viernes, 20 de enero de 2012

Attractions of Pyeongchang, Winter Olympic Game City

Do you remember what happened on July 7th, 2011? Korea won a bid to host the Winter Olympic game in Pyeongchang. It was a huge triumph made of relentless challenge, support from whole nation and wish that moved IOC members.


(Source: Yonhapnews)

On Feb 9th, 2018, Pyeongchang will draw a lot of attention from globe. Koreans as well as foreigners will gather around the sites or in front of TV. Expecially for those who are on the sites will spend some extra time on looking around the area before opening the game. What are the attractions in Pyeongchang that we can introduce? Here they are.


Daegwanryeong Ranch

Daegwanryeong, the entrance of Taebaek mountains, is well known for sheep ranches, plantation over high mountains and ski resorts. Ranches are as much exotic as Swiss and Austria because it is not easy to see ranches over high mountains. Samyang and Yangtae ranches are the popular ones, however, they are slightly different.

Let’s go to Samyang ranch first. Take Yeongdong highway to Gangreung and exit at Heuinggye IC. Then, make a left turn, and pass a three-way intersection. Go straight and turn right at the next corner. Keep driving 8 more kilometers.

Samyang ranch is the largest one in Asia, located 1,140 meters high from sea level and 1,983 square meters in size. The ranch runs shuttle bus, which is nonstop to the peak. However when coming down, you can get off at either of four stops and take a walk. Shuttle bus doesn’t run in winter. Admission fee is 7,000 won for adult and 5,000 won for children. There are milk cow, sheep, Tajo, rabbit and goat in the ranch. Among them, the flock of milk cow and sheep are the ‘best’. The perfect season for visiting is spring and summer when they are all outside. If you visit in winter you’ll see them in their cages.
On the side way to the peak, there is a windmill electric generator complex. It looks simple but ‘literally’ generates 67% of whole electricity in Gangreung. There are TV drama sets and movie sets such as trees shown in the movie, Love Story. A fish called Hwangtae Deokjang is very well known. If you walk down from the top, you can’t miss anything special.


 (Source: Korea Tourism Organization)

Next, let’s move on to Yangtae ranch. It is located 805 meters high and 200,000 square meters in size. Land size is just 1/100 of Samyang ranch but it is as famous as Samyang ranch. Although it is smaller than that, it is way more comfortable to take a walk the whole area, watching sheeps. It is also close from Samyang ranch, which is just 12 kilometers away, so you can stop by after another. The sheep goes back in their indoor cage at 4 so you’d better manage your time to see them.
You can feed any animal in Samyang ranch but in Yangtae ranch you can only feed sheep because as you can see from the word ‘Yangtae’, which means ‘the flock of sheep’, they have only sheep. Instead, there is no admission fee in Yangtae ranch. There is only feeding fee, 3,500 won for adult and 3,000 won for children. 













Global Technology and Korea for 2012

Gartner, known as an IT research and advisory firm, announces a notable ‘technology’ every year. It has introduced ten potential strategic technologies every October. The uprising technologies in 2012 were announced in Symposium/ IT Expo 2001, Orlando Florida.


Gartner’s “Technologies for 2012

(Source: Yonhapnews)

The top ten strategic technologies for 2012 include Media Tablets and Beyond, Mobile-Centric Applications and Interfaces, Contextual and Social User Experience, Internet of Things, App Stores and Marketplaces, Next-Generation Analytics, Big Data, In-Memory Computing, Extreme Low-Energy Servers, and Cloud Computing. There was a huge change in the list. The cloud computing which ranked first last year has dropped to 10th.
Amid rising interests on developing effective energy-saving technologies, such as low energy servers, green IT and so on, Gartner expressed his interests in the effective use of energy. Let’s find out some of the technologies that drew his attention.



