Monster Island (actually a peninsula)*

Pearls of witticism from 'Bo the Blogger: Kushibo's Korea blog... Kushibo-e Kibun... Now with Less kimchi, more nunchi. Random thoughts and commentary (and indiscernibly opaque humor) about selected social, political, economic, and health-related issues of the day affecting "foreans," Koreans, Korea and East Asia, along with the US, especially Hawaii, Orange County and the rest of California, plus anything else that is deemed worthy of discussion. Forza Corea!

Tuesday, November 10, 2009

Korea news links for November 10, 2009: Lang goes long

I guess those who feel that South Korea doesn't really believe in free trade and a truly open economy will not be happy with the news that Seoul is trying to allow for a "poison pill" option to prevent hostile M&As. By the way, the poison pill is not a literal, tangible pill, despite my little graphic just below, which I suspect may be drug-related. I snagged it from this conservative, anti-Obama site, and after reading some of their stuff, I'm pretty sure they're on something.

The other big story is that French envoy Jack Lane has arrived in Pyongyang. He surrendered as soon as he set foot on the tarmac (I know, I know, that's the second time today I used that joke, but I find it oh-so amusing). The question is what, if anything, will come of it. France hasn't exactly been a cheerleader for US interests, and they may see merit in undermining Washington's anti-proliferation efforts with Pyongyang, as if it's some sort of Iraq War 2 (or three, depending on how you're counting these things).

South Korea seeks to introduce poison pill scheme to protect local companies from hostile takeover (Reuters, Yonhap)
French special envoy arrives in North Korea to discuss Paris-Pyongyang relations and DPRK's nuclear weapons program (links here)
Blue House says it expects progress on ROK-US free-trade agreement during Lee-Obama summit later this week (Xinhua)
Lawmakers plan bill requiring multilingual services at public institutions and hospitals (Korea Times)
US Present Barack Hussein Obama delays trip to East Asia by one day in order to attend Fort Hood ceremony (Reuters via WaPo)
Seoul to step up efforts to bail out the slumping shipbuilding and shipping industries (Korea Times)
Yonsei University to open two science departments in Inchon's newly constructed Songdo international business zone (Joongang Daily)
GM Daewoo recalling 32,000 compact vehicles over defective seatbelts (Korea Herald)
Korea out of the U-17 World Cup after 3-1 loss to Nigeria (Goal.com)
Teenager arrested for having his mother and sister killed in arson fire (Korea Herald)
International Atomic Energy Agency get green light to set up shop in Pyongyang after disguising itself as an Ikea (NYT)

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Ask Kushibo.

My Google/Blogspot data shows that a lot of the 2 million people who have landed on my site (yes, that's the real number) are looking for cultural information on Korea (e.g., “When did Syngman Rhee die?” “What did the Indians bring to the first Chusŏk?’ etc., etc.), as well as practical or historical stuff.

That got me thinking that, hey, I have a master’s degree in Korean studies and a minor in Japanese studies, I’ve lived in Seoul far longer than most foreans my age (whether they're kyopo or non-kyopo), I teach introductory courses on Korea and its cultural trappings and history, so why not offer a free service where I attempt to answer people’s questions, point them in the direction of where they can get them answered, and/or offer my regulars (that’s you!) a chance to take a stab at some of this stuff, too.

So if there’s something you’d like to know from a “contrarian scourge,” click on ASK KUSHIBO and just ask a succinct question in the comments section below.

Oh, and play nice. Please don’t make me regret this.

九十五大怪獣란? 쿠시보의 몬스터 아일랜드란?

Pearls of witticism from 'Bo the Blogger: Kushibo's Korea blog... Kushibo-e Kibun...
Now with Less kimchi, more nunchi. Random thoughts and commentary (and indiscernibly opaque humor) about selected social, political, economic, and health-related issues of the day affecting "foreans" ("foreigners" in Korea be they kyopo or non-kyopo), Koreans, Korea and East Asia, along with the US, especially Hawaii, Orange County, and the rest of California, plus anything else that is deemed worthy of discussion. Forza Corea!

* Monster Island (actually a peninsula)

The name of this blog comes from a line in "Lisa on Ice," a beloved episode of The Simpsons, perhaps my all-time favorite television show (even though for several seasons there, it really did suck). Lisa is imagining being sworn in as president, but at the last minute, it is discovered that she failed P.E. (physical education) and she is thus "sentenced to a lifetime of horror" on Monster Island. "Don't worry," the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court confides in her, "It's just a name."

Fast forward to Lisa and other prisoners running in panic through a tropical jungle, chased by Godzilla-like creatures, including a monster turtle and a monster firefly.

"He said it was just a name!" Lisa screams to the man next to her. While he, too, runs for his life, the unidentified man calmly says, "What he meant is that Monster Island is actually a peninsula."

Anyway, I thought in some ways that punchline summed up modern-day Korea in a nutshell. For many people—foreigners and Koreans—the ups and downs and everyday travails of the Republic of Korea make it as precarious as a Monster Island would be (and with the DMZ being the only land border, it really is like an island). But it actually is a peninsula. Okay, it made sense in my head.

So as you can see, despite the hits I get from people looking for Japanese tentacle porn, it has nothing to do with anything salacious as that.

Monster Island (actually a peninsula)*

Tuesday, November 10, 2009

Korea news links for November 10, 2009: Lang goes long

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