Why the North Korean rocket launch failed.

With apologies to Dr. Seuss's "Horton Hears a Who"

 Kim Jong-eun's intelligence agency is now hunting for the one citizen who was not cheering the missile on.

A very small, very small shirker named Jo-Jo
Was standing, just standing, and bouncing a Yo-Yo!
Not making a sound! Not a yipp! Not a chirp!
North Korean Intelligence grabbed the small twerp


"This," cried the chief, "is the leader's dark hour!
The rocket named Eun-ha took off from the tower
If the children of Kim Il-sung don't raise a cheer,
That rocket will crash in the ocean we fear...

If the launch is a fail there will be consequences
All your uncles and brothers will live inside fences
To the prison camp with you and three generations
Of family, for causing our humiliation!"


(image source)

And so little Jo-jo joined in with the praise
In the hope with his voice, greater ruckus be raised
That the satellite (or so-called) Eun-ha take flight
And escape from earth's gravity to orbit that night

But the rocket splashed down somewhere out in the sea:
Rockets don't fly by cheering, but technology!

They didn't clap loudly enough.

JFNK, KUMFA: Two Worthy Causes

I've received emails from a couple of cool people I know, who have asked me to share the news about a couple of worthy causes which I believe in:

Justice For North Korea is a group that raises awareness of the North Korea human rights crisis. They have weekly meetings, and they also have events where people can help out with planning and organization... or where they might be interested in showcasing your talents, if you're an artist, a musician, or some other kind of performer. If you've been looking for a stage for your contortionist juggling act (or your band) it might be worth looking into this.

You can reach them, and learn more, through their Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/justicefornorthkorea


As any longtime reader knows, I care a lot about womens' issues in South Korea, and in that vein, Korean Unwed Mothers' Family Association is having an event on April 27, in Hongdae. If you frequent Hongdae on the weekend anyway, think about adding this to the itinerary, and dropping the price of a few long island ice teas on some people who could use it more than you could use a bad hangover.

Again, find out more about it at the Facebook event, and mark it in your calendar.

Expect posting at Blogoseyo to be light, as presentation and midterm season is coming up at school, and then term papers.

And if you can... vote. It's election day in Korea, and a lot of Koreans went to jail or died in the late 70s and 80s so you could.

Lecture on North Korea and China... LANKOV!

Hat tip to Matt from Popular Gusts.

Andrei Lankov, probably the North Korea commentator/analyst I like/trust the most, is giving a lecture on North Korea and China. If you're in Seoul, and able at all to go, you should.

More info here.

Here is a baby. And some hard questions.

Here is a baby to entertain you until I have time/passion/bile to write up another full length post.


Among the things on my mind:

How does one distinguish a discourse from a national narrative (for example: the developmental discourse in Korea, and the national narrative of the Korean success story).

Is it possible for Lee Myung-Bak's attempts to "brand" Korea and position Korea as a "world leader" to be any less in step with the idea of "soft power" as theorized by Joseph Nye?

How much can op-ed columns in major Korean newspapers be taken as representative of/trusted to reliably frame major national discourses on various?

Why doesn't every news publisher have easily searchable archives?

And one more time: Baby:

Greener Pastures...

[UPDATE] OK then....
since it's no longer April first anywhere in the world...

Gotcha.
And for those of you who didn't notice the date... this didn't ring any "Too good to be true" bells?



Hi, readers.

I'm not quite sure how to start this post... but I've got some news that's really exciting, but perhaps a bummer for a lot of my readers.

Most of you know I've been doing graduate studies in Korean Studies lately, and this has led to an interesting opportunity: through a connection I made at the Canadian embassy with the consultative group there, I've been invited to join a Vancouver-based think tank on migration, multicultural policy and identity politics across the Pacific Rim. They're looking for someone with extensive experience in writing and Korean culture, with a balance between Canadian perspective and boots-on-the-ground experience in Korea... which is pretty much exactly me. After a few interviews, I was offered the position in March, and after mulling it over with Wifeoseyo and our families, I've decided to accept it.

Not only will I get a full-benefits government-funded job, the think tank has long-term corporate backing from a number of Pacific Rim import/export companies who have a whole line-up of research projects they'd like us to develop. On top of that, the company will support my Ph.D. studies while I work for them... so long as its focus is in line with the institute's research goals... and they are. I don't know how many people are lucky enough to get offered positions where they're paid to study the topics that fascinate them.

It's hard to say goodbye to Korea -- it's been a pretty sudden, shocking change for Wifeoseyo, who'd been expecting to live in Korea pretty much indefinitely... but when we looked at the package they were offering, which included training to help Wifeoseyo pick up her line of business over in Canada, and the schools we'd have access to for Babyseyo, and the chance to be closer to my two sisters... in the end it was a no-brainer.

The amount of time they're asking, and the kinds of research tasks I'll be organizing and executing, pretty much preclude anything but work/research and family time -- I've enjoyed writing Roboseyo, and for a long time, I've told anyone who listens that the best thing about writing this blog has been the AWESOME people I've met -- I'll be in touch with you personally -- and if you're in the Vancouver area, the Roboseyo email will stay open.



I'm glad I stayed with blogspot now, because the free service means that I can keep the blog online in perpetuity -- Blogoseyo isn't going anywhere, but it just won't be updated anymore -- but the blogosphere has never been in better shape, and I'm sure, between this sidebar and the sidebar links of the other bloggers and blogs you like, you'll easily find other sources of insight and entertainment... but it won't be me.

Unless you see some of my publications here or there.

Thanks again, all my loyal readers and commenters, for your contribution to the awesome experience that Blogoseyo has been... I'm sorry I won't be able to engage with you the way I have... but then again, if I'm not living here anymore, it's for the better: I've seen what happens to those who try to keep a Korea-blog running after repatriation, and it just doesn't work.

Love you all:

Rob

And one more, because successful trolls are really funny: