tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-60578007623067467622024-03-05T17:27:32.110-08:00A fusion of diverse culture and diverse colour here in Korea:Let the world see Korea through my window.Yaisana Huidromhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05196540784360483846noreply@blogger.comBlogger916125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6057800762306746762.post-74953334765713352422023-08-31T07:55:00.000-07:002023-08-31T07:55:04.766-07:00<p> Hi everyone,</p><p>It's been a very very long year of gap, today all of sudden I revive myself from my long hibernation I must admit. Well deep down there is always a zeal for me to dig more into cultural aspects between India and Korea especial this part of the Northeast region of India where I myself belongs to. </p><p>So many things have happened over these years, the Korean language centre has already established in Manipur University with full fledged programmes on Korean language. </p><p>There is another Korean language centre known as Sejong Institute has opened at Dhanamanjuri University Imphal of Manipur. To my knowledge there is Korea corner as well within the Manipur University's Korean language department. How exciting it is for the Korean Hallyu lovers isn't it?</p><p>Over this past many years somehow I completed a degree on Northeast India Study and feel I could connect both my subjects together which can help me in my further studies on cultural aspects. Hopefully this time i will not disappoint myself in fulfilling my quest of connecting the lost dots between the Northeast region and the ASEAN as well as the East Asian countries linkages.</p><p>This time I've few couple of interesting projects in my mind, hopefully i could execute those projects on time without take long gap just like i had been doing it for so long. Yes this is my first post of the year 2023. Form now onward I will be looking forward to improve myself and make changes in my old habits and try to maintain discipline to update my blog regularly.</p><p>wish me luck </p>Yaisana Huidromhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05196540784360483846noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6057800762306746762.post-90699832009105219222015-09-28T02:30:00.002-07:002015-09-28T02:30:54.263-07:00Pre Chuseok parade source Korea Times<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<img alt=" " src="http://img.koreatimes.co.kr/upload/newsV2/images/02-01(112).jpg" /></div>
Yaisana Huidromhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05196540784360483846noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6057800762306746762.post-48013951215632113802015-09-28T02:02:00.003-07:002015-09-28T02:03:09.584-07:00Hi all, am back and will try to write regularly.<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Hi All,<br />
<br />
<br />
Am back and will try to write regularly .<br />
<br />
<img src="https://scontent.fdel1-2.fna.fbcdn.net/hphotos-xfa1/v/t1.0-9/12019952_10200854429280278_6165520842852863802_n.jpg?oh=c720f1956c2f2b45671f4caae18371ec&oe=56AADAAA" /></div>
Yaisana Huidromhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05196540784360483846noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6057800762306746762.post-33473726983555475282014-12-19T01:34:00.000-08:002014-12-19T01:34:28.242-08:00Two year-end movies to warm your heart <div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Source: The Korea.net<br />
<br />
<br />
The year end is just around the corner. Two recently released heart-wrenching movies are being recommended for the season. The two movies share one thing in common, that both are documentaries based on the daily lives of real people. <br /><br />The first is "My Love, Don't Cross That River," a story revolving around an old couple that has been together for as long as 76 years. The other is "The Hospice (목숨)." It deals with patients in a hospice preparing for their final moments in life. It's long been believed in both the box office and among movie-goers that documentaries can rarely succeed. These two films, however, have broken those perceptions and are on a steady rise. <br /><br />"My Love, Don't Cross That River" tells the story of an old couple who have loved each other for their whole lives. The protagonists are husband Jo Byung-man, 98, and wife Kang Kye-yeol, 89. Wherever they go, the couple wears Hanbok in matching colors and walks with hands tightly clasped. <br /><br />
<div class="figCenter" name="imgFig" style="width: 700px;">
<img alt="141219_korea_movie_2.jpg" border="0" id="center1" src="http://www.korea.net/upload/content/editImage/141219_korea_movie_2.jpg" /></div>
<br /><br />
<div class="figCenter" name="imgFig" style="width: 700px;">
<img alt="141219_korea_movie_1.jpg" border="0" id="center1" src="http://www.korea.net/upload/content/editImage/141219_korea_movie_1.jpg" /></div>
<br /><br />
<div class="figCenter" name="imgFig" style="width: 700px;">
<img alt="" an="" border="0" couple.="" cross="" daily="" don="" id="center1" lives="" love="" my="" of="" old="" river="" romantic="" shows="" src="http://www.korea.net/upload/content/editImage/141219_korea_movie_3.jpg" t="" that="" the="" /> <div class="figcaption" id="captionId">
"My Love, Don't Cross That River" shows the romantic daily lives of an old couple.</div>
</div>
<br />In the spring, the couple picks beautiful flowers together and pins them in each other's hair. They play with the water in the streams in the summer and in the fall, enjoy the autumn foliage together, even throwing leaves at each other. In the winter, they make snowmen together. <br /><br />With the passage of time and age, Jo becomes increasingly weak and separation draws near. "I really wish I could go with you," the wife cries in the movie, bringing tears to viewers' eyes. <br /><br />
<div class="figCenter" name="imgFig" style="width: 700px;">
<img alt="141219_korea_movie_4.jpg" border="0" id="center1" src="http://www.korea.net/upload/content/editImage/141219_korea_movie_4.jpg" /></div>
<br /><br />
<div class="figCenter" name="imgFig" style="width: 700px;">
<img a="" alt="" and="" at="" border="0" families="" heart-warming.="" hospice.="" hospice="" id="center1" it="" lives="" of="" patients="" s="" sad="" shows="" src="http://www.korea.net/upload/content/editImage/141219_korea_movie_5.jpg" the="" their="" yet="" /> <div class="figcaption" id="captionId">
"The Hospice" shows the lives of patients and their families at a hospice. It's sad, yet heart-warming.</div>
</div>
<br />"The Hospice" tells the story of patients at a hospice who, on average, have 21 days left to live. They are all a special someone to their fathers, mothers, spouses or children. The movie pictures the final moments of the patients in their deathbeds, a time that nobody can avoid, moving the hearts of viewers. <br /><br />The message that the two movies both pursue is the true meaning of life. It reminds us of things that we have forgotten, but which were never meant to be. <br /><br />Director Jin Mo-yeong of "My Love, Don't Cross That River" said, "It seems that people of all ages and sexes have sympathy for the love story of the old couple. They've recommended the movie to their parents and family, drawing even bigger audiences." <br /><br />Director Lee Chang-jae of "The Hospice" said, "Thinking about death and having only 21 days left to live is both sad and scary. However, the movie shows happiness and love as much as it scares you. This movie will give you the time to turn your eyes to things that you have missed out on for some time, such as the preciousness of yourself, your family and your acquaintances." <br /><br />Both movies bring you to the intersection of life and death, encouraging you to think about "how to live."<br /><br />Major theaters across the country will be screening both documentaries. </div>
Yaisana Huidromhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05196540784360483846noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6057800762306746762.post-92195847087006314602014-12-19T01:30:00.002-08:002014-12-19T01:30:57.930-08:00Joseon royal food returns to Seoul<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div id="___plusone_0" style="background: none; display: inline-block; float: none; font-size: 1px; height: 24px; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-indent: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; width: 106px;">
<iframe data-gapiattached="true" frameborder="0" hspace="0" id="I0_1418981243082" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" name="I0_1418981243082" scrolling="no" src="https://apis.google.com/u/0/se/0/_/+1/fastbutton?usegapi=1&origin=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.korea.net&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.korea.net%2FNewsFocus%2FCulture%2Fview%3FarticleId%3D123942%26pageIndex%3D1&gsrc=3p&jsh=m%3B%2F_%2Fscs%2Fapps-static%2F_%2Fjs%2Fk%3Doz.gapi.en_GB.rJc1oKiW1Gg.O%2Fm%3D__features__%2Fam%3DAQ%2Frt%3Dj%2Fd%3D1%2Ft%3Dzcms%2Frs%3DAGLTcCMGinUoVPwFYN3jdyGyq2HjqeaTRw#_methods=onPlusOne%2C_ready%2C_close%2C_open%2C_resizeMe%2C_renderstart%2Concircled%2Cdrefresh%2Cerefresh&id=I0_1418981243082&parent=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.korea.net&pfname=&rpctoken=65894718" style="height: 24px; left: 0px; margin: 0px; position: static; top: 0px; visibility: visible; width: 106px;" tabindex="0" title="+1" vspace="0" width="100%"></iframe></div>
