You’ve probably heard about the American plans to hand over operational control or OPCON of military operations in Korea to the South Koreans themselves.
SEOUL – North Korea’s rhetoric is such a familiar noise during United States-South Korean war games that most people don’t pay attention. Nor does anyone outside the US and Korean military [...]
Category > History
C4I Cop-Out
Korea Seeks Volunteer Force
I can’t imagine only staying in the Army 18 months. My first enlistment was 2 years, and that is about how much time it takes to become an expert in one’s MOS (Military Occupational Specialty).
March 3, 2010: South Korea is also in the midst of a 15 year plan to transform their army from a [...]
Takeshima Day
Usually it is Korea who draws attention to the Dokdo dispute, but once a year it is the Japanese….
MATSUE, Japan, Feb. 22 (Kyodo)—The governor of Shimane Prefecture called Monday for greater public attention to be given to the sovereignty dispute over a group of South Korean-controlled islets in the Sea of Japan.
Zenbe Mizoguchi said [...]
South Korea Invites Korean War Vets
If you know any Korean War vets, this is a pretty slick deal for them and their families:
This year, Lee said the Korean government is offering to pay for 50 percent of the round-trip airfare for veterans as part of the country’s 2010 Revisit Korea Program that honors the 60th anniversary of the Korean [...]
Some Interesting Reading: Linkoseyo
This is starting to become a regular feature… possibly taking after my favorite ongoing feature at ROK Drop — the weekly linklets.
So here’s what’s reading over at Roboseyo’s house: a lot of interesting stuff, actually.
I have my own thoughts about the numbers focus in Korean megachurches… here’s a BBC write-up on the world’s largest church: [...]
Presidents of South Korea – an overview and timeline
A brief history of the Presidents of South Korea. A short introductory read but worth a look.
crossposted at KC101
How Koreans Do It (a blog you should have already been reading)
Greetings fellow Sparklers. Matthew254 here with some reading material for the masses. I keep a weekly blog over at KC101 and I want to share some interesting posts with those interested. Below is a list of topics which have been recently updated, beefed up, and have had some new photos slapped together for some family-fun [...]
On han, the cultural gap and political action
I do not give myself over to those who would hate one based on my race. Nor do I find myself in a position where I aim to dislike the people I’m surrounded by. The Korean culture, as a whole, has had their own almost-emo-like phase of 한 (han), however you’d like to define it. [...]
Sparkle Book Club: To the Last Round
British author Andrew Salmon has released To the Last Round: The epic British stand on the Imjin River, Korea 1951.
It’s the first comprehensive historical account of the bloodiest battle involving British troops since World War II, when a simple British brigade found itself within feet of a Chinese army on this very same week in [...]
Significant Gold Relic Found in January
I’ve been delving back into Korean history lately, and I was looking up details online on Korean pagodas that were not in my books. Mireuksa, a famous stone pagoda built by the Baekje kingdom in 602 C.E., has a Wikidpedia entry with this unattributed line:
January of 2009, in the pagoda a gold plate was evacuated. [...]
A Question.
I only ask, because I know you, as an intelligent and handsome (or pretty) reader of The Hub of Sparkle! might know….
What is the correct demonym for someone who resides in Seoul?
I’m guessing “Seoul-ite”, but the Wikipedia Gods have no definite advice.
Leave your answers (and witty ideas – be nice!) in the comments.
Andrei Lankov on Roh Moo-hyun’s Big Speech
The Koreanologist looks at the ex-president’s “lengthy speech on the policy he believes Seoul should follow in dealing with North Korea” — The facts and fables of a unified Korea. Mr. Roh said that “the only viable form of unification with the North is a confederation” which “might be achieved with the current North Korean [...]
