OCT 2013

Cultivating a Happier Korea through Culture

Artist

Kim Tschang-yeul Yeongju, Land of the Seonbi

CONTENTS OCTOBER 2013 VOL.9 NO.10

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COVER STORY Cultural Enrichment initiative aims to ensure that everyone can enjoy arts and culture

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CULTURE FOR ALL

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PEN & BRUSH

Painter Kim Tschang-yeul

PEOPLE

Book designer Hong Dongwon

TRAVEL

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Yeongju
SPORTS

Korean fencers point to success

ENTERTAINMENT

Snowpiercer takes on a global audience

SPECIAL ISSUE

Seoul Conference on Cyberspace 2013

CURRENT KOREA

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DIY tribe grows

SUMMIT DIPLOMACY

President Park addresses G20, Korea and Vietnam boost ties

Publisher Woo Jin-yung, Korean Culture and Information Service Executive Producer Suh Jeong-sun E-mail webmaster@korea.net Magazine Production Seoul Selection Editor-in-Chief Robert Koehler Producer Shin Yesol Production Supervisor Lee Jin-hyuk Editorial Advisors Jang Woojung, Im Hyeong Doo Copy Editors Daisy Larios, Hwang Chi-young Creative Director Jung Hyun-young Head Designer Ko Min-jeong Photography Ryu Seunghoo, Robert Koehler, RAUM Studio Printing LEEFFECT All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced in any form without permission from KOREA and the Korean Culture and Information Service. If you want to receive a free copy of KOREA or wish to cancel a subscription, please e-mail us. A downloadable PDF le of KOREA and a map and glossary with common Korean words appearing in our text are available by clicking on the thumbnail of KOREA on the homepage of www.korea.net. 11-1110073-000016-06

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POLICY REVIEW

Kaesong Industrial Complex reopens

CREATIVE TECHNOLOGY

Koreas Electric Road

GLOBAL KOREA

Korea helping war veterans worldwide

GREAT KOREAN

Ju Si-gyeong
MY KOREA

The joys of photography in Korea

MULTICULTURAL KOREA

Professor Alok Roy

TALES FROM KOREA

Simcheong
FLAVOR

Yeonnipbap

COVER STORY
Heaving Sea of Light at Gwanghwamun, a media art display by Ryu Jae-ha

Cultural Enrichment initiative aims to ensure that everyone can enjoy arts and culture
Written by Robert Koehler

COVER STORY

peaking at the National Museum of Korea in 2011, world-renowned French intellectual Guy Sorman said Korea had an outstanding culture that embraced its original form and developed without rupturing that base. Speaking again in 2012, he said that Hallyu (the Korean wave) is a sophisticated blend of Korean individuality and global universalism. It was along these lines that fellow American scholar Jeremy Rifkin, speaking to the Dong-A Ilbo in 2011, praised the ability of Koreans and Korean culture to elicit sympathy, owing to Koreas central position between China and Japan and Koreans historic preference for cooperation rather than conflict with its neighbors. French scholar Dominique Wolton said in a 2012 interview with the JoongAng Ilbo that the Korean wave, a product of modern Korean culture, was introducing to the world a new set of cultural values different from those of the United States and Europe and was being welcomed by Asia and the Islamic world. He said Korea was a place where one could conceive of and develop cultural coexistence. The Korean government is striving to develop this culture, so recognized for its potential by the scholars of the world; President Park Geun-hye, building on the efforts of her predecessors, has made cultural enrichment one of the four leading indicators of her administration. Said Culture Minister Yoo Jinryong, Cultural enrichment aims to raise the level of happiness of individual citizens as the value of culture spreads through the entire society. President Park has publicly expressed her intention to make it so that all citizensnot just a minoritymay enjoy culture. In particular, she aims to create a diversity of cultural programs so that youths can express their passion while developing their creativity and sensitivity and families can spend their free time together.

five humanities-related books, including two Korean classics. She reiterated this theme during a meeting with well-known cultural figures at Cheong Wa Dae on Aug 7. Stressing the importance of humanities as the foundation for cultural enlightenment and the creative economy, she said the humanities focus on considerations of people and deal with insights on life and human beings. At a meeting with senior journalists at Cheong Wa Dae on Jul 10, she warned that any technology, invention, or system can become monstrous if it is not based on reflection on people and life. To realize this vision, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism (MCST) has launched its Humanities on the Road project, aimed at 67 museums nationwide. It aims to establish a basis for the creative economy through cultural enrichment by awakening in elementary and middle school students creativity and imagination in the humanities. To do this, it will provide more opportunities for students to experience the humanities by coupling smart devices with museum education. The ministry will also host a variety of humanities-related lectures and handson events at 121 public libraries through the end of November. This program aims to promote in local residents an appreciation for practical humanities and create a new reading culture bringing together books, places, and people. Some 155,000 local residents, youth, and parents will participate in the program, as will about 400 lecturers.

There are very few ideas on the originality, singularity, and creativity of the Korean civilization . . . I say civilization because its stronger than culture, and Korea is a civilization

Culture for Everyone

An important keynote to President Parks Cultural Enrichment initiative is that everyone, regardless of age, class, sex, or domicile, should have access to culture. Moving Art Stop is a colorful effort to put this idea into practice. Beginning in

Guy Sorman, Culture20 meeting, Seoul, September 2010

Humanities the Basis for Cultural Enrichment

Attending the opening ceremony of the 19th Seoul International Book Fair on Jun 19, President Park stressed the importance of the humanities, saying, I have always relied on wisdom from the teachings of the sages found in these classics. To emphasize that point, she purchased

1. Overseas press reports about the Korean wave 2. French public intellectual Guy Sorman 3. President Park Geun-hye attends a meeting of the Presidential Committee on Cultural Enrichment

COVER STORY

1. Culture Minister Yoo Jinryong gives the keynote address at the 2013 Cultural Enrichment Conference 2. Seoul Metropolitan Library, one of Seouls biggest libraries

August, the initiative aims to bring arts and culture to Koreas rural communities by loading up buses with art instructors and materials, hence turning them into mobile art studios and theaters. The project benchmarks two overseas projects, the Arts Bus Project of the United States and the Arts Bus of Hong Kong, both of which have proven successful at bringing the arts to rural districts and urban youth, respectively. Koreas Moving Art Stop is particularly aimed at allowing the children and elderly residents of rural districts to feel the excitement of arts and culture and rediscover their own talents through hands-on experiences with a variety of artistic genres. Moving Art Stop is part of a larger Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism effort to bring the arts and culture to wider and hitherto neglected regions and groups. As part of the Exciting Arts Trip initiative, about 200 leading arts troupes in a wide range of genres will visit so-called arts and culture blind areas such as social welfare facilities and military bases to hold performances and exhibitions. The government is also sending national arts troupes to some 70 regional cultural halls to perform works like Swan Lake and Chunhyangjeon for the enjoyment of provincial residents who rarely have the opportunity to experience performances by leading national troupes. Some of Koreas national museums are also reaching out. The National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art,
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Korea has launched a mobile museum program to provide arts education for elementary school students in rural districts. Other metropolitan and provincial art museums like the Seoul Museum of Art have followed suit with mobile museums of their own. Arts Council Korea is also contributing to the effort with a talent sharing bus that will provide local youths in far-off rural districts and along the DMZ opportunities to experience art. Participating in the program are media artist Kim Yonghyeon and installation artist Lee Ho-jin. Not to be left out, the National Museum of Korea also plans to conduct about ten mobile museum programs this year.

Breathing Life into Regional and Traditional Culture

Another key initiative in the effort to realize cultural enrichment is the preservation of Koreas cultural heritage. This includes efforts to both preserve and promote Koreas regional cultures and activate Koreas traditional culture. Nationwide, closed schools and small cultural halls are, with government support, being reborn as art spaces and other cultural facilities. Due to both government policy and demographic developments, many old, unused schools dot the Korean countryside. Many of these empty schools are now becoming galleries, cafs, and guesthouses. Pohangs Ginam
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Mullae Art Village

Heyri Art Village

Ugak-ro Culture Village

Wolseon-ri Artists Village

Bakdal Artists Village

Jeju Jeoji Art Village

Koreas artist villages

After World War II, Berlin rose from the ashes to be reborn as a world-renowned city of culture through the efforts of artists who gathered in the city from all over the world. Such artist villages exist in Korea, too.

Mullae Art Village (Seoul)

Located in Seouls gritty Yeongdeungpo-gu, Mullaedong was, not so long ago, lled with many small metalworking shops that congregated there in the 1970s. In the 1990s, though, many of the shops closed, and the neighborhood languished. Local artists, however, saw an opportunity to revitalize the area. Empty workshops were turned into studios, and artists began a prodigious street art program to beautify the gray, rusting alleys with colorful murals. Some of the studios also function as cafs, especially on the weekends. A particularly good time to visit the village is during the Mullae Arts Festival (August), when local artists celebrate the neighborhoods creativity with performances and exhibitions.

district with lots of empty houses and little in the way of economic activity. In 2012, however, a concerted effort was made to turn the district into an artist community. Creatives took over many of the old homes and renovated them into studios. To punctuate that point, many of the old houses have been painted in lovely hues and the once-dark alleys are brightened with colorful murals.

