KOREA [2009 VOL. 9 NO. 6]

8/14/2019 KOREA [2009 VOL. 9 NO. 6]

1/34

ISSN:2005-

2162

www.korea

6June2009

Opening a communicative spacebetween Korea and the world

Focus on Asian Cooperationat Korea-ASEAN SummitKorea-Central Asia Culture Exchange Festival

UNESCO Honors 500 Years of Korean Royal History

8/14/2019 KOREA [2009 VOL. 9 NO. 6]

2/34

8/14/2019 KOREA [2009 VOL. 9 NO. 6]

3/34

4 korea JUNE 2009 JUNE 2009 kore

10 4834

JUNE 20 VOL. 10 / N

ISSN:2005-2162

www.korea.net

6June

2009

Openingacommunicative spacebetween Koreaandthe world

Focuson Asian Cooperationat Korea-ASEANSummitKorea-CentralAsiaCultureExchangeFestival

UNESCOHonors500YearsofKoreanRoyalHistory

PublisherKorean Culture and

Information Service

Chief EditorKo Hye-ryun

Editing & PrintingJoongAng Daily

E-mail

[email protected]

DesignJoongAng Daily

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may bereproduced in any form without permission from Koreaand the Korean Culture and Information Service.

The articles published in Korea do not necessarily rep-resent the views of the publisher. The publisher is notliable for errors or omissions.

Letters to the editor should include the writers full nameand address. Letters may be edited for clarity and/orspace restrictions.

If you want to receive a free copy of Korea or wish tocancel a subscription, please e-mail us.A downloadable PDF file of Korea and a map and glos-sary with common Korean words appearing in our textare available by clicking on the thumbnail of Korea onthe homepage of www.korea.net.

Cover Photo

Birds and leaves her-

ald the beginning of

Summerby JoongAng Daily

06 News in Focus Focus on Asian Cooperation at Korea-ASEANSummit

Forging an Energy Alliance With Central AsianNations

Fragrance of Silk: Korea-Central Asia CultureExchange Festival

16 Global Korea Grateful Aid Beneficiary Gives Back to the World Teaching Humanity How To Be Good Neighbors

Cutting Through Red Tape With 29,000 Answers

26 Green Growth Winning the Green Race Lo cal Mayors Take Initiative

29 Culture Seoul En Pointe! Celebrating the Wordsmiths: Seoul Book Fair

UNESCO Honors 500 Years of Royal Korean History

34 Korean Artist A Humble Operatic Mother: Cho Jeong-sun

36 Korean Literature Hwang Tong-gyu: A life of many deaths and rebirths

40 New Growth Engine Industries Renewable Energy, With Water the OnlyWaste

45 Hidden Champions Samsung Makes Chips. EO Supplies Sam-sung.

46 Sports Power Trio Takes Egis to the Top

48 Eco Life Spinning a Web of Walkways Across thePeninsula

52 Travel Riding the Steel Horse Across a DividedLand: Mount Godae

58 Food A Farmers Drink Made Trendy: Makgeolli

62 People Finding His Spirit in Ink and Brush:Albrecht Huber

Gritting Her Teeth and Climbing to the Top

Oh Eun-sun

66 Foreign Viewpoints Meeting the Challenge of Division:Edward Reed

:11-1110073-00001 6-06

CONTENTS

12 32

8/14/2019 KOREA [2009 VOL. 9 NO. 6]

4/34

6 korea June 2009 June 2009 kore

Marking the 20th anniversary of thefirst talks between Korea and theAssociation of Southeast AsianNations, the Korean government

will host a special summit in June on the resortisland of Jeju.

President Lee Myung-bak, leaders of the 10ASEAN member countries and ASEAN Secre-tary General Surin Pitsuwan will attend theevent June 1 and 2 to discuss cooperation onkey issues in the region and in the wider inter-national community, including the globalfinancial crisis and climate change. The eventwill also be an opportunity to deepen Koreastwo decades of friendship with the regionalorganization, the Korean government said.

This year, the Korea-ASEAN Commemo-rative Summit celebrates the 20th anniversaryof the relationship between Korea and ASEAN.[Of course,] Koreas relationships with indi-

vidual ASEAN nations go back more than a halfcentury, President Lee said May 18 as headdressed about 30 journalists from the 10ASEAN member nations at Cheong Wa Dae.

This year, Korea announced the New AsiaInitiative. Asias importance in the internation-al community has grown in the 21st century.Korea wants to form deep ties with its Asianneighbors beyond the current economic coop-eration. To this end, this commemorative sum-mit will be an important stepping stone to fur-ther develop the Korea-ASEAN relationship.

Other officials also reaffirmed Lees com-mitment to foster ties between Korea and itsSoutheast Asian neighbors.

Koreas relationship with ASEAN hassteadily developed over the past 20 years in allaspects including politics, the economy, societyand culture, said Foreign Minister Yu Myung-hwan. ASEAN is Koreas third-largest tradepartner and second-largest investment destina-tion. Every year, more than 3.5 million Koreans

visit ASEAN member nations.The Association of Southeast Asian Nati

was formed in 1967 by Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore and Thailand. Membship has since expanded to include five mcountries: Brunei, Myanmar, Cambodia, Land Vietnam.

The organization aims at developing enomic growth and strengthening social acultural ties among its members. It also seekmaintain peace and stability in the region.

Korea established official ties with ASEin 1989. In 2004, Korea and the associatadopted the Joint Declaration on Comprehsive Cooperation Partnership, marking 15th anniversary of the start of talks.

This event is the latest on the list of grainternational events hosted in Korea, after Seoul ASEM meeting in 2000 and Busan APsummit in 2005, Cheong Wa Dae said. TJune event will be an opportunity to promKoreas strong willingness to cooperate wASEAN, expand the countrys diplomatic hzons and strengthen the capacity of the JSpecial Self-Governing Province.

On May 31, the eve of the summit, an oping ceremony for a meeting of Korean aASEAN CEOs and a performance by an AAN-Korea traditional orchestra are planned

The orchestra is composed of diverse trational musicians from the 11 countries, KoreForeign Ministry said, and the performawill build a stronger foundation for closer between them.

On June 1, the end of the CEO summit take place, and the first session of the comemorative summit between Korea and AAN state leaders will get underway. A welcodinner and cultural performance will follunder the slogan, Partnership for Real, Frieship for Good.

During the first session of the commemo

Focus on Asian Cooperationat Korea-ASEAN SummitThe Lee administration hosts its first multilateral meeting June 1 and 2on Jeju Island, hoping to strengthen economic and cultural cooperatio

News in Foc

ASEAN isKoreas third-largest tradepartner and

second-largestinvestmentdestination...[the event] willbe an impor-tant steppingstone.

8/14/2019 KOREA [2009 VOL. 9 NO. 6]

5/34

8 korea June 2009 June 2009 kore

tive summit, the leaders will evaluatethe cooperative relationshipbetween Korea and ASEAN. Theywill also discuss future develop-ments in p olitics, national security,the economy, society and culture atthe session, with President Lee pre-siding.

The second session of the summit is

on June 2, when leaders will share theirthoughts on how to overcome the prob-lems international society is currentlyfacing.

According to the Foreign Ministry,Ways to strengthen cooperative strate-gies on worldwide issues such as theglobal financial crisis, energy securityand climate change will be the mainitems on the agenda. Thailands PrimeMinister Abhisit Vejjajiva will preside atthis session.

Next, a signing ceremony for a jointstatement will take place, followed by aleaders luncheon and press confer-ence.

According to Cheong Wa Dae, the

CEO meetings on the sidelines of thepolitical summit are aimed at buildingnetworks between companies in Koreaand ASEAN nations. Under the themeChange, Challenge, and Collaborationfor Asias Prosperity, the event will beattended by 400 business leaders, aca-demic experts and government officialsfrom Korea and ASEAN countries.

According to the Foreign Ministry,

in ASEAN countries to encourage cooperationon green technology in the region.

According to Cheong Wa Dae officials, thespecial summit will be an important part ofPresident Lees New Asia Initiative. Announcedin March this year, this diplomatic plan seeks toengage Asia-Pacific nations, a shift from Seoulsold foreign policy focus on relations with glob-al superpowers.

Noting that Koreas diplomacy had beenconcentrated on Washington, Tokyo, Beijingand Moscow in 2008, Lee said in March that thetime has come to reach out to Koreas regionalneighbors.

Under the New Asia Initiative, Seouls goalis to speak for Asian nations in the interna-tional community. According to Cheong WaDae, Korea seeks to cooperate with its Asia-Pacific neighbors while playing a leading rolein resolving transnational tasks such as thefinancial crisis and climate change. Seoul willfocus on diplomacy to encourage free trade andinvestment within the region.

As part of the initiative, Lee has made suc-cessful visits to Australia, New Zealand andIndonesia.

In this context, Koreas ties with ASEAN areextremely important both economically anddiplomatically, officials of the Lee administra-tion said. Bilateral trade between ASEAN andKorea was worth $90.2 billion last year, 10.5percent of Koreas total trade volume.

Korea and ASEAN began negotiations on afree trade agreement in 2005, broken into fourseparate accords on merchandise, services,investment and dispute settlement. The agree-

ment on merchandise trade took effect in 20and the accord on opening up the servindustry came into force earlier this year.

Korea and ASEAN also reached an agrment on bilateral investment in April, whwill take effect soon.

Officials in Seoul also stressed the imptance of ASEAN for inter-Korean relations.10 ASEAN member nations have diplom

ties with both South and North Korea.Noting that the ASEAN Regional For

is the only regional consultative body security dialogue in Asia that counts NoKorea as a participant, Seoul officials sASEAN members can play an important rin establishing peace and stability on Korean Peninsula amidst the freeze in intKorean relations.

