Chusok

It's Chusok now.
The most important holidays in Korea. It is on the 15th of 8th lunar month, so it is either in September or in October of the Gregorian solar calendar ( means the calendar we use globally).

The encyclopedia says that it is 2000 years old harvest festival in Korea. It is also sort of thanksgiving day, though not to the God as it used to be in the West, but to the ancestors.

It is a time of enormous traffic, as most of the inhabitants of Seoul are people who live here for  no longer than 50 years. Most of these modern nuclear families go to the countryside to visit their relatives and on the Chusok day pay respects at their ancestors graves.

The ancestors worship originates from primeaval Korean times, longer than confucianism, buddism taken altogether. It has it's roots in Shamanism, in times when harvest was crucial to survival of the group (clan) and ancestors were worshipped as the source of care and inherited group wisdom shared spiritually by all of the members of the tribal village. In ancient Korea there were several shamanistic influences both from the South and from the North, nevertheless with the similar characteristics in it.

Ancestor worship was digested by buddism and taken as part of the belief system, later confucianism also did not fight with this as it fell into the category of filial piety.

What is Chusok now? It is difficult for a foreigner to grasp. All we see is that buses are not that much crowded, on subway there are less people, less cars race down the streets. The lazy relaxed athmosphere is somehow in the air.

I have learnt from my Korean friends that Chusok requires lots of preparations. Ideally these are women of all generations gathering together for baking song pyun and cooking japchae. Song pyun are traditional rice cakes, very delicious, and japchae are friend brown noodles, something worth to try.

Sometimes guys help in these preparations as well, especially in the families where there are no girls. Chu Won, my ex- coworker, helps his mother a lot during Chusok and Sollal.

In the old times there used to be common gatherings and festivals in the villages, just like globally in the rural society getting together is an important thing.

Currently Koreans cook and eat, but they also play games or watch movies. Encyclopedias say that they also make their traditional dances in the evenings, but I haven't seen it in my own eyes.

Not everyone goes home though. Some troubled young people or those who quarelled with their families, go nowhere.

Chusok is a test of character for many. Together with Sollal, Chusok is also a time when couples suffer, cause no matter how much in love they are, usually both have big family assemblies. In the West, we would not invite someone casual, but a serious partner shares our family holidays. It's actually a test for the relationship, as to how serious it is. Here though, even if the relationship is serious, people are still parted for that time. I have no idea yet how is it with married couples, this is yet to discover.

And dear Iris, Doe Won, I will never forget your invitation for Sollal. Time which we, foreigners, could share with you and your family at your family table on the first day of Lunar New Year.

*****
Source of a photo: http://rice-cake.info/

Climate typhoons etc

Last night the typhoon hit South Korea's capital area including the city where I live, Suwon. We woke up in the middle of the night, both of us, not knowing what to do next. Things were flying in the air and trees were falling down. After 4 hrs or so it all calmed down, but the remains of fallen trees are still there. In Seoul several people were killed.  Now I know what the tropical storm is, and I didn't wake up for the worst part of it, which my friend survived in a lonely nervous silence. Two weeks ago, back in Poland, I've been through worse things though ( but that's an offtopic).


Climate in Korea is warm temparate monsoon with influences of subtropical. It varies depending on the lattitude.
Winter normally is cold and dry, with not much snow, except for recent times. Autumn is beautifull, but short, characterizes in beautifull colors of leaves on the trees. It also doesn't rain a lot during the autumn, compared to the monsoon time. Spring is warm and nice with not that much rain either.  In summer, when monsoon season starts, it rains a lot and it's also humid. Humidity in the air exceeds 90%, means that all you wear or touch is wet.

I survived the storm inside the building and I will take some photos of the remains and present them here.
As I was sitting in the embrace of quite safe modern building very sure that nothing will happen to me, I thought of how big progress Asian countries made over recent decades. I remember the phrase from James Clavell's Tai-Pan in which on the island of Hongkong in the end of the 19th century Tai-Pan's beloved asks the question: - Where are we going to hide, Tai-Pan?
And he replies:

- There's no refuge from typhoon My Love.

