[JSRC 학생기자] Reflecting And Looking Forward

Reflecting And Looking Forward I finished my first semester at Harvard on December 16th, which was the date of my Economics 10A final. The past four months had been a whirlwind of change and new experiences. Now that I have had some time to rest and reflect, here are my personal thoughts on the first semester, as well as some outlooks on the upcoming semester. The first few weeks of school dispelled many of the stereotypes I held about what Harvard was like. Before school started, I imagined that the majority of the students at Harvard were wealthy, disconnected from the rest of the world, and perhaps a little bit stuck up. This turned out to be quite false. No matter their socioeconomic background, my classmates were generally very down-to-earth, humble, and sociable. Sure, there were people I disagreed with, but the student body as a whole consists of friendly and social, if bright and driven, people. Harvard students are incredibly involved. This applies both inside and outside the classroom. The school offers a wealth of extracurricular activities to enjoy, and most students really try to take full advantage of the given opportunities. Some of the clubs require newcomers to undergo a “comp” process before they become full-fledged members. What consists of as “comping” differs for each club. The Harvard Crimson has a semester-long comp process, during which newcomers learn about the various aspects of the newspaper, including design, publicity, writing, photograph, etc. On the other hand, The Harvard College Consulting Group (HCCG) is extremely selective, and the comp process is a series of interviews, much like in real-life corporate setting. This past semester, I was a member of the Harvard quiz bowl team, as a continuation of an activity I much enjoyed during high school. I also played violin in the Harvard Pops Orchestra; Harvard has a wide variety of musical opportunities, whether it be a classical orchestra, jazz band, or a cappella groups. Pops Orchestra is a relatively low-commitment organization that combines classical repertoire with film soundtrack music, skits, and comedy. I also comped for the Harvard Financial Analyst Group; the process lasted throughout the semester. The compers learned the basics of evaluating stocks and gave a stock pitch presentation at the end of the semester. At the conclusion of the presentation, the compers (including myself) became full-fledged members of the club. Lastly, I am also a part of the Harvard College Faith and Action, which is a Christian community within the school. Overall, I had a successful semester. I made friends, involved myself in activities that I enjoyed, and also did well academically. I also learned to be more independent and manage my own time and resources better. I have also been challenged by those around me, not only by their intelligence and achievements, but also by their incredible drive and visions for the future. There will be some changes occurring the next semester. First, I will be taking different classes. Right now, I am definitely planning on taking Economics 10B (Introductory Macroeconomics) and Statistics 104 (Introductory Statistical Analysis for Economics). This means I have to choose two more classes; I have a few in mind, and I want to sit it on them during Shopping Week, as well as consult my academic advisors before making a final decision. One of the two new classes I will be picking out is going to replace my Freshman Seminar class from first semester, meaning my academic workload will likely increase this semester. At the same time, I will be taking on more commitments outside of the classroom. I will continue to be a part of the activities I joined in the first semester, and also plan on comping the Crimson, which is the famous Harvard student-run newspaper. I am excited to become a reporter, just as I have been writing for the Korea Daily Chicago since high school. Overall, I am excited for the second semester. I want to continue to excel academically, make more friends, involve myself in extracurriculars, and grow as an intellectual and a professional. Go Amazon Go Amazon Go is a service that uses a machine that learns and sensors the items a customer is picking up. The items then can be added to the virtual cart on the app. The benefit of this service is that customers do not have to check out or wait in line. Amazon Go uses the same technology used in self-driving cars such as computer vision, sensor fusion, and deep learning. This technology automatically records when the item is taken from or returned to the shelf in a virtual cart. After picking out the items to take home, customers can simply go home and their receipts will be sent to them on their Amazon account. Anyone can be a customer at the Amazon Go store! All you need is a smartphone, Amazon account, and a free Amazon Go app. Right now, Amazon Go is being tested at Seattle so that it could be open to the public early this year. Currently, it is just open to Amazon employees for test. It is opened as a 1,800-square foot store that sells prepared foods such as fresh breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snacks. Amazon also stated that they will sell grocery items like baked goods, cheese, and milk. Not only this, they are selling items from well-known brands and from artisanal merchants. The store also will provide Amazon Meal Kits which includes ingredients to make a meal for two in about 30 minutes. They haven’ t talked about their delivery and ordering service, but it was mentioned to be a new concept for Amazon Go. With all these technology developing and making our lives more and more easier, we wonder if this service will be an hindrance to anything. Many are questioning if it will really make human life more convenient or if it will just cause more problems such as increase in unemployment and increase in the amount of debt to pay off after developing all the technology in stores all over the United States once it is open to the public. However, with the insufficient information given about the service Amazon Go, it is hard to assume. All we could do for now is hope for the best and wish for it to improve human life.

