The National Assembly election is over. The election turnout was the lowest ever with only 20% of people in their twenties turning out at the poll stations. The number of young people — particularly, university students — with indifference to political affairs has been growing in recent years. Many of them don’t hold their own views or ideas about social issues, and they have become “socially-impaired,” roaming the streets as “invisible” citizens.

             It doesn’t come as a surprise that no one in Korea is completely satisfied with many social issues, such as living conditions, education, and so forth. Although the invisible citizens, (like the politically active people), have complaints as well, they aren’t interested in partaking in any political activities. That is, they seem uncomfortable initiating any change in society for themselves. What is even worse is that they take for granted that their public opinion is of no importance. In the 1970s and 1980s, university was regarded as the heartland of public opinion, especially as regards social conditions. University students in those days were looked upon as the most powerful watchdogs; nowadays, university students are nothing more than mute puppies when it comes to keeping a watchful eye on politics. To them, politics is a concern outside of this world. This is a good enough reason to give people of older generation the idea that young people are a bunch of political-ignoramuses.

             Then again, it is amusing to note that such anti-political phenomena also bear some typical characteristics. The concept of a society has changed in that more channels are now open for people to participate in social matters. We can easily discover upon a plethora of readers’ comments below newspaper articles on the internet, and this undoubtedly has an impact on many people. This basically means that the political participation tools have changed. The world-wide-web could give a tremendous boost to political movements. Another cause of the phenomenon lies in the change in people’s interests. University students are neither interested in politics nor social problems; they spend more time dealing with individual problems, such as employment or career development. This obviously is in tune with the change in society which places the students in a position to focus more on individual issues. When it’s all said and done, are we even sure that anti-political phenomenon is bad?

              At any rate, the question lingers: Are “invisible” citizens real, active citizens? “Citizenship” is the fact of belonging to a community, and it carries with it the duty to political participation. However, there are many bystanders who lack political interest or desire for change, and the number is seemingly growing as we speak.

<Things to look for in this play>

     *Look closely as the sets of scenes are being changed.

     *Pay attention to the changes in the arrangement of desks.

< Caption>
 Gather ye rosebuds while ye may,
Old time is still a-flying,
And this same flower that smiles today,
Tomorrow will be die.

-To the Virgins to Make Much of Time
 

“Seize the day, and gather your rosebuds while you may. Why? Because we are only going to experience a limited number of springs, summers, and falls. Because one day, every one of us will stop breathing, turn cold, and die”

   It isn’t easy at all to fully enjoy the present moment. How many of us do you think can say for sure that we are doing what really makes us happy or will make us happy without a moment of hesitation? Don’t you think all we are doing is watering roses that might or might not bloom tomorrow when we should be enjoying the beauty of the roses that bloomed today? The musical, Oh My Captain, enables us to reflect upon ourselves and that we are never satisfied with the present but are only pursuing satisfaction for a future that might never come. Oh My Captain is a type of work that gives a short, but at the same time, powerful lesson on “Carpe Diem” philosophy. 

Six students attend Welton Academy prep school, a school with a reputation for sending many students to prestigious universities. The student body has turned into a sort of machine and all students do is just sit and study. When they are asked a question, their hands instinctively reach for the textbooks to figure out answers with no ability to think for themselves. All they can look forward to is the future, and they have given up everything -- even themselves -- for the future. What they want to do and what they want to say have been pushed to a “to-do-list after entering a renowned university.” However, in this play, the students undergo a change when they meet Keating, a new teacher. Keating is nothing like the other teachers at the school. He tells the students to stand on their desks and see the world from a different point of view; he tells the students to call him “My Captain” instead of by his formal name and title. He also makes them rip up the useless textbooks saying that there are other lessons to be learned in the world if they can throw away their prejudiced view of the world. He awakens the students by reminding them to trust their hearts and to appreciate the essence of life and nature.

Among the six students, the one suffering the most from conflict is Neil. He literally gave everything up because of his obsession that he has to do well in order to fulfill his parents’ expectations. He is also the student most affected by Keating’s words, “seize the day,” and he eventually tries to seize his dream. Neil performs in a play which invigorates his life when all he had been doing was gazing at the textbooks without knowing why. However, his father does not understand his passion and forces him to study even harder. On the day of the school play, Neil, who plays Romeo in Romeo and Juliet, feels happier than ever with his successful acting debut, but he met by his angrier-than-ever father. Neil does not get a chance to tell his father what he truly feels about acting, and he kills himself, unable to control his heart which is full of passion for acting.

Keating also gets into trouble for confronting McAllister, a teacher who represents the old-fashioned teachers who transforms students into studying-machines and disrespects each student’s individuality. Keating’s innovative and open method of teaching does not get a warm welcome from other teachers and parents. Unfortunately, he gets fired from his teaching post and is labeled as the person responsible for agitating Neil and driving him to suicide.