They both die in each other's embrace killed by the tropical storm.
*******
Each time I think about this I appreciate the engineering skills of construction. We survived the storm unscratched as we all live in modern buildings.

Immigration affairs

Every person who is not coming for tourist reasons and is staying in Korea for longer than 90 days needs to apply for the Alien Registration Card and Number in the Immigration Office.

Immigration Offices are local to your residence area, and the list of them is in the internet. Ask a Korean assistance to explain where is the nearst one for you.

In Seoul it is near Omokgyo Station, where you follow the exit indicating Seoul Immigration Office, turn right after you exit the subway and go straight until you see a triangular crossing. The Immigration Office is on your left.  You will see signs bringing you there which are on the 3m height attaches to the trees or other things, though not many of them.

In Suwon, get the transport to Yeongtong Park. From Ajou University you can take the bus number 11-1 from in front of GS25 minishop near the Main Gate. Once on the bus, count 14 stops or focus until you hear Yongtong Koongwon, and you pass under the curvy bridge over the road and immediately on your left you will see the Tesco/ Home Plus Megastore.

Get off the bus. Go back until the curvy bridge. Climb the bridge. Go across the bridge. Cross the road. Go straight through the narrow road full of small businesses. Cross the road. On your right there is Suwon Immigration Office blg.

Make sure you have sufficient documents with you. Normally these are: passport, two photos, and a certificate indicating that you are a student or a faculty member or that you are anyhow else employed in Korea. If you don't have the photos, you can make them in the machine. Warning: the machine accepts only 1000 or 5000 KRW. The current fee for photos is 6000 KRW.

Once at the window, explain what you need. The clerks speak pretty good english, unlike in Seoul. You may also ask for reentry permit and ask for your card to be sent to your address later on. The waiting time is apprx two weeks. The fee is 10 000 KRW and you need to by a Revenue Stamp and give it to the clerk ( do it before you approach the window - it's faster).

When you go out of the Immigration Office, make sure you take the proper exit, it's very easy to get lost. If you are lost ask where is the Home Plus, it's your orientation point.

The bus stop which takes you back to the University, is under the bridge. You can take the bus 720-3. Focus until you hear "Ajoodehakkyo" in the name of the bus, and get off. This will be either the University Hospital, or the next stop. Both are ok to get to the campus. Good job, you made it.

So again

I arrived to Korea and from now on I will cover Korean issues with doubled attention. There will be also some changes to the blog, which I will introduce later.

I wondered what to write about at first. Today we had the orientation day at Ajou University, Suwon.
We have been introduced to the stuff and the facilities and got bit more familiar with the campus life and the formalities.

At one moment there was a minute of speech about the aclimatization shock and cultural shock as well. We all come from somewhere and belong to somewhere and are afraid of what's new and unknown.

There were symptoms presented such as radical changes in behaviour. Emotional withdrawal, overreacting, stigmatization and stereotypization of the host culture, long sleep, sudden cleaning attitude and so on.

However I have been to Korea I wonder if it got on me, because I am very well sorted out and I live a healthy life this time. I have enough of sleep and I eat only healthy food and not much, on a very regular basis. And I stick to my European food habits, first meal after 1 pm. But I am much more sorted out than I was in Europe. So I simply ask myself if I have these symptoms or not?

Irritation feeling was one of those mentioned. I have that recently. I feel knocked off my balance. I hope this is only because since I arrived I don't really have time for myself. A lot happens all the time and my friends keep talking and talking to me. No chillout so far. Now I feel like my balance and energy flow on place because I type this in my room in a total silence.

There will be changes to a blog. I will group posts into simple tagged categories like: politics, society, culture, cross culture issues, anecdotes, tourist usefull, business usefull. Once a week there will be a post labeled by one or more of these tags for more clear overview. I will also relabel the old ones.