Royal Joseon cuisine. as seen in the hit soap opera "Jewel in the Palace," has now made a comeback in Seoul. <br /><br />An event to bring back the original form of Korean cuisine and cooking as enjoyed in the royal Joseon palaces, and aimed at developing various new menu items based on the royal traditions, was held at the Samcheonggak, a restaurant in Samcheong-dong in northern Seoul on December 15. For the "Royal Set Menu by <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dae_Jang_Geum" target="_blank">Daejanggeum</a>" event, the Institute of Korean Royal Cuisine demonstrated eight different dishes, out of a possible 70, which it has been cataloguing to make them more accessible to the general public. <br /><br /><div class="figCenter" name="imgFig" style="width: 700px;">
<img alt=" An event to bring back royal cuisine is held at the Samcheonggak, a traditional restaurant in northern Seoul, on December 15. " border="0" id="center1" src="http://www.korea.net/upload/content/editImage/food-1412118-1.jpg" /> <div class="figcaption" id="captionId">
An event to bring back royal cuisine is held at the Samcheonggak, a traditional restaurant in northern Seoul, on December 15. </div>
</div>
<br /><br /><div class="figCenter" name="imgFig" style="width: 700px;">
<img alt="Han Bok-ryeo, president of the Institute of Korean Royal Cuisine, gives a royal Joseon cooking demonstration, as chefs and journalists look on. " border="0" id="center1" src="http://www.korea.net/upload/content/editImage/food-1412118-2.jpg" /> <div class="figcaption" id="captionId">
Han Bok-ryeo, president of the Institute of Korean Royal Cuisine, gives a royal Joseon cooking demonstration, as chefs and journalists look on. </div>
</div>
<br /><br />The institute introduced a set menu for six people that was based on food seen in the drama. Some 40 chefs and journalists attended the event, watching how the set menu was organized and enjoying the food afterward. <br /><br />The institute intends to publish a cook book, "Royal Set Menu by Daejanggeum," next year and distributed two sample chapters of the book in both Korean and English at the event. The book introduces the history and values related to royal cuisine and explains how to cook the food in an easy way so that beginner chefs can actually follow the instructions and cook the food at home. <br /><br />The book contains 70 different recipes for royal dishes accompanied by an explanation of the philosophy behind the food and any stories related to the dish. Pictures from the TV show "Jewel in the Palace" are also found throughout the book. <br /><br /><div class="figCenter" name="imgFig" style="width: 700px;">
<img alt=" Soft persimmon is mixed with bamboo shoots. " border="0" id="center1" src="http://www.korea.net/upload/content/editImage/food-1412118-3-2.jpg" /> <div class="figcaption" id="captionId">
Soft persimmon is mixed with bamboo shoots. </div>
</div>
<br /><br /><div class="figCenter" name="imgFig" style="width: 700px;">
<img alt=" Milk porridge " border="0" id="center1" src="http://www.korea.net/upload/content/editImage/food-1412118-3-3.jpg" /> <div class="figcaption" id="captionId">
Milk porridge </div>
</div>
<br /><br /><div class="figCenter" name="imgFig" style="width: 700px;">
<img alt=" (From top, clockwise) Braised short beef ribs, kimchi, noodles in radish and pear water kimchi broth. " border="0" id="center1" src="http://www.korea.net/upload/content/editImage/food-1412118-4-2.jpg" /> <div class="figcaption" id="captionId">
(From top, clockwise) Braised short beef ribs, kimchi, noodles in radish and pear water kimchi broth. </div>
</div>
<br /><div class="figCenter" name="imgFig" style="width: 700px;">
<img alt="Citron fruit salad (right), a sweet traditional cookie. " border="0" id="center1" src="http://www.korea.net/upload/content/editImage/food-1412118-4-3.jpg" /> <div class="figcaption" id="captionId">
Citron fruit salad (right), a sweet traditional cookie. </div>
</div>
<br /><br />"Culinary tradition is a medium that introduces a country's identity, history and values," said Kang Min-su, chairman of the Korean Food Foundation. "We will continue with our various projects, including the revival of the original form of Korean food." <br /><br />By Limb Jae-un <br />Korea.net Staff Writer <br />Photos courtesy of Korean Food Foundation <br />jun2@korea.kr <br /><br /><div class="figCenter" name="imgFig" style="width: 700px;">
<img alt=" An exhibit of the set menu prepared by the Institute of Korean Royal Cuisine. " border="0" id="center1" src="http://www.korea.net/upload/content/editImage/food-1412118-5.jpg" /> <div class="figcaption" id="captionId">
An exhibit of the set menu prepared by the Institute of Korean Royal Cuisine. </div>
<div class="figcaption">
</div>
<div class="figcaption">
Source: Korea.net</div>
<div class="figcaption">
</div>
<div class="figcaption">
</div>
</div>
<br /></div>
Yaisana Huidromhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05196540784360483846noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6057800762306746762.post-88049186693767617462014-12-19T01:20:00.000-08:002014-12-19T01:20:03.595-08:00Korea, China to study 'comfort women' issue <div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Korea and China have embarked on a joint study of the "comfort women" issue. <br /><br />On December 15, the Northeast Asian History Foundation signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with the Jilin Province Archives to conduct research into the issue of the comfort women, people who were forced into sexual slavery by the Imperial Japanese Army up until the 1940s. Their aim is to investigate the historical facts. <br /><br />
<div class="figCenter" name="imgFig" style="width: 700px;">
<img alt="Hong Myeon-ki (right), a senior official at the Northeast Asian History Foundation, and Yin Huai, director of the Jilin Province Archives, sign an MOU to pursue a joint study into the 'comfort women' issue. " border="0" id="center1" src="http://www.korea.net/upload/content/editImage/comfort-141219-1.jpg" /> <div class="figcaption" id="captionId">
Hong Myeon-ki (right), a senior official at the Northeast Asian History Foundation, and Yin Huai, director of the Jilin Province Archives, sign an MOU to pursue a joint study into the 'comfort women' issue. </div>
</div>
<br /><br />The Jilin Province Archives is responsible for storing official documents and has many records related to Japanese aggression. Officials at the foundation visited the archives in June and browsed through some of the documents on file there. In return, in August researchers at the archives came to Korea and jointly studied the documents kept at the National Archives of Korea. This is a follow-up measure after Korea and China agreed in July to cooperate on related issues, including a joint study into comfort women-related materials and the exchange of documents. <br /><br />The two sides recognized the fact that the victimization of the sexual slaves is a violation of the women's rights and is also a universal human rights issue. They agreed to establish long-term, stable research together into the subject. <br /><br />
<div class="figCenter" name="imgFig" style="width: 700px;">
<img alt="Researchers from the Northeast Asian History Foundation and the Jilin Province Archives discuss a joint study into sexual slavery during Japanese colonial times. " border="0" id="center1" src="http://www.korea.net/upload/content/editImage/comfort-141219-2.jpg" /> <div class="figcaption" id="captionId">
Researchers from the Northeast Asian History Foundation and the Jilin Province Archives discuss a joint study into sexual slavery during Japanese colonial times. </div>
</div>
<br /><br />The foundation also donated a book of testimony given by surviving victims, while the archives donated copies of 25 materials containing evidence related to their captivity, among other things. <br /><br />The two institutions also decided to continue their joint study and sharing of documents, and to allow each other to browse and copy related material. They also agreed to invite researchers to conduct further studies and to talk more about holding a joint seminar next year. <br /><br />By Limb Jae-un<br />Korea.net Staff Writer <br />Photos courtesy of the Northeast Asian History Foundation <br /><a href="mailto:jun2@korea.kr">jun2@korea.kr</a> <br />
<br />
Courtesy : Korea.net<br />
<br /> </div>
Yaisana Huidromhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05196540784360483846noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6057800762306746762.post-69564477206135895772014-11-12T04:11:00.000-08:002014-11-12T04:11:03.746-08:00Plenty of Places Still Keep Jeju's Old Traces<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<h2 class="art_title">
Jeju is traditionally said to have three things in abundance -- wind, stones, and women represented by the island's famous female divers. This is still true along the island's eastern coast.</h2>
<div class="article" id="ArticlePar01" style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">
<br />
<div class="img_center" style="width: 500px;">
<img alt="" id="artImg1" src="http://english.chosun.com/site/data/img_dir/2014/11/12/2014111201453_0.jpg" title="" /> <br />
</div>
There is a park which features nearly 50 stone statues called dolharubang.<br /><br />The statues sculpted out of volcanic rock serve as spirit guardians as well as a locational sign. <br />
<br />
<div class="img_center" style="width: 500px;">
<img alt="" id="artImg2" src="http://english.chosun.com/site/data/img_dir/2014/11/12/2014111201453_1.jpg" title="" /> <br />
</div>
The park also displays other animal-shaped statues and offers various hands-on activities.<br /><br />For more information, visit the park's website at <a href="http://www.dolharbangpark.com/">http://www.dolharbangpark.com/</a>.<br />
<br />
<div class="img_center" style="width: 500px;">
<img alt="" id="artImg3" src="http://english.chosun.com/site/data/img_dir/2014/11/12/2014111201453_2.jpg" title="" /> <br />
</div>
