If anyone is still reading this/looking for me, I have headed over to The Korean Right.
Come on by and say hi.
Friday, October 27, 2006
Wednesday, September 06, 2006
Remembering Sept. 11th
Well, I recall that day quite vividly. I was logging onto a my usual game site and heard tlak of a building blowing up. I figured it was a castle siege - until someone explained that it was real. After rushing to the TV and watching in disbelief, I woke my roomies and we sat in shock.
Even as a non-American, I felt terrific shock and sadness.
Now that brings me to my next point, how much I do not like Hankyoreah. I try to site from them as often as possible, and they do a fine job of attacking big business, but all to often, they step over the line.
Even as a non-American, I felt terrific shock and sadness.
Now that brings me to my next point, how much I do not like Hankyoreah. I try to site from them as often as possible, and they do a fine job of attacking big business, but all to often, they step over the line.
"Thanks to this, we’re going to be able to get Korea to foot more of the bill for having U.S. troops over there," says Bush. - (Hankyoreh Geurimpan, 5 September 2006)
Way over the line.
Thursday, August 31, 2006
Roh Defends Himself Against ... ME!
Noh Moo-Hyun is one of the worst presidents I've seen in my lifetime. Here he tries to convince me (ok, everyone) otherwise:
http://english.chosun.com/w21data/html/news/200608/200608310021.html
Roh said the game arcade scandal “was caused by several complicated, connected reasons such as systemic faults and industrial deregulation policies and lax policing of gambling. It is difficult to deal with the case since a cluster of several small problems have combined into one big scandal.” He vowed to reveal on a different occasion what steps the government is taking. Roh waited 12 days to apologize after the gambling scandal broke on Aug. 19
Not one mention of his nephew? Of his "talent supporter's" leading role? What kind of appology is this?
Roh suggested the overall economy and people’s economic difficulties should be talked about separately. He said macroeconomic indicators including exports, prices and foreign reserves were strong and the stock market more than doubled during his tenure. “But even when our economy is doing well, people can find themselves in economic trouble,” he said, due to the growing wealth gap in a globalized era and a surge in the number of temporary jobs and small businesses.
I call BS. Sure the stockmarket is up, and I have little doubt that it is a result of his policies, but can anyone tell me the last time they heard lower income workers bragging about making money in the market? The truth is, Noh's family is heavily invested in the market and they are raking it in. I have no doubt this will come to light after he is out of office.
He also reiterated a class-conscious justification for the government’s controversial real estate policy. “Everyone wants to see housing prices rise, but if they do, those with smaller homes will lose out,” the president said, adding the hope that there will not be too much resistance to the policy. “There were those who raised the toast, ‘Let it be forever!’ during the financial crisis of the late 90s when our economy was in serious trouble,” he said. “They were not ordinary middle class people” -- an apparent suggestion that the rich benefited from the high interest rates during the crisis.
Wow, nice to try to sound like you're taking the working man's side, but what are you doing? I wokr in Seoul Station every day and things have only gotten worse! Noh has redistributed the wealth alright, right into the pockets of his supporters.
The president also rejected accusations of cronyism in his personnel appointments. “The administration has much improved in managing personnel affairs” from its predecessors, he said. “People keep taking issue when someone close to me is appointed to high office, but it’s only natural that I choose someone who understands my policy well.” He warned if the criticism refuses to go away, “it will make it very difficult to manage administrative affairs.” He added pointing out glaring errors in personnel appointments was fine, but constant griping was “inappropriate.”
He cannot keep a minister for longer than 6 months before they mess something up. He is surrounded by inexperience and idealism - a bad combination. here is a nice enough to give an old drunk friend a job:
http://joongangdaily.joins.com/200608/30/200608302216172279900090309031.html
Nice to know who is at the wheel of the Unification Ministry.
Turning to the question of Korea taking over sole operational control of its forces, the chief executive said the core of independent defense was “physical military force.” “We headhunt the most suitable Korean candidate, not a foreigner, when selecting the president or the chief of general staff,” he said. “That is the basic principle of managing a nation.” Roh reiterated the plan to “withdraw” wartime operational control of Korean troops from the U.S. was already hatched during the Roh Tae-woo administration, while the target date of 2000 was set by the Kim Young-sam government. “The Grand National Party shouldn’t oppose the plan just for opposition’s sake,” he added.
This I am not opposed to. I think it is becoming too much of a political issue, where it should be a defense one. All parties involved need to let the experts figure it out...
They just have to figure out who the experts are.
http://english.chosun.com/w21data/html/news/200608/200608310021.html
Roh said the game arcade scandal “was caused by several complicated, connected reasons such as systemic faults and industrial deregulation policies and lax policing of gambling. It is difficult to deal with the case since a cluster of several small problems have combined into one big scandal.” He vowed to reveal on a different occasion what steps the government is taking. Roh waited 12 days to apologize after the gambling scandal broke on Aug. 19
Not one mention of his nephew? Of his "talent supporter's" leading role? What kind of appology is this?