Wolseon-ri Artists Village (Muan)

Nestled in a corner of rural Muan in Jeollanam-do, Wolseonri Artists Village is a collection of Korean traditional homes many of them old thatch-roofed hutsthat in some ways is indistinguishable from the other villages that dot this idyllic corner of the country. In this village, however, live about 20 potters, calligraphers, writers, natural dye artisans, and other practitioners of the Korean traditional arts. Living in harmony with the villages farmers, the artists have turned the village into a place where agriculture and the arts mix. Many of the artists also host hands-on programs and lessons for those interested in learning the traditional arts.

Heyri Art Village (Paju)

Heyri Art Village is a collection of workshops, studios, galleries, bookshops, and cafs gathered together as a community just south of the DMZ in the town of Paju. It is a grand experiment in ecologically friendly architecture, design, and urban planning. Many top architects from Korea and abroad participated in its creation; accordingly, many of its buildingsnone of which are more than three stories high, per village regulationsare just as much works of art as the art they contain. About 370 painters, sculptors, graphic artists, lmmakers, and potters live and/or work in Heyri. Because of its beauty, charm, and proximity to Seoul, it is a popular weekend destination for Seoulites. The nearby Paju Book City, a collection of publishing houses that functions as an outdoor exhibit of cuttingedge architecture, is designed to harmonize with its wetland environment.

Elementary School, long since closed, will be transformed into a museum as part of the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourisms Turning Our Living Space Into Art: 2013 Village Art Project. In the rural town of Jecheon, Yanghwa Elementary Schoolclosed in 1995is now a geography museum, home to a collection of 12,000 pieces such as Joseon Dynasty maps, Japanese occupational era surveying equipment, and collections of international treatises. On the island of Jejudo, Gasi Elementary School is now an exhibit hall with photos recording the islands splendid natural environment, local lifestyles and culture, and island history. Efforts are being made to promote traditional culture as well. Together with the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, the Federation of Korean Traditional Performing Arts Associations is conducting a program to promote pungmul in rural villages. Pungmul is the traditional dance and music performed in Koreas rural regions. By dispatching professional instructors to provincial districts and supplying musical instruments to areas in need, the program hopes to activate music and dance at the village level by reviving Koreas dulle culture, or culture of rural cooperation.

Bakdal Artists Village (Daegu)

With a history that goes back to 2004, Bakdal Artists Village is an old village school that has been renovated into a multi-genre creative space. With its variety of installation art, even the old school eld is utilized as an artists space. With demographic changes forcing more and more schools into closure, Bakdal Artists Village demonstrates one way in which existing facilities may be dedicated as cultural spaces.

Supporting Artists Themselves

A recent government survey of the culture and arts industry revealed that only 30.5% of artists were registered with employment insurance, and only 27% with industrial accident insurance. Moreover, two out of three artists made on average less than KRW 1 million a month from their creative activities. To rectify this situation, the government has crafted a plan to weave a tightly woven creative safety net so that artists may realize the Park administrations vision of an era of cultural enrichment. The safety net would include the construction of a welfare base for artists, including insurance support and the creation of a fund to provide

Jeju Jeoji Art Village (Jejudo)

Located on Koreas southern island paradise of Jejudo, Jeoji Art Village is home to 48 artists. Like Heyri Art Village, many of the homes are architectural gems, some making use of Jejudos unique volcanic rock. The heart of the village is the Jeju Museum of Contemporary Art, one of the islands nest exhibit spaces.

Ugak-ro Culture Village (Incheon)

At one time, Incheons Ugak-ro area was a poor, high-crime

Moving Art Stop, a bus that brings the arts to previously neglected rural districts Korea Arts & Culture Education Service

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COVER STORY

Awakening the People to the Importance of Culture

Presidential Committee on Cultural Enrichment Chairman Kim Dong-ho
Interview by Robert Koehler

appreciation for the value of culture so that everyone can both create culture and enjoy culture. He adds, To do this, we need education, from childhood to adulthoodboth education about culture and education to develop talents. He explains four core policies at the heart of cultural enrichment: linking the public and the government by listening to public opinions and resolving issues; fostering artistic talents; building a new cultural industry by wedding culture to newly emerging information technologies; and preparing Korea culturally for eventual reunification with the North. Naturally enough, as a man with decades of experience in the film industry, he sees the role of moving images as critical. I think the 21st century is the era of video, he says. People in Korea and around the world live their lives with video media from the time they wake to the time they go to sleep. Accordingly, film and other video media can become a basis for cultural enrichment, for boosting the quality of life, he says. What are cultural figures around Korea saying? Theyre asking the government to take an interest in regional culture and to provide much support, he says. Theyre asking the government to set aside a bigger share of the budget for the provinces. In particular, he notes they are asking the government to provide policy support to boost cultural manpower in provincial regions. Kim believes the public at large needs to better understand and appreciate the meaning of culture in their daily lives. Korea is a top 12 economy, and the people should feel that level of happiness and satisfaction in their daily lives, but in fact, they dont, he says, citing Koreas low happiness indexes and high suicide rates compared to other OECD nations. To set right Koreas spiritual situation, we must awaken the people to the importance of culture and improve the lives of artists.
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A variety of cultural activities taking place at Mullae Art Village Mullae Art Space

loans and promote mutual aid projects. The net would also provide job support to artists so that they can survive while they are at work. It also gives artists discounted admission to cultural venues like performing arts halls and museums. Finally, it aims to foster a fair trade environment for artistic transactions by improving unfair practices, strengthening intellectual property rights, and developing and distributing standard contracts. It would also provide legal support for artists to go after companies and individuals who fail to deliver on contracts and would place other legal sanctions on noncompliant entities.

Istanbul-Gyeongju World Culture Expo 2013

The Istanbul-Gyeongju World Culture Expo 2013, held in the Turkish metropolis of Istanbul from Aug 31 to Sep 22, is symbolic of Koreas push for cultural enrichment. Linking the two ends of the historic Silk Road, the festival introduced both the beauty of Korean classical civilization and the energy of Koreas modern culture to one of the Wests most historic cities. The expo showcased nearly 50 cultural programs from 40 countries. The opening ceremony, which saw participation from Korean Prime Minister Chung Hong-won and Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan, featured a musical performance by 60 members of a Korea-Turkey collaboration team in an open-air stage before Istanbuls landmark Hagia Sophia. Istanbul Mayor Kadir Topbas, who attended the ceremony, remarked, The unique cultural and historical values of our two countries will find a way to make themselves known to wider regions across the world.
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As chairman of the Presidential Committee on Cultural Enrichment, Kim Dong-ho is one of the key figures in the governments drive to promote cultural enrichment. Dean of the Graduate School of Cinematic Content at Dankook University and founder of the now renowned Busan International Film Festival, Kim brings to the position a wealth of policymaking and on-the-ground experience. Hes also an impressively well-traveled man, traveling ceaselessly around the world as a filmmaker/film festival administrator and around Korea to listen to the opinions of the countrys cultural movers and shakers. At the chairmans office on the grounds of Gyeongbokgung Palace in Seoul, Kim explains that cultural enrichment is about making individuals both the producers and consumers of culture. By awakening individuals to the value of culture and spreading the value of culture, people come to have culture and the arts in their daily lives. Individuals become both the main agent and enjoyer of culture, he says. Through this, we raise the quality of life. Kim says the most important thing is to spread an

PEN & BRUSH

Maengsan, Pyeongannam-doin what is today North Korea in 1929, back when Korea was under Japanese rule (1910 1945). But tough times did little to shadow his natural talent. He enrolled in the College of Fine Arts of Seoul National University, one of the most prestigious schools in Korea, in 1948. But not long afterwards, the Korean War (19501953) broke out. After the war ended, he found out that of his 120 middle school classmates, 60 had died. Still, he continued his work. In the late 1950s, Kim was one of the leaders of the radical Art Informel Movement and also one of the founders of the Contemporary Artists Association. In 1964, he left for New York. His paintings then were rather heavy and dark, with strong colors and thick lines. Critics

thought they contained the pain, scars, and even anger from the war that he had experienced with all his body and soul as a young man. While studying at the Art Students League in New York in the late 1960s, he encountered pop art and minimalism, which art critics say is what led to his later interest in forms and planes.

Encounter with Water Drops

As is the case with most great discoveries, the beginning of his love affair with water drops was humble and serendipitous. It was when he moved to Paris in 1969 that he met the muse

Bell (2003), acrylic and oil on canvas, 81 x 100 cm

KIM TSCHANG-YEUL
Water drop artist looks back on his eventful life
Written by Kim Hyung-eun

he life of 84-year-old artist Kim Tschang-yeul is practically a summary of Koreas tumultuous modern history. He was born at a time when the country had lost its sovereignty, he experienced a war, lost his hometown, and wandered around New York and Paris in hopes of making a name for himself and finding the meaning of life. Korean artist Kim Tschang-yeul did manage to do just that through something as simple as water drops. The Paris-based artist spent the majority of his 50-year painting career experimenting with water drops, and came to be known as a water drop artist. Now Gallery Hyundai in Sagan-dong, Seoul, is holding a retrospective on Kim to celebrate the 50th year of his career. It

features about 40 of Kims water drop paintings, ranging from those made in the 1970s to his latest works. Many of them have never been shown to the public. Its the glorious world of nothingness, the artist told KOREA Magazine when asked to define water drops. What does a water drop mean? Its colorless. Its odorless. It has no meaning. Its just clear water drops. He did say he once attempted to find something more in water drops. Artists tend to be delusional. So I, too, at one point in my career, thought that perhaps I could get in touch with my soul by drawing water drops.