[JSRC학생기자] For Triumph with Trump

On November 8th, Trump was voted as the forty fifth president of the United States. His 47.5% of the votes were from the silent majority who needed a leader to focus on them and not only the minorities. Trump has promised to put America first in all situations. He claimed that his priorities will only focus on the benefits of the United States. Knowing this, we wonder if Trump will make America great again. Trump’s top five campaign promises start with “building a wall.” He announced that he will make a wall in between Mexico and America. However, even his supporters question if this is actually beneficial for the U.S. since just building a wall will be very costly and America is not in a place to spend more. His second campaign promise was to temporarily ban Muslims from entering the United States. After the shooting in San Bernardino in 2015, Trump stated to New York Times that he will ban Muslims from entering America by the end of his first 100 days in office. However, immigrants argue that it is against America’s constitution about immigration to America. The Korean community is mainly worried about the new immigration policy. They fear that it will limit immigration and cause a problem for the Korean immigrants that are currently worried about their status in the U.S. Trump’s third promise was to bring back lost manufacturing jobs. He has said he will make this happened by withdrawing America from the Trans-Pacific Partnership. However, many experts also questioned the financial aspect of his plan. Also, other trading countries will team up to make the new economic trade plans going against Trump if he only prioritizes America. His fourth promise was to put tariffs on goods made in Mexico and China. He intends to do this because of the profit America would make with the tariffs, but Warren Maruyama, former general counsel to the U.S. Trade Representative, stated this will only cause loss of jobs and a trade war. Fifth promise was to replace Obamacare with a market based alternative. We’re not sure how he’s going to replace it exactly, but he has been dropping hints. Trump has promised to change Medicaid to a block grant program. He wanted to improve the quality of care and control costs. He’s going to make sure low-income Americans don’t lose coverage. However, many people fear Trumpcare will only benefit the majority and not the minorities who are undocumented and unprotected. Trump was nominated as the person of the year in Times Magazine. He was named as the president of the segregated America. Many minorities have different opinions about Trump and are not sure about their future in America. Since we are the voters of the next presidential election, we have to look into what is going on and start thinking about the decisions we are going to make in 2020. Building Relationships with Instructors It might be easy to assume that Harvard students do not interact much with their teachers outside of the classroom setting; I think too many people imagine students spending the majority of their time studying in solitude in little cubicles in the library. While Harvard students do work hard on their own, this is at best an incomplete picture of the academic experience of the school. Harvard encourages deeper relationships between their students and faculty, and the school provides many avenues toward that goal. First, a quick description of the different types of instructors at Harvard. Most important and prominent are the full-fledged professors. Professors conduct research and teach courses. Freshmen tend to take many of the same introductory courses, which (given the large class size) are often not taught by professors. However, there are special courses called freshman seminars which are courses taught specifically by professors and have a small class size (usually fifteen at maximum). Large classes are often led by a professor, but divided into smaller sections taught by teaching fellows. Teaching fellows are usually graduate students who had excelled in the class as an undergraduate. My teaching fellow for introductory Economics 10A class is a Harvard Law student who had taken the class before. Most of the learning of the class comes in section with her. Sometimes, teaching fellows can also have course assistants, who are undergraduate students who had taken the course before. My Math 1A course is taught by a teaching fellow (a Ph.D candidate) in conjunction with a course assistant. The mandatory Expository writing courses are taught by proctors, who are faculty specifically employed to teach only. Of all the the faculty, Expos proctors probably have the most interaction with their students. Each student is required to conference with their proctor individually for each major writing assignment. During conference, the student can ask questions about their paper and the proctor gives advice on how to improve upon the student’s rough draft. Besides natural interactions during class time, the easiest way for a student to get to know their instructor is through office hours. Office hours are times set aside by instructors specifically for their students. Students can come visit their teachers (usually in their office), ask questions, or just have a conversation. Even busy professors, like Professor Greg Mankiw, have designated office hours for students. I regularly attend Professor Mankiw’s office hours and have had candid conversations. We have discussed the value of education in economics, his experiences working as the Chairman of the Council of Economic Advisors, the popularity of the musical Hamilton, among many other things. Most of the office hours consists of casual conversation and is not very structured. It is a relaxed environment in which to build stronger bonds with the instructor. Not many students take advantage of this opportunity (especially office hours for professors like Mankiw), and therefore, a student can often have a one-on-one conversation with some of the greatest intellectual minds in their respective fields. During exam periods, teaching fellows often hold extra office hours where students can come and ask questions about course material. There are many such office hours happening right now, because it is the reading period before final exams. Another neat opportunity to interact with teachers is called Classroom to Table. If enough students of the same class desire to do so, they can invite their instructor to a meal outside campus, which Harvard pays for (up to $20 per participant, which is quite generous). My Expos writing classmates decided to take our proctor out for dinner, and we were able to have good food and fun conversation about her studies, opinions about the Harvard-Yale football game, past teaching experiences, and musical tastes. Again, Classroom to Table is another relaxed environment for students and instructors to interact, with the added bonus of good food paid for by Harvard. As one can see, Harvard cares about its students and faculty and encourages the two groups to mingle, converse, and create deeper relationships. It is one of the attributes I like the most about my school.

[JSRC학생기자]Oakland Warehouse Burns Down, Kills 36 and Counting

On Sunday December 4, 2016, a warehouse in Oakland, California burned to the ground. The warehouse was being used illegally as an apartment­like complex for artists who were too poor to pay for rent in the San Francisco Bay Area. The illegal housing situation in the Bay Area has grown since the 2008 real estate fallout and continual high pricing as kept the situation a large one. Places such as this Oakland warehouse, aptly named “The Ghost Ship” are not uncommon as many sub­communities of displaced individuals struggling to make ends meet exist all throughout the Bay Area in the form of trailer cities or repurposed apartments and warehouses. After interviews conducted by local authorities, the cause of the fire was narrowed down to a fault in the warehouse’s electrical system. The warehouse was in need of repair and was under inspection for building code violations at the time of the fire. There were multiple complaints prior to the fire about the warehouse’s faulty electrical systems, the building only had two exit doorways (too few for a building of its size), and was equipped with fire extinguishers that proved ineffective against fires of the size seen Sunday. Another issue with the warehouse was the sheer amount of flammable material kept so near a dangerous electricity source. The warehouse was filled with all manner of wooden or cloth items which burned easily at the slightest hint of a spark. Issues that the tenants had concerning the safety of the warehouse were brushed aside by its landlord. The fire erupted around midnight Sunday morning after a party that took place over the weekend seemingly overtaxed the aged electrical system of the warehouse and sparked a fire that spread across the entire complex. As most of its tenants were asleep, response was delayed and the limited amounts of exit pathways caused many people to asphyxiate or die. The official body count Sunday night was eleven people and reached a high of 36 confirmed dead by Monday morning. The local fire department has released a statement that claims the fire was so extensive that it will take a few days to clear out the debris and reach a final casualty count.