Roh suggested the overall economy and people’s economic difficulties should be talked about separately. He said macroeconomic indicators including exports, prices and foreign reserves were strong and the stock market more than doubled during his tenure. “But even when our economy is doing well, people can find themselves in economic trouble,” he said, due to the growing wealth gap in a globalized era and a surge in the number of temporary jobs and small businesses.
I call BS. Sure the stockmarket is up, and I have little doubt that it is a result of his policies, but can anyone tell me the last time they heard lower income workers bragging about making money in the market? The truth is, Noh's family is heavily invested in the market and they are raking it in. I have no doubt this will come to light after he is out of office.
He also reiterated a class-conscious justification for the government’s controversial real estate policy. “Everyone wants to see housing prices rise, but if they do, those with smaller homes will lose out,” the president said, adding the hope that there will not be too much resistance to the policy. “There were those who raised the toast, ‘Let it be forever!’ during the financial crisis of the late 90s when our economy was in serious trouble,” he said. “They were not ordinary middle class people” -- an apparent suggestion that the rich benefited from the high interest rates during the crisis.
Wow, nice to try to sound like you're taking the working man's side, but what are you doing? I wokr in Seoul Station every day and things have only gotten worse! Noh has redistributed the wealth alright, right into the pockets of his supporters.
The president also rejected accusations of cronyism in his personnel appointments. “The administration has much improved in managing personnel affairs” from its predecessors, he said. “People keep taking issue when someone close to me is appointed to high office, but it’s only natural that I choose someone who understands my policy well.” He warned if the criticism refuses to go away, “it will make it very difficult to manage administrative affairs.” He added pointing out glaring errors in personnel appointments was fine, but constant griping was “inappropriate.”
He cannot keep a minister for longer than 6 months before they mess something up. He is surrounded by inexperience and idealism - a bad combination. here is a nice enough to give an old drunk friend a job:
http://joongangdaily.joins.com/200608/30/200608302216172279900090309031.html
Nice to know who is at the wheel of the Unification Ministry.
Turning to the question of Korea taking over sole operational control of its forces, the chief executive said the core of independent defense was “physical military force.” “We headhunt the most suitable Korean candidate, not a foreigner, when selecting the president or the chief of general staff,” he said. “That is the basic principle of managing a nation.” Roh reiterated the plan to “withdraw” wartime operational control of Korean troops from the U.S. was already hatched during the Roh Tae-woo administration, while the target date of 2000 was set by the Kim Young-sam government. “The Grand National Party shouldn’t oppose the plan just for opposition’s sake,” he added.
This I am not opposed to. I think it is becoming too much of a political issue, where it should be a defense one. All parties involved need to let the experts figure it out...
They just have to figure out who the experts are.
Tuesday, August 29, 2006
The North is a Push Over
well, at least that is what old Rummy has to say.
http://english.hani.co.kr/arti/english_edition/e_international/152628.html
It seems that the man who said to "watch out for a musroom cloud from Iraq" and "the war will be over quickly" is now sharing his wisdom about the Peninsula.
I'm not saying he is wrong, but honestly, at this point, who trusts him?
"I think the real threat that North Korea poses in the immediate future is more one of proliferation than a danger to South Korea,"
Testing, testing...
This is a test. This is only a test. If you are surprised to see me writing on this blog again, please realize that... this is only a test. I'm writing again to find out if I have time to try to revive this 'ol thing. If I keep posting, then I guess you'll know eh?
Speaking of tests, the Chosun Ilbo http://english.chosun.com/w21data/html/news/200608/200608280027.html
is warning that a North Korean Nuclear test is just over the horizon.
National Intelligence Service director Kim Seung-kyu said Monday. “Nuclear test facilities are always on standby in North Korea, but we don’t have any direct information indicating that the North is preparing for such a test,”
And what is the South going to do about it? Nadda! As it stands right now, the current administration is planning to do exactly, well not exactly, well, almost something... ok, not much. But they just might get "red in the face" - oh wait, that's only for the Americans. For their Northern Brethren, I'm guessing Noh will send rice! Gotta' celebrate a passing test score somehow!!! lol
Speaking of tests, the Chosun Ilbo http://english.chosun.com/w21data/html/news/200608/200608280027.html
is warning that a North Korean Nuclear test is just over the horizon.
