미지센터의 청소년 국제교류이야기

On Christmas in 2008, two young girls, named Hae Jin Lee (11) and Woo Ye Seul were kidnapped in Anyang city and found dead respectively in a nearby hill and river. According to the police, the criminal was the victims’ neighbor and children were kidnapped when they were wandering around the neighborhood after 6 p. m. Hae Jin Lee’s father said in one interview that he attributes his daughter’s death to their negligence and lack of attention. He mentioned that due to the fact that both parents spend most of their time at work, Hae Jin was almost always left alone at home and this makes her to wander around the neighborhood after school.

After the murder, Anyang City has taken several precautions in order to protect young children from heinous crimes. However, the victims’ parents affirm that first and foremost, supporting children who are neglected due to various factors should be a top priority.   

Ministry of Health and Welfare has announced that there are 10.3 million neglected children in South Korea. The research conducted by National Child Protection Agency showed that there are 955 cases of childhood neglect from this April to June. The number of neglected children is increasing rapidly from year to year.

The main reason for childhood neglect is poverty. Children without parents are in a state of total neglect after school. They do not get proper education and nutrition because they can not afford with a government subsidy.  This impedes their improvement and takes a toll on their emotional state. Those with parents are not exceptions of childhood neglect. Working parents are less likely to provide their children with stable environment and often neglect them. As a result, these neglected children are susceptible to crimes. Without parents’ attention and care, children can be preys for the criminals anytime anywhere.

Not only neglected children can be the victims but also the criminals.

Children who are neglected because of their poverty-stricken family background are liable to go astray.

 

Children who suffer from poverty are more likely to commit crimes and be tempted into wrong ways as revealed in one research.

If children keep being neglected without parents’ love and moral disciplines, they will be the ones who commit crimes in the long run.  

Childhood neglect should no longer be disregarded in current society since it does act as an impetus for the crimes against children.

All those neglected children need is love from their parents or society. There should be no more victims like Hae Jin and Ye Seul.

“Books, thousand of eyes looking at the future”, Seoul International Book Fair 2011

The history of the Seoul International Book Fair 2011

"Abilympics" is the combined word of "Ability" and "Olympics".

The first International Abilympics (IA) was held in Japan in 1981 to celebrate 'The United Nations International Year of Disabled Persons.' Its main goal was to support full participation of persons with disabilities in our society and promote their self-reliance and has been held every 4 years in various countries. This year, the South Korea hosted the Abilympics to the world.

 

At center in Yangjae, Seoul                                                             Opening ceremony of the 8th IA

The 8^th International Abilympics 2011 was held in Seoul, South Korea from the 25^th to the 30^th of September which took place at the AT Center and at the Olympic Park Stadium (Olympic Hall).

57 countries participated and the world’s most highly skilled contestants with disabilities gathered. Skills of contestants are put to test; there are 40 categories of skills competition.

On September 26^th, a spectacular opening ceremony at Olympic Park, Seoul marked the beginning of the 8^th International Abilympics.

 

In the event, Yoon Ok Kim, the first lady of South Korea, the president of IA, and the chairman of the Korea Employment Agency for the Disabled addressed a welcoming speech. After the official schedule, there were special performances that showed Korean traditional culture.

 

The contest began on Sept 27^th at the AT center, Seoul. From Basket making to computer programming, there was a wide variety of tasks that took place during the contest.

Competitions took 5 hours long on average; contestants were totally focused and put a lot of effort into each assigned task. I was so touched by their passion and their great skills. They made so many creative objects, painting, and even furniture.
Many other different programs were also held. There was a Theme Park in which contestants from all over the world could experience Korean culture.
 

Also, many booths were set which exhibited various cultures and traditions of other participating nations. This enabled contestants to enjoy other cultures, widening their perspectives. Furthermore, contestants could get work experience such as crafts, cooking, cake decorating and balloon art.

The contest provided contestants with great opportunities to learn about careers and skills which could further be developed.

 

6 days of the 8^th International Abilympics in Seoul culminated in success on Sept 30^th as followed by the closing ceremony at Olympic Hall, Olympic Park, Seoul. Awards were given to all winners. There were a total of 23 gold medals, 22 silver medals, and 15 bronze medals—South Korean contestants received the most.

After the Award ceremony, all participants, delegations, and guests enjoyed a special farewell banquet and had a time to interact with others from different countries.

After the party, I happened to interview one contestant named Herman Gatete from Rwanda. I asked short questions since he had to get into the bus; his interpreter was next to him while translating his responses.

