Foreign media analyzed that such frequent extreme choices by teachers are related to Korea’s widespread mental health problems and Korea’s harsh education systemIn an article titled “Hundreds of thousands of Korean teachers are protesting against extreme choices caused by parents,” CNN said on the 6th (local time), “Hundreds of thousands of teachers are protesting against the burden of teachers in Korea, which is notorious for its heavy education system.” CNN reported in detail the atmosphere of the rally site and the hardships felt by teachers in the educational field through teacher interviews.
“Because of the so-called child abuse prevention law, it is difficult to teach children in the classroom because teachers are not authorized,” a teacher told CNN. “Many teachers are under great stress because they are afraid of being reported by angry parents even if they discipline or discipline students in the classroom.”
CNN reported that many in education criticized the controversial Child Welfare Act, which was introduced in 2014.
CNN added, “The death of a teacher was a turning point for many teachers across Korea who have long complained that they cannot discipline students for fear of retaliation.” From January 2018 to June 2023, 100 South Korean public school teachers took their own lives, most of them elementary school teachers, according to government data.
■ Korea, which has traditionally respected teachers, why?
The BBC diagnosed on the 4th that “what fuels this situation is Korea’s super-competitive society, where almost everything depends on academic success.” The BBC said, “Students compete fiercely for their grades for the best college from a very young age,” adding, “In particular, most families have only one child, so there is only one chance to succeed.”The Guardian, a British daily, also said in a report titled “Abused, Trauma, and Impotent Teachers: Why Korean Teachers Protest,” “Parents identify themselves with their children in a family with only one or two children and live a child-centered life. As a result, it has become difficult for children to accept any criticism they receive from teachers, and they see it as a direct insult,” he analyzed the cause.CNN also said, “In Korea, many teenagers cite education as their biggest concern. Most Korean students receive additional tutoring at private institutes every day and continue to study until late at night, he said. “This stress affects parents.”
Professor Kim of Seoul National University of Education told the BBC, “Traditionally, Korea has a very strong culture of respect for teachers, but many parents often ignore teachers after receiving high education due to rapid economic growth.” A teacher told the BBC, “Until four years ago, we could have sent students out of the classroom or sent them to the back of the classroom, but since then, parents have started to sue for child abuse. The only way parents think is ‘my child’ and they become very selfish.”

EJ SONG

US ASIA JOURNAL

Koreans are becoming more interested in traveling to Japan. This time, statistics from the Japanese government confirmed that.
According to a recent report, the number of Korean tourists visiting Japan as of June 2023 is showing remarkable growth. According to figures released by the Japanese Government Tourism Bureau (JNTO), 545,100 Koreans visited Japan during the period. This is a further increase from the 500,000 mark in May, the previous month, and exceeded the 560,000 mark during the peak winter season between January and February. In addition, compared to June 2019, the recovery rate reached a remarkable 89.1%. In the first quarter of this year, the recovery rate was 70% compared to 2019, but now it is close to 90%. It’s an incredible speed. However, it is expected that Koreans’ interest in traveling to Japan will increase further. Koreans also topped the list of Japanese visitors by country. Among all foreign visitors to Japan, the proportion of Koreans stood at 26.3% in June, 1.4 times that of Taiwan, the second-largest. In particular, in the first half of the year, the proportion of Koreans was 29.2%, showing a faster recovery than in other countries.Strengthen screening of gold products when entering Japan! Precautions and reporting tips
Since the end of the COVID-19 pandemic, many people have been traveling abroad to Japan. Recently, however, more and more customs are strictly examining the import of gold or gold products when entering Japan, causing inconvenience. This is because screening has been strengthened to prevent smuggling of precious metals as the number of Japanese immigrants increases. Let’s look into the Japanese customs’ regulations on bringing in gold products and how to report them. Regardless of the purity, weight, or use (worn) of the reporting criteria for gold or gold products by Japanese customs, it must be reported if gold or gold products are brought in. In addition, thanks to the current low yen, the number of travelers to Japan is expected to increase more significantly during the summer vacation season. This is because the cost-effectiveness of traveling to Japan stands out due to rising domestic prices. However, the pressure of inflation in Japan is also increasing, so we don’t know how the situation will change in the future. Still, travel agency officials also say, “The proportion of reservations for Japanese products from July to August is the largest,” and that it is likely to be close to the level before No Japan. In fact, it is no exaggeration to say that Korea is currently the most important market in Japan’s inbound. The Korean branch of the Japanese government’s tourism bureau expects to catch up to the level of 2018 when there was no aftermath of COVID-19 and No Japan this year. Until now, the Japanese inbound industry has been worried that Japan may have been forgotten as a travel destination for the past three years, but as soon as the border was opened, many Koreans were visiting Japan, which is causing joy.