[JSRC 학생기자] The best place for summer vacation: Yeosu-si

Many people are feeling irritated of just sitting in their rooms because of the scorching heat this summer. As the season of summer vacation started, various places are receiving attention from lots of people again. Among many famous areas, people’s attention are heading towards the Yeosu-si which has many attractive places to see and delicious foods to eat. The reason many people are heading to Yeosu-si is because having fun at Yeosu is reasonable. This city has lots of places to look around such as Odongdo Island which has beautiful camellia flowers, Yi Sun-shin square, Hamel Lighthouse, Jasan Park, Yeosu Maritime Cable Car, Dolsan Bridge and Jinnamgwan Hall. It also has Expo Plaza, Aquaplanet and various beaches so people can make suitable plans during two or three days of their vacation. Yeosu-si has not only various places but also many delicious and fresh sea foods containing natural shrimp, ear shell, octopus and fishes. Among those sea foods, people should definitely try “Hamo” which is kind of eel. It is captured during only August and is really delicious and good for reviviscence and joints. People can enjoy this as a sashimi or Shabu-Shabu. Except for those sea foods, people should try to eat got-kimch at Dolsan which is a signature food of Yeosu-si. This city also has many plans for a lot of people who want to spend summer vacation at Yeosu-si. They will perform spectacle Fireworks Festival in six years, Yeosu-si International Adolescent Festival and the Odongdo Island Camping Site. Those plans are enough to capture many people’s attention. Furthermore, this city put many light bulbs on bridges and boats to make the night scene be more beautiful. The effect of those light bulbs became one of the great marketing ways to announce it through SNS. Uploading beautiful night view pictures of Yeosu-si has gotten many positive attention from SNS users. Thanks to various places, delicious foods and great marketing, Yeosu-si is loved by many tourists. Going to this city to avoid scorching heat will be the best vacation for this summer.

[JSRC 학생기자] Black Lives Matter

Black Lives Matter movement is an international movement that campaigns against violence against black people. This has been a big issue since cases showing unfair treatment and violence towards black people has been increasing. On July 5th in Louisiana, Alton Sterling has recently been shot. He was shot by two Baton Rouge police officers. They accused him for being armed and threatening someone outside the CD store he worked at. However, the owner of the store Abdullah Muflahi stated that the other CD stores were robbed recently, and he and Sterling started carrying guns to protect their store. Also, he said Sterling wasn’t the one causing trouble or armed when the policemen shot him. On the night of this incident, 100 demonstrators gathered to protest to Sterling’s death. They all shouted “no justice, no peace.” Police were able to stop 200 people, but the speaker announced that they will gather again in front of City Hall. This is not a dilemma we could ignore. Another protest was held in Dallas which led to 11 police officers shot and 4 killed. They were injured and killed by 4 snipers at the Black Lives Matter protest. The unfair treatment is not only unfair to the black people but also unfair to the white people, the injured policemen, that were just trying to calm the protestors for their safety. Therefore, for the benefits of all races, BLM movement should be taken in seriously with sincere solutions that will stop the violence.

[JSRC 학생기자] Discussing True Communication in a Global, 2016 World

August 3 was a special day for many students studying abroad. Projected and hosted by Tae Young Woo, a student at New York University, an event named “Discussing True Communication in a Global, 2016 World” was held at Micimpact in Korea at 7 PM. The event featured lectures for college students from three special guests: Jongcheol Oh, a SBS comedian and CEO of JammyWorks co.; Kyuchang Lee, producer of the Korean War film “Operation Chromite”; and Tyler Rasch, a cast member in the talk-variety shows “Non-Summit.” The lecturers addressed about identity and relationships by telling their own stories about their college or social lives. Afterwards, the event moved on to an introduction of a company Onoffmix and a special music performance by Greg Priester, a cast singer in TV programs “Hidden Singer,” “Superstar K,” “National Singing Contest,” and etc., and Colin Shin, a student at Berklee College of Music. The event brought college students together, whether they are incoming freshmen or current students, and provided an opportunity for them to hear stories about critical lessons for college or even beyond. Heejin Kang, a staff of the event, said, “I was so honored to be invited and also was happy that I could be a help. The lectures inspired me a lot. I looked back on my network with people and reflected about how my network was closed. I was very happy to get to know different people from different areas.” Tae Young Woo the host of the event, who has always been eager to reach out to many people and to spread a willingness to invest in genuine relationships, is glad the event was over successfully. While he is leaving special thanking messages to all those who came and made the event possible, all attendees are grateful for such a worthwhile experience to discuss and get advice for adjusting to a new environment as a college student.

[JSRC 학생기자]Leadership for the Next Generation

KAWAC’s (Korean American Women’s Association of Chicago) Leadership Building Conference was held on August 8-9. The theme of this conference was to develop leadership quality. This conference was for high school and college students. On the first day, speakers like Kwang-Wu Kim, Andy Choi, Jennifer Bae, and Onrie Kompan spoke about building leadership skills and qualities. On the second day, the participants made a project plan to operate in a community which required all the leadership skills they learned on the first day. They were able to receive scholarships through the Power Point presentation competition. “It was an honorable opportunity to see a famous comic maker, president of a college, national news correspondent, and an attorney at law. It was awesome to have everyone who is interested about great leaders. It was fun interacting with people, and it became a motivation. I truly learned what it means to be a great leader in society,” said Hyerin Kim, college student who attended this conference. She specifically stated that she will try to discover what she is really passionate about like President Kim mentioned. She has learned to use her passionate hearto take a step forward and think about what she can give as a leader than what she will get out of a relationship. Debbie Im, Assistant director of this program, stated that the goal of this conference for the next generation to be better. She wants to provide the environment they can grow in. Through this kind of leadership, they can be a great influence to the rest of the next generation. Anyone who wants to change and influence the next generation should join KAWAC’s annual conference next year!