This is the first multilateral summit hosby the Lee Myung-bak administration, sKim Young-chae, head of the Foreign Mitrys Southeast Asia Division.

After China and Japan, Southeast Asnations are Koreas closest neighbors. They important diplomatic, economic, cultural atourism partners. For Koreas success in

international community, the support of Soueast Asian nations is key.

Kim said Korea is also a good example for the Southeast Asian nations on econodevelopment and democratization.

They also have high expectations development and cooperation, Kim said. the future, ties between Korea and ASEAN play a positive role in helping us tackle variglobal issues. By Ser My

His Majesty Sultan Haji HassanalBolkiahSultan and Yang Di-Pertuan ofBrunei Darussalam

Date of Birth July 15, 1946

Coronation 1967

Honorary Doctor in Law, Universityof Oxford, UK

Honorary Doctor in Literature, Univer-sity of Aberdeen, Scotland

Honorary Doctor, University ofChulalongkorn, Thailand

Honorary Doctor in Liberal Arts, Uni-versity of Yogyakarta, UGM, GadjahMada, Indonesia

Honorary Doctor in Law, SingaporeNational University, Singapore

His Excellency Lee Myung-bak

President of the Republic ofKorea

Date of Birth Dec. 19, 1941

Bachelor in Business Administration atKorea University, Seoul, Korea (1965)

Chairman and CEO of Hyundai Engi-neering and Construction (1988-92)

Representative, 15th National As-sembly (1996-98)

Mayor of Seoul (2002-2006)

Honorary Doctor, Eurasia University,Astana, Republic of Kazakhstan(2004)

Honorary Doctor of Economics,National University of Mongolia,Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia (2005)

His Excellency Susilo BambangYudhoyonoPresident of the Republic ofIndonesia

Date of Birth Sept. 9, 1949

MBA at Webster University, USA(1991)

Minister of Mines and Energy (1999)

Coordinating Minister of Political andSecurity Affairs (2000)

Ph.D. in Agricultural Economy, Uni-versity of Agriculture, Bogor (2004)

Honorary Doctor in Law, WebsterUniversity (2005)

His Excellency Dato Sri Mohd Najibbin Tun Haji Abdul RazakPrime Minister of Malaysia

Date of Birth July 23, 1953

Deputy Minister of Energy, Telecom-

munication and Post (1978) Minister of Culture, Youth and Sports

Minister of Education

Minister of Defense

Minister of Finance

Samdech Akka Moha Sena PadeiTecho Hun SenPrime Minister of the Kingdomof Cambodia

Date of Birth April 4, 1951

Minister of Foreign Affairs (1979~90)

Prime Minister (1985~89)

Joint Prime Minister (1993~98)

Honorary Doctor in Politics,Soonchunhyang University, Korea

His Excellency BouasoneBouphavanhPrime Minister of the LaoPeoples Democratic Republic

Date of Birth June 3, 1954

Third Deputy Prime Minister

First Deputy Prime Minister (2003)

His Excellency General Thein Sein

Prime Minister of the Union ofMyanmar


First Secretary of State Peace andDevelopment Council (2004)

Her Excellency Gloria Macapagal-ArroyoPresident of the Republic of thePhilippines


Ph.D in Economics, University ofPhilippines, Philippines (1985)

Assistant Secretary of the Departmentof Trade and Industry (1987)

Chairperson of the Economics Depart-ment, Assumption College

Senator (1992)

Vice President (1998)

His Excellency Lee Hsien Loong

Prime Minister of the Republicof Singapore

Date of Birth Feb. 10, 1952

Bachelor in Computer Technology,Trinity College, Cambridge

Master in Economics, Kennedy Schoolof Government and Graduate Schoolof Public Administration, HavardUniversity

Minister of Trade and Industry (1986)

Vice Prime Minister (1990)

President of the Central Bank (1998)

Minister of Finance (2001)

His Excellency Abhisit Vejjajiva

Prime Minister of the Kingdomof Thailand

Date of Birth Aug. 3, 1964

Bachelor in Political Economy andPhilosophy, Oxford, UK

Master in Economics, Oxford, UK

Member of Parliament (1992)

His Excellency Nguyen Tan Dung

Prime Minister of the Socialist

Republic of Vietnam

Date of Birth Nov. 17, 1949

First Deputy Prime Minister (1997)

Governor of the State Bank ofVietnam (1998)

His Excellency Dr. Surin Pitsuw

Secretary-General of the ASSecretariat

Date of Birth Oct. 28, 1949

Masters and Ph.D. at Harvard

Spokesman, Ministry of Home Thailand (1988)

Vice Minister, Ministry of HomeAffairs, Thailand (1992-95)

Minister of Foreign Affairs, Tha(1997-2001)

Chairman, ASEAN Regional Fo(1999-2000)

Vietnam

Cambodia

Myanmar

South Korea

Laos

Brunei

Singapore

The Philippines

Thailand

Malaysia

Indonesia ASEAN member countries

For Koreassuccess in theinternationalcommunity,the support ofSoutheastAsian nationsis key.

News in Foc

the participants will discuss the globaleconomic outlook and Asias role as wellas economic and social developmentthrough trade and investment.

Corporate growth strategy amidst achanging global environment and thechallenges governments and businessesface in relation to green growth are alsoset to be discussed at this rare gathering

of regional business leaders.Green growth and fighting climate

change are not matters of choice. Theyare matters of survival, Lee said on May18 at a meeting with ASEAN journalists.Many advanced countries have alreadymade progress, and Korea will cooper-ate with ASEAN on this matter. Koreahas contributed $200 million to the EastAsia Climate Partnership, and I hope

the fund will be jointly used with ASE-AN nations for further development.

The Green Technology Exhibitionwill be held in the lobby of the Interna-tional Convention Center Jeju fromMay 31 to June 2, the Foreign Ministrysaid. The event is designed to promoteKoreas low-carbon, green growth visionto visiting government delegates and

businessmen from ASEAN nations.Korea hopes to persuade ASEAN

members to join the green growthmovement through the exhibit. By link-ing the strategy with Koreas proposal ofthe East Asia Climate Partnership, Seoulseeks to play a leadership role on theissue in the international community.The exhibition will also feature tech-nologies and products that can be used

8/14/2019 KOREA [2009 VOL. 9 NO. 6]

6/34

10 korea June 2009 June 2009 korea

News in Foc

On a ve-day visit to CentralAsia in May, President LeeMyung-bak took anotherstep toward cooperation in

energy resource development withUzbekistan and Kazakhstan.

Lee visited the two nations rom May10 to 14. It was Lees rst visit to theregion since taking oce in Februarylast year, and a stepping stone or LeesNew Asia Initiative, which began ear-lier this year to broaden Koreas diplo-

matic horizons in Asia and bolster Asiaspresence in the world.

President Lee will seek to reinorceour energy and resource diplomacy withthe countries, which have rich reserveso oil and mineral resources, includinguranium, Cheong Wa Dae said in anearlier statement. He will also seek tostrengthen cooperation with CentralAsia on global issues, such as climatechange and overcoming the economiccrisis.

Lee and his Uzbek counterpart, IslamKarimov, issued a 12-point joint agree-ment on May 11, ollowing a summit inashkent. Tey agreed to an upgradedstrategic partnership and to enhance

energy and economic cooperation.Te Lee administration has made

energy the ocus o its presidential diplo-macy, considering Koreas dependenceon imports. Russia, South America,Arica and Central Asia were selected asthe key strategic areas or energy andresource development.

President Lees diplomatic tourshave been based on the energy diplo-macy map, said Lee Dong-kwan, BlueHouse spokesman. It began with tripsto Russia last year, and then he went onto South America, Oceania, Indonesiaand Central Asia. Lee has circled theglobe or energy diplomacy.

During this trip, Korea and Uzbeki-

stan inked 16 deals covering joint explo-ration projects or ve new gas elds andto drill or new oil reserves.

Koreas state-run National Oil Corp.and the Uzbek national oil companyUzbekneegaz also signed a memoran-dum o understanding to carry out theoil exploration project.

Both sides expressed satisactionthat their bilateral relations in political,

Forging an Energy AllianceWith Central Asian Nations

economic, cultural and humanitariansectors have signicantly developed inrecent years, a joint statement read.

Aer concluding a successul visit inUzbekistan, Lee headed to his next des-tination, Kazakhstan. At a summit in the

capital Astana May 13, Lee and Presi-dent Nursultan Nazarbayev adopted anaction plan designed to enhance bilat-eral economic and diplomatic collabora-tion in energy, trade, culture, labor andconstruction.

Te two leaders agreed to a strategicpartnership through a set o measuresthat will increase their diplomatic andeconomic cooperation.

South Korea will support theKazakh governments eforts to diversiyits economy, in addition to supportingenergy cooperation between the twocountries, Lee said at the beginning othe summit.

Nazarbayev called or eforts to boost

ties, saying there still is great room orthe relationship to grow.

Te two leaders also agreed to morejoint development o oil elds and min-erals in Kazakhstan. Te presidents alsoagreed to cooperate in building inra-structure such as power plants, powerlines and railroads, and in the shipbuild-ing and I industries.

Te leaders signed 10 agreements at

the summit, including or joint develment o the Jambil maritime oil blockthe Caspian Sea, construction o a thmal power plant in Balkhash and wless Internet networks.

Another great achievement o L

tour was deepened trust and riendsbetween the leaders. Uzbek PresidKarimov welcomed Lee at the airpupon his arrival in ashkent on Mayand accompanied him throughout trip in the nation.

Te three-day tour concluded wit visit to the ancient city o Samarkaadded at the request o Karimov, wguided Lee around the historic moments in this ormer stop on the SRoad between China and the West.