Just a stroll from the park, there is Woljeongri Beach where visitors are mesmerized by the pristine beauty of the blue sky and emerald-green sea.<br /><br />The beach offers a refreshing breeze and a pleasant place to rest for those longing for a little relaxation. Seaside roads lined with cafes and restaurants evoke feelings of comfort in a peaceful setting.<br />
<br />
<div class="img_center" style="width: 500px;">
<img alt="" id="artImg4" src="http://english.chosun.com/site/data/img_dir/2014/11/12/2014111201453_3.jpg" title="" /> <br />
</div>
The island's exotic atmosphere attracts many travelers, and these days the number of female visitors is on the rise, creating a demand for female-only guest houses.<br /><br />Many of the other co-ed guest houses often have rooms and shower facilities reserved only for women.</div>
<br />
A scenic drive along the coastline is one of the best ways to enjoy Jeju Island.<br /><br />A 4.4 km scenic road in Sagye, Seogwipo which ends at Mt. Sanbang offers breath-taking panoramic ocean and mountain views. <br />
<br />
<div class="img_center" style="width: 500px;">
<img alt="" id="artImg1" src="http://english.chosun.com/site/data/img_dir/2014/11/11/2014111101322_0.jpg" title="" /> </div>
Along the road, there are several great scenic spots for photos.<br /><br />Among them, there is a stone monument where visitors can take a rest while looking at twin islets in the distance.<br /><br />Bike paths are also available for those who prefer slower trips. <br />
<br />
<div class="img_center" style="width: 500px;">
<img alt="" id="artImg2" src="http://english.chosun.com/site/data/img_dir/2014/11/11/2014111101322_1.jpg" title="" /> <br />
</div>
Mt. Sanbang at the end of the road offers a panoramic view of the seashore and the mountain that rises like a huge folding screen. <br /><br />The mountain's carbonic spring is said to lower blood pressure and reduce stress on the heart by stimulating capillaries. <br />
<br />
<div class="img_center" style="width: 500px;">
<img alt="" id="artImg3" src="http://english.chosun.com/site/data/img_dir/2014/11/11/2014111101322_2.jpg" title="" /> <br />
</div>
Another fascinating mystery of nature there is a spectacular volcanic rock formation called "Jusangjeolli Cliff." A series of pentagonal or hexagonal columnar joints inspires an awe for natural creations.<br />
<div class="img_center" style="width: 500px;">
<img alt="" id="artImg4" src="http://english.chosun.com/site/data/img_dir/2014/11/11/2014111101322_3.jpg" title="" /> <br />
</div>
When the emerald-colored water hits the cliff, the view is so spectacular that it is regarded as one of the great attractions on the resort island.<br />
<br />
Jeju's beautiful scenery and pleasant climate are what give the resort island its charm. Visitors are stopped in their tracks by the beauty of Mt. Halla, Korea's highest mountain, and many volcanic formations called "oreum" as well as numerous beaches. The best of the best is probably the emerald-colored sea. <br />
<br />
<div class="img_center" style="width: 500px;">
<img alt="" id="artImg1" src="http://english.chosun.com/site/data/img_dir/2014/11/10/2014111001267_0.jpg" title="" /> </div>
◆ Seongsan Sunrise Peak <br /><br />Seongsan Sunrise Peak is one of the country's best places to watch the sunrise as the name indicates. It stands 182 m high and offers visitors a view of the ocean, a nearby village and an expansive meadow. On a fine day Mt. Halla comes into view, adding to the scenic beauty. <br /><br />Visitors can take stairs to the top of the peak to find a 600 m crater. The crater appears as if surrounded by a fortress wall as 99 rocks stand along the edge. <br />
<br />
<div class="img_center" style="width: 500px;">
<img alt="" id="artImg2" src="http://english.chosun.com/site/data/img_dir/2014/11/10/2014111001267_1.jpg" title="" /> <br />
</div>
Taking a boat provides a different view of the peak. Excursion ships leave the Seongsan Port and pass by the peak via Udo Island.<br /><br />◆ Aqua Planet<br /><br />Near the Seopjikoji promontory visitors can learn about ocean creatures at Aqua Planet. The biggest in Asia, the aquarium not only exhibits tanks full of fish but also provides various education and hand-on programs. <br /><br />It has a separate section for seals where visitors can see them dance in a huge cylinder tube. An exhibit tunnel shows over 20,000 fish and other creatures, including sharks and stingrays. Visitors may never expect to see penguins here, but Humboldt and African penguins can be found enjoying themselves. <br />
<br />
<div class="img_center" style="width: 500px;">
<img alt="" id="artImg3" src="http://english.chosun.com/site/data/img_dir/2014/11/10/2014111001267_2.jpg" title="" /> <br />
</div>
The highlight is the aquarium's main tank, which measures 23 m wide and 8.5 m high. The tank gives visitors the feeling they are seeing the real Jeju ocean as the acrylic window gives the effect of an IMAX screen. <br /><br />◆ Submarine Trip<br /><br />Those who want to experience the depths of the beautiful Jeju ocean are recommended to take a submarine tour. Submarine trips are offered at various places on the island but the trip around Seogwipo is the most popular. <br />
<br />
<div class="img_center" style="width: 500px;">
<img alt="" id="artImg4" src="http://english.chosun.com/site/data/img_dir/2014/11/10/2014111001267_3.jpg" title="" /> <br />
</div>
Divers stage various performances outside the submarine while fish swim along coral reefs. A must-see spot is a coral colony, which reflects the submarine lights to create stunning reddish color.<br /><br />More information can be found at <a href="http://www.submarine.co.kr/">http://www.submarine.co.kr</a>. <br /><br />◆ Sea Urchin Soup<br /><br />Visitors shouldn't leave Jeju without tasting the fresh seafood. There are many local specialties, and one of them is sea urchin soup. Seogwipo is the best place to try the soup, which is traditionally served in times of celebration. <br />
<br />
<div class="img_center" style="width: 500px;">
<img alt="" id="artImg5" src="http://english.chosun.com/site/data/img_dir/2014/11/10/2014111001267_4.jpg" title="" /> <br />
</div>
Sea urchins are a good source of vitamins, protein and iron, and are especially good for those suffering from anaemia. They are usually found in the rock beds of the sea and are tastiest when harvested between late May and June. <br />
<br />
Sources: The Chosun Ilbo<br />
</div>
Yaisana Huidromhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05196540784360483846noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6057800762306746762.post-75109206918181438442014-11-12T03:51:00.000-08:002014-11-12T03:51:07.326-08:00Chinese Investors Flex Muscle in Korean TV Soaps, Movie<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<h2 class="art_title">
</h2>
<div class="article" id="ArticlePar01" style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">
<div class="img_left" style="width: 233px;">
<img alt="" height="257" id="artImg0" src="http://english.chosun.com/site/data/img_dir/2014/10/20/2014102000568_0.jpg" title="" width="400" /> <br />
</div>
Chinese investors are increasingly putting their money into Korean TV soap and movie productions as they continue to enjoy huge popularity on the mainland and beyond. <br /><br />That means they can also flex more muscle in showbusiness here. <br /><br />According to industry sources, Chinese investors get involved in almost all stages of the productions from casting to promotion and naturally take a bigger cut of profits if any productions succeed in China.<br /><br />A joint film project pursed by CJ E&M, one of the largest entertainment giants in Korea, was halted again recently after 10 years of negotiations with Chinese investors. Industry sources said that it is because producers were unable to cast Kim Soo-hyun or Lee Min-ho, who are the hottest Korean celebrities in China these days.<br /><br />When the soap "My Love from the Star" was in the process of planning and was projected not to fare well in China, producers decided to cast Park Hae-jin, who is more popular in China than in Korea, because that was likely to boost the appeal of the soap. <br /><br />The drama turned to be a huge hit in China, but its producers only earned a paltry W670 million (US$1=W1,068) there by selling them to a Chinese video website, which apparently made more than W100 billion in sales. <br /><br />All this shows that the desperation of Korean producers to keep a foothold in the Chinese market can come at a high price. <br />
<br />
Source: The Chosun Ilbo<br />
</div>
</div>
Yaisana Huidromhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05196540784360483846noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6057800762306746762.post-57759296144308450752014-04-12T02:16:00.000-07:002014-04-12T02:16:08.910-07:00Kim Jong-un Was in S.Korean Students' Club at School<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<h2 class="art_title">
</h2>
<div class="article" id="ArticlePar01" style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">
<div class="img_right" style="width: 250px;">
<img alt="/Rodong Sinmun " id="artImg0" src="http://english.chosun.com/site/data/img_dir/2014/04/11/2014041101454_0.jpg" title="" /> /Rodong Sinmun <br />
<br />
</div>
North Korean leader Kim Jong-un was a member of a 15-member Korean students' club during his time at a Swiss boarding school, TV Chosun reported Thursday. Kim attended boarding school in Bern, Switzerland from 1993 until 2000.<br />
According to agencies that monitor North Korea, 12 South Korean and three North Korean students, including Kim, met at Gstaad, a luxury resort in Switzerland, in February of 1998.<br />
The students from boarding schools in Aiglon, Bern, Cesis, Lugano and Rosey formed a social club. The other two North Korean students were Kim's bodyguard Mun Kwang-chol and one Ri Ryong, whose identity remains unclear.<br />
