Link Dump

Some articles that caught my eye last time I combed through all my favorite news sites:

Coincidentally, it's a little "Chosun Ilbo" heavy, but that wasn't intentional.

The most important link of the day: Read about North Korea's Worst Concentration Camp -

The Jeungsan Reeducation Center in South Pyongan Province has a reputation for cruelty and the saying goes that even healthy people leave as cripples.

This camp is especially for women's reeducation, and everyone in the world should be reminded, between Paris Hilton videos and Kim Kardashian scandal rumors, that this is happening, too.

Koreans and Foreigners have different ways of enjoying food as a social activity.

While this doesn't mean Foreigners and Koreans can never understand each other or be friends, articles like this are good starting points for trying to find a middle-ground of understanding, when foreigners and Koreans try to make friends. On the other hand, you have to question a survey that surveys "foreigners" rather than, say, groups from distinct countries.

"Improving Korea's Status takes More than Cosmetic Measures" - an editorial saying something similar to my rant about branding.

Korean Women Reject 'Drink or Be Fired' Culture - looking at the way women fit into Korea's alcohol-soaked "if the boss says, you MUST drink" business culture. (ht Brian's twitter)

26 Reasons What you Think is Right is Wrong - a bit of critical thinking (ht James Turnbull's twitter)

"For Koreans, the Spicier the Food the Better" - Koreans like spicy food. Nothing special there... but the picture, with its "Blonde hair bignoses can't eat spicy food" stereotype-reinforcer, is a bit... condescending?

Maybe the blonde haired bignose is now simply cartoonist shorthand for "Non-Koreans" but being a blonde haired bignose myself, well, I still resent it.