Enjoy. And please contact me with any questions you have. I'll try to answer most of them.

Aga

Break

The blog is suspended until I say otherwise, likely 3 weeks or so.

Cross-cultural business perspective

Koreans invest a lot abroad, though I have rumours that these are also smaller companies associated under the global Korean brands to make things easier.

Once they invest, like for example here in Poland, in Development Centers (Samsung) it is more or less cool, as engineers have jobs and nice things can be done.

But there are also manufacturing businesses located like LG or others.

The Polish - Korean romance in global business reaches 90's as Deawoo FSO was established to help the FSO save jobs and production. But as the Deawoo collapsed in 1997 during Korean crisis, Daewoo FSO was just quit and shut down despite of good revenues and nice cars produced and sold. Shit happens. Still Llanos is considered one of the better cars with optimal relation of the price to quality.

Later more businesses opened. And people employed started their dream jobs in many corners of Poland touched by unemployment. Soon several companies like Humax and Toshen, but also LG faced criminal charges for worker's rights abuse. Mostly women were forced to work up to 15 hours a day with a very limited payment and with no possibility to use a bathroom or eat a sandwich. If they raised their rights coded in EU law up, they were either beaten or shouted at and threatened to loose their jobs.

There are cross-cultural relations in behavior, attitude and aproach to work. I often advice on cross-cultural European- East Asian misperceptions and miscommunications. But this time I have a message to our Korean counterparts: Once in Rome, do as Romans do. If you enter our culture- adjust and learn as well, this saves trouble for both sides.

If you want to make a Polish person, wether a woman or a man, work efficiently, give flexibility and payrise. Appreciate and motivate. Shouting or yealing doesn't work on us.

Football&National Planning

What one has to do with the other, one may ask?

Even within quantities of work I am of course watching the games sometimes.
Yesterday we have seen a magnificent victory of Netherlands over Brasil in Port Elisabeth.

Another cool thing was watching nice games of South Korean team and their 1/8 final game with Urugway.
This game and also previous games in this WorldCup and any other since 2002 is the illustration of Korean Management and attitude. Money makes success because we will simply copy the best systems and employ the best available couches.

It happens everywhere. In any Korea's global business, any bank, any research institute. And yet, all of it stays Korean. The hell with that we actually employed and paid for success, when the flag is Korean, team is Korean, bank is Korean business is Korean. All remains Korean.

Football is a very interesting topic to study social attitudes and human creativity or else, lack of it. As a collective and team work game it requires collective mind and good group cooperation. Then good East Asian group work and technical accuracy should give good results here, shouldn't it?

And oh yeah, it does. It can exercise and exercise penalties, corner kicks, free kicks and other constant elements on the pitch. And it will exercise and exercise and will not enter any tournament if not mastered all possible regular tricks.

Yet, there is another thing to football, which is not easy to copy-paste into yourself, that's creativity and speed thinking of what can I do with this ball within this moment of time Myself without watching for others, or even more demanding, how can I imagine what pattern is there considering others.

In confucianist societies it is not easy to allow creativity. Not only there, creativity as potentially dangerous factor was also forbidden by the entire education system in communist societies until their fall in 89'. Spirit of creativity is not possible to be simply learnt from someone. That's something one is born with and later in friendly environment can only develop it even more. This is something what a couch is able to train when the team is sealed together in the training center and noone is able to see their growing spirits of individualism. That is what dutch couches taught them and what they seem to use well under their long time manager Jung -Moo Huh. But it takes time before the spirit flows and we will see if bought abroad creativity will be same as might be the innate one.

There are two football teams which combine ideally these two factors: solid team cooperation, efficiency and accuracy, and free spirit of creativity, these are Germany and Netherlands. Both of them buy some players abroad, but not many, and both are the fruit of good training system.

Soju

Lol, what a title for a blog post, hah?
No, I am not a heavy drinker, and this is not an AA advice post.

