September 10,2007

Another Korea – by Andrei Lankov

This is a daily column in the Korea Times newspaper. He’s a Russian writer who teaches university here in Seoul.

The column for me has been, by far, the most interesting source of information on Korean history and culture that I’ve encountered. I didn’t expect to be learning so much about Korea from a Russian.

It’s possible that being a foreigner may give his writing the edge that one needs to tackle history properly. But I enjoy it and highly recommend it – particularly for the insight he offers into North Korean life, which still seems quite enigmatic even living just an hour from the border.

Ironically, most of my education for learning the streets of downtown Buenos Aires came from a Russian ex-pat as well. His name was Igor.

In The News:

The Hostages

The Korean hostages in Afghanistan, who were released last week, came out of the hospital for the first time today since they returned to Korea. They attended the funeral service for the group leader – Reverend Bae Hyung Kyu, who was shot and killed by the Taliban.

I thought they were still in Afghanistan. So that shows how well I’ve been following the news lately. Then again, the few people I mentioned this to today were also surprised. I guess the “gripping suspense” wore off.

Adultery

The top court in Korea is reviewing the Law Against Adultery – on the grounds that “sex is a natural human desire and it is inappropriate to restrict it by law”.

Under the current law, an adulterer or adulteress can be punished with a maximum two-year prison sentence.

According to Time Magazine, about 65% of Korean men dated other women after they married and 41% of women dated other men.

Not long ago, some local journalists exposed a string of brothels operating near the Incheon International Airport, just outside Seoul. They released names of women who were undocumented migrant workers in the sex trade and – here’s the great part – publicly exposed the names of some 2000+ clients, many of whom were prominent businessmen and public servants here in Seoul.

I don’t have to walk more than a block from my apartment to see that adultery is as Korean as kimchi. Couples don’t suspect it, they assume it. Still, it’s always worth a laugh when it comes out in public discussion.

Monday is “Seoul Car-Free Day”

This is a local spin-off of World Car Free Day, which started in France in 1997. It will be the second year for it here in Seoul. Drivers don’t have to leave their cars home, but they’re encouraged to do so.

These people love their cars. I’m not crossing my fingers on this one.

I’ve said it so many times - this city would be fantastic if there just weren’t so many cars stinking it up.

I looked out my classroom window this afternoon. It was a beautiful, hot, sunny day and I couldn’t see the mountain. It’s the largest mountain in the city – a massive, picturesque rock face that blocks out half the sky throughout the entire north of the city and I couldn’t see it.

Car free-day is a great start. But we need a car-free YEAR here. Seoul has the best bus and subway system that I’ve ever seen. Yet people are convinced they can’t buy rice without taking the car.

Everyone who makes the trip to Japan from here notes how much cleaner the air is over there. And they all seem to figure that it must be because it’s an island. But there’s another factor. It’s called the BICYCLE.

I miss my “mama chari”. That’s an old beater of a Japanese bicycle “charingo” with one gear, warped rims and a basket. It got me everywhere I needed to be. It wasn’t exercise equipment. It was a means of transportation.

Korean Fact

Korea has the 4th lowest birthrate in the world - 1.19 babies per woman.

The average is 2.56 for UN member countries.

Hong Kong, the Ukraine and Slovakia were 1, 2 and 3 on the list.


Holidays

“Chusok” is coming ! It’s the biggest Korean holiday of the year. It coincides with the harvest – late September. It’s a five-day long weekend. I haven’t got a clue what I’ll be doing – but I won’t be working. I can’t wait.

In August we had a holiday to celebrate “Korean Independence Day”. It happened to fall on a Wednesday this year. But a break in the middle of the week is always a nice surprise.

Then I found out we had to come in to work on the following Saturday to make up the classes !

So now I’m wondering how many Saturdays this Chusok thing will cost me.