He has a hearing disability and participated in ‘Wood Carving’.

 

After the party, I happened to interview one contestant named Herman Gatete from Rwanda. I asked short questions since he had to get into the bus; his interpreter was next to him while translating his responses.

He has a hearing disability and participated in ‘Wood Carving’.

 

Did you enjoy the 8^th International Abilympics in Seoul?

: Yes, I felt really comfortable for the last six days because all Korean staffs were nice and the AT center was well prepared for the contest.

What is the meaning of this contest to you?

: This is my first time participating in the IA. So, this contest is especially meaningful to me. I could be more confident about myself and it gives me a kind of hope in which I can dream what people without disabilities dream of becoming.

 

I was also happy to meet people with disabilities from many different countries.

 

He seemed very satisfied with the contest in Korea and I was so glad to hear that Korean volunteers were friendly. Not only the contestants but also volunteers learned valuable things from the showcased event.

 

Lee JooSil who volunteered as an interpreter said “The contest gives the message that contestants have infinite possibilities by offering many different job experiences. I was also impressed by the contestants’ talents. It a beautiful experience to witness. IA contestants faced challenges and developed special skills, even though they are physically disabled.

 

There is one thing I learned from them as I worked as a volunteer in the contest. We tend to misjudge and have prejudice towards people with disabilities, who seem to be inferior to those who are not physically or mentally disabled. We encourage disabled people when they try to do things that normal can people do. But the thing is, they can outshine people without disabilities in many aspects, only if they’re given enough opportunities in our society, like the International Abilympics.

(Image provided by the Metropolitan museum of Art)

                  I decided to revisit the museum on September 24^th because of the vast collection of valuable artworks. In order to cover the most popular artwork galleries, I have reported on Egyptian art, Arms and Armor, European Paintings, European Sculpture, and Medieval Art last month, and this month I will be covering Ancient Near Eastern Art, African/Oceania/American Art, Asian Art, Greek and Roman Art, and Modern Art.

From Babylon to Cyprus

                Near Eastern art, for many visitors, seemed to border Eastern and Western art. For a minority of visitors viewing Near Eastern art produced in the Late Period, they mistakenly believed that they were looking at Greek art (from which Near Eastern art was influenced). Some of the later sculptures, such as the ones depicting a sphinx and a man wearing a laurel crown (a crown that Roman emperors wore to display their power), have heavy influences from Greece and Rome. Near Eastern art produced in the early period resembled art produced in India, with many statues depicting the faces of deities in very high detail.

“If I was a Babylonian or a Persian, I would have been awed by the sheer size of some of these sculptures,” said a visitor, “just like a human being is awed by seeing a supernatural being.” Another visitor seemed to find similarities between Middle Eastern and Egyptian art. “Stone sculptures, murals that depict different creatures, and the enormous statues...looks like Egpyt influenced Middle Eastern art, or maybe it’s the other way around!”

From the Far East

                For many tourists that seek diversity from Western art, Asian art is a must-visit. From massive sculptures of inland China to the porcelain pottery of Korea, there are many different types of artworks. The majority of China’s sculptures and murals depict Buddhist deities, Taoists, or monstrous demons in Chinese lore. Chinese artworks dominated the Asian gallery, where over 3 gallery spaces (along with a giant hall) are dedicated to them. One of the interviewees joked, “The number of Chinese art is as massive as the number of Chinese tourists!” There were also a large number of Japanese artworks, where most of the artworks consisted of embroidery and clothing rather than statues and metal ornaments. However, there was seldom number of visitors in the Japanese wing, unlike those housing Chinese artworks. “I think I am seeing the same number of designs over and over again,” remarked one visitor exiting the Japanese wing. “A homogenous mishmash of this and that,” said another.

                One disappointing aspect for the Asian wing was the lack of artworks from Korea. Although the collection wasn’t small, there weren’t a significant number of them. “I think I would be more interested if there were more works present,” remarked 2 visitors. According to 20 people who visited the Korean section of Asian art, 15 of them said that the wing could use more Korean artworks. “Korea is rising,” remarked Ann Cheng (a tourist who agreed to share her identity), “and to spread its cultural knowledge, people should know more about its culture.”

AAA: American, African, Aboriginal

                Perhaps one of the most unique of the exhibitions, in terms of how these cultures express their artistic side, is the art gallery of African, American, and Oceanic art by Aboriginals. Many of these cultures have displayed their artistic talents with totems, ships, clothing, and personal items over paintings and sculpture. None of the works used metal, and very few used material other than wood or other biological materials. For this reason, this particular gallery seemed to display the distant tribal past of human civilization. The different geographical regions also seemed to play a role in the themes of the artworks created. From the tapestries of the Peruvian Andes to the patterns carved by the Maori, all of the artworks seemed to be different and unique from each other.

