All about Makgeolli

The milky, off-white color….the deep, slightly bitter, mouth-watering taste…and the sweet finishing flavor….

Guess what it is?
Yes, indeed, we are talking about “makgeolli” here, one of Korea’s representative traditional alcoholic beverages.

In line with the recent makgeolli boom, the first web site devoted solely to makgeolli (http://www.jurojuro.com) has been launched by the Ministry of Food, Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries and the Korea Rice Foodstuffs Association.

“Juro” here refers to the journey of finding makgeolli and other tasty food along the road. It can also mean the longish table for placing liquor glasses, and by extension, the talk, laughter, and mingling among people taking place over a bowl of makgeolli.

http://www.jurojuro.com>

According to the Ministry of Food, this year’s makgeolli market is estimated to be around USD 550 million worth of scale. And 60% of the market nation-wide is dominated by a handful of major makgeolli manufactures, while for the capital region, as much as 70% is taken up by them.

The fact is that smaller, lesser-known, local makgeolli companies are losing ground in the competition with the giant companies. In case of Gyeonggi-do area, for instance, all 40 companies but for mere two or three are facing a drop in sales ever since the makgeolli boom.

So the Ministry of Food decided to open the above-mentioned web site to introduce and promote small and medium-sized makgeolli manufacturers that each have their own distinct color and flavor.

The web site’s two main themes are makgeolli and makgeolli side-dishes. There is a “Navigation” section where you can search for various types of makgeolli either according to its region or characteristics, as well as view customer reviews and experts analyses. There is also the “Liquor Talk” section where the visitors of the web site engage in free chats.

But I’d say the highlight of the site is the “makgeolli side-dishes” page, which introduces places that have the best dishes to go with makgeolli. Just by looking at the pictures of all kinds of “anjoo (dishes served with liquor),” your mouth will start watering!

There are around 700 makgeolli manufacturers throughout Korea, and as in the case of wine, each region boasts its own distinct flavor. On the web site, you can search for specific kinds of makgeolli that you want – whether it’s live makgeolli or sterilized makgeolli, or whether it’s made with Korean rice, exported rice, or flour etc. So you can pick and choose a makgeolli that just suits your taste.

Drinking makgeolli the right way?

Makgeolli tastes best when you stir it. Some people wait a while after pouring the liquor and just sip at the clear upper layer, saying it tastes crisp and clean that way, but then you’re missing out on the very gist of makgeolli. All the healthy parts – the yeast, lactic-acid bacteria, vitamin, fiber etc – are found in the sediment part that sinks to the bottom of your makgeolli bowl. So don’t forget to stir it!

The whiter makgeolli, the better?

Nope, that’s not true. The difference in color comes from different varieties of yeast. The Japanese-style rice yeast is closer to white in color, while wheat yeast, which is made in a typical Korean style, is somewhat yellowish in color. Rice yeast gives out a clear, simple taste and wheat yeast a richer and heavier taste. The choice is up to you.

Another tip: Sterilized makgeolli was made to enjoy the scent so it is best to keep it at around 5–10 degrees Celsius. In contrast, draught (live) makgeolli is made to savor the refreshing feeling of a carbonated drink, and so needs to be kept around 0–5 degrees Celsius.
Side dishes that go especially well with makgeolli? Among hundreds, I’d go for “jeon (Korean pancakes)” and “jokbal (pig’s feet)”!

The recent makgeolli boom is also in keeping with the Korean government’s efforts to globalize hansik (Korean cuisine) as well as to increase rice consumption.

And I hope the newly launched web site “www.jurojuro.com” plays its part as a tool to spread makgeolli culture to people both at home and abroad!

Saving the Earth with Electric Buses

Downsides of driving a car?
Yes, there is the price of gas that never seems to skyrocket.

But on a bigger scale, there are more fundamentally worrisome issues: Climate change and the drainage of natural resources, especially the fossil fuels.

In respond to this environmental crisis, the international community has been taking actions. One of the measures widely initiated by the countries worldwide is reduction of carbon emissions. And naturally, the automobile industry is tightly linked with that.

Ever heard of environment-friendly electric vehicles (EV)?

Among the possible future environment-friendly vehicles, electric vehicles are taking the central stage. Many countries in the forefront of the automobile industry, including the U.S. and Japan, not to mention European countries, have declared their resolutions to manufacture 1 million electric vehicles.