Wartime and Art

Kim was born in a small village deep in the mountains of
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PEN & BRUSH

1. Water Drops (1998), acrylic and oil on canvas, 300 x 195 cm x 3 pcs, 2. Deconstruction (1985), acrylic and oil on canvas, 330 x 250 cm

of his life, water drops, which changed his works for good. I still cannot forget the grand sight, the moment of such surprise, he reminisced. In 1972, the poor young artist was staying in a stable near Paris. There was no bathroom, and he washed himself with water in a container. One morning, as he was pouring water into the container, water splashed onto canvas that he had left nearby. Big and small water drops splashed onto the canvas, and the morning sunshine beamed onto it. It became a splendid work of art in its own right. That same year, he introduced his water drop painting for the first time at Salon de Mai in Paris, a renowned art exhibition in Paris at the time. Hes been working with water drops ever since.

Varied and Evolved

Asked if he ever tired of water drops, he said he has worked
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hard not to. Its true that he has worked with a variety of materialshemp cloth, newspaper, wooden plate. In the 1980s, he drew water drops on the rough surface of a burlap bag instead of blank canvas. Later he added Chinese calligraphy, color dots, and color planes, which gave his works an Oriental feel. In the 1990s, Kim introduced a series of works where clear water drops spread across the backdrop of clear, print letters from the Thousand Character Classic (Cheonjamun in Korean), which is a Chinese poem used as a primer for teaching Chinese characters to children. That series is something he is still working on, actually. Kim says that he learned the poem from his grandfather at a very young age. I still remember the days in which I would practice calligraphy on newspaper, he said. I feel nostalgic for those days. Chinese characters are memories and also a tool with meaning, depth, and formative values.

He has made about 500 paintings over the past 50 years. If he could go back to the 70s, would he still choose water drops as the motif that dominates his entire career? The tacit man just gave a terse response: I am the kind of man who does not know how to plan the future.

Legacy on Jejudo
Of the 500 paintings the artist has made, he has donated 200 of them to Jejudo, the scenic island off of Koreas southwest coast; Kim signed an agreement with Jeju Special Self-Governing Province in May to set up a new museum devoted to Kims works and life. In addition to the paintings, he also donated personal documents, photographs, tools, and more. All together, the collection is estimated to be worth KRW 15 billion (USD 13 million) to KRW 20 billion. Although the artist was born in what is now North Korean

territory, he fled the Communists during the Korean War and lived on Jejudo for a year in 1952. Since Im from Pyeongando, I have no hometown, nowhere to bury my soul, he said. But I feel like I have a new hometown. Im happy. The donation also led him to change his will. In the will that he wrote several years ago when his health was deteriorating, he said he would leave his artwork to his children. But with the plans for the museum, part of the will has been changed. I gave the whole of my work, the whole of my life [to Jejudo]. The artist says that he certainly feels weaker. My hands tremble these days, so I fix my right arm with my left arm when painting. Asked about what he thinks of younger Korean artists and their influence in the international arena, he said they are a generation free from a feeling of inferiority, a blessed generation.

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THE RIGHT FIT

Typographer and book designer Hong Dongwon selects the right design for the right occasion
Written by Felix Im

All-Purpose Arena

ong Dongwon is a book designermore specifically, hes a typographer who occasionally designs books out of a passion for them. Despite his 30-year resume, he still encounters people who dont know exactly what either a typographer or a book designer does. A typographer is in charge of designing fonts and letters; they are the people responsible for whether your eyes are comfortable or in pain when you read something. A book designer like Hong is in charge of how a book looks, what kind of binding it has, how big it is, what kind of paper is used, and, of course, what kind of font you read. Hongs designs can be seen every day in plain sight in many things that most people dont even realize contain contributions of a designer. For example: Seoul license plates, or the logo for the Supreme Prosecutors Office, Republic of Korea. The books he designs, however, are a much rarer commodity, and far more difficult for the average person to see.

Books for Book Lovers

To be honest, I cant exhibit my work in Korea. I have to go abroad. The books I make just dont capture enough interest here.
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When asked the reason, he laughed and cited the Korean demand for things to be made quickly and cheaply, especially in publishing. The kind of books that I make cant be made quickly or cheaply! He laughs again. And the books that make up his recent work explain to the viewer why. The first is a photograph album, a collection of personal snapshots of Korean writers, poets, sculptors, and artists titled, quite fittingly, A Portrait of the Artist. The writer and photographer, Yook Myungshim, decided that although we know much of such artists work, we often dont know what they look like. So he put together a collection of some of Koreas most well-known artists photographed up close and personal. The Celebrity magazine

Unlike most books, it needs to be opened from both sides. I decided to make this book rather large, says Hong, because its a collection of photos designed to make the viewer focus on each individual and his/her ambience, and I felt that only a hefty book could do thata book that cant be handled carelessly or quickly. You cant just flip through the pages of a book like this. He finds the desired page, lays the book flat, and points to an intense picture of a man smoking a cigarette; the smoke seems to touch the viewers face. Thats Pak Mok-wol. We all know his poetry, but nobody knows what he looks like, and considering his influence on our literature, I think thats a bit strange. He flips open another book sitting next to the smoking poet. This one is significantly smaller. As soon as its opened, its easy to see that it is a book on architecturemore specifically, houses with yards. Whats interesting about this one is that the entire middle of the book is left empty, dividing the left side of the house from the right, sort of like a pathway. The book itself gives the reader an impression of being more like a model house, or a live blueprint, rather than an actual book. This book deals with space. Titled All-Purpose Arena, it

focuses on yards, which are often described as a sort of empty space with no particular use. This architect, however, wanted to highlight yards not as empty spaces but as filled with possibility and infinite relevance. This architect believes in meshing with your surroundings, no matter how much money or land you have. You dont just ignore your environment. You harmonize with your background. Hong explains that unlike most book designers, who work independently from the author, he works alongside the writer, making every book a partnership project. He then takes out a copy of The Celebrity magazine. It has a picture of Jang Dong-gun on the cover. But what Hong advises the writer to pay attention to is the lettering, and more importantly, the font: new, creative, but not excessive. These three pieces were all designed in completely different ways. You see, its not about what your style or signature is, its about finding the right design for the occasion. He takes a moment. Now that Hangeul typography is more expensive than Roman characters, and that Hallyu is booming, maybe Korean designers, including me, can finally find more right designs for every occasion.

A Portrait of the Artist

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Yeongju Seonbi Village Yeongju City Hall

Yeongju
Where the spirit of the seonbi lives on
Written by Robert Koehler

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hey call Yeongju the home of the seonbi, referring to the virtuous scholars of the Joseon Dynasty who passed up positions of wealth and power to lead lives of study and integrity. Amidst the entrancing tapestry of misty mountains and deep valleys, the spirit of the seonbi lives on in the bucolic villages and time-honored shrines that dot the landscape. For centuries, the region has given sanctuary to philosophers and poets, Buddhist masters and artists, all those who look to reconnect with nature and to themselves.

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MORE INFO

What to Eat One of Yeongjus signature dishes is mukbaprice and side dishes served with a soup made of acorn jelly. A good place to score this dish is Sunheung Jeontong Mukjip (T. 054634-4614), near Sosu Seowon and Yeongju Seonbichon Village. Another specialty of Yeongju is ginseng, grown largely in the Punggi district. Punggis Yakseon Sikdang (T. 054-638-2728) serves a variety of meals using locally produced ginseng and medicinal herbs. Youll also nd plenty of good restaurants in front of Buseoksa Temple and in Yeongju Seonbichon Village. Places to Stay

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1. Buseoksa Temple, one of Korea's most beautiful Buddhist monasteries Yeongju City Hall 2. Graceful ridgelines of Mt. Sobaeksan KTO

Ancient Center of Learning

In a pleasantly shaded forest next to a stream is Sosu Seowon, founded by Joseon Dynasty scholar and official Ju Se-bung in 1543 as Koreas first private Confucian academy. It was also the first such academy to be granted a royal charter. A great many of Koreas illustrious scholars studied at the school, whose importance was so recognized that it was one of only a handful of Confucian academies to survive the prince-regent Heungseon Daewonguns 1866 edict closing down private Confucian academies. The academy is a lovely cluster of halls and courtyards in harmony with the natural surroundings. Among its treasures is a 14th-century portrait of the Confucian scholar An Hyang.

Island in a Stream
Andongs Hahoe Village is Koreas best-known oxbow village, but Museom Village is in some ways even more charming thanks to its relative obscurity. Founded in 1666 by the Bannam Park clan (later joined by the Seonseong Kim clan), the picturesque villagewhose name translates to island in a streamsits on a loop in Naeseongcheon Stream and is fronted by a great sandy beach. It is home to about 40 traditional homes, 16 of which are over 100 years old. One of the homes, the Manjukjae Old House, dates back to the original founding of the village in the 17th century. So isolated was the village that for three and a half centuries, the only way in was a single log bridge over the stream. The old bridge was replaced by a modern road bridge in 1979, but the original was rebuilt in 2005this is by far the most charming way to reach the village.

marks the start of a major east-west spur in Koreas mountain spine, the Taebaeksan Range. Unlike some of Koreas more jagged, rocky peaks, Mt. Sobaeksans slopes are gentle and roundedyoull even find grassy meadows at higher elevations. While beautiful any time of year, Mt. Sobaeksan is most splendid in spring, when its fields of royal azaleas are in full bloom, and winter, when the snow and wind combine to form spectacular snow sculptures on the mountains trees.

