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!

Thursday, December 24, 2009

Daily Kor for December 24, 2009

If Santa Claus can plan his escape from the North Pole, why not North Korean loggers working in Siberia? Meanwhile, we have yet another possible country destined to receive North Korea weapons: Sri Lanka. It might be easier to start making a list of countries not thought to be receiving them. Did I already say that? I'm tired. Too much Christmas shopping. Roads are bad in Southern California: Californians with their SUVs glued to their ass all competing for a handful of parking spaces. It'll all be over tomorrow (it's still the 23rd here). Merry Christmas, everyone!

South Korean authorities acknowledge that about one dozen North Korean loggers working in grim conditions in Russia have defected (Straits Times)
South Korean authorities clear way for both LG and Samsung to set up flat display plants in China (WSJ, Reuters)
Thai authorities now believe North Korean weapons shipment was headed for Sri Lanka (AP via WaPo)
Hyundai Motor union accepts wage deal (Reuters)
CJ O Shopping to buy 55.2% stake in ON* Media Corp, making it a dominant player in cable TV (Bloomberg, WSJ)
Justice Ministry vows tougher punishment for election law violators (Donga Ilbo)

Government announces plans to step up scrutiny of government officials and heads of public corporations (Korea Herald)

Voice of America quotes a UN official who says that North Korea sold 3400 tons of weapons to Congolese insurgents (Chosun Ilbo)
North Pole announces end to policy of one-sided gift-giving; says children will continue to behave badly unless there is reciprocity and accountability (AP via NYT)

1 comment:

AnonymousFriday, December 25, 2009 2:13:00 AM
Well... IF the Nork weapons were being sold to a legitimate government and not a terrorist group or a shaddy insurgency group, count me as one that doesn't see any problem with that.

All kinds of governments sell weapons to other states, including the U.S. and South Korea.
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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.