The students named their social club after the resort. Kim used his alias, Pak Chol, did not interact much with the other members and usually sat in the far corner, according to the South Korean students.<br />
According to the South Korean students, Kim spoke English and German but apparently no French. He liked basketball and skiing and enjoyed playing poker and drinking vodka.<br />
They recalled that Kim at times looked for escort girls to sit next to him while he was enjoying a drink.<br />
One South Korean student later told intelligence officials here that Kim inquired about admission to a school in Rosey before he went to Bern but decided not to attend the school because there were too many South Korean students. Another recalled that Kim went to a ski resort but chose not to ski and just enjoyed the scenery and played poker instead.<br />
South Korean intelligence officials interviewed the South Korean students to assess Kim's personality, TV Chosun said.<br />
According to a report based on those interviews, Kim was "aggressive and active," but "has a hard time controlling his impulses." He was also presumed to experience stress and anxiety due to the potential instability facing his father's regime due to the dire economic situation in his country.<br />
He ended up feeling a "growing sense of crisis" from the pressures of the dynastic succession and the North's increasing isolation and economic misery. This played a part in his execution of his uncle and former eminence grise Jang Song-taek, the report said.<br />
<br />
Source : The Chosun Ilbo<br />
</div>
</div>
Yaisana Huidromhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05196540784360483846noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6057800762306746762.post-64941685225034625262014-04-12T02:13:00.000-07:002014-04-12T02:13:37.051-07:0090% of Foreigners Would Date a Korean, let's find out the reason <div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<br />
<div class="article" id="ArticlePar01">
<div class="img_right" style="width: 240px;">
<img alt="" height="640" id="artImg0" src="http://english.chosun.com/site/data/img_dir/2014/04/11/2014041101400_0.jpg" title="" width="433" /> <br />
<br />
</div>
<br />Some 90 percent of foreigners would be happy to date a Korean, a straw poll by a dating site suggests.<br />
Korea's largest matchmaking company Duo and social media side Korspot in a survey asked 1,147 people in North America, Southeast Asia and Europe whether they would to date a Korean -- 505 men and 642 women -- and 90 percent said yes.<br />
For women, the biggest reason was because they were interested in Korean culture and language with 27.4 percent. The second biggest reason was because they thought Korean men seem hardworking and have a great sense of responsibility. The third was that Korean men look "cool." <br />
Among men, 23.2 percent said they are interested in dating Korean women because of their looks. The second biggest attraction was that they act cute, followed by Korean culture and language.<br />
But of the 115 people who said they are not willing to date a Korean, most cited cultural differences, followed by Koreans' perceived work obsession and conservatism.<br />
<br />
Source: The Chosun Ilbo<br /> </div>
</div>
Yaisana Huidromhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05196540784360483846noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6057800762306746762.post-53990247033814383662014-04-12T02:01:00.000-07:002014-04-12T02:01:06.331-07:00I am also waiting here in India : Just Like Apple! Smartphone Shoppers Are Waiting in Line for Samsung's Galaxy S5<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<br />
<h1 class="title Fw-b Fz-30 Lh-12" id="yui_3_15_0_1_1397289597937_448" style="color: #333333;">
</h1>
<div class="wrapper" id="yui_3_15_0_1_1397289597937_443">
<div class="main-container" id="yui_3_15_0_1_1397289597937_442">
<div class="sidebar-container top" id="yui_3_15_0_1_1397289597937_441">
<div class="author-info">
<a class="author-photo-link" data-action-outcome="navigate" data-rapid_p="21" data-ylk="g:e10a6291-5011-3e0e-abf7-0df90454fb04;t1:a5;t4:16;ct:1;elm:itm;elmt:cat;itc:0" href="https://www.yahoo.com/tech/author/jason-gilbert" id="yui_3_15_0_1_1397289597937_439"><img alt="Jason O. Gilbert" class="author-photo" height="428" id="yui_3_15_0_1_1397289597937_438" src="https://s1.yimg.com/cd/resizer/original/PbpUIFtYwmD3nhWNR2qRowkiGiw" width="640" /></a></div>
<div class="author-info">
</div>
<div class="author-info">
<cite class="byline" id="yui_3_15_0_1_1397289597937_453"><span class="author-name" id="yui_3_15_0_1_1397289597937_452"><a data-action-outcome="navigate" data-rapid_p="22" data-ylk="g:e10a6291-5011-3e0e-abf7-0df90454fb04;t1:a5;t4:16;ct:1;elm:itm;elmt:cat;itc:0" href="https://www.yahoo.com/tech/author/jason-gilbert" id="yui_3_15_0_1_1397289597937_451" rel="author">Jason O. Gilbert</a> </span><span class="author-title" id="yui_3_15_0_1_1397289597937_454">Technology Editor</span><date class="date" id="yui_3_15_0_1_1397289597937_455">Apr 11, 2014</date></cite> </div>
</div>
<main class="text-body unroutable" id="yui_3_15_0_1_1397289597937_319"><div id="yui_3_15_0_1_1397289597937_456">
On Friday <a data-rapid_p="23" data-ylk="elm:itm;elmt:link;g:e10a6291-5011-3e0e-abf7-0df90454fb04;ct:1;t1:a5;t4:18;itc:0;" href="https://www.yahoo.com/tech/samsungs-galaxy-s5-smartphone-is-now-on-sale-82387656394.html" id="yui_3_15_0_1_1397289597937_457" target="_blank">Samsung released its Galaxy S5 smartphone</a>, the Apple rival’s top competitor to the iPhone. And just like each new iPhone does, the Galaxy S5 attracted lines of eager shoppers hoping to be among the first to own the new phone.</div>
<div id="yui_3_15_0_1_1397289597937_488">
Well, it attracted lines in <em>some</em> cities, anyway. </div>
<div id="yui_3_15_0_1_1397289597937_463">
Here’s the scene in London, spotted by the (slightly-biased) <a data-rapid_p="24" data-ylk="elm:itm;elmt:link;g:e10a6291-5011-3e0e-abf7-0df90454fb04;ct:1;t1:a5;t4:18;itc:0;" href="http://www.androidcentral.com/samsung-experience-stores-uk-see-big-line-ups-galaxy-s5" target="_blank">folks at Android Central</a>. “It’s no iPhone line, sure” Android Police officer/writer Richard Devine concluded, “but it’s still damn impressive.”</div>
<br />
<div id="yui_3_15_0_1_1397289597937_465">
<img alt="Just Like Apple! Smartphone Shoppers Are Waiting in Line for Samsung's Galaxy S5" height="306" id="yui_3_15_0_1_1397289597937_464" src="https://s1.yimg.com/cd/resizer/FIT_TO_WIDTH-w500/5c957fb66e95dad29e31d615705862dc0f6f94d9" width="500" /></div>
<a data-rapid_p="25" data-ylk="elm:itm;elmt:link;g:e10a6291-5011-3e0e-abf7-0df90454fb04;ct:1;t1:a5;t4:18;itc:0;" href="https://twitter.com/ianus/status/454588244475514880/photo/1" target="_blank">Twitter user Ianus Keller</a> shared this panoramic shot of a long line in the Netherlands:<br />
<img alt="image" height="401" src="https://s1.yimg.com/cd/resizer/FIT_TO_WIDTH-w500/bb3dd2773d0139c04fe80d481d84492214674507" width="500" /><br />
And <a data-rapid_p="26" data-ylk="elm:itm;elmt:link;g:e10a6291-5011-3e0e-abf7-0df90454fb04;ct:1;t1:a5;t4:18;itc:0;" href="https://twitter.com/STcom/status/454484174443786241" target="_blank">the Singapore Times snapped this photo</a> of “hundreds” queued up for the Galaxy S5 in — well, Singapore.<br />
<img alt="image" height="284" src="https://s1.yimg.com/cd/resizer/FIT_TO_WIDTH-w500/0dc3e6476cabe3c64918248c8a851ca82a8963e3" width="500" /><br />
<br />
Here’s another, more modest line from Singapore, <a data-rapid_p="27" data-ylk="elm:itm;elmt:link;g:e10a6291-5011-3e0e-abf7-0df90454fb04;ct:1;t1:a5;t4:18;itc:0;" href="https://www.facebook.com/DigitalLifeSG/photos/a.416286147253.212467.404765837253/10152314922937254/?type=1" target="_blank">shared on Digital Life Singapore’s Facebook page</a>:<br />
<br />
<img alt="image" height="333" src="https://s3.yimg.com/cd/resizer/FIT_TO_WIDTH-w500/80fdc7582efff2b10150a4f9cdc66f5228003180" width="500" /><br />
<br />
It wasn’t all lines and queues for Samsung, however. Whereas almost all Apple stores tend to attract huge crowds on release day, the Galaxy S series isn’t <em>quite </em>there yet in terms of broad, overwhelming appeal — a fact that some Apple fans gleefully pointed out on Twitter.<br />
Here’s <a data-rapid_p="28" data-ylk="elm:itm;elmt:link;g:e10a6291-5011-3e0e-abf7-0df90454fb04;ct:1;t1:a5;t4:18;itc:0;" href="https://twitter.com/rjonesy/status/454464118649413632" target="_blank">Australia-based Apple developer Ryan Jones</a>, sharing a photo from Melbourne.<br />
<img alt="image" height="595" src="https://s2.yimg.com/cd/resizer/FIT_TO_WIDTH-w500/eb70d0d85d90177d3490afcff1f827d874e988ff" width="500" /><br />
Here’s James Covington, in Jersey City, New Jersey:<br />
<img alt="image" height="547" src="https://s1.yimg.com/cd/resizer/FIT_TO_WIDTH-w500/5c8a2c766c18924c1d9c53f13a424c60039deba1" width="500" /><br />
Even in Seoul, South Korea — where Samsung is based, and where almost everybody owns a Samsung phone — the scene was subdued. Jonathan Cheng, who covers Samsung in Seoul for the Wall Street Journal, <a data-rapid_p="29" data-ylk="elm:itm;elmt:link;g:e10a6291-5011-3e0e-abf7-0df90454fb04;ct:1;t1:a5;t4:18;itc:0;" href="https://twitter.com/JChengWSJ/status/454621258366210050" target="_blank">described the mood</a> as “really, really quiet” in a tweet:<br />
<div id="yui_3_15_0_1_1397289597937_490">
<img alt="image" height="633" id="yui_3_15_0_1_1397289597937_489" src="https://s.yimg.com/cd/resizer/FIT_TO_WIDTH-w477/de1ab550cfd57bd198928a0f61e89773eb73b090" width="477" /></div>
<div id="yui_3_15_0_1_1397289597937_497">