Mobile-Centric Applications and Interfaces

Over the last 20 years, the user interface (UI)has changed a lot. Since the development of media tablets, UI has adopted the ‘touch’ function from ‘click’ function. Gartner predicted that’mouse’ and ‘keyboard’ applications that needed ‘click’ will be changed into the ‘touch’ applications. He added that applications will become more and more mobile-friendly solutions.

(Source: Yonhapnews)

That means the applications will be simpler easier to use in mobile devices. In addition, Gartner analyzed that a variety of applications with voice and motion recognition function will be shown up soon. At this moment, many companies are developinging the applications for a variety of mobile gadgets and technologies fitting into the gadgets.


Low-Energy Consuming Servers

Efficient use of energy has always been an issue to all companies. Gartner has mentioned the importance of technologies related to ‘Green IT’ in ‘Strategic Technologies for 2010’. Once again, he mentioned energy efficiency in detail with Low-Energy Consuming servers for 2012.

The more important the technology related to analysis becomes, the higher the frequency of using servers becomes. Fortunately, the technology that is not only low energy-consuming but also effective has emerged. Gartner said it is possible to do the 30 times or more processes. Moreover, the energy efficiency and speeding up the process is expected since the burden of the server would decrease as well. Gartner predicts low energy sever technology is likely to increase.


Korea’s Technology in 2012

(Source: Yonhapnews)

Well, then, how about the prospect of Korea’s technologies this year? Let’s take a look.


Growing Interest in the Third Platform
After the mainframe and client server era, a new platform, so-called ‘third platform’ is dominating IT field. New platform era based on development of mobile market, introduction to cloud service, SNS and big data technology, has begun, like a new platform era emerged on a 20 to 25 year cycle. The awareness on this matter will be expanded in 2012.

Expand the Use of Multi-Client Devices

Now, the era of multi-client devices has started. The supply of smartphone has already surpassed over desktop and laptop computer in terms of number. Multi-client environment is expected to be common as mobile devices in both shipments and expenditures would take over PC market in 2012. This change will prompt the change of application market including lead of control and OS through boosting private and cooperative market.
It seems that mobile technology is the biggest issue nowadays. Maybe in near future, smartphones will replace PC. What kind of new technologies will emerge this year? It’s exciting.

miércoles, 4 de enero de 2012

Accessories for Women in Joseon Dynasty Era

People want to have a better look and show off their charms by wearing new clothes and trying a new hairstyle. Well, there is nothing like accessories to complete the ‘better’ look. Every decorative itemsitem, such as hats and mufflers, can be called accessories.
Today, we will go through the favorite accessories of Korean women in the Joseon Dynasty era. Hair ornaments, bracelets, rings and necklaces. They wore different ornaments by season, occasion and age. In addition, each accessory has its own story. For example, when family gets separated, they share each ring from a pair of rings, garakji. When husband died early, wife buried a ring of the pair with him and she kept the other to commemorate him. For that reason, garakji used to be made as a pair and actually bigger than present one.
Let’s take a look at the accessories of women in the Joseon Dynasty era.


Earring: The Symbol of Class

Rings were the first ornament in history. In certain countries of Asia, people considered it like a charm and kept it very carefully. They were also called eesik, eedang or eehwan. Many gold crowns and delicately made-ornaments were excavated from many graves of the Three Kingdoms period. We can guess the metalwork technique of the era was very sophisticated and detailed. There are three types of earrings; simple, dangling and showy. The earrings of old times were made of gold, silver and bronze, but unfortunately the number of the earrings from Goryeo dynasty are very few.



Did you know that men used to put on earrings in the past? The typical example is Hwarang in the Silla kingdom. They used to wear earrings as a symbol of youth and ability. According to the Annals of the Joseon dynasty, prince Yangpyeong put on big earrings when he was nine (in 1513) and it was common for prince to put on earrings back then. However, the earrings became unpopular since the Confucianism pervaded the whole country in the Joseon Dynasty era. Even the King Seonjo officially announced that it is the most undutiful thing to put on earrings because piercing is hurting the ancestrally inherited body. According to some recent studies on the era, scholars insist that the regulation was resulted from the economic crisis caused by importing too much gold and silver for earrings from China. 
Eventually, the men’s earrings were disappeared after King Seonjo era and women only put on earrings in wedding ceremony. For this reasons, the design of the earrings in Joseon dynasty became very simple.


