Why do scientists want to explain and determine values?

DISCUSSION

Do you believe it is possible to determine morals and values?

Agree Disagree

KEY EXPRESSION

It is safe to say that~

~

COMPREHENSION

Q. What makes you believe this?

Q. Where do you believe we get our morals?

34

Idea

Cultural relativism: It has long been the accepted norm in academia, just as we can’t discern the ‘best’ flavor of ice-cream, there can be no objective, scientific measure of culture and well-being. Recent claims however suggest that even though we can’t detail the perfect culture, we can objectively measure better values than others within those cultures. Using ‘happiness’ indices and cross-referencing shows that nations with freedom of speech, high literacy rates, freedom of religion etc. tend to have ‘happier’ people and societies with lower rates of crime. Some propose a moral landscape of this information, whereby cultures that cherish values at the peak of this landscape are shown to be quantifiably ‘better,’ happier, morally good places to live. If science can explain and determine values then that opens the door to improving people’s values like we do with our health.

Human Values in Relation with Science

Cultural relativism:

cross-referencing pp high literacy rates,

TThe World Times June 2011 35

Pros

1st Statement:

Let’s simplify this. ‘The Taliban are a

perfect example of a group of people

who are struggling to build a society

that is obviously less good than many

of the other societies. Afghan women

have a 12 percent literacy rate and a life

expectancy of 44 years. Afghanistan

has nearly the highest maternal and

infant mortality rates in the world. It

also has one of the highest birthrates.

Consequently, it is one of the best

places on Earth to watch women and

infants die. In addition, Afghanistan’s

GDP is currently lower than the world’s

average in the year 1820. It is safe

to say that the optimal response to

this dire situation - that is to say, the

most moral response - is not to throw

battery acid in the faces of little girls

for the crime of learning to read.

2nd Statement:

Yo u s e e , m o r a l i t y s u f f e r s f r om

vagueness when it comes to looking for

practical solutions to moral problems.

Either it is deemed taboo to make

judgments about the moral codes of

other societies because of extreme

political correctness, or it is believed

that because of the difficulty of the

task and a lack of success so far, it is

actually impossible to map a morality

system using science.

3rd Statement:

Here’s the final say. Happiness doesn’t

necessarily equal morality. While

happiness is a good gauge of morality -

a society where people don’t murder or

rape each other and children are well

treated would be one where people

were happier - it doesn’t follow that

morality is happiness. A society where

everyone abstains from immediate

h appi ne s s a nd c om for t b e c au se

they are all sacrificing their worldly

happiness for physical and mental

improvement, so that they can be

the best that they can be, or because

they are al l voluntari ly expiating

their sins so they will be reincarnated

as something better, wouldn’t be a

morally bad society.

Cons

1st Statement:

You got this wrong. Is this really proof

that a system has failed morally, or just

that it has failed in several practical

ways to hold together a nation and

hasn’t thought of a sensible way to

solve the problems? A successful

dictatorship can provide everyone with

their basic needs, educate everyone

and be successful financially but there

would st i l l be something morally

reprehensible about it.

2nd Statement:

This is simple logic. Science can

produce answers but it can never give

us quite the motivation that faith

does. To live a morally good life, even

under adversity - to help others even

when you are misunderstood and

persecuted - requires enormous faith.

Just because a respected scientist said

that this is the best way isn’t enough.

Moral codes are something inspired

in us by deities, our parents, our own

experiences and f lashes of insight

and inspiration - the most powerful

authorities. Apart from that, science is

always up for debate and always being

revised. Morals are supposed to be

codes to live by, something that will

take you through everything - they

can’t be under threat that they might

be changed tomorrow! Science cannot

equal faith because faith requires

you to believe in something when you

can’t find evidence for it or prove it to

be true, or even when it seems to go

against logic.