However, jumping to the conclusion that this musical is a tragedy just because Neil commits suicide and Keating gets kicked out of school is premature. Committing suicide was the first real decision made by Neal during his entire life. He also came up with his own logic and thinking of the lyrics he sings. However, the decision he chose to make and the words he chose to express do not change the fact that he acted of his own accord. He did not look up anything in the textbook or take orders from his parents. In the end, he learned how to “live a real life,” albeit briefly. Neither for Keating is it a tragic ending, either. Although he gets kicked out of the school, his students stand up on their desks, like he taught them to, and show respect for him by holding his hand and calling to him, “O Captain, my captain.” Keating did achieve what he wanted: to bring about a change in the students. If we look at the very last scene where all five students call his teacher “captain” while standing on their desks, we can assume that they will never forget Keating nor the lessons he taught them for the rest of their lives. 
            

Throughout the performance, the actors in this musical focus mainly on action rather than on delicate facial expressions or direct lines to convey the feelings of the characters. The actors utilize many other indirect devices that make it possible for the audience to know what the characters are feeling. The first device is the use of the change in colors. In the scene where the students are studying, before they meet Keating, the only light that shines on them is a heavy, dark blue color. However, when they are studying with Keating, various colors of lights are flashed upon the characters. Besides the light, the costumes that the characters wear also change as time go by. After the first part of the musical, the actors change their clothes from plain and standardized brown uniforms to colorful casual dress that highlights their individuality. The physical movements of the students seem to be more exaggerated and brighter after wearing comfortable clothes. Lights and costumes eventually reflect the change in which the students find their own colors, freeing themselves from the colors already chosen for them by teachers and parents. As you might predict, the sets become dark again after Neil’s death, and this makes the shadows cast on the faces of the characters stand out.

            Neil’s psychological state before killing himself is well expressed through a prop: a goldfish. Neil takes one of the goldfishes from the fish bowl, a prop used in the school play, and throws it out on the table and sings, “I do not own my life. I only sacrifice myself for a guaranteed happiness in the future. Living for today is just a waste of time.” The poor fish, struggling to breathe in vain, eventually stops breathing and this stands for Neil going through emotional hardships.

Oh My Captain is a well-dramatized play. The musical maintains the flow of the original work and renders the original to accommodate the times we are living right now at the same time. It also manages to balance both the fun and serious aspects  throughout the performance. The harmony between the profound lines and the performances of these talented actors makes you stop thinking about everything else, which is another factor that makes this musical worth seeing. Let us all learn a lesson through this musical -- that it is better to spend a few more minutes enjoying more of “today” then spending a few more minutes worrying about “tomorrow.”

 Interview with the director, Song Hyung-jong

Q. Out of all the props on the set, the arrangements of the desks had the most changes. Is there a special meaning to this?

A. I wanted the arrangement of desks to reflect the changing situations. Before the students met Keating, the desks were all directly facing the front, each one lined up “too perfectly.” This shows that the environment around the students led them to become dull and oppressed. When in class with Keating, the desks were lined up in an oval shape, facing each other. This shows that the students were now able to express themselves more freely. In the last scene where Keating leaves and the students all study with the boring textbook again, the arrangement of the desks return to the original state in the beginning. However, it is not quite the same because now, the students are all standing up on the desks, and calling out “Captain!” I wanted the audience to concentrate more on the students standing on the desks and not the arrangement of the desks in the last scene.

Q. The set-changes were impressive. It showed everything from the changing of the props to the arranging of the sets, which was unlike other plays where they black out the lights while setting up for the next scene. Did you want to express something special through it?

 A. I believe the more subjects that the audience can think about while watching a play, the better the play is. I wanted to share every single scene and everything that happens on the set with the audience, even if it meant just a minor change in the set. Most of the other plays try to hide these, but I wanted the audience to recognize what had changed about the set. After all, I regard every change in scene, set, and prop as part and parcel of the “act,” and I wanted the audience to think more about whatever subjects that might come to their minds through it.

Introduction to City University of Hong Kong

                  City University of Hong Kong, known popularly as “City U”, is a university situated in Kowloon Tong, the center of Kowloon peninsula in Hong Kong. Because of its location, you can go anywhere easily by riding on the MTR (the Hong Kong subway), or by way of the East Rail Line (the train in Hong Kong) or by bus. “City U” was established in 1984 and by comparison with other universities in Hong Kong, it is a young one. However, it is one of the fastest growing universities in Hong Kong. Professors and students are very enthusiastic in teaching and learning, and they are willing to study outside of the classroom. Led by professors, students often visit well-known global companies such as Bloomberg and Price Waterhouse Coopers (PWC). Since Hong Kong is a major city in the world of finance, I think such trips can be very helpful, especially for students who are majoring in Accounting or Finance.

