Category: Korea-General Topics

There can’t be a worse traffic jam on the planet every year than what happens during Chuseok in South Korea:

More than 18 million people are expected to travel across the country to return to their hometowns for the Chuseok long weekend, traffic authorities said Tuesday.

According to the Korea Expressway Corp. and Korea Transport Institute, 500,000 vehicles had departed Seoul using expressways on Tuesday alone.

Monday’s 5.8 magnitude earthquake has not affected the annual holiday migration, as no major damage was reported on expressways nationwide, according to the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport.

On the return trip after Chuseok ceremonies are finished Thursday morning, less congestion is expected as travelers have three days to choose from for the return trip, from Friday to Sunday. [Korea Times]

You can read more at the link, but here is a power tip for those new to Korea.  The Chuseok timeframe is the best time to go and visit Seoul.  There will be absolutely no crowds at all the various sites.

Last week North Korea was struck with an artificial earthquake due to their nuclear test and this week South Korea has been struck by a real earthquake:

A record magnitude-5.8 earthquake jolted most of South Korea, the country’s meteorological agency said Monday.

The quake detected at 8:32 p.m. was the strongest tremor reported on the Korean Peninsula to date, being noticeably stronger than the magnitude-5.3 tremor that rocked the eastern Pyongan region in North Korea in January 1980, the Korea Meteorological Administration (KMA) said. It added that the epicenter was near the Naenam-myeon region some 8 kilometers south of the historic city of Gyeongju.

The quake was preceded by a 5.1-magnitude tremor detected at 7:44 p.m. which was centered about 9 kilometers south of Gyeongju. The second quake was felt in most parts of the country that generally does not have a lot of tremors. Gyeongju is the old capital of the Shilla Kingdom (57 B.C.-935 A.D) and is located 371 kilometers southeast of Seoul.  [Yonhap]

You can read more at the link, but a major earthquake striking South Korea I hope is something I never see happen.

Korea #27 best expat country to live in according to survey https://t.co/ytwf8B64qy #Korea #expat #life #travel pic.twitter.com/ufGHdVH893

— Haps Magazine (@hapsmagazine) September 7, 2016

People lay wreathes around a statue of Kang Woo-kyu (1855-1920), a Korean fighter for independence from Japanese colonial rule, during a ceremony at a plaza in front of the former Seoul Station on Sept. 2, 2016, to mark the 97th anniversary of an unsuccessful attempt in 1919 by Kang to assassinate Makoto Saito, the Japanese governor-general in Korea. Korea was under Japan’s 1910-45 colonial rule. (Yonhap)

Guess which police number is for emergencies in Korea. pic.twitter.com/7bw2cAkx4Z

— Alastair Gale (@AlastairGale) September 3, 2016

Repackaging identity? South Korean matchmaking service ad promotes 1,000 North marriageable Korean defector women. pic.twitter.com/PmH4tfmaoD

— Elizabeth Shim (@GlobalAsianista) August 22, 2016

This woman has absolutely no shame.  If anything she should be forced to pay child support to her two kids, not take their money:

I watched as Kyung-hwan’s eyes reddened with rage as the judge read out the ruling last month at a court in Daegu. His birth mother, who recently recovered parental rights over him and his two younger brothers, was ruled ineligible to claim the insurance left behind by his dad, her ex-husband, for the time being.

She was told to wait until a separate trial determines whether or not she could continue being the legal parent over the three boys.

After the father died last September in a car accident, his sons were to receive 600 million won ($548,400), but all three boys were underage, meaning they couldn’t claim the cash without a legal guardian.

Their mother, who left them six years ago and divorced their dad, returned several months ago to tell them she had gained parental rights over them. It was the first time in six years that the boys had ever seen her. They later heard she called the insurance company asking how much her ex-husband had left behind.  [Joong Ang Ilbo]

You can read the rest at the link, but according to the article the kids hired a lawyer to stop their mom from claiming the life insurance money left by their father after his death.

Anti-dogmeat ad in a #Seoul subway station https://t.co/YzkHnZKUGT pic.twitter.com/jxWwKDeoaq

— J. D. McPherson (@ZenKimchi) August 18, 2016

Busan One Asia Festival to be Held in October https://t.co/CjWRNfXegs #Korea #kpop #hallyu #busan #music pic.twitter.com/1tjrvvtN4n

— Haps Magazine (@hapsmagazine) August 17, 2016

Considering all the black face and big nose caricatures used in the Korean media, South Koreans really do not have much of a moral high ground to stand on with this issue:

South Korean football fans became upset when a spectator allegedly abusing Asians was shown on TV as South Korea beat Fiji.

At the Fonte Nova Arena in Salvador, Brazil, on Aug. 5, a man made “slanted eyes,” a Western gesture to make fun of Asians’ eyes.

Some regard the act as racially offensive.

South Koreans were even more embarrassed when they learned that the man was cheering for South Korea.

He was holding a national flag and wearing a red T-shirt just like South Korean fans.  [Korea Times]

You can read more at the link.