Vol IV No 84 March 2013

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u Ve

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Photo courtesy

By Darren Southcott

Jeju-born director O Muelrsquos latest release ldquoJiseulrdquo a moving monochrome portrayal of the Jeju Massacre has scooped the prestigious Grand Jury Prize at the Sundance Film Festival in Salt Lake City Utah

Jiseul meaning potato in the Jeju dialect is set during the Jeju Massacre a period of conflict between state paramilitary and

local armed groups also known as ldquo43rdquo (sa-sam) after events triggered on April 3 1948 Between 15000 and 60000 islanders were killed

In a recent interview with The Weekly director O said he was committed to telling the truth about Jeju life and the award-winning Jiseul brings Jejursquos tragic past to an international audience for the first time

In those dark days sandwiched between liberation from Japan and civil war Jeju locals many opposing the division of the Korean peninsula and UN- sponsored elections were labelled ldquoredsrdquo or communists by the government of Rhee Syngman paramilitary groups were sent to eliminate the perceived threat with tacit US support leaving lingering resentment on the island

The upland ldquojungsanganrdquo

between 200-600 meters above sea level was declared enemy territory and a scorched earth policy ensued forcing many frightened locals to hide in the valleys and oreum of Mt Halla

Written and directed by O the film centers on the inhabitants of one such village who flee to a cave Continued on page 4

Winner O Muel ldquoshares the gloryrdquo with Jeju

By The Jeju Weekly

The results of the long-awaited simulation tests for the feasibility of the naval base at Gangjeong Village were released on Jan 31 giving the green light to further construction

Pro-base advocates now hope the construction plans which are 15 months behind schedule can continue unobstructed protestors however have vowed to continue their opposition

The results indicate the proposed joint navy base and cruise port at Gangjeong Village can simulta-neously accommodate two 15 thousand ton cruise liners with no safety concerns even in extreme weather conditions

Specialists conducted a computer simulation at the Korea Institute of Ocean Science and Technology in Daejeon City on Jan 17 and 18 Researchers said Continued on page 2

Gangjeong simulation results endorsed by governor dismissed by protesters

Photo courtesy

02 March 2013The Jeju Weekly

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Continued from page 1 they had never before tested comparable vessels under such extreme conditions

Scientists simulated two 15 thousand ton cruise liners entering and exiting the port in 27 knot winds while one is moored at the south breakwater and another enters at the west breakwater The tests were carried out in secret and critics have challenged their credibility and independence

Jeju Governor Woo Geun-min fully endorsed the results and supported dual military-civilian use of the base In a special press conference called on Feb 4 Woo stated Once the crucial issue of the controversy has been settled we must gather energy to materialize our vision for the naval baserdquo

Woo however sought to offset criticism from the anti-base movement by pledging to develop civilian uses of the port and campaign for pardons for protesters arrested in connection with the protest movement

Protesters at Save Jeju Now called these pledges ldquosugar-coated wordsrdquo claiming ldquoIt is a great deception and betrayal again for the central and island governments to lie to the peoplerdquo Pointing to technical errors they claim invalidate the tests the protesters vowed to continue the fight on behalf of the Gangjeong villagers with renewed vigor

Polls show that members of the provincial assembly are still deeply divided over the simulation results 34 percent believe the right decision was reached 34 percent believe the decision was wrong while 29 percent believe it was an inevitability

Despite the results being hailed triumphantly by pro-base advocates the dispute is set to continue in the months ahead

Movers must notify authorities to avoid fine

By Darren Southcott

Seogwipo expat Heloise Stankard received a 100 thousand won fine for failing to abide by a little-known rule requiring movers to notify authorities within 14 days of moving

ldquoI went to the Immigration Office to receive my new Alien Registration Card and I asked to change my addressrdquo Stankard said ldquoI was told I should have done this within 14 days and was asked to return with my housing contract

Upon returning with the contract Stankard was taken upstairs to an investigation office where ldquoThe

investigations officer was speaking at me in rapid Korean Even though I speak decent Korean I had trouble dealing with all the complex terminologyrdquo

Stankard was then handed ldquoa thick wodge of paper in a folderrdquo - the Jeju immigration policy ldquoThe room was full of men who spoke no English and it was hard to follow what I was being toldrdquo she added

Stankard was informed that she failed to follow the proper procedure and would have to pay a fine

ldquoI think it was really unfair because I voluntarily informed them and it had only been two months Maybe if I had kicked up a fuss I could have got off the hookrdquo she said ldquoI was instead told to go straight to an ATM and return with the moneyrdquo

Poor communication with non-Korean speakers at the Immigration Office has long attracted the criticism of the international community on Jeju and Stankard also feels this is a weakness

ldquoAs an immigration office I am always surprised at the low level of English there The people downstairs do sometimes have passable English but for important issues like this there really should be better communicationrdquo she said

Learning that other expats had also been hit with the unexpected fine only added to Stankardrsquos discontent

ldquoThe stupid thing was when I went to speak to the investigations officer he said ldquothis happens so much with foreignersrdquo I thought if this happens so much why arenrsquot they doing anything about itrdquo

The Immigration Office confirmed that E2-visa holders are required to keep the authorities informed of their current

address and movers should immediately notify either the Immigration Office or Jeju or Seogwipo City Hall

Stankard said ldquoI had no idea I could just do it in my local City Hall More information needs to be available to the international communityrdquo

An officer at Jeju Immigration Office said ldquoAll of the basic information is given to foreigners when they receive their registration card All of the laws related to foreigners can also be found online in Koreanrdquo

Despite the continued aspirations of Jeju as an international city the lack of English language information and poor communication highlighted the chasm between rhetoric and reality The officer continued ldquoEnglish is not an official language in Korea [and] due to our tight schedules itrsquos difficult to explain to foreigners about the lawrdquo

Despite this law also applying to Korean residents The Jeju Weekly was unable to find any Korean citizens who had been similarly fined

