STUDY GUIDE 750 C

For your Career

For your Life
For your Future
1. Old Presidential Palace Draws Millions of Visitors
Since opening to the public a year ago, approximately 3.42
million people have visited Cheong Wa Dae, the former
presidential palace of Korea. It has been the official
residence of Korean presidents since 1948. The decision to
open the palace to the public coincided with President Yoon
Suk-yeol's inauguration on May 10 last year. The
neighborhood surrounding Cheong Wa Dae has undergone
transformations to attract tourists from around the world.

Local businesses, like Ha Ji-won's Korean restaurant in

Samcheong-dong, have benefited from the increased tourist traffic. Ha Ji-won initially had concerns about
losing customers from the presidential office, but the surge in tourist visits has actually boosted sales. Lee
Dong-hee, another resident, notes the growing customer numbers during weekends and believes that hosting
more events at Cheong Wa Dae on weekdays would further stimulate business growth.
The palace and its gardens have become a must-see for visitors from different provinces. Kim Nam-gyu, an
office worker, recently brought his parents from North Gyeongsang Province to Cheong Wa Dae. They were
amazed by the opportunity to visit a place that had been inaccessible to the public for a long time. The
beautiful flowers and trees also left a lasting impression on them. Additionally, on Parents' Day, many families
took selfies during their visit to Cheong Wa Dae.

Businesses around Cheong Wa Dae have experienced a significant surge in sales. According to KB Kookmin
Card, sales at restaurants, coffee shops, and convenience stores in the vicinity increased by 48 percent last
month compared to the same period in 2019. BC Card's analysis also revealed a 40 percent surge in weekend
sales, with restaurants accounting for approximately 60 percent of the total.

The Seoul Metropolitan Government plans to host international events at Cheong Wa Dae to further enhance
visitor numbers. Despite the daily visitor limit of 15,000 to preserve the compound, Cheong Wa Dae is already
more popular among tourists than Gyeongbok Palace and Deoksu Palace. Taking selfies with the former
presidential palace as a backdrop has become immensely popular among foreign tourists, with many
attributing their interest to Korean TV dramas. The increasing number of foreign visitors is evident, as reported
by the Ministry of Culture, Sports, and Tourism, with visitor numbers rising from 4,065 in February to 11,487
last month.

To mark the first anniversary, a concert was held at Cheong Wa Dae, attended by President Yoon, first lady
Kim Keon-hee, and the families of sailors who lost their lives in a naval skirmish near Yeonpyeong Island in the
West Sea in 2002.

How has the decision to open Cheong Wa Dae to the public impacted the neighborhood and
local businesses?
What factors have contributed to the surge in tourist visits and the increased popularity of
Cheong Wa Dae among foreign tourists?
How have businesses around Cheong Wa Dae capitalized on the influx of visitors, and what
sectors have experienced the most significant sales growth?
What initiatives is the Seoul Metropolitan Government undertaking to further boost visitor
numbers at Cheong Wa Dae?
Can the rising number of foreign visitors be attributed solely to the opening of Cheong Wa Dae,
or are there other factors, such as Korean TV dramas, playing a significant role in attracting
tourists?
2. 'Boycott Japan' becomes thing of past
The "boycott Japan" movement in South Korea, which began
as a protest against Japan's economic retaliation in 2019,
seems to be fading as sales of Japanese brand goods gain
popularity. Convenience stores are struggling to meet the
rising demand for Japanese beer products like Asahi, while
car dealerships selling Japanese vehicles like Toyota and
Lexus are crowded with potential buyers. The number of
Koreans visiting Japan has also increased due to a weakening
yen and increased flights between the two countries.

This trend is largely driven by Millennials and Gen Z

consumers who prioritize value and quality regardless of the country of origin. Experts believe that the
popularity of Japanese goods will continue to grow, coinciding with improving Korea-Japan relations. The anti-
Japan sentiment among local consumers has been influenced by the increasing demand for Japanese
products among the younger generation and the three years of the COVID-19 pandemic, which has shifted
their focus away from political issues.

One notable beneficiary is Lotte Asahi Liquor, the Japanese beer importer. Their new product, Asahi Super Dry
Draft Can, sold out within a week of its limited release, causing retailers to struggle to place more orders. E-
mart, the largest retail store chain in South Korea, sold nearly 10,000 cans of Asahi Super Dry Draft Can each
day during its launch period, a significant achievement compared to the average sales of imported beers.

