showing it again or I am sure that someone will upload portions of it to YouTube. It came on KBS2 at 830 if anyone was interested.

*Their words not mine

Bad Employers in Korea.......no say it ain't so!

check out the article in the Digital Chosun.

These are embarrassing incidents for Korea. They involve dirty tricks to get people to work and then not pay them, preying on their weaknesses as illegal visitors. What will these laborers say about Korea after they have been deported back to their home countries? As civic activists are calling for, the laws must be changed so that these laborers can receive their due wages, even if they are deported.

This was my favorite paragraph. Now, I know that as an English teacher who has been screwed over by an employer in Korea our situation is no where near as dire as the workers from SE Asia who come here on no visa. I know that word does reach outside of Korea. I mean how many stories have you heard about Hakwon directors firing teachers or pulling some insane stunt to get out of paying teachers?

I sometimes wonder if regular Korean citizens know about the stories of horrible directors. I wonder if it even crosses their minds. I would think that the way many teachers are treated would be embarrassing to Koreans.