[JSRC 학생기자]Driverless Cars

Driverless Cars Driverless cars seem like things from the future. However, that will no longer be the case with Google announcing the company’ s hopes of having fully autonomous cars on American roads by 2020. In the US, the much-needed infrastructure for driverless cars is being built and Google is well on its way to testing driverless cars. Google’s driverless cars has already driven more than one million miles, half of which has been on open streets, without causing a single crash. This draws stark contrast to South Korea’s implementation of the new driverless car technology. Despite South Korea being a regional powerhouse in car production with companies like Hyundai and Kia having a strong presence overseas, South Korea is way behind companies like Google and Tesla in autonomous technology due to major automobile companies (Kia and Hyundai) being reluctant to jump in the game. However, this may all change with 3-rd party companies getting involved. A driverless taxi program named Snuber has driven students in Seoul National University around the campus with absolutely no accidents. While Snuber is far from being implemented to the open roads anytime soon, autonomous cars look to dominate future automobile industries in both the US and South Korea. If major Korean car companies like Hyundai and Kia don’t jump on the paradigm shift, South Korea will forever lag behind in future automobile industry. Using Seoul National University’s success as cue, Kia and Hyundai must transition to autonomous car. May 23rd is Beyonce day Worldwide superstar, Beyonce has finished her concert successfully in Minneapolis, Minnesota despite the bad weather condition. This was part of her world tour visiting various states until September 10th in St Louis, MO. The performance of her concert was amazing and all seats were full. Most other tickets of world tour are sold out. However, this visit to Minnesota turned out to be something more special than visits to any other states. Minnesota Governor Mark Dayton has publically announced May 23rd, the day of her concert, as Beyonce Day. He announced that Beyonce has lead a positive influence to women with her inspirational music and by making this day as Beyonce day, Minnesota will support her and her music. Governor Dayton made official proclamation and tweet about this as well. Now we will have to see if other states also agree on this notion and support Beyonce like Minnesota did. Her next upcoming her concert is Jun 3rd in Foxborough, Massachusetts at Gillette Stadium. Will they also make Jun 3rd as Beyonce day? We will have to wait and see.

[JSRC 학생기자]Chinese Detergent “Whitewashing” Commercial Attracts Outrage

Chinese Detergent “Whitewashing” Commercial Attracts Outrage A Chinese detergent commercial has been criticized for being racist in recent days. The advertisement for Qiaobi laundry detergent contains several elements seeming very offensive to many commercial-viewers. The commercial begins with a Chinese woman doing laundry and soon flirting with a black worker. When the black man tries to kiss her, the girl thrusts a detergent pod into his mouth and bundles him into a washing machine; the man spins inside the machine until it’s done. Once the machine is stopped, a good-looking Chinese man pops out with a clean, white t-shirt, and the girl pleasingly smiles at the newly changed man. The advertisement has upset many social media users worldwide. Seyoon Lee, a freshman at Chung-Ang University, is angry about this racist advertisement. “A washing machine is for washing ‘dirty’ clothes. Cleaning a black man through a washing machine signifies the black man is ‘dirty.’ This is absurd and morally wrong as the advertisement regards the black as a dirty being.” Faith Koch, a junior at Christian Life High School, is also feeling uncomfortable about the advertisement. “I was embarrassed. It doesn’t make sense there are some thoughtless commercials still existed in this day and age.” Some have also pointed out the lookism discrimination involved in this advertisement. Yen Cai, a Chinese exchange student at Rockford Lutheran High School, said, “The handsome Chinese man turned out from the black man is an ideal type of many Chinese girls. He has a white skin, big eyes with double eyelid and red lips. This advertisement definitely reflects the lookism which is rampant nowadays.” The racist commercial has been airing in China since April, at least. A number of people in China and all over the world have watched it and have been outraged. The commercial has reminded many viewers the racism and lookism involved in everyday lives and has encouraged them to look back how indifferent they have been about such issues. Advertisement can be easily accessed in many aspects of the society in many different forms. Therefore, more careful and thoughtful approach is necessary when dealing with it. Living through the LGBT Controversy LGBTQ rights have been the center of controversy in both the United States and South Korea for a long time. Although in the past it has mostly been an issue regarding those of age, recently, people coming out as a member of the LGBT society, has taken hold of teenagers as well. To the general public, LGBT society are perceived as different, and often dirty or mentally ill. Especially to the Korean community, LGBT people face many legal challenges and discrimination not prone to the heterosexual community. Although LGBT is legal, they don’t have the same kind of protection that the heterosexual community has. In the United States, the LGBT community is conceivably larger than that of the Korean community, but that doesn’t indicate any lesser discrimination from the U.S’s public. Recently, there has been an issue regarding transgender bathroom policies. In a Missouri high school, a transgender girl was refused access to the Women’s Locker room, due to the female students’ protests of their privacy penetrated. This is not the case in Illinois, however, nor Chicago. The federal education officials have ruled that any Illinois school rejecting a transgender student access to their expressed-gender bathroom or locker rooms without restrictions, would be regarded as illegal discrimination. In South Korea, prejudice and criticism against homosexuality is unfortunately common. Teenage homosexuality is even more so. Although it violates the Student Code of Conduct if the LGBT students were to be discriminated by the general student and staff body, the LGBT cannot fully evade persecution. “If a transgender girl were to change inside the women’s locker room without any limits to their access, it would make all of us a bit anxious. I mean, some of us feel insecure enough as it is with changing in front of other girls, but just to allow the transgender open space with limitless capacity, is violating our privacy,” states one student from Northside College Prep. The general student body agrees that if it’ s absolutely necessary, there should be a special locker room just for the transgendered people. Some have different opinions on this matter, however. One transgender student stated, “Respecting one’ s privacy is, of course, crucial. However, respecting our self-identity is as important as well. It only makes it worse if the teachers and other people treat us differently, like we’ re special. We just want to be normal. We want to spend a non-outoftheordinary high school experience. And we can’ t do that if we’ re isolated like we belong to a different sect.” There will be more upcoming issues regarding LGBT in the teens community. To reach a compromise, we must understand each other’s perspectives and come to respect each other’s privacies and identifications. Only then, will there be a balance between the legalities of LGBT in both the United States and South Korea.