While downtown Yeongju has its share of hotels and motels, the best option is to stay in one of the towns historic Hanok homes. Several of Yeongju Seonbichon Villages homes can be booked for a nightcall (T. 054-683-6444) to make reservations. In the countryside east of downtown Yeongju youll nd two historic homes that double as bed and breakfasts. Built in 1779, the Goeheon Old House (T. 054-636-1755) has been in the same family for eight generations. Rooms here begin at KRW 60,000. The Ueom Old House (T. 054-637-1537) is another historic home with a handsome pond and pavilion built in the 19th century. Rooms here begin at KRW 100,000. Getting There Trains to Yeongju depart from Seouls Cheongnyangni Station (travel time: 2 hours, 45 minutes). Alternatively, you can take a bus from Gangnam Express Bus Terminal (travel time: 2 hours, 40 minutes).

The Jewel of Korean Architecture

If you visit only one Buddhist temple in Korea, you should strongly consider making it Buseoksa. Founded in 676 by the great Silla monk Uisang, Buseoksa Temple represents the epitome of Korean architecture and landscaping. To reach the temple, visitors must climb a series of 108 stepsshedding spiritual defilements along the waybefore reaching, through a series of gates, the main courtyard, a representation of Nirvana. Constructed in 1376, the temples main hall, Muryangsujeon, is not only one of Koreas oldest wooden buildings but also one of its most beautiful. It radiates an effortless grace with its simple adornment. In the courtyard stands a single, finely crafted stone lantern from the Unified Silla period. The view from the courtyard over the mountain landscape is exalting, especially at sunset.

Seoul

Yeongju

Where the Seonbi Spirit Lives On

Not far from Sosu Seowon is Yeongju Seonbichon Village, which offers visitors an opportunity to experience the life of a Joseon Dynasty seonbi. Many of the tile-roofed and thatchroofed homes here date from the late 19th century to the early 20th century and are worth seeing in and of themselves. The village offers a variety of educational and hands-on programs on Koreas traditional culture and arts, making it a popular destination for Korean families.
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Little White Mountain

Yeongjus most significant topographical feature is Mt. Sobaeksan, the centerpiece of Sobaeksan National Park. Despite its name, which means Little White Mountain, it is high (1,439.5 m) and broad (at 322 square kilometers, it is the third largest mountain park in South Korea). The mountain

Jejudo

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As the Korean team appealed the decision, an attempt that later proved futile, Shin was forced to wait on the fencing strip as required by competition rules, becoming the loneliest athlete in the Olympics, in the words of ESPN columnist Jim Caple. More than a year removed from all the drama, Korean fencers now recall the recent Olympics as a building block of an experience. Athletes like Kim show that the country is producing world-beaters, and Shin showed that the expectations are just too high for any Korean to be competing with a just-happy-to-be-here attitude.

A Potent Force
Despite Shins failure to reach the podium, Korea still hauled in two golds (the other one coming in the mens team sabre), a silver, and three bronze medals in London to mark its best-ever Olympic appearance. And in the international competitions since then, Korea has continued to increasingly present itself as a force in the sport, if not yet a serious contender to the powerhouse trio of Italy, France, and Russia. Kim has been setting the tone with a solid 2013 and now seems to be firmly in the conversation on the sports topechelon talents. She took the bronze at the World Fencing Championships in Budapest in August after being dealt a narrow, 15-14 loss to Ukraines Olha Kharlan, the eventual gold medalist, in the semifinals. Kims third-place finish at the worlds followed her dominant performance in Junes Asian championships

KOREAN FENCERS POINT TO SUCCESS

No longer just happy to be there, Korean fencers are now among the worlds best
Written by Kim Tong-hyung

where she took the individual and team golds in womens sabreand her gold at the Chicago Sabre World Cup in May. Kims triumph in Chicago came just weeks before Shin took the gold in the womens pe at a World Cup event in Rio de Janeiro, defeating none other than Heidemann in the final in what she said was poetic justice. The depth of Koreas talent pool was on display at the Asian Fencing Championships in Shanghai in June, where the country led all nations with eight gold medals and added four silvers and six bronze medals. Korea took four gold medals in the team competitions alone, with its men and women sweeping the foil and sabre brackets. The Koreans also took five of the six golds that were in contention at the Korea-USA Elite Fencing Invitational held on Jejudo in August, indicating a pipeline abundant with young talent. The London Olympics definitely were a confidence booster, even more so because it proved that our way of preparing, training, and honing skills was right, Kim told Korean reporters after the Budapest event. Among the fencing competitions, sabre is probably most dependent on speed and quickness, qualities you may lose quickly with age. But I want to compete until my 30s and defend my Olympic title. Kims next goal is to win a gold at the 2014 Asian Games in Incheon. She aced the national trials in Namwon, Jeollabukdo, in September, defeating Lee Ra-jin 15-8 in the individual sabre finals.

1. Foil fencer Nam Hyun-hee at the London Olympics 2. Sabre fencer Kim Ji-yeon wins gold at London Olympics. 3. Korean mens fencing team takes bronze at the 2013 Fencing World Championships in Budapest, Hungary.

I
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t was at the London Olympics that Korea experienced its brightest moment in the sport of fencing as well as its most excruciating setback. Kim Ji-yeon, the 25-year-old Busan native equally popular for her athletic brilliance and movie-star cuteness, gave the country its first fencing Olympic gold in more than a decade after defeating Russias Sofya Velikaya in the womens individual sabre finals. But Kim ripping off her mask and erupting in joy was probably not the most striking Olympic memory involving a

Korean fencer. At least, it will have to compete with a shaken and dejected Shin A-lam sitting at the edge of the platform and crying for about an hour in front of a crowd of 8,000 after going through one of the biggest sporting controversies of the London Games. Shin had thought she was advancing to the gold medal match in the womens pe semifinals. But then the officials reset the clock from zero back to one second, which was just enough time for Germanys Britta Heidemann to execute a winning strike against her.

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E N T E R TA I N M E N T

SNOWPIERCER PLOWS INTO CINEMAS

Director Bong Joon-ho challenges international audiences
Written by Mark Russell

admissionsthats about USD 65 million, depending on whos counting.

Going International in a Big Way

Even before The Host, Bongs reputation was on the rise. But the monster movie took him to the next level, getting him signed by one of the worlds biggest entertainment agencies, CAA. Hollywood was taking him very seriously, even when he said he wanted to spend more than USD 40 million on an esoteric science-fiction allegory. It actually was not the first attempt by Korean filmmakers to go bigShim Hyung-rae claimed to have spent around USD 70 million on his 2007 movie, the dragon epic D-War. Critics panned D-War, but it was the most successful Korean film ever at the American box office, making nearly USD 11 million, and it also pulled in more than USD 50 million in Korea (not to mention another USD 4 million in China). Jang Dong-gun starred in the USD 42 million The Warriors Way, a mash-up of spaghetti westerns and Hong Kong actioners, mostly shot in English and featuring mostly Hollywood actors like Geoffrey Rush. Finally released in 2010, it made just USD 11 million around the world, half of that in Korea. Snowpiercer came out in Korea at the very end of July. Despite a crowded box office, it did quite welljust over 9.2 million admissions and taking in USD 61 million. Not quite Host-big, but big. However, Snowpiercers story has just begun. The famous Hollywood producer Harvey Weinstein and The

sleek, futuristic train, speeding endlessly through the desolate, frozen landscape. The only life left on Earth is inside the train, but rather than being thankful for surviving the new ice age or thinking about how to revive the human race, the survivors are locked in a deadly struggle for control. Thats the story behind Snowpiercer, one of the biggest movies ever made by a Korean director. But if it seems a bit baroque, you must not know director Bong Joon-ho. Over his 20-year career, Bong has made hits from combining humor and the macabre, whether it was police hunting for a serial killer (Memories of Murder), a family going up against a rampaging monster from the Hangang River (The Host), or a son being defended by his raging mom (Mother).

Growing Budgets
Snowpiercer is by far Bongs most ambitious film yet. With a budget somewhere over USD 40 million, Snowpiercer was based on Le Transperceniege, a grim French graphic novel that
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the director found in a Seoul comic book shop nearly a decade ago. Most of the movie is in English, featuring such Western actors as Chris Evans, Tilda Swinton, and John Hurt. The only Korean actors in it are Song Kang-ho as a troubled security engineer and Go Ah-sung, his even odder daughter. It wasnt that long ago that a big movie in Korealike a bank-busting blockbustermight cost around USD 5 million. Shiri, the thriller that ushered in the blockbuster age, cost about that much, and sold a then unheard-of 6 million tickets. The biggest Korean movie ever before that never attracted half as many people. Shiri, however, was back in 1999. Since then, everybody knows that the Korean movie industry has gone from strength to strength, continually getting bigger and better. In 2001 Friend took the record to more than 8 million admissions. Silmido and Taegukgi both bested 11 million admissions in 2004. Bongs The Host was quite expensive for a Korean film when it was made in 2006, costing about USD 11 million, but it became the first movie in Korea ever to top 13 million

Weinstein Company bought the movies distribution rights late last year for English-language territories, and they are eyeing a major release for the film. All told, rights to Snowpiercer have been bought for nearly the whole world, some 167 countries and territories, earning the film about USD 20 million before it ever sold a ticket. Recent preview screenings in France have been very well received, and with big raves from early reviews in most of the Western press, including Variety and The Hollywood Reporter, many think Snowpiercer is on the verge of taking Korean films standing in the world to a whole new level.

1, 2, 3. Snowpiercer features a cast of big-name Western actors like Chris Evans, John Hurt, and Tilda Swinton along with Korean stars Song Kang-ho and Go Ah-sung. 4. Director Bong Joon-ho talks with Jean-Marc Rochette, the illustrator of Snowpiercer's source material, Le Transperceneige.

