The Korea Times

Jeju Island's Haenyeo, A User's Manual

Author Joey Rositano talks with one of the female free divers on a boat. /Courtesy of Tanner Jones By Hallie Bradley“Since there are so many representations of the 'haenyeo' geared at ultimately drawing tourism to Jeju Island, I decided to interview three generations of women divers about how they felt about their new fame and what their lives are really like in this time of commercial development on Jeju and the pre-COVID- 19 tourism boom,” began author Joey Rositano. An American resident of Jeju Island since 2006, Rositano has been enthralled with the local culture and traditions for some time and has documented this fascination for others to read and learn from. His most recent work is titled “Jeju Island's Haenyeo, A User's Manual” which documents the past lifestyles of Jeju's female divers and compares them to the way the haenyeo live now. The book also looks at the gentrification of Jeju Island, environmental concerns, women's rights issues and religion throug

Apr 14, 2020By Kim Ji-soo

Politics

U2 leader asks S. Korean president to support Ireland in fight against coronavirus

U2 rock band frontman Bono Vox meets Pope Francis at the Vatican in this Sept. 19, 2018 file photo. /Vatican Media REUTERS-YonhapSEOUL ― Bono, the lead vocalist of Irish rock band U2, has sent a letter to South Korean President Moon Jae-in asking for support in his country's fight against the novel coronavirus, the presidential office here said Sunday.In the letter, Bono asked for South Korean protective equipment and diagnostic kits and said he would personally pay for it, according to Cheong Wa Dae.In a reply sent Friday, President Moon said he would have the health authorities discuss the issue and he hoped Ireland will overcome the crisis, the presidential office added.President Moon and Bono met in December last year, when U2 had its first solo concert in South Korea as part of its Joshua Tree Tour.The 59-year old Irish musician is one of the world's best-known philanthropic performers, spearheading human rights movements across the globe.Ireland had reported nearly 9,000 virus infections as of Sunday afternoon (Korean time), with 320 deaths, according to data compiled by Johns

Apr 13, 2020By Kim Ji-soo

U2 leader asks S. Korean president to support Ireland in fight against coronavirus

Politics

Self-isolators without coronavirus symptoms allowed to vote

YonhapSelf-isolators will be allowed to cast ballots in the upcoming parliamentary elections if they do not show symptoms of coronavirus infection, authorities said Sunday."People who were ordered to go into self-quarantine from April 1-14 and show no symptoms on the day of voting can cast ballots," Health Minister Park Neung-hoo said in a press briefing. "Wearing face masks, they should go to polling stations on foot or by car, while using mass transportation is strictly banned."South Korea has been seeking ways to permit those in self-isolation over the new COVID-19 to vote in the April 15 general elections while minimizing the risk of infecting others. They were not allowed to take part in early voting held Friday and Saturday. The polls will be held from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. Wednesday.The minister said those in self-quarantine will be accompanied by health officials from their isolation facilities to polling stations at a separately designated time in a bid to keep them from meeting other voters. (Yonhap)

Apr 12, 2020By Kim Ji-soo

Self-isolators without coronavirus symptoms allowed to vote

S. Korea mulls easing social-distancing rules

Politics

Virus outbreak sparks concerns over 18-year-old voters' apathy toward April elections

A woman wearing a face mask passes by a poster about precautions against the new coronavirus in Seoul, South Korea, Thursday. For most people, the new coronavirus causes mild or moderate symptoms, such as fever and cough that clear up in two to three weeks. For some, especially older adults and people with existing health problems, it can cause more severe illness, including pneumonia and death. /AP-YonhapBy Kim Soo-yeonSEOUL (Yonhap) ― The coronavirus outbreak and the repeated postponement of the new school year have made it difficult for 18-year-old voters to receive election education at schools, spawning concerns about their apathy toward the April 15 polls.In South Korea, 18-year-old voters, or those born before April 16, 2002, will be able to cast their ballots in the upcoming parliamentary elections for the first time.In December 2019, the National Assembly passed an electoral reform bill that calls for lowering the voting age to 18 from 19 and adopting a new proportional representation system.Of 36 member countries of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development

Mar 26, 2020By Kim Ji-soo

Virus outbreak sparks concerns over 18-year-old voters' apathy toward April elections

Politics

N. Korean defectors eye politics as weapon to make voice heard

Ji Seong-ho, a North Korean defector-turned-human rights activist, in his office in southwest Seoul. YonhapBy Koh Byung-joonSEOUL (Yonhap) ― Back in North Korea, Ji Seong-ho saw elections as nothing more than a formality, because even a vote against the ruling Workers' Party-picked candidates, let alone criticism of the government, could land voters in prison.Running for office was an unthinkable privilege reserved for elites and well-connected people.That's why, after coming to South Korea, Ji, known for his surprise appearance at U.S. President Donald Trump's State of the Union address in 2018, was stunned to see candidates feverishly campaigning and people passionately debating policy and freely criticizing their president.After more than 10 years of living in South Korea, Ji is now planning to run in the April 15 general elections for a National Assembly seat, with the goal of helping North Korean defectors and people still suffering in the country he escaped from."If elected, I hope to contribute to enacting laws that help improve human rights situations in North Korea and to dr

Mar 20, 2020By Kim Ji-soo

Opinion

Keeping connected amid COVID-19

By Kim Ji-sooIn the streets of Seoul, the eyes behind the mask, on the bus, over the counter, or when the delivery man hands over the parcel or pizza, are furtive. It may not be much different in other regions in South Korea.The question lurks in those eyes about the possible relationship between you and the novel coronavirus known as COVID-19. No one is quite sure how to interact socially, anymore. Since the massive outbreak was a given after the nation's first patient was reported in mid-January, the health authorities have been strongly advising people to keep a “social distance.” This is 2 meters or roughly 6 feet distance, especially from those who seem to be exhibiting signs of a fever or are coughing.Keeping a social distance would not be an easy feat for anyone, and especially Koreans who like to huddle when they socialize, sharing drinks, soup and side dishes. But here and there, furtively, hesitantly and anxiously, some distance-maintenance is seen to be under way.People are split into separate teams or asked to work from home, so as to leave contingency plans a