[JSRC 학생기자] Spring comes in Korea as well as US

Spring comes in Korea as well as US Theses day, lots of news are broadcasted in Korea Media about alarming coming spring. On the Yeouido, lots of people go to see cherry blossom. That is the most Korean Americans and exchanged student missed to see. Sun Young Park, junior, marketing, Iowa State University, 26, said “Iowa is always winter. Here is really cold everyday even on May. One of the most missed things is Korean Cherry blossom during this season. I see lots of image that posted on Facebook that my Korean friend posted. It is the only way I could see.” However, in San Francisco, The 2016 Northern California Cherry Blossom Festival will be held on Saturday and Sunday April 9-10 and April 16-17, 2016 This festival was 49th Annual Northern California Cherry Blossom Festival. Japanese group, Japanese American business and community leader sponsored this festival. The goal of festival was to celebrate beginning of spring with the bloom of Cherry blossoms and share Japanese culture and tradition to people. All are welcome to join in the festivities as we celebrate Japanese and Japanese American culture in San Francisco’s Japan town! On April 9th, there were lots of food events in street. They Cherry Blossom Food Bazaar provide Japanese food on the street during the festival period. There was lost of Japanese food such as sushi, onigiri (Rice ball), mocha, and drink, which were prepared by non-profit organization in Japanese community. People could enjoy their meal in benches or tables. About 30 non-profit organizations supported food providing on Webster Street between Post and Sutter form 11.am to 5.pm. On Webster street, Japanese idol and band were comes to performance. On the street, there was dressed up participants who wear their favorite animation character and walk through the street. In Japan town building, there was some ceremony to introduce their culture such as arts&crafts, origami, material arts, and tea ceremony. The Cherry Blossom festival Grand Parade was held on Sunday, April 17. Japanese dancers and decorative floats were on the parade. In the parade, taiko, drum, and koto, Japanese harp was performed. The atmosphere in Japan town is similar to a real Japan. Lots of people tried lots of Japanese food and culture just going around the Japanese town. If Korea also creates those kinds of events such as rose of Sharon festival in the US, it could be great chance to inform Korea traditional culture and traditions to American. Enjoy the Taste of World at International Food Fair The 10th annual International Food Festival was held at Rockford University on April 16. A wide variety of international dishes were prepared by international students with the sponsors of the Multicultural Club and the Office of Global Affairs. A number of people in Rockford area attended the fair and had a joyful time. Various authentic recipes were prepared from more than 25 countries including Korea, Japan, China, Germany, Philippines, Sweden, Turkey, Syria, Italy, Yemen, Saudi Arabia, Liberia, Mexico, Bosnia and so on. Members from the Multicultural Club prepared foods, and visitors were to taste home cooked meals from many different countries. Bulgogi, a Korean traditional dish of grilled marinated beef, was one of the most popular dishes at the fair. Prema Wang, a Chinese student at Rockford Lutheran High School, said, “I really loved Bulgogi. I remember I had it last year when I visited Korea, and I’m really glad I could have it again at this festival.” International entertainment was prepared as well. Guests could enjoy various activities and performances while eating. After the fashion show of traditional clothing from different countries, traditional songs and dances were performed as follows: Seven Star Lion dance of China, German dance, Aztec performance, Hawaiian dance, Turkish traditional folk dance and Ebru, and Monarcas Folklorico ballet. During the events, some visitors actually were to perform which was unplanned; one of the guests improvised an Irish song and received an applause. With the taste of the world, the International Food Fair brought everyone become one no matter who they are and where they are from. Learning different cultures and traditions, everyone at the festival hoped a better, peaceful world through this event. GBS Key Club holds “Keep The Band Aloat” On April 29th, Glenbrook South Key Club is holding a big fundraising celebration called “Keep The Band Afloat.” It is aimed at raising money and benefiting students at a local underprivileged elementary school, Mark Twain Elementary, in Chicago. The students in Mark Twain Elementary even share their clarinets due to the lack of instruments. GBS Key Club has been doing many jobs in serving their community: reading books and eating lunch with kids, fundraising for people who need help, running soup kitchens, and spending time with disabilities and seniors. According to the event’s goal, it takes five-dollars to sign up for Keep The Band Afloat. Students who signed up for the event will construct cardboard boats and race them across the pool. Students are allowed to form their own teams with friends, and they will choose a team member to put in the boat after construction is done. The winning team will receive awards and trophies.

[JSRC] How can we participate in Overseas Election System?

The election for the 20th Assembly of South Korea is on April 13th. Koreans who do not live in South Korea may still have an interest in this election and its outcome. Those who can participate in this election via the “Overseas Election System” method. Since September 2, 2012, the Overseas Election System has given South Korean citizens who do not live in South Korea the chance to participate in the Korean Presidential and Assembly elections. Some goals of overseas election system are to help Korean citizens to exercise the rights of citizenship, to improve South Korea’s status as democratic country, and to increase patriotism in overseas residents. The Overseas Election System is divided into two categories: the overseas voter and the overseas absentee. The two categories are discussed in more detail below: Overseas voter: Citizens who do not report their residence or are not registered as residents in South Korea, for example, permanent residents in the United States, are considered overseas voters. Applications for overseas voter registration are can be submitted between the 150th and 60th days prior to Election Day. For the 20th Assembly Election, the registration period was from 11/15/2015 to 2/13/2016. Overseas absentee: Overseas absentees are citizens who reported their residence as South Korea or is registered as residents. These individuals can include students studying abroad, trading companies and resident employees of corporations. Overseas absentees can register through the homepage of the Republic of Korea National Election Commission at: [WEBSITE]. People can register in three easy steps: (1) by verifying an e-mail address; (2) filling out the overseas absentee application form; and (3) by completing the overseas absentee registration. The overseas absentee reporting period for the 19th Presidential Election will be from 7/23/2017 to 10/21/2017. Dongkyu Lee, a junior majoring in political science at the University of Minnesota, has already submitted his overseas absentee application. He has been registering as an overseas absentee voter in Minnesota since 2012. Lee remains interested in South Korean politics even while residing in Minnesota. However, voting has not been easy, as Minnesota does not have a polling place and he has to travel to Chicago to vote. Lee believes that there should be more polling places in the U.S. for overseas voters and overseas absentees. Another issue he identified is the limited accessibility to information about candidates and their promises. Lee suggests allowing voting by mail, an option in U.S. elections, as a way to allow overseas voters and overseas absentees to vote easily. Lee concluded by emphasizing the importance of voting and the need to improve the voting situation overseas to increase voter interest and participation.

[JSRC] Welcome 12th JSRC!