                When I interviewed 30 tourists who visited all the galleries, I asked them to choose their favorite galleries. When I asked the 4 people, who have chosen the AAA galleries as their favorites, why they chose the galleries, the 4 people replied that the galleries have shown the most unique way of displaying their artistic sense. For one visitor, it was “their method of displaying art seems more spiritual than that of other cultures, and I was impressed by that.”
 

Olympic Art

                Greek and Roman culture, the foundations of European civilization, created unforgettable artworks. Although Greek and Roman art seemed to concentrate on sculpture like the Egyptian and Middle Eastern art, the proportions and details of the face and body are incredible, even more so than Egyptian or Middle Eastern art. The artworks from the Renaissance period, shown in the previous article, resemble and emulate some of the techniques and subjects from the art of the Classical period. The main materials used seemed to be metal and marble, but the Romans also utilized paint, glass, and other diverse materials.

                “Marble and metal is the main attraction of Greek and Roman art, and I like it,” quipped a tourist. “European culture has never been able to measure up to the success of Greek and Roman culture,” remarked an elder visitor. 16 out of 20 people said that they liked Greek and Roman art, but 15 out of the 16 people said that Greek and Roman art did not have much variety in terms of subject matter. “Roman and Greek art was cool and everything, but it’s like having 200 different alterations of Mona Lisa,” said the same tourist who remarked about the marble and metal used in Greek and Roman art.

MoMA?

                When I visited the modern art section of the Met, I at first thought that the Met collection wouldn’t be as impressive as its other collections. The main reason for formulating this unproven hypothesis, shared by other tourists that have visited MoMA (Museum of Modern Art), is that New York already has an excellent museum dedicated to modern art. According to a survey of 25 people who have visited MoMA before visiting the Met’s modern art section, 15 of the 25 people told me that they didn’t expect to see a good collection. “New York already has a museum dedicated to modern art,” said one of the interviewees. “Why have this gallery at all?”

                Fortunately, this idea was proven a misconception. The Met does have an excellent collection, including Van Gogh’s, Picasso’s, and Pollock’s works, albeit smaller than that of MoMA. Some works, although contemporary, have been transferred to European or American paintings. For some of the tourists, this was to some degree frustrating. “I want to look at modern art in the modern section, not the Europe section where older paintings dominate the walls,” remarked a tourist. However, many of them found the gallery to be rewarding. “I was able to see many unique and flashy works,” said a visitor who was with his family, “and I think that having the same thing over and over again is boring. I like the pizzazz, the bang-bang, and the wow factor.”

Comedi-art

                      Because the exhibition is fairly recent, many tourist groups or visitors do not have much foreknowledge of the artworks, if they had any previous information about it at all. However, it doesn't mean that they don't have opinions about this peculiar gallery. "I found this to be the only gallery with laughs," said a tourist from a school trip. Many of the comments referred to the strange, if not ridiculous, appearance of the artworks. "Laughs throughout the ages," remarked the same tourist.

Checkout

                Mere words cannot cover all the wonders of human creativity found in the Met, and neither can my 2 articles. Many of the ancient treasures predate the museum that houses them, and even predate the city that houses the Met. The deep and rich history, as well as the creative strokes and genius that went into the works of art, will surely impress those who decide to visit the museum that lies on 5^th Avenue. As the human mind creates even more masterpieces, the collection of the Met will ever become fuller.

Lately with the spread of Hallryu, there are expanding new interests in Korean cultures around the world. Besides K-POP, Korean celebrities, and Korean dramas, there is a new kind of culture that is interesting people in the United States. A Korean restaurant in New York is interesting the taste of many foreigners-this restaurant is called Bann. BANN Restaurant, since opening in 2005, has become the premier Korean restaurant in New York City. It is the flagship of a group of bicoastal restaurants developed by Mrs. Young Sook Choi, highly regarded as the pioneer in revolutionizing modern Korean cuisine. Following the success of more contemporary restaurants in Los Angeles, Beverly Hills and SoHo, Mrs. Choi began to focus more on broadening traditional flavors and artisan crafted foods, creating BANN's signature style of cuisine.