                  My impression of City U was that the university really rates high, with a globalized campus atmosphere. During my exchange, there were more than 300 exchange students from all over the world, and each of them was assigned a “buddy” who is a student from City U. The university organizes many activities such as boat trips and culture tours so that exchange students can easily become involved in the culture of Hong Kong. I was very lucky because I had wonderful roommates, floor mates, and a City U buddy. I lived with around 30 students on my floor and 4 of them were exchange students from France, Singapore, Cambodia, and Mainland China. We shared many activities such as floor dinners and beer times. Sitting on the grass, and talking and talking helped us become closer to one another. Even though we each grew up in different places, we found commonalities among us and were able to make beautiful memories as friends. I think meeting friends from various backgrounds broadens our view of the world. Through a semester in Hong Kong, I realized that such efforts for international experience also apply not only to City U but also to Hong Kong. If you want to experience a more diversified and international school life, being an exchange student in Hong Kong is a good choice.

                   Also, you can experience a high standard of academic environments. City U was ranked 147^th by the “Time Higher Education Supplement” in 2007 and the school acquired triple accreditations (AACSB international, EQUIS, and AMBA) in the Faculty of Business. Someone may say ranking is not that important because it is mainly judged by the professors, staff, facilities and others, and not mainly by students. However, we cannot deny that it attracts qualified and competent students. I found some intelligent students who were from Hong Kong and Mainland China, and I think that their attitudes toward academic performances are quite exemplary.

I think the students in City U can teach you many things such as differences in culture, what kind of sports they like, and how they think. It is not directly connected to the “job seeking” aspect, but in the long run, what you have learned in City U will be a valuable asset in the future.

 Introducing Korean Culture Abroad

When I arrived in Hong Kong, I was deeply impressed by the popularity of Korean celebrities such as “Rain”, “Dong-Bang-Sin-Ki”, “Super Junior”, and others. Many students owned CDs, posters, or photographs of those celebrities. My “school assigned buddy” was a big fan of “Dong-Bang-Sin-Ki”, so when we met to chat with each other, she asked many things about them and the culture of Korea. It was my pleasure to introduce the Korean culture to her and my new friends. So, to satisfy some of the students’ interest, I cooked Korean food, showed Korean movies, and even sang Korean songs. I tried my best to show the Korean culture to them.

In November, the International and Non-local Student Office (INSO) at City U gave Korean exchange students a chance to introduce Korea to students in City U. They promised to lend us a place for the presentation, provide for some of the expenses, and help with the advertisements. For this event, the Korean exchange students gathered every Sunday evening and prepared for this event. All of the Korean exchange students were very busy preparing final tests, but our desire to promote our country exceeded our worries about assignments, quizzes, and tests. We planned numerous events and presentations. We also contacted the Korean Language Department in City U, Weekly Hong Kong, and the Korea Tourism Organization to gain sponsorship. They provided us with han-bok, Korean foods, and souvenirs of Korea. After one month of preparation, we finally held our Korean Day. On that day, we had about 100 guests who came to listen about the Korean culture. We introduced history, culture, and achievements of Korea followed by introductions of SungKyunKwan University, Korea University, Hallym University, and Yonsei University. As soon as we finish the presentations, guests were able to taste Korean food, and try on han-bok. Seeing them enjoy our event, we felt happy as the representatives of Korea and our home university.

Learning about Hong Kong and the Global Mindset

As you know, Hong Kong was once ruled by the British. Due to this historic fact, some books describe Hong Kong as a place where “the East meets the West”. Then, you might think that it is easy to judge the culture of Hong Kong as having a mixture of two cultures, but actually it is not. The more you stay in Hong Kong, the more you will realize Hong Kong is Hong Kong itself. People in Hong Kong know how to adapt to the changes surrounding their life, and they integrate them into their lives. I learned that through the time with my roommate named “Turkey” and other nice friends from the school. Hong Kong has its own beauty which cannot be described by words.

During my stay in Hong Kong, I joined a debate group in a class called “Business and Hong Kong society”. The professor wanted us to debate the topic of “What will be the future of Hong Kong?” and graded us on how well we did in the debate. My team was on the side of “Hong Kong will not prosper in the future”. While researching for the debate on the downside of Hong Kong, I came across some articles that said that people in Hong Kong are materialistic and the gap between the poor and the rich is wide. Some articles talked about how being a part of China, many of the advantages that Hong Kong has will be delivered to other cities in China. However, as I stated above, people in Hong Kong have their own ways of adapting to the changes. I’m sure that such a strong mindset is engraved in their DNA. Even though I insisted that Hong Kong would not prosper in the debate, I know that the future will be bright for Hong Kong.

Many people say that a global era has come and a global mindset is needed. Then what is this “global mindset” you ask? There may be many definitions for that saying, but I would say it is the openness to diversified culture with a strong identity. I found out that many of my friends in City University of Hong Kong were ready to work in a global environment. Studying alongside them taught me some valuable lessons. I hope that you can have a chance to experience the global mindset of Hong Kong, and strengthen your identity by joining the exchange student program. Good luck everybody!