[JSRC] Korean soccer team allowed the least goals

Korean soccer team allowed the least goals of any world team in 2015 Since there will be no international soccer games for the rest of this year, South Korea has secured its place as the nation that gave up the least amount of goals around the world in 2015, with an average of 0.2 goals allowed per match. Remarkably, South Korea allowed only four goals in the twenty-plus matches it played this year. (Romania’s national team had allowed fewer goals than had South Korea’s before Romania’s game against the Italian team, which it lost 2-2.) Just a year ago, the Korean national soccer team was having difficulty after its failure in the Brazil World Cup of 2014. This makes 2015’s success even more impressive. The performance of the Korean team has improved since Real Madrid legend Uli Stielike became its head coach in September 2014. Indeed, no one expected that Korea would finish second in the Asian Cup in January of this year as players without experience on an international stage joined the Korean national team. In addition, South Korea’s sorry performance in the World Cup—0 wins, 1 draw, and 2 defeats—also did not bode well for the Korean team. Nevertheless, the Korean team proudly won the silver medal in the Asian Cup. Another impressive fact is that Team Korea won 17 games without allowing a single goal. This is especially shocking once we remember how Korea played last year. Of course, it’s hard to argue that Korea is one of the best teams in the world. Korea didn’t play games against strong European or American teams. Korea played against weaker Asian or Middle Eastern teams (Kuwait, Lebanon, etc.) The Korean team has lots of work to do to prepare for the 2018 World Cup in Russia. But let’s not underestimate Korea’s performances, either: 2015 will be remembered as an exceptionally successful year for Korea’s national soccer team. The Big Family Reunion North Korea and South Korea held the first family reunion in three years from October 20th to 26th at Mt. Geumgang. Many family members cried tears of sadness upon seeing their loved ones, as they knew their reunion would last only a short time. But the unification of North and South Korea isn’t only the problem of these divided families: it’s also the problem of all Koreans. In order to unite as a nation, the people of the nation have to unite first. So reach out to the North Korean refugees around you. There are nearly two hundred such refugees in the United States: as a result of “refugee” immigration status and the North Korean Human Rights Act enacted by the U.S. Congress in 2004, the U.S. Department of State allows refugees from North Korea to stay in America. In 2006 nine refugees came to America. Now, in 2015, we have 178 refugees in the United States. There are many organizations that help North Korean refugees. Some of these organizations include the National Unification Advisory Council, ENok, WHC USA, NKUS, Jubileeuni, Liberty in North Korea (led mostly by the United States), World Relief, Refugee Rescues, and many other organizations. The organizations fundraise through marathons and music concerts, show movies that depict North Korean lives, provide English classes that help refugees adapt to America, translate documents about life in North Korea, and hold lectures from actual refugees. You can start helping North Korean refugees by researching these organizations and their events on Facebook and YouTube. “I was thankful for the people that helped me with homework and hung out with me. Their welcoming attitude was the best,” said Kim (a North Korean refugee) to JSRC. Like the organizations and the people Deborah is referring to, we have to take part in helping with unification. What have you done today to speed Korean unification? South Korea Under Hidden Dictatorship On November 14th at 4:00 pm, protestors demonstrated against the government of President Park. These protestors objected to Park’s policies of using only state-issued history textbooks; importing rice; domination of social media; and the obfuscation of the Sewol ferry incident. Minjoongchonggualgi is a group of protestors that includes labor, civic, and farmers’ organizations. Minjoongchonggualgi told the government about its plans to hold a protest at the Gwanghwamun at 4:00 pm. However, before the protest started, police buses gathered and illegally blocked the way to the Gwanghwamun. Policemen also blocked the subway stations and massed in police buses. The demonstrators numbered seventy thousand people of all ages. These protestors tried to advance past police buses by breaking bus windows and throwing projectiles at policemen on the tops of the buses. Some protestors lit torches to show their resolve. The police’s response was brutal. Officers fired water cannons at the protestors from behind a portable police wall. Some officers also fired tear gas and capsaicin-infused water at the protestors—even at the injured who were being evacuated by paramedics. Sadly, the protest resulted in many injuries. A Mini-Earth: Culture Fest at Northern State University Nov. 6th was an especially notable day at Northern State University (NSU), which held its annual Culture Fest at the Barnett Center in NSU’s Wachs Arena. This year is the fifth Culture Fest. Culture Fest celebrates international students from Northern State University and the surrounding Aberdeen community. International students share the culture (cuisine, dance, and entertainment) of their countries with the NSU community. More than 40 countries were represented at this year’s Culture Fest. Of course, the best part of Culture Fest was South Korean: the K-POP dance team’s performance of K-POP was well-received by college students and the many teenagers who attended. Traditional Saudi Arabian dance was also a hit. Zhengguo He (Advanced English Program/China) reported, “It [Culture Fest] was a good opportunity to learn about other countries’ culture and eat their food. Actually, I didn’t know about many other cultures before Culture Fest. I also hope that everyone here will learn about China’s culture and develop a better image of our country.” Don’t miss NSU’s next Culture Fest, which will be held in November 2016.

