Time for an update

We're still getting things set-up with the blog, and so updates and readership go up and down.

But this week saw two great TiK stories that speak to the essence of this country too well to pass up.

TiK 1: Did you know that Hyundai is the greatest car company in the world??? Did you???

For any foreigner who has visited Korea one of the first things you notice is that maybe 80 percent of the cars here are Hyundai or KIA, with 19% percent of the remaining 20 being Daewoo (numbers have been pulled out of the author's buttocks, and are not to be cited). Putting it in context, Korea is one of the only places on the planet where driving a Chrysler is a thing of distinction.... positive distinction.

So when this story popped up on the Chosun Ilbo I had to shake my head. At a time when there are 'candlelight vigils' (what a joke) over American beef, the South Korean people are once again being screwed by their own corporations. In this case it's Hyundai. Corporations here are subsidized and protected to a point that it's difficult to describe, and what often happens is that Koreans pay more for Korean made goods than anyone else in the world. Digital cameras were my first encounter with this phenomena, but the linked story shows yet another example.

I should say that if I were a Korean I would be outraged and protesting, not over beef, but over corporations screwing me. The story goes to great lengths to justify and rationalize the price difference, but anyone with a brain can see through it. I recently had a CEO of a Korean electronics company tell me about what a great car he just bought, the Hyundai Genesis, and how it was going to rock the US market because it was so good.

TiK story number 2: Once again thanks to the Chosun Ilbo, though many sources reported on this story. They should have been embarrassed to report it as is, but, again, TiK. The story is on the opening of a theme park to promote the 'Korean wave that is sweeping Asia.' Korean pop music, movies and TV shows are apparently sweeping Asia according to Koreans. When you tell other Asians about this they look at you like you're crazy.

And maybe the best example of that comes with this story. The wave is apparently so big and powerful that it merits a theme park. And what mega-wave Korean star did they choose for the opening of the park and to promote it? Jackie Chan.

If you weren't aware that Jackie Chan was part of the Korean wave, you're not alone. It says a lot when your big claims of dominating Asian pop culture can't even produce a star big enough to launch your own theme park.

Up next, the British are announcing a park to promote brit rock and pop. The spokesperson: Beyonce.

It's not an anti-US protest, its an anti, anti, anti US protest!

http://english.donga.com/srv/service.php3?biid=2008052149918

Well, this story is just full of TiK goodies. I have been loath to blog about the current beef brou-ha-ha just because its such a BS story mostly fueled by rumours and outright lies.

However this one deserves some TiK mention.

Like this quote: "“The World Organization for Animal Health (OIE) standard (which serves as the standard for negotiations) is just a recommendation, rather than an absolute standard. Negotiations should be based on the standards that are actually used for American consumers.”

He's so right, the standard isn't an absolute standard, just an international one. Phew! Glad that was cleared up.

My favorite (a Korean politician, from the opposition no less, trying to tell America how to protect its own citizens): “As a key customer of U.S beef, Korea should more firmly ask the U.S. to strengthen its domestic preventative measures against mad cow disease, which would also benefit U.S. citizens."

I mean thank god the country that hasn't mastered Hep A and B or TB is there to guide the rest of the world in public health and safety.

And this classic, an example of TiK amnesia (whereby a Korean does one thing then completley changes his policy once he figures out it might get him ahead): “Although the Grand National Party is the dominant party in the National Assembly, it would be difficult for them to ratify it because most Koreans are against it.”

The quote is from a memeber of the opposition party who (last year as the party in power) negotiated the friggin' thing in the first place.

And one final note on the hypocrisy of it all. Imagine if thousands of Americans took to the streets to protest Hyundai cars? What do you think the Korean reaction would be? I'll give you one guess.

Ahhh spring is in the air (and a little TiK)!

TiK means changing your mind and never saying you're sorry!

Woke up to this today:

http://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/news/nation/2008/05/117_24409.html


So why is this a classic TiK story?


Well, it was only 2months ago that Hogwon owners were decrying the new E2 regulations because it meant thousands of teachers were excluded due to past criminal convictions (including misdemeanors ), smoking pot, poor health, their inability to visit an embassy in their home country, etc etc etc. These new regs were in direct response to the CPN story. The hogwon owners even wanted to extend the E2 to countries like Pakistan and Singapore (never underestimate the power of greed to overcome racism, even in the land of pure blood!).

But now, oh the horror, the government looking to other ESL crazy countries (i.e Japan, Taiwan) for teacher shortage solutions has come up with allowing us to move between jobs. Thereby allowing us to work at multiple locations. Of course this would mean the pimps, sorry, the hogwon owners couldn't treat us like slaves.

And, oh my god, the government will let foriegn teachers form and join a union!!!!! You mean treat us like EVERY OTHER segment of the Korean population. Well, that will just kill English education in this country, because we all know that only Hogwon owners have the best interests of their students at heart!

Monday update

Today was a very TiK day in the Korean media.

