-
West Asia
Shirin Ebadi: 71 years as an activist
She lives in the hearts of the oppressed and in the minds of millions who are her admirers— she is Shirin Ebadi. People refer to her as the 2003 Nobel Peace Prize laureate, Iranian lawyer, human rights activist, and former lawyer. Just as the various titles suggest, she is a…
Read More » -
East Asia
Rohingya crisis goes beyond condemning the military: Myanmar scholars
Ongoing media coverage of the plight of Rohingya Muslim refugees from Myanmar (also known as Burma) has been heavy in condemning Myanmar military forces for allegedly attempting ethnic cleansing and forcing hundreds of thousands of them to flee across the border into Bangladesh. This resulted in the United Nations Human…
Read More » -
East Asia
Exploring the Andong Mask Festival
Mask dance is an elusive aspect of Korean culture. Many visitors to the peninsula are vaguely aware of it; they may have seen a yangban mask printed on a bus, or noticed the iconic character faces that line Yaksu Station. But in a country whose nation-brand is largely connected to…
Read More » -
East Asia
Myint Zaw: one of the many shinning stars at 2018’s Green Asia Forum
The first week of October is a special week for international environmental activists: it is the week of the annual Green Asia Forum. The Green Asia Forum was launched by Korea Green Foundation in 2012, as parts of the foundation’s continuous efforts to uphold the dream of Green Asia. It…
Read More » -
East Asia
My trip to Pyongyang: Finding South Korea there
Part I As the shaky Antonov An-148 aircraft descended, it was nothing but North Korea below us, or so I thought. With the plane trundling up to the terminal at Pyongyang Sunan International Airport, I glanced out of the window to see the Taegukgi ― South Korea’s national flag. It…
Read More » -
East Asia
Office worker shares Himalayan experience
Lee Su-ji, 33, relives her travels as she writes about them, but also aims to share the charms of the places she visits to inspire potential travelers. “It is pointless to tell people how great the Himalayas are, to tell them to visit,” Lee says in the prologue of her…
Read More » -
World
Asian Tales of Arabia
KADESH: THY CITY OF WAR AND PEACE You immediately fall in love with River Asi (Orontes) the moment you walk along either of its banks. After a brief introduction, you even think it is extending its hands to embrace you as it winds here and there; giving way to you…
Read More » -
East Asia
PM declares war on fake news
Prime Minister Lee Nak-yon ordered government officials Tuesday to sternly tackle the spread of fake news that he said is disturbing democracy in the name of free speech. At a Cabinet meeting, Lee raised the need to hold accountable those who produce fake news and spread it intentionally. “(Fake…
Read More » -
East Asia
Two Koreas begin clearing mines along DMZ
The two Koreas began removing landmines buried along the Military Demarcation Line (MDL) in the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ), Monday, to fulfill a joint military agreement signed during the latest inter-Korean summit last month, the Ministry of National Defense said Monday. The move is in line with their bilateral agreement to…
Read More » -
East Asia
Unemployment of college graduates hits record high
The unemployment rate for college graduates rose to a record high in the second quarter as companies and small businesses grew more reluctant to hire new workers amid a consumption slump and other unfavorable business conditions. Due to worsening job market conditions, the number of unemployed university graduates as of…
Read More »