Stories about South Korea from October, 2005
South Korea: By-Election Report
Flying Yangban‘s Andy, guestblogging at The Marmot's Hole, looks at the result of the recent by-election.
South Korea: Office Space
Working in Korea lists seven things he finds different about Korean workplaces.
South Korea: Historical Amnesia
At The Marmot's Hole, a lively discussion centering around U.S. Senator Hillary Clinton's comment that South Korea's move further away from U.S. interests reflects a “historical amnesia.”
Japan, South Korea: Compulsory English
The Asia Pages weighs in on proposals in both Japan and South Korea to prioritize English — most controversially, in South Korea, to make it the official language in certain free economic zones.
Indonesia, South Korea, Turkey: Inside Nobel Information
Kotaji claims to have inside information on the Nobel Prize for Literature discussions, which he says came down to Indonesia's Pramoedya Ananta Toer, Turkey's Orham Pamuk and South Korea's Hwang Sok-yong as finalists. But Britain's Harold Pinter emerged as the compromise choice.
South Korea: Security Law Controversy
Several blogs have been discussing the top-line item in local news: the South Korean government's handling of the prosecution under the National Security Law of a local professor who had published his controversial, “pro-North Korea” views on the Internet.
Japan: Yasukuni Visit
Yaw and Mog passed by the Yasukuni Shrine during PM Junichiro Koizumi's visit on the anniversary of the interment of fourteen war criminals there and asks what Japan gains by provoking its neighbors. Says vincentvds of Achikochi: “Japanese prime ministers should stay away from Yasukuni.”
South Korea: Asian Films Now Less Asian?
On The Asia Pages, a response to Iranian director Abbas Kiarostami's comment that Asian films are going too Hollywood.
Singapore: Podcast Directory
Beng of Born on Ninth of August has started a Singapore podcasting directory: Podcasting Under the Stars and Moon. He also prods a friend to make one. The result: A meditation, in Cantonese, on life, ambition and the heroine of Korean drama serial Dae Jang Geum.
South Korea: Wagging the Dog
The Marmot's Hole takes issue with a SFGate column on dog-eating in Asia: “Dog meat? Fade away? God, I hope not.”
South Korea: U.S. troops to leave?
Marmot's Hole notes growing momentum for the idea of a pullout of U.S. troops from South Korea, expecting the reality to follow sooner rather than later.
South Korea: Wild chicken English teachers
Japundit reports on a move by the South Korean authorities to crack down on foreigners teaching English in the country with no qualifications, or with fake diplomas.
North, South Korea: Holiday saga
The continuing saga involving Hyundai Asan Tours and the North Korean government has taken a new twist, writes AsiaPundit.
South Korea: Tough weekend
It was a tough weekend for Koreans, writes The Marmot's Hole, referring to those injured in the Bali bombings and the 11 people who died in a crush at a pop concert.
South Korea: River reborn in Seoul
Kurashi picks up on the reopening of a long-lost urban river in Seoul, the Chongye Stream.
