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East Asia
NK tech capabilities put on spotlight
A trip to North Korea by Google’s Eric Schmidt this week has sparked speculation over whether the Kim Jong-un regime is politically inclined to increase internet access for his people. Additionally, there are questions over whether the impoverished state is technologically capable of the move. Watchers say the North may…
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Death sentence sought for rapist of 7-year-old
Prosecutors in Gwangju are seeking the death penalty for a man indicted for kidnapping and raping an elementary schoolgirl last summer. The request was filed Thursday by the Gwangju District Prosecutor’s Office asking a local court to impose the death sentence on Koh Jong-seok, 24, on charges of kidnapping and…
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Prostitution vs. women’s rights
Constitutionality of law to be reviewed A district court’s decision to ask the Constitutional Court to rule on whether part of the country’s Anti-Prostitution Law is constitutional has triggered a hot debate among citizens. At issue is a clause of the law, implemented in 2004, which punishes a woman for…
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East Asia
‘Cars are like part of my body’
The worst interviewees for journalists are those who give short or just yes or no answers as there is then nothing much to write about. But talkative people are difficult too as they tend to talk about less interesting topics at length. Kim Pil-soo, a professor of automotive studies at…
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East Asia
Seokpajeong
Restored pavilion of Heungseon Daewongun Seokpajeong, located in Buam-dong, Jongno-gu, is a stately “hanok,” or Korean traditional building, built by the Joseon Kingdom’s (1392-1910) man of power Heungseon Daewongun. He was the father of the Joseon’s penultimate king. The house was privately owned for decades, but is now on public…
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East Asia
Smart ways to embrace New Year’s energy
People like to rearrange the interior of rooms or change furniture to refresh their living environment in the New Year. It is more recommended before Feb. 4, the first month of the saju calendar. In order to activate energy around us letting the old one out and allowing the new…
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East Asia
Chinese Craftsman Busy Painting New Year Pictures For Spring Festival
Craftsman Zhai Ruichen (R) and his wife Liu Shufang examine New Year pictures they paints in Liaocheng, east China’s Shandong Province, Jan. 9, 2013. The couple were busy painting New Year pictures recently to meet the demand in local market for the Spring Festival in February. Craftsman Zhai Ruichen (R)…
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East Asia
JAL’s Boeing 787 Which Developed Fuel Leak In Boston Arrives In Narita Airport
A Japan Airlines 787, from which about 40 gallons of fuel spilled at Boston’s Logan International Airport Tuesday, arrives at Narita Airport in Narita, east of Tokyo, Wednesday night, Jan. 9, 2012. Officials at Logan airport said crew have contained the fuel leak from the outbound Japan Airlines flight to…
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Prevention of suicide
National efforts needed to take off shameful label Korea is a land of suicides. As of 2010, 33.5 Koreans out of 100,000 took their own lives, the most among 34 OECD member nations for eight straight years and 2.6 times the average suicide rate of that organization. On average, 42.6…
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East Asia
Clash of anxieties
On the eve of the Dec. 19 presidential election, I was on my way home by subway. I was sitting on one of the seats reserved for the elderly as it was not crowded. Minutes later a man in his 30s sat in front of me and two elderly men…
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