Since electric vehicles run on electric batteries and motors instead of the traditional fossil fuels, they are drawing particular attention and interest nowadays that the regulations on exhaust emissions are becoming increasingly strict.

And Korea is not an exception in this “green growth” trend.

Beginning this November, the Seoul Metropolitan Government will begin the operation of 15 environment-friendly electric buses which emit absolutely no air pollution. At the moment the buses are having pilot runs since last June 21 in the Namsan circular route.

Electric buses run purely on electricity. Since they have no gas exhaust outlet, they do not emit fine dust particles, smoke, or other air pollution agents, nor do they discharge greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide like diesel buses. They don’t even emit heat and gaseous particles that are emitted by CNG (compressed natural gas) buses. So no doubt they are considered as an environment-friendly means of public transportation for the future. And they are expected to create more pleasant road and living environment conditions.

How are their functions?

The new electric buses boast the world’s best recharging capabilities, taking only 20 minutes to recharge. The high capacity batteries enable the buses to run for 120 km after recharging once and reach a maximum speed of 100km/h. The main components of the electric buses such as the battery, motor, inverter etc. were all developed using Korean technology.

<15>

The 15 buses will begin operating in the Namsan circular route – one of the more challenging routes in downtown Seoul and an area frequented by tourists. The new buses will be yet another attraction in one of Seoul’s main hot spots, Namsan. The exterior of the buses were designed to blend with Namsan’s scenic natural environment. Also, different designs such as Haechi, Seoul’s official color, and the Seoul logo, give the buses a “Seoul identity.”

The Seoul Metropolitan Government will start expanding the operation of these buses starting next year so that 3,800 buses – or the equivalent of half of Seoul’s bus fleet – will be electric buses by 2020. The remaining buses will be replaced by hybrid buses, thus completing the green revolution of Seoul’s public transportation system.

If Seoul meets its goal by 2020, even when considering greenhouse gases emitted by the power plant producing electricity, more than 40 tons of greenhouse gases can be reduced per bus in a year, adding up to 140,000 tons every year by 2020. Also, 800 tons of nitrogen oxide and 350 tons of hydrocarbons emitted every year in the city will no longer be emitted.

By 2020, half of Seoul’s buses will be replaced by environment-friendly electric vehicles. And Seoul plans to build an electric car recharging infrastructure that is unparalleled by other cities to ensure the effective supply of electric vehicles.

China, followed by India and South Korea has been ranked first, second and third respectively in the 2010 Global Manufacturing Competitiveness Index

India ranked second in global manufacturing competence

"In less than a decade, a new world order for manufacturing competitiveness has emerged along with a tectonic shift in regional manufacturing competence," the report said.The rise in the manufacturing competitiveness of three countries in particular -- China, India, and the Republic of Korea (Korea) -- appears to parallel the rapidly growing and important Asian market," said the 56-page report.

The report notes that Chinas ascent to the top of the list is not surprising, given its rising eminence in the manufacturing sector over the past ten years, particularly as a regional hub for foreign outsourced production, foreign direct investments, and joint ventures.

"Perhaps more surprising is that India is now positioned at number two and gaining an even stronger foothold on that position over the next five years," the report said, adding Indias rich talent pool of scientists, researchers, and engineers as well as its large, well-educated English-speaking workforce and democratic regime make it an attractive destination for manufacturers.

Noting that since the mid-1990s, Indias software industry has escalated to new heights and post-economic liberation has also opened a pathway to unprecedented market opportunities for Indian manufacturing, it said moreover, beyond low-cost, Indian manufacturers gained experience in quality improvement and Japanese principles of quality management, with the largest number of Deming Award winners outside of Japan.

"The country is also rapidly expanding its capabilities in engineering design and development and embedded software development, which form an integral part of many modern-day manufactured products," it said.
The importance of India to manufacturing executives around the world underscores two important points, it said.

Under the current competitive index China tops the ranking with the maximum 10 points, followed by India (8.15), South Korea (6.79), the US (5.84), Brazil (5.41) and Japan (5.11).

source:bindaasboll.com

The International Archival Culture Exhibition 2010

The International Archival Culture Exhibition 2010 was held from June 1 through 6 at COEX, Seoul.

