30 interesting things about Heeseung Hwang

1. Since I was young, my dream has been to become a chef. I want to minor in culinary studies when I go to college so that I can not only impress my future wife but also save a great deal of money. Unfortunately, I am a horrible cook and the best things I can cook are barbequed pork and beef. I am watching a number of Youtube videos about filleting fish these days out of a nonsensical belief that I will somehow attain the ability to do so. 

2.     On average, I eat two bowls of instant noodles every day. This is a habit that I formulated when I first came to KMLA. I feel an exceptional bliss when I eat instant noodles, a sensation that I couldn’t savor from any other types of food that I had in my life so far. I know it is illegal to consume instant noodles in the dormitory, I think they facilitate my bowel movements due to empirical observations I made throughout two years.

3.     I got short legs but a long, really long torso. My short legs might not seem visually outstanding nor athletically advantageous, but it does allow me to show an “imposing bulk” when I am sitting. Therefore, when I need to engage in an argument or any event that requires an aura of authority and superiority, I insist on sitting down beforehand.

4.     If I had not come to KMLA, I would have ended up in a sport high school. I ran track since elementary school and I was one of the fastest teenage runners in middle school, winning series of gold medals in numerous competitions. My coach and I planned on applying to a renowned sports school, but my parents nearly threatened me to apply to KMLA. Of course, I learned all the clichéd lessons from track and field (all that business of overcoming physical defects, etc)

5.     I hate listening to music, especially those saccharine ballads. Paradoxically, I love to urban dance with my hip-hop club members. The reason is that K-pop focuses too much emphasis on visual spectacles such as dancing rather than the quality of singing itself. I also find it dull listening to the same lyrics and rhythms repeatedly. Again, I know it is bizarre how I never get bored dancing the same choreographies.

6.     I unwittingly make a lot of eye contact. Some people think I am some sort of a pervert because I stare indiscriminately, men and women, especially their faces. But this is only because I think people reveal a lot of secrets through facial expressions and that is why I always remain attentive to them. The subtle changes in wrinkles, eye contact, and shapes of the mouth hint inner emotions.

7.     I nosebleed very frequently. Part of the reason may be that I blow my nose often due to my dust allergies, and my nose dries up fairly easily. The most problematic scenario is when I nosebleed while eating lunch or dinner. I can tell you that bloody Bulgogi does not, does not taste that nice.

8.     I sweat a lot. Fortunately, my sweat doesn’t give off that much of an odor. However, my hands and feet get drenched pretty quickly that it is often uncomfortable and even disgusting.

9.    I have a lack of balance between leg muscles and arm muscles. My legs are one of the strongest but my arms one of the weakest in KMLA.

10.   I often indulge in my own world of imagination. The contents vary from my dreams to nasty things. I practice this so often that my imaginations are so vivid that I can even trigger my body’s reflexes by manipulating it.

11.   Sometimes I feel like I share the characteristics of Park, Jung Hee. He was adroit socializer in terms of vertical relationships compared to horizontal relationships, he hates losing, and hard on the outside but tender in the inside.  

12.   In most cases, I like people, but there is one person in this school who I hate with insanely preoccupied hatred and open hostility. Some people say that certain relationships are just not meant to happen and I think this is the one.

13.   I like to knit-pick on other people’s arguments and rebut them. This tactic dominates my debate habits and also is very helpful in building negative images to those who abhor my petty disturbances.

14.   An aptitude test indicates that my brain is inclined to natural sciences but I never felt any enthusiasm in the discipline. I always felt closer to social sciences like history and politics, but things like physics, chemistry, and biology always required a great deal of perseverance.

15.   I am easily addicted to anything, including love. Once I get my hands on something, I become blind to anything else and that is why I don’t even dare to try things that might inversely control me: but no matter how hard I tried, Facebook just won’t get off my mind.

16.   I knew how to play four instruments but now I retain the ability to play none of them. I got piano, clarinet, violin, and drum lessons but I barely know how to play a famous piece of music that normal people would know. I always envied those who can play the background music of “Pirates of the Caribbean.”

