Inventos en Corea, Viva la Ciencia ^-^

The Paris Motor Show, one of the world’s four major auto shows, was held from October 2 to 17, 2010 at the Paris Expo. If the Geneva Motor Show in March introduces newly launched cars of the year, then the Paris Motor Show in the autumn showcases models that are to be launched the year after.


The theme of the Paris Motors Show 2010 was “eco-friendly.” Eco-friendly has now become such a preval!ent trend worldwide, especially with the EU’s reinforcement of regulations regarding carbon emissions control.

Eco-friendly vehicle invented by KAIST


The Online Electric Vehicle (dubbed OLEV) manufactured by the Korea Advanced Institute of Technology (KAIST) was included in the 50 Best Inventions of 2010 published by The Times, along with Apple’s iPad, Google’s Driverless Car, Sony’s Alpha A55 Camera and others. Also included was the English-Teaching Robot invented by the Korea Institute of Science and Technology (KIST).


In the OLEV are embedded electric power strips that provide electromagnetic power to the vehicle, wirelessly, charging an onboard battery and powering the bus’s electric motor.


The Times introduced the OLEV as an advanced green growth technology that could speed up the commercialization of electric cars and also as the world’s one and only online electric vehicle.

The system’s creators at the KAIST say, “The technology not only eliminates pollution, but also alleviates the problems usually associated with hybrid vehicles such as heavy batteries, lengthy charging and limited range.”


Korean technology opens up a new horizon


The OLEV has been on a test operation since last March at the Seoul Amusement Park. It was also presented during the G20 Seoul Summit in November in fron t of COEX, garnering outstanding reviews. Furthermore, the vehicle is scheduled to be featured next month in the TV program “Into the Future” of Discovery channel.


The OLEV received mixed reviews in the early stage of its devel opment. Although it is an innovative technology that was meant to pursue both green growth and economic profit, some voiced the car’s low practicality as the cost of planting electric power strips under the pavements would be quite steep. Nonetheless, its inclusion in The Times list is without a doubt a distinct acknowledgement of its potential.


The English-Teaching Robot


The other Korean item that made in the Times list is the English-Teaching Robot nick-named “Mero,” developed by the Korea Institute of Science and Technology (KIST).


The robots can move in any direction and can follow human facial expression!s. They are not only effective teachers, but the students also enjoy interacting with their new, fun, and cool school “staff.”


While the robots are used primarily in support roles for real human teachers, the Time Magazine called them a “job terminator,” saying they could potentially replace the native speakers currently employed in Korean schools.


Although there remain issues of economic feasibility as well as ethics, both inventions indicate excellent capacity of Korean universities as future leaders of world science and technology.

Visitando el Camino OLLE!

Twenty Seoul-based foreign journalists on last November 19 and 20 visited the Jeju Olle Road as part of their Jeju Press Tour program sponsored by the Korean Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism.

Traditional Jeju Culture and Haenyeo (sea women)

The twenty foreign journalists, though still somewhat fatigued from the intense reporting they had for the G20 Seoul Summit, participated in the Jeju tour with great zeal and curiosity, especially for the much talked about Olle Road and Jeju haenyeo.


On the first day of their tour, Jeju greeted the journalists with an unusually clear, azure sky and a picture-perfect coast line.


At the center of attention in the tour was, of course, the haenyeo – Jeju’s sea women. A journalist for Tokyo Newspaper expressed his special interest for Jeju haenyeo, saying although Japan also has something like sea women he had never seen the Jeju haenyeo. As four, five haenyeo dove into the sea and began their “sea-picking” routine, the group of visitors all flocked to the water in excitement to take photos.

Haenyeo dive into 20m deep into the ocean and collect sea products, holding their breath for as long as two minutes. Holding breath is hard enough; but doing that in the middle of cold sea water, swimming AND collecting things? What an amazing feat!


As one of the haenyeo, a 76-year-old sea veteran, pulled out of the

water and showed a “domchi” which is a very rare catch, a big applause erupted among the journalists. The elderly haenyeo has been sea-picking since the age of 15.


But sadly, what used to amount to 15,000 Jeju haenyeo has now plummeted to a mere 5,600. And most of them are in their sixties and seventies. Those in their thirties are just a handful now, less than a dozen.