The Korea Customs Service's trade statistics reveal that Japanese beer imports in the first quarter of this year
more than doubled compared to the same period last year. Clothing imports from Japan also saw a 14.4%
increase. Japanese fast fashion brand Uniqlo, which previously closed 60 stores in Korea, experienced a
business turnaround, with FRL Korea, the operator of Uniqlo in Korea, reporting a significant increase in
operating profit in 2021.

Japanese carmakers, Toyota and Lexus, have also seen a surge in sales. Combined, they sold 7,060 cars in
South Korea until April, a 52% increase compared to the same period last year. Lexus experienced a
remarkable 114% year-on-year increase in sales, and Toyota plans to release its new high-end sedan, the
Crown, in South Korea in June.

As anti-Japan sentiment diminishes among South Korean consumers, companies are launching new Japanese
products in response to consumer demand. This shift reflects the pursuit of capitalism in the country and the
natural course of market dynamics.

How has the "boycott Japan" movement in South Korea evolved over the past few years?
What factors have contributed to the increasing popularity of Japanese brand goods among
South Korean consumers?
How has the demand for Japanese beer products like Asahi impacted convenience stores in
South Korea?
In what ways have Japanese carmakers like Toyota and Lexus experienced growth in sales in
the South Korean market?
How has the COVID-19 pandemic and the younger generation's preferences influenced the shift
in sentiment towards Japanese products among South Korean consumers?
3. Migrants rush across US border in final hours before Title
42 expires
Migrants rushed across the Mexico border Thursday,
racing to enter the U.S. before pandemic-related
asylum restrictions are lifted in a shift that threatens to
put a historic strain on the nation's beleaguered
immigration system. The imminent end of the rules
known as Title 42 stirred fear among migrants that the
changes would make it more difficult for them to stay in
the U.S. And the Biden administration was dealt a
potentially serious legal setback when a federal judge temporarily blocked its attempt to more quickly
release migrants when Border Patrol holding stations are full.

With a late-night deadline looming, misinformation and confusion buffeted migrants as they paced the
border at the Rio Grande, often unsure of where to go or what to do next. At Matamoros, across from
Brownsville, Texas, throngs of migrants ― some clutching small children ― waded across spring river
currents, pushed through thickets to confront a border fortified with razor wire. Other migrants settled
into shelters in northern Mexico, determined to secure an asylum appointment that can take months to
schedule online.

Many migrants were acutely aware of looming policy changes designed to stop illegal crossings and
encourage asylum seekers to apply online and consider alternative destinations, including Canada or
Spain. "I don't know what's going to happen tomorrow," said Jhoan Daniel Barrios, a former military
police officer from Venezuela as he paced with two friends along the border in Ciudad Juarez, across
from El Paso, Texas, looking for a chance to seek refuge in the U.S. "We don't have any money left,
we don't have food, we don't have a place to stay, the cartel is pursuing us," said Barrios, whose wife
was in U.S. custody. "What are we going to do, wait until they kill us?" Last week, Barrios and his
friends entered the U.S. and were expelled. They had little hope of a different result Thursday.

On the U.S. side of the river, many surrendered immediately to authorities and hoped to be released
while pursuing their cases in backlogged immigration courts, which takes years. It was not clear how
many migrants were on the move or how long the surge might last. By Thursday evening, the flow
seemed to be slowing in some locations, but it was not clear why, or whether crossings would increase
again after the coronavirus-related restrictions expire. A U.S. official reported the Border Patrol stopped
some 10,000 migrants on Tuesday ― nearly twice the level from March and only slightly below the
11,000 figure that authorities have said is the upper limit of what they expect after Title 42 ends. More
than 27,000 people were in U.S. Customs and Border Protection custody, the official said.

President Joe Biden's administration has been unveiling strict new measures to replace Title 42, which
since March 2020 has allowed border officials to quickly return asylum seekers back over the border
on grounds of preventing the spread of COVID-19. The new policies crack down on illegal crossings
while also setting up legal pathways for migrants who apply online, seek a sponsor, and undergo
background checks. If successful, the reforms could fundamentally alter how migrants arrive at the
U.S.-Mexico border. But it will take time to see results. Biden has conceded the border will be chaotic
for a while. Immigrant advocacy groups have threatened legal action. And migrants fleeing poverty,
gangs, and persecution in their homelands are still desperate to reach U.S. soil at any cost. Many
migrants were acutely aware of looming policy changes as they searched Thursday for an opportunity
to turn themselves over to U.S. immigration authorities before the 11:59 EDT deadline.