International Jeju residents should take both their housing contract and Alien Registration Card with them to register their new address at one of the following locations

Jeju now

Photo by

Photo courtesy Photo courtesy

Immigration Office 673-8 Geonip-dong Jeju City Tel 064-722-3494Jeju City Hall 10 Gwangyang 9-gil Ido 2-dong Jeju City Tel 064-120Seogwipo City Hall 105 Jungang-ro Seohong-dong Seogwipo City Tel 064-120

03March 2013

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mThe Jeju Weekly Jeju Now

ldquoThey didnrsquot communicate at all with the communityrdquo

By Darren Southcott

Plans to redevelop the Sanjicheon area of Jeju City have not been positively received in all quarters Local guesthouse manager Hyeon Jong-hyeon is sweating over losing 50 million won in refur-bishment costs if he is forced out by gentrifiers

ldquoTamna Cultural Squarerdquo to begin later this year is slated for completion by 2015 at a cost of 122 billion won with a further 23 billion set aside for compen-sation to businesses and property owners affected by the development Tenant Hyeon feels it will not adequately cover his effort in time and capital

ldquoI thought it would only take a small investment to improve the interior but I have invested around 50 million won which includes my own personal time and effort I have had to borrow money from friendsrdquo said Hyeon

Hyeon runs the ldquoGame Guesthouserdquo in Geonip-dong leasing the property After moving in last July to draw increasing numbers of young travellers he invested heavily in remodelling the interior the fresh wooden doors and benches are

testament to the carpentry work Much of Geonip-dong despite being a

stonersquos throw from upmarket hotels such as the Ramada has long suffered from the southward shift in economic activity away from the Tapdong area

The arearsquos reputation for shady busi-ness establishments only lends urgency to the redevelopment plans particularly with its proximity to the international port and increasing numbers of cruise passengers passing through its narrow streets

Behind Imhang-rorsquos hotels and coffee shops are crumbling stone-walled houses punctuated by small motels and derelict-looking blocks most activity

comes from the slinking alley cats or the blinking neon of rarely frequented singing rooms

Hyeon thought the investment made sound business sense despite rumors of redevelopment He stresses that at no point was there consultation from government officials to confirm these

ldquoI started my business last July and at that time there were no plans to redevelop the area There were rumours but we received no contact Then suddenly the government moved the plans forward - it was a shockrdquo Hyeon said

Hyeon feels that communication has been poor from city officials he claims local residents and business have been kept in the dark about the extent of the redevelopment area

ldquoA local officer told me that the development would not include my property But then they changed saying that the development will include the guesthouse - even the owner of the building didnrsquot know that He had no idea if it would be included or notrdquo said Hyeon

ldquoIn my opinion this village needs redevelopment as the atmosphere is

really bad I agree that something needs to be done but it needs to be done in a different way There has been no consultation There should be a more democratic wayrdquo said Hyeon

While the money may come as a blessing to some locals Hyeon feels his investment should be properly com-pensated

ldquoSome people might see this as a windfall as the compensation seems good but it is not sufficient for the investment I have sacrificedrdquo Hyeon said

This is not only a financial issue as Hyeon also urges government officials to improve communication with locals and understand the communityrsquos concerns

ldquoOlder people will be scared of having to move to a new place It would be ideal if they could not only give money but give continued help to resettle in a new area People are tired of thisrdquo Hyeon said ldquoThey didnrsquot communicate at all with the communityrdquo

As the gentrification plans move forward Hyeonrsquos example shows that development always comes at a cost How well the provincial government can manage these costs remains to be seen

ldquoTamna Cultural Squarerdquo to gentrify gateway to Jeju City

By The Jeju Weekly

One of the most neglected areas of Jeju City is slated to undergo a major redevelopment in the coming months The Sanjicheon area of Tapdong has long been eyed by developers wanting to take advantage of its riverside location and plans are being set out to give the area a major facelift

Jeju Special Self-Governing Province is pushing for the landmark Tamna Cultural Square development to attract foreign and domestic tourists and to cater to increasing numbers of cruise passengers coming through nearby Jeju City port

A feasibility study was carried out in 2011 and an architectural design competition was held The result is a 122 billion won project slated for completion by 2015 which includes the ecological restoration of Sanjicheon and the creation of a pedestrian-only entertainment and shopping area The project will begin in July of this year

A total of 23 billion won is needed to compensate property owners in the area yet currently only 85 billion won is available An additional 145 billion won in funding is therefore needed

The scale and nature of the Tamna Cultural Square is controversial as the provincial assembly is pushing for a landmark development to gentrify the area while the provincial government maintains that redevelopment could take different forms

Critics are also urging caution stressing that it cannot be assumed that international restaurants theme cafes and other businesses will naturally be drawn to the area There are also concerns about potential negative effects on the established community in this historic area

Despite recent regeneration efforts such as that of the Sanjicheon (river) itself the area remains beset by decaying infrastructure and thinning trade The debate is set to rumble on over a development that could redefine an area of the city has suffered economic decline

Photo by

Photo courtesy

04 March 2013Exhibition The Jeju Weekly

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Continued from page 1 to escape the roving military Potatoes from local fields provide their main food source and the film captures their grim tale in harrowing detail Regarding the title O told the Chosun Ilbo

ldquoPotatoes are considered a staple food in many countries often symbolizing survival and hope Thatrsquos why I picked it as the title of my filmrdquo

O accepted his award in absentia - having returned to Korea a day before the ceremony - telling the Sundance festival website ldquoI would love to share the honor with the people of Jeju Island I want to share this gloryrdquo

The Sundance Film Festival held by the Sundance Institute in Salt Lake City Utah is one of the most prestigious independent film festivals in the world Began in 1981 it is considered the premier platform to showcase new independent films

Fast becoming something of a hero for Jeju people O is one of few filmmakers covering Jejursquos history and culture Graduating from Jeju National Uni-

versity he majored in painting and worked with the local arts community on the island before turning to film He says his characters use Jeju dialect not to be ldquoexoticrdquo but because ldquoit is a matter of course for Jeju peoplerdquo