17.   I have an insatiable need to socialize and talk with other people. Maybe because of an insecurity that I might be left alone, deserted by people around me once I halt my efforts to get along with others.

18.   I look like a meerkat, especially when I take off my glasses. Some people say I look cheap and fraud-like. Sadly for you guys, I disagree.

19.   I learned how to lie elegantly and persuasively from my parents. Both of my parents are CPAs, whose job is to assess the credibility of a company and reveal things that need to be revealed. Rather than clinging to the habit of telling the truth, I rather decided to polish my lying skills so that I can smoothly get over difficult situations. But not on serious occasions, of course.

20.   I hate reading books that pretty much explains my lacking reading comprehension skills. I don’t know how I am going to major in history or international relations without changing this attitude.

21.   I am relatively insensitive to coldness; sometimes I wear short sleeves and shorts in winter. During the last few months of last year, my friends always ridiculed my cloths which they deem obviously unfit the weather.

22.   Many people think I am thin and light but actually I have a lot of organ fat and pretty heavy. I weigh about 72 kilograms, not so thin for a man of my height. My belly seems quite abominable especially after having a satisfying meal.

23.   The favorite place I feel most passionate for studying and most productive, is my bed. I just can’t sit down in one place and calm down because my imaginations and other disturbing factors distract me too much. That is why I lie down and read books, unless they are too heavy to hold them in the air for a long time.

24.    My puberty came when I was fairly young, I thought it would come early and go early but instead it just extends for a longer period.

25.   I’m afraid my ideologies will not be tolerated in South Korea and that is why I wish to study overseas and live in countries where selective aspects of socialism are given more respect and attention. I think countries like Germany and France set ideal goals to which Korea should progress.

26.   I hate the current Park, Keun Hye, I mean, really. I think she is Margaret Thatcher with no rationality and rhetoric. I strongly believe that she is a disgrace in Korean history although I respect her father a great deal.

27.   I have sharply contradicting convictions; I am liberal in heart but conservative in reality.

28.   I always comb my hair with my hands unconsciously. It feels so good when my hands slide through my hair.

29.   I personally don’t like chicken, I think the bones are disgusting. That doesn’t mean I won’t eat them on chicken day.

30.   My first impressions are drastically different from who I actually am. Most people think I am calm, quiet, reserved, or even a self-conscious man, but actually I am the antithesis of these adjectives.

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The Concept of Minjok

The Concept of Minjok

The concept of Minjok is stronger than the physical borders of Korea. It is the most influential producer of social unity and attachment to homeland which can be found in other nations with different names. Whether or not they live within the borders, Koreans believe that they belong to the same ethnicity or Minjok called ‘Hanminjok’, where the prefix ‘Han’ adds the meaning of ‘great’. The subtle sense of ethnic superiority and pride is implicit in the concept of Minjok, and Koreans have been colored with what Minjok has to provide although they might not realize it. They take these for granted since they are born, and such passive injections of ideas, practices, values, and meta narratives affect their identity as Korean citizens. The concept of Minjok landed in Korea only about a century ago. Unfortunately, its nature is contradicting with the trend of globalization, and different views have emerged on how Minjok should be interpreted in the 21st century. It is true that every judgmental statement on the fundamentals of Korean identity must accompany considerable prudence, but it is evident that the concept of Minjok has to adapt to the era of globalization where ethnic barriers can hamper the development of future Korean society.



Korean peninsula

           The word Minjok itself has two different meanings. The first definition is race or ethnicity in general. This definition is used when denoting the ethnicity of foreigners, or translating nationalism into Korean. The second definition refers to the Korean race in particular, which is the very definition that is used in this essay. Koreans have been adding various adjectives to the word Minjok in order to display the superiority of their race. They contend that the Koreans used to be ‘Baekyeeminjok’(Minjok of whiteness), suggesting the purity and innocence of themselves. Also Koreans believe that they are a ‘Danilminjok’(Minjok of single race), basically meaning that they are people who share the same blood, language, and appearance.   