While Title 42 prevented many from seeking asylum, it carried no legal consequences, encouraging
repeat attempts. After Thursday, migrants face being barred from entering the U.S. for five years and
possible criminal prosecution. Holding facilities along the border already were far beyond capacity. But
late Thursday, U.S. District Judge T. Kent Wetherell, an appointee of President Donald Trump, halted
the administration's plan to begin releasing migrants with notices to report to an immigration office in
60 days when holding centers reach 125% capacity, or where people are held an average of 60 hours.
The quick releases were to also be triggered when authorities stop 7,000 migrants along the border in
a day. The state of Florida argued the administration's plan was nearly identical to another Biden policy
previously voided in federal court. Weatherell blocked the releases for two weeks and scheduled a May
19 hearing on whether to extend his order.

Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas had already warned of more crowded Border Patrol
facilities to come. "I cannot overstate the strain on our personnel and our facilities," he told reporters
Thursday. Even as migrants were racing to reach U.S. soil before the rules expire, Mexican President
Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador said smugglers were sending a different message. He noted an uptick
in smugglers at his country's southern border offering to take migrants to the United States and telling
them the border was open starting Thursday. On Wednesday, Homeland Security announced a rule to
make it extremely difficult for anyone who travels through another country, like Mexico, or who did not
apply online, to qualify for asylum. It also introduced curfews with GPS tracking for families released in
the U.S. before initial asylum screenings. The administration says it is beefing up the removal of
migrants found unqualified to stay in the U.S. on flights like those that brought nearly 400 migrants
home to Guatemala from the U.S. on Thursday.

How might the lifting of pandemic-related asylum restrictions impact the U.S. immigration system?
What were the concerns and fears among migrants regarding the end of the Title 42 rules?
What legal setback did the Biden administration face in relation to the release of migrants in
Border Patrol holding stations?
How did migrants at the border experience misinformation and confusion?
What measures has the Biden administration implemented to crack down on illegal crossings and
establish legal pathways for migrants?
4. Animal rights lawyer becomes voice for the voiceless
Animals are much loved and hated at the same time in Korea ― one in
every four Koreans lives with companion animals, while over two million
dogs are slaughtered every year for dog meat and animals are
stipulated as objects under the current legal system.

Park Joo-yeon, an attorney at Law Firm DIRECTION, is one of the first

lawyers here who has been defending the rights of animals under such
harsh circumstances. Based on her decade-long experience in efforts
to elevate the legal status of animals, Park takes an in-depth look at the
evolution of the Animal Protection Act (APA) and maps out its future in
her latest book, "They Are Not Things," published last Monday.

Park decided to speak up for animals after coming across a horrific

video of animal cruelty in 2012, when she became a lawyer, because "no living and sentient being
deserves to be treated that way," she wrote.

Since then, she has worked with a domestic animal advocacy group called Korean Animal Rights
Advocates (KARA) to elevate the legal status of animals. She also co-founded with her colleague, Suh
Cooc-hwa, a pro bono association of animal lawyers called People for Non-Human Rights (PNR) in
2017. The group is now joined by 12 other like-minded lawyers and a researcher.

Although her main business is filing civil lawsuits, Park has been dedicated to her side job of
representing abused animals in court and pushing for meaningful amendments to the APA.

The APA, which only had 12 simple articles when it was established in 1991, underwent two revisions
in 2007 and 2011, specifying the idea of animal abuse and aggravated penalties for such offenses,
respectively. The third and latest revision, which took effect last Thursday, enforces the responsibility
of owners in animal care and focuses on preventing animal abuse, abandonment and negligence.

The interests of lawmakers have grown over the years, she noted. The 18th National Assembly only
saw 18 bills proposed between 2008 and 2012 on animal rights, but the figure jumped dramatically to
over 100 in the ongoing 21st National Assembly, whose four-year term started in 2020.

"Animals cannot express the pain they experience in human language, which is why humans should
become their voice," Park wrote, underscoring the need for a legal system, social infrastructure and
human compassion to effectively protect animals.

In a recent interview with The Korea Times, Park admitted that representing animals here has been
worthwhile but also frustrating, especially because animal abuse crimes are becoming more frequent
and increasingly cruel, while animal rights awareness levels remain low in courts of law. However, an
exchange with international animal rights lawyers gave her new strength.

Park and her colleagues attended the Global Animal Law Conference in Hong Kong on May 4, 2018,
where scholars, lawyers and activists from 17 countries gathered to discuss and share the state of
animal laws from their countries.

Park recalled that the exchange made her feel both envious and empowered and showed her the next
page for the country's animal rights movement.