[JSRC 학생기자] A Later Start to School Can’t Hurt

A Later Start to School Can’t Hurt Shin Young ‘Grace’ Yu (12th grade, Adlai E. Stevenson High School) Sleep is vital to our well-being. Sleep allows our bodies to undergo many important processes, such as the repair of our heart and blood vessels. Studies show that teenagers need about 8 to 10 hours of sleep each night to function best. But new research presented last week at the Australasian conference Sleep DownUnder found that putting kids to bed early is key to a happy, well-rested family. An earlier bedtime for kids allows parents to have more time of their own, whether they spend it catching up on chores or relaxing with a good book. “This study observed 3,600 Australian children during their first nine years of life. Results showed that the mothers of kids who went to bed before 8:30 p.m. had better mental health than mothers of kids with later bedtimes.” Conner Herman, co-founder of Dream Team Baby, tells Yahoo Parenting. “Those last moments of the day are such intense family time, and you’re using so much of yourself to be present for your child, but after bedtime the night is yours.” Herman indicates that many parents try to stay up late along with their kids who have a late bedtime. This can impact the parents’ own sleep and health. This finding gives further reason to push back school start times. Sleep deprivation is a serious issue for many adolescents, as it affects mental functioning and proper learning and development. Challenge Success, a research and intervention project based at Stanford University, has found that high school students from high-performing schools across the country report an average of 6.8 hours of sleep. 43% of high schools in this country start before 8 a.m., a clear obstacle to ample sleep. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that schools start no earlier than 8:30 a.m. Teenagers desperately need sleep to fully function in school, retain knowledge, and prevent physical and mental health problems such as headaches and depression. School boards should seriously consider the idea of pushing school start times to 8:30 a.m. An extra 30 minutes of sleep has the potential to make a huge impact on students and families. Amending qualifications of Housing Reverse Mortgage to reduce risks Yeon Su Song (12th grade, Xenia Christian High School) The number of people participating in the Housing Reverse Mortgage program is increasing. While the average annual participation from 2007 to 2012 was only about one thousand members, over three thousand people joined the Housing Reverse Mortgage program in the first half of this year. The Housing Reverse Mortgage program allows for elderly people to receive monthly pensions by drawing down the equity on their houses while they continue to live in the house. Even though elderly people own their houses outright, it is not easy to live independently without receiving any monetary support from their sons and daughters. As housing prices and the anxiety of the middle-aged continue to rise, and as more people recognize the advantage of the Housing Reverse Mortgage program for ensuring elderly people’s income, more and more people are sure to join this program. According to the Korea Housing Finance Corporation (KHFC), South Korea is the fastest aging country in the world. Also, 45.6% of elderly people in Korea suffer poverty, since they do not usually work. In order to reduce poverty among the rapidly aging population, the Korean government has proposed an amendment to the Housing Reverse Mortgage program. This amendment will benefit both young and elder generations; not only does it lighten the young generation’s tax burden and obligation to support their parents financially, but also it helps the elderly have abundant lives and increase their consumption. In short, this amendment will improve the whole economy of South Korea. The government presented an amended bill to the court in August to encourage people to join the Housing Reverse Mortgage program. If the court passes the bill by the end of the year, the amended law will go into effect at the beginning of next year. The main contents of the amendment are summarized below: Kiwanis and Key Clubs Meet in Rockford Hyun Jie Jung(11th Grade, Rockford Lutheran High School) On November 10, the Kiwanis Club of Rockford and the Key Clubs from Rockford Lutheran High School and Boylan Catholic High School met at Stockholm Inn. The meeting started at noon with an introduction and report from the president of the Kiwanis Club, Jane Austin. Following this, brief committee reports were presented, covering member committees, community services, fundraising, and so on. The celebration of the Kiwanis Club’s 100th anniversary made the meeting even more special: attendees enjoyed a fine dinner and then a cello performance by Julian Willette, an Illinois All-State Musician from Rockford Lutheran High School. The meeting’s main event was a bake sale. Members of the Rockford Lutheran Key Club prepared many baked goods, such as cookies and brownies, for auction at the meeting. Key Club members were profoundly grateful that all the baked goods sold. The money that this auction raised will be donated to UNICEF to help Rockford’s community, particularly its children. The meeting was very successful. "I was nervous since I’m the one who’s in charge of a lot of people, but I’m glad that meeting went so well," said Jensen Buelte, the president of Key Club at Rockford Lutheran High school. "I really enjoyed the meeting today. I’m especially proud that the bake sale raised so much money. Key Club members envision themselves as “caring and competent servant leaders transforming communities worldwide.” The meeting at Stockholm Inn certainly lived up to this expectation.

[JSRC 학생기자] The Volkswagen Emissions Scandal

The Volkswagen Emissions Scandal Recently, Volkswagen was discovered to have manipulated its emissions measurements. This scandal has attracted attention worldwide, as Volkswagen is the world’s leading car company and employs more workers than any other German company. Volkswagen is famous for its fuel-efficient diesel cars. Diesel vehicles emit less carbon dioxide and carbon monoxide than gasoline vehicles; in addition, they are more fuel-efficient. But they also emit harmful gases that gasoline vehicles don’t, such as nitrogen oxide. So governments strengthened the regulation of diesel vehicles’ emissions. Car companies sold cars with emissions-reducing devices to comply with this regulation. It was at this point that the Volkswagen emissions scandal occurred. They programmed cars’ electronic control units to operate emissions-reducing devices only when these cars are being tested. This means that cars run much cleaner in tests than they do on the road. The truth was discovered on September 3rd, 2014, when California investigators became suspicious of the test results Volkswagen presented. These investigators started to analyze the data and eventually discovered that Volkswagen had implemented software to determine whether vehicles were in emissions tests (and run cleaner if so). Volkswagen then admitted that as many as 11 million diesel vehicles worldwide were fitted with software that allowed the cars to run cleaner in tests than on the road. As a result of this scandal, Martin Vintercorn resigned as Volkswagen’s president and Volkswagen’s stock dropped precipitously. It’s disappointing that a global firm polluted the environment through noxious emissions and broke the trust of people all over the world. Volkswagen should assume more responsibility for this incident, perhaps by recalling their polluting diesel cars. I hope that people all over the world can become more responsible stewards of our environment. Youth & Shelter Services Celebrates Red Ribbon Week Youth & Shelter Services in Ames, Iowa celebrates Red Ribbon Week 2015 from October 23 to 31. The Ames community is encouraged to take a stand against drugs to celebrate Red Ribbon Week. Youth & Shelter Services (YSS) hosted “A Walk Away from Drugs” on Monday, October 26, 2015 at 11:30 am. The walk began at YSS Headquarters (located at 420 Kellogg Avenue in Ames, Iowa). YSS CEO Andrew Allen led the walk around the block and down Main Street. Citizens gathered in the street to share red ribbons, candy, and anti-drug fliers with passers-by. The theme of Red Ribbon Week 2015 is “Respect Yourself! Be Drug Free!” Red Ribbon Week increases awareness of drug use and other issues relating to drugs that face our community. It encourages all citizens, parents, students, educators, business owners, and other community members to promote drug-free lifestyles. “Red Ribbon Week gives us the opportunity to be vocal and visible in our efforts to achieve a drug-free community,” said Andrew Allen, YSS CEO. “Research shows that children are less likely to use alcohol and other drugs when parents and other role models are clear and consistent in their opposition to substance use and abuse.” The true cause of addiction What is it about heroin that makes this drug so addictive? Of course, everyone already knows the answer: frequent heroin users who abstain from this drug suffer withdrawal symptoms. This situation is known as “addiction.” Addiction can be seen in animals other than man. For example, put a mouse into a cage and give it two water bottles to drink from. One bottle contains pure water, whereas water in the other is mixed with cocaine and heroin. Soon, the mouse drinks exclusively from the drugged bottle. Then, if deprived, the mouse goes mad—it must have more drugs. However, experiments show that this progression of addiction doesn’t always apply. In 1970, the psychologist Bruce Alexander discovered that the test was biased, because the mouse was trapped in a cage alone. (We too might want to be drugged if we were locked in solitary confinement.) To make a more significant test, Alexander created a veritable amusement park for mice, where a mouse can exercise, play, and mate with its friends. Alexander again provided these mice with pure and drugged water. He got an unbelievable result: many mice didn’t turn to drugs, but rather consistently drank from the regular water bottle. Alexander’s test shows that people don’t turn to drugs when they have a happy life and plenty of social activity. But when this isn’t the case, people turn to consolations that can be dangerous, such as watching pornography, playing video games, or gambling. So let’s live active and sociable lives to avoid becoming addicted to drugs.

