South Korean minister uses sacred sapling to show Sushma Swaraj growth in bilateral ties

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In an unique way to symbolise the rapid rise in bilateral ties, South Korean Foreign Minister Yun Byung-se today showed his counterpart Sushma Swaraj pictures showing the growth of a sacred Maha Bodhi sapling which was gifted to his country by India in March. In a meeting with Swaraj on the sidelines of the 47th ASEAN Foreign Ministers Meeting, the South Korean Foreign Minister brought photographs comparing the sapling that has grown four times that size in the last four months.

He told Swaraj that the sapling was 30 CMs tall when it was gifted but now it is 130 CMs in length. "He wanted to show this as a reflection and symbol of rapid growth in India-Korea relationship. This was a very interesting manner of symbolising the relationship," External Affairs Ministry Spokesperson Syed Akbaruddin said. He said a range of issues of bilateral interests were discussed.

South Korea has around 50 million Buddhist population and the sacred Bodhi Tree from India's Bodh Gaya was given to South Korea as a special gesture of friendship. South Korean President Park Geun-hye had visited India in January this year during which both the countries had decided to intensify cooperation in a range of key sectors including trade, investment and defence.

Nine pacts covering wide-ranging areas including cyber space cooperation were also signed between the two countries during the South Korean President's visit. The relationship between India and South Korea is on an upswing. Korean President Park Geun-Hye had congratulated Prime Minister Narendra Modi on his victory in the general elections and recalled with appreciation his association with Korea as chief minister of Gujarat. President Park invited the Prime Minister to pay an early visit to Korea, which was accepted by him.

source:dna india.com

In South Korea, hiking has become almost a national identity

South Koreans are weekend warriors. The sport of choice? Hiking. Mountains are everywhere, and most can be climbed in a day. You need only the following prerequisites: a love of nature, multi-course meals packed into Tupperware, several bottles of rice wine and high-end gear.

Hiking has long been a South Korean pastime, but it has become more like a national identity. In a typical month, about 1 in 3 Koreans goes hikingmore than once. The mountainous national park north of Seoul attracts more visitors annually than the Grand Canyon.

Part of this passion can be explained by geography. The country is a topographical eggshell mattress, covered with hundreds of steep, climbable peaks.

But it’s the rituals surrounding Korean hiking that define mountain culture here. The pace is brisk, and at the top, big groups spread out on blankets and devour elaborate spreads. They also drink rice wine — sometimes lots of it. Amazingly, the hike down is also brisk.

Hikers ascend stairs at Odaesan National Park. (SeongJoon Cho/For The Washington Post)

Although South Korea is famous for its pressure-cooker schools and 60-hour workweeks, hiking represents a far more attractive kind of endurance test. Koreans hold mountains in almost mythical regard, similar to the American veneration for the open spaces of the West. But only recently has hiking taken off as an activity for the masses, a product of national prosperity and increasing leisure time. (Not until 2004 did the governmentshorten the workweek from six to five days.) It helps that many of the country’s most picturesque mountains ring the outskirts of Seoul, a capital region that is home to about 25 million people.

“It’s almost like an addiction,” said Shin Soon-no, 65, who hikes several times a week with her husband, Kim Hong-seong. “Your body starts to crave it.”

Even farther afield, though, South Korean mountains tend to be clogged with a breathtaking flow of humanity — particularly on weekends. Traffic backs up on roads that lead to trailheads. In parking lots, groups pour out of buses, form circles and stretch. Women put on visors the size of umbrellas.

Be sure to dress well

A hiker in Odaesan National Park. (SeongJoon Cho/For The Washington Post)

In other countries, it might be acceptable to set out on a hike in sneakers and shorts. But in South Korea, mountaineer wear is the norm for even the tamest climbs. Those who show up in shabbier gear — typically younger folks — might get a friendly lecture about the importance of multiple layers and sweat-wicking technology. And anyone shamed into upgrading their clothing can do so right away. At the foot of Cheongye Mountain, a modest peak in southern Seoul, more than 20 outdoor companies — North Face, Marmot, Lafuma, Montbell — have stores. Jackets can cost $800, walking sticks $250. Apparel retailers say South Koreans wear, on average, $1,000 worth of garb for a summer hike.

“And probably twice that in winter,” said Kim Sang-beom, owner of a Black Yak store, which sells the upscale Korean domestic outdoor brand.

“Of course, you can wear jeans on a hike, but a lot of Koreans believe they need the perfect clothes,” Kim said. “There are a lot of hiking clubs in Korea, and let’s say you join a club and everybody is carrying hiking sticks and wearing the best gear. If you show up in jeans, you might feel very out of place.”

source:washington post

Korean poems in English: ‘Enough to Say It’s Far’

Han 

Something like the persimmon tree?
Ripening in the sad evening glow,
The tree where the fruits of my heart’s love
Ripen.