Reviews have been mixed of Orsquos latest work with Craig McGeady from ldquoWord from the ROKrdquo website judging the film to be ldquopowerful and tender at times hard to watch because of the content and at times extremely engagingrdquo

Justin Lowe of The Hollywood Reporter reviewed the film as ldquoOblique austere and remoterdquo but cautions its inaccessibility leaves ldquolittle potential beyond dedicated enthusiastsrdquo

O it seems captured more than one side of Jejursquos elusive character in Jiseul

Jiseul premiers in Jeju City on March 1 before being released nationwide The Facebook group ldquoJiseul A screening with English subtitlesrdquo is pressing for an English-subtitled screening in Jeju City Join the group to receive further infor-mation

By Lee Yeo Jun

The first thought that came to my mind as I entered the gallery was ldquoare these xylographsrdquo Or to be more precise ldquocan these possibly be xylographsrdquo Jeju Museum of Contemporary Art was full of unbelievably intricate woodblock prints full of color and tenderness Each print was pure wonder and none of them were alike

The exhibition was divided into three parts Daybreak Country and Nature First in Daybreak there were works by Kang Seung-hee I expected to see vivid and strong colors representing the hope and new beginning of dawn However contrary to my clicheacuted expectations the prints were black and white Also Kangrsquos daybreak consisted of mostly trees and oreum

The conciseness of Kangrsquos prints made me realize another aspect of dawn - that of serenity before sunrise One who has looked out on the horizon while all others are sleeping will know this peculiar calmness the oddly satisfying loneliness as if you are alone in the universe Maybe this tranquility is the true character of daybreak

However this does not mean that

Kangrsquos prints are static The trees though still whisper ceaselessly to each other as if awaiting something The trees in ldquoDaybreak 21228rdquo look as if they have gathered to view the sunrise from over the oreum In this way the prints are silent but at the same time endlessly communicate with viewers

The next display theme was ldquoCountryrdquo in which Kim Eukrsquos work depicted the Korean landscape Kimrsquos prints not only portray magnificent scenery but successfully capture the vitality that underlies it I could feel the strength of the mountain range and the water relentlessly flowing downward I was even moved to feel the immense energy

of ldquoYoungsil Valley at MtHallardquo as it hung from the ceiling

Nevertheless Kimrsquos pr ints are amazingly elaborate I could feel the artistrsquos devotion from the fact that he had not overlooked a single rock tree or person It was stunning to contemplate that the work is a woodblock print and i t reminds me of renowned Joseon-era artist Kim Hong Dorsquos ldquoSonghamenghodordquo in which he drew each and every hair of a ferocious tiger Similarly Kim Euk grandiosely sym-bolizes the Korean spirit while never disregarding the preciseness that is true Korean painting

The last display was ldquoNaturerdquo by Kim

Joon-Kwon whose work again surprised Kim portrays nature through brightness and chroma In ldquoBamboo-1302rdquo basic green is used to represent a bamboo forest while different shades of green and yellow are used to bring the bamboo to life Interestingly even with this rather simple use of color the bamboo forest is not too surreal but fresh and enjoyable

The work can be appreciated by both examining each individual bamboo stick up close or by observing the whole forest from a distance In ldquoOreum 0420rdquo MtHalla is merely an outline of an oreum Through this technique Mt Halla rather than standing out sits behind and is embraced by the the oreum around it ldquoMountain image 0910rdquo again shows Kimrsquos remarkable skills by using only black and modifying its shading to capture the spirit of the mountains of Korea Finally seeing ldquoIslandrdquo I felt sure that the artist was skilled in the equi-librium of colors not too much but not too little is what moves the viewer

Despite the unique approaches of the artists the essence of the prints remain Korean and I hope younger artists remember that essence and identity - that will be what makes their work distinct and beautiful

Jeju Museum of Contemporary Art Day Break Country Nature 22~319

Photo by

Photo by

Art with a Korean essence

Photo courtesy

05March 2013

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mThe Jeju Weekly Global Jeju

FAC committed to realizing a global Jeju

By Darren Southcott

The Foreign Advisory Committee created last April is charged with bridging the divide between the international community and Korean officialdom to improve life for Jejursquos international residents If Jeju really is going to the world then the semblance of movement is essential

The FAC has three subcommittees tourism residence and infrastructure and adaptation to Jeju society Through these international residents have the opportunity to participate in the policy-making process and the Jeju governor has agreed to ldquopositively make an effortrdquo to reflect its advice in provincial policy

At the first quarterly Steering Group meeting of the new year Chairperson Chung Dal-ho recognized the difficulties that are faced

ldquoGlobalized Jeju is what the govern-

ment aspires to but it cannot be done at the level of Hong Kong or Singapore It cannot be attained overnightrdquo said Chung

The FAC recently visited the Seoul global center and Yeonnam global village center to learn about how other authorities have worked with migrants and international families Committee members are adapting these programs to Jejursquos particular needs

In December the FAC held the ldquoFor a Better Life in Jejurdquo workshop and the major event this year will be at the 8th Jeju Forum where a ldquoHow to Globalize Jejurdquo seminar will seek to bend the ear of local officials

Korea since its rapid development in the latter half of the twentieth century has become a destination for both skilled and unskilled migrant workers It has also seen an increase in international marriages and incoming international students rapidly making it a multi-cultural society

The international population on Jeju despite being just 18 percent of the total population grew by 22 percent between 2011-12 and is part of this national trend The FAC represents a proactive step by the provincial government in addressing the cultural and institutional hurdles to integration that will become more obvious as these numbers grow

In its first full year of operation the FAC has many obstacles to overcome not least the scepticism among some international residents Chairperson Chung is undeterred ldquoSkeptics There are no skeptics among the Committee and we are all committed and very serious about realizing a global Jejurdquo