Kazakh President Nazarbayev gLee the opportunity to visit the saunthe presidential retreat, a privilege oaforded to the leaders o select cotries, including ormer Russian Pr

dent Vladimir Putin. It is the highlevel o welcome in Kazakhstan, saiCheong Wa Dae ocial.

Lees aides said the two leaders cversed easily during the summit thato a quick rapport and trust.

According to Cheong Wa Dae, bthe Uzbek and Kazakh leaders also sported Lees New Asia Initiative.

By Ser My

President Lee Myung-bak signs agreements to develop oil and other resources

on a five-day trip to meet with the leaders of Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan

President Islam Karimov of Uzbekistan (far right) gives President Lee Myung-bak, center, a

of the historic city of Samarkand, a stop on the old Silk Road.

Korean President Lee Myung-

bak, left, talks with Kazakh

President Nursultan

Nazarbayev at a joint press

conference May 13 in the

presidential palace in Astana,

the capital of Kazakhstan.

[YONHAP]

8/14/2019 KOREA [2009 VOL. 9 NO. 6]

7/34

12 korea June 2009

News in Foc

Jume 2009 korea

Fragrance of Silk: Korea-Central Asia Culture Exchange Festival

The Uzbek dance company Oarin appears

on stage at the National Theater o Korea in

central Seoul on May 15. Wearing traditional

costumes, they perormed various olk danc-

es rom their native country.

8/14/2019 KOREA [2009 VOL. 9 NO. 6]

8/34

14 korea June 2009

News in Foc

Jume 2009 korea

Yu In-chon, minister o culture, sports and tourism, sec

rom let, chats on the opening night o the estival.

Last month saw an amazing opportunityappreciate the culture and mystery of mosCentral Asia in one place at the same time

Fragrance of Silk: Korea-Central ACulture Exchange Festival was held at the NatioTheater of Korea in central Seoul from May 15 to 2

Famous orchestras, singers and dancers frUzbekistan, Kazakhstan and Turkmenistan presentheir traditional and contemporary music and danover these six days to strengthen cultural ties betwe

Korea and the three countrlocated along the Silk Rogiving the event its name.

At this festival co-spsored by the Ministry of Cture, Tourism and Sports, Ministry of Foreign Aff

and Trade and the MinistrKnowledge Economy, cuous spectators gathered lowing President Lee Myubaks first visit to the regi

from May 10 to 14.History fused with the strong spirit of th

nomadic ancestors to create a unique culture of thown. said Kim Hyo-jeong, a professor of CentAsian Languages at the Pusan University of ForeStudies.

Opening night was to feature an address by CultMinister Yu In-chon and a rendition of Vivaldis Sumer concerto performed by the Kazakh NatioPhilharmonic Orchestra and Korean violinist GwMyung-hye.

The festival featured six performing groups fr

the three countries. Highlights included the Uzbsinger-songwriter Sardor Rakhimbon, a group frTurkmenistan that played traditional instruments the Kazakh National Philharmonic Orchestra, whaccompanied an aria sung by Smailova Torgyn.

Several movies including Stalins Gift and WMy Daddy were shown at the Cinus Dansung Tater, while a photo exhibition called Gems of CenAsia took place at the National Museum of Koreacentral Seoul. BySung So-yo

Top, the Ka-

zakh soprano

Smailova Torgyn

perorms with

the Kazakh

National Philhar-

monic Orchestra.

Let, a member

o Oarin dances

to traditional

Uzbek music.

Clockwise rom top: Surkhon, a group o fve men, and Oarin, an acrobatic troupe, perorm the traditional

dance o Uzbekistan together; two dancers rom Oarin leap, and fve members o the Kazakhstan State

Symphony Orchestra play a wind quintet.

[JoongAng

Ilbo]

8/14/2019 KOREA [2009 VOL. 9 NO. 6]

9/34


Global Kor

Korea is often cited as a successstory for the effects of interna-tional aid.

From a war-torn, poverty-stricken country in the aftermath of the1950-53 Korean War, the South hasbecome the worlds 13th largest econo-

my - fourth in Asia - in only two gen-erations. Intense economic efforts bythe government and the people are part-ly to thank, but according to economichistorians and local policy makers, aidfrom around the world, which came inthe form of grants and loans, also playeda crucial part.

The aid was funneled into majorinfrastructure building programs suchas the Seoul-Busan Expressway, thePohang Still Mill and the Soyang RiverDam. The prestigious Korea AdvancedInstitute of Science and Technology, orKAIST, known to some as the MIT ofAsia, was also established with interna-tional aid.

The contributions were so great,former Finance Minister Kwon O-kyuonce said, that without the money fromUSAID, IDA, various internationalorganizations and developed countries,Korea would have not been able to sup-ply basic necessities to its people in theaftermath of the Korean War.

USAID is the acronym for the Unit-ed States Agency for International

Development, while IDA stands for theInternational Development Associationunder the World Bank.

Among other major donors to Koreawere the Overseas Economic Coopera-tion Fund of Japan, the Asian Develop-ment Bank and the United Nations

Development Program.

From beneficiary to benefactorKorea has paid back almost all its finan-cial debt from the aid, but the psycho-logical debt lingers as gratitude, whichprompted the country to turn from netrecipient to net donor 22 years ago.

The Economic Development Coop-eration Fund has been a key instrumentin that shift.

The Korean government activatedthis bilateral loan program in June 1987.The Export-Import Bank of Korea isnow responsible for operating and man-aging the fund under the general guide-lines of the Finance Ministry.

With the goal of supporting indus-trialization and economic developmentin developing countries, the EDCF wasthe first full-fledged aid program of theKorean government.

Korea did implement some aid pro-grams for less developed countries ear-lier on, including training programssponsored by USAID in 1963, expertisesharing programs in 1967 and an inter-

national development exchange pgram in 1982.

But unlike those smaller and temrary programs, the EDCF was designas a permanent outlet for Koreadonate and contribute to the long-teeconomic development of its nei

bors.Through the EDCF, Korea provi

loans to developing countries to finaprojects that are expected to enhaeconomic conditions for the recipien

And today, the EDCF is not the ofull-fledged instrument for Koreasend out aid. In 1991, the governmfounded the Korea International Coeration Agency under the Foreign Mistry, which has since implemengrants and technical aid programsthe following years, some other mintries including the Education Minisalso began to create their own global programs, though in monetary terthey are relatively small.

The EDCF and Koica both act bierally, with aid allotted for one recipiat a time.

The Korean government laexpanded coverage and has donatedprograms that benefit developing cotries through multilateral organizatisuch as the World Bank, the AsDevelopment Bank and the Intertional Development Agency.

Olymic Stadium in Tunisia was built in

1997 with international suort.

Grateful Aid Beneficiary

Gives Back to the WorldAbout Koreas Economic Development Cooperation Fund

Emloyees and executives o the Exort-Imort Bank o Korea and the Jaan Bank or International Cooeration ose during the JBIC-Kor

Exim Bank 2008 Consultation on International Develoment Cooeration. The JBIC is in charge o the Jaanese counterart o the EDCF.

8/14/2019 KOREA [2009 VOL. 9 NO. 6]

10/34


Motivating new developmentLast year, Korea spent about 1 trillionwon ($799 million) on overseas devel-opment aid, and 25.4 percent of that, or237.1 billion won, was distributedthrough the EDCF, according to theFinance Ministry. Bilateral grant aidthrough Koica and some other govern-ment agencies accounted for 33 percent,with the remaining 41.6 percent goingto multilateral grants.

Among the three pillars of KoreasODA programs, however, the EDCF is

still considered by many as the mosteffective.

This is because the obligation to payback debt motivates recipients to use themoney more effectively, officials say.

Recipient countries might likereceiving grants with no obligationsattached, but much research has shownthat the countries that receive grants arenot as motivated as countries receivingaid loans to develop the economy, saidKim Dong-jun, an official at the FinanceMinistry.

In fact, the Paris Declaration on AidEffectiveness, an international agree-ment announced in February 2005, setsout ownership as the first principle of

aid.The Finance Ministry said EDCF

loans encourage recipients to work ongovernance and fiscal management bykeeping them vigilant.

In addition, the EDCF can hand outfar larger amounts in loans than it ispossible to give away in grants, as loansare redeemable. This makes them suit-able for funding the large infrastructure

projects that become the basis of eco-nomic growth, the ministry said.

With grants, what we can give islimited to, say, a few hundred comput-ers. But with the EDCF loans, we canbuild bridges, Kim at the Finance Min-istry said. So we think recipient coun-tries also prefer the EDCF program overgrants.

The lending fund has grown overthe years, to 2.306 trillion won as of theend of 2008, according to the de-factofund manager, the Export-Import Bank

of Korea.Loan volume has grown along with

it. In 1987, when the EDCF started, onlytwo countries Nigeria and Indonesia were approved for funds. That grewto 16 projects in 11 countries in 2006and last year to 28 projects in 13 coun-tries. That year the program disbursed237.1 billion won.

In its history, 45 countries have usedEDCF loans for 200 projects worth$4.276 billion, the bank said.

According to the Finance Ministry,both the size of the fund and the loans itmakes possible will continue to rise inyears to come.

Usually, an EDCF loan program is

initiated at the request of a candidatecountry. The country applies for theloan through Koreas Foreign Ministry.The application, which should includedetailed plans for how the applicantcountry will use the funds, is thenreviewed by the Exim Bank.

Based on the results of this review,the Finance Ministry makes the finaldecision on whether to give out an

EDCF loan and how much.Most of the beneficiaries of EDCF

loans, as the Exim Bank explains, aredeveloping countries with strong eco-nomic ties to Korea or high potential foreconomic cooperation. Many havenational per capita income of less than$5,000, and more than 70 percent arelocated in Asia.

