Seoul education chief vows to innovate schools

Korean students have been in high competition to study higher grade courses in private school, because they want to enter to a good university or school.

Seonhaeng Hakseup is the name of private school, which teaches about advance courses. For example Students at elementary schools study middle school course. Students at middle school study high school.

If students can get a high score from the entrance exam, it can send a good feedback to a private school, and it can increase number of students which go to take an advance course. It is the one of factor that can increase private education costs.

Kwak No Hyun, the new superintendent of the Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education. He do not want students go to take private classes.

Kwak said “Seonhaeng Hakseup assembly line is wrong. I do not want to see students trap in this.”

He said “After taking private tutoring more than 12 years, our students d not kwon how to study by their own.

Education has to focus it on helping students learning by themselves from school.

In my opinion, I agree with Kwak No Hyun because taking private courses cannot help students much. If they go to take private courses, then after go back home if they do not review the lesson. I think they get nothing about the study. In the other hand, if they try to learn by themselves, I think they can get something more than they think.

http://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/news/nation/2010/08/117_72017.html

Seoul 7th biggest buyer of US arms

South Korea was the largest buyer of buying defense goods from the US last year, the US said. South Korea purchased about $462 million defense products in 2009 via the Foreign Military Sales (FMS) program.

Last month, South Korea joined naval exercise in the East Sea with the US as a response to the sinking of the Cheonan.

Saudi Arabia was the top of buying defense goods about $1.67 billion from the US, Greece about $1.29 billion. Israel became the third of buying defense goods about $771 million, Britain about $671 million, Egypt about $659 million, and Canada about $530 million, in order.

Last year, the US approved about preferential treatment under the FMS program to South Korea to against North Korea.

South Korean President Lee Myung-bak met with the U.S. President George W. Bush in April 2009 to agree on the upgrade the status of buying weapons.

In my opinion, South Korea and the US are the allies. Therefore South Korea can buy weapons from the US by have no problem.

http://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/news/nation/2010/08/116_71825.html

15 leaders to participating in G20 biz summit

The top 15 conglomerates and financial institutions leaders of Korea are preparing to attend in G20 biz summit, in Seoul on November.

The participating business leaders include a chairman of Samsung Electronics, a chairman of Hyundai Automotive Group, a chairman of SK Group, a chairman of LG Group, a chairman of Lotte Group Vice, a chairman of POSCO CEO, a chairman of GS Caltex, a chairman of Hyundai Heavy Industries, a chairman of Hanjin Group, a chairman of KT CEO, a chairman of Doosan, a chairman of Hanwha Group, a chairman of KB Financial, a chairman of Kyobo Life Insurance, and a chairman of Daewoo Securities.

The organization announced more than 100 foreign business leaders to make an appointment to join in this summit that organize in two days. Korea’s leaders will made best reflect to Korea Inc.

The overall is about 120 leaders of business and financial. They will separate into 12 groups.

In my opinion, it is good idea to announce this summit to other country, because Korea can show the efficient of doing work and organize with foreign business leaders.

http://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/news/biz/2010/08/123_71763.html

S. Korea Unveils New Military Transport Chopper

South Korea evinced a new military helicopter to replace U.S. helicopters. The Surion helicopter was first shown at a ceremony in the southern city of Sacheon.

South Korea planned to build about 200 Surion to replace UH-1Hs and 500MDs The Surion can fly 260 kilometers per hour, carrying two gunners and a patrol of troops.

This project has spent a lot of money. It is about 1.3 trillion won.

I think it is good for South Korea to build their new military helicopter, and it is good beginning to start building their own transport.

https://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/news/nation/2009/08/113_49397.html

Wireless technologies to allow workers to stay at home

Korea is looking to be advancement in digital equipment and wireless technology for creating a comfortable of using internet in everywhere, and anytime by use via any device.

The government announced to use smart work, the target is 30 percent of public employees can work and use the internet form home or nearby smart work center with smart phone by 2015, laptop and other mobile internet service.

The government will establish two prototype smart-work centers, completely with advanced network and video conferencing capabilities, by the end of this year, and increased the number of the remote of workstations to 50 by 2015.

The Public Administration and Security Ministry is looking to rewrite management standards for public employees, including work manuals.