1. This article was the top searched for article on the Chosun Ilbo website, despite it being from 3 years ago. I'm not saying bad parenting and child neglect don't happen elsewhere, but rather I'm posting it because this case of child neglect is 100% TiK.

2. This article reports that prices in major Korean cities are 20% higher than in New York City. One reason it cites is housing costs, which is certainly true, but the failure to mention massive protectionism is another element of TiK.

3. From the same article as linked to above, another element of TiK: "Korea ranked 52nd in gender equality, showing just how far the country still has to go to improve treatment of women." The fact that it's acknowledged is nice to see, the fact that nothing will get done about it despite the acknowledgement is par for the course.

4. All you really need to read in this article is the first paragraph: "Korea ranked high among world countries in higher education achievement but near the bottom in quality."

5. Life would be easier if they just became vegetarians.  I say this based on the resumption of reporting on US Beef and now the bird flu as well. On the beef front there were two stories, including this one. In this wonderful tale, children are being exploited to propagate lies. The fact that there have been 'many nights of candlelit vigils' is at the same time disturbing that it can draw that kind of protest, as well as nice to see that non-violent protests can still take place in the world. And this article highlights the delusional arguments and positions that are still being thrown around and adopted in the beef 'debate' (I loathe to call it a debate). Lastly there's the massive numbers of chickens, urm, I mean Koreans, who are refusing to eat chicken because of bird flu scares. 

Korea: The Most, Freeesty Economic Zone in the Northeast Asian Hub of IT!!!

http://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/news/biz/2008/05/123_24115.html


So this is is a TiK story for the following reasons:

a) Korea pretends to be business friendly but refuses to allow the most important business tool in the 21st century (aside from maybe the notebook) because its not made by Koreans.

b) Korea only changes its blatantly xenophobic and closed trade policies when its going to lose face (this story) or its getting a quid pro quo (see US beef).

c) The article tries to justify protectionism by claiming that Koreans wouldn't use the product because they already have access to a better "Korean way" (i.e. PC rooms).

But to be fair a hat tip to the spineless Canadian government for not forcing the issue and demanding a fair trade policy much to the detriment of its own industry!

I say send the pills over by the cargo container

From the Chosun Ilbo: "'I'd rather swallow potassium cyanide than eat American beef' has persuasive powers in their motherland."

If I were the head of the American beef industry I'd be contacting pharmaceutical companies telling them about the high demand for potassium cyanide pills in Korea. I'd also be lobbying the Bush administration to include potassium cyanide pills in the FTA! Send them over by the cargo container!

For those not familiar with the on-going American beef will kill us all campaign in Korea, here's a bit of a primer:

Korea used to be one of the biggest importers of American beef in the world. They were cow crazy for cheap American beef which allowed even the humblest factory worker to eat like an American. Then mad cow struck and the Koreans (along with Japan and most of the rest of the world) closed their doors to the product. Now the UN agency in charge of global food safety has deemed American beef safe again for export and consumption. The problem now is the fact that Korean farmers have been charging 4.5 times as much as their American competition for beef. So the lefty unions, student groups and politicians have used the notion of food safety as a smokescreen for economic protectionism and xenophobia. But the Democratically controlled US Congress has demanded beef exports resume before it will even consider ratifying the KORUS FTA.

One of the things I've heard countless Canadians say is that this is nothing more than what goes around comes around for the American beef industry, since they 'did the same thing to us', according to the aforementioned Canadians. Well, no, the American beef industry did nothing close to Canada what the Koreans are saying about American beef.

On top of the cyanide lunacy there are teacher's unions: "The North Chungcheong Province chapter of the Korean Teachers and Education Workers' Union posted on its Internet homepage materials its member teachers can use to get students to oppose the import of U.S. beef."

The first news story quiz

http://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/news/nation/2008/04/117_23084.html

So there's the link to what is undoubtedly a TIK story.  For those of you unfamiliar with what TIK means, it's a reference drawn from the movie Blood Diamond. In the movie two of the characters say, "TIA: This Is Africa."  It's a form of explanation and acceptance, since if you dwell on issues and events you'll go nuts.  Same thing applies to TIK.

This is very much a TIK story.

Here's this issues's quiz question:

This is a TIK story because,

A) the principal was sexually harassing a student
B) the principal received only a minor fine for the incident
C) the principal was apparently NOT fired for the incident
D) the principal was drunk
E) a law Korea tried to enact is totally non-functional and proving ineffective
F) all of the above


First person to 10 pts will get a prize!

Welcome to Korea

Welcome to Korea.  If you're currently standing in line to pass through immigration at Incheon international airport please be advised of the following:

A) if you have dark skin please go over into the holding room

B) if you are a Muslim please go over into the holding room

C) if you are anything but white or Korean, please go over to the holding room

Now that you have cleared immigration you can learn to enjoy Korean 'culture' at its finest, and this blog aims to bring you only the finest elements of Korean culture.

Prepare to open your mind to events, policies and news coverage that you may simply 'not understand'.