Their repayment capacity is alsoconsidered.

In October, the governmentapproved a $100 million loan to Viet-

nam, the biggest single loan to anycountry in EDCF history.

Assistance concentrates on socio-economic infrastructure likely to makea major contribution to economic devel-opment and on sectors related to basichuman needs, such as health, educationand the environment.

Targeting the public goodThe purposes to which EDCF loans areput are also carefully selected ratherthan equally distributed. Sectors whereKorea has competitiveness over othercountries are preferred, since local com-panies often participate in EDCF-fund-ed development projects.

Over the years, EDCF loans havetended increasingly to go to social infra-structure and services. These projectsmade up just 19.9 percent of EDCF pro-grams in 1996, but that had jumped to60.5 percent by 2005.

The EDCF also often helps withmanufacturing and emergency assis-tance.

The implementation of projects that

Global Kor

win EDCF assistance is monitored bythe Exim Bank.

Currently, 75 employees at the bank,or around 10 percent of its workforce,are assigned to the EDCF Group, thedepartment in charge of oversight.

As the implementing agency of thefund, we monitor whether the programsare effectively being executed, said UmSung-yong, senior deputy director ofthe EDCF Group.

Sometimes the implementation of aprogram is put on hold.

In January 2003, the Korean govern-ment received a complaint from Uzbeki-stan about the quality of $34 millionworth of educational equipment a Kore-

an company sold to the country. TheCentral Asian country paid for theproducts through a loan it had receivedfrom the EDCF.

Korea recalled the products in ques-tion and replaced them. But the inci-dent prompted criticism that Korea ishurting its image through a programthat was meant to bolster it.

Critics said the selection process forlocal companies to be involved in EDCFprojects should be more thorough andtransparent.

This point was also raised at aninternational conference that Koreaheld to commemorate the 20th anniver-sary of the foundation of the EDCF in

July 2007.In a statement at the conference,

Finance Ministry said, We wstrengthen evaluation of each indivial project to enhance the effectivenesthe EDCF.

The ministry said clear indicatorprogress will be provided from the pect initiation stage and throughimplementation to ensure successcompletion.

In the evaluation report, lessonlearn and areas to improve will be cle

ly laid out, so that they can be referto and utilized in upgrading aid p

jects, it addedBy Moon Gwang

Over the years, EDCF loans have tended increasingly to go tosocial infrastructure and services. The EDCF also often helpswith manufacturing and emergency assistance.

Recipient countries might like receiving aid with no stringsattached, but much research has shown that countries thatreceive grants are not as motivated as countries receiving aidloans to develop the economy.

Above, a combined cycle ower lant being built in Vietnam in 1996; right, a wastewater

treatment acility in Jordan is enlarged the same year.

8/14/2019 KOREA [2009 VOL. 9 NO. 6]

11/34


Global Kor

As the first international non-governmental organizationborn in Korea, Good Neigh-bors International brings

smiles and new hope to 3.45 millionpeople in need around the world. Forexample, last year, the internationalorganization donated 500 million won($402,252) in relief goods such as blan-kets, tents, and clothes to victims of dis-location, disaster and other hardships.

Established in 1991 in Seoul with

only nine staff members, the non-profitcharity group focuses on humanitarianand development issues guided by a

vision of a peaceful world without starvation, prejudice, discrimination ordeath from preventable disease.

Since then, the organization hassupported people in need, includingorphans, tuberculosis patients and theotherwise disadvantaged, while provid-

We will keep

on working

hard to carefor the 1.2

billion people[who] live on

less than one

dollar a day.

ing support for poor children, emergency relief, hto families in need of a home and free medical s

vices. The group also operates charity campaigns arural community redevelopment projects.

In one of its unique programs, the Korean orgazation sends cassettes of music to Bangladeshi childin its Picture of Love project.

Good Neighbors has played an especially imptant role helping Rwandan refugees, dispatching foand medical relief teams and operating two schoolrefugee camps since 1994, its first notable move ovseas. GNI has now become the first Korean inter

tional NGO to receive general consultative status at United Nations Economic and Social Council. Toit has 942 staff members and 2,500 volunteers in Koand at 22 overseas branches in countries such as NeEthiopia, Sri Lanka, Egypt, Vietnam, Kenya, Monlia, Tajikistan, Rwanda, Bangladesh, Cambodia aIndonesia.

We will keep on working hard to care for the billion poverty-stricken people in the world wstruggle to live on less than one dollar a day, s

provid

edbyGoodNeighbors

Far let, a girl in the Arican nation o Chad welcome

volunteers. Let above and below, goodwill ambassadoByun Jung-soo and Lee Bo-young, resectively. Above, th

logo o GNIs Good Buy camaign.

Koreas first international NGO helps children, the poor

Teaching Humanity How

To Be Good Neighbors

8/14/2019 KOREA [2009 VOL. 9 NO. 6]

12/34


Global Kor

63-year-old president Ilha Yi. The GNIannounced its Vision 2020 last year. The goalis to develop our organization into the seventh-biggest NGO, said Yi. As a representative ofKorea, we will help more people and make acontribution to make this world better.

Currently, 498 staff members are stationedoverseas, offering assistance to anyone regard-less of race, nationality, religion and region.GNI volunteers have also rushed to disastersites all over the world.

For example, last year the internationalorganization donated 500 million won

($402,252) in relief goods such as blankets,tents and clothes to earthquake victims in Sich-uan, China. In 2006, two GNI relief teams weredispatched to help quake victims in Indonesiaand Pakistan. The following year, the groupsent relief goods to Jakarta after catastrophicfloods.

I always felt sorry for poor people in theworld. So this February, I decided to go to Cam-bodia to be help them as part of GNI, says Lim

Hae-rim, 24, a female volunteer.I still remember rebuilding a bathroom for

three siblings who lost their mother in a hit-and-run.

GNI is also active in Korea.The group recently visited 107 schools

nationwide to provide free lunches for 2,590undernourished children. In addition to deal-ing with the critical nutrition issue, the organi-zation offers counseling services to needy chil-dren, helping them deal with school life.

According to a report released last year bythe Ministry for Health, Welfare and Family

Affairs, 294,599 children nationwide have suf-fered from hunger.

Of course, starvation is much more severein North Korea, and GNI has been providinghumanitarian assistance to children there sincea famine in 1995.

In 1998, the charity organization sent 200pregnant milk cows directly to the North aspart of a long-term project. Last June, GNIdonated 100 million won ($80,450) worth of

food including powered milk, bean oiland wheat flour in order to help tackle achronic food shortage in North Korea.GNI also donated 320 million won torenovate a hospital located in the city ofNampo, South Pyongan, to give NorthKoreans high-quality medical serviceswith the most advanced equipment.

Im very excited to be a help to oth-ers. I feel happy when I assist otherpeople, said Lee Ji-hyun, a staff mem-ber at GNI. I will continue to try moreto help more people worldwide.

Good Neighbors has even taken itscampaign online. At the beginning ofNational Family Month in May, thegroup launched an online fundraisingdrive called Give Start, at www.give-start.org.

As of Tuesday, May 13, a total of8,892,000 won ($7,154) had been col-lected from 960 netizens. The moneywill be used to help needy people around

the world.Korean entertainers are also pitching in to h

children in need, participating in a variety of chaevents hosted by Good Neighbors.

Last month, Lee Min-ho, the male lead in recently-concluded hit TV drama Boys over Flowetook part in a nationwide charity event called CoFree Day, leading thous ands of people to don ate mey for malnourished children and impoverished falies. Earlier this year, two Korean movie stars, KHa-neul and Lee Jun-ki, traveled overseas with GNgive direct help to the poor.

Over a week in Tanah Merah, Indonesia, they v

ited three siblings who had been orphaned.The two stars helped build a basketball court

computer lab room at a local school, contributinpriceless gift the gift of hope.

Though it was only a one-week visit, it will bgreat memory, said Kim. I will continue to try to hother poor children.

Including the charitable events described aboGNI has contributed 37.1 billion won worth of diraid to the poor in 2008. By Park Sang-w

GNI distributes ood to disas-

ter areas across the world.

I still remem-

ber rebuilding

a bathroomfor three

siblings wholost their

mother in a

hit-and-run.

Clockwise rom ar let: Children in Korea also receive su

ort rom GNI; urchases o roducts with the Good Bu

logo hel raise money or GNI, and actor Choi Soo-jonghels a boy bathe as art o a GNI relie squad.

8/14/2019 KOREA [2009 VOL. 9 NO. 6]

13/34


Global Kor

The Dasan Call Center, a one-

stop service for callers withinquiries or complaints

about Seouls city services,has become a benchmark for gov-

ernments in other countries andbusinesses looking to implement

similar information systems.

The center provides informa-tion on all Seoul city government

services and everyday life in Seoul,answering questions on every-

thing from the operating hours ofpublic transportation (buses and

subway trains) to how to pay ones

water bill before moving out.As of April 13, over 330 public

servants, scholars, reporters and

businessman from 23 countries

around the world, including Rus-sia, China, Germany, Spain, Viet-

nam and Turkey, have visited thecenter, according to the Seoul Met-

ropolitan Government.Nguyen Huu Cat, a civil ser-

vant from Hanoi, Vietnam, said his

March visit to the center was veryhelpful in mapping out measures

to improve his citys call center.It was impressive that Seoul

put a lot of effort into pursuingcivilian-centered administrative

services to help its citizens. he

said.Low Hock Meng, managing

director of the Singapore Produc-

tivity and Standards Board, visited

the call center a second time withstaff from other companies, saying

that he was impressed by the ser-vice mindset and attention to cus-

tomer satisfaction during his firstvisit to the center. Bangladeshi

government officials have also vis-

ited the center twice.Some 360 institutions in Korea,

including central governmentadministrative bodies such as the

Ministry of Public Administrationand Security and the Ministry of

Knowledge Economy and local

governments in Busan, Daegu,and Gwangju, have sent officials

to the call center to observe.