3rd Statement:

Here’s my final say. Morality is by

def init ion the law of what we, as

people, should do. Other aspects of

science are purely descriptive, not

prescriptive - they may tell us what

will and won’t work if we try and

build a machine or treat a patient

but it doesn’t tell us whether or not

we should build the machine or treat

the patient. There is no way that

science can create moral laws without

becoming a moral author it y, and

therefore directly dictating what we

do. This will make it very difficult for

science to be impartial in any other

areas. If it was decided scientifically

whether we should treat patients or

not, could science be impartial enough

to be trusted to produce new medicines

and ways to treat patients?

Staff reporter Erica Choi

the moral codes

extreme

political correctness,

If science can explain and determine values then that opens the door to improving people’s values like we do with our health. Faith requires you to believe in something when you can’t find evidence for it or prove it to be true, or even when it seems to go against logic. Morality is by definition the law of what we, as people, should do.

What challenges are universities facing these days?

DISCUSSION

Do you think SNU should follow the incorporation plan?

Agree Disagree

KEY EXPRESSION

lead to~

~

Q. What will the benefits be for the university?

Q. How can the university be successful without the incorporation plan?

COMPREHENSION

38

Hollywood Folks

Far too many unprecedented challenges are waiting for universities in the country. Aside f rom consistently upgrading the quality of education, universities nowadays are preparing to become globally attractive and competitive. To add extra headaches to their current

duties, the falling population is forcing them to seek painful downsizing.

The Change in Universities

FaaA

duties, the fpainful downs

The World Times June 2011 39

Contrary to the popular belief, Seoul National

University (SNU), most prestigious school of all,

is a frog in a pond. Although it is enjoying its

glorious name, the reality is it has never been

in a league of major global universities. The nation’s top

brains enroll themselves with SNU, but they don’t have

what it takes to compete with the world’s top graduates. The

scenario is quite simple. Institutional rigidities plague the

university.

Even after the National Assembly passed a law to free the

state-run university from all the bureaucracy and budget

constraints, SNU is still facing far too many stumbling

blocks due to professors, students and unionists storming

to the president’s office. The claim is understandable. The

new plan will lead to a tuition hike, prioritization of market

rule over public interest.

Not only SNU but pretty much all universities across the

country are pushing forward with the incorporation plan.

In return, the plan allows the university to operate like a

profit-oriented organization. It would no longer have to wait

for approval from the government for various decisions.

In conclusion, the university will be given an opportunity

to market itself commercially and turn into a prestigious

brand. Yes, universities now need to become a profit-

oriented business.

As cold as that may sound, commercialization is an

inevitable path a university must take to become an

internationally competitive school. Another key word to

remember here is “restructuring.” The haunting reality

is that countless universities across the nation are forced

to seek mergers to cope with the falling enrollment rate.

Unfortunately, the shortage of students is accelerating due

to our nation’s low birth rate.

The problem does seem like a simple one: attract more

students. Countless universities are currently facing

bankruptcy, and they have reached a saturation point.

More than 80 percent of all high school graduates move

on to higher education. This sure is a good thing and the

rate is one of the highest in the world. Sadly, this leads

to the mismatch of graduates and job opening. Here’s

a disappointing fact: approximately 1.2 million college

graduates in the nation are jobless.

The truth is; national standards alone can’t improve the

nation’s educational environment. The

g loba l economy has g iven us

no ot her choic e s t ha n to

respond to the fundamental

transformations in the labor

market and to demographic and

structural changes. One thing

hasn’t changed in our world-

proper and good education is

needed to get a job. .

Staff reporter Jessica Kim

vvirirononmementnt.. ThThe e

ivivenen u uss

n n toto

ntntalal

llababoror

c c anandd

ththiningg

oorlrld-d-

oon n isis

sica Kim

buburereauaucrcracacy y bubudgdgetet

coconsnstrtraiaintnts,s,

a a tutuititioion n hihikeke,,

aa

prprofiofit-t-ororieientnteded o orgrgananizizatatioion.n.

““rereststruructctururining.g.” ”

The nation’s top brains enroll themselves with SNU, but they don’t have what it takes to compete with the world’s top graduates. Countless universities are currently facing bankruptcy, and they have reached a saturation point. The global economy has given us no other choices than to respond to the fundamental transformations in the labor market.