Executive Chef Eli Martinez brings 'Innovative Korean Cuisine' to BANN, showcasing traditional elements in a modern adaptation with an emphasis on using the finest natural ingredients to develop rich, distinct flavors highlighting the unique tastes of Korean cuisine in a simple & refined presentation. Exclusive to BANN is the distinctive style of dining not found in any other Korean restaurants. BANN's rare approach creates a dynamic sensory experience through the use of all 5 senses. The open kitchen provides guests with an exciting look into how their food is being prepared with views of blazing fires from the wok and aromas of familiar and exotic foods. Known for authentic Korean barbeque, all tables are fitted with smokeless grills where guests can watch a variety of fresh meats and seafood sizzle and cook to their liking.

             Many people believe that foreigners, especially Southerners, do not enjoy Korean food. They think that it is too spicy and not suitable for their taste. However, BANN proves this wrong with their special cuisines that keep the original Korean taste but also suit the foreigners taste at the same time. Today, I have asked BANN about their special tips on success to suiting the Korean flavor to the foreigners.

1. Could you tell us the history of BANN?

             Mrs. Choi is a second generation restaurateur, being mentored by her mother in law who began the famous Woo Lae Oak chain. After working together for the openings of the original Woo Lae Oak in New York and Los Angeles Mrs Choi decided to modernize Korean cuisine and try to introduce it to the Western palate. She opened her first branch of Woo Lae Oak on the prestigious "Restaurant Row" in Beverly Hills and soon the restaurant gained a large celebrity clientele as well as critical acclaim. Having seen how Korean cuisine was well accepted, Mrs. Choi focused on opening a new branch of Woo Lae Oak to replace the original space in New York that had burned down in Midtown, this time in an up and coming neighborhood, SoHo. In 1999 the restaurant opened and has become the premiere Korean restaurant in the city as well as a hot spot for the chic Soho crowd. 5 years later Mrs. Choi and executive Chef Eli Martinez created a new dining concept to go back to authentic recipes and ingredients and focus on traditional cuisine, which would become the signature style for Bann. Bann is now the most recognized Korean restaurant, having been featured in several media outlets such as television shows, movie, magazines, etc. Bann has hosted the National Korean Tourism Board as well as the Korean Culture Association, has been frequented by the Secretary General of the United Nations and other dignitaries. With the success of Bann New York, Mrs Choi opened another location in Korea town Los Angeles at MaDang Plaza.

 

2. How many foreigners normally visit the restaurant?
Bann is very popular with tourists because of the prime location in Times Square. About 50% of the customers are foreigners (from all parts of the world) travelling to New York and of Bann's regular clientele roughly 65% are foreigners.

3. What changes/efforts does Bann make in order to adjust to the taste of foreigners?
When people think of Korean food, they automatically think spicy, which traditionally Korean food can tend to be. However at Bann we try to highlight all the unique flavors of each dish using the finest natural ingredients to create a multi-layered but simple and refined plate. We try to create a balance between flavors like spicy, sweet & savory that will not overpower the other. In a word, it is milder than traditional Korean food

4. Can you introduce us foods that foreigners enjoy the most from your restaurant?
Bann is known for our tabletop barbeque, which is successful because all cultures can appreciate grilled meats. Foreigners tend not to order items that are that are too exotic so will choose the more familiar items such as the fresh sashimi (sang sun muchim), Ke Sal Mari (crab), Dae Ji Jim and Dak Nal Ke Ti Kim as appetizers. For traditional dishes foreigners choose entrees (not so much chiges or soups) like the Kalbi Jim or the Un Dae Gu Jorim. Also here are some of my favorites:

Duk Bok Ki

Baked Scallop

Raw beef

Beef with lettuce

5. What kind of future do you see in Bann? (Or what is the future goal of Bann?)
We are trying to truly globalize Korean cuisine. It is still not as well known as Japanese, Chinese or even Thai cuisine so we try to make it more approachable. We are developing new concepts like Bann Next Door which is our fast casual restaurant that serves popular Korean street food. We want to expand the "Bann" concept by creating different dining styles while focusing on using the finest products available.

Entry

I initially decided to visit the museum on September 12^th because of its vast collection of valuable artworks. For a museum that boasts one of the largest collections of art in the world, the cost of admission is modest. Although the recommended fee is USD 25, it is up to the visitor to pay, or ‘donate’, whatever amount he or she wishes. The Metropolitan Museum of Art, or simply ‘the Met’, has over a million permanent artworks which are diverse in both time and culture. From the popular Arms and Armor collection to the American Painting and Sculpture, it is usually impossible for visitors to visit all of the galleries in one day without skimming over the artworks. I will be covering Egyptian art, Arms and Armor, European Paintings, European Sculpture, and Medieval Art in this article. 