Korea Communications Commission (KCC) was collaborating with telecommunications companies KT and SK to upgrade the wireless internet and broadband networks.

The variety of security technologies will be test to prevent the smart work network from the risk of cyber attacks.

In my opinion, it is more comfortable to have wireless. Because you can play the internet anywhere and it can easily to communication.

http://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/news/biz/2010/07/123_69843.html

Youth Olympic flame arrives in Seoul

The flame of Youth Olympic Games arrived in Seoul on its final stop on a 13 day tour of all five continents, before go to Singapore which the head of global event for young athletes.

Ser Miand ng, who is the chairman of Youth Olympic committee Games said “Youth Olympic Games aim at teaching athletes from a youth ages.”

Before Youth Olympic Games come to Seoul in Korea, the flame traveled to Berlin in Germany, Auckland in New Zealand and also Mexico.

From August 14 to 26, more than 5,000 athletes from all over the World will compete in 26 categories.

This will be the first global sport that mixed genders and nationalities in the same team.

In my opinion, it is a good idea to have Youth Olympic Games, because it can teach about sportsmanship. Young athletes can learn about many cultures, because this time is the first time that will mix nationalities in the same team.

http://www.koreaherald.com/sports/Detail.jsp?newsMLId=20100804000668

Lee Chung Yong records first goal in preseason

Lee Chang Yong of Bolton Wanderers netted shoot the first goal of the preseason wins over Osasuna in Bolton.

Lee Chang Yong is well known Korean football player, because of his skill for controlling the ball on the pitch. After making an impressive play, Lee Chang Yong was substituted the 60^th with Matthew Taylor, who is the midfielder.

Korean gave some interview of advancing the Trotters in English League, and playing to achieve Coyle’s aim.

Meanwhile, Davies played for the victory, and he delivered the ball to another forward Johan Elmander to shoot the goal of another team. The La Liga team attempted to bounce back in the second half, but cannot win.

http://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/news/sports/2010/08/136_71075.html

Korean English Fever Betrayed by Test Scores

Koreans spend a lot of money to study English and they decide to study English in private, but their efforts are not successful. When the test result coming up and compare between other countries, Koreans are at the bottom.

The British Council announced the IELTS result of Koreans rank, Koreans is in 19^th of the 20 countries. It can show that Koreans do not improve their English skill anymore.

IELTS stand for an International English Language Test System. It has two types of test; one is a general training module for emigrant hopefuls and two is an academic module for students applying to study aboard

Koreans weakness are writing and speaking tests. Although Koreans spend a lot of money to study English and they are trying to study English at an earlier ages.

In my opinion, Korea is country that uses only it own language to communicate. Some people in Korea can speak English but not much. But if Koreans try to study and speak a lot, I think they can improve their English skill.

http://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/news/nation/2009/08/117_25279.html

Enjoy concerts and operas at Seoul Plaza

Seoul City will perform the show in August at Seoul Plaza, it is about the classical concert. Every day at 7.30 pm, except Monday, it will have many kinds of show which, show will perform at Seoul Plaza in front of City Hall.

On Friday, jazz concert named “Sing Sing Sing”. This concert will mix jazz music and classic music together, it will perform on August 4.

The first day of August, Seoul Ballet Theatre will perform a ballet gala show. This performance will cover everything from classical and romantic.

Korea has many kinds of performance, I think this concert will be great for everyone that has opportunity to go to watch it.

http://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/news/sports/2010/07/136_70037.html

US plans military exercises with South Korea

The US and South Korea are planning on joining their army forces for military exercises in which the Pentagon says joining together both army forces would claim a preclusion to North Korea.

Hillary Clinton, the US secretary of State and Robert Gates, a defense Secretary, will visit Seoul next week to discuss about the military exercises.

An international inspection was against North Korea, but Pyongyang, a capital city of North Korea, has denied it.

Geoff Morrell said Mrs. Clinton and Mr. Gates would discuss and approve the conjoined naval and air exercises in the Sea of Japan and the Yellow Sea.

China refused allowing the two countries to train their army forces near its waters, because doing so will lead to the tension with North Korea which is China’s ally.