What is causing the violence in Insadong?

DISCUSSION

Do you think the vendors should be forced to move?

Agree Disagree

KEY EXPRESSION

For this reason ~

COMPREHENSION

Q. How will it help Insadong if they move?

Q. What can be done to prevent this from happening?

20

Economics and Finance

Vendors of Insadong in Trouble

The World Times July 2011 21

For many decades, Insadong, in central Seoul,

has been known as a place of Korean culture

and heritage. For this reason the streets of

Insa-dong is always full of foreign tourists

busy taking pictures, looking around the unique shops

and buying souvenirs or food. What took place in this

peaceful tourist area over the last few weeks is very hard

to believe.

Brutal clashes between street vendors and demolition

workers hired by the Jongno District Office took place in

the streets of Insadong. It has been confirmed that more

violent physical clashes will continue to occur since the

workers hired by the ward office will use force to push

plans to relocate the street vendors to two designated

spots, to provide tourists with more free space to walk

along the main street.

As expected, street vendors are fully opposed to the

relocation plan and they are using their bodies to block

the demolition workers from taking away their stalls.

So far many stalls have been broken into pieces and

countless street vendors have either passed out during the

clash or were taken to a nearby hospital. The violent clash

in the most peaceful area of the city shocked citizens and

travelers.

The c la im f rom t he sta l lholders i s t hat sa les w i l l

drastically suffer as the new sites are far away from

central Insadong and less traversed by tourists. Street

vendors have been a big part of the Insadong culture, and

it is they who make the atmosphere more interesting and

appealing.

Many foreigners have spoke up saying street vendors

do not cause them any inconvenience. So, why is the

government office trying to push them out? Is it to have

them pay the necessary taxes? Whatever the reasons may

be, the ward office should legalize their business in the

street. They are a big part of Korea’s cultural heritage.

Staff reporter Crystal Lim

street vendors demolition

workers

the ward office

designated

spots,

the

relocation plan

As expected, street vendors are fully resisting the relocation plan. Many stalls have been broken into pieces and countless street vendors have either passed out during the clash or were taken to a nearby hospital. Street vendors have been a big part of the Insadong culture. Many foreigners have spoke up saying street vendors do not cause them any inconvenience.

Why is Germany shutting down its nuclear reactors?

DISCUSSION

Do you think other countries should begin shutting down nuclear reactors?

Agree Disagree

KEY EXPRESSION

It is clear that ~ ~

COMPREHENSION

Q. Do you think there will be problems with blackouts if all of the reactors are shut down?

Q. Are you feeling safe with the Korean reactors?

The World Times July 2011 17

Germany to Stop Using

Nuclear Energy by 2022

In the wake of Japan’s Fukushima disaster, nations around the

world are undergoing discussions and policy changes to address

the potential r isks and dangers of atomic energy. Germany has

announced this week that they are prepared to shut down all its

nuclear reactors by the year 2022. Eight of their 17 nuclear reactors will

remain shut down; seven have been shut off immediately following the

report of Japan’s most recent tsunami and earthquake, while one has been

inactive for years. Six of the remaining reactors will be off line by 2021; the

last three will be kept functional until 2022 to prevent any public power

outages. It is clear that the natural disaster that struck Japan, and the

ensuing radioactive leaks from its crippled power plant has forever altered

the world’s views and policies on the viability of nuclear energy.

Staff reporter Josephine Lee

the potential r isks

public power

outages. the

ensuing radioactive leaks crippled power plant

the viability of nuclear energy.

In the wake of Japan’s Fukushima disaster, nations around the world are undergoing discussions and policy changes. Eight of their 17 nuclear reactors will remain shut down. The last three will be kept functional until 2022 to prevent any public power outages.

What is the best way to combat belly fat?

DISCUSSION

Do you enjoy doing cardio exercise?