Garakji: A Pair of Rings of Engagement

Garakji means a pair of big rings. It was also called “Jihwan”. Garakji appeared from the Joseon Dynasty era. It was only for married women. If a woman put on only one ring in her finger, it means she was a single. Only married women could put on a pair of rings, which means harmony with her husband. The idea came from the Confucianism




The history of exchanging rings went back 4800 years ago. In 16th century, the Tudor dynasty believed that the blood vessel of the 4th finger of left hand is connected to heart, and they put on wedding ring on 4th finger. Since then, it became customary in most countries. 
Garakji was mainly made of gold and silver but other materials were also used, such as lacquer, jade, quartz, green jadeite, amber, pearl, and copper. 
In Joseon dynasty, noblewomen and royal family put on different materials of rings by season and occasion. Gold rings from Oct. to Jan., silver lacquer rings from Feb. to Apr., jade or quartz rings were for Dano festival and regular lacquer rings were from dog days, boknal, to Sep. All of them were for having a natural and harmonious look, which are influenced by the formality of clothing and four seasons.
Garakji was not only a love token but loyalty to the country as well. During Japanese invasion of 1592, a gisaeng, cultured women entertainers in the Joseon Dynasty era, called Nongae, hugged Japanese general and jumped down to the river, wearing 10 rings. Jinjoo local government designated Aug. 8th as the “Nongae Day” and has hosted many special events and donated hundreds of silver rings engraved "euiam", which is the name of the rock she stepped on before jumping into the river, to supporting center.


Norigae: Accessory for Every Class


Norigae is a perfect accessory for women’s Hanbok. It is widely loved by all classes, from royal family to common people. Norigae was the most popular ornament during the Joseon Dynasty era, while the other accessories like necklaces and earrings became unpopular. 
There is no historical record on norigae. For your information, the Hanbok during the Silla kingdom and the Goryeo dynasty era doesn’t look like the one in these days. Instead of norigae, it was customary to hang pocket filled with gold bell or scent in the belt. Later in Joseon, they were replaced into the new born accessory, norigae. During the era, norigae was hung in the breast-tie of Hanbok. People wore more gorgeous norigae for royal functions and big festivities. Noblewomen used to inherit it to generation after generation.
Norigae is consisted of ttidon, string, but also paemul(jewel), knot and sool(tassel). Ttidon is a tie to connect jewels and it is supposed to be hung in the breast-tie. Gold, silver, white jade, green jadeite and coral were used to make norigae. There are square, rectangular, round, flower and butterfly shaped ttidon. According to the number of jewels of it, it was called oijul-norigae or danjak-norigae(single jewel) and samjak-norigae(three jewel). 
Red, blue, yellow, pink, green, light purple and deep purple colors were used to make sool(tassels). Besides, some of norigaes were embroidered with a rhino horn, lotus flower, and herb that was belived to bring an eternal youth. Norigae represented not only the social status but also the wishes of women and ideologies for abundance, longevity and good luck.


Binyeo: A Traditional Hairpin for fixing ladies’ chignons

Binyeo is an ornamental hairpin used to hold a hair bun in place. We can still see old ladies wearing binyeo in countryside. Binyeo is classified into two kinds; a Jam and a Chae. Jam is a normal stick-shaped binyeo and Chae is a tong-shaped binyeo with decorations. Binyeo was allowed only for married women. The jewels, woods, animal horns and bones were used to make binyeos.





Korea as a Good Model of Women Policy

As the number of Korean women who entered the main stream of society increases, other countries in Asia started to have interest in women policy of Korea. Recently, there was a meaningful workshop where the other Asian countries can learn about Korean policy on women. Let’s take a look.