A holy man was walking on the street when he came upon a scene where a lion was about to eat a small, young bird. Sympathizing with the bird, the holy man asked the lion to save the bird in exchange for what he had. The lion said to him, “I will not eat the bird if you can give me something that has the same value as the bird.” The holy man had nothing to give, so he gave the lion one of his arms. The lion handed a scale and told him to weight his arm on the scale. However, the weight of the bird was heavier than his arm. The holy man kept adding parts of his body on the scale, but still the scale tipped towards the bird’s side. The lion said “Don’t keep adding anymore, and put yourself on the scale.” The scale then was balanced.

Did you understand the meaning of this story? Even though one might consider a bird worthless, the value of a bird’s life and a human’s life is the same. In fact, there is a person who has been working to uphold the true meaning of this message for the last 17 years. The SKT met Choi Seung-Kook, Secretary General of Green Korea United (GKU) at his office located in Seongbukgu.

Choi’s Life as a Social Activist

“When I was a university student, the movement for democratization was in full swing. We fought to bring about a direct presidential election system which was used in the 13^th presidential election. However, in the election, it was discovered that a ballot box from Guro-gu had been rigged. We had rallies to question the government about it, but we were suppressed by force. I was sure that we were going to change history if we could protect the ballot box… It was, however, not a simple task.” Choi, the Secretary General of GKU elected February of last year, looks back at the moment when he first incised the social movement onto his heart. When his strong beliefs were shattered and he was worried about what he should do, he made a decision to get involved in the social movement.

“Because I couldn’t just get involved in the social movement without any particular plan in mind, I first had to learn the works behind the social movement. The organization that I found was called “The civil group for getting back a green Korean peninsula.” There were already similar groups, but this one was just getting started up. I hoped to make a new social group later, even though I couldn’t achieve it yet. So I thought things I learned in this organization could be helpful afterwards.” Choi joined movements for protecting the environment, and anti-war and anti-nuclear campaigns. He felt that aim of those movements agreed with his sense of values. “The anti-war movement and the anti-nuclear campaign are a part of the movement to make a peaceful world. I wanted to get involved not only in the movement for protection the environment, but also in various and far-reaching movements that could change our society. The experiences he gained from working with the groups turned out to be a great help in his current work, and he has dedicated the last 20 or so years of his life on the social movement.  

“Sometimes I faced difficulties, but I never regretted the choice to live my life this way. I always believed that I should do what society wants of me.” Because he was born in a poor family, and he was only one who had a university education in his family, he often felt uneasy about living life as an activist. However, he believed that he needed to make sacrifices and that he would never let any consequences stand in his way. Sometimes many activists were driven to perform hard labor in construction sites to pay for expenses involved in the movements. But when his hard work yielded fruitful results, he forgot all the hard times he had to go through. “I cannot accept anything that acts against my principles. So, many people think that I am callous and humorless. But I can go forward anyway and say that I’ve lead a shameless life without uttering any complaints or any glancing any other way. I was always concerned about preserving a society where our values can become a reality.”

 The History and Efforts of Green Korea United

In the ‘90s, concerns about environmental pollution born from the industrialization era of the ‘70s and the ‘80s were on the rise. At that time, “The civil group for getting back a green Korean peninsula,” where Choi started work as an activist, and “Preparing committee for the green party” were founded. These two organizations working in separate areas were unified in the April, of 1994 and newly-created as GKU in 1996. “People think of GKU as an environmental organization, but actually its goals deal with a ‘green movement’”, Choi said. “The green movement is making an effort in finding ways to achieve harmony between nature and human life in a large sense, and it’s looking for ways for people to be happier and good-natured in every way. The movement for protecting the environment is a part of green work.” GKU’s four manifesto involves “Respect for life”, “Building a sustainable society”, “Realizing peace through non-violent ways”, and “Realizing participation democracy and Green Policy”.

To achieve these goals, there are many activities promoted by the G KU. Choi has become involved in “The Baekdudaegan Project”, a major work of the GKU. “Baekdudaegan is the backbone of the Korean peninsula,” He told us, “It begins in the Baekdu mountain, and ends in the Jiri mountain; so it is Korea’s own range of mountains. However, this fact has been forgotten ever since the occupation of Japan when the Japanese created a concept of ‘sanmaek’ (a mountain range) for each of the mountains along Baekdudaegan in order to exploit Korea’s natural resources. So, we took actions to make people recognize the value and the importance of Baekdudaegan.” Thus, the first project undertaken by the GKU was a movement to restore Baekdudaegan on the maps of Korea. “I believe that the Baekdudaegan project has already passed a critical point because it has yield excellent and important results including the establishment of the Baekdudaegan protection law and protection area. And now, we are pushing ahead with other projects such as restoring destroyed areas in the mountains and appointing residents as Baekdudaegan protectors.”