With room to spread in the next world only,
Still it looms behind the one I was thinking of,
Falling down from above her head.

It may yet become the fruit 
Of her overwhelming grief
That she wished to plant
In the yard of her house.
Or would she understand 
If I said it was all my sorrow,
All my hope from a previous life,
The color of that fruit?
Or did that person too
Live in sorrow through this world?
That I do not know, I do not know.

From Pak Chae-sam’s 1960 collection of poems, “Chunhyang’s Mind” 
Poet Pak Chae-sam (1933-1997) has been credited with putting a wide range of human emotions into his poems, using creative, succinct and emotional words. 

His collection of poems, “Enough to Say It’s Far,” recently published in English, is the one collection of his that compiles into poetic words all the realizations and sympathy that one acquires throughout the many phases of life. 

Pak Chae-sam’s collection of poems “Enough to Say It’s Far” is now published in English.

The collection consists of 59 works selected from among his lifelong body of work. His first collection, “Chunhyang’s Mind,” published in 1962, is a volume of poetry that sums up the sorrow, regret and resentment, also known as han, that storms through heartbroken couples.

The pieces in his second collection, “In the Sunshine,” published in 1970, depict compassionate feelings for life, describing the glorious and sorrowful experiences through which one lives.

“A Thousand Year-Old Wind,” his third collection, from 1975, personifies a wide range of emotions as images from nature, such as light, rivers and trees, all representing life and death. 

Meanwhile, each poem from his fourth collection, “Autumn River in Burning Tears,” from 1991, sends a message that life is full of sorrow and grief. It epitomizes sadness and, at the same time, can give life lessons, allowing the reader to learn things important from all areas of life.

Born in 1933 in Tokyo, Pak Chae-sam graduated from Samcheonpo High School in 1953. The poet made his literary debut in 1955 with “Providence,” a traditional three-stanza sijo poem, and with “Stillness.” 

He studied at Korea University, majoring in Korean language and literature, but poverty and illness cut his studies short in just three years. He spent his last years suffering from hypertension. However, he never put down his pen, continuing to write poems, until he died of the illness in 1997. Other works of his include “Next to Little Brats” (1976), “Under the Iron of the Moon” (1979) and “In Memories” (1983). He also published a collection of sijo in 1985, “My Love,” as well as six collections of essays throughout his life. 

source:korea.net

인도서 K팝 교류 돈스파이크 "각국 음악인과 협업해야"

인도서 'K팝 교류대사' 나선 돈스파이크

(뉴델리=연합뉴스) 나확진 특파원 = 26일(현지시간) 인도 뉴델리에서 작곡가 돈스파이크가 한국과 인도 음악인의 교류에 대한 생각을 말하고 있다. 2014.7.27 << 국제부 기사 참조 >> rao@yna.co.kr

'코리아-인디아 퓨전 뮤직콘서트' 등 다양한 활동

(뉴델리=연합뉴스) 나확진 특파원 = "이제는 케이팝(K-POP)이 일방적으로 다가가기만 하는 것을 넘어 각국 음악인과 협업해 더 깊이 있는 결과물을 내놓을 때라고 생각합니다."

가수 김범수와 나얼 등의 음반 작업에 참여한 작곡가 겸 프로듀서 돈스파이크(본명 김민수·37)는 26일(현지시간) 연합뉴스 특파원과 만나 '전파가 아닌 교류'를 강조했다.

그는 프로젝트팀 'A.S.K.'(Asian Sing Korean Soul)를 꾸려 외교부 '국민 모두가 공공 외교관' 사업에 지원, 지난 18일 인도 뉴델리에 도착했다.

바로 현지 음악인들과 접촉을 시작한 그는 25일 뉴델리에서 '코리아-인디아 퓨전 뮤직 콘서트'를 열어 재즈 색소폰 연주자 신현필, 인도 기타 연주자 아디티야 발라니 등과 함께 '사랑하기 때문에', '친구여', '섬집아기' 등 한국 곡과 인도 음악을 선사했다.

인도 라디오에 출연한 돈스파이크

(뉴델리=연합뉴스) 25일(현지시간) 인도 뉴델리에서 현지 라디오 방송에 출연한 작곡가 돈스파이크. 뒤 왼쪽부터 시계방향으로 돈스파이크, 색소포니스트 신현필, A.S.K. 기획담당 육숙희, HIT95 라디오 진행자 사르타크 카우시크. 2014.7.27 << 국제부 기사 참조, A.S.K. 제공 >> rao@yna.co.kr

또 현지 케이팝 팬들을 대상으로 오디션을 개최하고 인도 FM 라디오 HIT95에도 출연해 한국 음악을 알렸다.