The Korean identity has a number of aspects to analyze, but in essence, it has deep correlations with being a part of ‘Hanminjok’, or ‘Hanjok’. The concept of Minjok, rather a recent idea compared to what it comprehends, wraps up the history, culture, and identity that the society expects to know from a viable Korean citizen. The concept naturally becomes stationary in the minds of the Koreans without a doubt. One of the main reasons why the concept of Minjok was easily absorbed by Koreans was that it was built on top of collectivism, the basis of eastern philosophy. The way people view the relationship between the society and its members is quite different in the east from the west. The western perspectives are more focused on the importance of individuals while the eastern perspectives are more concerned about the group as a whole. The obsession with the word ‘Uri’ is a great example. ‘Uri’ is a word that means ‘us’, and it is used by Koreans in daily dialogues without sensing the necessity to actually clarify who ‘uri’ refers to. Even the word ‘nara’, which means nation, often combines with ‘uri’, and is used more often than the actual name of the country. Therefore, two different concepts, Minjok and the fellowship of Koreans mingled fairly well. Within the same Minjok, Koreans are expected demonstrate certain behaviors of Confucianism, believe in conventional ideas including meta narratives, and devote oneself to the future of the Minjok since these are what makes them considered as part of it. Some of those practices were used to maintain order in the ancient Korean society. However, the emphasis on the meta narratives of ‘Dangun'(the creator of ancient Korea), ‘Hongikingan’ (the ideology of establishment of the very first state in ancient Korea, which means spreading the benefit to the people) and the commonly used phrase ‘Banmannyun yeoksa’(history of 5000 years) are recent ideas. These allow Koreans to feel pride and self-esteem by the fact that they are part of the Minjok who achieved such glory. The other aspects of Minjok operate in an analogous way. Minjok offers something proud from the history or culture, and gives the impression that the people are the legacy of them, who are interconnected as one. Kids are taught these factors of Minjok one by one since a very young age that the information is stored without questioning. Also the education of the concept of Minjok can be attributed to the parents and the grandparents who were the most affected by it when globalization was yet to come. That is also why during the 2002 World Cup, millions of people ran out to the streets to cheer for the Korean national team, shouting ‘Uri neun hana’(we are one).  

The comprehension of nationalism is a prerequisite for understanding the concept of Minjok. Nationalism is the loyalty and devotion to a nation along with the appreciation of its culture and interests above those of other nations. Nationalism begets the attitude or set of actions of the people trying to express care for their country and protect the integrity of national identity.

 

The emergence of nationalism can be dated back to the French Revolution that occurred in the year of 1789. Originally, the French borders enclosed various groups of people with different historical backgrounds and languages. The only connection among them was the fact that they were ruled under a common king. Rather than recognizing themselves as subjects that had innate duties to serve the king, they saw themselves as citizens who belonged to the land. Nationalism and democratic rights together gave birth to civic nationalism, thanks to the acquirement of equal rights regardless of previous classes. The French nationalism culminated in the war between other European states and the French army made up of French citizens, thus edifying the people that they are fighting for their proud land. Furthermore, Napoleon Bonaparte pursued territorial expansion for the sake of France, which was another incident that contributed to the growth of nationalism. On the other hand, Germany achieved ethnicnationalism, where numerous states that shared the same language united under the effort to emphasize the purity of their ethnicity and distinction from others by the powers-that-be. Ethnicity was the tool that wore off social inequality and discontent. Unfortunately, Nazism was one of the branches of ethnic nationalism in Germany, and the example shows how German nationalism once met extreme irrationality and authoritarianism.    

           When the breeze of nationalism settled in the Korean peninsula, it was interpreted as the necessity to establish reason for ethnic superiority and purity which could distinguish them from other race. As a result, the concept of Minjok, the special ethnic unity of Koreans was created. Unfortunately, the epidemic of such ideology that would bring the biggest change in the Korean history was imported from Japan, which was highly influential to Korea over a few decades ranging from the late 19th century to early 20th century.