Furthermore, the GKU is promoting the “Green is Life” campaign. “No Paper Day (April, 4^th)” started with the recognition that we should think about the value of a piece of paper and a single tree. “On a ‘No Paper Day,’ two years ago, we created a campaign to persuade main new agencies to change their paper bills to electronic (e-mail) bills and thousands of people joined the campaign,” Choi told us. “The money saved by the campaign was donated to the GKU, and it was spent for planting new trees.” He said. Also, there are “Buy Nothing Day” (last Friday in November), which helps people become aware about their continuous spending habit and the exhausted earth, and “Bear Day (November, 3^th)”, which informs people about the reality of Manchurian black bears, animals on the endangered species list that are captured and bred for their galls.

The GKU is also making an effort to raise future leaders of the green movement. “Ecology School”, which teaches the importance of the eco-system to children, and “Island Camp of Future Generation for middle school student”, which lets students to experience the value of islands and culture in Je-judo are being held every year. “Ecology School for young people,” which teaches 30 to 40 students every year to become protectors of the eco-system is also generating good results.

It is a fact that many GKU projects which were in trouble in their early stages are now producing excellent results. But Choi explained he sometimes faces difficulty because of lingering “social values” of the past. “Some people say, ‘what is the use of talking about the importance of nature when it is hard enough as it is living without enough money?’ Many people harshly criticized us for always opposing every plan put forth by the governments, especially when we started the movement against Seamangeum Tideland Reclamation Project and the tunnel construction in the Cheonsung Mountain. The problem of undeveloped social value still is the most difficulty I face. Unless people change the way they think, it will be useless even when a change occurs in other systems and organizations.”

Choi’s opinion on the Korea Canal Construction Project

Even though there is strong public opinion opposing the project, the government stands firm with the Korea Canal Construction Project. He blasted the project as a venture which, “can not be and should not be done.” “Even from an economical point of view, which the new government insists as the project’s main objective, the project doesn’t have efficiency at all. How would it have an effect on the transportation and create wealth when only six vessels can commute through the canal per day?” He added, “What I want to say above all is, ‘Leave nature as it is’. It means to just let the river flow. Making a waterway and connecting two unlinked rivers are already going against the laws of nature.” Recently, he joined the “Green walking pilgrimage for withdrawal of the Korean Canal Construction Project” from Nakdong River to Han River for 10 days. “In the long run, perhaps it is a good thing an administration that is so ignorant about environment took over the government – It might be that only after the government destroys the environments, we will finally see and recognize the importance and value of the environment.

Choi’s Wish for a Better Society and Comments for University Students

“What kind of society do you wish for?” The SKT asked the Choi. He answered: “Taking the lives of others out of the necessity for survival is the absolute principle in an eco-system. We call this the ‘food chain’. However, I believe that taking the lives of others, not out of the necessity for survival, is a sin. In the real society, where human desire turns into the greed, our duty is to make a society in which humans can be satisfied with the proper level of desire.” As a senior in life, he also advised university students. “I think universities should play a role as a last cradle of intelligence, something like salt. It’s the 3% of salt in the saltwater that keeps the ocean from decaying. Be free and willing to find what is significant while you are in school. The future of our society rests on the schools remaining healthy and self-conscious.”

1.

- Please share your comments about this month’s publication.                                                 

I was glad to read an editorial that dealt with an important topic. I also liked the piece on Frida Kahlo, whom I have been interested in for a while.     

- Please let us know which stories that you would like to see us cover in future issues.

About clubs and societies at SKKU…

- Feel free to comment about anything.

I found the section, Exchange Student, a little boring. And the article was difficult to read because the font was too small. 

2.

- Please share your comments about this month’s publication.                                                 

I'm very interested in education abroad, so the article about the Student Exchange Program is very interesting and useful to me. And students' vivid descriptions about life and study abroad are very impressive and inspiring.

- Please let us know which stories that you would like to see us cover in future issues.

Unknown or mysterious places on campus.

- Feel free to comment about anything.

First, I really congratulate on your new members – junior reporters!
And I think the editorial from the Editor in-Chief is appropriate and needed to be published.

On April 7^th, 2008, the 36^th Korean Health Day Commemoration Ceremony was held on the 3^rd floor Guhmoongo Hall of Seoul Kyoyuk Munhwa HoeKwan in Yang Jae-dong. About 500 people attended the successful ceremony, including National Assembly representatives from the Ministry of Health and Welfare, the Secretary-General of Red Cross Korea, and news reporters.