그는 "다른 음악과 섞이기 쉬운 재즈로 먼저 협연을 시작했다"며 "공연을 해보니 인도 전통악기가 한국의 사물놀이와도 멋진 하모니를 낼 수 있다는 것을 알게 됐다"고 말했다.

그는 오는 10월 한국에서는 양국의 전통 음악을 더 강조한 콘서트를 개최할 예정이다.

돈스파이크, 뉴델리서 한-인도 음악인 합동 공연

(뉴델리=연합뉴스) 25일(현지시간) 인도 뉴델리 로디가든에서 작곡가 돈스파이크가 주도한 A.S.K. 팀이 인도 음악인들과 함께 공연을 하고 있다. 2014.7.27 << 국제부 기사 참조, A.S.K. 제공 >>rao@yna.co.kr

이 공연에 참석할 인도 전통악기 사랑기(아쟁과 비슷한 현악기)와 타블라(북과 비슷한 타악기) 연주자도 섭외했다.

그는 한국 대중음악이 더 폭넓고 다양해지기를 바란다는 희망을 피력했다.

그는 "이제 한국 아이돌 곡을 완벽하게 카피하는 외국 케이팝 팬들이 늘어나는 데 만족해서는 안 된다"며 "인도의 사랑기로 신승훈의 '보이지 않는 사랑'과 같은 발라드를 연주한다면 그만큼 우리와 인도의 감성이 풍부해지지 않겠나"고 웃음 지었다.

source:yonhap news

In science, India invests far less than China, US, South Korea

Observer Research Foundation chairman Sudheendra Kulkarni said the “tight equation between a degree certificate and education has created several distortions, both in society and in the system of education itself”. (TOI file photo by K Sunil Prasad)

MUMBAI: A report by a thinktank shows India's investment in science has lagged behind that of neighbouring China, the US and South Korea, resulting in these countries staying ahead when it comes to research.

While India invested 0.88 per cent of its GDP in science research, the US invested 7-8 per cent, and South Korea 3-4 per cent.

The Observer Research Foundation (ORF) report titled " Whither Science Education in Indian Colleges?" shows that India, with one of the lowest R&D spend-to-GDP ratios, is also expending resources on areas that have a weak connection to industry, thereby missing out on opportunities for economic growth.

"More than a quarter of (India's) R&D investment goes towards basic research, against 5 per cent in China and 17 per cent in the United States," the report states.

The Indian Institute of Science in Bangalore. (Getty Images photo)

There are other fundamental reasons, too, why science is ailing. ORF chairman Sudheendra Kulkarni said the "tight equation between a degree certificate and education has created several distortions, both in society and in the system of education itself". He said it has placed a disproportionate emphasis on standardized examinations and students' ability to score well in them.



"Memorization of facts and formulae has triumphed over mastery of concepts, independent and creative thinking, integrative thinking that connects understanding of different subjects, and ability to apply that understanding to solve practical problems of society."

Science has also been solitary; ancient India did not erect a wall between science and art, or between science and spirituality. But science curricula at the undergraduate level tends to be highly theoretical and very dense in content. This poses two problems. "Theory is prioritized over application and time constraints do not allow teachers to explore all concepts, in depth. As a consequence, students are frequently exposed to many concepts but fail to understand them in depth and explore their application. This structure results in 'teach more and learn less', when ideally it should be the other way around," the report said.


A woman scientist working on stem cell research. (Getty Images photo)

The authors — Catarina Correia, Leena Chandran-Wadia, Radha Viswanathan and Adithi Muralidhar — conclude that India is facing two kinds of disconnect: a formal science education pedagogy in colleges that is too theory-based and is disconnected from the practical world; and a large workforce in the informal sector of the economy whose practice is disconnected from science education.

Despite a large tertiary student population, India has not been able to increase the number of PhDs in science and engineering significantly (from 54 per 10 million in 1983 to 70 in 2004). China, which lagged India until a decade ago, now has 174 science and engineering PhDs per 10 million.

The SAC-PM Vision Document (2010) that lays the roadmap for India to become the "global leader in science" calls for a target of producing 30,000 per year by 2025, as against 8,286 PhDs (S&T, agriculture, medicine, veterinary) produced in 2013.

Source:Times of India

Art professor tapped as culture minister

President Park Geun-hye nominated Kim Jong-deok, a visual design professor at Hongik University, as the new culture minister, officials said Sunday.