Agree Disagree

KEY EXPRESSION

The key here is ~ ~

COMPREHENSION

Q. What types of cardio do you do on a regular basis?

Q. What kind of exercise do you do?

The World Times July 2011 11

Summer is almost here. Clothes are getting shorter and more skin needs to be exposed. We must admit that this is the worst season to have a flabby stomach. It is common belief that the best remedy to solve this issue is to do sit-ups or crunches. Sadly, this is a mistake. These exercises don’t burn fat around the belly anymore. So, what is the best exercise?

Sit-ups and Crunches No Use

According to physicians and professional

t ra iners, t he best exerc ise to get r id of

a f labby s tomach i s c a rd io, a long w it h

adopting a healthy diet.

Abdominal exercises are great but they only tone

the muscles covered by excess body fat. To get rid of

the fat, daily exercise sessions of moderate to high

intensit y w i l l have you say ing farewel l to t he fat

surrounding the stomach.

B i k i n g , s w i m m i n g , a e r obic s , s p or t s , a nd g r oup

exercises are great ways to combat belly fat. The key

here is to exercise frequently and keep moving when

you participate in an exercise.

This is a great way to keep up your heart rate and

increase calorie expenditure. Cardio machines are a

great way to exercise indoors since you don’t need to

worry about the traffic, weather, or any obstacles that

occur outdoors.

Staff reporter Sarah Choi

e a flabby stomach. sit-ups

y

c a rd io,

calorie expenditure.

heart rate

These exercises don’t burn fat around the belly anymore. Abdominal exercises are great, but they only tone the muscles covered by excess body fat. Daily exercise sessions of moderate to high intensity will have you saying farewell to the fat surrounding the stomach.

What makes NANTA so popular?

DISCUSSION

Do you believe NANTA will continue to be successful?

Agree Disagree

KEY EXPRESSION

work its magic

COMPREHENSION

Q. What do you think they are doing right?

Q. What needs to happen for them to be successful?

6

Perspective

It’s NANTA Time! The East and West have recognized K-pop. South Korea is known around the world as a producer of popular culture. K-pop basks in its well deserved success and chances are it will continue to prosper. SM Town Live World Tour, which drew 7000 European fans at its first trial in Paris is proof that K-pop has begun to work its magic in Europe. And our nation has yet more culture to offer the world.

The World Times August 2011 7

The reality is no one can say for sure if the Korean

music business has officially and permanently

established itself in the Western market. There

is the probability that it is simply a passing fad.

Will the interest be sustained? No one knows. We’ve had a

series of artists trying to compete in the Western markets.

Unfortunately, they have ended for reasons such as cultural

differences and language barriers.

Interestingly enough, there is one Korean performance that

has been accepted and loved over the world. The non-verbal

performance known as NANTA successfully integrates

Korea’s traditional rhythm with comedy and drama. Believe

it or not. NANTA was the first Asian show to make its stage

in New York’s Broadway. The show has great potential to go

global.

The pos s ible suc c e s s of NA N TA b e c om i ng g loba l

sends a message to not only K-pop artists and CEOs of

entertainment companies, but also to conglomerates that are

trying to make their mark in the global market. Producers

of NANTA say that in the planning stages, it was carefully

designed to target the global audience. Song Seung-hwan,

the CEO of PMC Production and producer of NANTA,

confirmed the performance was planned, produced, and

born with the goal of reaching Broadway. According to Song,

his idea to construct a musical for the global audiences was

inspired due to the size of the domestic market being too

limited for the regular entertainment business to survive.

The typical equation for a cultural product to sustain

success requires two factors: Originality and Universality.

When we look at K-pop it has its originality. However, it is

difficult to maintain universal appeal. Much of the Korean

cultural products have only the first factor solved. This

may be the key reason for NANTA quickly gaining global

popularity. With NANTA, there is no language barrier

because it is completely non-verbal and the performance is

presented purely through music and motion.

Marketing a culture seems to be the key objective for many

Korean conglomerates jumping on the bandwagon of hallyu.