 

Japan was a unique case in the colonial era. They have opened up their ports to western powers, promoted trade, and accepted western ideas relatively timely than other Asian countries in the late 19th century. The Netherlands was the major contributor to Japanese modernization in the beginning. However, Japan sought the importance of adapting to the new environment independently, and the Meiji Restoration which was arguably the largest effort to modernize Japan, under the slogan “Munmyung Gaehwaron”(enlightening the civilization) was a success. This was how Japan was able to avoid colonization from European nations. While Chosun, which used to be Korea until the 19^th century, and Qing, which used to be China, were suffering from similar circumstances, Japan saw themselves as the “civilized” race, and discriminated themselves from other East Asian countries which they referred to as “uncivilized ones”, albeit as they pleased. Many scholars from Japan insisted the responsibility to “civilize” the Asian countries as humans at a higher position which shortly became the theoretical basis of Japanese colonization of Korea, Junghanron(theory to rule the Han, or Korean race).    

           Since Japan tempted to colonize Korea in 1870s, western technology, goods, and ideas came with the Japanese encroachment. Even the renowned scholars and students who longed for quality education went abroad to study in Japan. The first notable movement of nationalism in Korea is the ‘Donghak movement’. Donghak was a religion which opposed to the ideas being imported from the west, called ‘Yanghak’ or ‘Seohak’ at the time. It created by Chae Jaewoo, and the religion gathered substantial number of followers. The Donghak movement later developed into an immense activity of civilians who tried to fight against the political invasion of foreign powers. Donghak saw the value in the conventional ideas of Korea and wished the country to stand independent in such a hectic situation. During the first decade of 1900s when the indirect control over Korea reached the peak just before the actual annexation, the Japanese concept of minjoku landed in the peninsula which later evolved into the concept of Minjok. The idea was further developed by the intellects of Korea and this would push through the efforts of independence activists to achieve liberty and right to national sovereignty against Japanese colonialism to a certain extent. Independence movement that based its ideology on the concept of Minjok was merely one of the numerous campaigns that strived for national independence, but the concept itself assimilated with the hearts of Koreans. The fact that every Korean belonged to the same Minjok was appreciated especially when the pursuit of independence became desperate due to harsh oppression of the Japanese. The notable scholars and activists of nationalism during the period were Shin Chaeho, Park Eunshik, Lee Gwangsoo, and Cho Manshik.

 

           Shin Chaeho and Park Eunshik were historians of Korean nationalism who refused to accept distorted version of Korean history intended by the Japanese. Interpreting the Korean history in a biased manner and later insisting the congruence of the essence of the Korean and Japanese race was crucial to Japanese colonization. During the 1930s Japan enacted the apotheosis of such brutality and tried to erase the concept of Korean Minjok in order to induce participation of Koreans into the attempt to build a Pan-Asian empire. Shin Chaeho not only contributed to movements of Korean nationalism, education, and press, but also decided to remedy the historical distortion by emphasizing the independence and subjectivity of Korea. The emphasis on the distinctiveness of Korean Minjok and the fact that Koreans were descendants of people who achieved historical magnificence advocated the prosperity of the concept of Minjok. Park Eunshik dedicated to the spread of the concept in a similar way, and these works were passed on to Jung Inbo, Ahn Jaehong, and Moon Ilpyeong. On the other hand, Lee Gwangsoo was a writer from the movement of Korean nationalism, but he had a peculiar perspective towards Minjok. He claimed the theory of ‘Minjok Gaejoron’(remodel the Minjok), saying that the corruption of Korean Minjok led to loss of national sovereignty. At first, he meant the need for rectification of Korean culture and own preference to non-violent independence movement. However, his later contentions started to contradict with the integrity of Minjok itself and even deny the difference between the Japanese, which was why he was assessed as a traitor and neglected from history textbooks. Lastly, Cho Manshik took part in the 3.1 movement, the biggest independence movement that took place in 1919, and led cultural movements to grow invisible strength of Koreans.