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SPECIAL ISSUE

1
1. Kim Sung-Han, former vice minister for foreign affairs and trade, addresses the Budapest Conference on Cyberspace, 2012 2. International Symposium on Cybercrime Response 2013, held in Seoul

TAMING THE DIGITAL AGE

Seoul awaits the 2013 Seoul Conference on Cyberspace
Written by Max S Kim

rapidly in importance. The Seoul Conference on Cyberspace, scheduled to be held at COEX from Oct 17 to Oct 18, aims to address such problems on a global level and create a transnational public forum in which representatives from all around the world can discuss pertinent topics, produce solutions and preventive policies, and brainstorm strategies to promote and protect economic growth, social benefits, and human rights in regards to the Internet. The Seoul conference is the third of its kind, its predecessor being the Budapest Conference on Cyberspace in 2012, which was preceded by the London Conference on Cyberspace, the first global initiative to tackle problems in cyberspace, launched by the UK government in 2011. The Seoul Conference on Cyberspace expects to have higherlevel agreements than previous conferences by dealing with the matters discussed during the 2011 London Conference and 2012 Budapest Conference and presenting directions for future discussions, said Lee Dong-wook, a conference official. The Seoul Conference will be significant in that we expect it to produce a high-level chairmans summary like a Seoul Declaration and to shift the discussion from a Eurocentric one to a global one.

ith the Internet occupying an increasingly essential role in everyday life, its no surprise that virtual cyberspace has become a breeding ground for new, unconventional types of criminal activity. For governments all over the world, cyberattacks are just as legitimate a threat as any physical one, impossible not to consider as grave matters of national security. For ordinary
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people, too, there is as much to lose. With the Internet now a daily necessity (and even a basic human right) utilized and even sometimes favored for its ease of use in an increasing number of everyday tasks such as shopping, banking, and communication, it's clear that cybersecurity is no longer just a tech problem but also a political, social, and economic one, exerting influence on the lives of millions and growing

Global Prosperity through an Open and Secure Cybespace

Presented under the theme, Global Prosperity through an Open and Secure CybespaceOpportunities, Threats and Cooperation, the Seoul Conference is expected to welcome around 800 representatives, including ministerial-level government officials from over 90 countries as well as delegates

from regional and global organizations and the private sector. For South Korea, it's a record-setting occasion, expected to be the largest international event to take place on the peninsula since the inauguration of the new government. With some additions to the program since Budapest and London, the Seoul Conference will focus primarily on six areas: economic growth and development, social and cultural benefits, cybersecurity, international security, cybercrime, and capacity building. In tandem with the discussions on crime and security, the conference will also direct much of its attention to mobilizing global efforts to close the digital divide between developed and developing countries, fostering awareness and expertise in the latter by means of policy guidance and integration of the Internet into local economies, the ultimate goal being the widespread distribution of the economic and social benefits offered by the Internet. In this endeavor, Korea has much to offer. Explained Lee, Koreaa developed ICT nation with world-class Internet infrastructure and where Internet use is rapidly spreading through all sectors such as the economy, society and culture expanded the list of invitations to include not only Europe but also developing nations in Asia, Africa, and South and Central America and led the addition of strengthening capacities onto the agenda. On Sep 5, the Korea Internet & Security Agency hosted panel discussions and free debates on capacity strengthening involving 150 people from 57 nations. Through this and other efforts, Korea has created a place to discuss reducing the digital divide between developed and developing nations, said Lee.
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CURRENT KOREA

ot so long ago in Korea, it was almost unheard of to design the interior of your own home. Or fix your car, for that matter. There were always trained professionals for that, and at any rate, it was easier to simply buy new products rather than fix broken ones. Nowadays, however, more and more Koreans are joining the so-called DIY (do-it-yourself) tribe. From painting their own walls to fixing their cars or even building their own homes, people are learning the joy and satisfaction that can be learned only through the application of liberal amounts of elbow grease. Economic factors are at work behind this growing trend to be sure, but so are demographic trends and a rising interest in quality-of-life issues.

DIY Comes to Korea

Judging from archaeological evidence, DIY has been part of the human landscape since ancient times. At one time, we made most of what was in our homes, including the homes themselves. The Industrial Revolution changed all that. The further commercialization of society over the decades has similarly driven many to seek alternative ways of living, including the DIY movement. In the United States, theres even a television station, the DIY Network, devoted to DIY projects. In Korea, DIY came into the public consciousness in a full-fledged way following the 2008 global financial crisis. With economic concerns on the rise, many Koreans began to see DIY as a good way to save money. That it also allowed for greater personal expression didnt hurt, either. "DIY came to appear in all parts of our lives because lifestyles changed as we grew more comfortable and gained more free time with the introduction of the five-day workweek and because we could express our own personality by designing and

making things on our own in order to enjoy a healthy lifestyle individually and with our families," said Kwon In-myeong, an official with the upcoming DIY Show Korea (Nov 1417). "The DIY market also came into being as it grew easier to share the DIY culture and information through the Internet." The numbers dont lie. Korean online shopping sites Gmarket and Naver both report spikes in auto repair tools and products, including air compressors and tire pressure gauges to inflate and check car tires at home. The same goes for automatic drills, assembly tools, door handles, furniture accessories, paint, and other home interior design products. DIY food accessories are growing popular, too. The Happycall Direct Gas Fired Ovenwhich functions as an oven even though it makes use of a gas rangebecame a hit product this year, selling 180,000 units through TV home shopping in the first half of this year. Espresso machines and home winemaking supplies are selling well, too.

its been dried for a year or two. DIY culture lets people not only express their inner selves but also develop their skills. Through this culture we can directly purchase reasonably priced materials and make safe food, safe housing, and personalized fashion without relying on somebody else, said Kwon. It satisfies the purchasing needs of consumers who want to make the things they want and stimulates a spirit of challenge and creativity, as we feel a sense of accomplishment when we make and perfect things on our own and cultivate techniques, abilities, and talents.
1. Craftmaking is taking on new life in the era of DIY. 2. Expectant mothers sew their own baby clothes from organic cloth. 3. Espresso machines are growing in popularity as more consumers opt to do it themselves. 4. Building your own Hanok is becoming an increasingly attractive option.

DOING IT

Build-Your-Own Hanok
DIYers have long known how to build a Hanok, a Korean traditional house, on the cheap. The authors of the recent book Healing Hanok Built for KRW 100 million demonstrate that by doing it yourself, you can cut the cost of building a Hanok by two-thirds. For instance, most Hanok are built using imported wood, driving up the cost. You can drastically reduce the cost of construction simply by substituting the imported wood with domestic timber, which is just as good as imported wood once

YOURSELF
DIYers are taking joy in their work
Written by Robert Koehler

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SUMMIT DIPLOMACY

their promises in light of the announcement of their mid-term fiscal soundness strategy for after 2016. She also highlighted a concerted effort on international tax avoidance issues, noting that Korea will participate in implementing agreements to be made at the G20 meeting. Thirdly, Park encouraged G20 members to work toward structural reforms and promoting free trade for mutual growth. She particularly stressed that free trade was even more significant at a time when there was a need to boost growth potential globally, and that expanding trade was a win-win policy that involved little cost, as it does not cause credit bubbles or harm to fiscal health. Park also pointed out that developing nations should see tangible results in development issues. Korea would tap its own development experience, she said, and contribute to the execution of promises to develop human resources and build infrastructure as part of new action plans.
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Meeting with the Russian President

While in Russia, President Park met with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Sep 6 to discuss matters of mutual interest, such as ways to strengthen bilateral economic ties and cooperation in East Asia. Enhanced cooperation in Eurasian countries has been an

PRESIDENT PARK EMPHASIZES COOPERATION AT G20 SUMMIT

Park also discusses closer bilateral ties with Russian President Putin
t the G20 Summit in Saint Petersburg, Russia, President Park Geun-hye emphasized to the Group of 20 the importance of cooperation and a sense of community in seeking mutual growth. In a situation where global economies move in gear with each other . . . G20 members should step up cooperation under a sense of joint community, Park said during the September 5 opening session under the theme The Growth of the Global Economy. Discussing the prospect of a stimulus program exit strategy, Park noted that advanced economies should take into consideration the difficulties faced by emerging economies with a sense of joint community and work together to minimize them.
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important priority to Koreas government projects, said Park. I, personally, have dreamed of a future in which we can take a rail journey from Busan to Europe via Russia. Park added that Seoul would host an international conference on Eurasian cooperation and that she looked forward to Russias participation. I have heard that President Putin also has been paying attention to economic cooperation between Europe and Asia as well as to the development of the Far East region, she said. It will enhance the Korea-Russia partnership and, furthermore, bring prosperity and peace to the Northeast region. President Putin, meanwhile, expressed his gratitude for Koreas active role in the G20 Summit. Korea is one of our priority partners in Asia, he said. The total trade turnover between Russia and Korea amounts to USD 25 billion, and it has gone up three percent more in the first half of this year. I am very happy to have a bilateral talk on these various topics. Noting that bilateral ties have grown exponentially since diplomatic relations were established in 1990, Park pointed out that Russia and Korea have a lot to develop. She said, We have been influenced by North Koreas nuclear armament and the situation on the Korean Peninsula. We should join together to overcome problems and raise the bilateral relationship to a higher level.
1. President Park meets with Russian President Vladimir Putin Cheong Wa Dae 2. President Park addresses other world leaders at the G20 Summit. Cheong Wa Dae

Three Policy Directions

Park proposed three policy directions for G20 nations. Firstly, she suggested strengthening the risk management system in the international financial market, noting that developed economies should take into account the negative impact that changes in their monetary policies could have on emerging economies as well as the global economy and financial markets. She also said emerging economies should work harder to improve their macroeconomic health in order to ease external shocks. Secondly, Park stressed the importance of fiscal soundness for achieving sustainable growth and market confidence. She underlined that G20 nations must now strive further to fulfill

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SUMMIT DIPLOMACY

in the construction of thermal power plants in the Nghi Son economic zone in northern Vietnam. The two sides also agreed to push forward the Vietnam Happiness Program, modeled after Koreas rural development project known as Saemaul Undong (New Community Movement). The program aims to contribute to Vietnams regional development and its transformation into an advanced, industrialized nation by 2020. Vietnam agreed to work towards improving its business and investment environment so that more Korean companies can invest in the country as well as to encourage Korean firms to participate and invest in Vietnams infrastructure construction, advanced technology, parts and materials, and manufacturing sectors. Korea agreed to work towards reintroducing the employment permit system (EPS), which ended in 2012, and to consider measures to facilitate immigration procedures for Vietnamese nationals. The two sides also agreed to consider expanding support for multicultural families with Vietnamese and Korean spouses to help bring the peoples of the two nations closer together.