The essence of Korean music is its sound. NANTA absorbs

its cultural heritage from Samulnori. A true cultural heritage

is one which has been handed down through generations

while still retaining its roots. This kind of culture deserves

to be hatched as a global product. Surely, the Korean actors

and singers are great for leading the Korean wave. There

should be something more to drive up the value of a label

which states “made in Korea.” NANTA just might be the

answer we’ve been waiting for.

Staff reporter Crystal Lim

a passing fad.

cultural

differences and language barriers.

non-verbal

performance

the planning stages,

cultural heritage f

…conglomerates that are trying to make their mark in the global market. Marketing a culture seems to be the key objective for many Korean conglomerates jumping on the bandwagon of hallyu. There should be something more to drive up the value of a label which states “made in Korea.”

What happened on the JejuAir flight?

DISCUSSION

Do you believe the emergency was completely the pilot’s fault?

Agree Disagree

KEY EXPRESSION

COMPREHENSION

Q. What should happen to the pilot?

Q. Who else to blame?

Editorial

10

Is it so hard to be cautious? Recently, Jeju Air,

t he nat ion’s la r ge st budget c a r r ier fac e d a

chaotic public relations disaster after one of its

pilots forgot to turn on a pressurization device

af ter takeof f. The pressur izat ion dev ice increases

the pressure inside the cabin so that passengers on

the plane feel like they are f lying at lower altitudes.

Instantly after takeoff, passengers began complaining

about a severe pain in their ears. A f ter the f l ight

at tendants not i f ied the situat ion to the pi lot , the

dev ice was turned on. It is obv ious that nearly a l l

passengers suffered a very unpleasant f light. Flight

at tend a nt s d id n’t k now how to properly c a re for

the passengers and a l l they could do was prov ide

water and sof t dr inks. It is one thing to blame the

pi lot for h is c a relessness, but t he crew members

were completely i l l-equipped to deal w ith medical

emergencies. Although the f light to Jeju is only about

an hour, the airline should be criticized for its lack

of preparedness in emergenc y sit uat ions. From a

consumer’s perspective, the captain responsible for

the incident must be severely d iscipl ined and the

airl ine should take a l l measures to prevent such a

mess up from happening again. Just as expected, a

spokesperson for the airline publicly announced that

there was nothing wrong with the aircraf t and the

pilot who took control of the cockpit will be punished.

Well, this isn’t what we need to hear. Of course the

pilot is the one at fault here, but what about the kind

of training he received from the airline? What about

the remaining crew and staff ’s ability to cope with a

co-worker’s mistake? Being cautious requires practice

and experience. Luckily for Jeju Air, all passengers

survived. Nexttime, they may not be so lucky.

Staff reporter Dan Chun

A Wake Up Callbudget c a r r ier

public relations

a pressurization device

lack

of preparedness

the cockpit

From a consumer’s perspective, the captain responsible for the incident must be severely disciplined. The airline should take all measures to prevent such mess up from happening again. What about the remaining crew and staff’s ability to cope with a co-worker’s fault?

What are some tips for better sleep?

DISCUSSION

Do you think the tips are legitimate?

Agree Disagree

KEY EXPRESSION

in sync ,

COMPREHENSION

Q. Which tip is the most helpful?

Q. What tips do you have for better sleep?

2828

Solutions

Ideas for Better Sleep

For teenagers, it is important to make sleep a priority. Their bodies are going through physical, intellectual, and emotional growth, and these important body functions and brain activity mostly occur during sleep. It is recommended that teens get anywhere between 9 to 10 hours of sleep every night. However, previous studies have found that 25% of teens have trouble sleeping. In addition, many teens around the world suffer from chronic insomnia, a condition that makes it difficult to fall or stay asleep. Lack of sleep can negatively affect performance, concentration, memory, mood, and behavior control. There’s no doubt that everyone has sleepless nights once in awhile. But if you consistently have trouble falling asleep, here are some tips that may help you.

1. No Electronics

There is growing evidence that video games, computers,

cell phones, and TVs all interfere with a good night’s rest.