National Intelligence Service director Kim Seung-kyu said Monday. “Nuclear test facilities are always on standby in North Korea, but we don’t have any direct information indicating that the North is preparing for such a test,”
And what is the South going to do about it? Nadda! As it stands right now, the current administration is planning to do exactly, well not exactly, well, almost something... ok, not much. But they just might get "red in the face" - oh wait, that's only for the Americans. For their Northern Brethren, I'm guessing Noh will send rice! Gotta' celebrate a passing test score somehow!!! lol
Thursday, March 16, 2006
Yodok Story
http://english.chosun.com/w21data/html/news/200603/200603150026.html
A controversial musical set in a North Korean gulag has at last been staged, overcoming pressure from powerful circles to bin the production for fear of offending Pyongyang. Wednesday night saw the opening of “Yoduk Story” at the Seoul KyoYuk Munhwa Hoekwan auditorium.
It has been a difficult road for producer Chung Seong-san, himself a North Korean defector, that saw him reportedly exposed to death threats and official pressure. “Yoduk Story” centers on Kang Yeon-hwa, the daughter of a party official and a promising dancer. When her father is falsely accused of being a South Korean spy, she and her family are detained in the notorious Yoduk concentration camp, where she is raped and becomes pregnant.
If you are able to I recommend checking out this musical. Although I have not seen it yet, and most likely I will understand little when I do (it's in Korean), the back story is quite interesting.
Rumor has it the producer put up his rights to his kidney (that's right, his own kidney) to some mobsters to finance the show. Good luck to him, just for guts like that, I'll shell out the dough to check it out.
Plus, ya just might learn someting! ;)
A controversial musical set in a North Korean gulag has at last been staged, overcoming pressure from powerful circles to bin the production for fear of offending Pyongyang. Wednesday night saw the opening of “Yoduk Story” at the Seoul KyoYuk Munhwa Hoekwan auditorium.
It has been a difficult road for producer Chung Seong-san, himself a North Korean defector, that saw him reportedly exposed to death threats and official pressure. “Yoduk Story” centers on Kang Yeon-hwa, the daughter of a party official and a promising dancer. When her father is falsely accused of being a South Korean spy, she and her family are detained in the notorious Yoduk concentration camp, where she is raped and becomes pregnant.
If you are able to I recommend checking out this musical. Although I have not seen it yet, and most likely I will understand little when I do (it's in Korean), the back story is quite interesting.
Rumor has it the producer put up his rights to his kidney (that's right, his own kidney) to some mobsters to finance the show. Good luck to him, just for guts like that, I'll shell out the dough to check it out.
Plus, ya just might learn someting! ;)
Wednesday, March 15, 2006
The PM is leaving
http://english.chosun.com/w21data/html/news/200603/200603140036.htmlPrime Minister Lee Hae-chan has resigned because of a "scandal" over his golfing (with some bad guys) during a holiday (that also saw the launch of a nation-wide railway strike). Now, I'm glad to see the guy go. Personally, I've always felt he was a Noh lapdog, but I guess that what the position of Prime Minister is often about.
Leaving because of a golf scandal though, I'm not sure about it. I am the first to say that this administration needs to leav, but all too often nowadays it seems that they bow far too quickly to public opinion. A Super Comment Tribe (http://news.naver.com/news/read.php?mode=LSS2D&office_id=025&article_id=0000599179§ion_id=105§ion_id2=226&menu_id=105) Seems to be ruling online opinion (See Marmot for translation - http://www.rjkoehler.com/?p=2541).
I worry about how this will affect politics in the future. It seems far too easy to bend to the eb and flow of internet waves.
*sorry for bad link, I have forgotten how to hot-link
/sigh
Thursday, March 02, 2006
Noh is makin' Moh!
That's right, people think that president Noh is your average joe. That he made his money legally and such. Well take a look at this:
http://www.koreaherald.co.kr/SITE/data/html_dir/2006/03/01/200603010040.asp
President Roh and his immediate family saw their wealth increase by 12.9 percent or 94.47 million won (about $97,400) with total assets now reaching about 829.3 million won.
The increase mostly came from bank savings and stock investments, according to the government ethics committee.
And then think about how much Noh has been pushing the devaluation of Real Estate. His family is heavily invested in the Stock Market and he is flodding investors into that sector by making Real Estate a bad buy.
maybe his strategy has less to do with the nation's welfare and more to do with his own pocketbook?
http://www.koreaherald.co.kr/SITE/data/html_dir/2006/03/01/200603010040.asp
President Roh and his immediate family saw their wealth increase by 12.9 percent or 94.47 million won (about $97,400) with total assets now reaching about 829.3 million won.
The increase mostly came from bank savings and stock investments, according to the government ethics committee.
And then think about how much Noh has been pushing the devaluation of Real Estate. His family is heavily invested in the Stock Market and he is flodding investors into that sector by making Real Estate a bad buy.
maybe his strategy has less to do with the nation's welfare and more to do with his own pocketbook?
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