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, January 13, 2011

Daily Kor for January 13, 2011

A story that's been working its way through the news cycle is that of Chung Tongki (story #6), now President Lee Myungbak's former nominee for Chief Auditor. The guy has been targeted for perceptions that he had used his positions for personal gain, making he ethically unfit for such a position. And the cautiously optimistic Kushibo is happy about that. I'm gleeful whenever South Korea nudges closer and closer to a lack of ethical problems being the norm for those in political positions (and broader society).

Blue House holds emergency cabinet meeting over foot-and-mouth disease outbreak (Reuters)

Additional FMD found in central South Korea (Yonhap)
Parliamentary committee approves new rules that would strengthen quarantine rules on people traveling from countries hit by FMD (Yonhap)

Ahead of Hu Jintao visit to US, Beijing says China holds "broad common interests and goals" with US on issues related to Korean Peninsula (Reuters)

Hu calls for new talks on North Korea (AP via WaPo)
Pyongyang urges Seoul to accept offer for talks without preconditions (Bloomberg)

Two Koreas resume contact through border "hotline" (Reuters, AP via WaPo, BBC, Yonhap)
Via official Uriminzokkiri website, North Korea slams South Korea over defense ties with Japan (AP via WaPo)
North Korea ranks at bottom of survey of world's freest economies (Reuters, Yonhap)

Socialist Canada comes in at #8 freest, just ahead of freedom-loving US

Lee Myungbak's beleaguered pick for Chief Auditor gives up nomination after ruling party declares him "unfit" (Yonhap, Korea Times, Joongang Daily)
Age of majority to be reduced from 20 to 19 (Korea Herald)
Teachers receiving more than 30,000 won in cash or gifts to be disciplined (Korea Times)
South Korean household loan growth slows in December (Reuters, Bloomberg)
Nope, Brian Orser still gay (World Skating News)

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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)*

Thursday, January 13, 2011

Daily Kor for January 13, 2011

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