Try to keep your bedroom a tech-free zone. Stick to calm

and relaxing activities, such as reading or drawing before

bedtime. Your room should also be quiet and dark. Use

eyeshades or blackout curtains if necessary. Keep the

temperature in your room cool in the summers and warm

in the winters.

2. Be active

Exercising during the day can decrease stress and help

you feel more relaxed. A 2006 U.S. study also found that

physically active teens are more likely to sleep better and

for a longer period. Experts recommend that teens get at

least 60 minutes of physical activity every day.

3. Avoid Eating, Drinking, or Exercising at night

Exercising too close to bedtime can wake you up. Eating or

drinking caffeine ? such as chocolate, coffee, soda, and tea

? can also keep you up at night.

4. Say no to alcohol and cigarettes

Alcohol and smoking disrupt sleep. It also increases a

person’s chance of waking up in the middle of the night.

5. Establish a consistent sleep schedule

Try to go to bed and wake up at the same time during the

week. If you can, stick to this schedule on the weekends,

too. A consistent sleep schedule will help you feel less tired

because your body can get in sync with its natural patterns.

It will also become easier to fall asleep at bedtime if you

have a routine.

Staff reporter Jessica Kim

m chronic insomnia, p

d behavior control.

a tech-free zone.

,brain activity

A consistent sleep schedule

For teenagers, it is important to make sleep a priority. Stick to calm and relaxing activities, such as reading or drawing before bedtime. Eating or drinking caffeine - such as chocolate, coffee, soda, and tea - can also keep you up at night. Say no to alcohol and cigarettes.

What was the cause for the landslides at Mt. Umyeon?

DISCUSSION

Do you agree that the recent disaster was man-made?

Agree Disagree

KEY EXPRESSION

vulnerable to ~ ~

COMPREHENSION

Q. What should happen to the city government?

Q. What can we do to minimize the damage of natural disasters?

4

Thought and Change

No ExcuseT

he de at h tol l i s at 59 a nd 12 ot her s a re

st i l l missing. It is quite obv ious that the

government was unprepared for a natural

disaster. July’s disasters across the country

have forced the government to come up with a new

disaster management system. Although it may appear

as if the government and local agencies are doing all

they can, the truth is they weren’t able to effectively

counter the heavy rain.

C ount less development projec t s were behind t he

multiple landslides in and around Seoul. No one needs

an engineer to know that a local government’s park

constr uct ion on Mt. Umyeon was the cause of the

disaster. Due to reckless construction, many mountain

slopes were carved without proper safety precautions.

A n ar t if icia l lake and a val ley on the steep slopes

may have sounded fancy, however it now appears a

few residents will never be able to see or enjoy the

facilities. Critics say that Seoul City knew there were

signs of deter ioration near the mountain, as a few

trees were uprooted by a typhoon that hit last year.

No one i s q u i t e s u r e a t t h i s p o i nt w h y t he c i t y

government didn’t set up any preventive measures. By

all means, it would be fair to argue that the death of

innocent citizens near the area was man-made. Many

mountains are in a similar situation. Local authorities

and the government have developed them recklessly

under popu l is t wel fa re pol ic ies. It i s f r ig htening

when considering that 71 parks and hillside locations

across Seoul are vulnerable to landslides. It is obvious

that the government needs to stop its thought less

development s. F u r t her more, t here need s to be a

paradigm shif t in f lood control and city planning.

Yes, the recent rainfall was the largest downpour in a

century. Sadly, that is not an acceptable excuse.

Staff reporter Dave Choi

de at h tol l

preventive measures.

popu l is t wel fa re pol ic ies.

f lood control and city planning.

development projec t s

.

.

, .

Critics say that Seoul City knew there were signs of deterioration on the mountain. No one is quite sure at this point why the city government didn’t set up any preventive measures. Furthermore, there is the need for a paradigm shift in flood control and city planning.

What criteria were used to determine quality of life rankings?

DISCUSSION

Do you think this report was accurate?

