· May, 2006

Stories about South Korea from May, 2006

South Korea: The current situation in Daechuri and Doduri villages

  31 May 2006

Because of the expansion of the U.S. military base, farmers in Daechuri and Doduri villages (western seaside of Seoul) are forced to leave their land. There were violent confrontation since May 4. And June 4, 2006 will be the international solidarity day for the farmers. Days in Daechuri has very...

South Korea: Local elections end

  31 May 2006

Some big changes in store can be expected following the conclusion of local elections in the South Korean capitol of Seoul, the results of which can be found in RJ Koehler's The Marmot Hole.

China: Blogger kills himself

  30 May 2006

Beijing-based author and China Life Shop blogger Shawn Matthews has committed suicide following several years combatting depression between Korea and China. More information from his close friend and No Problem blogger Jake here and Korea-based blogger Kevin here.

South Korea: Chinese labor unattractive

  29 May 2006

A post by James J. Na on The Korea Liberator blog looks at a decrease in Korean manufacturers doing business in China as labor conditions in the Communist state continue to improve, and costs rise. “They should do what the Chinese do already,” says Na: “go to Vietnam instead. And,...

China: Technorati learns Chinese

  26 May 2006

Welcome news on Danwei today of Technorati's announcement of a partnership with public relations firm Edelman which will see an increase of the blog aggregator's services to include five new languages. While Chinese is one of the languages on the list, a focus on mainland users brings with it some...

Japan: Korean terrorists interested

  23 May 2006

I am the Japanese rightist blogger yellowpeep continues her series of posts this month exposing religious and right-wing terrorist groups in Japan with a story that shows the various roles Koreans expats play in the organizations and violence.

North Korea: Comfort women escape

  23 May 2006

Two questions from reading posts from Joshua and James J. Na today at The Korea Liberator: Do comfort women still exist in North Korea today? Does Kimchi cause cancer?

Taiwan: Chinese spy confesses

  19 May 2006

A Taiwanese agent for the Chinese government wasn't so covert in trying to purchase an F-16 fighter jet engine and cruise missiles, blogs James J. Na at The Korea Liberator, followed up by a post from Joshua on the defection of another senior North Korean scientist: “The bad news is...

South Korea: Farmers protest military camp

  17 May 2006

unity at Days in Daechuri blog keeps up the coverage of villagers peacefully protesting the expansion of an American military base into their village, and the resulting state crackdown with the post ‘Environmental Testimony from Daechuri Villagers.’

South Korea: Human rights campaign

  17 May 2006

Prior to tomorrow's kick-off to Project Sunshine—a two-week campaign for human rights for North Koreans—a documentary was screened and a mock funeral procession held in, says Joshua at The Korea Liberator, “what appears to be either Myongdong or Apkujeong, but in any event, one of Seoul’s tonier neighborhoods.” Photos included.

South Korea: Protest crackdown fallout

  12 May 2006

The Days in Daechuri blogger continues her ongoing bloggage of a the aftermath of a nation-wide protest last week during which 640 demonstrators detained and 16 arrested by the 15,000 riot police dispatched to Pyeongtaek, the farming village north of Seoul where the protests against American military base expansion took...

Korea: Geographic history documented

  10 May 2006

Gerry Brevers at Korean Language Notes does his own ongoing research into the history of Ulleungdo island, located in the disputed border region between South Korea and Japan.

North Korea: Human rights observed

  10 May 2006

It's a small step in the right direction, says The Korea Liberator blogger Joshua, of a change in South Korea's National Human Rights Commission's tendency to shy away from documenting human rights abuses in North Korea.

South Korea: Free trade support?

Joshua at The Korean Liberator questions a recent poll which suggests that a silent majority of sixty percent of South Koreans support a free trade agreement with the United States, despite the frequent and vocal protests of opposition.

South Korea: Korean studies congress

  4 May 2006

A call for papers has been sounded, blogs Hunjangûi Karûch’im‘s Antti Leppänen, for the third world congress of Korean studies set for October this year. “There doesn't seem to be any DPRK involvement this time,” he writes, “which I must tell is fortunate, considering the experiences from the 2nd ‘world’...