 

          
          After the independence of Korea in 1945, North Korea and South Korea diverged to two different sovereign states. North Korea established a socialistic state while South Korea established a capitalistic one. However, the two Koreas had two things in common. First of all, although both nations claimed to be democratic nations, technically they were dictated each by Kim Ilsung and Lee Seungmahn. Secondly, they both made use of the concept of Minjok that was passed down since the beginning of the 20^th century to unify their citizens and cover the government’s intentions. In Democratic People’s Republic of Korea(North Korea), the concept of Minjok became a tool that would support the ‘Juche’ ideology which is a more aggressive and tangible form of Minjok. ‘Juche’ ideology is an anthropocentric set of ideas which states that not an individual but the public have the ultimate power, and the public needs firm leadership that would lead the communistic movement which was Kim Ilsung in the beginning. Inferring from the ‘Juche’ ideology, the value of men can only be acknowledged when they function as components of a group. Therefore, North Korea needed social glue that would create a corporate nation. In addition, so as to achieve self-sufficiency in terms of economy and self-defense in terms of national defense, patriotism and closure that nationalism, or in this case, the concept of Minjok provides were indispensable.

Since the 1960s when president Park Junghee dictated Korea, the concept of Minjok was also a major propaganda of the government. Although its original purpose wasn’t so, the concept of Minjok a few decades ago worked both as an impetus for economic growth and maintenance of dictatorship. The justification for sending the construction workers to the Middle East and the nurses to Germany was that they were contributing to the future of the nation and the Hanminjok. Major issues during the Park Junghee administration, such as sending troops to fight in the Vietnam War and receiving compensation money to balance the costs of Japanese colonization were justified in a similar context despite the disagreements of the citizens. Moreover, the initial configuration of Korean economy was highly dependent on agriculture, and the development of industry was not so discernible. Under multiple ‘5 year economic development plan’, South Korea was able to grow via industries of high value, but the starting position was not so prospective at the time. In order to accelerate economic growth and cut off the infusion of ideas which could hamper the dictatorship, the nation had to maximize export as well as become self-sufficient in terms of consumption. The implication of racial superiority and the greatness of the land that the concept of Minjok holds gave a strong impression to Koreans that they had all they needed within the country. This is why people easily said that Korea has the best delicacies come from different cities in the country, four distinct seasons, and the best respect to elders. It also explains how the government started to fund the reproduction of old heritages and construction of monuments such as such as the ‘Ahndong Hahwemaeul’(area that reproduced the traditional Korean village), and a pair of bronze statues of King Saejong(the king who created the Korean characters) and Lee Soonshin(famous general who fought boldly against the Japanese during their invasion in 1592) in ‘Gwanghwamoon’(a high street of Seoul) that would even appreciate Minjok. Deducing whether the past actions were right or wrong might require a different analysis, but it can be said that the fact that Koreans were together as one Minjok dissipated the concern about confinement of citizen’s activities and their sacrifice.

 

The time when utilization of Minjok was considered as an impediment in the forward development of South Korea was when the government became aware of the necessity to interact internationally with other nations both politically and economically. The reinterpretation of Minjok due to the friction caused by the exclusive nature of it and outward movement that the global trend required could be the reason why the North and the South turned out to be in the current situation. North Korea actually did transcend South Korean economy in the beginning, because the industrial plants from the Japanese colonization were concentrated in North. However, the unwillingness to engage in foreign interactions, along with the threat to world peace made North Korea to barely sustain their regime with the provision of resources from China and South Korea. Such consequences were corollaries of their blatant refusal to globalize for the sake of ‘Juche’ ideology, a manipulated form of the concept of Minjok. However, the situation was quite different in the South. The 1988 Seoul Olympics was a milestone in South Korean globalization which attracted thousands of foreigners into the country and informed people around the world that there is a country East Asia called South Korea whose capital is Seoul. President Kim Yeongsam who inaugurated into office in 1992 declared to promote segyehwa, or globalization in the political, and the economic sector in order to align Korea to the shifting trend of global economy. The Kim Yeongsam administration tried to promulgate Korean culture and identity by strengthening festivals and tourism. President Kim Daejung carried on the effort of former president Kim Yeongsam. Economic and social reform requested by the International Monetary Fund was an unfortunate, yet a descent opportunity to globalize. The government started to take care of Korean immigrants living abroad, emphasize English curriculum in public education, and set the future guideline of Korean globalization where internet network becomes the next strength of South Korea.