You may remember that <a data-rapid_p="30" data-ylk="elm:itm;elmt:link;g:e10a6291-5011-3e0e-abf7-0df90454fb04;ct:1;t1:a5;t4:18;itc:0;" href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/09/20/samsung-mocks-iphone-5-commercial_n_1898443.html" id="yui_3_15_0_1_1397289597937_498" target="_blank">Samsung mocked Apple fanboys who waited in line</a> for the iPhone in a series of ads for last year’s Galaxy S4. Those ads were apparently so successful that now Samsung has attracted line-waiters of its own. </div>
<div id="yui_3_15_0_1_1397289597937_494">
You can <a data-rapid_p="31" data-ylk="elm:itm;elmt:link;g:e10a6291-5011-3e0e-abf7-0df90454fb04;ct:1;t1:a5;t4:18;itc:0;" href="https://www.yahoo.com/tech/samsungs-galaxy-s5-smartphone-is-now-on-sale-82387656394.html" id="yui_3_15_0_1_1397289597937_496" target="_blank">read more about the release of the Galaxy S5 here</a>, and don’t miss <a data-rapid_p="32" data-ylk="elm:itm;elmt:link;g:e10a6291-5011-3e0e-abf7-0df90454fb04;ct:1;t1:a5;t4:18;itc:0;" href="https://www.yahoo.com/tech/the-samsung-galaxy-s5-when-a-committee-builds-a-82236357298.html" id="yui_3_15_0_1_1397289597937_495" target="_blank">David Pogue’s review of Samsung’s latest right here</a>. </div>
<div id="yui_3_15_0_1_1397289597937_491">
<em id="yui_3_15_0_1_1397289597937_493">You don’t have to wait in line to <a data-rapid_p="33" data-ylk="elm:itm;elmt:link;g:e10a6291-5011-3e0e-abf7-0df90454fb04;ct:1;t1:a5;t4:18;itc:0;" href="http://facebook.com/yahootech" id="yui_3_15_0_1_1397289597937_492" target="_blank">follow Yahoo Tech on Facebook</a>. </em></div>
<em></em><br />
<em></em> </main></div>
</div>
</div>
Yaisana Huidromhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05196540784360483846noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6057800762306746762.post-14593660521874794922014-04-09T00:34:00.001-07:002014-04-09T00:34:28.670-07:00Amhaeng-eosa: secret royal inspector in Joseon Kingdom <div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<h1>
</h1>
<!--
<div class="view_page_news_img_wrapper">
<img src="../images/view-page-news-img-1.png">
</div>
<div class="view_page_news_caption">
<p>
Russia’s then President-elect Vladimir Putin chairs a meeting of the supervisory board of Agency for Strategic Initiatives in Moscow, Russia, May 3. ITAR-TASS-Yonhap</p>
</div>
-->
<br />
<div class="view_page_news_article_wrapper" id="p">
<table border="0" cellspacing="0" class="tinymce_table" style="border-collapse: collapse; margin: 0px auto; text-align: center; width: 100px;">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td><img alt=" " height="312" src="http://img.koreatimes.co.kr/upload/newsV2/images/05-07(13).jpg" width="450" /></td></tr>
<tr>
<td class="caption" style="background-color: #ebebeb; color: #282828; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 12px/normal "nexus serif", georgia, serif; padding: 3px; text-align: left;">A
scene from “Amhaeng-eosa,” an epic drama series in the
1980s</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span><em><br /></em></span>
<table border="0" cellspacing="0" class="tinymce_table" style="border-collapse: collapse; float: right; margin: 0px 0px 0px 5px; width: 100px;">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td><img alt=" " height="104" src="http://img.koreatimes.co.kr/upload/newsV2/images/Jangseogak(5).jpg" width="200" /></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span><em>This
is the seventh of a 20-part Jangseogak Archives series in collaboration with the
Academy of Korean Studies. ― ED.</em><br /><br />By Sim Jae-woo (The Academy of
Korean Studies)<br /></span>
<table border="0" cellspacing="0" class="tinymce_table" style="border-collapse: collapse; float: right; margin: 0px 0px 0px 5px; width: 100px;">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td><img alt=" " height="236" src="http://img.koreatimes.co.kr/upload/newsV2/images/05-06(33).jpg" width="200" /></td></tr>
<tr>
<td class="caption" style="background-color: #ebebeb; color: #282828; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 12px/normal "nexus serif", georgia, serif; padding: 3px;"><span><span style="background-color: #ebebeb;">Professor
Sim Jae-woo of the Academy of Korean
Studies</span></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span>These days, news of a modern
version of the “amhaeng-eosa” or secret royal inspector prevails throughout the
country.<br /><br />There was a story about a military unit that introduced an
undercover system to unearth internal problems in its barracks. Meanwhile,
undercover election observers have reportedly worked against fraudulent and
manipulated elections.<br /><br />This shows that the concept of the Joseon
Kingdom-style secret royal inspector is still being applied today.<br /><br />So,
who actually were the amhaeng-eosa in the Joseon Kingdom? They were undercover
officials directly appointed by the king and were sent to local provinces to
punish corrupt officials and comfort the sufferings of people while traveling
incognito. The amhaeng-eosa system was one of the most excellent inspection
systems in the world, the likes of which is very unique and hard to find in
other countries.<br /><br />In early China, there were royal inspectors appointed by
the emperor looking over local provinces, but they did not perform inspections
incognito like the Joseon secret royal inspectors did. <br /><br />The secret royal
inspectors were dispatched to local provinces to monitor government officials
and look after the populace on behalf of the king. If the inspectors found cases
that were unjustly judged, they presided in a retrial to redress wrongdoing.
Consequently, they became welcome guests to the public. Amheeng-eosa were the
secret officials dispatched by the king in the era but their achievements are
worth reviewing from this point of time.<br /><br />Generally, young and
incorruptible officials were recommended for amhaeng-eosa by retainers and were
appointed directly by the king, though their positions were not as high a rank
as people may think. For their secret missions, they received a letter of
appointment or “bongseo” from the king, and a description of their destination
for surveillance was written in the letter. The appointed officials were
basically required to leave as soon as they received their missions. <br /><br />The
secret royal inspectors kept "horse requisition tablets" called “mapae” and
“rulers” called “yuchuk” with them throughout their missions. Mapae was a symbol
of the secret royal inspector. There were horses carved on the mapae, meaning
the inspectors could commandeer as many horses as were carved on the mapae. The
mapae was used not only to ask for horses but also to prove identity. Whenever
the inspector made an appearance, a team of royal inspectors reportedly
exclaimed: “Now entering, the secret royal inspector,” presenting the mapae in
hand. The mapae was used as a stamp of the inspector. <br /><br />Yuchuk is a brazen
ruler and usually two yuchuk were given to the secret royal inspector. One was
to measure the implements of punishment for criminals, to restrain the overuse
of punishment by checking whether each province implemented the right punishment
according to the code of law. The other one was to investigate whether the
measurement system for taxation was correctly followed. <br /><br />However, the
mission of a secret royal inspector was not an easy job. Although they were the
rigorous royal inspectors who even terrified tyrannical officials, they faced
many challenges. They traveled wearing ragged robes, broken hats with little
money. Sometimes they had to sleep in an old inn, were exposed to danger or even
got mysteriously killed while performing surveillance and concealing their
identity.<br /><br />After the completion of their mission, inspectors presented
reports to the king called “seogye” and “byuldan.” In seogye, rights and wrongs
committed by former and active local officials were written in detail, and the
byuldan included indictments of the province that they inspected, the mood of
the populace and virtuous villagers for awards. The Joseon Kingdom took actions
based on the reports of the inspectors, for instance, taking disciplinary
measures against corrupt local officials and conferring awards on virtuous women
and exemplary sons. <br /><br />Of the secret royal inspectors of the Joseon era,
Park Mun-su (during KingYeongjo's reign) is considered to be the most famous
figure. He had a lot of administrative experience and was thoughtful and caring
about the lives of ordinary people, so he insisted that the government help
people starving from famine and make a national effort to encourage old maids to
marry. It is obvious that such a person must have left a strong impression on
the people when serving as righteous a judge and secret royal
inspector.<br />Although the extraordinary works of the inspectors have been known
as Park's achievements in many legends and folk tales so far, it is important to
remember that there were numerous scholars and officials who served as
inspectors besides Park. <br />Representative figures who served in the Middle
Joseon period include Yi Hwang, who is the most prominent Korean Confucian
scholar; Park Se-dang, who had advanced views and ended being accused as a
samunanjeok (one who causes social agitation by interpreting the dogma of
Confucianism samunanjeok from a different standpoint); Nam Gu-man, who was
active during Sukjong's reign; Jeong Yak-yong and Kim Jeong-hui who were the
greatest scholars of the 19th century; and Uh Yun-jung and Lee Gun-chang during
Gojong's reign.<br /><br />There were a large number of inspectors who tried to
share the suffering, joy and sorrow of the people by travelling in rags instead
of donning official uniforms. <br />As mentioned above, various secret royal
inspectors were in action during the 500 years of the Joseon Kingdom.