At this festival of archival culture and heritage around the world, treasures of the UNESCO’s Memory of the World were presented, including Korea’s Uigwe, the Royal Protocols of the Joseon Dynasty, and Joseonwangjosillok, the Annals of the Joseon Dynasty, that are seldom put out for public viewing.

At the International Exhibition of Archival Culture and Heritage, the IACE’s highlight program, invaluable records and archives from 47 countries containing their history and culture were on display.

Some of the items were Goryeo Daejanggyeong, the oldest and most intact example of Buddhist scriptures carved into 81,258 wooden printing blocks; Gutenberg Bible, a Latin vulgate bible printed by Johannes Gutenberg in 15th century; Grimm Brother’s Fairy Tales Collection which includes world-famous tales like Snow White, Sleeping Beauty, Red Cap, and Hansel and Gretel.

<Joseonwangjosillok (Annals of the Joseon Dynasty) - The Annals of King Sejong (owned by the National Archives of Korea) Original Version>

Original Version>

There were quite a many Korean items on display as well.

Uigwe (3,895 volumes) contains a collection of royal protocols of the Korean Joseon Dynasty (1392-1910) which records and prescribes through text and stylized illustration the important ceremonies and rites of the royal family. And Seungjeongwon Ilgi (3,242 volumes) includes the largest amount of confidential records of the Joseon Dynasty. Those items demonstrate the precision and sophistication of the Joseon Dynasty’s archives.

Original Version (1759)>

The exhibition also presented :

Goryeo Daejanggyeong, a Korean collection of Buddhist scriptures carved onto 81,340 wooden printing blocks in the 13th century. It is the world’s most comprehensive and oldest intact version of Buddhist canon in Chinese script, with no known errors in the 52,382,960 characters.

Donguibogam, a collection of medical books written by Heo Jun, the most renowned royal physician of his times (1546-1615). It is Korea’s best-ever oriental medicine book up until today, and the most recent Korean item to be registered as a UNESCO Memory of the World.

Buljo Jikji Simche Yo Jeol, the world’s oldest specimen of movable metal type printing.

Original Version>

There was also a special section which contained records of past elections, ballot papers, and various promotional prints.

Lee Min-Ho, a visitor at the exhibition, commented, “The exhibition was a lot more informative and entertaining than I expected. I didn’t know Korea possessed such great archival heritage.”

Maeng Hyung-Gyu, Minister of Public Administration and Security, expressed in his congratulatory speech at the IACE’s opening ceremony, “The IACE will give us an opportunity to appreciate the importance of archives as a crucial source of knowledge. Also, through this exhibition I hope Korea’s outstanding archival capabilities can be shared with the world and be further augmented.”

Archives are precious resources that offer us insights into the past, present, and future. Even in these times of cutting-edge IT, Korea’s archival culture will, and should, endure.

Korea Business Pavilion at the Shanghai Expo 2010

At the Shanghai Expo 2010 which has mustered 10 million visitors so far since its opening on May 1, the Korean companies and their products exhibited at the “Korea Business Pavilion” are drawing special attention.

According to the survey conducted by the Korea International Trade Association (KITA) on 430 Chinese visitors at the Korea Business Pavilion, 96.2% answered their perception of Korean companies has greatly improved after the visit.

85% of the subjects answered their willingness to purchase Korean products has increased, and the reason given for that was : high-quality (29.9%), brand power (23.3%), and other factors such as price competitiveness, design, and after-service. Also, among Korean products, preference for electronics was greatest (25.2%), followed by mobile phone (20.1%) and computer (14.4%).

Under the theme “Green City, Green Life,” the pavilion presents Korean companies’ environment-friendly high technologies and visions for future, including the world’s biggest LCD Multi-Tower and achievements in urban life-related research such as the utilization of recycled energy.

<“Lucky 128,888th Visitor Event” at the Korea Business Pavilion (photo courtesy of KITA>

Also, there were surprise events where 12,888th, 128,888th, and 1,288, 888th visitors would win prizes. The number 12 signifies the number of Korean companies participating in the exhibition, and 8 is a number favored by Chinese people.

Likewise, the Korea Business Pavilion at the Shanghai Expo is enticing Chinese spectators with various displays and events. With 4 more months left, the pavilion is expected to spread more favorable images of Korea to international visitors.

The Magical Beauty of Hanbok

There are many things that may represent Korea. One among them is the Korean traditional dress “hanbok.”

Although nowadays few people wear hanbok except on national holidays like New Year’s Day, the beauty and elegance of the garment is always amazing.

Stitch by stitch, making a beautiful hanbok takes great craftsmanship, effort, and passion. It depends on how you choose the right combination of colors among infinite possibilities; how you cut, fold, stitch up patches of cloth together; how you sew patterns onto it, etc.

Hanbok has some magical quality about its color and texture that even the modern digital technology can’t really simulate on the screen.

Patterns of flowers and butterflies sewn into the cloth radiate the artist’s craftsmanship and subtlety. Wearing hanbok, you can just feel the artist’s heart oozing out of it. There are no fixed set of rules or formula to follow in making hanbok. How the garment is rendered is solely at the discretion of the hanbok-maker.

Hanbok takes into account the wearer’s body shape, comfort, and beauty, all at the same time. It is one of Korea’s greatest assets containing its people’s indelible, age-long wisdom.

Despite the garment’s much fallen popularity among people nowadays, the passion and perseverance of hanbok artists endures.

Hats off to the hanbok makers – protectors of one of the most precious Korean assets.

Seoul and Its Happy City Project

According to the recent statistics of the Seoul Metropolitan Government, the number of foreign residents of Seoul is estimated at around 250,000, taking up 2.5% of Seoul’s total population.

This is an increase by 100,000 people within the last 3 years – a stupendous increase, indeed. This signifies just how fast Seoul is turning into a global and multicultural city.

Then how satisfied are the over 250,000 international residents living in Seoul?

According to the survey conducted in November 2009 on foreigners who had been living in Seoul for more than one year, their degree of satisfaction scored 3.8 out of 5 points, which is an increase for three consecutive years.

But of course, there are things to be improved. To that end, Seoul city has launched the “Happy City Project” which includes various support programs for foreigners in communication, multiculturalism, solving everyday problems and obstacles, and so on.

The project focuses on 15 foreigner-dense areas designated as “Global Zones” which include the Seoul City Hall area, Yeoksam, Samsung, Yeouido, Ichon, Itaewon, Hannam, Yeonnam, Seorae Village, Myeongdong, Insadong, Namdaemun, Dongdaemun, etc.

Also, the construction of the “Global Cluster Building” will begin in May, which will include a one-stop help center for foreigners and chamber of commerce offices of various countries.

The “Global Business Help Center” will open in mid-May in COEX with the aim to help foreigners set up small to medium-sized businesses in Korea. And the on-site consultation service, where a batch of staff visits areas with high concentrations of foreigners, will be further streamlined.

Last January, 14 additional multicultural family support centers opened in Seoul, which makes a total of 20 such centers. A web site (http://mcfamily.seoul.go.kr) designed to provide information on Seoul city and job vacancies for foreign spouses was launched in five languages including Chinese, Japanese, Vietnamese, English and Korean.

A support center for migrant workers has also been operating, providing Korean-language classes that put focus on industrial site-related vocabulary. There is also the International Student Forum, and the foreign students support desks at major universities that provide counseling and information on Korea for international students.

Various cultural performances will take place in Mugyo-dong “Global Street” near the Seoul City Hall, and flea markets for foreigners will be held at the Seoul Folk Flea Market in Sinseol-dong. Furthermore, the Seoul Help Center for Foreigners is going to sponsor 16 foreign community festivals including the Mongolian Naadam Festival and the Irish Folk Dance Festival.

For medical services, the current 11 medical centers for foreigners will be expanded to 17 by 2012, and a Global Open Health Center will be launched in Yeongdeungpo-gu and Geumcheon-gu districts in May, where treatments for pregnant women and infants from multicultural families will be provided.

In terms of public transportation, sign panels will be furnished in a number of foreign languages at every subway station, and so will the Seoul city subway map. Also, 26 administrative forms frequently filled out by foreigners will be translated into Chinese and Japanese in addition to English and Korean. Tax notices, too, will have its contents written in both Korean and English.

Likewise, Seoul city is making efforts to create a truly global Seoul that is a wonderful city not only for Koreans, but for all the foreign residents and visitors in it as well!