Cutting Through Red TapeWith 29,000 Answers

proessors at U.S. graduate schools o

ublic aairs and administration tour the

Dasan 120 Seoul Call Center on Feb. 24.

providedbySeoulMetroolitanGovernment

Before the center opened, Seoulresidents had difficulty finding

information about living here.Each government department had

a different phone number, so theyhad trouble finding the right one.

Even if they succeeded in call-ing the right places, they found it

inconvenient because of overly-

long automated messages and theabsence of a civil servant in charge.

Whats worse, many residents

complained about repeated callforwarding, said Yoo Gil-jun,director of customer service at the

Seoul Metropolitan Government.

At the same time, civil servantssuffered stress caused by repeated

phone calls with the same requests,which eventually led to unfriend-

liness to customers and a drop inworker efficiency.

In a bid to build a communica-

tion channel readily accessible tocustomers at any time from any

place, Seoul City opened the Dasan120 Seoul Call Center in 2007 after

an eight-month trial. The centerintegrated all the numbers and

phone services provided by thecity and its affiliated institutions.

Over 220 Dasan counselors

provide services around the clock,365 days a year.

Seoul residents satisfactionwith the citys call service was as

low as 41 percent in 2006. But in arecent survey, 92.3 percent said

they were satisfied, Yoo said.

Counselors at Dasan answercalls in an average of 15 seconds

and handle 90 percent of calls forinformation and services directly

without forwarding them to otherdepartments, according to a report

from the city.

The secret of its instant responseis that Seoul has compiled a list of

some 29,000 frequently askedquestions and answers on civil

affairs. With this database of infor-mation, counselors can provide

accurate and instant information

to callers in as little as three min-utes, depending on the question.

The number of incoming calls

has tripled from 4,588 a day on average in Setember 2007 to 15,000 in 2009. The day bef

Childrens Day (May 5), the center receivover 20,000 calls about what parks and fac

ties would be holding events on the holidayMany citizens find it very convenie

because they can get instant answers just dialing 120, Yoo said.

To ensure equal access to the service, the c

center launched a video counseling serviceJune 2008. About 40 hearing and spee

impaired people call the center each day, w

counselors answering their questions in slanguage. As of February 2009, over 4,300 pple had used the video service.

There was one time a hearing impair

person called the center and requested a couselor because he wanted to order Chinese fo

for lunch, Yoo said. The centers counseordered for him.

Robert Shick, a public affairs and admintration professor at Rutgers Universitys Ne

ark campus, visited Dasan in February with

other U.S. college professors.Shick called the video and text service p

ticularly notable.He even mentioned the Dasan 120 Call Ce

ter in his class as an example of how goverment can be more responsive to its citizens.

Students usually respond positively to ccenters as some of them have used them awere satisfied with the process, Shick said

Seoul is currently in discussions with grauate schools of public administration at 15 U

colleges including Cornell University, the Uversity of Texas at Austin and the University

Georgia to discuss the Dasan call center acase study in policy management. Dasan w

be included as an example of Seouls citize

centered policy. By Kim M

Satisfactionwith Seouls

call servicewas 41 per-

cent in 2006.

But today its92.3 percent.

Let: An ofcial at the Dasan Call Ce

shakes hands with a ublic servant

Bangladesh visiting the center.

To: public servants rom Hanoi, Vietn

look around the call center in March.

8/14/2019 KOREA [2009 VOL. 9 NO. 6]

14/34


Green GrowGreen Grow

I

n January this year, the Korean gov-ernment announced one of its mostambitious plans to date, to spend

50.5 trillion won ($40.4 million)over the next four years to bolster thecountry's economy through eco-friendlymeasures and create over 956,000 jobs.

Dubbed the Green New Deal, theplan will include government invest-ments in 36 eco-friendly projects includ-ing the revitalization of four major riv-ers, upgraded water facilities, expansionof low-carbon transportation such ashigh-speed railways, development ofeco-friendly vehicles and constructionof 2 million energy-efficient homes.

Finance Minister Kang Man-soosaid the plan has three objectives: jobcreation, expanding future growthengines and establishing a basis for low-

carbon growth.Of the total sum, 37.5 trillion won

will come from the state while 5.2 trilli onwon will come from regional govern-ments. The rest, around 7.2 trillion won,will come from the private sector.

With this plan, President Lee Myung-bak has been called one of the worldsmost eco-friendly leaders in newspapersand magazines around the world.

The Berlin-based newspaper DieTageszeitung last month wrote that noother G-20 member has invested moreof its national stimulus package in greengrowth. The paper added that PresidentLee Myung-bak, who led the renovationof Cheonggyecheon as mayor of Seoul,

has made Korea one of the leading envi-ronment-friendly economies.

The Cheonggyecheon project, inwhich Lee oversaw the transformationof an aging highway into a stream withan urban park along its banks, is seen bymany in the media as early evidence ofLees interest in environmental projects.Earlier, the American magazine News-week wrote: As a politician, it was Lee's

Winning the Green Race

Only South

Korea is nowspendingenough... to

cut the costs

of climatechange.

green efforts in Seoul during his stint as mayor fro2002 to 2006 that brought him to national prominenKoreans share these priorities: A recent poll repor

that 53 percent think environmental protection is mimportant than development.

Another German daily, Frankfurter Rundschwrote in an articl e published in March that out of all countries at the G-20 summit in London, Korea had most pro-environment economic stimulus package

The daily added that one-third of the total invment will be used to revitalize the four rivers, helpKorea ease its chronic water shortage.

In fact, many global media groups have pointed that out of all industrialized countries with economstimulus packages, Korea may be the only one spendthe bulk on green investment. The Financial Timreported this March, The United Nations Envirmental Programme estimates that only South Korenow spending enough of its stimulus on green invement to cut the costs of climate change.

The British newspaper the Guardian also reporlast month: No matter what the the UK promiseswill pale in comparison with the green boasts of SouKorea's 50 trillion won plan. But the paper expresskepticism about Korea's plan as well. With few scific details about how the money will be spent andestimate of the impact on carbon emissions, envirmental auditing of the plan is difficult. Diplomats alocal journalists said the true amount of green spendwas likely to be far below 81 percent. In the short tesome suggest, South Korea's carbon footprint coeven go up as a result of the burst of construction.

Korea's green policies have come a long way si just a few years ago. Chinese magazine LiaowWeekly early this month reported that in 2005, KorEPI (Environmental Performance Index) in 2005 w122nd of 146 countries one of the worst in the OEC

Korea's present status as a world leader in green growis a result of the country's economic development.

The move to become proactive in protecting environment is seen by most media groups as a bencial step for economic development as well. In Guardian, John Ashton, special representative for mate change for the UK Foreign Office, said, "Thseems to be growing consensus in Korea that beingearly mover in the low carbon transition is good for Korean economy. By Cho Jae[Jo

ongAng

Ilbo]

8/14/2019 KOREA [2009 VOL. 9 NO. 6]

15/34


Cultu

W

hether you dontknow a toe shoe

from a tutu, oryou can name

all the latest winners of thePrix Benois de la Danse, youwont want to miss the 2009World Ballet Star Festival.As its name suggests, theevent invites world-famousballet troupes to perform inSeoul.

But this is more than aregular show. The 2009World Ballet Star Festivalwill include highlights fromwell-known ballet pieces,both classic and contempo-rary, including The Nut-

cracker, Cinderella andDon Quixote.

Ballet novices will havea chance to taste what balletis like with familiar classics.People who love ballet cansee ballet stars on one stagewithout traveling around theworld, said Lee So-young, asecretary at the Seoul-basedWorld Dance Center.

The 2009 World BalletStar Festival is co-organizedby the WDC and the Joon-gAng Ilbo, one of the nationsleading daily newspapers.

It usually takes between

three and four months todecide who will perform atthe festival because all of theballerinas and ballerinoshave hectic schedules, saidYoo Kyung-su, an official atJoongAng Culture Media.

The cast includes princi-pal ballerinas and danseursfrom the Russian Kirov

Cultu

Koreas most spectacular ballet festival ever begins June 4

Seoul En Pointe!

[JoongAngIlbo]

Mariinsky Ballet, the Nation-al Ballet of Cuba and theBerlin Staatsoper Ballet.Korean ballet stars Kim Ju-won, Jang Un-kyu, Hwang

Hye-min and Um Jae-yongwill take part.

When asked how some-one who has never had thechance to enjoy a balletbefore (or perhaps has fallenasleep at a few) can learn toappreciate the form, Lee atthe WDC replied, In orderto enjoy this kind of ballet

The worlds greatest ballet dancers rom Korea, Cuba, Russia and

more will gather in Seoul to show o at this two-day extravaganza.

festival, which consists ofhighlights, you should focuson the dancers techniques,not the stories. The dancersare there to show you their

skills at this kind of gala.And if you research the

performers and their per-sonal backgrounds, youmight enjoy this festival evenmore, he said.

Polina Semionova is oneof the most popular balleri-nas among local fans. The25-year-old Russian became

the principal dancer of Berlin Staatsoper Ballet

18, which made her onethe worlds youngest priballerinas. Her repertoincludes Swan LakSleeping Beauty and TNutcracker. At the Sefestival, Semionova will pform Le Corsaire with elder brother Dmitry Semonov.

Cuban ballerina Viesay Valdes will also shKorean audiences the deftive Kitri. Valdes first filthe role in Don Quixoteage 19 and received rreviews from critics for

balance and spins.Meanwhile, two pri

ballerinas will face off ding the festival. Kim Ju-wand Ekaterina Kondaurwere both named best femdancer at the 2006 PBenois de la Danse. A sinwinner could not be chosleading to the first shabest female dancer awardthe competitions history

But at this event, you judge for yourself.