The FAC is producing a guide for all foreign residents of Jeju and is improving English language services on the provincial governmentrsquos website ldquowe will try to achieve these this yearrdquo said Chung This is in addition to plans to improve road signage across the island and medical services for international

residentsDespite the desire for change it

remains to be seen whether the committee can influence policy decisions in the provincial government and Chung sought to dampen expectations that such changes were possible

ldquoThis committee is just advisory we are not a committee of the kind that can enforce decisions At the moment we are just trying to gauge the needs of the foreign communityrdquo Chung said

The committee is seeking the input of the international community on Jeju as it seeks to set out its plans for its first full year ahead Contact between the com-mittee and the community is crucial Chung stressed

ldquoAn example was the workshop last December that was open to all foreigners These kind of workshops are the channels through which foreigners can get their voices heard by the committeerdquo said Chung

Communication and aspiring to be an international city is a central concern of the committee Vice Chairperson Won-hee You vocalized her concerns that they should not just discuss ideas but ldquogather more voices about whatrsquos working and whatrsquos neededrdquo

Marsha Bogolin Chairperson of Adapting to Jeju Society believes that many of the barriers of wider society are reflected within the Committee itself but that progress is being made ldquoThrough the FAC committee itself we are bridging the culture and language barriers together especially in meetings of smaller numbersrdquo she said

Although differences in language and culture are still being overcome the FAC is treading new ground as it seeks to smooth the passage to a global Jeju The support of both the provincial govern-ment and the international community will be crucial if it is to achieve its goals in the year ahead

To contact the Committee please email Lee Eun Ju at ejleekoreakr

Translated by Kim Jinmi

Lee Jung Seop was among the Korean

painters who introduced modern western painting to Korea and he promoted a uniquely Korean style in his work Lee is widely loved in Korea and his gallery will be displaying his Sun Prize palette - also a symbol of his love - until March 31

The Sun Prize palette was given to Lee by the Japan Painting Creator Associ-ation an independent paintersrsquo associ-ation When he left Japan he gave it to

his Japanese wife Yamamoto Masako with the promise that he would come back to Japan to study This palette therefore became a love token and a symbol of his promise

He married Yamamoto Masako in Wonsan Korea in 1945 during a time of political strife between Korea and Japan She took on a Korean name Lee Nam Duk and they had two sons they lived in Wonsan Busan and Jeju for a total of eight years Upon Leersquos untimely death in 1956 Lee returned to Japan to live with her two sons She retained the palette as a token of their love for 70 years

Lee visited the Lee Jung Seop Art Gallery on Nov 1 to donate the palette at 92 years of age She wanted to show her

appreciation to Jeju Island for the support shown to her husband

Photo by

A token of an artistrsquos love on display at Seogwipo gallery

Exhibition Period Until Mar 31 2013Location Lee Jung Seup Art Gallery 1st floor 440-1 Seogwi-dong Seogwipo CityOpening hours 0900 ndash 1800 Closed every MondayFee 1000 won (adult) 500 won (youths and military personnel) 300 won (children)

Photo courtesy

06 March 2013The Jeju Weekly

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ddddddddddddddddddddddddd

Shopping lsquotil you drop (off the sofa)

By Mary Lager

Although living overseas offers us all a unique opportunity to explore a new culture and to live like the locals sometimes itrsquos nice to get items from home No matter how much you want something however finding it can be difficult on our island

Your Korean language skills might be limited or you might not know where to start looking At these times you have no choice but to go online but you quickly learn that EBay Amazon and Wal-Martcom are not going get you what you need at the right price Enter The Weeklyrsquos guide to affordable online shopping for expats

FoFoododssFoFoododssFor some people itrsquos immediate For others it

takes a few months Sometimes it strikes you without warning What is it Itrsquos the craving for those special foods from home If yoursquore looking for particular spices a box of PopTarts or a big olrsquo block of real cheese then there are a couple of websites you need to know

iHerbcom iHerbcom offers a variety of vitamins

supplements and whole food options Itrsquos a great place to get things like spices teas beans and flour that yoursquore missing from home Be sure to check out their freebies and shipping promotions First-time users can apply the coupon code IKU571 to save $5 on their first order

EZshopkoreacom EZShopkoreacom is a mainland outlet that

stocks goodies that are hard to find on Jeju such as cheeses salamis Pop-Tarts cereals Hamburger Helper and many other lsquohomersquo items EZShop is connected to a Costco store in Seoul where the items are picked up and shipped to you It is best to to order with friends as orders

over 250000 won receive free ground shipping (including Jeju) Jeju residents must pay by bank transfer rather than credit card

highstreetcokr High Street Market has similar goods to

EZShop but a lower limit for free shipping to Jeju at 150 thousand won Currently a 10 percent discount is offered to customers posting pictures of themselves wearing a green shirt to their ldquoHigh Street Marketrdquo Facebook page for St Patrickrsquos Day Be sure to include the time and date in the photo to receive the discount

BoBookokssBoBookokssOn Jeju itrsquos not always easy to find English

books other than your schoolrsquos textbooks Luckily there are more and more options arising every day to get a hold of English titles

Jeju Book Swap Jeju Book Swap is a Facebook group created by

one of our very own expats to expand the sharing of books on the island Join the group to trade swap borrow buy sell give and get books that yoursquod love to read Be sure to keep ldquopaying it forwardrdquo by offering your own library

whatthebookcom What the Book is an expat-owned bookstore in

Itaewon Seoul Itrsquos a great place to visit in person but their vast collection is also available online They even offer discounted used books

bookdepositorycouk The Book Depository is a UK online bookstore

that offers FREE shipping worldwide With thousands of books to choose from yoursquore sure to find what yoursquore looking for The great prices and free shipping make the Book Depository a fantastic online resource for English literature

ClC otothingnggggg ele ecectrtrononiccs s anand d ototheer ittememssClC otothingggggg elecectrt ono icss ana d otother itememss

