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Andrew Salmon

외국인의 눈한국은 고리타분해?

대한민국 국가브랜드가 또 바뀌었다. 문화체육관광부의 “뇌섹”관료들이 만든 “크리에이티브 코리아(Creative Korea)”가 바로 그것이다. 하지만 석연치 않은 것이 한두 가지가 아니다.

Ko Dong-hwan | 2016-08-31 13:41

Taekwondo's triumph in Rio

On Aug. 18, in Rio de Janeiro’s Carioca Arena 3, Ahmad Abughaush made sportive history. After a sizzling final bout against Russia's Alexey Denisenko, the fighter became the first Jordanian athlete to win an Olympic medal, in any discipline, at any Olympics, ever. The same evening, Iranian Kimia Alizadeh Zenoorin became the first female Iranian athlete to achieve that same feat.

2016-08-29 16:28

Immigration hordes

It had been a tremendous vacation: A relaxed week in France with family, then another week in the UK with friends. The weather has been fine, the food excellent, the company convivial - just the kind of thing to loosen the body, relax the mind and fortify the soul.

2016-08-15 17:06

Time to sex up Hanbok

Taiwan, 1959. A reporter for “The Korea Republic” (the predecessor of an English language publication that exists today) visited a museum in Taipei.

2016-08-01 16:46

Pigs, dogs and journalists

It's big news. A senior education ministry official, Na Hyang-wook, speaking pompously in a boozy meeting with journalists, likened the public to “pigs and dogs.” Several reporters were present, but only one, from a leftist newspaper, dared report Na's comments. A public uproar resulted and Na was flagellated and fired.

2016-07-18 16:53

Inaccurate slogan, uncreative officials

Yet again, Korea is being rebranded. We have the brilliant minds at the Ministry of Culture and Tourism to thank for - fanfare, please - the new national slogan “Creative Korea.” This initiative raises several questions. Firstly: Do we really need a rebrand, given that the old (though underused) international brand, “Dynamic Korea,” still remains so relevant for most sectors of economy and society?

2016-07-11 16:08

New Hermit Kingdom arises

One hundred and six years after the Kingdom of Joseon (1392-1910) fell to the dominant globalizing force of its day - aggressive colonialism - another country is assuming the mantle of “The Hermit Kingdom.” In a national referendum, the United Kingdom voted itself out of the world’s most ambitious globalization project, the European Union (EU). Detaching themselves from the largest free-trade, free-travel and free-residence zone on earth, Britons ignored all advice from political, diplomatic and economic experts.

2016-07-04 16:51

Time and place for Konglish

Near my office stands a sandwich shop. It is convenient, its prices are reasonable and its offerings healthy. I go a couple of times a week and am greeted as a regular by the friendly staff.

2016-06-06 16:44

Korean-English, not Konglish (Part 1)

Saviors of Korean economy

Quo vadis, Korean economy? Woeful predictions of doom and gloom abound. Domestic spending evaporated after the credit crisis of 2002, leaving the economy reliant upon exports and at the mercy of the volatile global economy. But in sector after sector - at present, mobile telecommunications and shipbuilding - Chinese manufacturers are leveraging their giant home market to out-produce and under-cutting Korean competitors

2016-05-23 16:51

Dummies' guide to Kim's dictatorship

Years ago, the foreign editor of a major British newspaper, upon learning that I was heading for Korea, congratulated me. I was fortunate, he said, because Korea was the “world’s last great news story” - the only unresolved battleground of the epoch-defining Cold War.

2016-05-09 16:36

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