            World history proves that Korea was not the only place where nationalism changed the flow of history of a particular nation. Sometimes injustice and even cruelty was justified in the name of nationalism, and some degenerated into extreme forms of nationalism which were marked as infamous incidents in history. China, Korea, and Japan in the late 19^th century faced the epidemic of nationalism from the western powers. Each nation came up with the slogan of ‘Joongchaeseoyong’, ‘Dongdoseogeeron’, and ‘Hwahonyangjae’ respectively, all meaning ‘western technology, eastern spirit’. These movements commenced the start of nationalism in these countries where people had to unite in order to deal with the confrontation of exotic influence. Many countries including South Korea experienced abused nationalism, and the most well-known example is Nazism. The dictatorship which claimed the superiority of Germanic ethnicity resulted in a massacre of the Jews. Japan, on the other hand claimed the superiority of their race to those of other Asian states. Japan believed it was the responsibility of their Minjok to civilize the ‘uncivilized’ Asia, and create a Pan-Asian empire called ‘Daeilbonjaegook’(the great empire of Japan). Currently the conservative party of Japan which composes the administration is encouraging the revival of the concept of Minjok. This led to the concern of manipulated content of history textbooks, reconsideration on the law which limits the activity Japanese military to self-defense, and tough foreign policies. In China, the concept of Minjok was used to construct a socialistic nation. The Chinese government took advantage of military intervention and compelled minority groups acknowledge themselves as people of the same Minjok of the rest. They also destroyed idols of villages or cities that might disturb the loyalty of the Chinese citizens to the government. North Korea, needless to say, abused the concept of Minjok to advocate the ‘Juche’ ideology, and dictators who ruled South Korea used Minjok to cover up and justify the dark side of the society. Minjok was the key to the maintenance of dictatorship of both North and South Korea. Both states claimed that the other Korea did not exist as a legitimate government, and the original inheritance of Minjok belonged to themselves. Fortunately, North Korea and South Korea now approves each other as a legitimate government and the fact that both Koreas are descendants of the same Minjok is the focal point on the possibility of reunification. During the French revolution, nationalism was a method of the Bourgeois to elicit participation from the lower class. As a matter of fact, most of the rights achieved through went to the Bourgeoisie, and it was not until the Revolution of February in 1848 when men of the bottom class procured the right to vote. In a nutshell, the concept of Minjok was present in the history of a number of countries, and the idea itself was meaningful in the beginning. However, due to the outstanding effects of uniting the people and justifying the sacrifice of the minorities for the sake of the general well-being of the Minjok, it was often used to encroach upon basic human rights. The concept of Minjok in Korea was the major momentum of independence movement in the beginning, but its essence was fixed to fit the purposes of the administrations during the second half of the 20^th century. Some people argue that South Korea’s establishment of a strong economy in a timely manner cannot justify the innocent sacrifices. Of course, oppressing the citizens and compelling them to sacrifice for the government’s private benefit is wrong, but perhaps it was inevitable in order to raise the living standards of Korea in the long term.

South Korea of 2013 is very different from South Korea 3 score years ago when the country was scratching to floor due to the devastation brought about by the Korean War. Today the country has lined itself at 13^th in terms of economy, 7^th in national military, 11^th in education index, 8^th in international trade, 11^th in national power, 12^th in diplomacy, and 4^th in technology. South Korea’s reliance on external trade is roughly 70 percent, and they deal with the threat of North Korea through international relations. In the future, the international society anticipates that the interests of different nations will become more intertwined and people function as not only the citizens of their nation but also as global citizens. The change in economy or government policy of one nation greatly influences other nations, and there are global concerns that require global participation. Furthermore, the real power and authority of the 21^st century comes from diplomatic positions that a nation preoccupies, rather than physical power that comes from the military. On the other hand, the concept of Minjok suggests a totally opposite nature from what people expect from South Korea in the future. Minjok could be a negative factor to the identity of South Korea if it continues to pursue its original meaning and usage. However, if the concept of Minjok is adjusted in accordance with the development of South Korea, Korea would have an easier time finding national identity within the mixture of diverse cultures and promote the value of foreign people’s understanding of Koreans. The answer to the question of how to compromise these two different factors of globalization and Minjok can be found at the fact the globalization has something that Minjok cannot offer, and vice versa.