The closer to my arrival to Asia, the more I think about stories, people, places.

If I think now about especially nice sutuations, these were always when I was asked" 어디서 오셨어요?" "where are you from?" by a bartender or waitress or the owner of some small restaurant business somewhere, I replied: "처 는 펄 란드 사람 임니다" "I am Polish" or "I come from Poland" more formal.

Apart from learning immediately that Korean people love Chopin, Pope and Lech Walesa I usually got free siders and Soju.

So what's that Soju?
That's in it's pure form a rice vodka. It can have from 20 to 45% and better be carefull with it. Tastes like a sweet warming almost neutral spirit and really gets into you, especially when you are an "economic drinker" lol.

For polish people, especially guys it's not much of a problem, but sometimes we can find ourselves in non-comforting business situations when we drink. And drink, And drink. And even more drink. Until everyone is under the table- that's Korean way of drinking even in official formal situations.

What then? Well, my chemist academic teacher used to say that alcohol is basically a poison after 150-200g but somehow Polish and Russians are resistant. So compared to Korean person, Polish should survive this heavy drinking and steadily walk home really well.

What if someone is, like me, an economic drinker. Well, then it's better to quickly pretend a state of total knock-off.

In our European heads (don't know many American, sorry) , as we are in our essence non-honest and false people, that raises a question. What comes next? What if someone uses the things we said or stuff we have done against us later especially in  business talks or negotiations?

No fear over here. No need to be afraid that we will be later blackmailed or manipulated. In Korea there is a one magic rule - an amnesia after drinking.

During alcohol parties surpressed emotions come out. People sometimes forget about confucian "non-burden keep-quiet about yourself and your needs" attitude. So our Korean counterparts won't use this against us as they have their dark side as well.

Back to work.

Are you hungry, Aga?

Since I am in mood for blogging, I will blog lol:P

I remember that one of these remarkable things which surprised me, was the repeating question each time I saw a person: Are you hungry, Aga?

I usually kept kindly responding, that well, yes or no, adding some remark like :"let's go for lunch then", until I started thinking that it actually might be a local way of saying: "How are you?".

The roots of this attitude are not that long and they reach Korean War and it's aftermath. During the struggle both sides had their losses in human assets, but South Korea went weakened out of the war and civilians suffered hunger until the 60-s.

During that first several years it often happened that farmers cooked grass and pieces of tree branches to feed themselves and actually hunger deaths were popular cases.

It was then, when people asked each other with caring attitude: "Have you eaten rice yet?", as "Are you well, are you in need, how are you?".

So if you hear" Have you had your lunch yet?", you can reply "I'm fine, thanks" unless you really want to eat.

Strictly business

I already thought I would have a rest from blogging for a while, at least take a break from my english blog, because I need to defend my thesis, do my finals on both study tracks, and finally think about having some rest, and oh yes, pack my stuff and leave Warsaw at last.

But I think I need to write about this one.
For recent year I got  quantities of emails, skypecalls, and other messages poking me if I know some Koreans, if I am in Korea, and that there is a great opportunity to earn some extra money.

After I asked for some details, ex. legal details of a contract, salary, etc. I usually got informed about extra opportunity in spa&wellness which is called Monavie and it is amazing and so on.

In this field I do have several remarks. To the owners of Monavie: please do go to KOTRA and negotiate and sign the agreement with sillebangs, as I see no easier option to get with a new product into Korean market. Of course if you guys are a serious business with a serious money with a serious vision and with a serious marketing.

If one of your "cooperators" pokes me asking "how is it" to live in Korea, that already sucks. If you want to do business with Koreans, learn the language and mentality, or pay the expert in social science as I am. I will teach you the etiquette and basic differences, 100€ for an hour each. Well, polish people 25€ each and it will be fine.

Also: do not look for cooperators in Korea if you have no knowledge about the immigration and labor law, don't know the beaurocracy of visas and stuff like that.

