Seoul Lights Up for the Holiday Season - Korea.net

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GLOBAL KOREA Experiencing Korea’s Traditional Boudoir Culture The Museum of Korean Embroidery BY PARK MIN-YOUNG STAFF WRITER Korean traditional five-sided cushion Korean traditional spools The Museum of Korean Embroidery Fifteen foreign women gathered at The Museum of Korean Embroidery in Nonhyun-dong, southern Seoul, on the last day of October to learn how to make “bojagi,” a Korean traditional wrapping cloth. The museum held sewing classes from Oct. 28 to Nov. 3 for migrant women who are married to Korean men. A total of a hundred women participated in the program, in which they made five-sided cushions and bojagi. “We wanted to teach them Korean culture and history so that they can better adjust to Korea,” explained Lee Hye-kyu, the curator of the museum. “Plus, it will also help them raise their children. Their children will be Korean. It would be a shame if the mothers didn’t know anything about Korean women culture.” The women were eager to learn. Every minute of the class was vigorous, with all the sewing, fluffing and asking of questions. No translators were needed — being wives of Korean men, — most were fluent in Korean. A Japanese lady who brought her daughter along to the class stopped her sewing several times to exclaim “So beautiful!” in Korean, holding up her cushion with a huge smile. Established in 1969, The Museum of Korean Embroidery is practically the only institute in Korea that displays the cultural assets of Korean women’s boudoir, such as bojagi, needles, spools and embroideries. It holds more than 3,000 cultural assets including a couple of treasures. The founders of the museum busily ran back and forth between antique art markets to make the collection. “These are very precious items, but Koreans didn’t seem to realize that,” say Huh Dong-hwa, one of the founding members and the current director of the museum. “So we decided to collect them, and preserve them before they all get lost.” Thanks to their efforts, attention has increased on the culture of Korean women’s handicrafts. “About 80 percent of the visitors are foreigners, since the museum is more famous overseas than in Korea,” says Lee. “This museum is a must-stop spot for tourists. Including those held overseas, more than 7 million people have come to our exhibitions.” The museum has held about 50 exhibitions in other countries, including the United States, England, France, Germany, Belgium, Italy, Australia, New Zealand and Japan. “Western countries don’t have bojagi culture, so Western people simply think that it is another kind of painting,” says Huh. “But the thing is that they think our bojagi is more beautiful than the paintings of famous Western artists. That is why they get drawn into bojagi.” Huh assumes that bojagi started about 1,500 years ago in Korea, during the Goguryeo Kingdom. “Chinese, Japanese and Korean bojagi all have their unique styles. But Korean bojagi is best at pulling out what is supposed to be the original charm of cloths quilted together — by delicately showing the stitch marks,” he says. Now, according to Huh, bojagi is practically considered a proper noun, like kimchi. “Bojagi is the most environmentally friendly wrapping material that can be reused more than a hundred times. It was recently chosen as the main item in many design shows. As far as I’m concerned, it is time for revolution of bojagi.” The museum plans to hold the education program every year. “Next year, it will be bigger and we will invite people from more countries,” says Huh. Meanwhile, the museum is holding “The Exhibition of Korean Traditional Spool” through Migrant wives concentrate on making five-sided cushions (top) pose with their work March 5. A total of 150 spools made of various materials, such as stone, cow bone, ivory, straw and embroidered cloth, are displayed. Some were used by the common people, and some were only used inside the palace by the royal family and aristocrats. People carved in little passages hoping for happiness in the family or a baby boy. To get to the museum, get off at Hakdong Station, subway line No. 7, and come out of exit No. 10. For more information, contact www.bojagii.com ■ 22 KOREA DECEMBER 2008 DECEMBER 2008 KOREA 23
