In this article I argue that the Korean concept of “seonbi” could be a global norm equal to “samurai,” “ninja” and “knight” and serve as a model for the entire world. The concept of “seonbi” an ideal for the integration of learning and action, proper behavior and moral commitment is quite appealing, but has not been seriously introduced globally.
Korea Economic News
April 21, 2012
한국경제신문
2012년4월21일
KOREA IT TIMES
SEOUL, KOREA — Korea’s remarkable strengths in display technology, IT and especially gaming offers a unique opportunity to play a key role in a field not traditionally considered a Korean strength: surgery. The convergence of technologies today promises to radically transform surgery over the next ten years, providing unprecedented opportunities for innovation, in a word, whereas surgery today resembles flying a biplane with much dependence on visual confirmation and physical strength, surgery of the future will be akin to operating a 747, employing an array of tools to visualize the invisible internal aspects of the body in 3-dimensions and to do be able to do so on a 24 hour basis before and after a surgical procedure.
Beijing is one of my favorite cities. I recently visited as part of the Future Forest effort to fight desertification through the planting of trees. I picked up a fascinating booklet at that time that describes plans for extensive new real estate developments. Let us start by looking at traditional Beijing and its narrow alleys known as “hutong.” These hutong roads are rapidly disappearing as part of contemporary progress.
April 15, 2012
We held the first of a new series of focused seminars on eight challenges facing Korea today with a discussion of Korea’s current social and economic conditions. The program, run in cooperation with Tasan Books and GCS, will continue over the next six months.
I cannot count the number of times that I have heard friends, people from a background similar to my own, remark to themselves, after an election, or just in an idle moment, “I can’t believe how stupid American voters are!” The assumption behind such comments is that ordinary Americans stupidly vote for the demagogues who lie to them so blatantly and that such pathetic behavior is shocking. Also implied by the comment is that we, we cultivated and educated Americans, can see so clearly through the falsehoods and we are much superior to such people.
The Korea Times featured this article about the North Korea escapee Shin Dong-hyuk and his harrowing struggle for freedom with a focus on the recently published book Escape from Camp 14 which describes that experience. The book was written by the American journalist Blaine Harden.
April 13, 2012
This interview on the Korea Scholarship Foundation Blog concerns important issues in education today.
한국장학재단블로그
The Asia Institute Seminar
20th March, 2012
Dr. Harold Varmus
Director
The National Cancer Institute, U.S.A
Nobel Laureate in Physiology or Medicine
Co-chair, President’s Council of Advisors on Science and Technology
This article in the MK Business News (April 4, 2012) argues that what Seoul really needs is a structure with the genius and the intention to last 1,000 years. A project like the pyramids or the Louvre that will last and give a new gravitas to the city.
This article argues that there is much of the democratic tradition in Korea that can be traced back far beyond the democracy movement of the 1980s, back into the Joseon period of the 17th and 18th centuries. The argument may seem somewhat obscure to some, but I would argue that if we see democracy in terms of the balance of power, Korea has a powerful and old tradition that deserves to be treated seriously, and emulated around the world. The Korean model is particularly relevant for China today.