            World Health Day commemorates the day when the World Health Organization (WHO) was established: April 7, 1948. In June of 1945, during a conference set up to establish the United Nations (UN) in San Francisco, the participants concluded that they needed an international health security center. Then in 1946, the constitution, which states the organization’s purpose and activity, was enacted. After all members of the UN passed a vote, the World Health Organization came into effect. Every year, the WHO defines an important theme and advocates it as a slogan while suggesting all member nations to work vigorously in promoting health and hygiene. On World Health Day, many events take place to give people a chance to think about health problems and to improve people’s health. This year’s slogan is “Protecting health from climate change.”

Korean Health Day is conducted by the Ministry of Health and Welfare to elevate people’s health awareness. From 1952 to 1972, the WHO had been managing the World Health Day ceremonies, but since1973 the Ministry of Health and Welfare has been handling all ceremonies every April 7th. 

The 60^th World Health Day and the 36^th of Health Day anniversary in Korea began around 10:30a.m. Son Bum-so hosted the celebration, which was based this year on the theme of “The People’s Health Era.” The first part of the celebration dealt with reporting the new government’s main health policy, and it showed Korea’s historical development of the medical industry.. Video clips provided background information to the audience about Korea’s medical industry. The presentation also included the fact that when the medical insurance system was put into place in 1963 and by 1989, it was available for all citizens.

             On the 36^th Health Day, the Ministry of Health and Welfare presented its vision to “realize a society where all people are healthy” and its mission to “create a healthy environment, and to help people to preserve and promote health by themselves.”

This year’s goals are to lengthen the life span from 67.8 years in 2005 to 72 years by 2012 by better balancing the health care system. Korea’s current average life span is about 68.5 years old, which is at the same level as other OECD nations. However, the average healthy life span of Koreans is only 67.8 years old, which is about two to five years behind other OECD nations. The healthy life span is the average life span subtracted by the period suffering from illnesses or injuries. It represents not how long people live but how much they actively worked and lived in good health. Kim, Sung-yi, the head of the Ministry of Health and Welfare, said, “We will be constantly monitoring what people want for health and find out what the problems are.” He suggested that it is highly likeable to raise the healthy life span up to 72 years by 2012.

To achieve such goals and to reach The People’s Health Era, the Ministry of Health and Welfare announced four promotional strategies. First, it will invest in the prevention of illnesses by providing nutritional food supplement to poor women in childbirth and to children of poor families. Second, it promised to provide a suitable health care service to all citizens. This means that the Ministry will increase the number of door-to-door nurses to about 2,400 and implement a health care system that offers supplemental medical services. Third, the Ministry promised to realize an eco-health social environment, which will expand the number of non-smoking areas in public. Lastly, the Ministry stressed the necessity of achieving cooperation among people, the government, and local communities. The Ministry of Health and Welfare also discussed “2008 Health Promises for Korean People,” which stressed the initiation of secure health service market and the promotion of a self-regulating health policy founded by local communities.

The second part of the celebration dealt with handing out awards to people of merit. The 224 award recipients were people who have benefited the health industry and strived to advance people’s health. Park,Young-ha, the chairman of Eulji Foundation, received the highest national medal -- the Grand Order of Mugunghwa -- for his continuous contribution to people’s health by building hospitals in areas where medical care was the weakest and by offering free medical exams and treatment to poor elderlky citizens and to orphaned children. For similar reasons, the Grand Order of Moran was awarded to Song Jae-seung, the chief director of InHwa Foundation, HanKook Hospital in Chengju. Moreover, Kim, Dae-won, the professor of College of Medicine at SKKU, received the OkJoGunJung Medal. As a blood transfusion expert, he was rewarded for his work related to blood transfusion and building a blood-supply center.

             The price of kimbap (rice rolled in dried seaweed) has recently risen by 50%. Just a few months ago, 1000 won would have bought you 5 bungohbangs (a fish-shaped bun) —nowadays, only 3. Food items such as confectionary, ice cream, pizza are also on the rise, and the consumers are paying the price. This rise can be attributed to several factors, but the main reason involves the increase of grain costs. Agflation (a compound word of agriculture and inflation) is a newly coined term that refers to the rise of food costs due increase in grain prices. Kim Jong-moo, a professor of Economics at SKKU says, “The increase of price in agricultural products is the main cause of inflation in recent years all over the world. The level of consumer price and production cost are also increasing very rapidly in recent years not only in Korea but other parts of the world.” This month’s Focus takes a closer look at this problem.

The Present Condition of Agflation

             According to the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), since 2005, grain consumption has surpassed grain production and the world’s grain supply is dropping steadily. As indicated in the grain supply and demand graph below, the world grain supply reached a record high of about 587 million tons between 1999 and 2000. After that, however, the number started to decrease and a 47% reduction rate (309 million tons) is expected between 2007 and 2008.

             According to the Korea Rural Economic Institute (KREI), grain prices for foodstuffs like wheat and corn have been continually rising since December, 2006. Prices of wheat and corn in particular have shown large increases compared with the price of soybeans.