GLOBAL KOREA World Ocean Forum 2008 Ministry of National Defense Korean and foreign experts attending the seminar at the Korea Press Center Busan Hosts World Ocean Forum 2008 BY PARK MIN-YOUNG STAFF WRITER Lecturers of the World Ocean Forum 2008 The “World Ocean Forum 2008” was held Nov. 11 to 12 at the Lotte Hotel, Busan. More than 2,000 participants from around the world gathered at the forum, and 10 world renowned scholars gave speeches. This is the second time the forum was held in Busan. It is the first international forum that specializes in the marine field. It aims to become the Davos Forum of the marine field. Under the theme “Toward the Future of Wealth in the New Ocean Era,” the participants sought ways to best generate national wealth through the ocean, to overcome global risks and to preserve the sustainability of the ocean. The first day started with the special session “Stories on Future Values of Ocean by World Leading Scholars.” Karl Laustein, president of World Maritime University, Michael M. Bernitsas, professor of naval architecture and marine engineering at University of Michigan, and O.C. Phang, president of International Ports and Harbours Associations, gave speeches on “The Importance of MET and National Development,” “Marine Renewable Energy” and “Future Co- Prospect through Port Networks,” respectively. The rest of the forum was composed of three sessions — “Ocean Resources and Energy of New Growth Engine,” “Creating National Wealth through Shipbuilding and Logistics Industry” and “Future Vision toward a Marine Power.” The participating scholars gave positive remarks about the forum. “The forum is filled with enthusiasm,” said David Lincoln Fluharty, professor of ocean fishery science at University of Washington, who gave a speech on “Ecosystem Based Management” during the second session. “Busan’s status as a maritime city will emerge, and its marine industry and forum will also rise internationally,” Fluharty said. One of the forum’s achievements was the inauguration of the MITO award. Kim Jong-ryeol, president of the Marine Industry and Technology Organization, and Peter Marlow, president of the International Association of Maritime Economist, created an MOU to present 1,000 pounds to an A participant speaks at the forum international maritime economist who is contributing to the development of the marine industry. “The many suggestions discussed during the forum should be reflected in the government’s future policies and should gain commercial interest,” said Lee Jin-bang, co-chairman of the World Ocean 2008 Committee and president of the Korea Shipowners’ Association. “This forum will be able to move our maritime industry to an advanced level. We aim to keep the forum growing.” The forum was hosted by the Ministry of Land, Transport, and Maritime Affairs, Busan Metropolitan City, and the Marine Industry and Technology Organization. More information can be found at www.wof.kr ■ Defense Experts Discuss Korean Peace at Global Forum The Ministry of National Defense hosted an international seminar on “Global Trend of Arms Control and Peace on the Korean Peninsula” at the Korea Press Center from Oct. 29 to 30. Nineteen experts, including six foreign ones, attended the seminar and introduced 10 new papers and held discussion sessions. The 18th MND Arms Control Seminar and the 26th International Conference of the Research Institute on National Security Affairs were also held on the occasion. “The seminar is organized to grasp the vast knowledge and experience of BY PARK MIN-YOUNG STAFF WRITER local and foreign experts while working to develop various policies to establish military trust and set up an arms control system between the two Koreas, which is one of the 100 main policy goals of the government,” said a ministry official. On the first day, the participants discussed many subjects regarding arms control. Debates on “Building Peace on Peninsula and Arms Control” followed the next day. Some significant arguments were introduced during the seminar. Narushige Michishita, a professor at the National Institute for Defense Studies in Japan, said that North Korea will change from the current assaultive control policy to a defensive one — if its government changes. James Acton, an associate in the Nonproliferation Program at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, said the cases of North Korea and Iran show the serious weak points of the existing Nonproliferation Treaty. He asserted the need of a new forum to enable discussions of a nongovernmental level. The MND has annually held a seminar on arms control since 1991. This is the first time the ministry hosted an international seminar on the issue with this many participants. ■ 24 KOREA DECEMBER 2008 DECEMBER 2008 KOREA 25
Page 3 and 4: Opening a communicative space betwe
Page 5 and 6: COVER The Experience of Foreign Stu
Page 7 and 8: COVER The Korea Herald U.S. Enginee
Page 9 and 10: DIPLOMACY Yonhap “Sets of bilater
Page 11: GLOBAL KOREA Yonhap Ramsar Changwon
Page 15 and 16: CULTURE Emography on a closet Calli
Page 17 and 18: CULTURE Royal Protocols of the Jose
Page 19 and 20: CULTURE Hanbok Artist Makes Style S
Page 21 and 22: PEOPLE Moon Young Doo Credia Japane
Page 23 and 24: ART A scene from “A Ballerina Who
Page 25 and 26: TRAVEL Inje Ice Fish Festival Night
Page 27 and 28: EVENTS Daegu Photo Biennale 2008 1
Page 29 and 30: BOOKS Goguryeo: In Search of Its Cu
Page 31 and 32: SPECIAL SERIES they are perceived a
Page 33 and 34: SPECIAL SERIES 880,000 new jobs wil

Seoul Lights Up for the Holiday Season - Korea.net

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