In other words: money make money. Pay and earn. And if you want to save, quit the business idea.

And last but not least: STOP POKING ME.

From the cauch in Warsaw
Me.

Elections turnout and analysis

Elections turnout and analysis....

Recent elections brought several issues into spotlight.

More than 54% of voters took part and it is the highest number within 15 years. By region that number didn't differ much, with the highest on Jeju - well, not difficult isn't it?


In local provincial legislative seats GNP lost. to DEP almost everywhere. GNP won 4 out of 7 mayoral seats but was smashed by DEP in the governor's elections. In municipal legislative elections GNP won 160 seats, but DEP 154.

DEP is known as anti-American and Pro- North Korea party fed by childhood stories, that when you are nasty then American soldier will come and eat you - indeed this American soldier is a fairy tale equivalent to the evil wolf who eats the Red Hood in the West.

What does it mean for future? What does it mean now?
There is a growing fear I would say, that if we support the North then the North lets us alone and stops sinking our ships. Is it a way out? Not sure, depends on what solutions this party has. And about that- no real english sources, so please wait for the feedback from my Korean counterparts.

I generally observe the typical phenomenon of American presence somewhere. Well, USA is definately not an angel, but the presence of it's army and funds convince a lot of people worldwide that it comes for free. That we may receive the shield umbrella and revolt in one.

I would be careful if I were DEP officials. So far they treat many things as granted. Their progress is granted, democracy is granted, growing support for human rights is granted.

Well history shows that this is only granted for as long as people really want to preserve and respect these values. Any dreams of Kim Jong Il's heaven on the Earth may really harm South Koreans.

______________________
But social changes are needed on the other hand. There must be a retirement system which is somehow supported by the state, I also see the room for rehabilitation of handicapped and much more. This is the room for socialist/leftist parties as I have no illusion that conservative Friedmanists would ever achieve that.

From now on I am on holiday time, we will meet again several weeks.

Elections...

Briefing on major powers and results and what it may mean for Korean policies coming soon.

Offtopicz: economy and culture

I am tired. Really tired so much that I can't sleep at night sometimes. It is my multitasking personality which makes this burden and I know I do it to myself and noone else does. Studies, radio, NG, museum, exhibition, photos, social life, thesis, etc. etc.

Today I have started analyzing the faces of economy in various corners of the world, especially I mean time spent at work, financial satisfaction, and many others.

Like a lot of people in Europe I have been previously convinced that agressive face of capitalism comes from USA and that if you do not wanna work 24/7 for shitty money as a first generation immigrant better don't go there.

But it seems that according to OECD comparison this is my homeland, Poland which takes the second place in the classification. Netherlands ( I have also lived there) takes the last place. So I have seen on my own eyes, talking to people and watching stuff. Polish were in Netherlands just as hardworking as Berbers, Marrocans and others. The prize for that comes only to fresh graduates after prestigious subsidiezed studies in the West, others need to proove themselves first. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Yearly_working_time_2004.jpg

In Netherlands most of people leave home at 7:30 and go back home at 4 or 5 unless they have specific responsibility for network maintainance or managerial jobs. On Sunday only gas stations are places where you can buy anything as most of shops are closed. In East Europe most of shops operate on Sundays at least until 4 if not longer, not to mention Tesco or other networks.

The place South Korea takes requires deeper analysis. Does that 1st place mean that these people are the richest, the most happy or the country most effective? Not so sure. The responsibility structure is so mild that you never know if the goal gets accomplished on time. Many western managers I met mentioned that 3 Europeans do more within 3 hours until lunch than most of Koreans do until 4 pm. I cannot verify myself any of that as so far I am just a grant student or a university lab worker ( apart from freelance journalism), and this world is so much different from any corporate environment. Yet I have seen both hardworking and both lazy people, so it depends. Anyway Korea always accomplishes goal on time, so maybe that is what matters?