As old-timers in Korea know many things are cheaper and easier to buy online For example electronics and furniture are often cheaper online and if yoursquore bigger than the average Korean websites can provide sizes to suit your build

Home-country websites When ordering from foreign websites be aware

that if your combined weekly purchases total over 100 US dollars you may be required to pay import tax One way to avoid this fee is to have a family member or friend at home receive your online purchase and send it to you marked as lsquogiftrsquo Another way to diminish the fees is to order with friends and share the import taxes and shipping

Gmarketcokr At Gmarket you can find anything from clothes

and books to food and furniture plus a lot more There is an English option and if yoursquore able to navigate the flashing pictures and frequent bad translations - if translated at all - then you can find almost anything However it is best to have a Korean-speaker with you when ordering as there is a lot of Korean form-filling to wade through

11stcokr 11street is very similar to Gmarket and has a

large variety of items including clothing jewelry sports equipment and electronics Again even though an English option for searching is available it is necessary to have someone with workable Korean to help with selection and ordering

asoscom this is a UK clothes outlet offering free shipping

worldwide If you want your clothes a bit earlier (within 4-7 days) you can pay 45 thousand won for the privilege UK styles are expectedly cutting edge and discounts are as high as 70 percent

Guide for Expats

07March 2013

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mThe Jeju Weekly My Jeju

ldquoI remember it hitting me hardrdquo

By Darren Southcott

In part two of our interview with Dan Nabben the Furey founder speaks more about the creation of the Foundation and how it can foster understanding between communities

What was Nathan Furey whose death led to the creation of the Furey Foundation like

He was the kind of guy that didnrsquot have any enemies People who didnrsquot know him wouldnrsquot hear of any reason to dislike him people who knew him a bit liked him and people who knew him really well really liked him

Lifestyle-wise he had the whole package the wife the two kids the house the job the car the motorcycle the friends the hobbies good health So when he got sick the doctors were looking at aspects of his lifestyle that may have led to his condition but there just werenrsquot anyhellipIt all happened so fast One day he was sick six days later it was all over

[Dan goes on to explain the events surrounding Nathanrsquos sudden illness including how he had seemed in perfect health The morning before his hos-pitalization he had cycled 10 kilometers to frisbee practice and then returned home to entertain some friends in the evening By late-afternoon he was clearly quite ill and retired to bed This led to a series of incidents which changed the lives of those close to Nathan forever Six days later after friends rallied round to support Nathan and his family he tragically passed

away Dan had been at the center of events contacting Furey family members in Canada and relaying news to the foreign community on Jeju]

How did you become the fulcrum of the fundraising efforts

Being lsquothe guyrsquo who sent out the first update I became the guy who was being asked for more news so I kept visiting the hospital and kept sending out updates and Irsquod get offers to help

When it became clear that best-case scenario the hospital bills alone would be costly we knew exactly what needed to be doneI remember being at home and sitting and pacing and I was thinking ldquoOkay whorsquos going to take the initiative and lead this thingrdquo

Then it hit me hard If Nathan were to die a number of things will be lost to those kids forever including a lifetime of income gone Thatrsquos a huge change in lifestyle and potential for the kids And it was about time I did something good and for someone else so the way I saw things everyone had a role to play We all wanted to console the family and help but thatrsquos a job for the best friends Myself and the rest of the secondary friends had a different role

Anj Schroder and Jessie Dishaw were heavily involved in those first months too But I spoke Korean was in constant contact with the family set up the account and kept getting lots of offers of help so I became the head de facto

Where do you want to take Furey next

Thatrsquos a tough question because you said lsquowantrsquo When you talk about the future lsquowantrsquo so quickly becomes lsquodreamrsquo I just want it to reach its full potential

whatever that may be If people from China Japan Guam and the mainland are willing to fly to Jeju for the Frisbee tournament then there must be like-minded volleyball players out there too We know there are And the bigger it gets the more people we can help

What I donrsquot want is for it to ever become non-altruistic That is to say if the organization comes to a point where it no longer raises all that much money for the poor or no longer reaches out to all members of Korearsquos communities or Asiarsquos or maybe beyond therersquod be a serious problem

Does Furey project a positive image of the international community

Absolutely Having lived in Jeju for a few years before Jeju Furey I can say that as a result of many foreigners enjoying Jeju so much they had this desire to give back ndash but there wasnrsquot really any fun way to do it Jeju Furey provided that - albeit not by design And I know from talking to many people including Koreans that foreigners had a reputation for being heavy lsquotakersrsquo but light lsquogiversrsquo so Jeju Furey acts as a counterweight That is not to say that everything that happens at the events is spic lsquonrsquo span but for the vast majority of those involved and affected Irsquod say itrsquos a positive thing

Itrsquos also a good way to project an image because it reaches out to so many and gets people active participating and actually doing stuff Jeju Furey events ask for much more [than money] We ask for significant commitments in time and for good responsible behaviour ndash and the people deliver

Do the events promote integration between communities

Sure so long as integration means lsquosharing in experiencesrsquo instead of foreigners coming in and imposing their values on Koreans Integration ought to be more like a blue thread being knitted into a grey sweater to give it a trim The sweater isnrsquot compromised but therersquos a nice added touch

Irsquove seen it happen a few times where a foreigner spends a lot of quality time with Koreans outside the workplace without the buffer of having other foreigners around and they always have a much richer experience and better under-standing

Koreans still have a lot of miscon-ceptions of western culture but they are outdone by foreigners with miscon-ceptions of Korean culture and Irsquom including people whorsquove lived there for years The difference-maker is usually whether or not the person has learned Korean Having a bilingual Korean spouse or boyfriendgirlfriend is usually not enough there are still three filters between you and the source

If you could point to one major change being involved with the Furey Foundation has made what would it be

I now have trouble looking at any kind of financial transaction form of business or event and not think lsquookay how can that raise money for charityrsquo Thatrsquos a lens that I see through a heck of a lot more these days