So many Koreans are visiting Japan, but the air route has not yet reached its old level. During the 2019 summer season, 1,200 flights per week traveled between 27 Japanese airports and 8 Korean airports. However, as of May this year, 12 airports in Japan and 7 airports in Korea are connecting about 900 flights per week, and local routes have not recovered as much as before COVID-19. So now, many Koreans are mainly visiting big cities. More Koreans are expected to visit Japan when Japan’s regional airport connections are restored in the future.Then why do you visit Japan rather than a similar travel destination in Korea? 1) Reports continue to emerge that Jeju Island/Ulleungdo Island is due to high prices and inadequacy (for accommodation costs). 2) Factors to enjoy such as leisure and entertainment are expensive and insufficient.
For example, the cost of Korean golf and water leisure is now too high to be shunned by the public.

JENNIFER KIM

US ASIA JOURNAL

The spark of the territorial dispute between China and Vietnam in the South China Sea has spread to the Korean idol group Black Pink. This is because Black Pink’s Vietnamese concert organizer defended the existence of the “Nine Dash Line” in the South China Sea, which China unilaterally claims and Vietnam opposes. A diplomatic official said, “In Korea, the host company of famous foreign singers in Korea marked the East Sea as Sea of Japan or said Dokdo as Takeshima,” adding, “It touched the most sensitive part of Vietnamese people.” Public opinion in Vietnam is raging and the government has begun an investigation. “Patriotism is more important” Fans are also angry, and if Vietnam’s social networking service (SNS) is combined, voices are growing that they will boycott the performance ahead of the first Black Pink concert in Hanoi on the 29th and 30th of this month. The beginning is an image posted on the website of iME Entertainment, the organizer of the BLACKPINK World Tour and Asia’s largest performance agency based in China.The problem was that there was a map showing nine virtual maritime border “South Sea Gudan Line” arbitrarily drawn by China to claim sovereignty over the South China Sea. China claims that the area is owned by China in the name of managing an island in the South China Sea during the Han Dynasty 2,000 years ago. According to them, 90% of the entire waters in the South China Sea will be Chinese territorial waters.These include Vietnam’s Hoangsa Islands (Chinese name Sisa Islands) and Splatley Islands (Chinese name Nansha Islands), as well as most of the Southeast Asian countries where China competes for sovereignty. The International Permanent Court of Arbitration concluded in 2016 that the Namhae District Line was groundless under international law, but China has not budged on its claim so far.Vietnam was outraged.

This is because the controversy was viewed as an “infringement of maritime sovereignty.” “If you look at BLACKPINK’s performance, it can be seen as supporting the plan to invade China,” Facebook said. It is argued that he should not go to the concert. BLACKPINK fans also turned their backs. Fans said, “BLACKPINK is good, but patriotism is more important. “I canceled my ticket reservation because I love my country,” he said, joining the boycott. Tickets for the concert were expected to be sold out for 10 minutes, but seats remain until the 9th, the second day of sales. There are also many posts on social media that say they want to resell tickets”You touch the most sensitive part of Vietnamese people”
The Vietnamese government, which is determined to deal with the issue of the Namhae-gu Danseon, has also taken a quick response. The Ministry of Culture has launched an investigation into the iME website.

Asked if the concert could be canceled, Foreign Ministry spokesman Palm Tohang declined to say, “The government is investigating the issue,” but added, “Vietnam has clarified its thoughts on the Namhae Gudan Line.” Promoting and using publications and products related to this is not allowed, he stressed.On iME Vietnam’s Facebook page, articles criticizing the posting of an image of defending the Namhae Gudan Line on the iME headquarters’ website are continuing. Given Vietnam’s precedent of suspending the broadcast of movies and dramas one after another due to the issue of the Namhae-gu Danseon, the controversy is expected to continue for the time being. The Vietnamese Ministry of Culture blocked the screening in Vietnam on the 3rd of this month because a map showing the Namhae Gudan Line was shown in the U.S. Warner Bros. film “Barbie.” In March this year, the movie “Uncharted” was also banned for the same reason, and the service of the Netflix drama “Fine Gap” was suspended in 2021.In 2019, the DreamWorks animation “About Possible” was suspended 10 days after its release due to controversy over the Namhae-gu Danseon, and Vietnam reprimanded the person in charge for poor deliberation and fined 170 million dong (about 9.37 million won) to the distributor. This is why some predict that BLACKPINK’s concert will not be easy to move on quietly. iME apologized belatedly. Brian Chow, CEO of iME, said, “We will replace the image that is not appropriate for the Vietnamese,” adding, “We respect the sovereignty and culture of all countries.” Currently, related photos have been deleted from the website.