Perfect Harmony of the Sea and the Cliffs


The foreign journalists were once again amazed and awed by the beauty of Seongsan Ilchulbong, a peak that rose from under the sea in a volcanic eruption over 100,000 years ago.


Seongsan Ilchulbong is located on the eastern end of Jeju Island and there is a huge crater at its top. With the 99 sharp rocks surrounding the crater, it looks like a gigantic crown. While the southeast and north sides are cliffs, the northwest side is a grassy hill, forming a truly distinctive ambience.


The journalists concluded their first day with a visit to Chyeonjiyeon Waterfall, and their second day was finally the much anticipated Olle Road.

The Olle walking path opened its first route in 2007 and is now furnished with 22 routes of 357km. In the local Jeju dialect, “Olle” was originally used to refer to the narrow path between the street and one’s doorstep. The hiking trail was founded by Myung-Sook Suh who was inspired upon hearing from a certain English tourist that he had healed his hurt soul walking the Jeju roads.


The route the journalists trod that day was Route 10 which is a course a little more taxing than a leisurely walk. You will be able to enjoy a scenic view of cliffs and the ocean. This particular route was declared as “Jeju Olle-Switzerland Friendship Road” last April upon establishing an MOU with the Swiss tourism administration. After the good amount of exercise followed, of course, a sumptuous meal composed of just-caught Jeju sea food and makgeolli.


At the end of the delightful tour, the journalists expressed their wish for having more nature-oriented tourist spots like the Jeju Olle Road. Although they may be somewhat less convenient than those equipped with first-rate technology and amenities, sometimes what we want these days are places that are preserved as they originally were – somewhere we can rest and heal our jaded souls.

Christmas Dinner yummy!!

Para el 24 de diciembre pues decidimos dos amigos de El Salvador y yo, preparar una deliciosa cena de navidad, aunque los preparativos para la cena los comenzamos a hacer como 3 dias antes jajaja pero en fin, pues como era de esperarse el tradicional pavo, pero por el hecho de que en Corea no hemos visto ningun pavo compramos una gallina, bueno mas bien una gallina y un pollo para tener que comer. A parte de eso se preparo una deliciosa ensalada de conchitas, y obviamente arroz para acompañar pero el arroz llevaba queso ^-^ quedo bien bueno, tambien para postre pues se compro un pastel y pues como es de esperarse en bebidas la muy tradicional gaseosa.

Nosotros decidimos que para disfrutar ese dia pues no solo se hizo una cena, sino tambien se decidio por ir a un Noraebang y a un Wii Room, pero como estaba haciendo mucho frio no fuimos a un lugar donde sabiamos era mejor nos quedamos cerca de la casa de mis amigos. Y si hay Noraebang pero cuando fuimos a buscar un Wii Room pues resulta que estaba caro el jugar una hora. Pues por ende solo fuimos a Noraebang solo para cantar y cantar hasta el agotamiento jajaja despues de eso fuimos a descansar =P bonita estuvo la noche sin mencionar que la comida estaba rica yummy!!

크리스마스 예베

En realidad no se si ese domingo fue el Culto para lo que era la Víspera de Navidad, sin embargo se realizo un muy bonito evento. Primero se realizo el culto normalmente, pero despues de eso se realizo unas pequeñas presentaciones, siendo el itinerario mas o menos de esta manera:


Primero se realizo el Culto basado en el Evangelio de Mateo Capítulo 2 versículos del 1 al 11.
Segundo lectura de los jovenes, de que aprendieron con respecto a esa lectura(ahi participe yo)
Tercero lectura de niños de lo que aprendieron sobre esa lectura
Cuarto se procedio a unas cuantas presentaciones, en las cuales se cantaron villancicos, tocaron instrumentos, Canté, y bailaron los niños ^-^.
Quinto se realizo entrega de regalos a los miembros de la iglesia
Y por último se realizo una cena preparada por la gente de la iglesia.

MICE FORUM!!

Este día fue interesante, a pesar de que me habia comprometido a faltar a este evento debido a que mis compañeros de grupo tenian que hacer algo importante no nos logramos reunir, por eso me fue posible asistir a este foro.


El evento se dividio en 3 partes: IDEA CHALLENGE, MICE FORUM, BUFFET.