Seven Other Agreements

Immediately after the summit, the two presidents signed another seven agreements, which include an agreement to restart the EPS system, cooperation on a road construction project in the northern Vietnamese cities of Tan Van and Nhon Trach, and the establishment of both a Vietnamese branch of Koreas Financial Supervisory Service and a science technology research institute modeled after the Korea Institute of Science and Technology (KIST), dubbed V-KIST. During the summit, President Sang expressed support for President Parks trust-building initiative with North Korea. He also lauded Parks vision of Northeast Asian peace and cooperation, which aims at building regional trust. The two sides also agreed to cooperate closely in the international community through ASEAN+3, the ASEAN Regional Forum, East Asia Summit, and Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC). Both leaders agreed to deepen security cooperation and exchanges, hold summit meetings regularly in politics and security, and actively hold regular meetings between highranking officials from Korea and Vietnam as well as strategic dialogue meetings in the foreign affairs and security sectors of the two governments.

KOREA, VIETNAM UPGRADE TIES

Both nations agree to boost trade to USD 70 billion by 2020
1. President Park meets with Vietnamese President Truong Tan Sang 2. President Park addresses Korean and Vietnamese business gures at a luncheon.

resident Park Geun-hye made a state visit to Vietnam from Sep 7 to 11. She held a summit meeting with Vietnamese President Truong Tan Sang on Sep 9 to discuss matters of mutual interest. The two leaders released a joint statement dubbed the joint statement of leaders for co-prosperity in which they expressed satisfaction with the bilateral relationship between Korea and Vietnam since the establishment of diplomatic relations in 1992, which has resulted in remarkable development in many areas, including politics, economy, society, culture, and exchange of human resources. The two leaders also agreed to boost the strategic cooperative partnership the two nations have been building since 2009. In order to do this, they agreed to make efforts to boost bilateral

trade volume from its 2012 level of USD 20 billion to USD 70 billion by 2020. They agreed to take measures to extend trade volume in a more balanced way. They also agreed to accelerate ongoing discussions for a free trade agreement so that the two countries can finalize an agreement for a comprehensive level of free trade by 2014. The two leaders also welcomed the start of a joint preliminary feasibility study between Korea and Vietnam this June for a USD 10 million nuclear plant development project in Vietnam. The presidents agreed to cooperate and provide support for Korean companies participation in the construction of an oil storage terminal in Vietnams Dung Quat region and a thermal power plant in southern Vietnam. They also welcomed the signing of a memorandum of understanding on cooperation

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POLICY REVIEW

facility, said to be the last remaining symbol of cross-border cooperation, was shut down five months ago when all 53,000 workers were pulled out by the North Korean government. The two sides first restored their military hotlines on the west coast. Engineers and officials from state-run power, telecom, and water providers then began repairing the facilities. Prior to the test run on Sep 16, the government granted a tax exemption to South Korean operators for the rest of 2013 as compensation for the five-month work halt. They also waived the taxes that went unpaid in 2012 until the end of the year. The two Koreas also agreed to adopt an agreement for the establishment of a dispute arbitration panel and easier access to the complex by introducing radio-frequency identification devices within the year.

Attracting Foreign Investors

1

KAESONG INDUSTRIAL COMPLEX REOPENS

Restart of operations at symbolic industrial park a sign of warming inter-Korean relations
Written by Bae Ji-sook and Robert Koehler

The Kaesong Industrial Complex opened in 2004 as a landmark effort to promote inter-Korean economic cooperation. Some 123 South Korean companies have facilities in the complex, which is run by about 53,000 North Korean workers and 800 South Korean staff. On the first day of renewed operations, about 70 South Korean companies and 32,000 North Korean workers took part in trial production. Seoul hopes the restart of the complex may also provide an opportunity to internationalize it. The Sep 13 agreement called for the two Koreas to actively promote foreign investment in the complex by adopting international standards in regards

to labor affairs, tax, wage and insurance within the complex; recognition of preferential tariffs for products from the complex in case of their export to a third country; and the holding of joint investment relations sessions abroad. Efforts to promote the Kaesong Industrial Complex internationally began almost immediately. In a summit with Italian Prime Minister Enrico Letta on the sidelines of the G20 summit in Saint Petersburg, Russia, President Park encouraged Italian investment in the complex. In Vietnam, President Park stressed that the park should operate according to common sense and international standards if it is to attract foreign investors. To give the complex additional stability, the two Koreas agreed to form a joint-secretariat to oversee production. Staffed by both South and North Korean personnel, the secretariat is expected to provide a stable communication channel between the two sides. The secretariat is scheduled to begin operation around Sep 30.

t 8:00 am on Sep 16, cars and trucks carrying South Korean workers crossed the inter-Korean border into North Korea. Their destination was the Kaesong Industrial Complex, the highly symbolic industrial park which had been closed for five months due to elevated inter-Korean tensions. By the end of the day, 820 South Korean managers and workers had crossed over the DMZ on the way to Kaesong; some 400 spent the night there. The reopening of the Kaesong Industrial Complex is a sign that after several months of tension, inter-Korean relations are thawing. Speaking in Vietnam, South Korean President Park Geun-hye expressed hope that North Korea will also make
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the right choice by using the Kaesong Industrial Complex as the starting point for reform and openness. The development even caught the attention of UN Secretary General Ban Kimoon, who said, It is my hope that recent agreement on the resumption of Kaesong Industrial Complex is just the first step towards resuming regular, normal dialogue.

Reviving a Symbol
On Sep 13 the two Koreas agreed to reopen their joint Kaesong Industrial Complex in the North Korean city of Gaeseong on Sep 16. They also signed a package of deals to improve its operations and attract overseas firms in the future. The

1. North Korean workers at Kaesong Industrial Complex 2. South and North Korean ofcials shake hands upon agreeing to restart the Kaesong Industrial Complex. 3. Kaesong Industrial Complex

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CREATIVE TECHNOLOGY

Korea Unveils an Electric Road

KAIST develops new system to wirelessly recharge electric buses
Written by Sohn Tae-soo

OLEV

Power pickup device

Power supply rail (installed under the pavement) Pickup coil Absorbs generated magnetic eld and converts it into electricity Core for high frequency Road Generates high-frequency magnetic eld Power line Feeding coil

outh Korea has successfully tested an electric road which will surely be remembered as one of the most trailblazing and cutting-edge technologies of its kind in the worldthat enables electric public buses to recharge their batteries from cables embedded in the roads over which the vehicles drive. The Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST) has succeeded with the OLEV (online electric vehicle) projectunder which electric buses provide passengers with public transportation serviceswhich experts say will be a turning point for the buses commercialization and wider utilization for mass transportation.

Two electric public buses started operation on the electrified road in Gumi, Gyeongsangbuk-do, on September 6, 2013. After a trial operation between September and December of this year on a 24-km (15-mile) round-trip route linking Gumi Station and the Indong district, they will begin their official drive in January of next year. The system in Gumia city located some 260 km southeast of Seoulhad a final check-up in July.

Steel core

OLEV, a New Engine of Growth

The OLEV project refers to an operation system where electric wires buried under roads generate a magnetic field, thus making it possible for electric vehicles to recharge on the road. Electrification of the road did not require major construction work, as the recharging stations were buried only in five places, including bus stops. A device attached to the bottom of the bus draws up power from the road using a technology called shaped magnetic field in resonance. Electric cables embedded under the road create electromagnetic fields, which are then picked up by a coil inside the device and converted into electricity. The energy transfer rate from road wires to the car has reached 75 percent. The 12 km route on the public road is the first of its kind in the world according to project developers, who added that 10 more public buses are scheduled to be added by 2015. The battery in the electric vehicle is less than one-third the size of those in other electric vehicles, which helps reduce not only the overall weight of the vehicle but also the amount of carbon dioxide emitted during power generation, thus improving the overall efficiency of the vehicle. A brainchild of former KAIST President Suh Nam-pyo, the system has been developed by the university as part of its new growth engine projects. The researchers worked on the project to cope with the grave reality that carbon emissions

from conventional vehicles are contributing to climate change and that fossil fuel deposits are being rapidly used up around the world. Meanwhile, the new electric vehicle has been named one of the most promising technologies by the World Economic Forum (WEF), KAIST said. The WEF, also known as the Davos Forum, announces the 10 most monumental new technologies every year through its Global Agenda Council on Emerging Technologies. Officials at the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport said that the actual commercialization of electric vehicles that wirelessly recharge on the road will help the nation lead the worlds electric vehicle market. Skeptics both at home and abroad had warned that the costs involved in installing the equipment show that it could be less practical than other schemes, such as those in which vehicles recharge at designated locations or using cables. The commercialization process has cost up to KRW 26.6 billion between December 2011 and June 2013. But experts say that they see a lot of potential for the technology for public transport applications, adding that the remaining question is how to cut down the cost.

1. OLEV bus that services Gumi, Gyeongsangbuk-do KAIST 2. OLEV bus on a special road in Gumi, Gyeongsangbuk-do

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GLOBAL KOREA

examination services to US war veterans and give added points to their descendants when they submit job applications to Korean firms with branches in the US, Kim explained his vision for the foundation, which he pushed for with several private companies.

Community Project, which helps turn underdeveloped villages into economically viable farming communities, teaches youths technology skills, and offers scholarships and opportunities to work at LG affiliates to the descendants of war veterans.

Veterans Are Assets Private Sector Takes the Lead

On Aug 27, the American Legionthe largest organization of wartime veterans in Koreapresented its prestigious 2013 Patriot Award to Samsung in recognition of its generosity in providing USD 5 million in education scholarships to nearly 1,700 descendants of US war veterans. It marked the first time the award has been given to a corporation. Through an endowment funded since 1996, Samsung was able to show its appreciation to the United States for coming to South Koreas aid during its struggle against Communist forces during the Korean War, said National Commander James E. Koutz. Samsung is also running whats called Samsung Academy in Turkey, providing scholarships as well as IT education to the descendants of war veterans there. LG, meanwhile, has turned its eye to Ethiopia, which sent 6,000 troops to fight on the Souths side during the Korean War. Of them, 120 died and 540 were injured. Our work in Ethiopia is a way of showing gratitude for sending troops during the war, an LG official said. With our work, we also hope to facilitate development in the country. Since early this year, LG has been running the LG Hope The medical community has also joined in. Since December 2011, Soon Chun Hyang University Hospital in Yongsan, Seoul, joined forces with the Korean War Memorial Foundation to provide free diagnoses and medical operations to the descendants of foreign war veterans studying in Korea. Han Jong-woo, the project director of the Korean War Veterans Digital Memorial, says that he was able to establish the memorialwhich is a digital database of documents, recordings, and artifacts of Korean War veterans worldwide with the help of companies like Pantech, a handset maker. To mark the 60th anniversary of the armistice, a teenage volunteers group to help war veterans was also launched in Washington DCreminiscent of the Peace Corps volunteers that came to Korea in the post-war 1960s, he said. Such a group can help continue the interest in war veterans from the older generation to the younger one. He said that although war veterans endured the pain of war, they are also assets to Korea. War veterans and their descendents are all over the world, and they are pro-Korea opinion leaders . . . They are state assets that can speak for Korea in international venues.

A MESSAGE OF APPRECIATION
Korea thanks war veterans worldwide in commemoration of the 60th anniversary of the Korean armistice agreement
Written by Kim Hyung-eun

une 25, 1950, is a date that most Koreans are aware of. Its the day that the Korean War (19501953) broke out and left deep scars in the country, its people, and history. However, many Koreans dont know the significance of July 27, 1953. Its the day that the Korean Armistice Agreement was signed, ending the hostilities. As Korea marks the 60th anniversary of the armistice, the political, corporate, and medical sectors are extending various support programs for Korean War veterans from around the world and their descendents.

Politicians Lend Support

On Aug 1, Prime Minister Chung Hong-won made a donation to the Korean War Memorial Foundation in hopes that the
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money be used on scholarships for the descendents of foreign war veterans. Twenty-one countries of the United Nations Command sent troops and medical aid to support South Korean forces. They sent more than 1.78 million people and saw more than 150,000 casualties in the war. I hope the foundation gives more scholarships to the grandsons and granddaughters of war veterans and that my donation triggers more donations, Chung said, according to the foundation. The amount is not known. Meanwhile, Kim Jung-hun, the chairman of the National Assemblys National Policy Committee, has been pushing for the creation of a new foundation to lend support to the US soldiers who fought in the Korean Warwho made up the majority of foreign soldiers taking part in the warand their descendants. The foundation can help provide medical

1. Prime Minister Chung Hong-won hands out messages and medals of appreciation to Korean War veterans 2. LG Scholarship Program for Descendants of UN Korean War Veterans LG Corp. CSR 3. Descendant of Ethiopian veteran of the Korean War learns auto mechanic skills in Korea through KOICA.

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G R E AT K O R E A N

u Si-gyeong was born in a time when the concepts of Korean identity and nationality were in jeopardyeven in danger of going extinct. After opening its borders for the first time, the nation was divided into nobility who wanted to expel foreign influence while retaining their power, democratic commoners looking for political reformation and equality, and a royalty that was left with the question of how to modernize their country. The Korean Peninsula was being carefully watched by curious and often greedy foreign powers, including the future imperialists of Japan. Coming from a background of Classical Chinese and linguistics, Ju quickly realized that the key for any nation and people to retain their sense of identity was their language and that the Korean language was in danger of being diluted and weakened, or even wiped out entirely.

avoid having to say the same thing twice. It was then that he started harvesting his passion for Hangeul as well as his desire to promulgate its use. It was also during this time that he learned that all powerful and influential countries stressed the importance of their native language. While earning his living as a Korean language teacher, Ju eventually realized the need to standardize and strengthen the foundations of Hangeul and, along with some of his devoted students, quickly began delving into a research venture that continued throughout the rest of his life.
3

Linguistic Pioneer
Ju wrote extensively on topics such as Korean phonetics, phonology, syntax, morphology, grammar, and lexicography, choosing to write as much as possible in the Korean alphabet as opposed to the contemporary trend of using Hangeul as a mere aid to hanja characters. He is often credited with having explored essential themes in modern linguistics even before Western scholars did, putting him down in history as a pioneer and innovator who laid the path for future Korean scholars. Ju was also one of the first Korean scholars to effectively start
1. Portrait of Ju Si-gyeong, painted by Professor Jeong Gap-ju of Dong-A University Jeong Gap-ju 2. Korean grammar text written by hand by Ju himself The Korean Language Society 3. Old Pai Chai Hakdang, where Ju went to school

A Newfound Love for His Native Hangeul

Although born into an educated family, sudden poverty in Jus household resulted in his adoption by his uncle in Seoul, with whom he moved from his birth town in the province of Hwanghae-do (one of eight in the Joseon Dynasty). It was during his time in Seoul that his studies in Classical Chinese intensified, through which he gradually realized the inefficiency of stubbornly using hanja (Chinese characters) and Chinese pronunciation, which very few people could understand. After witnessing fellow students struggle with their teachers explanations in traditional hanja characterswhich they could only understand after the teacher explained in vernacular Koreanhe quickly concluded that it was far more sensible to simply speak and write in Korean and

standardizing official spellings and establishing universal rules of Korean grammarwhich, remarkably, didnt really exist until then. Hangeul, being an alphabet often shunned and criticized by the elite nobility as being a lower-class writing system, hadnt had a chance to fully develop into systemized and unified usage. For example, before Jus research, nobody ever thought to establish the Korean parts of speech. Because Ju was the first to start effectively dissecting the Korean language in a scientific and organized manner in a way unseen since the days of Sejong the Greatmost Korean scholars credit him with being the first major figure in modern Korean language studies, giving him not only academic significance but also patriotic reverence.

Independence through Language

Jus active involvement in the publication of all-Korean newspapers was not only an effort to promote widespread use of Korean but also a vital campaign to instill education among the masses, encouraging the public to engage in political, philosophical, and conceptual discussions. Even when the Japanese imperialists took the Korean Peninsula and banned education in the Korean language, Ju continued his lessons and research in secret, always stressing that even though the Koreans had lost their government, as long as they retained their language, independence was possible.

JU SI-GYEONG
Korean linguist and patriot realized language was key to national identity
Written by Felix Im

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M Y

K O R E A

THE JOYS OF PHOTOGRAPHY IN KOREA

When you've got a camera in your hands, anything can happen
Written by Peter DeMarco Illustrated by Kim Yoon-Myong

small temple on our way. There was a group of shamans and their followers dancing and singing. Curious, I pulled out my camera as we walked closer. I had always wanted to see one of these ceremonies. They spotted us and invited us in. I asked if I could take photographs and, surprisingly, the shamans agreed. I thought we would just sit against the wall and observe until the head shaman pulled my friend aside and started questioning him. Do you have any painsmental or physical? she asked. After a few more questions, she gave her otherworldly prognosis: You have the ghost of a dead relative inside you. It must be exorcised. She performed an ancient ritual to rid my friend of his demons. It was like something out of a documentary movie. Afterwards, they invited us to eat with them. We ended up

spending the whole day. Ive already been back two more times to visit. I think thats one of the things that makes taking photographs in Korea memorable. At any moment the unexpected can happen. A stranger will invite you into their home or to share a meal. Living in a foreign country, its easy to feel like an outsider. To be a good photographer, though, you need to get close to your subject, to know them as a human being, not just as an object in your viewfinder. The openness of the people has allowed me take photos I normally couldnt. Korea has much to offer the avid photographer: beautiful landscapes, opportunities to learn, and the sense of belonging to something bigger. However, its the relationships Ive created here that I will cherish most.

never knew I would fall in love with photography when I came to Korea almost seven years ago. What started out as a simple hobby has turned into one of my greatest passions. Being a photographer in Korea has made it an even bigger joy. For me, having an endless variety of things to photograph is inspiring. From mountainside temples to dynamic cityscapes, theres always something interesting to capture. Ive seen bamboo forests, cherry blossoms, desolate beaches, snowy hilltops, rice paddies, bustling markets, ultra-modern skyscrapers, and colorful foliage. Its not only the diversity of subjects that makes Korea such a great place to shoot. Probably the best thing is the spirit and sense of camaraderie surrounding photography here. Its not uncommon to see groups of 20 or more photographers trying to capture a beautiful scene. More often than not, its at some remote place before the sun rises, like on a mountain peak or ocean shore. Everyone sets up their gear and then chats, shares some food or drinks, and socializes. Its easy to feel like you are part of something bigger. Documenting daily life becomes a major event.

