Now 2 journalists in jail: Byun Hee-jae (2 yrs) & Hwang Ui-won (1 yr) for correctly pointing out JTBC's false reporting of "the tablet PC." The judge wasn't even interested in further discovery. They are in appeals now. Why are they in jail at all for libel? https://t.co/Lsh6E1ZEuU
— Tara O (@DrTaraO) March 20, 2019
The country where “The Simpsons” cartoon is animated was finally featured in the long running series:
Popular animated sitcom family The Simpsons have been all around the world. They went to Japan where Bart and Homer became fluent in Japanese in prison and they nearly died on a game show, Australia where Bart escaped the country’s supposedly brutal justice system, and Brazil in an episode that had the local tourist board threatening a lawsuit over its depiction as a crime-ridden slum. Now in their 30th season, the Simpsons have finally made it to Korea, the country where they are animated.
Korea Times
In the episode aired March 17 U.S. time, Bart goes to Seoul to participate in an esports tournament. The whole family comes along after Lisa, a practicing Buddhist, expresses interest in visiting Jogye Temple for its salt mandalas. On arrival, they drive past the “Simpsons Animation Studio and Casino” and stay at the “Courtyard by DMZ.”
At Jogye Temple, parents Homer and Marge both achieve “zen” by making salt mandala portraits out of salt and destroying them. Monks, including one voiced by Korean-American actor Ken Jeong, admire Homer’s sudden enlightenment and compare him to a portly Buddhist statue at the temple.
The episode ends with the esports match at Sangam World Cup Stadium broken up by riot police and robots as the theme to “M*A*S*H” plays.
Like past Simpsons vacation episodes, the story is entertaining if not examined closely. But The Korea Times got David A. Mason, a professor at Sejong University, and history researcher Matt VanVolkenburg to watch the episode.
You can read more at the link, if you want to read an overthinking by experts about The Simpsons episode.
People who pretend the North cares about peace get excited at minor incremental things. (“OMG a US-NK summit! Historic! Historic!”). NK always wanted a US sunmit.
— the oranckay (@oranckay) March 19, 2019
3 SK presidents have visited P’yang.
Wake me when an NK leader finally does that “reciprocal visit” to Seoul. https://t.co/F1iXGwkJ9f
#MoonJaein poses a grave threat to free expression. He is not only encouraging personal attacks on this reporter, he is also jailing journalists and intimidating media outlets. He is allowing pro-North Korea thugs to harass reporters. Should we call him #KimJongUn Jr? https://t.co/bcF2D8zUgW
— Gordon G. Chang (@GordonGChang) March 16, 2019
This wants again has the appearance of the Korean government trying “to do something”:
President Moon Jae-in will seek measures with the Chinese government to tackle fine dust pollution here, a Cheong Wa Dae spokesman said Wednesday.
Korea Times
Moon ordered the government to “discuss with the Chinese government to come up with contingencies to minimize the impact of the fine dust,” according to presidential spokesman Kim Eui-kyeom, Wednesday.
Moon said the two countries need to discuss joint dust-reducing measures, creating artificial rain over waters between the two countries and launching a fine dust forecast system.
Citing China’s claim that fine dust from Korea drifts into Shanghai, Moon said, “making artificial rain over the Yellow Sea would help the Chinese side as well.”
Noh Young-min, presidential chief of staff who served as ambassador to China until recently, said “Beijing is bigger than the combined size of Seoul and Gyeonggi Province, but creates a massive artificial rain from dawn to night in the city.”
You can read more at the link, but I am confident that most ROK Heads realize that the Chinese government is not going to do anything to help pollution over Seoul. In fact if you read the article carefully the Chinese government is blaming the ROK for pollution over China!
The artificial rain idea the ROK government has been trying for years with no success. Yet the ROK Presidential chief of staff claims that the Chinese are doing this from dawn to night in Beijing. A quick look at a 14 day weather report for Beijing shows no to little chance of forecasted rain despite all the fine dust pollution.
Ideally, the US & ROK would be on the same side of the table and negotiating with coordinated positions & interests—the proposal here👇 isn’t that.
— Michael Bosack (@MikeBosack) March 4, 2019
Rather, these 3-way talks are meant for the Moon admin to take a direct role as mediator/facilitator in US-#DPRK talks. https://t.co/JRHe7HvLNg
Here is a good reminder to any Korean-Americans that immigrated from South Korea as a young man, check with the Korean consulate to make sure you don’t get detained for draft dodging when re-entering the country:
U.S. Army combat veteran Tong Yi flew home on Monday, nearly a month after he was detained in South Korea for allegedly violating strict conscription rules.
Stars & Stripes
Yi, a 40-year-old Ohio restaurant owner who also goes by the name Don, traveled to Seoul last month to attend his father’s funeral.
But airport authorities prevented him from leaving the country on Feb. 6 because he faced a decades-old accusation of draft dodging.
South Korean police detained him for several hours. He was later released from custody but barred from leaving the country until March 2 pending review.
Prosecutors later said he was guilty, but they decided not to pursue the case, according to Yi.
Yi, who was born in Seoul but emigrated with his family at age 9, said he’s not angry about the experience.
“I don’t think anyone meant me harm, and I believe they have these laws in place for a reason,” he told Stars and Stripes in a text message Monday from the gate while waiting for his flight.
He said all the officials he met were “sympathetic to my situation and were very professional.”
You can read more at the link.
In Gwanghwamun Plaza on March 1 — how cool is that! Today is the 100th anniversary of #Samiljeol, a national holiday commemorating one of Korea's most important independence movements. Join me in honoring those who fought for Korea's freedom and democracy. pic.twitter.com/a5zMx0XNy3
— Harry Harris (@USAmbROK) March 1, 2019
Activists convicted of crimes during anti-US protests over the 10 years of conservative rule in South Korea have been pardoned:
“We selected seven major conflicts of our society and pardoned those involved in the cases for the sake of social unity,” Minister Park said.
Joong Ang Ilbo
Of the 107 activists, 13 were convicted of holding demonstrations against the Lee government’s decision to resume imports of U.S. beef. Moon also pardoned 11 people who were convicted of participating in illegal protests to condemn the Park administration’s poor handling of the Sewol ferry’s sinking in 2014 and 22 convicted of holding illegal rallies to denounce a comfort women deal with Japan signed during her presidency.
The ministry said Moon also pardoned 13 people convicted of holding illegal rallies over the Park government’s decision to allow the U.S. deployment of the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (Thaad) anti-missile system. Participants in rallies to both support and oppose the deployment were pardoned.
Seven people convicted of holding illegal strikes at Ssangyong Motor in 2009 also received special pardons.
Moon also issued special pardons to 19 people who were convicted of holding illegal rallies against a government plan to build a naval base in Jeju. The plan was initiated by the Roh Moo-hyun administration in 2007, when Moon was serving as the presidential chief of staff. After the plan faced fierce protests from Jeju residents, Moon repeatedly expressed regret that the government failed to listen to their opinions at the initial stage.
You can read more at the link, but what President Moon has endorsed is that holding illegal rallies is okay.
So how would the Moon administration react if conservative activists made up a phony issue like the 2008 US beef protests, occupied and closed down central Seoul, and violently attacked police?