Photos by

08 March 2013The Jeju Weekly

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The Jeju Weekly

The pay-as-you-throw food waste management system has been in effect nationwide since Jan 1 Jeju residents living in apartment buildings or residential areas of more than 50 houses are required to dispose of food waste using the RFID (Radio Frequency Identi-fication Reader) system Those living in areas with no access to RFID bins will use plastic food waste bags and dispose of waste at a ldquoClean Houserdquo

Charges are 22 won per kilogram when using the RFID card and 76 won per kilogram for restaurants and other large-scale establishments Yellow food-waste bags can be purchased at convenience stores for 36 won for two-liter bags 54 won for three liters 90 won for five liters 180 won for 10 liters and 500 won for 20 liters

The system has been introduced to reduce waste and save resources Waste that cannot be composted - such as toothpicks and chopsticks - must be disposed of in the white combustible-waste bags bought from convenience stores

The provincial government is monitoring Clean Houses and even visiting peoplersquos homes to ensure compliance In some villages locals are working cooperatively and some have volunteered to be ldquokeepersrdquo of the Clean House Community leaders local government officials and members of the public have formed teams to distribute disposal bags and publicize the new policy

Government officials stress the new system is not voluntary and failure to comply will result in fines starting at 10 thousand won The provincial government has stepped up environmental policies as it seeks to become a green city and reduce the provincersquos carbon footprint

Photo courtesy

Pay-as-you-throw food waste management system

Is it a bird Is it a plane

By Alexis Oesterle

It was a cold snowy day on Jan 27 when Captain Clean (aka Troy MacLellan) made his fifth appearance on Jeju Captain Clean is a superhero with a mission to rid Jeju of all unsightly garbage from the oceans and beaches to the hills and parks When he appears you are sure to spot his sidekicks close by and in their wake you will see orange bags filled with bulging garbage

Troy first had the idea of ldquoCaptain Clean and the Green Machinerdquo in 2009 but the spandex crusader didnrsquot become a reality until Aug 2012 when he staged his first cleanup Troy had read about Jejursquos pristine environment before arriving here and began his campaign after finding the attitude to the environment was ldquothe polar opposite of what I expectedrdquo

He believes this isnrsquot just a problem for Koreans but for all those who live and vacation on Jeju ldquoI was shocked at the amount of garbage everywhere and the fact that there didnrsquot seem to be anything being done about itrdquo

With about 150 volunteers and over 200 bags of garbage collected so far Captain Clean is definitely doing something about it At the time of writing cleanups have been staged at Jocheon Gimnyeong Iho and Bomok and there are more in the offing

The latest cleanup took place at Shin Jejursquos Childrenrsquos Park and although previous efforts saw numerous volunteers turn up this particular Saturday just four people volunteered to assist Captain Clean Energy and spirit were not lacking though and almost four bags of garbage were picked up in the small area

Elizabeth Holbrook one of the volunteers dedicated her time on a Saturday morning because she believes the organization is tackling a huge problem ldquoJeju is such a special place especially in the sense that the air and water are so clean considering it is not that far from the mainland which has so much more pollution That being said it wonrsquot stay that way unless people start taking more action to preserve the islandrdquo

As the frosty morning went on Troy talked about a new development for the Green Machine Captain Clean has now teamed up with Jeju Sea Grant a fund which supports marine habitats and resources plus marine tourism and sports The partnership is planning four coastal cleanups for later this year with one scheduled for February although a date has yet to be set

Troy hopes that the extra funding from the grant will help spread Captain Cleanrsquos motto of ldquoKeep it Cleanrdquo As Ms Holbrook said ldquoevery little bit helpsrdquo

If you want to help ldquoKeep it Cleanrdquo search Facebook or YouTube for ldquoCaptain Cleanrsquos Green Machinerdquo or email Captain Clean directly at cptcleanhotmailcom

Photo courtesy

Green Jeju

09March 2013

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mThe Jeju Weekly Culture

Jeju shamanism a primer

By Sunyoung Hong Anne Hilty

Shamanism remains a mystery to most non-Asian peoples

Although animism or looking to the natural world for the supernatural is at the heart of all indigenous religions and elements of the shamanistic tradition out of central Siberia can be found through-out the world Korea is one of few developed nations to maintain such a practice

Forms of neo-shamanism and other so-called pagan religions are popular throughout the western world often coupled with a romanticized view of nature andor a nostalgia for simple living which maintains an ecological connectedness

In Korean mainland shamanism its ldquomudangrdquo or shamans - predominantly female - have long been the antithesis of this Neo-Confucian country On Jeju however shamanism has taken its own form

The shamanistic tradition is classified as ldquomagico-religiousrdquo Often also a system of physical medicine or healing it is generally meant to soothe the mind and spirit contain the oral history of a people and render life meaningful and events significant through the use of ritual

On Jeju shamanism has long been the core of village life In its village-based shamanistic system all conflict within a village was expected to be resolved prior to communal rituals in order to help ensure the godsrsquo benevolence and village prosperity Jejursquos traditionally egalitarian society was based upon mutual aid its matrifocal structure included powerful female deities and diving women as the primary economic force

The practice of shamanism suffered a great deal during the Joseon dynasty which saw it as contradictory to the favored Confucian social order As the Joseon era gave way to Japanese colonization and the demise of the Korean monarchy all folkloric linguistic and other traditions deemed to con-tribute to nationalism were forbidden

In the 1970s under the Park Chung-hee administration with its New Villages Movement (ldquoSaemaeul Undongrdquo) for economic reconstruction shamanism - along with other traditional customs - was declared the enemy of modernity Shamans were required in formal proceedings to give their tools to the government and renounce their beliefs Practices continued in secret though at the threat of legal sanctions

Today shamanistic rituals and sha-mans themselves are often recognized at provincial and national levels as ldquoIntan-gible Cultural Heritagerdquo some such as Jejursquos Chilmeori Shrine Ritual to Yeongdeung Goddess of Sea and Wind are UNESCO-designated as cultural heritage of global significance

