September 2011 – Page 3 – Circles and Squares

Panel on Transportation and Resources in Mongolia at “Mongolia and Northeast Asia Peace” Conference in Ulaanbaatar

September 4, 2011 by

Panel on Transportation and Resources in Mongolia at “Mongolia and Northeast Asia Peace” Conference in Ulaanbaatar

Emanuel Pastreich had the opportunity to head a panel of experts for a discussion of opportunities and challenges in the energy, transportation and natural resources sectors held at the Global Peace and Leadership Conference “Mongolia and Northeast Asia Peace.”

The Global Peace and Leadership Conference “Mongolia and Northeast Asia Peace” (August 25-27, 2011) was a remarkable event bringing together wide range of individuals and groups committed to a peaceful and fair approach to social, cultural, economic and institutional integration in Northeast Asia. The choice of Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia as the site has particular significance as Mongolia is a new power in the debate on Northeast Asian integration. As an emerging economic center, with vast mineral resources and a tradition of leadership in both Central Asia and Northeast Asia, Mongolia has been visited recently by Korean President Lee Myung Bak and United States President Joseph Biden (Vice President Biden was still in town when our conference began on August 25).

Teaching Korean Literature in English at Kyung Hee University

September 3, 2011 by

On Thursday, September 1, I gave my first lecture for a class on the novels of the Korean writer Park Jiwon for a class of undergraduates in the department of Korean Literature at Kyung Hee University. It was the first class ever at Kyung Hee University’s department of Korean literature that was explicitly designated for instruction in English and one of few such courses at Korean literature departments in Korea being taught in English.

The Ministry of Education, Science and Technology has recently pressed forward with new guidelines for increasing the use of English at Korean universities. Launching a course in English in the Korean literature department has great significance as Korean literature is perceived as the most immune to change and the most closely associated with concepts of cultural conservatism.

Alliance for Environmental Technologies? What do you think?

September 4, 2011September 3, 2011 by

I wrote this article for possible publication in Nautilus Institute’s NAPSNET newsletter about three months ago. Several individuals who read the manuscript, however, noted that my understanding of the technologies involved was mistaken and also suggested that I had not properly assessed the accident because of rather unreliable materials available on the internet.

I decided not to publish the article, but I do think the concept of an alliance for cooperation in the development of technologies to address environmental threats is worthy of consideration. I am placing the manuscript here in the hope that I may solicit the opinions of everyone.

Insurance in Korea is Forever

September 7, 2011September 2, 2011 by

I renewed my life insurance the other day here in Korea and in the process had a chance to glimpse a bit of the culture of insurance in Korea. One of the most striking aspects of private health insurance in Korea today is life expectancy. Samsung Life Insurance was willing to bet I could live to be a hundred,