What the Pharos Made

"Masonry and Size"

For many of the visitors of the Met, the first exhibition they enter is the Egyptian Art Gallery. The Egyptian gallery, containing half of the museum’s artworks, is by far the largest of all the galleries. When I asked 20 visitors of all ages what struck them most from visiting the Egyptian Art Gallery, many of them replied “masonry and size.” Most of the Egyptian Art collection, apart from several textile works, is mainly composed of pottery, stone tools, and stone structures.

The same 20 visitors, when asked what part of the art gallery they would recommend to their friends and relatives, told me that the stone sculptures and tools were the most spectacular. “For me, it was amazing that such fine details in sculpture could be created in a time that lacked the fine tools we have today,” explained one of the 20 visitors. “It’s the sheer bulk and size of the statues that got me,” explained another visitor. Painted art by Egyptians is no less impressive; for one visitor, he “was able to get a lucid picture of ordinary Egyptian life.

Medieval Makes

Like Egyptian artworks, the medieval sculptures display excellent craftsmanship without modern tools or technology. However, unlike Egyptian works that use bulk to awe onlookers, medieval artworks impress audiences with small details present in medieval paintings and crafts.  “After the fall of the Roman Empire, it is impressive to see that barbarism didn’t destroy art completely,” said a college student from Columbia. “It also shows how developed the human spirit is, despite daily hardships.”

Many galleries display religious artifacts, but almost none of the galleries feature as many religious themes and icons as the Medieval Gallery. The sheer amount of Christian themes in medieval artworks display the enormous significance and importance Christianity had for people living during the Middle Ages. This was why some visitors felt as if they were entering a monetary or a religious institution. “It’s Jesus and God everywhere,” exclaimed a tourist visiting from the Netherlands. An elderly visitor noted the amount of care that went into these artworks despite the lack of tools. “They must have put their souls into these works: it does represent their self towards God, after all.”


Guns & Roses

Despite the name of the gallery, many of the weapons were for ceremonial purposes and rarely have seen the battlefield. The ones that have seen battles are arms and armor from nations other than Europe or North America. “I like the diversity of this collection,” said a tourist, “because unlike the other galleries, this gallery allows me to see different cultures at the same time and compare them.”


Elegance from Europe

Europe, after the Dark and Middle Ages, truly blossomed in art and sculpture. By the time of the Renaissance and the Enlightenment, Europe has produced thousands of renowned works by renowned artists. Out of 20 people I’ve interviewed, 15 of them stated that the European art/sculpture section was in their top 3 galleries of the Met, and 5 of the visitors stated it was their favorite section. One visitor described the section as “Europe at is best.”

After visiting the Middle Ages section, many visitors are impressed by the leap forward in techniques found in the European galleries. The subjects have also changed. The Dutch visitor, who I was able to meet inside this gallery, told me that “in this gallery, I see that Europe has abandoned its static theme of blind faith and have started to see other themes artists could spend their time on.” “I am greatly impressed by this level of work,” said another visitor, “and I hope this leap happens again in my lifetime.

Next Visit

From the popular Arms and Armor collection to the American Painting and Sculpture, it is usually impossible for visitors to visit all of the galleries in one day without skimming over the artworks. For this reason, I will feature Ancient Near Eastern Art, African/Oceania/American Art, Asian Art, Greek and Roman Art, Modern Art, and Caricatures (a new exhibition) next month. The Met features many treasures, and I wish the reader to fully appreciate them by going into each gallery in detail.

 

There are various factors and hypothesis that claim what changes our climate. The most certain and influential factor is the pollution by human activities. Thus, emitted greenhouse gases (GHGs), especially carbon dioxide (CO2) make the planet to become warmer. Global warming increases the sea level and melted icebergs not only change the salinity of seawater but also make currents unpredictable. Extreme climates make our lives more unstable, more frequently. Among MDGs (Millennium Development Goals), the seventh goal focuses on hygiene and living condition of the poor society, but it is now losing its direction towards systematic reformation in the means of industrial system. With only four years left before the deadline, 2015, talks between nations about sustainable development is receiving lots of attention while not making much progress.

In front of the United Nations

 

Maldives and Tuvalu gave up their sovereignty, and rising sea level presses the people to be submerged in the middle of an endless ocean. While time is ticking off, no government has been able to come up with a practical, measurable solution. MUNCCC (Model United Nations Climate Change Conference) seeks bright youths to solve it for the adults who are confined to economic benefits and worried about its losses.