Gathering to Learn Korean Language


<2011 KWDI Workshop on Capacity Building for Women’s Policy of Cambodia and Indonesia> (Source: Korean Women’s Development Institute)

30 people including Cambodian and Indonesian government officials and Ngo members attended workshop on Capacity Building for Women's Policy sponsored by Korean Women's Development Institute to learn women policy from Sept. 18th to Oct.1st. They participated at lectures, discussions and site visit under the three themes on capacity building on; policy, economy, women rights and violence.
The Buddhist country, Cambodia and the Muslim country, Indonesia have different cultural background, however, since 2000s they are actively working on the policy on gender equality. But women's social status is still low due to the poverty, poor education, and conventional man chauvinism. What were the impressions that the experts from these two countries got from Korea?


(Source: Korean Women’s Development Institute)

for justice democracy are speakers today.this is the first time  to korea for both of them and they were very impressed by women's liberation movement history and women's policy.mukti apprciated hospitality saying"it is the first time for me to be herebut seoul is wellknown city in indonesia.korea is emerging as an economic superpower in the world.i'm looking forward to be here".pakpahan was interested in korean women's policy and she said korea abolished the head of the family system and korean women's liberation movements are even if it is a small result.


What is the Most Important Issue in Women’s policy in Tow Countries?
 Mukti: “As Malaysia and Indonesia share the same language and religion, Indonesians are very popular in Malaysian labor market. Currently, about 1.2million are working in Malaysia. However, since the exploitation and fraud got worse, Indonesian government banned the export of labor force until the Malaysian government guarantees of proper working conditions.”
Pakpahan: “The biggest issues among Indonesian women are health, finance and education. Indonesia has the highest maternal mortality rate in Southeast Asia, which is very urgent matter to be fixed. Most of women are working as maids in Indonesia or in other countries. Their working conditions and payments are very poor because the domestic law cannot protect them. It was all resulted from the gender inequality in education. While the percentage of the female students in primary school is quite high, in higher educational institutions the percentage gets pretty low.”


Bring Know-how to Their Countries

(Source: Korean Women’s Development Institute)

Mukti: “In Indonesia we also do the research on women but most of them depends on Ngos or university laboratories, so we need a professional institutes managed by the government. The most impressive thing of Korea was the statistics of adult magazines. When I go back to Indonesia I’ll strongly suggest the same one to the senate.”
  agree with the importance of the statistics and want to develop many indicators to apply to the policies for women. Also when I visited to one of the Korean Women's Hotline center, I got an idea about establishing the one-stop service centers that connects the sexual violence victims to consultants for supporting. I will suggest it when going back.”

There is an expression like this, “The women-friendly country is indeed a developed country.” Now, Korea is becoming a good model of high techniques and advanced policies. A good and comfortable society is not built by a specific person but by every single one of us. Isn't it the first step of world peace to make the weak including women happy?
Pakpahan: “I

viernes, 30 de diciembre de 2011

KPOP 뮤직 페스트 인 시드니 12월 4일

Hola Amigos/as
Les dejo un pagina en donde pueda acceder de modo gratuito y ver sus artistas preferida del K- POP ( Korean Pop) de la actualidad.
Este material fue elaborada en Australia, durante una gira hecha por varias artistas famosos/as del K-POP.
Espero que le guste y que pueda disfrutar lo maximo.
Si tienen algunas preguntas, sugerencias no duden en dejar sus comentarios, ademas pueden anotarse como seguidor/ra de la pagina. Saludos para todos/as

http://www.777korean.com/?mid=drama&page=13&document_srl=31607

miércoles, 6 de julio de 2011

En escuelas de Corea del Sur solo se estudiará en e-books

Desde 2015, Corea del sur dará de baja a los libros de texto impresos en las escuelas. La idea es que cada alumno tenga su propia tableta.