The prototype for festival ran in 2000, and tyear marks the sixth. T

2009 World Ballet Star Feval will be held at the OpTheater of the Seoul ACenter on June 4 andTicket prices range fr30,000 won ($24) to 200,won. For more informaticall 02-751-9630 or vhttp://culture.joins.com/letstar. By Sung So-yo

Local Mayors Take InitiativeAnsan and Suncheon planting trees and committed to alternative energy

[JoongAngIlbo]

There was something different

about the utility bill that ChoiSun-min, 46, received in March. Itsaid that she used 176 kilowatt

hours of electricity, which emitted 74.6kilograms of greenhouse gases, and that tocounterbalance CO2 emissions, sheshould plant 43.8 trees.

But shes used to it by now. Some45,000 households in 65 apartment com-plexes in Ansan, Gyeonggi, have since2007 received similar bills alerting themon the impact of their CO2 emissions.

With people growing more aware, thecomplexes cut their electricity use 15.4percent last year, saving about 25 kilowatthours per home each month.

As a resident of Ansan, Choi received

22,000 points on the Evergreen Environ-ment Certificate System, introduced byAnsan City in 2007 in a bid to promotegreen growth. Her membership status isnow blue.

Ansan City is planning to allow resi-dents to use their points to buy eco-friend-

ly products and gift certificates.

Implementing the certificate systemsaved the city electricity, it said. Last year,residents used 649,946 fewer kilowatthours, a savings of 2.6 percent, equivalentto the amount used by 177 households ina year and 271 tons of CO2.

Ansans environment-friendly plansdate back to 2006.

Prior to implementing the system,Ansan City Hall built a 72-kilowatt solarpower board that can generate 3 percentof the electricity used by the building.

To expand their efforts to go green,Ansan plans to plant 7 million trees. Latelast year, theyd reached 1.44 million.

It also plans to construct three 750-kilowatt wind power plants this year in

Seongam-dong, Danwon District, andchange guard lamps in apartment com-plexes for more efficient light-emittingdiodes.

Ansan will be reborn as a greengrowth city and a mecca of reusable ener-gy with wind, tidal and solar energy, said

Park Joo-won, Ansan mayor.

Along with the city in Gyeonggi, Sun-cheon, South Jeolla is also contributing topromote green growth.

Roh Kwan-kyu, the citys mayor,recently said Suncheon will plant 5 mil-lion trees by 2010 in a bid to offset emis-sions of greenhouse gases.

The city in 2007 said it would plant 3million trees, but has already reached 3.87million.

Suncheon also created a 570-square-meter city forest with 2,000 trees and isnow promoting bicycle use. By 2020, thecity hopes 50 percent of its residents willuse bicycles to get around.

We will decrease the volume ofgreenhouse gases and become an ecologi-

cal city, Roh, the mayor, said, noting thatthe city hopes to set a good example forother regions nearby.

Meanwhile, Suncheon recently tookout telephone poles located in the habitatof hooded cranes, which come looking forreed swamps. By Lee Eun-joo

Ansan City employees view the city hall

buildings 72-kilowatt solar power board.

Green Growth

28 korea June 2009

8/14/2019 KOREA [2009 VOL. 9 NO. 6]

16/34


Cultu

Clockwise rom top: The

estival was divided intoour sections this year,

with Japan as the guest o

honor; children look over

a pop-up book at the air;

book illustrations were part

o this years artistic theme;

and one o this years more

creative booths.

The focus of this yearsSeoul book fair is thenexus of art and litera-ture.

Celebrating the Wordsmiths

ain, Italy, India, Japan, China, CzechRepublic, Canada, Thailand, Polandand the Philippines to join in.

The event was divided into four dif-ferent sections: domestic, internation-

al, book art and the guest of honorbooth, this year devoted to Japan.

Some 232 Japanese publishers tookpart in the event, displaying 2,800books, from novels to comics. A num-ber of high-profile Japanese authorsincluding Kaori Ekuni, Hitonari Tsuji,Shuichi Yoshida and Yoko Kamiosigned autographs during the event.

Ekuni and Tsuji are the co-authorsof Between Calm and Passion: Rosso,which has been made into a film.Yoshida has won both the YamamotoShugoro Award for entertainment nov-els and the prestigious AkutagawaPrize for Park Life. Kamio is famousas the artist and writer of the manga

Boys Over Flowers, which was adapt-ed as a TV drama in Korea, Japan andTaiwan, a credit to its enduring popu-larity across Asia. At the fair, Ekuni metand talked with female Korean authorJeong Yi-hyeon.

Korean cartoonist Huh Young-manalso signed autographs to commemo-rate the publishing of his comic Sik-gaek in Japan. The comic was turnedinto a Korean film called Le GrandChef. Exhibitions of Japanese calligra-phy and kimonos also took place.

Korean authors who met fans at theevent included Han Seung-won, ChoGyeong-ran and Eun Hee-gyeong. Vis-itors enjoyed 16 films including The

Da Vinci Code, The Devil WearsPrada and Changeling.

The exhibition of art based onbooks and original illustrations forbook covers attracted many spectators.The drawings were the same onesshown at the Bologna Childrens BookFair in March, where Korea as guest ofhonor exhibited 64 illustrations.

By Limb Jae-un

Kaori Ekuni, let, and Hitonari Tsuji introduce

their second collaboration, Right Shore/Let

Shore, at the Shilla Hotel in Seoul on May 13.

The biggest book fair in the coun-try took place at COEX in Sam-seong-dong, southern Seoul,from May 13 to 17. The 15th

Seoul International Book Fair 2009,which was organized by the KoreanPublishers Association, not onlyshowed off books but also offered a dis-play of book cover illustrations and

book-themed art. Screenings of filmsbased on books also took place. Thetheme of the event this year was thesignificance of books in art and film.

A total of 836 publishers from 20countries, including 330 Korean pub-lishers, participated. Companies camefrom the United States, Germany,France, Taiwan, Malaysia, Vietnam,Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Ireland, Brit-

Kaori Ekuni and Hitonari Tsuji introduced

their second collaboration, Right Shore/Let

Shore, at the Shilla Hotel in Seoul on May

13. Tsuji greeted the press in Korean and said

he always wanted to come to Korea.

The book is a compilation o six years o seri-

als about a 50-year riendship.

Ater fnishing Between Calm and Pas-

sion: Rosso, Ekuni and I talked about how

to write a story about a lietime, Tsuji said.

In the book, I wanted to illustrate the series

o meetings and separations experienced by

one person.

An important theme o the story is the act

that the two main characters were together

in childhood, Ekuni said. Even when they

are old, they always have each other. One

is on the let side o the river and the other

is on the right side. They dont look at each

other across the river, they walk in the same

direction. Although they are not together all

the time, they always have each other i they

look aside.

They said it was not easy or two establishedwriters to co-author a novel, but they gained

a lot rom working together.

Co-writing has some disadvantages. There

are limits in the way one can write, but I did

not have such disadvantages when I worked

with Tsuji, Ekuni said. Creative destruction

is important in writing, and Tsuji played that

role. Ekuni said she has a lot o trust in Tsuji.

I believe that he will never disappoint me in

terms o his work. He is a solid partner.

Tsuji also met with Gong Ji-young, a bestsell-

ing Korean author, and gave a lecture on Ko-

rean poet Yun Dong-ju at Yonsei University.

Yun is a great poet and he is incomparable,

Tsuji said. His humanism and philanthropic

spirit inspired me a lot.

Joy of collaborating

[JoongAngIlbo]

8/14/2019 KOREA [2009 VOL. 9 NO. 6]

17/34


Cultu

UNESCO is likely to designate the 40 royal tombsthe Joseon Dynasty (1392-1910) a World Heritsite in June.

The Cultural Heritage Administration in Koannounced on May 13 that the International Council on Muments and Sites had decided to include those 40 tombs on prestigious World Heritage list.

No historic site recommended by Icomos has been rejeed by the UNESCO World Heritage committee, said KHong-dong, director of international relations at the CultuHeritage Administration.

Once the royal tombs of the Joseon Dynasty pass throuthe final procedure at the 33rd Session of the World HeritCommittee this year, they will be officially listed as a WoHeritage. The meeting is set to take place in Seville, Spain frJune 22 to 30.

Included in the listing are the royal tombs for 27 genetions of kings, queens, crown princes and even nobles ovthrown or posthumously recognized as kings during the dynty, which lasted 519 years. The tombs are mostly located wiin 40 kilometers of Seoul, the capital of Joseon and nowSouth Korea.

Historians take particular note of the tombs as an extremly rare preservation of an entire royal lineage. The royal tomreflect Joseons unique cultural traditions, including its arctecture, rituals and Confucian practices.

The fact that ancestral rituals and other intangible trations related to the tombs continue to this day was also wreceived by the council. The royal tombs won further pointsbeing well managed and maintained overall.

Korea already has eight UNESCO World Heritage sitincluding the Seokguram Grotto and Bulguk Temple in Gyeongju Historic Area in North Gyeongsang, Jongmyo Shri

the Changdeok Palace Complex in central Seoul, SuwHwaseong Fortress in Gyeonggi, dolmen sites in three areaGochang in North Jeolla, Hwasun in South Jeolla and Ganghin Gyeonggi.

The Tripitaka Koreana at Haein Temple in Hapcheon, SoGyeongsang, Jeju Volcanic Island with its lava tubes and Seongsan Ilchulbong crater are also included.

