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Mon, October 23, 2017 | 15:09

Opinion > Columnists > Jason Lim >

Korea's 'uncomfortable' truth

The unassailable narrative about comfort women in Korea was that they were innocent, young Korean girls who were tricked or forcibly taken from their homes by the Japanese military to work as sex slaves in far-flung corners of their World War II Empire. They were enslaved, raped, and abandoned when Japan lost the war.

Jason Lim | 2015-12-25 16:11

Korea's fundamentalist immaturity

Imagine that you are a caveman looking out over the horizon and see an unfamiliar figure approaching. You immediately view the figure as a threat, preparing for the prototypical fight or flight response. Adrenalin and Cortisone prime you for immediate action. Your brain's executive functions (pre-frontal cortex) are shut down because there no time to “think” through this situation. Your instincts have to take over. This is life or death. This is us vs. them.

Jason Lim | 2015-11-27 16:04

Who's criticizing Japan collaborators?

My father, who grew up in Pyongyang during and after Japanese rule, remembers how people would suddenly show up and sweep the lane from the main road to his childhood home clean a day before the younger brother of his grandmother would come to visit. And when he would come, he was accompanied by all the pomp and circumstance, including a police escort, as befit a member of the local government council whose select members were appointed by the Japanese governor.

Jason Lim | 2015-11-13 14:43

Father, I am your son

No, I am not rewriting the famous Star Wars scene from Luke’s point of view. I am actually quoting Chae Hee-yang, 65 years old, who met his father, Chae Hoon-shik who is 88 years old, for the first time in his life in last week’s Divided Families Reunion. Hoon-shik and his wife, Lee Ok-yeon, were separated by the Korean War when Lee was five months pregnant, never to see each other again (or even know whether either one was alive or not) until they met again in the reunion event.

Jason Lim | 2015-10-30 16:41

What's your story, Korea?

When I wrote about Hell Joseon in my previous column, describing it as a collective psychopathology caused in large part by the prevailing Korean culture, I received more than the usual number of email responses. I was also very gratified and grateful to read comments on my Facebook page that engaged with the column in a very thoughtful and intellectual manner. I thought about responding directly to each comment, but I thought, why not respond to the comments as a group by sharing my thoughts in a column? After all, I am all about efficiency, not to mention that I don't have to look far to f...

Jason Lim | 2015-10-16 16:37

Psychology of Hell Joseon

“Hell Joseon,” referring to how difficult it is for a young person to live in Korea today, has been getting a lot of media exposure lately. In quoting the big data analysis firm, Daumsoft, The Korea Times reported that “Hell Joseon” was cited 101,700 times this year on Twitter and in blog posts.

Jason Lim | 2015-10-02 16:24

Who's the real Captain Kirk?

Tim Urban recently published a fascinating piece in WaitButWhy.com titled “You are not your brain or your body,” exploring the various ways we attempt to define what "e" means. He goes through several prevailing theories that make for interesting thought experiments.

Jason Lim | 2015-09-18 16:42

Why Angela but not Abe?

Last year marked the 70th anniversary of the Normandy Invasion on D-Day, widely considered the beginning of the eventual defeat of Nazi Germany by the Allied forces. Eighteen world leaders attended the ceremony, including the American President, French President, Queen of England, and German Chancellor Angela Merkel.

Jason Lim | 2015-09-04 16:38

Amnesty International and sex work

Prostitution is a huge industry in Korea. Although accurate figures are not available because of the underground nature of the trade, prostitution and related businesses (prostitution also channels significant economic activities to motels, beauty parlors, public baths, and bars) are estimated to employ up to 1 million people, about 4 percent of the economically active population in Korea. The sex trade was estimated to have an annual economic output of up to $24 billion dollars, 4.1 percent of Korea’s GDP in 2002.

Jason Lim | 2015-08-21 16:19

What is Japan to Korea?

Imagine you were poor and hungry, growing up in a backward rural village. One day, there was this nouveau riche family who came from a far-away city, bullying and abusing everyone in the village on the back of their power and connections. In collusion with authorities, they would confiscate the land, raze everything in the name of development, treat everyone like slaves and terrorize with impunity.

Jason Lim | 2015-08-07 16:18

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Lunch with Navy sailors