EJ SONG

US ASIA JOURNAL

Kim Hee-sun (54), a professor at Kookmin University, was appointed as the new executive chairman of JEONJU INT’L SORI FESTIVAL. The Sori Festival held an organizational general meeting on March 29 (Wednesday) and decided to appoint Kim Hee-sun, a professor at Kookmin University, as the executive chairman who will lead the Sori Festival.  Kim Hee-sun, the new chairman of the executive committee, is an expert on Korean traditional music and world music, engaged in various activities not only in Korea but also in international academia and performance, and has the ability to be an art administrator. Currently, he is recognized as a traditional art expert in various fields such as intangible cultural properties, art education, art management, and art field as a professor at Kookmin University, director of the Korea Culture and Arts Education Promotion Agency, and art director of the Tea Garden Festival. The selection was made based on the organizing committee and Jeollabuk-do’s judgment that Kim’s academic expertise in Korean traditional music and world music, a high understanding of domestic and international performance sites, and his experience as an art administrator. Chairman of the Commission Kim said, “It is a task of the times to make our audiences regain the sensitivity of traditional music, and traditional music should be expanded to the global world with a future-oriented vision. The Sori Festival should be a medium for today’s audience and our music to meet the world while considering communication, a calling of the times, and for our artists to meet the world. “As Jeollabuk-do and provincial residents have cherished, we will help it to become a representative festival in Korea.” He also expressed his ambition to “make it a happy festival for artists, audiences, and festival organizations.”

SOPHIA KIM

ASIA JOURNAL

Gangwon Tourism Organization (CEO Kang Oki) recently announced that  Holland America Cruise lines had confirmed 5 calls at port of Sokcho. Holland America Cruise is a U.S. cruise line with fleet of 11 cruise ships under Carnival Corporation & plc, the world’s largest cruise group, and has confirmed 1 call in 2023, 2 calls in 2024, and 2 calls in 2025. The M/S Westerdam, which is scheduled to call at Sokcho Port, is known to be an 80,000-ton medium-sized ship with about 2,000 people on board. Park Wonshik, head of MICE/Cruise team, said, “we invited the vice president of the Holland America cruise lines and conducted a five-day FAM tour in Sokcho, nearby Goseong, and Gangneung last fall, and I feel very rewarded because it led to good results. We found FAM tour is one of the most effective sales tools as they are fascinated by Gangwon-do’s outstanding natural scenery including Seoraksan National Park and colorful local culture and it often leads to successful hosting of the cruise calls at Sokcho port. Therefore, We are aiming at increasing the FAM tour this year and currently are talking to several cruise companies.  They also announced the full-fledged launch of the Gangwon-do-type fly-cruise pilot project which was introduced last year. The main idea of the business is to target Taiwan market in connection with 2 cruise departures from Sokcho Port scheduled on June 12 and 17 and the direct flights between Yangyang International Airport and Taipei, Taiwan. In cooperation with Lotte Tour Development, the cruise operator had a business briefing session towards Taiwanese travel agencies in February and will commence sourcing from March in earnest. So far, over 98% of the passengers on Sokcho homeport cruise are Korean, but the strategy is to promote the inflow of foreign tourists in order to expand the diversification of sourcing markets and increase tourists’ stay and expanses by conducting pre/post tour in Gangwon province. Gangwon Tourism Organization said they will carefully monitor the results of the pilot project and expand to other countries in the future as it is the first attempt in Korea to attract foreign tourists to the cruise products out of Sokcho port.