To begin with, the standard of defining the Korean Minjok should shift from racial commonalities to cultural and ideological commonalities. Globalization in a way stimulates the concept of Minjok because it introduces exotic and unfamiliar matters to the people who unified under shared characteristics. People recognize themselves as separate entities that are different from what is imported from the outside, and this deepens the identity of that Minjok by allowing them to construct additional borders in between. Therefore, if racial standards of Minjok continue to inspire the sense of difference upon foreigners, it will be fatal to the future of Korea when the global trend is to mingle with, and accept them into the borders. Racial discrimination which is another potential of racial standards of Minjok can be detrimental as well once Koreans place themselves distant from foreigners and form cliques of their own in other countries. In fact, these issues are already at hand. Their ability to place the nation in the center of the web of global interaction where race is not the hindering the exchange of ideas, cultures, and accomplishments of citizens will determine the future competence of South Korea. Furthermore, the inspiration of the concept of Minjok should stem from things that deserve the value from an objective perspective. The propaganda that burgeoned during the Park Junghee administration is now merely an illusion, while the unbelievable rate of growth in the past few decades, and the scientific excellence of ‘Hangul’(Korean character) are acknowledged by the international community. Therefore, the old fashioned list should be discarded, and the Korean Minjok should have pride and dignity from these kinds of elements. Lastly, the sense of cultural superiority, along with ethnic superiority must fade away from the concept of Minjok. Koreans must keep in mind that there are no such criteria which classify different culture into levels of development. Every nation has their own points of distinction and it is the responsibility of future Koreans to observe each culture with equal values.

In conclusion, although the concept of Minjok has been used for various purposes, it is a crucial ideology for Koreans in the 21^st century. Ever since Korea promoted segyehwa through a top-down approach, Minjok became what identifies Korea in a mishmash of cultures. The adequate rectification and implementation of the concept of Minjok will lead Korea to a better future. Reunification will be back on the table, value of Korean culture will be appreciated by foreigners, and Korea’s future generations will strive to advance the land to a better place. The concept of Minjok suggested by the dictators of Korea was quite disappointing in the perspectives of the 21^st century. Koreans should redefine the concept of Minjok, or they would repeat what happened in the history of Chosun, where the reluctance in adaptation led to the demise of the country.

Bibliography
http://iis-db.stanford.edu/pubs/20125/Shin.pdf
http://www.ucalgary.ca/ev/designresearch/projects/Evds723/seoul.pdf
http://koreanstudies.com/ks/ksr/ksr01-14.htm
http://plato.stanford.edu/entries/nationalism/
http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/219315/French-Revolution
http://www.princeton.edu/~achaney/tmve/wiki100k/docs/Ethnic_nationalism.html
http://asiapacific.anu.edu.au/blogs/languagesofsecurity/2011/05/27/south-korean-nation/
http://aparc.stanford.edu/news/koreas_ethnic_nationalism_is_a_source_of_both_pride_and_prejudice_according_to_giwook_shin_20060802
http://articles.washingtonpost.com/2013-03-29/opinions/38123023_1_paradigm-shift-new-ministry-bell-labs
 

 

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What is the United Nations Security Council?

The Security Council, along with the General Assembly, is probably the most influential and eminent Committee above all the other ones. Due to its notable difference in the flow of debate and the active nature of the resolutions, it is loved by many MUN participants.

