Sunday, May 6, 2012

Exposing the worst place on earth






A United States NGO called North Korean Human Rights Organization exposed the cruel reality of human rights violation at North Korean concentration camps through the interviews of 60 North Koreans, consisting of former prisoners and guards of the camps.
Currently there are 150,000 people imprisoned in these camps, who are going through unimaginable torture and brutality every single day. The reality of this despicable crime is shocking countless people around the world.
Examples of the North Korean government's merciless violation of human rights include imprisoning even the parents and children of the so-called 'political criminals' into the concentration camps and forcefully aborting babies of pregnant mothers for defecting out of North Korea. Camp guards won't hesitate to murder infants or children.
The North Korean government pitifully tries to cover up the truth about their concentration camps, but we are certain, based on proven fact, that there are about 150,000 to 200,000 people still imprisoned in these camps.
In order to continue his pitiful dynasty, Kim Jong Un imposes these inhumanely methods. That is exactly why the world looks down on him.

A Living, Breathing Ocean, Yeon-Ahn



Yeo-Soo, a mesmerizing port city filled with natural beauty, is hosting a 3 month long Yeosoo Expo (5.12~8.12) in 2012, and it is more than prepared to welcome its guests.
The reason why the 2012 Yeosoo Expo is gaining so much attention is because of its unique theme 'The Living Ocean and Coast', and its emphasis the 'Unity of Sea and Land, Humanity and Nature, Past and Future'.
2012 Yeosoo Expo will host 100 nations worldwide as well as 5 international organizations for 93 days. Each day is packed with 40 different "Ocean Concerts, Festivals and Events", totaling up to 3,700 different experiences. Yeosoo is expecting 8 million people from all around the world for this Expo.
The Korean government and Yeosoo City are taking extra measures to ensure everyone's stay at Korea is an exceptional one. The Korean express railroad KTX, Korea's various airlines, Korea's road infrastructure and housing are all more than ready to welcome and impress the guests from around the world.

Well-being Makgeolli Ad appears at Times Square






After last year's Bibimbop ad and Dokdo ad featured at Times Square, a Well-being Makgeolli ad appeared on the electronic display at Times Square and is garnering a lot of attention.
 Makgeolli is promoted as a "tasty, healthy, massively popular traditional Korean alocoholic beverage made from rice that will give you an amazing time".
 A product of natural fermentation, Makgeolli is packed with fiber, nutrients and health-friendly minerals that have multiple health benefits and is scientifically proven to prevent obesity and act as antioxidents and antiflammatory agents.
 Korean's traditional wine Makgeolli..
You can easily find it at your local store.
If you want to have a taste of Korea, why don't you give Makgeolli a try.
 

A Korean film "Taste of Money" submitted to Cannes Film Festival




The 65th Cannes Film Festival will be held throughout May.
 People are already interested in movies nominated in competition lineup ahead of opening of world-renowned film festival.
 Of movies nominated in competition lineup, i'd like to talk about a movie called 'Taste of Money' directed by Lim Sang-su.
 The movie is about secret story related with Korea's the most upper class. And even a poster of the film is attracting prospective viewers.
 Cannes' general delegate Thierry Fremaux also gave a good review of the movie's cinematic quality, saying "I'm doubtless sure that "Taste of Money" is the best movie among official entries in the 2012 Cannes Film Festival.
 As Korean movies such as 'Old Boy', 'Secret Sunshine' and 'Poetry' were awarded in major sectors of Cannes Film Festival, Movie community all over the world has paid lots of attention to Korean film. I think if current interest to 'Taste of Money' is continuous, that movie will get a good remarks from many people.
 