SOPHIA KIM
Asia Journal

On April 21 (Fri), the government will launch the DMZ Peace Trail Themed Tour Routes (Themed Routes) to boost the local economy and tourism. The routes are designed to allow visitors to reflect on the value of freedom, security, and peace while experiencing the ecological, cultural, and historical resources in and around the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ). Online tour registration opened on March 31 (Fri) on the Peace Trail website (www.dmzwalk.com) and the walking tour mobile application, Durunubi. The 11 themed routes are located in 10 different areas around the DMZ: Ganghwa, Gimpo, Goyang, Paju, Yeoncheon, Cheorwon, Hwacheon, Yanggu, Inje, and Goseong. Each route consists of walking and vehicle transportation sections. Participants must travel by car for most of the tour route to ensure their safety and protect wildlife. However, in some areas, they can visit the primary sites on foot, with the opportunity to reflect on the meaning of freedom and peace and discover the scars left by the division of the Korean Peninsula.
Each tour features local residents as tour guides with diverse and fascinating stories behind the tourism resources unique to the DMZ and its surrounding areas. In the Incheon and Gyeonggi-do regions, the Ganghwa Route takes visitors to Dondae (ancient fortress) and the Daeryong Market, which has been the source of livelihood for Koreans who left their hometowns north of the demarcation line. The Gimpo Route offers a panoramic view of the Jogang River, where the Imjin River, Yeseong River, and Han River meet, as well as Seonjeon Village in North Korea. Moreover, the Goyang Route features Janghang Wetland and Haengjusanseong Fortress; the Paju Route offers visits to Korea’s key peace tourism sites, including Imjingak and Dora Observatory; and the Yeoncheon Route includes a visit to the Horogoru Fortress, which has served as a strategic military position since the Three Kingdoms period.In Gangwon province, participants can look around the old site of the Battle of White Horse Hill (baengmagoji) on the Cheorwon Route and ride a cable car to the top of Baegamsan Mountain, which provided a background for a widely loved Korean song, “Wooden Epitaph,” in the Hwacheon Course. They can also experience the Dutayeon virgin forest on the Yanggu Route, witness the panoramic view of the Baekdudaegan Mountain Range on the Inje Route, and explore the Haegeum River and Mount Kumgang on the Goseong Route. The DMZ is one of the most sought-after areas by both Korean and international tourists. The Korean government has endeavored to transform the zone and the surrounding areas into global peace and eco-tour attractions by preserving their ecological attributes while ensuring sustainable growth. Five ministries (Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, Ministry of Unification, Ministry of National Defense, Ministry of the Interior and Safety, and Ministry of Environment) have been collaborating to develop and operate the DMZ Peace Trail under a memorandum of understanding. The area north of the Civilian Control Line and some parts of the DMZ have gained significant public attention since they opened for public access in 2019 and 2021. Participants are required to agree to an ID check before the tour and pay a participation fee of KRW 10,000. However, the participation fee is collected for the revitalization of the local economy and will be returned to each participant as signature products and gifts.
The government expects that the opening of the Themed Routes will invigorate tourism and boost the local economy in the DMZ and the adjacent areas, which had been lackluster because of military regulations and other reasons. To that end, the government plans to work with the local sectors to develop DMZ into a tourist attraction offering unique peace-related and ecological tour resources with global appeal.

(Source from Reuters/Alamy)

Microsoft founder Bill Gates once again showed his affection for Samsung smartphones. According to the industry, Gates Bill & Melinda, co-chairman of the Gates Foundation, said on his social networking service (SNS) on the 11th (local time) that it marked the 50th anniversary of mankind’s first mobile phone call.

(Source from Samsung)
He said, “My current phone is Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4,” adding, “It is far from the heavy bricks I carried in the early days of MS.”Earlier, Chairman Gates said that he received the Galaxy Z Fold 4 as a gift from Samsung Electronics Chairman Lee Jae-yong and is using it. Asked what smartphone he is using at the “Ask Me Anything” event held by the U.S. online community Reddit in January, he replied, “I am using the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4 that Chairman Lee gave me when I visited Korea last time.” Chairman Gates is called a Samsung foldable smartphone lover. He was asked the same question at an AMA event in May last year and said he is using the ‘Galaxy Zfold 3′ model.In addition, Microsoft, which he founded and is currently a technical advisor, has released a dual-screen smartphone called “Surface Duo 2″ such as Samsung Galaxy Zfold, but Bill Gates is still using Samsung Electronics’ products.Meanwhile, Samsung Electronics is set to release its fifth foldable phone, the Galaxy Z Fold 5, in the second half of this year. This product is expected to reduce its weight (253g) by 3.8% (10g) compared to its predecessor by applying a water drop hinge instead of the existing U-shaped hinge.