Agree Disagree

KEY EXPRESSION

despite the fact that ~ ~

COMPREHENSION

Q. How will Korea increase the quality of life in the future?

Q. How should quality of life be measured?

Editorial

10

De s pite t he n at ion’s r e l at ive ly p o s i t ive

m a c r o e c o n o m i c i n d i c a t o r s , a r e c e n t

repor t showed that the nat ion’s qualit y

of life ranked low among major advanced

e c onom ie s i n t he wor ld . T he r ep or t r e le a s e d by

the state-run Korea Development Inst itute ranked

Korea’s quality of life index 27th in 2008 among 39

countries enrolled in the Organization for Economic

Cooperation and Development (OECD) and the Group

of 20.

The ranking from 2008 was unchanged from the one

f rom 2000. The repor t , which was commissioned

by the Ministr y of Strategy and Finance, collected

stat is t ic s a nd data f rom t he OECD, t he U.N. a nd

the World Bank. Fur thermore, the repor t covered

t he a re a s of nat iona l g row t h potent ia l , busi ne ss

infrastructure and the environment. Despite the fact

that the rapid economic growth propelled South Korea

into the fourth largest economy in Asia, the nation’s

quality of life has failed to make improvements.

Poor Quality of Life

m a c r o e c o n o m i c i n d i c a t o r s ,

nat iona l g row t h potent ia l ,

The World Times September 2011 11

It is i ronic to not ice in the repor t how per capita

income has jumped signif icant ly over the last two

decades and the satisfaction level of quality of l ife

is stagnant. From a logical standpoint, people with

h ig her inc ome s a re more l i kely to be happy. The

r ep or t c onc lude d t h at t he n at ion ne e d s to sh i f t

development paradigm from the one that was heavily

growth-focused to the one that creates comprehensive

vision for the future. South Korea needs to promote a

balance between growth and social integration as well

as the harmony between grow th and env ironment.

On a positive note, South Korea ranked high in areas

such as technology innovation and green industry.

Staff reporter Dave Choi

per capita

income social integration

heavily

growth-focused

OECD , .

, .

, .

The report, which was commissioned by the Ministry of Strategy and Finance, collected statistics and data from the OECD, the U.N. and the World Bank. The report covered the areas of national growth potential, business infrastructure and the environment. From a logical standpoint, people with higher incomes are more likely to be happy.

What signs are there that South Korea is becoming a subtropical climate?

DISCUSSION

Do you think the government will be able to fix the drainage problem?

Agree Disagree

KEY EXPRESSION

give no choice than to ~ ~

COMPREHENSION

Q. Have you noticed the subtropical climate?

Q. How should this situation be handled?

18

The Nation

A New City Planning

Is Needed The long-awaited sunny skies appeared for a few hours during a weekend in August. Once again, grey clouds have shadowed the nation, as the country is busy recovering from the series of landslides that were caused by destructive rainstorms. y destructive rainstorms.

The World Times September 2011 19

In v iew ing the censuses, one can easi ly not ice

that the temperature on the Korean Peninsula

has r isen 1.8 degrees over the last 10 decades.

Summer is 19 days longer than a century ago and

w inter has lost 17 days. Compared to the tradit ional

rainy season, there is now more rain than the past.

The results are simple and easy to comprehend. They

are all signs of the beginning of a subtropical climate.

The historic record of rainfall and climate change have

given the country no choice but to start thinking about

creating real changes in cities and how they deal with

the weather. For starters, there needs to be a new water

control system.

The current one in the nation’s cit ies is for a bygone

climate. Environmental and architectural engineering

must create new systems to control the drainage of rain

and make sure the new water control system can keep

cities safe. The current system’s capacity only allows to

withstand 71 millimeters of rain every hour.

The recent torrent ia l ra ins brought 100 mil l imeters

of water, or more, every hour. It was a given equation

that the system f irst designed in 1983 would create

problems across the nation. The torrential rains brought

301.5 millimeters of rain in Seoul, setting an all-time

record in the city since weather observations were first

recorded in 1907.

