Shown in this photo dated Dec. 29, 2015, is a helicopter tailored for the Marines, developed by the Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI). The chopper, based on the KAI-developed Surion, was built for amphibious operations to support airlifting of troops and equipment between ship and shore. KAI said it will start full production of the new choppers in the first half of next year, aiming to sell 1,000 units at home and abroad over the next 20 years. (Photo provided by KAI) (Yonhap)
The first open thread of the New Year. Please leave anything you want to discuss in the comments section.
Like I have mentioned before, the Chinese Communist Party has no incentive to want to resolve the comfort women or any other historical issues with Japan because it makes for great domestic propaganda for them when needed. So this poll from the Communist Party mouthpiece should probably be looked at skeptically:
Most Chinese people believe that Beijing should not accept conditions set by South Korea and Japan in possibly resolving the long-running grievance of Chinese victims of Japan’s wartime sexual slavery, a survey by a state-run Chinese media showed Thursday.
The online survey, conducted by the Global Times, published by the People’s Daily, the mouthpiece of the Chinese Communist Party, found that 95 percent of 10,686 respondents say the deal between South Korea and Japan on wartime sex slaves “can’t” apply to China.
The remaining 5 percent say the deal “can” apply to possible talks between Japan and China in resolving the issue of Chinese victims who were forcibly mobilized at front-line Japanese military brothels during World War II.
Under the deal with South Korea announced on Monday, Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe apologized to the Korean victims and Tokyo agreed to provide 1 billion yen ($8.3 million) to a fund for the victims. [Korea Times]
You can read more at the link.
Horse-meat lovers nationwide will soon be able to enjoy Jeju 'malgogi'#Jeju #Horse #Meat https://t.co/0DU631A098
— The Jeju Weekly (@JejuWeekly) December 30, 2015
Structures set up for display for the Namdaecheon Ice Festival in Muju, North Jeolla Province, are frozen on Dec. 28, 2015, as the mercury dipped to minus 10.6 degrees C. Weather forecasters said the nation’s temperature on the day was the lowest so far this winter. The ice festival opens on Jan. 8. (Yonhap)
Back by popular demand is Korea Finder!
For those unfamiliar with Korea Finder, the way it works is that each week a Korea related image is posted. The first one to accurately name it gets a point. Who ever totals the most points at the end of the year, I will purchase for them a Korea related book of their choice.
For this year’s first Korea Finder who can name where this picture is located?:
I would not be surprised if in the next few years garrison commanders don’t start implementing this on their installations with or without a state law in effect:
Beginning New Year’s Day, military installations throughout Hawaii will prohibit anyone under age 21 from buying or using tobacco.
The new rules by the Navy, Marines, Army and Air Force coincide with a similar measure passed by the Hawaii legislature in June that takes effect Friday.
Hawaii is the first state to institute an under-21 ban on tobacco sales and possession, which also includes so-called e-cigarettes, according to the Campaign for Tobacco Free Kids. More than 100 U.S. municipalities have raised the minimum age for tobacco sales to 21, with California considering a state-wide ban.
Military installations don’t always follow state law on such matters. Even though Washington and Colorado have legalized recreational use of marijuana, servicemembers are not allowed to use the drug in those states.
The Navy’s ban does not apply to personnel or transactions while aboard U.S. naval vessels because they fall under federal laws. Tobacco is sold aboard some ships. The Navy banned smoking in submarines at the end of 2010, but talk last year of a fleet-wide ban met resistance from some members of Congress. [Stars & Stripes]
You can read the rest at the link.
Jangmiwon, a newly opened rose-themed luxury spa in Pyongyang https://t.co/gvx7d9zIbl pic.twitter.com/txOhXDuF1z
— NK NEWS (@nknewsorg) December 29, 2015
A statue of a young girl, symbolizing the victims of Japan’s sexual enslavement, is seen in this photo taken on Dec. 28, 2015. The statue, set up in front of the Japanese embassy in Seoul, has become an issue in the agreement announced on the day by South Korea and Japan to end their confrontation over “comfort women.” Japan is pressing for it to be relocated elsewhere, and South Korea said it will take into account Japan’s concerns and try to solve the situation in an appropriate manner. (Yonhap)
What I am wondering about most with this story is why is the police department paying their officers for up to 30 days pay when they are getting a paycheck already from the military when on orders? This is just another example of good intentions creating an incentive for people like this guy to cheat the taxpayer:
A former police officer with a little more than a year on the job has been arrested for going on a Hawaiian vacation with his girlfriend while he was receiving full pay from the department while he was purportedly on a deployment with the US Army Reserves, police said.
In a press release from Lt. Sean Cooney, commander of the Stamford police department’s Internal Affairs Division, recently resigned police officer Donald Chen, 30, has been charged with first-degree larceny and defrauding a public community and was released without bond.
“I’m extremely disappointed with what happened,” police Chief Jon Fontneau said Tuesday morning. Fontneau said that the department supports their military veterans in every way it can, including allowing them to go on deployments for up to 30 days a year with pay. “What we found to be was a case of fraud committed not only to the city of Stamford and its taxpayers and the U.S. Government,” he said.
Fontneau said that Chen, a former member of the US Army, resigned from the department before he could be fired. “He would have been fired,” Fontneau said. Chen will not receive a pension or any kind of a pay out. Fontneau said that the department will ask that prosecutors on Chen’s case apply for restitution of more than $2,000 that he was being paid for by the city for his military service. [Stars and Stripes]
You can read the rest at the link.