S h a m a n s c a l l e d rdquo rsquo s i n b a n g rdquo o r ldquosimbangrdquo (pronounced ldquoshinmbahngrdquo) on Jeju can be recognized by the provincial government not only as Skills Holders for specific knowledge but also as ldquokeun-simbangrdquo or Great Shamans currently there are only two Keun-simbang Kim Yoon Soo of the Chilmeori Shrine Preservation Society in Geonib-dong Jeju City and Keun-simbang Yang Chang-bo of Keun-gut Preservation Society Gujwa-eup

Shamanistic rituals follow a universal form beginning with each participantrsquos purification in both body and mind prior to the observance as well as cleansing of the ritual space and laying out of offerings A shaman calls to the spirit-

world acting either as mediator or conduit for the spirits to appear This is typically accomplished by the use of incense fire or candles musical instruments such as bells drums gongs and cymbals and chanting or singing as well as the shamanrsquos tools which are culture-specific

Once the spirits are present the shaman recites the oral history and notation of those in attendance as it is considered polite to let the spirits know who is calling them as well as the purpose of the ritual In the body of the ritual - which may take various forms

such as dramatic play recitation music and dancing gestures of healing or other forms appropriate to the purpose - the gods are honored and cajoled restless spirits consoled and devotees comforted

Every ritual on Jeju includes a ldquomein-simbangrdquo main shaman as well as many assisting shamans who conduct portions of the ritual play the musical instru-ments and otherwise support the lead shaman Once the mein-simbang deems that the purpose of the ritual has been achieved he or she exhorts the spirits to return to their world and the ceremony closes with music and a communal dance followed by the sharing of food and drink

One of the features that renders Jeju shamanism unique is the familial almost casual attitude of devotees toward their gods Most deities in the extensive pantheon of this ldquoIsland of 18000 Godsrdquo were either once human elevated to deity after death or are otherwise perceived as ancestors and as members of the village in which a shrine is located and rituals are based

Jeju shamanistic rituals are conducted solely in Korean language and generally only in the local dialect ndash unintelligible to mainland Koreans Some rituals though village-based are today open to out-siders and shamans have even been known to include such in their recitation to the spirits regarding ritual attendees

[For details on the proper conduct

when attending a public ritual please go to the Jeju Weekly website for the companion piece to this article]

Dr Hilty is a cultural health psy-chologist from New York who now makes Jeju Island her home she has been studying shamanism around the world for more than 25 years Dr Hong is a scholar of cultural heritage and its intersection with tourism she is a Jeju native and daughter of a haenyeo

Photo by Photo courtesy

Photo byPhoto courtesy

10 March 2013Exhibition The Jeju Weekly

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Baltic culture gets a warm reception on Jeju

By Darren Southcott

Jejursquos myths are many and varied from the paradise-desiring creator Seolmundae Halmang to dolphinrsquos friend and goddess of the sea Youngdeung Halmang There is even room in the pantheon for a s a m g y e o p s a l - l o v i n g g o d K a n g Hareubang banished from home by his stern wife for his porky odour

These riches so often lost in the drive to modernity are shared with many other cultures across the globe One such place is Lithuania whose Baltic heritage preserves a deep lore lost in most of modern Europe Lithuanian art student Agnes Latinyte recently showcased her countryrsquos Baltic mythology at Game Guesthouse in Geonib-dong

While it is a revived rather than living mythology it survived until the 19th century in the form of folk beliefs the

nation resisted Christianization until as late as the 15th century

The pantheon is diverse there is the shape-shifting and one-eyed Velinas lord of the underworld the forest-dwelling Milda luring men with her beauty

of all the earth and many more besidesLatinyte said a number of unexpected

invites and chance meetings resulted in her exhibition on the island ldquoIt was a funny and twisted series of events that led to Jejurdquo Latinyte said

The decision to introduce her rich Baltic culture to Korea was based in pride Latinyte feels the northeastern corner of Europe is often overlooked in favor of the more dominant cultural blocs in Europe

ldquoUsually people know about Greek myths Roman gods sometimes even a couple of stories from Scandinavian mythology but few are aware of the existence of Baltic mythology Baltic people covered quite a large part of Europe in ancient times and itrsquos a very unique and influential culture in Central and Eastern Europerdquo Latinyte said

Before coming to the ldquoIsland of 18000 Godsrdquo Latinyte was unaware of the similarities between Baltic tradition and the folk beliefs still prevalent on Jeju

ldquoI have always said that cultures have many things in common and I could see it with my own eyes Especially in Jeju where older beliefs are much more preserved than on the mainland many visitors found similarities with old Korean folk deities similarities in symbols and valuesrdquo she said

Indicating how traditions remain part of the fabric of everyday life even while belief systems die out Latinyte was struck by some familiar customs on Jeju

ldquoDuring my stay in Jeju I have also witnessed several cultural customs that are strangely alike For example at the five-day market we saw a man pouring soju on the ground - a drop before drinking - to sacrifice for the gods In Lithuania we do exactly the same when drinking beerrdquo she said

Latinytersquos work strikingly portrays the Baltic gods through layered imagery taken from hundreds of sources ldquoIf I like one finger in a picture I will use itrdquo

Photomanipulation was used to create a series of images of gods and goddesses that are stark and haunting the images are overlaid with the Lithuanian runic futhark adding to their mysterious air

The location for the exhibition was not a typical arthouse being in the lobby area o f a m i d - r e n o v a t i o n t r a v e l l e r s rsquo guesthouse ldquoEveryone thinks you should do an exhibition with white walls but I like the old feel with the Korean windowrdquo Latinyte said

The success of her first show on the island looks like leading to others and there are already plans to return in the summer The mythology of Jeju has also been quick to leave its mark as a collaboration is planned combining Lithuanian with Jeju mythology

ldquoI am looking forward to learning Korean painting techniques from fellow artists or in collaboration projects where we can combine not only techniques but ideas and cultures as wellrdquo she said