N a t i o n a l I n s t i t u t e o f M e t e o r o l o g i c a l R e s e a r c h

announced that a subtropical climate will arrive soon

in Jeju Island’s coastal region and several areas in the

southern coastal areas of Korea. The National Fisheries

Research and Development Institute has proved that the

ecosystem in South Korea is changing by announcing

its discovery of subtropical coral and tropical fish near

Oryuk Island off the coast of Busan.

In the past few days, the government has been busy

cleaning up the mess the rainfall has left, and it appears

that a team of civ i l engineers wil l be put together to

create new drainpipes in big cities. Seoul city recently

a n n o u n c e d i t s p l a n t o i n s t a l l 8 2 .9 k i l o m e t e r s o f

drainpipes in 26 locations in the city by 2014. So far,

only 5 kilometers have been completed.

Staff reporter Crystal Lim

a subtropical climate.

the censuses,

torrent ia l ra ins

weather observations

100 1.8 .

.

301.5 1907 .

One can easily notice that the temperature on the Korean Peninsula has risen 1.8 degrees over the last 10 decades. There is a strong need of a new water control system. The torrential rains brought 301.5 millimeters of rain in Seoul, setting an all-time record in the city since weather observations were first recorded in 1907.

Why was the Real-Name policy created?

DISCUSSION

Do you think they should have revoked the policy?

Agree Disagree

KEY EXPRESSION

In conclusion ~

COMPREHENSION

Q. What risks are bloggers running?

Q. Do you believe it is safe for bloggers to enter all of their personal information?

IThe controversial online real-name registration

pol ic y w i l l s t ay ac t ive . Rec ent ly t he Kore a

Communications Commission (KCC) announced it

will uphold the online real-name registration policy

and dismiss all allegations that the policy allows hackers to

easily steal bloggers’ personal information.

Amid the nation’s high concerns with privacy issues, the

KCC, which is in charge of the policy gave the go sign and

the Ministry of Public Administration and Security has to

follow the proposal. Despite the fact that of 35 million SK

Communications service subscribers had their personal

data and residential registration numbers hacked, the

KCC is showing a firm stance on the online real-name

registration policy. It suggests hacking has nothing to do

with the policy and there should be a measure to fight cyber

defamation effectively.

KCC’s Internet Safety Team argued that f irms and

organizations collecting and holding their subscriber’s

26

Communications

Real-name Policy will Remain

online real-name registration

pol ic y t he Kore a

Communications Commission residential registration numbers

t cyber

defamation

personal information is not associated with the real-name

policy. The team pointed out that IT firms have collected

bloggers’ personal information throughout the years for the

sake of their own business or promotional database use. In

conclusion, the act has nothing to do with the real-name

policy itself.

The policy requires ever y blogger to go through a

verif ication process by entering their real name and

their residential registration number. To foster a sense of

responsibility in cyberspace, the measure was executed

under a law and adopted in 2007. To put a stop to vicious

or ignorant comments in chat rooms and message boards,

the new law was indeed highly effective. Groundless online

rumors and malicious attacks on specific individuals

drastically dropped.

The KCC proposed that IT f irms must d ispose a l l

personal information after identif ication process is

verified. In doing so, firms can prevent the leak of private

information by hackers. After the chaotic leak took SK

by storm, it announced that all subscribers’ residential

registration numbers will be scrapped after completing the

identification process as a countermeasure.

So far, the policy remains active and questions on whether

hackers will once again be able to steal a large bundle of

personal information are unanswerable. There could be

another leakage and as a cautious and assured method to

fight against hackers is to abolish the policy. Then again, if

cyberspace doesn’t require Internet users to reveal their full

identity, another series of rampageous activities may take

place. If the KCC won’t scrap the measure amid countless

worries surrounding online privacy, there should be a new

law to push IT firms to dispose all personal information.

Staff reporter Erica Choi

The World Times September 2011 27

identif ication process

The Korea Communications Commission dismiss all allegations that the policy allows hackers to easily steal bloggers’ personal information. It suggests hacking has nothing to do with the policy. After the chaotic leakage took SK by storm, it announced that all subscribers’ residential registration numbers will be scrapped.