The royal tombs will become Koreas ninth World Heritsite, assuming the those tombs win final approval this monas expected. By Hong

Above, the tomb o King Sejong the Great

near Seoul is one o 40 UNESCO is likely to

approve as a World Heritage site. Below, stat-

ues overlook the tomb o the revered king.World Honors 500 Yearsof Royal Korean HistoryThe 40 tombs of the Joseon dynasty would be 9th local UNESCO site

[JoongAngIlbo]

[YONHAP]

8/14/2019 KOREA [2009 VOL. 9 NO. 6]

18/34


Korean Art

thing. But insist and she s ays, I read Kore-

an poems out loud a lot.When reading poems, she focuses on

where to breathe so as not to break thesentence and ponders how to express theemotion that the words contain.

Though she sounds like someonefrom a musical family, she is in fact the firstprofessional musician among her rela-tives. Her mother was a member of amothers choir at Chos school, and herfather had a great voice, but didnt usuallysing.

Born in the small town of Onyang,South Chungcheong, as a girl Cho wasalways singing.

A couple of years ago I met a friendwho went to kindergarten with me, and

her instant response was Oh, Jeong-sun,the girl who was singing all the time!, shelaughed. I dont even remember when Istarted loving singing, but I always said Iwould become an opera singer wheneverher school teachers asked.

In fact, she wasnt clear what an operasinger was and didnt know what to do tobecome one. Only when she entered mid-dle school in Hongseong, South Chun-gcheong, did she learn vocalization fromone of the schools music teachers, whohad majored in opera. When she enteredhigh school, she sought out private lessonsduring vacations.

Living in a small town, I barely hadany information. And I thought what was

given to me was everything there was,Cho said.

When she was a senior in high school,Cho won the top prize at a musical con-cours hosted by Mokwon University inDaejeon, which offered her a four-yearscholarship. She took the offer withoutthinking too much about what else wasout there.

If I had made a different decision, my

graceful; her clear ringing instrumentfloats evenly throughout her range with-out a trace of stridency, producing notesabove a high C seemingly effortlessly.

No wonder she won praise as the bestVioletta ever when she debuted as Vio-letta in Verdis opera La Traviata at theTeatro Manzoni in Rome in 1997. She per-formed an encore at the request of local

musicians and reporters. I was honoredand very pleased, Cho said.

La Traviata is a tragic love story: Vio-letta is a famous courtesan in Paris whochanges her life after falling in love withAlfredo, a nobleman, who has longadmired her. But when Alfredos fatherdemands she end the relationship for thesake of his familys honor, she does so,breaking her heart. After learning why she

By general snobbish standards,soprano Cho Jeong-sun may notmerit media coverage. She didnot graduate from a renowned

school. She has not won prizes at globalcompetitions. She has not recorded a sin-gle solo album. And she is not yet widelyknown even here.

But all that has nothing to do with her

most important asset: a voice that movesthe heart.

Soprano Maria Callas once said,When music fails to agree to the ear, tosoothe the ear and the heart and the sens-es, then it has missed the point.

By this standard, the 42-year-oldKorean soprano is successful, her songsinfused with sadness, beauty and love.

Chos voice has ample power, yet it is

A Humble Operatic MotherCho Jeong-sun wont dwell on missed chances: The musics the thing

left him, Alfredo comes back to Violetta,

but soon after they are reunited Violetta,who is ill, dies in his arms.

I was so impressed when the audi-ence, who looked to be in their 60s or 70s,were singing the arias with me, cryingwhen Violetta was dying, Cho said in arecent phone interview.

This was probably the moment sherealized how important it is to convey thelyrics clearly to the audience.

Many people take it for granted thatthe lyrics of arias are not clearly heard. Butin fact, it is not supposed to be that way. Itis a matter of a singers ability to pronouncewords clearly and at the same timesmoothly glide through the notes.

Cho is one of a few opera singers who

are blessed with this ability. The words areclearly understandable even if you havenever heard the song before assumingyou know the language.

Personally, I think lyrics are veryimportant. Every music has a message in[the melody itself], but what sets songsapart is that they have lyrics. If you succeedin conveying the words through thehuman instrument, you get closer to theaudience, Cho said.

When she sings, she tries hard to deliv-er the words of the song. She ponderswhere it would make sense to pause andhow to express the nuances of the words.

Her talent shines in particular whenshe sings traditional Korean operatic

songs, calledgagok. The Korean languageis hard to pronounce clearly when singing,since it is not as rhythmic as Western lan-guages such as Italian. Singers who try toohard to pronounce the words clearly canend up sounding blunt and harsh. Butthose who dont try enough end up mum-bling.

When asked about her secret, shelaughs and denies that there is such a

Cho won praise in Italy beore returning to Korea. She now lives in Daejeon.

life would have been very different, Cho s aid, elabora

that she could have gone to school in the capital Sewhere she would have been exposed to more culture

After finishing college and graduate school at Mwon, she went to Italy, hungry for a challenge. For fyears starting in late 1993, she studied at the G. RossConservatory, Roma Arts Academy, and the AccademA.I.D.M., just to name a few. But the 1997-98 financrisis hit her hard, and she had to come back to Kore

Just before I came back, I received a job offer fran Italian opera agency, but because of the economcouldnt stay any longer and by that time I had alreaarranged a job in South Korea, she said.

Cho became senior trainer for the Daejeon city band girls choir. Sometimes I think I could still be pforming in Europe if I had taken the offer, and regmissing the chance. But I believe there must be a reafor that, says Cho, a devout Christian.

Based in Daejeon, she had many chances to soperatic arias at concerts in the city. Once she even pformed as Donna Anna in Mozarts Don Giovanni.

But she didnt have many opportunities to performSeoul until she met Lee An-sam, a composer of gagabout two years ago. That was when she realized the t

value of the opera-like Korean form.Its embarrassing, but before, I didnt realize t

there are so many people who just love gagok. To be hest, I just considered the songs as those that are addethe end of concerts as a kind of bonus.

But I found them more attractive both in termmusic and lyrics, which contain Korean sentiments tas a Korean singer I could understand better. I thblood tells a lot.

Cho plans to perform gagok regularly at various reals. Through them, she expects to impress audien

around the nation, and eventually around the world.Maybe its not how fast they become popular t

makes the big names important. Cho is making convslowly but steadily, just as she prepares breakfast for three kids every morning, even on recital days.

Its as a music cr itic once said:Cho Jeong-sun has proved that a splendid profi

a mere mirage.Its the music that matters, after all.

By Park Woo-

Ater many alse starts and

dashed hopes, the Korean

soprano Cho Jeong-sun is

fnally starting to receive the

attention she deserves.

Provided

by

Cho

Jeo

ng-sun

Sometimes Ithink I couldstill beperforming inEurope... But Ibelieve theremust be a rea-son for that.

8/14/2019 KOREA [2009 VOL. 9 NO. 6]

19/34

June 2009 korea

Korean Literatu

36 korea June 2009

Hwang Tong gyu, born in 1938, isone of the most revered poets inKorea. A former professor of Eng-lish Literature at Seoul National

University, Hwang has participated in theIowa International Writers Program andtaught at New York University. He has receivednumerous honors, including the 1980 KoreanLiterature Award, 1991 Isan Literature Prizeand the 2002 Midang Literature Prize.

Though his early poems tended to focuson the sense of melancholy, desolation andlonging that pervade the poets inner world,

Hwang soon overcame his preoccupationwith the theme of individual alienation toachieve communion with external reality.

What characterizes his poetry from thispoint onward is strength of perception andlucidity of mind.

In order to attain this cl arity, Hwang often

employs the theme of journey or travel. Stasi s,in Hwangs poetry, signifies death, and move-ment the possibility of rebirth. Traversing

varied landscapes in search of renewal, thepoet faces death but also experiences regen-eration in new encounters.

Passing through mundane everyday real-ity, nature that keeps silent, forgotten historyand hostile strangers during his travels, thepoet seeks to engage in what he calls meth-odological love.

Synonymous with vital movement,methodological love designates the process

of opening up to the other that enables abeing to be reborn. Hwangs poetry not onlydescribes the new awareness attained as aresult of this candid opening to the outerworld and sincere dialogue with the self, butenacts this process itself, inviting the readersto participate in the new awakening.

A life of many deaths and rebirths

One of Koreas most revered modern poets uses motifsof travel and the natural world to renew the self.

Hwang Tong-gyu

Major works

One Clear Day

(Eotteon Gaein Nal, 1961)

Snow Falling in Samnam

(Samnam-e Naerineun Nun, 1975)

When I See a Wheel, I want to Make It Roll

(Na-neun Bakwi-reul Bomyeon Gulligo Sipeojinda, 1978)

A journey to Morundae

(Morundaehaeng,1991)

Wind Burial

(Pungjang, 1995)

Strong Winds at Misi Pass

(Misiryeong Keunbaram, 1998)

A Love Song in Berkeley Style

(Beokeullipung-ui Sarang Norae 2000)There Were Times When I Depended on Chance

(Uyeon-e Gidael Ttae-do Itseotda, 2003)

Essay collections

The Root of Love

(Sarang-ui Ppuri, 1976)

Winter Song

(Gyeoul Norae. 1979)

The Light and Shadow of My Poetry

(Na-ui Si-ui Bit-gwa Geuneul, 1994)

Source: Korea Literature Translation Institute

8/14/2019 KOREA [2009 VOL. 9 NO. 6]

20/34


Korean Literatu

This volume of poetry,written over a period of 14years, records the develop-ment of the poets awarenessof death as he transitionsfrom the peak of his life hismid-40s to the beginning

of his twilight years his late50s.The 70 poems collected

here are linked by the motif ofthe wind burial, the folk tra-dition of leaving the corpseout in the open and allowingit to decompose and disap-pear gradually.