<br /><br />The system was very effective in reducing corruption in provinces and
tightening discipline among government officials. Therefore, we need to inherit
and develop the secret inspector system and its sprit as an exemplary case for
bureaucratic operations. <br /><br />Currently, the Jangseogak Archives contain many
documents about government officials who served as royal inspectors, and even
literature related to the 21st King, Yeongjo, who made a special effort to solve
the civil complaints of people by sending secret royal inspectors
frequently.<br /><br />In this ideal season for an outing, why don’t you come visit
the Jangseogak Archives and see the vivid tracks of the Joseon secret royal
inspectors?</span></div>
<div class="view_page_news_article_wrapper">
</div>
<div class="view_page_news_article_wrapper">
Source: The Korea Times</div>
<div class="view_page_news_article_wrapper">
</div>
</div>
Yaisana Huidromhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05196540784360483846noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6057800762306746762.post-10913759458329543452014-04-09T00:23:00.000-07:002014-04-09T00:23:13.513-07:00Rice Still the Main Source of Energy for Koreans<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<h2 class="art_title">
</h2>
<div class="article" id="ArticlePar01" style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">
<div class="img_right" style="width: 240px;">
<img alt="" height="281" id="artImg0" src="http://english.chosun.com/site/data/img_dir/2014/02/17/2014021700656_0.jpg" title="" width="320" /> </div>
Rice is still the main energy source for most of the Asian Countries, the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said last month, though the proportion is dwindling steadily.<br /><br />Rice accounted for 31.6 percent of energy sources in 2012, down from 42 percent in 1998. Daily calories obtained from rice also decreased 25 percent from 834.2 kcal to 629.4 kcal. People now consume less than two bowls of rice a day. <br /><br />The main reason is a growing variety of available food and the resulting dietary changes. But we must stick with rice as it gives energy and moreover staple for us.<br /></div>
</div>
Yaisana Huidromhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05196540784360483846noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6057800762306746762.post-13358961276954045842014-04-09T00:16:00.001-07:002014-04-09T00:16:28.588-07:00Who deosn't love Fashion : Kim Jong-un Brings Sunglasses Back into Fashion <div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<h2 class="art_title">
</h2>
<div class="article" id="ArticlePar01" style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">
<div class="img_left" style="width: 240px;">
<img alt="North Korean leader Kim Jong-un speaks during his visit to the Samji Monument at Mt. Baekdu on Tuesday. /Rodong Sinmun" height="616" id="artImg0" src="http://english.chosun.com/site/data/img_dir/2014/04/04/2014040401712_0.jpg" title="" width="640" /> North Korean leader Kim Jong-un speaks during his visit to the Samji Monument at Mt. Baekdu on Tuesday. /Rodong Sinmun </div>
<br />
North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has made a rare departure from copying the image of his grandfather, nation founder Kim Il-sung, by sporting a pair of sunglasses.<br />
The elder Kim disdained the shades beloved of many of his fellow despots in the latter part of the last century. But his grandson donned a fine pair during a visit to the Samji Monument at Mt. Baekdu on Tuesday.<br />
His father Kim Jong-il had a whole arsenal of tinted spectacles, though they were mostly of the elderly-widower type. Kim Jong-un's are snazzier.<br />
Observers believe that Kim junior, marking his third year in power, is now trying to shape his own distinctive image after being made over into a clone of his grandfather in a bid to lend legitimacy to the young leader.<br />
A source cited rumors that Kim's younger sister Yeo-jong has been coordinating his wardrobe since the ouster and execution of his mentor Jang Song-taek.<br />
<br />
Source: The Chosun Ilbo<br />
</div>
</div>
Yaisana Huidromhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05196540784360483846noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6057800762306746762.post-82332226535691606992014-04-09T00:07:00.004-07:002014-04-09T00:07:39.014-07:00Samsung Posts Solid Q1 Earnings <div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<h2 class="art_title">
</h2>
<div class="article" id="ArticlePar01" style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">
Samsung Electronics announced preliminary first-quarter earnings on Tuesday with sales totaling W53 trillion and operating profit W8.4 trillion (US$1=W1,052). <br /><br />Sales were up slightly compared to the same period of 2013 (W52.9 trillion), while operating profit shrank 4.3 percent. But operating profit was up 1.1 percent compared to the previous quarter’s poor results.<br /><br />The earnings largely met forecasts by analysts. <br /><br />By division, the mobile business achieved an operating profit of W6 trillion, similar to a year ago. Smartphone sales totaled around 90 million units, setting a new record. Semiconductor and TV sales also boomed.<br /><br />The latest results confirm that the global smartphone market is approaching saturation and the explosive growth seen two to three years ago cannot be expected any longer. <br /><br />But analysts said that although Samsung's explosive growth phase is over, the electronics giant will continue to post quarterly operating profits in the W8 trillion range. This suggests that Samsung and rival Apple have now achieved a stable market share where they account for a combined 97 percent of operating profit in the global smartphone market. <br /><br />But analysts point out that Samsung remains too dependent on smartphones and could face a crisis if it fails to roll out innovative products.<br />
<br />
Source: The Chosun Ilbo<br />
</div>
</div>
Yaisana Huidromhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05196540784360483846noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6057800762306746762.post-44981536278072113982014-03-23T00:57:00.003-07:002014-03-23T00:57:22.125-07:00Seoul Braces for Disruptions for Filming of "Avengers" Sequel<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<h2 class="art_title">
Commuters and Seoul residents may experience some inconvenience traveling around the city from March 30 to April 14 due to the filming of the sequel to the Hollywood blockbuster "The Avengers."</h2>
<div class="article" id="ArticlePar01" style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">
Traffic will be blocked in several downtown areas such as Mapo Bridge and Gangnam areas to facilitate the filming of car chase and battle scenes, the Seoul Metropolitan Government said on Tuesday.<br />
It promised to try and minimize the inconvenience to citizens in cooperation with local police.<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="img_center" style="width: 500px;">
<img alt="" id="artImg1" src="http://english.chosun.com/site/data/img_dir/2014/03/19/2014031901732_0.jpg" title="" /> <br />
<br />
</div>
"Avengers: Age of Ultron" follows the exploits of a team of superheroes as they do battle with a villainous robot. Major battle and chase scenes set in Seoul will take up about 15 to 20 minutes of the two-hour film. About W10 billion (US$1=W1,071) will be spent on shooting in Seoul. <br />
Last month, Marvel Studios, which is producing the movie, said that "key elements" of the superhero film will be filmed in Seoul, and that other locations include Aosta Valley in Italy, Johannesburg in South Africa, London and parts of the U.S.<br />
Seoul will be portrayed as a city featuring cutting-edge technology and ultramodern buildings. The headquarters of a Korean IT institute on a small islet on the Han River will also play a central role as villainous robot Ultron tries to acquire state-of-the-art technology. The superheroes are tasked with protecting the institute and keeping the world safe.<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="img_right" style="width: 250px;">
<img 2015.="" age="" alt="Actress Kim Soo-hyun attends an event on Tuesday to sign a memorandum of understanding between the Seoul Metropolitan Government and Marvel Studios for the filming of the Hollywood blockbuster " be="" cast="" film="" id="artImg2" in="" kim="" of="" released="" sometime="" src="http://english.chosun.com/site/data/img_dir/2014/03/19/2014031901732_1.jpg" the="" title="" to="" ultron.="" was="" /> Actress Kim Soo-hyun attends an event on Tuesday to sign a memorandum of understanding between the Seoul Metropolitan Government and Marvel Studios for the filming of the Hollywood blockbuster "Avengers: Age of Ultron." Kim was cast in the film to be released sometime in 2015. </div>
Korean actress Kim Soo-hyun, who drew much attention when she was cast in the movie, will play a scientist at the institute. <br />
The core scene set in Seoul involves Ultron laying parts of the city to waste. It will be shot partly at densely populated areas near Gangnam Subway Station.<br />
"We cannot disclose detailed shooting locations for security reasons, but as some chaotic blast scenes are scheduled to be filmed, safety is our primary concern," said a city official. "We have arranged fire trucks around the areas. A scene in which one of the characters, Iron Man, flies over the Digital Media City in Sangam-dong and Han River Park will show the harmony of nature and the modern beauty of Seoul." <br />
The city government and police are trying to figure out ways to adjust bus routes and create detours to best control traffic during filming. <br />
"We expect that filming the sequel of 'The Avengers' in Seoul will help promote the city," said Kang Ki-hong, vice president of the Korea Tourism Organization. <br />
The comic-based film proved a huge hit when the first installment was released in 2012, drawing over 7 million moviegoers here.<br />
<br />
</div>
</div>
Yaisana Huidromhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05196540784360483846noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6057800762306746762.post-18634014208478031412014-03-23T00:52:00.002-07:002014-03-23T00:52:50.141-07:00Family Reunions Could Be Held Regularly<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<h2 class="art_title">
Family Reunions </h2>
<div class="article" id="ArticlePar01" style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">
Cross-border family reunions could become a regular occurrence if the current event proceeds smoothly, experts speculate. <br /><br />This would give more families separated by the Korean War the chance to meet relatives from the other side of the border. Experts are encouraged because for the first time North Korean officials refrained from nitpicking over the arrangements.<br />
<img alt="North Koreas pre-eminent mathematician Cho Ju-kyong meets his mother during family reunions in Seoul in 2000." height="400" id="artImg1" src="http://english.chosun.com/site/data/img_dir/2014/03/19/2014031901866_0.jpg" title="" width="320" /><br />
North Korea's pre-eminent mathematician Cho Ju-kyong meets his mother during family reunions in Seoul in 2000. <br />
<br />
<br />Seoul is likely to resume limited humanitarian aid of rice and fertilizer if Pyongyang is willing to expand the family reunions. Chung Sung-jang at the Sejong Institute said, "The government needs to consider expanding aid to fertilizer and farming equipment if the reunions are broadened or separated families can exchange letters regularly."<br /><br />Seoul can also expect more cooperation if it agrees to resume package tours to the Mt. Kumgang resort, he added.<br /><br />The package tours were a significant cash cow for the North before a South Korean tourist was shot dead there in 2008 and they were suspended. Whether the North will apologize for the shooting and pledge to prevent a recurrence remains to be seen.<br /><br />Pyongyang is keen for Seoul to end a ban on cross-border trade and new investment in the North imposed in 2010 after the sinking of the Navy corvette Cheonan and shelling of Yeonpyeong Island.<br /><br />"The North could revive the issue of South Korean prisoners of war who are still held there or developing special economic zones to lure investment from the South," said Cho Han-bum of the Korea Institute for National Unification. <br /><br />But unless palpable economic benefits for the North materialize soon, some pundits worry, the mood could swing back to icy again.<br />