             In the case of rice, the recent international price of rice is skyrocketing, thus, countries that import a lot of rice, like the Philippines, are having a difficult time. In Korea, there is no major change in rice costs yet. Lately, however, rice prices in Korea are beginning to show a slight increase.

World grain supply and demand & stock

Production

Consumption

Stock Rate (the right side)

Source: USDA

Prices of main grain

Wheat

Corn

Soybean

Source: KREI

Causes of Agflation

             Professor Kim says the problem lies in the supply and demand of grain. “The population of BRICs (Brazil, Russia, India, and China) is growing as well as their economy which gives rise to the demand for grain.” Yang Seung-ryong, professor of Food and Resource Economics at Korea University, also says that problem of supply and demand is the most important factor. “Particularly in case of China and India, the annual consumption of grain per person was 20kg 10, 20 years ago, but now, it is 50kg.” Moreover, the recent increase in the world’s population, economic development, and higher incomes have given rise to a greater demand for grain as well as increased consumption of meat. As more people consume meat, more grain will be needed for animal feed, thus reducing grain for people to consume. “To produce 1kg of beef, 8kg of grain is needed. And for 1kg of pork, 4 to 5kg of grain is needed. As people put more meat on their tables, the demand for grain will increase along with its price.” Professor Yang explained. The increase in grain price causes feed price as well as meat price to rise. 

Domestic main grain consumption of world and BRICs

Unit : 1 million ton

List : Corn / Oilseed, Soybean/ Wheat

Nation : Brazil/ China/ India/ Russia/ World

(outlook)

The average annual increase rate

Source : FAS, USDA

             In addition, the restriction on exports caused by a lack of agricultural products is another reason for the increase in grain prices. “The international price of rice went up by 30% one day recently and it doubled in a month. This is unprecedented,” Professor Yang stated. The sharp rise is due to the agricultural export countries such as India, Vietnam, and Ukraine prohibiting or limiting the exportation rice. “Those countries are also running out of rice (grain). And in order to prevent their rice price from increasing, they take this action.”

Professor Yang also indicates another cause: biomass energy. “Recently, nations like the U.S. and the EU began employing a policy that covers biomass energy made by grain in order to develop self-sustained energy. And this causes the demand for grain to go up.” Biomass energy uses ethanol, which is made by grains like corn. Kang Jun-soo, professor of Food Science at Dong-Eui Institute of Technology (DIT), said that the U.S. used 20% of the total corn yield to make ethanol in 2006. This is the reason why developed countries try to produce biomass energy as a way of producing alternative energy. Professor Yang explained, “Production of biomass energy is not a short-term effort. Developed nations make the policy and they enforce it for years to produce a certain amount of energy. So, it is serious problem.” Oil prices have been increasing as of late as is the amount of grain used to produce biomass energy.  There are many other problems, as well. Due to the current mechanization system of farms, the increase in oil prices is causing agricultural production costs to increase too. Since fertilizer and agrichemicals are a kind of petrochemicals, the increase of oil prices is causing further complications. In particular, increasing oil prices affect transport costs,,which then cause grain prices to go up. Professor Kim said that bad weather conditions caused by global warming are worsening the problem.

Problems of Agflation

             The two main problems of Agflation involve food procurement and growing inflation. Professor Yang said, “It is not too much to say that inflation is the most important factor in an economic policy and securing food is connected directly with survival.” Professor Kang is concerned about the matter of securing food. “If Korea opens its agricultural markets to the world through FTA and other pacts, the self-sustaining level of food will surely decrease. If other countries choose to ‘weaponize’ food, we will be in dire straits. Like the petroleum exporting countries, agricultural exporters such as China and Australia can choose to ‘weaponize‘ food.” Areas like Africa and South America in particular have a high rate of dependency on grain imports, so the increase in food prices will cause the price of products to go up. Professor Yang said, “People in Mexico and Africa have already begun rioting because of food. They earn little money and they barely have enough income to get by. They can’t buy food if food prices are rising too fast and that’s why they are struggling. Food is the key to sustaining human life. If it collapses, everything else will fall down.”

             When it comes to this problem, Korea is relatively in a safe position because Korea’s rice supply is nearly 100% self-sustainable. Korea also enforces a protective trade policy on rice. As a result, Korea is rarely affected by the increase of international rice price. However, the rate of self-sustainability for corn, wheat, and other grains is less than 5% and for total food products, it is only 27%. Therefore, it cannot be said that Korea is exempt from experiencing the adverse effects of Agflation. Professor Yang also pointed out, “As the price for food linked to wheat and meat increases, people rarely eat out and choose to have rice at home. This increases the demand for rice, thereby contributing to the increase in the price of rice.”