Along with Kim, Park appointed Kim Young-seok, presidential secretary for maritime and fisheries, vice maritime minister. 

The announcement was made nearly three weeks after Chung Sung-keun, a former TV news anchor, withdrew his nomination for the culture minister post. He was accused of having a drunk driving record and other ethical misdeeds.

Kim Jong-deok

The nomination put an end to the Cabinet reshuffle that started in June in efforts to tighten Park’s grip on state management, which was affected by the ferry disaster in April.

Park launched her new Cabinet last month without naming a new nominee for the culture minister post to prevent further delay in her reform drive.

Kim, 57 and an award-winning graphic designer, served as president of the Korean Society of Design Science between 2010 and 2011. 

“Kim was tapped not only because of his rich experience and expertise, but also because of his outstanding leadership and sense of the field,” said presidential spokesman Min Kyung-wook. The nominee is expected to boost the nation’s cultural prosperity, one of Park’s state agendas, he added.

After the nomination, the culture minister-designate must go through a parliamentary confirmation hearing.

The process is mostly customary as National Assembly approval is not needed for Cabinet members, except for prime minister, to take the post.
source:korea herald

Rise of 'snack culture'

Passengers watch their smart devices as they wait for the train a subway station in Seoul, Tuesday. / Korea Times photo by Baek Byung-yeul Web-based cartoons, dramas dominate digital users' pastime By Baek Byung-yeul To respond to the needs of busy digital users on the go, media content providers are releasing more cartoons, dramas and novels short enough to be viewed in under 10 minutes on mobile devices. The local press calls this phenomenon "snack culture," a Konglish term referring to media content that are as accessible and fast as your regular snacks. "My smartphone helps me endure the tedious commute as I can enjoy a wide range of media content," said Kim, who declined to give his full name, on a train headed to City Hall Station in Seoul, Tuesday. Kim commutes to work by subway, and it usually takes about 70 minutes door-to-door. Among the different kinds of media content, Kim is addicted to "webtoons" or free online comic strips. Kim said he has enjoyed various webtoons, ranging from the country's biggest portal Naver's (www.naver.com) sleeper hit "Sound of Mind" to "Misaeng," another hugely popular work provided by Daum (www.daum.net), one of the country's top portals. Cartoonist Yoon Tae-ho's "Misaeng" "The greatest advantage of Internet cartoons is that many of them are free. They are also funny, so I cannot stop reading them," Kim added. The figure shows the growing popularity of webtoons ― the number of daily viewers of Naver's webtoons averages more than 6.2 million, according to the company. The rise of webtoons, which have been regarded as part of a sub culture, has enabled them to be assimilated into mainstream. "Misaeng," depicting the precarious lives of Korean office employees at a cut-throat trading company has had more than 600 million hits, and will be adapted to a TV drama. Web-based drama series are also vastly popular genre of snack culture. Each episode runs for about 10 minutes. Naver's drama series "Aftermath" A notable success is "Aftermath," launched by Naver last January. The thriller, starring popular boy pop band ZE:A's Kim Dong-jun as a protagonist, is based on the Internet cartoon of the same title, and has garnered more than 3 million viewers with 11 episodes. "Podcasts" or Internet radio shows have also been emerging as another snack culture. Park So-young, an office employee living in Seoul, said she listens to podcasts when commuting to work for "self-improvement." "There are slew of inspirational podcasts. Also, I can catch up on domestic and foreign current events on politics and become more cultured through history podcasts," Park said. Park's favorite show is "Morning News Paper Briefing." Emceed by Kim Yong-min, a political pundit and producer of Internet-based liberal news media company Kukmin TV, the 30-minute-long radio show, summarizes top news of major newspapers. It airs everyday from Monday to Friday. The show is currently ranked fourth in the top 1,000 category of Podbbang, (www.podbbang.com), one of the popular podcast providers. "Some may say that the show is left-leaning, but I think it is a necessary alternative in today's media environment," she added. The government recently issued a report analyzing the snack culture boom, defining it "one of the noticeable social phenomenon in 2014." "The so-called snack culture is a result of digital users' desire to view cultural content briefly on the go rather than making time for cultural activity," the report said. "It shows creating cultural content is no longer the exclusive property of certain experts." According to local advertising company HS AD's recent survey of 1,000 people, Koreans use their mobile devices about 3.34 hours on average while they spend about three hours watching TV and about 48 minutes using personal computers. Koreans don't read much anymore. The average daily reading time of Korea last year was 23.5 minutes, the lowest ever, according to a survey of 2,000 adults conducted by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism. source:koreatimes