I always try to portray the essence of a place when I take photographs. It doesnt matter if Im taking a picture of a cityscape from the rooftop of a building or someones portrait. I want to represent what is particular to Korea and share that.

Shaman on the Mountain

An experience that was particularly memorable for me was when I saw a Korean gut, or shamanistic ceremony. One day my friend and I were hiking up a mountain to photograph Busan. We passed by a

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M L MU LT TIC ICUL U TU TURA RAL RA L KO KORE R A

Professor Alok Roy

After coming to Korea by chance, Indian professor becomes Koreas 100,000th naturalized citizen
Written by Bobby McGill Photographed by Peter DeMarco

t was 1980 when Professor Alok Roy first set foot in South Korea for a five-year stint at Seoul National University in pursuit of his doctoral studies in international relations. He had recently wrapped up his PhD in East Asian studies at New Delhis Jawaharlal Nehru University, and his unexpected journey to Korean shores was more by chance than anything else. It was one of those flukes, it was not that I planned it, says the 58-year-old Roy, speaking in his office at the Busan University of Foreign Studies, where he is an associate professor in the department of Hindi. In India I was studying East Asia so I would have done China or Japan, but then suddenly this Korean department comes up. I thought, Why not try it? It was the first such program at Indias leading university and, according to Roy, it soon became a highly sought-after course with his fellow students. At once it was popular. The first thing was that it was new and the second thing was that nobody knew where Korea was. After arriving at SNU, he and a group of international students set about pursuing their degrees in a program taught entirely in Korean. Not all were as diligent and determined as Roy. We had 40-odd students, but only four or five survived the process, says Roy. Following five years pursuing his degree, and while preparing to make his way back to India to teach, Roy met the woman, a Korean, who would eventually become his wife. Over the course of his year back home, the two got to know each other through letters and phone calls until Roys mother sat him down and said he needed to take the next step and ask for her hand. I came back to Korea basically to marry my wife, says Roy. My mother one day said, I see a lot of letters coming and I see a lot of phone calls. Have you asked anybody to wait there? I dont know about you, but in India asking a girl to wait is a very difficult proposition for her, so if you want to marry her, go and marry her. Returning on a tourist visa, Roy married his long-distance sweetheart, who now writes children's books and is mother to their 23- and 24-year-old daughters.

Prof. Roy takes the vow of Korean citizenship in 2011.

Witness to Progress
In 2011, Roy became Koreas 100,000th naturalized citizen. Having spent over three decades in Korea, he has witnessed the

countrys remarkable changes and studied its progress. What has struck Roy most over the course of his time here is the orderliness of the transformation that has taken place. I realize that, living in Korea, I have seen more than I would have seen living any other place, says Roy. I have seen the place change, but I have never seen anywhere where the change comes so smoothly, without any chaos. Roy views Koreas emergence as a major economic power and one of the worlds leading countries as an almost preordained phenomenon. Anything they have taken up, they have done it as if they were ready for it, says Roy. I always tell them, when I first came to Korea, Korea was like a woman who was carrying a baby, and it was in the last month. So, it had the agony, the anxieties, the panicky situations, and yet the hope that something will happen that is good. As for Roys future, he anticipates that Korea will likely remain his home. I feel more comfortable here than any other place, he says, with a smile forming across his lips. In Hindi there is a very good expression called janma bhumi. Janma bhumi is your birthplace and karma bhumi is where you do your karma. So, Korea is my karma bhumi. As long as I am healthy and working, Korea will be very important to me, and I would love to be here.
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TALES FROM KOREA

Simcheong
One of Koreas most beloved folktales demonstrates the beauty of lial piety
Written by Curtis File Illustrated by Shim Soo-keun

wo years ago I had the pleasure of meeting an elderly Korean woman who had survived both Japanese occupation and the Korean War of the early 1950s. Her story, like many from her generation, was a familiar one. While her relatives and neighbors had been taken away by the war, she remained behind with the other girls her age and worked in her familys field, helping the community carry on. Years of difficult work had knotted her hands and maligned her spine, but still she smiled as she talked about her life from those days. It was hard, she said, but it was her duty to help make sure her family stayed in order. Her story is part of a much deeper cultural narrative, where the burden of duty has been a familiar and ever present theme expressed in both life and art. Perhaps it is no surprise, then, that Korean folklore is full of stories about great men that conquer and succeed and their female counterparts that sacrifice themselves for the good of their husbands and families. The legend of Simcheong is among the most well-known stories of female virtue. Her image has been popularized in childrens books and stage performances across the country. Simcheong, the story tells, was a beautiful young woman who lost her mother at birth. Though her father, a successful sail mender, tried his best to take care of her, he became blind and could no longer work. Simcheong, ever the dutiful daughter, stayed by his side as his sole care provider, only leaving him to go to the market for food and visit the local temple. One day, while visiting the temple, she learned from a monk of a way to grant her greatest wishthe wish to see her fathers sight returned. He told her that if she offered herself as a sacrifice to the King of the Sea, the king would grant her wish. On her way back from the temple she encountered a group of sailors who persuaded her to sacrifice herself to the King of the Sea so that he would grant them safe passage in his waters. Upon meeting the king, Simcheong begged for her wish to be granted. The great king took pity on the young girl, returning her to land wrapped in a lotus flower. When she returned, she married the king and became the queen of her

land, finally reuniting with her father, whose blindness was now cured.

Pansori Classic
Though it is not known exactly when, the Simcheong story was adopted into a pansori, or Korean musical narrative. The pansori performances convey the emotions of the story much more deeply than the childrens book versions. In the pansori, Simcheongs bravery is conveyed as she prepares herself to die. Rather than lament her death, her songs become prayers for her blind father, creating a dramatic emotional atmosphere for the audience. The performance has all the technical elements and musical nuances of a traditional pansori and is widely acknowledged to be the most difficult passage to perform among the five pansori narratives still performed today. Much like the Cinderella princess stories of Western cultures, Simcheongs image has served as a role model for young girls in Korea, preserving the lesson that girls who sacrifice themselves for their family will be blessed. It is no wonder, then, that the virtues and family devotion she symbolizes are held in such high esteem today, even among younger generations.

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Clay jars and trumpet creepers at Buseoksa Temple Yeongju City Hall

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Please make a reservation for 7:00

Have you ever asked for something in Korean? What is the polite expression for asking in Korean? Lets learn the expression for asking in Korean.
2

Yeonnipbap
Written by Ko Yeonkyung Photograph courtesy of Andong Festival Tourism Foundation

, .
ne, hanguksikdangimnida.

. .
annyeonghaseyo. geumyoil jeonyeoge sikdang-eul yeyakago sipseumnida.

Hello. This is the Hanguk Restaurant.

Hello. I want to make a reservation for Friday evening.

. , . ?
jamsima jamsimannyo. ne, geumyoire ganeunghamnida. yeyagi ga yeyakae deurilkkayo?
5

, . . . .
algetseumnida. ireumgwa yeollakcheoreul malsseumhae juseyo. ne, ilgop sie yeyakae juseyo. modu daseot myeong-imnida.

One moment, please. Yes, a reservation for Friday would be possible. Shall I make a reservation for you?

Yes, please make a reservation for 7:00. Were a party of five.

I see. Please tell me your name and your phone number.

-//
-// is used after a verb to indicate that the subject of a sentence does something for others. When , other than , - a verb stem ends with is used. In other cases, - is used. When a verb ends with , - is added, but it is contracted to . If the beneficiary is the elder, -// is used.

* -// is used when you ask for something politely. basic form sada deulda yeyakada -// form -// form honorific form sa juda deureo juda yeyakae juda -// form asking politely

sa deurida sa juseyo deureo deurida yeyakae deurida deureo juseyo yeyakae juseyo.

eonnipbap is not only one of Korean cuisines most beautiful dishes but also one of its most philosophical. Sticky rice and other grains steamed in a lotus leaf, this delicacy was originally a Buddhist dish served at monasteries. In Buddhism, the lotus flower has great symbolism: blossoming from the muck, it represents both enlightenment and spiritual purification. Like other Buddhist temple dishes, its preparation and consumption were meant not only as exercises in sustenance but also a spiritual practice. So resplendent is the dish that it is sometimes called a mandala on the dinner table, referring to the symbolic paintings that depict the Buddhist cosmos.

yeyakada jimeul deulda jusoreul ikda

A: ? B: , .

Lets practice!
Make a conversation as shown in the example below.

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