<br />
</div>
</div>
Yaisana Huidromhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05196540784360483846noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6057800762306746762.post-29300545491707203522014-03-23T00:46:00.002-07:002014-03-23T00:46:34.187-07:00Camellia World: Jangsa Island Proves Perfect Location for Out-of-This-World Date<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<h2 class="art_title">
</h2>
<div class="article" id="ArticlePar01" style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">
It was a contemptuous stare from my girlfriend of four years that ultimately prompted me to book a trip to Jangsa Island in Tongyeong, South Gyeongsang Province where the SBS TV drama "My Love from the Star" was shot. <br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="img_center" style="width: 500px;">
<img alt="" id="artImg1" src="http://english.chosun.com/site/data/img_dir/2014/03/14/2014031401385_0.jpg" title="" /> <br />
</div>
The look in question came after she watched an episode from the hugely popular TV show. I could see she was comparing me to actor Kim Soo-hyun. <br /><br />Thanks to Kim's character, and especially his supernatural powers, many women are now demanding more from their boyfriends. They used to want to have their own Prince Charming, then the trend was for someone more masculine and macho, but now women want their partners to have the power of a superhero! What more can I do? I can't turn into an alien like Kim's character. <br /><br />Kim took Jeon Ji-hyun, the lead actress in "My Love from the Star," to Jangsa Island using his extraterrestrial powers. It was a beautiful scene in a stunning natural setting, in which Jeon confesses her love to Kim. <br />
<br />
<div class="img_center" style="width: 500px;">
<img alt="" id="artImg2" src="http://english.chosun.com/site/data/img_dir/2014/03/14/2014031401385_1.jpg" title="" /> <br />
<br />
</div>
When I arrived at the ferry terminal in Tongyeong it was early morning but the lines were already long. People were taking photos in front of posters of the popular drama, enjoying their escape from reality as they pretended to be either Kim or Jeon. There were a large number of tourists from China, reflecting the explosive popularity of the soap there. <br /><br />A 40-minute ferry ride south of the port takes you to the island, which looks like a long snake. Tourists have two hours to enjoy the island until the ferry leaves to take them back. As they must depart from a different dock, tours of the island are designed to lead from one dock to the other for maximum convenience.<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="img_center" style="width: 500px;">
<img alt="" id="artImg3" src="http://english.chosun.com/site/data/img_dir/2014/03/14/2014031401385_2.jpg" title="" /> </div>
<br />
<br />
The famous camellia tunnel path comes into view within five minutes of setting foot on land. This 60-m road boasts over 100,000 naturally grown camellia trees, with the oldest dating back 250 years. It was the first place that Kim and Jeon visited on the island. Now, it is no longer peaceful but bustling with tourists. <br /><br />However, its untarnished beauty remains intact. Red camellia flowers grow in profusion against a low stone wall along the path to captivate visitors’ attention. Along the way to the departure dock, there are over 1,000 types of plants growing in natural harmony. Although the island is currently uninhabited, the buildings that housed its former tenants until they left some 30 years ago remain in place. <br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="img_center" style="width: 500px;">
<img alt="" id="artImg4" src="http://english.chosun.com/site/data/img_dir/2014/03/14/2014031401385_3.jpg" title="" /> </div>
<br />
<br />
Jangsa Island stands about 100 m above sea level, making it a great spot to take pictures with the sea as a striking backdrop. Rainbow Bridge, which lies at the heart of the island, is perhaps the best place to take photos as you can combine the blue sea and green ridge of the island. <br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="img_center" style="width: 500px;">
<img alt="" id="artImg5" src="http://english.chosun.com/site/data/img_dir/2014/03/14/2014031401385_4.jpg" title="" /> <br />
<br />
</div>
Although Jangsa Island belongs to the administrative boundary of Tongyeong, it is closer to Geoje. You can take a ferry from either place to get there. For detailed schedules, contact Tongyeong ferry service (055-645-2307), Jangsa Island ferry service (055-637-8282), Nambu ferry service (055-632-4500) or Daepo cruise service (055-633-9401). The fare includes entry fee to the island, and ranges from W25,000 to W29,500 (US$1=W1,069) -- not too steep a price to emulate Kim and keep your sweetheart happy.<br />
<br />
Credit goes to<br />
<em> Hwang In-sik, a reporter at Digital Chosun</em><br />
<em></em> </div>
</div>
Yaisana Huidromhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05196540784360483846noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6057800762306746762.post-26173948346232080132014-02-28T12:02:00.003-08:002014-02-28T12:02:57.971-08:00Hoping to visit North Korea Someday ......and meet my Ajjassi his wife and daughter.<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Today, all of sudden in this middle of the night i.e. 1.15 min a.m I missed the Ajjassi or Mr. from North Korea . Maybe because I decided to continue writing my blogs which I have been keeping myself away for quite long, and its all about Korea ... Korea and yes my country India and of course my home town Manipur. <br />
<br />
How I have become so attached with the Ajjassi within a short span as I was assigned to help him as an interpreter her in Manipur regarding to give lesson Table Tennis course . How I was so curious to know more about that land . When I insist him to invite me when he reached his home country he used to deny saying " Do not come to my country " ... " No a right time "... but whenever we used to take him for outing of visiting other dignitaries he was adorned his batch of the then supremo Kim Jong il 's photo near his shirt pocket.<br />
<br />
He used to treat me like his own daughter and within a short period our bonding became so strong. Before he leave my state he wanted to get suggestion from me what to buy and what not for his family. He was so determined not to disclosed anything about his land , and showed strong hatred of Capitalism yet he wanted to purchased Apple laptop for his only child daughter who is my age and received distinction in her class. <br />
<br />
Along with this I would like to share this information I have come across from The Chosun Newspaper of South Korea, N.Korean Defector's Book Recalls Grueling Ordeal .<br />
<br />
North Korean defector Kim Eun-sun, now a senior at Sogang University in Seoul, fled her repressive home country to South Korea in 2006. Her story first gained international attention when she told her story to Sebastian Falletti, the Seoul correspondent for the French daily Le Figaro. Earlier this month, the Korean version of their book "Corée du Nord: 9 ans pour fuir l'enfer" was released here, and she hopes it helps people understand North Korean defectors better and remember where they came from. <br /><br />The book tells the story of how, in 1997, aged only 11, Eun-sun came close to death from starvation. Her mother had to sell their furniture and even blankets to survive after her father died of malnutrition. When she ran out of things to sell, her mother decided to escape to China with Eun-sun and her older sister, thinking, "If we were to die like this, it'd be better to die trying to run away." <br /><br />They risked their life to cross the Duman River to China, but their life there was no less horrible than the one they left behind in the North. <br /><br />Kim, her mother and sister wandered in search of food, only to be sold to a man in Hunchun for just 2,000 yuan by human traffickers. Her mother gave birth to a baby boy there, but at least they didn't have to worry about starving to death.<br />
<br />
<div class="img_center" style="width: 500px;">
<img alt="Kim Eun-sun" height="356" id="artImg2" src="http://english.chosun.com/site/data/img_dir/2013/10/23/2013102300442_1.jpg" title="" width="500" /> Kim Eun-sun </div>
<br />
Kim vividly recalls the night they were caught by Chinese police and sent back to North Korea. A neighbor had reported them to the authorities for the reward money. <br /><br />Kim says she still longed to return to her homeland while living with the Chinese man, but when she set foot on North Korean soil again, she was treated like "human scum." Her mother grew ill but was left untreated. Miraculously, the three women escaped again. <br /><br />Her sister lived apart from Kim and her mother and went into hiding because she was afraid of being captured again. "We did all kinds of work to make money," Kim said. In 2006, Kim and her mother paid 20,000 yuan each to a broker to defect to South Korea. They had to work for four years to save up enough money to buy their trip to South Korea, where they eventually reunited with her sister.<br /><br />In 2009, Kim started studying Chinese culture and psychology at Sogang University and now she is getting ready to find a job. Although successfully integrated into South Korean society, Kim says she will never forget her identity, which is why she decided to write about her life. <br /><br />"I was worried that my brother in Hunchun might be affected, but I only hope that more people around the world become aware of the plight of North Korean defectors," she said.<br /><br />Kim stresses that what she went through in North Korea and China was no different than what other defectors had to endure. "Defectors have almost no way of making others aware of what is going on in North Korea," she said. "I believe I tried to write what they want to tell the world." <br />
</div>
Yaisana Huidromhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05196540784360483846noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6057800762306746762.post-88727098387032011492014-02-28T11:41:00.003-08:002014-02-28T11:41:56.997-08:00Who doesn't love Shopping : Dongdaemun Market............. Never Sleeps<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<h2 class="art_title">
</h2>
<div class="article" id="ArticlePar01" style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">
Nestled on the boundary between the central Jung and Jongno districts of downtown Seoul, Dongdaemun Market straddles a 585,700 sq.m area and is home to around 35,000 stores that employ some 150,000 people. <br /><br />It used to be a wholesale clothing market catering to local customers, but now Dongdaemun Market has secured its place on the international fashion scene and is frequented by customers from around the world. A chief retailer with a committee overseeing the market said every year, more than 2.5 million foreigners visit Dongdaemun Market and generate more than US$3 billion in sales. Annual revenues total around W15 trillion (US$1=W1,068).<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="img_center" style="width: 500px;">
<img alt="" id="artImg1" src="http://english.chosun.com/site/data/img_dir/2014/01/11/2014011100406_0.jpg" title="" /> </div>