             Professor Kang explains that inflation caused by Agflation hurt the low-income bracket rather than the high-income bracket. “According to the LG Economic Research Institute in February of 2008, if food price increases the low-income bracket is affected twice the more by the increase than those in the high-income bracket.” Professor Kang stressed, “In the situation where most grain products, except rice, depend on exports, if the exporting nations raise the price on grains, the price of products made by the grain will also increase. The price of oil, meat, feed, and others is linked to the price of grain; everything is tangled up in so many ways. Just because our rice supply is self-sustainable, it does not mean that we are out of the woods.”

Solutions of Agflation

             Then, what solutions are there to solve the Agflation problem? The government has selected 50 items – among which, 22 are agricultural products -- and manages them so their prices will not rise. Korea also has protective trade policies in place for rice. Professor Yang says these protective trade policies are helpful. “I think it is important to maintain the foundation of agricultural products such as the farmland, farmer, farm machine to produce food. The government must support farming continuously. Keeping farmland efficient is also important.” And he added, “Korea must secure food products from foreign countries. Now, when grain prices increase, we just buy high-priced grain, but in the long run, it will become a burden to economy. There are, however, some solutions. Diversification of export markets, trading futures, and long-term contracts are some possible answers. Investing in the future through developing food on foreign soil is also a good idea. For example, we can develop foreign farms and invest in companies related to food products and distributors” Kim Byung-ryul, researcher of Korea Rural Economic Institute, said, “The government must secure grain for emergency. It must also cooperate with citizens and make a system that can verify international grain prices and supply and demand.” 

             The government can resolve domestic issues by managing Korea’s resources and making up for insufficiencies in the system, but solving issues on an international level is more difficult. Kim emphasized that Agflation is not a problem for only one nation but for the whole international community. He insisted on an international effort. “International organizations like the UN have to try to solve the problem. For instance, they must improve grain production, control the use of grain as biomass energy, and increase food aid for underdeveloped and developing countries.” Professor Yang stressed the effort of the individuals. “On an individual level, reducing grain consumption is necessary. The current Agflation problem is caused by demand rather than by supply. The increasing demand for grain is a result of excessive consumption -- excessive consumption of grain and meat. This is evident through the growing cases of obesity, geriatric illnesses, and other health issues in the U.S. and Europe. Development of biomass energy has also been caused by the excessive consumption of oil. The problem lies in the irrational, excessive consumption of grain, rather than the insufficient supply itself.”

             Professor Yang said, “People do think Agflation is a problem, but they will soon forget it when the situation calms down. However, such a mindset will likely worsen the food problem. The food problem is directly connected to survival. So, the government must expect the worst and make a policy for solving the problem. Also, people must know the importance of agriculture.” In particular, Korea’s rice supply is self-sustainable, so Korea is barely affected by the increase of international rice price. Because of this, Korean might choose not to consider Agflation as a serious problem. Agflation, however, is not temporary, but continuous, and it’s essentially a systemic problem. Therefore, Korea must prepare for the worst in the long run. Kim added, “A policy to solve the immediate issues like the increase of prices is also necessary, but looking ahead 5 or 10 years to prepare for fundamental measures is even more important.”  

Kim Min-jeong_Reporter

suntancat@skku.edu

             The International Office plans to hold an international summer school program, under the title of “Culture, Business and Technology in East Asia,” for 5 weeks during this summer vacation from June 23^th to July 25^th. One hundred and fifty international students and 150 domestic students will attend lectures taught by professors from foreign universities, and the students will be allowed to obtain a maximum of nine credits at the Humanities and Social Science Campus.

             International Summer School, which is a type of international education program, was established to enhance SKKU’s international reputation where its contents are related to globalization. Students can choose 1 Core, 1 Elective, and 1 Bridge course from 12 courses. The program offers three Core courses on the field of culture, business, and technology in East Asia. The six Elective courses deal with the core area of specialization and three Bridge courses blend the three subjects in the program. All classes are delivered in English. One foreign student and one domestic student will be paired up in a learning community which will allow participants to achieve an international network, and which will also help foreign students’ life in Korea. Moreover, the program will offer cultural activities such as visiting Gyeongju Cultural Heritages and attending a Nanta performance and a job fair for global companies in Korea like Samsung and LG for students who are interested.

             This program is different from previous international school programs of other universities in that the program was established around subjects related to specific themes and that the rate of foreign students account for nearly half of total participants. In addition, to raise the participation rate of students who live in English speaking countries in Europe and America, there is a 30% quota for students from Asian countries like China and Vietnam, all of whom make up the most of the foreign students studying in Korea. The program also aims to offer high quality lectures by inviting professors from prestigious schools like Cambridge University, the University of California, Nanyang Technological University.

             The International Office is pushing for each of the three types of courses to be recognized as counting for at least 1 credit toward major courses for SKKU students. Furthermore, participants will be allowed to receive additional points when they apply to the exchange student program. The last day to apply for this program is May 30, and all undergraduate and graduate students are qualified to apply (except for students who are on temporary leave). The cost is $2,400 (USD), which includes boarding expenses.