But I wish the most that the economic growth is not at the expense of the nation which has no real state law to secure it's interest at work and regulate labour issues. But for that there are needed leaders of changes, whose message can be heard.

In most of countries in the West such things were historically shaped by a long term social clash or dialogue ( mostly dialogue) and it took a 100 years to stabilize the situation. Maybe it's too much to expect a randomized process in any other corner of the world.

_______________
It is also very nice to know that USA is still, after all, an eldorado. Of ideas.
_______________

That reminds me of a coverage done for Trójka przekracza granice somewhen in 2008, when during the election year several radio reporters travelled through the States and interviewed average people on their feelings on crisis, elections, etc. Somewhere in Arizona in a very small city a lady said: " Yes, there is a crisis, but my neighbors will help me, I will help my neighbors and we will survive. If you want to feel welcome and accepted, come to us" I remembered these words for a long time.

From the cauch on the second floor in Warsaw,
Me.

China: key player in the Korean game

I have written last week about possible reactions of South Korean government to North Korea after the results of the Cheonan sinking investigation revealed last week.

One of the key roles in this situation holds China who has been North Korea's closest ally due to strategic reasons so far ( NK is a natural security layer from spreading harmful democratic ideas from SK citizens).

But recently it seems that it is changing. Any unstability is not good and maybe Beijing has come to the conclusion that North Korean leader is after all not predictable in his actions.

Today South Korean president Lee and Chinease prime minister meet and discuss possible common course towards North Korea, or at least Chinease admitting NK guilt, which would be a real breakthrough. Strong evidence presented by an international expert's commision shouldn't be ignored. There is a strong pressure on China to stop doing Public Relations and advert itself as a stabilizer and peacemaker, and finally start acting.

Meanwhile president Lee does exactly what he can do in this situation. As I have written last week, there is currently a show off with military power on the Yellow Sea, large scale maneuvers exercise the possibility of detecting NK submarines.

Last week I have mentioned as well that economy will suffer some shakes, and so it happens. But what is impressive is a decision to suspend trade, strongly against vital interests of Seoul's economy.

One thing happens normally- today all the workers in Kaeseong special economic zone went to work as usually including 650 circa of South Korean workers who daily cross the border and go to Kim Jong Il's world to work at industrial plants.  

***************

The photography comes from Korea Times

Cheonan sinking by NK Torpedo

As it was said two days ago the results of the multinational experts investigation on the sinking of the South Korean military ship are revealed to day stating with no doubt that it was a North Korean torpedo which caused the blast and death of 50 soldiers.

The joint experts commitee has worked since the end of March 2010 just after the explosion. It consists of 25 experts from ten domestic professional institutes, 22 military experts, three lawmakers from related National Assembly committees and 24 foreign experts from the U.S., Australia, the U.K. and Sweden. The group was divided into four departments: forensic science, explosive pattern analysis, hull structure and data analysis.

The results say with no doubt that it was a North Korean 250kg torpedo CHT-02D which hit the South Korean ship. Parts of the torpedo with original North military markings were found on the site of the catastrophe.

****************

The question is: what now? Where does it aim?
The current president of South Korea, Mr Lee is known for his much harder course towards Kim Jong Il and it is very likely that some serious measures will be conducted. But...

South Korean economy and civil prosperity, the very core of its potential is located in Seoul which is very close to DMZ. To close to risk any actions without threatening the success of two yuppie generations and their wealth - and South Koreans put a big value on their wealth. Despite their national pride and patriotism/nationalism they are not likely to risk their nice cars and homes for war with the North.

Even bigger factor are SK cheabols which founded Kaeseong Economy Zone and used to make enourmous profits on NK cheap labour power. Cheabols bosses are the SK aristocracy - the most influential in politics both domestic and overseas. They have not once tried to convince SK government on less hard treatment of NK because of potential and real profits for their companies - and for the entire economy.

Rice farmers also push on exporting their products to NK especially in times of hunger.