En lo que fue el "IDEA CHALLENGE" estudiantes que se encuentran en la Academia Mice, hicieron grupos los cuales su meta consistia en crear una idea de algun evento, exhibicion o convencion para hacer que la gente este atraida a lo que es la ciudad de Daejeon ^-^. Las ideas estuvieron bastante ingeniosas, pero como ya antes dije solo eran ideas de eventos, que se vayan a realizar es otra cosa.

La segunda parte, "MICE FORUM", pues se le dio a conocer a los jovenes que participan en lo que es MICE como voluntarios(incluyendome), y la gente que esta trabajando en eso, de como MICE ha ayudado al turismo no solo en lo que es Corea sino tambien a la Ciudad de Daejeon. Pues se nos ofrecio informacion desde el punto de vista cultural, turistico, y economico. Y puedo decir de que si se ve que ha ayudado en algo.

Por último se procedio a lo que mas me llamaba la atención jajaja.....el Buffet!! wuhuuuuuuuu!!
Estuvo delicioso, aunque el banquete se ofrecio un poco tarde para la hora que deseaba. Pero en si estuvo muy bien todo.

마지막 예배 여호수아 목자님 =P


En esta oportunidad pues se realizo el último culto del pastor Joshua. Ya que este día se realizaba el retiro de el por 45 años al servicio de Dios. ^-^ Fué muy bonito, en la mañana de ese día domingo se realizo como ya antes dije el culto, después de eso se procedio a un homenaje, con una presentacion dando a conocer los trabajos que hizo mientras servia en el ministerio como pastor general de la iglesia en la que me congrego.

Otros pastores de la misma iglesia UBF que estan ubicados en otros sectores de corea llegaron al evento para dar palabras al Pastor Joshua, y agradecer que haya entregado su vida a Dios y que con el se lograran bendecir muchas personas. También su hijo que vive en Estados Unidos llego al evento para dar unas bellas palabras desde el punto de vista familiar. Sin embargo a pesar de que el recibio palabras de los otros pastores, el dio unas palabras en el cual se quebranto. =P En sí el evento estuvo muy bonito y al finalizarse todo, pues hubo un buffet en el cual comi demasiado jajaja ^-^.

국립중앙박물관

A pesar de que pase casi 7 meses en Seúl nunca fui al Museo Nacional de Corea, y pues me parecio muy bonito, no solo por el simple hecho de que tiene mucha informacion de articulos, artefactos, armas y demas que tienen que ver con Corea, sino porque me encanta aprender historia de asia =P.

El diseño del Museo es confortable, no es enorme pero bastante amplio, tiene 3 pisos cada piso es una especialidad especifica. Comenzare con el primer piso, en el primer piso lo que se puede apreciar, es la historia de los reyes, emperadores, etc de la antigüedad en Corea, tambien a parte de esos, indicios de como es que en esta tierra uno se desarrollaba. Tienen el sector de las dinastias que hubieron en corea, y explicaciones de ciertos tesoros que se han ido encontrando a travez de los años dando una mejor explicacion de como se pudo haber vivido en esos tiempos remotos, tambien sector donde se muestran las diferentes eras en las que paso corea.

En el segundo piso, hay una cafeteria, tambien se encuentra el sector de pinturas y caligrafía. En lo que es pintura, la mayoria de ellos, son referentes a batallas, religion, reyes, etc que por cierto son bastante bonitos ^-^. Por el otro lado se encuentra, el sector de caligrafia, no es exactamente, sobre como se origino la escritura coreana, pero si escritos antiguos, y alguno que otro documento importante para aquella época. A pesar de que el segundo piso dice pintura y caligrafia, hay varias vasijas, jarras, y demas.

Por último el tercer piso, en este piso pues hay una vasta coleccion de budas, donde explican las diferencias de los budas en corea, china, japon e india. Tambien una extensa colección de cerámica. Y pues en el primer y segundo piso, se trata mas que todo de Corea, pues el tercer piso tiene ciertas, antigüedades de algunos paises de asia. China, India y Japón. Pues ahi tienen ciertas esculturas, ceramicas, pinturas, y otros artilugios de los paises antes mencionados. Y al final una tienda de Té. ^-^ pues aproveche para tomar mi té favorito "omija tea".