Photo courtesy

11March 2013

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mThe Jeju Weekly Colorful Jeju News Briefs

Jeju Island certified as National Geological Park

Jeju island received the title of Nation-al Geological Park from the M i n i s t r y o f Environment on Feb 20 at the Lexington

Hotel in Seoul Ulleung-do and Dok-do (islands) were also certified

Jeju island became Koreas first certified geopark when it was awarded the designation by the UNESCO World Geopark Steering Committee in 2010 The national government amended the Natural Parks Law and introduced the National Geological Park system after Jeju Island received national geopark certification

The Jeju Island national geopark is 18 million hectares and includes Mt Halla National Park as well as the Yongmeori coast The 3rd Asia-Pacific Geopark General Assembly will be held in Jeju this September 300 participants from 20 countries including European Geopark Network members are set to attend

Cruise tourism to blossom

Jejus international cruise tourism for 2013 began with the port entry of the cruise ship lsquoCosta Victoriarsquo on February 23rd The Costa Victoria sails between Korea China and Japan and is expected to dock in Jeju 29 times between February and October of this year

13 different international cruise ships are expected to dock in Jeju a total of 170 times this year bringing with them 350 thousand tourists The number of cruise ship dockings is projected to increase 112 percent over last year and the number of tourists arriving on the ships should increase 150 percent An official from the provincial government

said that they are trying their best to attract more cruise tourists The official also stated that there are plans for Jeju to become an Asian hub port which would be supported through the growth of international cruise tourism as well as network building

Jeju birthrate highest in the nation

The average birthrate in Jeju over the last 10 years has topped the nation as has the number of families with third children According to the Jeju Special Self Governing Province there were 149 children per household recorded in 2011 which is higher than the national average

Jeju has topped the nation for babies born per family since 2001 and the rate is steadily increasing Jeju Special Self Governing Province estimates the average birthrate this year to be around 16 per household

Meanwhile the rate of families with more than three children was 191 percent in 2011 again significantly higher than the national average

The survey suggests that larger families are considered positively among islanders with three out of 10 married women stating plans to have more children after their third child

Residence assistance offered for married female immigrants

The Jeju Multicultural Family Support Center will run a pilot program this year to provide customized services through a specialized counselor for married female immigrants The counselor will offer information and advice to individuals experiencing trouble due to Korean speaking ability and economic conditions

The counselor can target issues multicultural families have in settling in Korea and will provide a variety of services in cooperation with social organizations and institutions

Jeju Migrant Information Center moves to new site

The Jeju Migrant Information Center a branch of the Jeju City Multicultural Family Support Center has moved to No 33-1 Seogwang-ro 2-gil Jeju City It is located on the third floor of its new building which is at the rear of the Jeju Intercity Bus Terminal in front of the public stadium

Further information is available at wwwjejumcnet

Jeju to spend 30 billion won to expand free school meals

Students in all of Jejus elementary and middle schools will receive free lunches starting this year Earlier this year the Jeju Special Self Governing Province increased the budget for free meals in middle schools to 30 billion won In addition Jeju will put five billion won towards the lunch systems in use at daycare centers encouraging the use of environmentally-friendly and organic foods

A total of 67 thousand middle school and elementary school students will receive free school meals starting this spring semester and organic rice will be provided to preschool children attending kindergarten and daycare centers

A total of 186 free-lunch days per year are included in the new program The unit price of each lunch differs with 2400 won per lunch being allocated for each elementary school student 2600 won for each middle school student and 2000 won for each student in special-education schools for disabled youth

Jeju to extend financial support to primary industries

The financial support offered to Jejus agricultural forestry and fishery industries will be increased to 160 billion won this year to revitalize rural economies and keep primary industries competitive

Jeju provinces Warranty Center of the National Agricultural Cooperative announced the increased support budget which is 15 billion won more than last year The new 2013 New Start Campaign also aims to revitalize primary industries

The budget covers 30 billion won to the livestock industry 42 billion won to fisheries and 89 billion won to the agroforestry industry The increases are expected to bring stability to the industries and maintain competitiveness in primary industries alongside a 20 billion won support package for the reparation of farming facilities

These News Briefs are brought to courtesy of Arirang Radio in a partnership agreement which sees content shared with The Jeju Weekly

CocomaA codama is a tangerine which is too small to sell

It means a small bead in JapaneseShe is very small but she tastes very sweetAnd she is my favorite pachi tangerine

To contact the artist email greamartsgmailcom or connect with ldquoGREAMrdquo on Facebook

12 March 2013Calendar The Jeju Weekly

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Community CalendarJeju Language Clubs

Korean-English Language Exchange

nd

Jeju Foreign Language Club (English)

Performance and Festivals

Nanta

Musical Turandot

Chilmeoridang-Yeongdeung Gut

The 7th Hueree Apricot Flower festival

Exhibitions

The First LOHAS Exhibition

Jeju Culture and Art Center Western Painting Exhibition

World Calligrapher invitation exhibition

Uncase Exhibition of Collected Artwork

Artwork of Chang Ree-Suok at MoA

Byun Shi Ji Permanent Exhibition Kang Yong Beom Permanent Exhibition

Dawn Country Nature Engraving Exhibition

Recreation

Free Movies at Jeju Movie Culture Art Center

Jeju City AnnouncementsPrevent forest fires during spring

Jeju Fire Festival

First day (Friday Mar8)

Second day (Saturday Mar9)

Third day (Sunday Mar10)

Other events

Fire Festival Free Shuttle Bus

Guidelines for payment of automobile tax

Seogwipo City AnnouncementsCulture Art Market amp authorrsquos walking trail

Seogwipo Intercity Bus Terminal integrated management guide

Traditional five-day markets open

rd rd

nd nd

The second and last Saturday of each month is the traditional market day (The scheduled holiday of large-scale distributors)

Connecting with The Jeju Weekly

Contacting the Editor

AdvertizingPicking up The Jeju Weekly