What will happen in such situation?
President Lee will very likely improve founds for national defence system, train more troops, and buy more weapons.

He will also push on the US - SK free trade act which will make US more friendly towards Lee even in times of Obama in the White House.

The South Korean economy will suffer some hits from panicked investors on stock exchange and the KRW exchange rate will shake a bit.

Apart from that the world will turn as it turns. The possibilities of President Lee on move on this chessboard are slight, but he will do what he can.

The question remains if there is any power to stop Kim Jong Il from such actions, external power. Kim Jong Il regularly meets with Hu Jintao and negotiates both on help in hunger relief and both on tight border security to stop escapes through mainland China. It is certain and confirmed that Hu Jintao tries to push Kim on reforms in his system, but it seems - effortlessly. China either doesn't try hard enough or more likely has no real power of influence on NK so there is a very little hope for international talks on reconciliation progress.

*************************
PS1.
How different it is from the effortless and omiting investigation after the crash of Tu 154 near Smolensk. Two months and we have results.


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PS2. I am now in Warsaw until August so my reports and analysis come with some hours delay.

Another technical break

I am very sorry, but due to severe influenza I cannot continue this blog for another week or two, as normally, unless something pops up.

Mission Impossible

Sources close to Korean Government suspect direct North Korean involvement in Cheonan sinking. The chief prosecutor does not exclude the possibility of an underwater mine to be the cause of the event.

Even if tangible evidence of North Korean involvement emerges, the president’s caution and balanced behaviour will be understandable. Hot-blooded retaliation against a nuclear-armed neighbor would be a disaster for the entire region with strong possibility of foreign reaction, like China or USA, which are the main surrporters of south and north respectively.

So what's next? I had written about this on my polish blog two days ago. Nothing is next.

Next is a status quo in the situation, more South Korean aid for the North, more indoctrination in the North Korean tv, more jobs at Keseong Special Industrial Zone, more dollars flowing into NK budget.

What is possible resolution of this situation?
For as long as China directly or indirectly supports NK, there is none. United Nations will do nothing as they are paralised by China vote in the Security Council. USA will restrain and will only support SK just as it does for decades.

Google will cooperate with NK and will not publish North Korean maps on it's servers, press will be silent and so the world turns.

SK can only tighten it's security even more, though I have always been personally impressed by the discreet and efficient security system. USA can withdraw from trying to colonalise SK in economic terms and might consider selling their beef elsewhere.

NK plays the same role as Belarus in Europe. Is a border from democratic world which successfully helps stopping transformation and helps to keep control over number of processes.

In the mean time people in NK are dying of hunger and their government doesn't care.

Technical break

Due to important things to settle and lack of time, I contemporary suspend writing until beginning of may, unless something very important happens or something pops up in my mind. Sorry :(

Cheonan soldiers recovered

The bodies of remaining 36 missing soldiers from South Korean frigate Cheonan were recovered lately.

Two weeks ago the frigate sank from unknown reasons and only 58 of the 104 crew on board had been saved.

Cold nerves of Defence Council, president Lee and Korean People had prevented the outbreak of conflict with North Korea.

However Mr President Lee says that the investigation has to be thorough, detailed and fast to finally know the causes of the tragedy.

For all Korean people, I am sorry for your loss.

Korean Prime Minister to attend funeral of Polish President

Mr Chung Un- Chan, the Prime Minister of the Republic of Korea is confirmed to attend the Sunday's funeral of the late President Lech Kaczyński and Maria Kaczyńska, the First Lady. The ceremony will take place at the Cracow's Royal Cathedral in Poland.

South Korea is one of those "silent friend" states, with which the Republic of Poland had just begun to have closer relations.

I had already written somewhere about enormous nowledge of my homeland's history among Korean citizens.

I promise that I will try to interview Mr Chung Un-chan on Sunday and the interview publish here in this post.

Last minute: PM had called off his visit because of air traffic difficulties.