◆ Fashion and Textile Hub<br /><br />The greatest strength of Dongdaemun Market is its "one-stop" system, where the entire process of designing, manufacturing and sales takes place in the same area. <br /><br />Hong Woon-pyo, who sells women's clothes, comes to work at 9 a.m. and checks fabric samples and accessories presented by a designer. After that, the designer buys fabric and other materials to create a sample outfit and heads to the production line in another part of the area at around 2 p.m. The finished product is brought back by courier at around 7 p.m. <br /><br />Big store owners in Dongdaemun employ three to four designers and introduce seven to eight new apparel lines every week. "These days, the trend is to come up with a wide range of clothes in small amounts for young consumers who tend to seek uniqueness and individuality," he said.<br /><br />Dongdaemun-based brands constantly come out with new products, boosting production of popular lines and wasting no time scrapping unpopular ones. <br /><br />Kwon Jong-yeol, CEO of Bangbang Apparel, which got its start at Dongdaemun Market in 1961, said, "The core competitiveness of Dongdaemun Market is to respond quickly to the needs of consumers by coming out with a wide variety of designs."<br /><br />This system can be seen as the precursor to the popular fast-fashion brands such as Zara, Uniqlo and H&M. Those fast-fashion brands respond quickly to the needs of consumers, but they are no match for Dongdaemun fashion stores when it comes to speed. <br /><br />Roh Jeong-ho at fashion retailer Shinsegae International, who got his start selling clothes in Dongdaemun Market, said, "Dongdaemun is the only place in the world where fashion design, production and sales all take place within a five to 10 km radius."<br /><br />◆ No Longer Cheap Clothes<br /><br />In the past, Dongdaemun brands were famously cheap. But these days, the top department stores invite Dongdaemun brands to set up shops inside their stores, while foreign buyers favor them for their superior quality with relatively low prices.<br /><br />This was possible by maintaining speedy production procedures while improving quality. One designer who runs a men's brand, said, "We are targeting high-end fashion clients who prefer clothes that are different to standardized products made by large fashion houses."<br />
<br />
</div>
</div>
Yaisana Huidromhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05196540784360483846noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6057800762306746762.post-46139610468145349702014-02-28T11:38:00.000-08:002014-02-28T11:38:00.609-08:00How the Korean New Year Traditions Differ from other Neighbouring Countries<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<h2 class="art_title">
</h2>
<div class="article" id="ArticlePar01" style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">
Korea, China and Japan share some traditions, but each has also each developed its own distinctive traditions for the Lunar New Year.<br /><br />People in Korea and China prepare food for an ancestral memorial service, and uniquely in Korea children perform a ceremonial bow to their elders and often get a cash gift in return. <br /><br />Koreans also celebrate the day by sharing a meal of tteokguk or rice cake soup with their family. Pheasants were once thought best ingredient to make the soup, but since they are hard to get hold of, many had to use chicken instead. These days, poultry has been replaced by beef.<br /><br />Seasonal customs include making bokjori or rice strainers, or flying a kite, and a board game played by tossing four sticks (yut-nori). Bokjori are believed to bring prosperity while driving away evil spirits if hung at an entrance of the house when the New Year starts.<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="img_center" style="width: 500px;">
<img alt="" id="artImg1" src="http://english.chosun.com/site/data/img_dir/2014/01/30/2014013000243_0.jpg" title="" /> </div>
<br />
<br />
In China, the Lunar New Year is officially a weeklong holiday, but some firms allow their employees to have 15 to 30 days off so as they can visit their ancestral hometowns, which can take days to reach. <br /><br />Like Koreans, Chinese also pay homage to their ancestors and exchange the New Year's greetings. Red envelopes with money are given to children because the color is thought to bring good fortune.<br /><br />Also, families gather to make dumplings and insert a coin in some of them. It is said that those who find a coin in their dumpling will make big money in the new year. <br /><br />Japan is different from its two neighboring countries as it observes the solar New Year. Only Jan. 1 is an official holiday but most firms extend it to three days. On the first day of the new year, the Japanese visit a shrine in their neighborhood to make a new year's wish.<br /><br />They also celebrate the day with a soup with rice cake and other ingredients.</div>
</div>
Yaisana Huidromhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05196540784360483846noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6057800762306746762.post-41917336693768923202014-02-28T11:17:00.002-08:002014-02-28T11:30:22.447-08:00Finally Wait is Over : Samsung Unveils Galaxy S5 Smartphone<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<h2 class="art_title">
</h2>
<div class="article" style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">
<div class="img_right" style="width: 240px;">
<img alt="" src="http://english.chosun.com/site/data/img_dir/2014/02/26/2014022601739_0.jpg" height="400" id="artImg0" title="" width="336" /> </div>
</div>
<div class="article" style="line-height: 20px;">
<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">Samsung Electronics unveiled its latest smartphone, the Galaxy S5, in Barcelona on Monday, the first day of the Mobile World Congress.<br /><br />The phone has a 5.1-inch screen, which is slightly larger than the previous model's 4.99 inches, but they have the same weight and thickness. <br /><br />The S5, however, upgrades the hardware significantly. The most distinctive feature is a 16 megapixel auto-focusing camera. It also comes with a heartbeat sensor and fingerprint scanner.<br /><br />Critics said the smartphone innovations have peaked, and there is little left that can be added to the repertoire. As the hardware capacities of rivals Apple, LG, Sony and Huawei improve, it is becoming increasingly difficult for Samsung to stay ahead of the game. <br /><br />Cho Shin at Yonsei University said although Samsung has managed to stay ahead of its rivals with the release of each Galaxy S series, the gap is narrowing. "Perhaps the limit is approaching." <br /><br />Instead, Samsung chose to bolster user-friendly functions, prompting the Wall Street Journal to observe that the firm went "back to basics."<br /><br />Samsung also unveiled three new smartwatches -- Samsung Gear 2, Gear 2 Neo and Gear Fit. The Gear Fit is capable of gauging users' heart rate, as well as the amount of exercise gained by walking, running and bicycling. The wearable devices feature curved screens to enhance comfort. <br /><br />One industry watcher said, "It shouldn't be too difficult to sell tens of millions [of the wearable smart devices], since they are follow-up models of the Galaxy S series, which racked up sales of more than 200 million units. We'll have to wait and see whether hardware innovations alone can guarantee the No. 1 global spot."<br /><br />Samsung plans to start selling the Galaxy S5 in 150 countries on April 11. Competition will heat up with the release of Apple's new iPhone in the second half of this year.</span></div>
<div class="article" style="line-height: 20px;">
<span style="font-family: Times; font-size: large;"></span><br /></div>
<div class="article" style="line-height: 20px;">
<span style="font-family: Times; font-size: large;"></span><br /></div>
<div class="article" style="line-height: 20px;">
</div>
</div>
Yaisana Huidromhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05196540784360483846noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6057800762306746762.post-4401533643043613762014-02-28T11:15:00.000-08:002014-02-28T11:15:01.478-08:00Exhibition on sexual slavery victims opens Saturday <div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span>By Kim Se-jeong/ The Korea Times</span></div>
<span><br /><a href="http://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/news/nation/2014/03/116_152473.html"><img height="240" src="http://img.koreatimes.co.kr/upload/thumbnailV2/comfort-women-150.jpg" width="400" /></a></span><br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="view_page_news_article_wrapper">
<span><br />A
special exhibition on the Korean victims of Japanese sexual slavery during World
War II will open at the National Museum of Korean Contemporary History in Seoul,
Saturday.</span><br /><br /><span>Highly publicized comic illustrations that were
presented at the Angouleme International Comics Festival in France in January
will be part of the display.</span><br /><br /><span>“I am glad these works are for
public viewing. I hope that people will remember history by learning more about
what happened to these women,” said Cho Yoon-seon, the minister for gender
equality and family.</span><br /><br /><span>The Ministry of Culture, Sports and
Tourism is a co-organizer of the exhibition, which will run until April
13.</span><br /><br /><span>Visitors will also be able to see booklets listing the
names of those forced into sexual slavery in China, a diary written by a
Japanese administrator and a collection of court testimonies by the
victims.</span><br /><br /><span>This collection is a timely reminder of a tragic
part of history which Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and other Japanese right-wing
politicians are trying to deny.</span><br /><br /><span>Abe has reportedly said that
Japan forcibly mobilizing women from neighboring countries for sexual slavery
for Japanese soldiers during WWII was a groundless
claim.</span><br /><br /><span>This angers many in South Korea, including the
government which has been campaigning vigorously to raise awareness about the
issue internationally. The festival in France was hailed as a triumph, having
deterred Japan’s attempt to cancel the presentation of more than 20 comics and
videos depicting the suffering of the victims.</span><br /><br /><span>The campaign
is likely to continue this year.</span><br /><br /><span>The Ministry of Gender
Equality and Family has doubled its annual budget allocation for this issue this
year.</span><br /><br /><span>The opening ceremony for the exhibition will start at
2:30 p.m. For more information, visit <a href="http://www.much.go.kr/">www.much.go.kr</a>.</span></div>
</div>
Yaisana Huidromhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05196540784360483846noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6057800762306746762.post-82943242000079519842014-02-28T11:11:00.002-08:002014-02-28T11:11:17.624-08:00Samsung to Supply Smartphone Equipment to Vodafone<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<h2 class="art_title">
<span style="font-size: small;"></span> </h2>
<div class="article" id="ArticlePar01" style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Samsung has signed a deal to supply smartphone equipment to Vodafone of the U.K., the company said Thursday. The two companies have yet to discuss specific details of coverage ranges and services.<br /><br />The contract involves fourth-generation LTE handsets as well as 3G and GSM devices. Samsung was chosen as one of Vodafone's network and equipment suppliers for a project worth US$1.11 million to upgrade mobile communications infrastructure there</span>.</span></div>
</div>
</div>
Yaisana Huidromhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05196540784360483846noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6057800762306746762.post-73894972877422625832014-02-15T06:54:00.000-08:002014-02-15T06:54:13.617-08:00LG Unveils their latest Smartphone<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<h2 class="art_title">
</h2>
<div class="article" id="ArticlePar01">
LG unveiled its latest flagship smartphone at a media event in Seoul on Thursday. The G Pro 2 is a larger version of the original G Pro and will hit stores in Korea next week.<br /><br />It features a 5.9-inch screen, slightly bigger than the previous model's 5.5 inches. LG increased the screen size by slimming the bezel to just 3 mm.<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="img_center" style="width: 500px;">
<img alt="" id="artImg1" src="http://english.chosun.com/site/data/img_dir/2014/02/14/2014021401523_0.jpg" title="" /> </div>
<br />
<br />
LG said the gadget offers improved security. It also comes with a 13- megapixel camera and one-watt-level speaker, the most powerful among smartphones manufactured here.<br /><br />LG hopes to consolidate its No. 3 position in the market after Samsung and Apple but faces growing competition from Lenovo of China, which recently bought Motorola from Google.</div>
</div>
Yaisana Huidromhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05196540784360483846noreply@blogger.com0