"Here, the animal welfare discourse is still at an immature level, where the social consensus on respect
for life has been just made. On the other hand, more progressive countries like Brazil and Switzerland
are asking deeper questions on how to not only prevent harm against animals, but how to better
protect them and grant them happier lives," she said.

Fueled by the experience, she plans to organize a similar conference in Korea later this year, where
she hopes to bring together like-minded advocates in Korea and abroad. The global exchange paused
since 2018 due to the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, Park said.

Park is now working on developing a legal basis for a developed regulation system on the circulation of
animals, similar to Lucy's Law in England. The British law bans puppy and kitten farming, restricts
animal sales at pet shops and requires anyone wanting to get a pet to buy directly from licensed
breeders or adopt from rescue shelters.

"Eventually, we will need the constitution to state the government's role in protecting animal lives. That
will become a foundation for other related laws and a key to obliging government branches in animal
protection," Park said, adding that, as the title of her book shows, she hopes animals will no longer be
considered simply as objects in the legal system and in the perceptions of individuals.

How has the Animal Protection Act in Korea evolved over time, and what are the key focuses of
the latest revision?
What motivated Park Joo-yeon to become an advocate for animal rights, and what
organizations has she been involved with?
How have lawmakers in Korea shown increased interest in animal rights legislation in recent
years?
What challenges does Park face in representing abused animals in court, and what inspired her
during the Global Animal Law Conference in Hong Kong?
What future plans does Park have for advancing animal rights in Korea, and what does she
hope to achieve in terms of legal protections for animals?
5. Practicing and Listening to Music Can Slow Cognitive Decline in
Healthy Seniors by Producing More Gray Matter
Listening to music or playing an instrument can delay cognitive
decline as we age—by producing gray matter in the brain—a
new study shows.
The researchers followed over 100 retired people who had
never practiced music before. They were enrolled in piano and
music awareness training for six months, which when finished
resulted in an increase in working memory performance by 6%
and a total reduction in gray matter loss in the piano playing
group.
Taken altogether, the scientists believe that while musical interventions cannot rejuvenate the brain, they can prevent
aging in specific regions, specifically in people with no musical background who start playing in their senior years.
As the brain ages, it loses a trait that everybody who wants to understand a little about their own neurology should
remember—neuroplasticity. Neuroplasticity is the measurement of the brain’s ability to flex and work on different tasks
by enhancing neuronal connections and creating new ones to suit new tasks.
Key among neuroplasticity is working memory, which describes the kind of mental effort needed to remember a whole
phone number long enough to be able to reach the pen and paper to write it down, or translate a sentence from a
foreign language.
A team from the University of Geneva wanted to see how much the musical domain could prevent this loss of working
memory associated with age-related cognitive decline.
‘‘We wanted people whose brains did not yet show any traces of plasticity linked to musical learning. Indeed, even a
brief learning experience in the course of one’s life can leave imprints on the brain, which would have biased our
results’’, explains Damien Marie, first author of the study.
The participants were randomly assigned to two groups, regardless of their motivation to play an instrument. The
second group had active listening lessons, which focused on instrument recognition and analysis of musical properties
in a wide range of musical styles. The classes lasted one hour. Participants in both groups were required to do
homework for half an hour a day.
‘‘After six months, we found common effects for both interventions. Neuroimaging revealed an increase in grey matter in
four brain regions involved in high-level cognitive functioning in all participants, including cerebellum areas involved in
working memory. Their performance increased by 6% and this result was directly correlated to the plasticity of the
cerebellum,’’ says Clara James, another author of the study.
In the pianists, the volume of gray matter around the auditory cortex remained consistent; it didn’t shrink with age. For
those in the musical analysis group, the gray matter did decrease at normal rates.
Also, a general pattern of brain atrophy was still observed in both groups, suggesting that complex interactions with
music are limited in their effects on our most complex organ.
These results show that practicing and listening to music promotes brain plasticity and cognitive reserve. The authors of
the study believe that these playful and accessible interventions should become a major policy priority for healthy aging.

What were the key findings of the study regarding the effects of music on cognitive decline in
aging individuals?
How did participating in piano and music awareness training impact the working memory
performance and gray matter loss in the study participants?
What is neuroplasticity and why is it important in understanding the brain's ability to adapt and
learn new tasks?
What were the two groups that the participants were assigned to in the study, and what were
the common effects observed in both groups?
How did the volume of gray matter differ between the pianists and the participants in the
musical analysis group, and what does it suggest about the effects of music on brain atrophy?