Son de Plata y de Acero........Los del 4th BATCH

Para el día 03 de Dic. se llevo acabo la premiación de los jovenes del 3rd batch, y la bienvenida a los del 4th batch de extranjeros que han y estamos escribiendo acerca de Corea por medio de blogs.

El lugar que escogieron no podia ser mejor, un museo. El Museo Nacional de Corea, pero el evento se llevo acabo en un salon de usos múltiples. A la hora de la premiación pues, 6 jovenes les dieron MP3s por tener un blog notable, 3 jovenes recibieron cámara digital por blog sobresaliente, y 1 joven recibio un vuelo ida y regreso a su pais. Teniendo fé de que yo recibire el primer premio, pues, les saldra algo caro mi vuelo jajaja...^-^.

Después de eso pues a los nuevos "bloggers" nos dieron un USB bastante curioso pero es de 4GB y yo necesitaba un USB de ratos =P. Al final de todo lo que era esa celebración pues nos dieron un tour por el museo. ^-^ Muy bonito el día.-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Dec. 03 Korean Branding, gave Welcome to the 4th batch bloggers, and they did the Award Ceremony for those in the 3rd Batch

The place they choose cannot be better, a Museum. The National Museum of Korea, but the event was on a Seminar Room. Korea Branding gave MP3 to 6 Notables Blogs, Camera to 3 oustanding blogs, and a round-trip to the best blog. Having faith that I will receive the 1st prize, my flight will be a little bit expensive jajaja. ^-^.

After that the new bloggers receive a curious 4GB usb. And then a tour in the Museum. Was a great day. ^-^

The fame calls Korea!!

Chairwoman Lee Bae-Yong of the Presidential Council on Nation Branding on November 15 gave a lecture for the KBS program “The Road to First Class.”

The lecture was on the subject of Korea’s nation brand and the impact of the G20 Seoul Summit.

“Made in Korea” Impact

“Despite the increasing sales of Korean products globally nowadays,” Chairwoman Lee explained, “they still get about a 30% discount compared to similar products made by some other nations because of Korea’s undervalued nation brand.”

Giving examples of French perfume and wine which are products backed up by the country’s strong nation brand, Lee emphasized the importance of nation brand in generating economic profits.

“We need to work on increasing trust and preference for so-called “Made in Korea.” Also, it is getting more and more important nowadays to have strong “software” such as cultural content, human resources and spiritual values as well as hardware.”

Lee also touched upon Korea’s numerous timeless cultural heritages, saying, “I wish to share Korean values and spirits that are imbued in those historic and cultural legacies with the world. Korea’s astounding growth in the 20th century was made possible only because it was backed up by such virtues as harmony, sharing, communication, regards for life and nature.”

“To raise Korea’s nation brand, it is important to have active civic participation. The Council will make best efforts to achieve the goal with 5 major areas of work that we designated which include contributing to the international community, cultivating global citizenship, promoting multiculturalism, developing attractive culture and tourism, and showcasing advanced technology.

Cactus Cactus and More Cactus!! ^-^

Let us pay some attention to the newly developed Korean grafted cactus that comes under such sweet names as “seolhong,” “hoohong,” and “saekdong.”

The usual association with cactus is some thorny, misshapen, rough-looking plant standing under the scorching sun in the desert.

Well, time to shatter that association.

The grafted cactus of Korea comes in numerous splash colors (red, pink, yellow, orange….) and sizes (a cute little cauliflower-like thing the size of your fist!).

The Rural Development Administration(RDA) exhibited its newly developed grated cactus at the horticulture fair held last November 11. The Korean grafted cactus has been garnering excellent reviews from the worldwide horticulture market with its annual volume of export exceeding USD 2 million to over 30 countries including the U.S. and the Netherlands, the leading floriculture nation.

At the flower fair, a series of rigorous eval!uation was conducted on the presented cactuses including how vivid the color is, how firm it is, its capacity to produce “baby” plant, its commercial potential and so on.

After passing through a set of meticulous tests and screening, 4 qualified cactuses will be selected to be distributed to the farms. Then they will first undergo a test production to be followed by mass cultivation. The RDA aims at USD 3 million annual export by 2012.

Well, at this rate, not reaching for stars!