My Impression of Korea - Korea.net

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COVER Pampas Grass 1 The Bukcheong Saja-nori, a lion mask dance 2 The Hahoe Byeolsin Exorcism Mask Dance 1 If you want to see Korea’s natural autumn beauty, visit Cheongwansan, a mountain in Jangheung, Jeollanamdo, which offers a magnificent view of pampas grass. The scenic beauty of the pampas glass field on top of the mountain represents the romantic fall season. Pampas grass can easily be seen growing in Korean suburbs throughout the autumn season. Other famous pampas grass fields are Mindungsan in Gangwon-do and Sky Park, located near Seoul World Cup Stadium. Jeongseon-gun in Gangwon-do holds a pampas grass festival every year from late September to November. ■ 3 Foreign tourists experience a mask-making event at the Andong Hahoe Folk Village 2 3 Andong Mask Dance Festival This is a must-see festival for locals and foreign tourists. It is held every year for about 10 days, between the end of September and the beginning of October. The world-renowned festival was first held in 1997, drawing more than 800,000 visitors every year. The festival includes domestic and international mask dance performances, as well as modern performances and mime. Mask dances were a way for ordinary people to express their views on society. Yonhap The pampas grass field at Sky Park near Seoul World Cup Stadium 10 KOREA NOVEMBER 2008 NOVEMBER 2008 KOREA 11
DIPLOMACY Yonhap Yonhap President Lee Myung-bak shakes hands with French President Nicolas Sarkozy (center) and European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso in Beijing on Oct. 25 Korean President Lee Myung-bak (center, front row) and other leaders from Asian and European countries pose for a group photo during the opening ceremony of the seventh ASEM summit in Beijing on Oct. 24 President Lee Seeks Global Efforts to Overcome Financial Crisis Korean President Lee Myung-bak called for overhauling the roles and functions of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank in order for the world to overcome the current financial turmoil and prevent the recurrence of a similar crisis in the future. In a keynote speech at the opening session of the Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM) summit in Beijing on Oct. 24, Lee asserted that emerging Asian economies should be allowed to reflect their positions in the restructuring of the international financial organizations. “The existing international financial system did not function properly because it failed to keep pace with globalization, revolutions in information and technology, as well as the rapidly changing international economic environment in general,” said Lee. “In light of this, we hope to see discussions take place that will strengthen the role and function of the IMF and the World Bank, whereby we will have an improved mechanism equipped with an early warning and surveillance system, effectively warning us of possible dangers.” The biennial ASEM summit opened in Beijing on Oct. 24, with the global financial crisis the key focus of attention among participating leaders of 43 member nations and heads of the European Commission and the ASEAN Secretariat. ASEM nations account for roughly 60 percent of the world’s gross domestic product. Earlier, leaders of Korea, China, Japan and 10 member states of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) met over breakfast in Beijing and agreed to create an US$80 billion joint fund by next June to fight regional financial crises. The so-called ASEAN Plus Three countries also agreed to push for the establishment of a regional economic surveillance organization to ensure greater financial stability in the region. Before concluding the speech, Lee expressed high expectations for the Group of 20 summit slated for mid- November in Washington D.C., saying that the upcoming summit meeting is expected to generate “substantive and productive” results through closer consultations between emerging and advanced economies. Lee is scheduled to attend the Group of 20 summit. ■ A Series of Bilateral Summits Lee Calls for Korea’s Leading Role in Global Economic Order Change Speaking at the World Leaders Forum in Seoul on Oct. 30, Korean President Lee Myung-bak called for Korea’s leading role in reshaping the international economic order. The one-day forum, hosted by the South Korean government in commemoration of its 60th founding anniversary, brought together scores of influential world leaders and prominent academics, including 15 former heads of state. “At the financial crisis summit scheduled in Washington on Nov. 15, I will commit myself to promoting international cooperation on measures to reinvigorate the world economy, including the reorganization of the international financial system,” Lee said. Yonhap On the sidelines of the ASEM conference, President Lee held separate talks with leaders from France, Poland, Denmark, Vietnam and Japan. President Lee and Japanese Prime Minister Taro Aso agreed to cooperate more closely in combating the global financial crisis and accelerating the denuclearization of North Korea. The two leaders also agreed to resume bilateral shuttle summit diplomacy, long suspended following the outbreak of bilateral territorial and historical conflicts earlier this year. Korea and Vietnam agreed to further widen “comprehensive partnership relations” by intensively promoting closer cooperation in the fields of economy, investment, education and tourism, Korean officials said. The agreement was reached at a summit between President Lee and Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung. Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk asked for greater Korean participation in its massive Former Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir bin Mohamad said “Korea emerged only after the (1950-53) war and therefore its experience is quite new. I am quite sure Koreans remember the difficulties they had faced in developing their country.” “I think South Korea can still play this role to provide the region with a model. I am quite sure even China must have learned something from Korea's development.” infrastructure expansion projects, including the construction of atomic power plants, Lee’s spokesman said. Lee’s summit with French President Nicolas Sarkozy on Oct. 25 produced an agreement to cooperate on concluding ongoing free trade agreement negotiations between Korea and the European Union by the end of this year. Lee and Sarkozy also agreed to cooperate closely to produce substantive agreements to fight the global financial crisis at the Group of 20 summit slated for mid-November in Washington D.C. Jose Manuel Barroso, president of the European Commission, was also on hand at the Lee-Sarkozy meeting to call for a swift conclusion of Korea-EU FTA negotiations. ■ President Lee attends (center) attends the World Leaders Forum in Seoul on Oct. 30 Francis Fukuyama of Johns Hopkins University said while many have talked about Korea's economic miracle, there has been a political miracle as well. “Korea has gone from a dictatorship to a functioning democracy in a single generation,” he said. Former U.S. Defense Secretary William S. Cohen called on South Korea to continue such efforts to weather the financial crisis and bring lasting peace to the peninsula. ■ 12 KOREA NOVEMBER 2008 NOVEMBER 2008 KOREA 13
Page 3 and 4: Opening a communicative space betwe
Page 5: COVER Information on Autumn Festiva
Page 9 and 10: GLOBAL KOREA Gugak performance at t
Page 11 and 12: NATIONAL (From top) Visitors look a
Page 13 and 14: SCIENCE World’s Largest Solar Pow
Page 15 and 16: SBS Actors Park Shin-yang (left) an
Page 17 and 18: CULTURE The dog (gae) A legendary f
Page 19 and 20: PEOPLE Jung Sung-ha Korean Guitar P
Page 21 and 22: PEOPLE Yonhap Lim performs a tradit
Page 23 and 24: TRAVEL Samcheong-dong is a sweet an
Page 25 and 26: TRAVEL A Trip Back to Olden Times S
Page 27 and 28: FOOD 1 3 2 Omegisul master Kim Eul-
Page 29 and 30: EVENTS Charity Market Turns into Mu
Page 31 and 32: EVENTS Biennale Transforms Busan in
Page 33 and 34: BOOKS Korea: Impossible to Possible

My Impression of Korea - Korea.net

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