Mar 11, 2020By Kim Ji-soo

Global Community

'Passion Island' or 'Yeoljeongdo' amid Yongsan highrises

A restaurant that sells yeoljeong galbi (that could be translated as “passion ribs”) in Namyeong-dong, Seoul. / Korea Times photo by Kim Ji-sooBy Kim Ji-sooLarge-scale apartment redevelopment projects are fast changing Seoul's landscape. Towering concrete blocks stand in spaces once occupied by small businesses in two-story buildings. In that sense, visiting the neighborhood known as “Yeoljeongdo,” or Passion Island, near the former USO building and Namyeong Station in northern Seoul, is like walking into another time zone.Surrounded by 21st century high-rises, Yeoljeongdo has only small buildings that look like they might date back to the late 1970s or 1980s and fill a few of the Namyeong-dong streets. The stores' exteriors mostly exhibit a gritty version of Korea and seem to hark back to a time that only those over 50 may recall. Hearty Korean dishes are to be found on many of the menus here, like roast pork belly and kimchi stew. The area has pork rib restaurants, bakeries with a building structure reminiscent of Korean snack shops frequently seen in the la

Mar 10, 2020By Kim Ji-soo

'Passion Island' or 'Yeoljeongdo' amid Yongsan highrises

Society

Will Bong Joon-ho prompt generation of cinema kids?

South Korean director Bong Joon-ho, who directed the film "Parasite", speaks during a press conference at the Japan National Press Club in Tokyo on Feb. 23. /AFP-YonhapBy Kim Ji-sooAfter South Korean legend Pak Se-ri won her first U.S. Open in 1998 ― a dramatic and historic win that drew global golfers' attention ― Korea saw a rise in up-and-coming professional golfers. One after another ― Shin Ji-yai, Park In-bee, Park Sung-hyun ― top young golfers inspired by Pak's win began to emerge.Pak's U.S. Open victory came during an unprecedented financial crisis in Korea, when many citizens were fearing the nation could return to poverty. The triumph also inspired both young children and their parents ― whose fierce zeal for education often encouraged the golf aspirations of their offspring. There are six Korean female golfers in the world top 15 according to Women's World Golf Ranking this week. Upon the global success of K-pop, many Korean young people began to aspire ― and some, become ― top pop stars, such as BTS. Thus, director Bong Joon-ho's four-Oscar feat has the nation's soft-power

Mar 3, 2020By Kim Ji-soo

Will Bong Joon-ho prompt generation of cinema kids?

World

Documentary chronicles Florida veteran's story

This anniversary-gift pairing of photos of Wyley Wright Jr. and Ouida Wright is cherished by their family and is part of a daughter's documentary, “Love Separated in Life ... Love Reunited in Honor.” [Provided by Jackie Wright]/Tribune News]By Matt SoergelThe Daytona Beach News-JournalThe story goes that while the Army was shipping Wyley Wright Jr. home from Korea in the 1950s, a friend of his accidentally dropped a small picture from his wallet. Wright bent to pick it up.Whoah. It was a beautiful young woman in a dress, wearing a multi-strand necklace and a fetching smile.Hey, you've got to introduce me to her when we get back, Wright said. His friend did.That led to marriage and four children for Wyley and Ouida Wright, the woman in the photo. But by May 1963, the Army had sent the career soldier back to Asia, where he was among the thousands of so-called military advisers sent to Vietnam.Later that year, as the Wrights' 11th anniversary drew near, Wyley took that photo of his wife to a Vietnamese photographer. He enlarged it and paired it with one of the soldier, taken

Mar 3, 2020By Kim Ji-soo

Global Community

Volunteer and walk in Seoul's Lotus Lantern Parade

An image of the Lotus Lantern Parade in this 2012 file photo. Korea Times fileBy Hallie BradleyEach year, more than 300,000 people converge to celebrate in central Seoul with a gorgeous parade, cultural performances, activities and crafts over a three-day period. Buddha's birthday lands on April 30 this year and the festival runs from April 24 to 26. The highlight is a massive parade with more than 100,000 lanterns lit and carried from Dongdaemun to Jongak in central Seoul. Visitors can see beautiful lotus flower lanterns, a long dragon, elephants, fire-breathing peacocks and other amazing floats. The streets are blocked off to traffic and people from around the world come together to celebrate this cultural event.The parade is stunning to see, but imagine walking in it! Each year, a number of foreigners and Koreans are chosen to work together and learn more about this event which the government has designated as Important Intangible Culture Heritage No. 122. Participants, called Global Cultural Ambassadors, can apply via its Culture Us program to learn more about Korean Buddhism dur

Feb 25, 2020By Kim Ji-soo

Kim Ji-soo

Read more

Jeju Island's Haenyeo, A User's Manual

U2 leader asks S. Korean president to support Ireland in fight against coronavirus

Self-isolators without coronavirus symptoms allowed to vote

Virus outbreak sparks concerns over 18-year-old voters' apathy toward April elections

N. Korean defectors eye politics as weapon to make voice heard

Keeping connected amid COVID-19

'Passion Island' or 'Yeoljeongdo' amid Yongsan highrises

Will Bong Joon-ho prompt generation of cinema kids?

Documentary chronicles Florida veteran's story

Volunteer and walk in Seoul's Lotus Lantern Parade

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