En escuelas de Corea del Sur solo se estudiara en e-books


No más libros de papel. El Gobierno de Corea del Sur decidió dar de baja todos los soportes impresos de aquí al 2015 y que sus alumnos estudien sólo con soportes digitales, según informó el portal de noticias Clarín .com

Así lo anunció el Ministerio de Educación, Ciencia y Tecnología, según informó el diario surcoreano The Chsounilbo.

El gobierno de Corea del Sur trabaja en un plan que tiene como objetivo sustituir todos los contenidos de papel en las escuelas y reemplazarlos por libros digitales o e-books y tabletas.

De hecho, el objetivo es que para dentro de cuatro años, cada uno de los alumnos de su país tenga su propia tablet tipo el iPad de Apple.

La idea es que los alumnos tengan acceso a contenidos digitales en todos los formatos: audios, videos, gráficos, infografías animadas y, claro, texto.

Según los medios especializados, el gobierno de Corea del Sur tiene previsto invertir unos 2.000 millones de dólares para llevar adelante la transición y desarrollar libros de texto digitales y comprar las tabletas.

La inversión incluye además un sistema de potentes servidores en los cuales almacenar los contenidos, que serán administrados por el Servicio de Información, Investigación y Educación de Corea del Sur.

"No creemos que el cambio a libros digitales vaya a ser difícil debido a que los estudiantes de hoy están muy familiarizados con el ambiente digital", informaron desde el Ministerio.

La digitalización de la educación llegará al punto de tener clases virtuales para que los alumnos enfermos puedan asistir desde sus casas o hasta de un hospital. Y la presencia virtual será contada al igual que la real.

Además, el ministerio creará una red online a la que se conectarán todas las escuelas. De ella, los alumnos podrán bajarse los libros y apuntes que les indiquen sus maestros a través de conexiones wi-fi.

viernes, 24 de junio de 2011

Apple demanda por patentes a Samsung en Corea del Sur

SEUL. Apple presentó una demanda en Corea del Sur en la que acusa a Samsung Electronics de infringir varias patentes, dijo el viernes un funcionario judicial.



Apple demanda por patentes a Samsung en Corea del Sur
Fuente: blogcdn.com
El litigio se produce mientras Samsung presentaba demandas por patentes en Corea del Sur, Japón y Alemania en abril contra el iPhone y el iPad de la compañía estadounidense, después de que Apple afirmó que la línea Galaxy de Samsung copiaba "servilmente" sus productos.  

Compañías de tecnología internacionales están inmersas en una red de litigios cruzados mientras tratan de defender sus cuotas en el lucrativo mercado de los Tablet PC y los teléfonos inteligentes. La semana pasada, un abogado de Apple dijo en un tribunal estadounidense que ejecutivos "del más alto nivel" de ambas compañías estaban conversando sobre los litigios por patentes.

Esto ocurre después de que un juez hizo alusión a la estrecha relación empresarial entre ambas compañías para resolver el caso a través de un método alternativo a los tribunales.

Apple, que fue el segundo mejor cliente de Samsung después de la japonesa Sony el año pasado, se convirtió en el mayor cliente de la firma surcoreana en el primer trimestre, principalmente por la compra de semiconductores, según el informe trimestral de Samsung. Samsung es uno de los fabricantes de teléfonos inteligentes debido al auge del sistema operativo Android y ha surgido como el competidor más fuerte de Apple en el mercado de Tablet PC.

Un portavoz de Apple Korea no quiso realizar comentarios sobre la demanda y reiteró la posición previa de la compañía. "No es una coincidencia que los últimos productos de Samsung se parezcan mucho al iPhone y al iPad desde la forma del aparato a la interfaz de usuario e incluso su empaquetado", dijo el portavoz.

En la anterior demanda contra Apple, Samsung dijo que pedía compensaciones por violaciones de patente. Las acciones de Samsung cerraron con una subida de un 2,5 por ciento antes de las noticias sobre la demanda.