JULIE KIM

ASIA JOURNAL

Korea’s only ceramic fair, ” G-Ceramic Fair,” which presents new ceramic trends in life, and “Home Table Deco Fair,” an exhibition specializing in home styling that introduces the latest interior trends, will be held at COEX in Seoul in December this year.
On the 21st, the Korea Ceramic Foundation and Lead K-Fairs Co., Ltd., an exhibition company, signed a business agreement for the successful simultaneous hosting of 2023 G-Ceramic Fair and Home Table Deco Fair” at the Icheon Ceramic Support Center of the Korea Ceramic Foundation.” The agreement was designed to create synergy effects for representative events held by the two organizations through the establishment of strategic cooperation and to create a venue for visitors to interact with various residential lifestyles in one space.
Under the agreement, the two organizations agreed to work together on ▲ domestic and international exhibition events and operation of special halls ▲ establishing cooperative relationships for content partnerships, ▲ developing businesses such as brands, distribution channels, and marketing. The 2023 G-Ceramic Fair, Home Table Deco Fair” will be held at COEX in Seoul for four days from December 7 to 10. In addition, the Korea Ceramic Foundation plans to organize and operate the G-Ceramic Fair Special Hall” by participating in The Maison” to be held at COEX in Seoul from April 20th to 23rd and Busan Home Table Deco Fair” to be held at BEXCO.” The signing ceremony was attended by Seo Heung-sik, CEO of the Korea Ceramic Foundation, and Hong Sung-kwon, CEO of LeadKfares. Seo Heung-sik, CEO of the Korea Ceramic Foundation, said, “This year, we will expand the G-Ceramic Fair three times to revitalize the domestic ceramic craft industry and expand the sales of potters. We will do our best to strengthen the growth engine of the ceramic industry by holding it simultaneously.” Meanwhile, the foundation plans to participate in famous overseas fairs such as Maison & Objet in Paris, France, and continue aggressive marketing activities such as exhibitions and sales exhibitions and export consultations linked to overseas cultural centers this year.

TED PARK
Asia Journal

On February 23, a press conference for the Gwangju Design Biennale was held at DDP (Dongdaemun Design Plaza) in Seoul. The 10th Gwangju Design Biennale 2023 will be held on September 7, 2023.The theme of this design biennale is “Meet Design.” The Gwangju Design Biennale, which has lasted for 20 years and marks its 10th anniversary this year, aims to establish a new position with differentiation from art through the theme of “Meet Design. A total of six meetings will be held at the Design Biennale, which meets design. It is a meeting between art and differentiated design, 100% face-to-face event after the pandemic, meeting world and domestic trends, meeting the world’s best design through Red Dot, meeting Gwangju’s technology industry and global design, and meeting Asia and the world. Ken Nah, Ph.D. CPE Chief Director (Professor of International Design at Hongik University) said, “We have built know-how such as various project experiences with large companies and have made every effort to promote internationalization by utilizing the network with the three global design awards ‘Red Dot’.” Ken Nah, Ph.D. and CPE Chief Director, “Design differentiated from art is not only about expressing the artist’s artistic feelings, but also about reflecting the needs of users, that is, customers,” he said. “In modern times, new solutions to one problem will be developed, so we can integrate various design products with domestic and foreign designs.” Ken Nah, Ph.D. and CPE Chief Director said that design does not simply end in design, and that it creates important synergy by combining various things. In particular, he also said that such a part is important in the business sector. He said he will show differentiated design from art, design as the most effective means of creating business value, and design as a key element of our lives. Leading domestic and foreign companies such as Samsung Electronics, LG Electronics, Hyundai Motor, SKT, LX Hausys, Lotte Metaverse, Doosan, Hanssem Interior, Boston Dynamics, Market Kurly, Baedal Minjok, Kakao, and Instagram will participate in the Gwangju Design Biennale. Ken Nah, Ph.D. and CPE Chief Director said, “The theme is to meet differentiated design from art. We will change our perspective, introduce differentiated design from art, and convey the value of design through ‘Evolution’ and ‘Diversity’ of design that solves customers’ problems.” exhibition hall consists of four main exhibition halls: technology, lifestyle, culture, and business.In addition, there was a separate Gwangju Hall in the past, but this time, it was announced that Gwangju’s related designs would be properly installed in places suitable for each theme. The exhibition hall consists of ▲ Technology hall ▲ Lifestyle hall ▲ Culture hall ▲ Business hall. Overseas examples of cities that change through design are also highlighted. 140 items and 250 pieces are scheduled to be displayed. Design as a means to create business value will be emphasized. It displayed design as a key element of life and pursued a balance of attractions, learning, and experiences. Red Dot’s participation rate in the exhibition is expected to reach 20%. Ken Nah, Ph.D. and CPE Chief Director emphasized, “We will promote the internationalization of the Gwangju Design Biennale by utilizing various project experiences and cooperation networks with Red Dot and iF.” In the technology hall, it shows the shape of living rooms and appliances in the 1970s and 1980s and how the current Internet of Things (IoT) changed life conveniently, and sheds light on the values of life. Office will also be displayed in the past, focusing on welfare, rest areas, and work-life balance of smart offices from small items such as monitors, typewriters, and phones. As ESG (environmental, social, and governance) values become more important, it is also notable that eco-friendly carbon reduction technology is composed of games.

SOPHIA KIM
Asia Journal