Thursday, May 3, 2012

Come to Yeosu Expo 2012





A robot fish on a scientific mission shoots lasers from its nose, its tail swinging as it swims around a tank. It's part of an effort to showcase technology at Expo 2012, which opens for three months on May 12 in Yeosu, South Korea, with a theme focused on the ocean.
Organizers have coined the term "seavilization" to promote the event in this southern coastal city. It's the first expo to be held in South Korea since 1993, and millions of visitors from around the world are expected to attend. Its formal theme is "The Living Ocean and Coast: Diversity of Resources and Sustainable Activities."
It's also being billed as the biggest gathering of robots in the history of expos, and South Korea hopes the event will help promote the importance of technology — including robots — to develop underwater resources without harming the environment.
In addition to the robot fish with the laser-shooting nose, there is a human-like robot that smiles, cries, frowns and winks at visitors, and at another booth, a group of robots the size of schoolchildren that dances in perfect harmony to the beat of Korean pop music. Another robot that looks like a starfish crawls inside a water tank as it demonstrates its ability to detect and analyze underwater resources.
Organizers hope the expo will both capture visitors' imagination and showcase South Korea's eminence as a technology powerhouse. Other high-tech aspects will include submarines, LED displays and a mobile app that allows people with smartphones to access information while touring the exhibits.
In another effort to use modern technology to draw attention to the coastal setting, Yeosu has also built a gigantic round-shaped structure in the water called the Big-O to display colorful hologram images. Lasers and flames shoot from the structure, which stands about as high as a 13-story building at 41 meters tall and 35 meters wide (135 feet by 115 feet).
Yeosu is a port city 300 kilometers (187 miles) south of Seoul. It is one of the most scenic areas on South Korea's southern coast, with 300 islands nearby. One of its biggest tourist attractions is a wide coast, submerged daily by flood tides and rich with sea life.
The expo venue offers 2.7 million square meters of space (29 million square feet). Typically countries that join the host country for these events create pavilions to showcase their own technology, culture and products related to the expo theme. This year's participants are expected to come from 105 countries and 10 international organizations, organizers said. The organizing committee said it asked North Korea to participate, but Pyongyang has yet to respond.
Expo 2012 is a smaller exposition than the larger world's fairs that are held in years ending in 0 and 5. Those larger events last for six months; the most recent large expo took place in Shanghai in 2010. Smaller expos, like the one in Yeosu, are held every four years for just three months and tend to be in less well-known destinations, such as Zaragoza, Spain, which hosted Expo 2008. The expos are sanctioned by the Bureau International des Expositions. The next large expo will take place in Milan, Italy, in 2015.
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If You Go...
EXPO 2012: http://www.worldexpo2012.com/ .
Opens May 12 for three months in Yeosu, South Korea, located about 300 kilometers (187 miles) from Seoul. One-day tickets are about $30, two days, $50, three days, $60.
GETTING THERE: One-hour flight from Seoul, plus a 30-minute bus ride from the Yeosu airport to the expo. By high-speed KTX train, three hours from Seoul to a train station near the expo site.

Wednesday, May 2, 2012

IUCN admits the validity of Jeju Naval Base construction



The validity of Korea's Jeju naval base construction was brought into light and controversy for a few years. The IUCN, International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources, have stated that the construction of Jeju naval base is inevitable.
 Korea and has closely examined the validity of the naval base as a means of competing with naval power of surrounding nations, controversy of Ieodo, illegal fishing activities of Chinese ships, and protection of the national security, and selected Gangjung as the ideal place for naval base.
 At the moment, Lee MB administration has made several adjustments to the original naval base outlines by changing the base as a both civi and military compound harbor. However, few environmentalists, religious groups, leftists, and the Democratic Party are strongly opposing the construction, and hindering the processes.
 Over the past few years, Korea's major national projects efforts have been thwarted by pro-NK leftists, Democratic Party as a means of gaining political interests, with logic full of contradictions. This causes conflicts within Korea, and is putting the society in a mess.
 The IUCN declared that Jeju naval base construction is an inevitable benefit to Korea in the environmental, economic, social, and political aspects. I hope that others can respect the IUCN's declaration.

The Escape for Survival, However...


Recently select groups of the Chinese media reported that the Chinese government will no longer send captured North Korean defectors back to North Korea. However, this news article proved to be false information.
 
It is widely known that North Korean defectors will face brutal punishment once they are sent back to North Korea. There are numerous human rights movements all over the world that are against sending these defectors back to North Korea, but China are just covering their ears and ignoring the plea from the international community.
 
Just two months ago when sending back North Korean defectors to North Korea was garnering a lot of attention, China maintained their position that the defectors defected due to financial reasons and therefore cannot be recognized as refugees. However once these defectors are sent back to North Korea, the North Korean leadership will order the defectors and three generations of their families to be executed. This brutal punishment is enough for them to be considered as refugees, and according to the Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees, we believe North Korean defectors deserve protection.
 
They escaped to simply survive. Please do not crush their hope for the future.