According to Mr. Morrell, “the maneuvers were a matter of our ability to exercise in the open seas, in international waters. Those determinations are made by us and us alone".

Even though the exercise is defensive in nature, but as Mr. Morrell stated “it will send a clear message of deterrence to North Korea.”

Though both countries- - The US and South Korea are still not ready to give out any information on the military exercise, they planned to start it as soon as possible.

On 26 March, 46 lives found lost after the sinking of the corvette Cheonan happened near the disputed maritime border between the two states.

International investigators say torpedo launched by North Korea is an answer as to why the navy ship was sunk, however, Pyongyang denied its action.

The conviction made by the United Nations Security Council last week seemed to avoid blaming North Korea.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia+pacific-10640167

BoA will come back with new album

BoA is a Korea’s pop singer who was debuted in 2000 when she was 13 years old. She will come back with her new album on August 5 in this year. Before her comeback on August 5, SM Entertainment has released her photo which show her efficient of her work to their fan.

BoA has focused her music activities more aboard than in Korea. After she did music career in Japan, she was success in the music industry in the US.

She said “come back stages this time make me nervous and happy” and she hope her songs have more developed and have more efficient. She will promote her album and release a new song to radio stations.

In my opinion, BoA is a very good singer. She can sing and dance well. When her release new songs, she always successful in every albums.

http://www.koreaherald.com/entertainment/Detail.jsp?newsMLId=20100722000621

Top stars to promote G20 Seoul summit

South Korea is preparing to promote G20 Seoul summit in November in Seoul. The G20 preparation committee lead by chairman Sakong II choose Kim Yu Na who is the skating champion, Park Ji Sung who is the footballer of South Korea team and the last person Han Hyo Joo who is the actress will work as goodwill ambassadors.

It happened since the summit is an international event which South Korea will hopefully to be the number one of leading countries in the world, thus they specific chose two stars of sport and one star of actress to be goodwill ambassadors of G20, to promote this event.

The Seoul summit is the fifth since after the US was the initiated of this summit in November 2008 in Washington.

I agree with South Korea to choose the superstars of sport and actress to be goodwill ambassadors, because if they choose the person who not well know. It will be not attractive to other countries to join with.

http://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/news/special/2010/07/178_69882.html

South Korea airport bus crash near Seoul kills 12 passengers

Nowadays it has many car accidents that happen on the road. I do not know why or maybe drivers have careless about their cars.

A bus had fallen from a bridge near the international airport in Incheon city in

South Korea. It was killing 12 passengers and another 12 passengers in the bus were

injured, when the bus fell about 10 m from the bridge onto the construction below.

The bus had left away from Incheon international airport about 20 km. Then
the bus will had and an accident.

Some reports said the bus was trying to avoid parking when some people try to
wiggle this bus.

The bridge links Incheon city with the airport, about 70km in the west of Seoul,
on Yeongjong Island.

The nationalities of Dead people and injured people cannot be confirm yet.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/10498724

South Korea postponed launching a rocket because of a fire safety problem.

Controllers have planned to send the Korea Space Launch Vehicle 1 (KSLV-1) from the Nero Space Centre in Goheung but the operation was postponed.

China, India and Japan have developed a launch capability; China has already sent a rocket in three times. Launching a rocket into space was delayed because of the problem with rocket's fire extinguisher system.

A spokeman of the Ministry Of Education, Science and Technology said engineers should check the problem.

It not sure about when the rocket will be send out but spokeman said it is hard to send it again on this Wednesday.

The part-Russian, part South Korean rocket will be send test satellite called the Science and Technology Satellite 2B (STSAT 2B).

The rocket high about 33m and will be launch at the country new spaceport on the southern tip of the Korean peninsula.

The first time of South Korea that has sent the two-stage KSLV-1 in the last year of August, it failed to make it into orbit.

Four months previously, a sending of the rocket by North Korea was not successful when the UN reported the both of rocket have fell into the Pacific Ocean.

North Korea’s sending rocket, it seem like shooting missile, in the far distance but neighbors of South Korea accept that its intention for peaceful civilian programme.


http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science_and_environment/10269459.stm

Korea Sparking

Hello everyone. This is my new blog; this blog will tell you about all the events happened in Korea.



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