The poets wish to beburied in wind rather thancremated or lowered into agrave reflects his desire toconfront and accept death, orthe natural process of disap-pearing. In death, the poet

envisions himself alone on adeserted island in late autumn.Bathing himself in the coldsun, he wants to let his fleshdry and play with the winduntil the last drop of blood inhis body has evaporated.

On his last journey, thepoet will leave everything

behind, even the moistureon the tip of the tongue, buthe will take a lungful of airwith which to laugh at thepeople still struggling in theworld. Though death is alwaystragic, the poet does not

lament or fear it. For him, itsignals a return to nature tobecome once again a part ofthe cycle of life. The windburial also represents a puri-fication process, in whichnature and time graduallywash away the grimeencrusting ones soul.

Wind Burial

Youth prefers the idea of

causality, with definablelogic and predictable conse-quences, to that of chance,guided only by randomness.Growing old, however, oneoften comes to realize that alarge portion of life, frombirth to relationships withpeople and choice of career, isshaped by chance, not byhuman will.

By accepting the unknow-able workings of powersbeyond human cognizance,the poet attains a sense of lei-

sure and abundance expressed

in the poems in this volume.The world of chance,according to the poet, breaksthe chains of time and freesone from worldly desires.Heart that clings like theclaws of a crab / Cut it off snap, snap as one wouldwith the claws of a crab! andlive without a heart. So thepoet aspires to a state of per-fect freedom in which theheart, empty of greed, isunaware even of itself. IfWindBurial embraced death as a

way of cleansing oneself of

desire, this book transcendseven the idea of death as ameans to a certain end.

In Step by Step FadingAway Thusly, the poet refusesto flop down and leaveengravings of knees in placeof his fading footprints. Hewill simply continue to walkuntil his feet leave no tracks.The poet wishes to lead asimple, unfettered life, andsimply succumb to deathwhen he must without a mur-mur of protest in his heart.

There Were Times When I Depended on Chance

A Winter Night at 00:05 Hours

I walked watching the stars.

I was about to cross ater I got o the local bus

behind the apartments back entrance, but I just kept walking.

The stores shutters came down, as i trying to conceal their inner cold.

Still, one or two snowfakes blew in the wind

rom the snow that had briefy allen late that night.The dust must have died down or now.

How long had it been? I adjusted my coat, collected mysel,

and walked to the last stop watching the stars.

The last bus stop. Not so long ago, on one side

o the small triangle-shaped square,

an ironmongers with scissors and knives

hanging outside its window like baroque music, was demolished,

and a armers market with the sign To the Field took its place.

The building lights go o and a streetlamp reads the sign.

On the opposite side, a Shilla Bakery closes its doors or the night.

Where the last side begins, a woman stares hollow-eyed

at her cell phone, as i waiting

or her daughter or husband on the last bus.

She is tall, her waist slightly bent,

and she is memorizing something in a just audible voice.

I stand by her as i I know her

while rubbing my hands together, and look up to the sky.In the sky that seems to have rosted over, Ursa Major,

over there, Cassiopeiaand Orion.

None torn into separate stars, all still alive!

The woman in a just audible voice now says decisively,

Now Im going to kill mysel.

The streetlight just shines o her pale ace.

There is no murderous trace staining it.

I eel somewhat at ease.

Silently, I also think, Just let him or her come! several times.

A star brightens, and asks,

What are you waiting or? Someone who might not come?

A world without darkness? A world without dust?

The lie o a comet radiating light

as its body o dust reezes and melts in the dark

is probably not a bad lie.

Who let out a dry cough?

I someone hadnt been next to me,I would have spoken up precisely to the star,

I wont speak about the dark or the light

next to those desperate in their waiting!

Like the outside o a scuba diving mask,

the stars shimmer, then stop.

Its time or the last bus to arrive.

by Hwang Tong-gyuPoem

Translated by Krys Lee

Strong Winds at Mishi Pass

Wind Burial

Les racines damour

Posada de Nubes y otros poemas

Windbestattung

Book Title Year of publication LanguageGenre

2001

1990

2000

1998

1996

Poetry

Poetry

Poetry

Poetry

Poetry

English

English

French

Spanish

German

Translation index

8/14/2019 KOREA [2009 VOL. 9 NO. 6]

21/34

NewG

ro

wthEngineIndustries

07

SpecialSeries


Renewable Energy, WithWater the Only Waste

After being announced as one of22 new growth engines by the LeeMyung-bak government, the fuel cellpower generation system has receivedmuch more public attention. How-ever, people need more informationto understand why fuel cells arethought of as revolutionary genera-tors capable of speeding up economicgrowth.

Fuel cells, which have been incommercial use since the 1960s, haveonly recently become big business.Although the basic principle of thefuel cell was discovered in 1839, fur-ther development for commercializa-tion started only after many decadesbecause exploitable resources such ascrude oil and coal provided muchcheap energy.

With the depletion of fossil fuelsand climate change looming, sustain-ability has become more important.There are two ways to realize this sus-tainable growth. One is to conservefossil fuels and the other i s to producerenewable energy.

Fuel cells, a highly efficient andultra-clean power-generation system,efficiently save on non-renewableresources with much less pollutioncompared to conventional powergenerators such as gas turbines. Fuelcells are now available as an alterna-tive source for renewable energy.Moreover, with further technological

development, they are expected toprovide energy from hydrogen any-time, anywhere.

The fuel cell business compares toa rough diamond that hasnt been cutyet. Its the jeweler who brings out itsbrilliance. Likewise, Korea, aware ofthe full potential of fuel cells, will leada new energy era by developing fuelcells to contribute to national

growth.Before fuel cells are industrial-ized, some fundamental issues needto be addressed.

Basic principles of fuel cells

A fuel cell is an enviromentallyfriendly form of energy technologythat works by combining hydrogenand oxygen through an electrochem-ical reaction to produce electricityand heat. Because it directly convertschemical energy in hydrogen andoxygen atoms to electricity, it is high-ly efficient in generating power.Because it burns nothing, it releases

substantially fewer pollutants thanconventional power plants, whichburn fossil fuels.

Benefits

The electrical power of fuel cellsranges from several hundred kilo-watts to dozens of megawatts.

Amid increasing energy demandand costs as well as growing publicawareness of energy conservation,fuel cell power plants are becomingthe choice for on-site power witharound-the-clock availability. Thisgreen technology has becomeincreasingly popular with facilitieslooking to implement an environ-mentally friendly electric power

generation system without sacrific-ing efficiency, availability or perfor-mance.

First of all, fuel cell power gen-eration systems make much moreefficient use of fuel than other tech-nology such as reciprocating enginesand gas turbines. That means thatthey can make more usable electric-ity from the same amount of fuel.They are 47 percent efficient in thegeneration of electrical power andup to 90 percent efficient in com-bined heat and power applications.Conventional thermal power plantsoperate at about 35 percent electricalpower generation efficiency.

Fuel cell power systems generatevirtually no pollution or emissions ofgreenhouse gases such as nitrousoxide (NO) and sulfur oxide (SO),and dramatically reduced carbondioxide (CO2) emissions. They alsoeliminate emissions generated byfossil-fuel-based backup generatorswhich are often required by wind

ProvidedbyHyundaiKiaAutomotiveGrou

p

Fuel cells can power entire

cities or individual cars, like

this fuel cell electric vehicle

made by Hyundai Motor.

8/14/2019 KOREA [2009 VOL. 9 NO. 6]

22/34

NewG

rowthEngineIndustries

07

SpecialSeries


and solar power facilities. Becausefuel cell plants make the least noisecompared to fossil fuel power plants,it is possible to install them in resi-dential and office areas in cities.

Unlike wind and solar technolo-gies, which generally have an overallavailability of 15 to 25 percent, fuelcell technology operates indepen-dently and has an availability of 95

percent.A continued fuel supply is mucheasier because various gases can beused, such as natural gas, methanegas and gas generated from sewagedisposal plants and landfills. A num-ber of industrial and agriculturalplants generate this gas in the manu-facturing process. Fuel cell powerplants can even use byproducts ofmethane gas as an energy source,although they generally use naturalgas. They can also use alternativefuels such as synthetic natural gasand coke oven gas, which will becommercialized within a few years.In the long term, when a hydrogen

economy is realized, hydrogen gen-erated by electrolysis of water will bethe main nourishment for fuel cellpower plants.

Market prospects

As an independently modulatedsystem, fuel cell power plants are

ideal for a wide variety of marketsand applications, spanning indus-trial, institutional and commercialcustomers. They can be installed inalmost any place that needs energy:food and beverage processing ormanufacturing plants, hospitals,prisons, hospitality facilities, univer-sities, even water treatment plants.

Fuel cells, which provide reliable,

on-site and uninterrupted power 24hours a day, are ideal as an emer-gency backup power source. Theycan be useful in public facilities suchas telecommunications base stations,police stations and fire stations.

Based on its diverse use, theglobal fuel cell market is dramati-cally growing at 80 percent a year.Experts forecast the market willreach $60 billion by 2018.

Research and development

Generally, fuel cells are catego-rized by the type of electrolyte theyuse. The three main electrolytes for

the industry are phosphoric acid fuelcell, molten carbonate fuel cells andsolid oxide fuel cells.

Phosphoric acid, commercial-ized the first among the three, had anefficiency rate of 37 percent. It wasinstalled in more than 200 sites in thelate 1990s. However, because ofexpensive raw materials and the lack

of reliability, the number of installa-tions has not increased since then.

In the early 2000s, a new type offuel cell, the MCFC, was commer-cialized. Its efficiency rate, operatingat high temperatures of 600 to 750degrees Celsius, was bet

KOREA [2009 VOL. 9 NO. 6]

Documents

Transcript of KOREA [2009 VOL. 9 NO. 6]