 

Before the debate, each delegate wrote their Position Paper, a short essay stating their nations’ goals to achieve throughout the meeting. Here is a part of mine:

“Germany would like to achieve two things in this climate change conference: 1. Setting framework policy that reinforces both economic growth and conservation of nature capital. 2. Coming up with measures to provide incentives to use natural resources efficiently and making pollution more expensive. Both idea stress that environment should no longer be free. Germany finds the most basic reason why nations have been free to abuse nature capital without hesitance in that it is nobody’s responsibility to restore what one has taken. However, while number one requires international and long term compromises, the latter calls for the measures for the time being, before the green economic structure completely stabilizes in societies.” (Tip: In all sessions, in writing or during the debate, everyone including yourselves must be recognized as a third person pronouns.)

 

Every participant represents a nation in a committee as a delegate. Each committee has its own agendas, and mine was ‘OECD and Green Growth’. Only OECD member nations were open to the debate, so there should be a different focus compared to a session in the General Assembly. It is important to grasp which countries with certain economic and social capacity is participating in the debate. Whereas OECD members can more easily afford money costing projects, not all members in GA are capable. Also, there are always main countries in the center leading the debate, ones highly involved in the agenda. It is important and inevitable to form power structures around those delegates. Also, always take notes, because almost all the speeches made during the conference are impromptu; delegates take notes while they listen to the others, and at the same time how to refer to it. But above all, do not get too emotional, or you might personally hurt the other delegate.

 

In the debate session, delegates from US, ROK, Spain have expressed their recent concerns over their fiscal difficulty compared to Switzerland, Germany or UK. But a decision paper written by Switzerland and UK merely suggested already comparably eco-friendly nations to take part in green technology share without the mention of IPR (Intellectual Property Rights). In vice versa, there were no incentives for the technology/ fiscal aid donor nations. The entire decision paper was appeasing to environmentally developed nations for their benevolence. Since decision papers are not mandatory or legally binding, the paper was merely a justification to deny their window dressing. In the mean while, highly developing nations (ROK, Mexico and Brazil) were helplessly waiting for developed nations’ aid. This was not going to work. The paper did not encourage any of the developing nations to voluntarily strive harder to achieve the knowledge of green management, nor for developed nations, pass on to other nations to make this world greener.

 

With Spain, ROK, US and Ireland, we introduced BAMP(Bilateral Appropriate Mitigation Program / 양국간적절완화프로그램). This is a practical form of NAMA (Nationally Appropriate Mitigaton Action), which the president of ROK has brought attention to in 2009 COP (Conference of Parities) in Copenhagen. Developing nations would have to pay small payment to developed nations in exchange for the green technological support, thereby establishing a world sized immense partnership. If the developing nations have failed to achieve the CO2 emission percentage, they had to pay interest to the developed nations; the rate was left to be determined according to their fiscal situation. World Bank will be participating as a mediator. This idea gained the support from the majority and refined the paper in a more practical manner.

Members and student officers of Committee 8, 'OECD and Green Growth'

           MUNCCC 2011 was held by YTN in Korea University with cooperation of British Embassy. Prize winners were later invited to a reception in the British Embassy in Seoul, and had a luncheon. Smaller number of people among them will be lucky enough to participate in COP 17, South Africa as observers. For those of you students wishing to be a diplomat one day, this experience is indispensible and priceless. Become a face of one country for a few days! This experience has motivated many youth including me to find their passion, career, dream and potential. Do you want to feel the goose bumps? Dive in one of the Model United Nations and voice your opinion.

Lithunian college women dress in Korean traditional dresses and spread the Hallyu

            In Kaunas, Lithuania, you can see Lithuanian college women dresses in Korean traditional dresses and singing Korean songs or talking about Korean movies. Through the teachings of Professor Seo Jinseok at Magnus College of Korea and Korean culture since 2008, a group of women interested in the Korean culture were formed. Seo JinSeok is a professor at the Magnus College and teaches Korean regional sciences to students. With the help of his knowledge of Korea as a Korean himself, they meet regularly and watch Korean movies, listen to Korean pop, eat Korean food and etc. These women are helping the Korean culture, hallyu, grow with their deep interest. Korea was always thought to be a “single race”. However, these foreigners are helping Korea grow out of this single race and spread the cultures and spirits of Korea to their country. Now Korea’s range of race is widening to a multicultural race across the globe.