The Security Council was found in 1946. When the Pacific War and the World War II came to an end in 1945, nations around the world congregated to establish a unified body for the sake of world peace and betterment of humanity. This union is what we know as the United Nations. With the lead of the Allied Powers, who were the winners of the colossal war, erected a subordinate organ within the United Nations, and this is called the Security Council. They themselves designated 15 nations, 5 of which are permanent and 10 of which are non-permanent, who would function as the constituents of the Security Council, which would lead the epidemic and instigate of world peace and preservation of human rights. The 5 permanent members of the Security Council, also called the P5 nations, are United States of America, China, Russian Federation, United Kingdom, and France. These nations were the victorious countries of the World War II. On the other hand, every 2 years, the non-permanent members of the Security Council are chosen through a voting procedure in the General Assembly.

What is very interesting about the Security Council is that it could provide the fastest and the slowest solutions to a problem at the same time. There are multiple reasons for this. Firstly, the Permanent members of the Security Council have the right to make use of the Veto system. If a single nation Veto, then the resolution fails, and the Security Council has to start from void again. Secondly, it is where the strongest, both in terms of the military and the economy are playing the tug of war between the nations. The Security Council is really the battlefield of international relations and interests of individual, or perhaps factions of the global society. Therefore, it will be the delegate’s duty to come to an effective resolution with the cooperation of different countries and harmony among themselves.

 

 

 

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The Questions of Mali Crisis

a.       What kind of missions will the 12600 United Nations Peacekeeping forces execute?

b.      Is the citizens protected by these forces?

c.       How will the international society guarantee security for the Malian citizens when more troops are being deployed?

d.      What will be the next step if the United Nations Peacekeeping forces are not able to resolve the crisis within a year?

e.       What are the consequences or costs of military intervention?

f.       What would be the reactions of the Militant forces that ousted the original regime?

g.       How will the United Nations be able to get rid of famine and hunger in Mali?

h.      How will the United Nations be able to make Mali self-sustainable?

i.        What should the United Nations do if the rebels were indeed cooperating with other organizations?

j.        How will the United Nations prevent this crisis from spilling over to other countries?

k.      How will this issue be discussed prior to any matters regarding that of North Korea?

l.        What will be the next step, if the rebels actually declare a independent nation?

m.    How does the R2P assimilate with this issue?

n.      Did France do its job on its previous mission?

o.      What is the role of France, a nation with the most affinity with Mali?

p.      Is the crisis every going to be process within Mali?

q.      Is the United Nations justified to engage in the first place?

r.        How will the police maintain order in Mali when the Militant forces are already taking care of the police system?

s.       How will the United Nations establish justice and standard of human rights in Mali?

t.        Does Mali have the potential to stand by itself when the United Nations retreat?

u.      Does the United Nations have the responsibility to deal with the aftermath of the crisis?

v.      How do we make sure that no other coup is going to take over the fragile government once it is replaced?

w.     Do we have the correct data on casualties and number of children being abused?

x.      What kind of burden does the United Nations Security Council have that is special from all the other committees discussing this agenda?

y.      Is the world informed about this crisis?

z.       Is the crisis related to any country’s private interests such as sales of weaponry in Syria?

aa.   Was the deployment necessary in the first place?

bb.  Does this have anything to do with racial dispute?

cc.   How do we guarantee the transparency of this issue?

dd.  What kind of role can we anticipate from the French army that retreated to Ivory Coast?

ee.   Why did it have to be Ivory Coast where it used to be fortress for a dictator in Cot de voire?

ff.    Was the previous resolution an adequate solution to the conflict?

gg.   Who are the main stakeholders in this conflict?

hh.  Is Mali the only nations suffering from the crisis of this kind?

ii.      What special characteristics does the Mali Conflict have that differentiates this from other crisis?

jj.      How much urgency does this conflict contain that it has to be debated prior to all the other agendas?

kk.  Why did the international society grant France the right to give a first hand?

ll.      Is France hiding any private interests?

mm.   Is the international society fully aware of the casualties?

nn.  What kind of different approach will the United Nations take so that we won’t have another Rwanda or Yugoslavia war?

oo.  Are the United Nations Peacekeeping forces trustworthy in the first place?

pp.  Is the number of troops being deployed too low? Or too high?

 

 

 

 

 

 

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