[JSRC 학생기자] How can we deal with school shootings?

How can we deal with school shootings? In the recent few weeks, there have been a number of school shootings. Several students and faculty members have fallen victim to guns. After these events, many students are worried about school shootings. How can we prevent these incidents? Kyle Fadness (a campus police officer from Northern State University / Aberdeen Police Department) gives the following advice to students. First, since many schools, including Northern State University, have a campus no-guns policy, report any guns you see on campus to police officers, faculty members, or resident advisors. Also, report suspicious people, items, or social media postings to 911. Report anything abnormal! Your reports are helpful for preventing school shootings. Police will investigate your reports and thus help keep students safe. Prevention is important: report any suspicious events before they become big incidents. Weddings from past to present: What do college students think? In the past, the institution of marriage was more significant. After all, marriage didn’t just bring a couple together; it brought a whole household together and thus simplified house and farm chores. Also, marriage could be useful for creating family ties. For example, marrying a daughter to the king would strengthen a family and increase its authority. It’s not surprising that many daughters of high officials competed to marry the king! In short, marriage was not just the business of the couple—it was family business, too. As the significance of marriage has changed, so too are wedding ceremonies different from those of the past. Once, wedding ceremonies were community festivals. Villagers would hunt, feast, and dance at these ceremonies. Currently, couples host a gorgeous (and expensive!) wedding that lasts only a single day. Weddings continue to change. Young people prefer simple, inexpensive weddings. For example, celebrity couples Na Young Lee and Wobin, Ho Ri Lee and Sang Soon, and the model Na Young Kim all held small wedding ceremonies. The legalization of same-sex marriage in the United States also point to changes in marriage and weddings. However, even as the concept of marriage and weddings have evolved, students still hold traditional views on weddings. In an interview done at Iowa State University Ames, the student couple Jieun Lee (interior design major, senior, 25) and Kwon Han (architecture major, graduate student, 26) said, “We planned to do a simple wedding ceremony, but it ended up totally different that we imagined. It’s not just our decision; we have to take into account our family’s opinion. Weddings aren’t as simple as we imagined.” A wedding survey given to undergraduates at Iowa State University indicates that other students have similar views. But not all students, as one-third of students want to live alone. Chae Young Lim (statistics major, 24) said, “First of all, I want to be respected as an individual rather than as a member of a family. Once a person gets married, various titles come in front of their name, like “wife of…” and “mother of…” I don’t want it. Second of all, I am not prepared to take on the responsibility of marriage. I think I’m too immature to be responsible for a partner and a baby. Also, I don’t want to sacrifice too much to get married. I want to live in affluent circumstances rather than without any time or money to spare.” Still, two-thirds of students ultimately want to get married. Sun Young Park (marketing major, junior, 25) said, “When you’re alone, it’s easy to get depressed. There’s no one to encourage you. When you get sick, there won’t be anyone to take care of you.” Let’s conclude with the thoughtful survey response of So Jung Lee (advertising major, junior, 23), who pointed out that even as marriages and weddings change, many more things stay the same: husbands and wives have to take care of each other and of their families. The First Korean Black Friday The Korean government will hold the first official Black Friday in Korea from October 1st to14th. The origin of the name “Black Friday” is as follows: retailers in the United States who sell goods with discounted prices on the day after Thanksgiving find their finances “in the black” after this Friday. Black Friday benefits the American economy: Black Friday sales amount to 20% of annual sales in America. There will be some differences between Black Friday in America and in Korea. First of all, the American government is not involved in America’s Black Friday; rather, American retailers and manufacturers are the main agents. In contrast, the Korean government will lead Black Friday in Korea. Also, Korea’s Black Friday targets not only Koreans, but also travelers from China and other Asian countries. The Korean government expects economic growth from Black Friday sales. Since MERS has weakened sales in Korea, Black Friday may be a turning point for the Korean economy. Heung-min Son Transforms His Team After Heung-min Son’s transfer from Leverkusen FC to the Tottenham Spurs (with a record 22M pound transfer fee), the Tottenham Spurs have won 3 league games in a row—even though they couldn’t win a single game before Son’s transfer! Before Son started on the Spurs, fans worried that Son couldn’t control the ball in the English Premier League, as EPL is the one of the leagues with the toughest body contacts, whereas Son is from a German league with less body contact. Indeed, Son played poorly in his first match (against Sunderland). Though the Spurs won this match, Son’s fans were not at all satisfied with his play. However, in the Europa League home match against Qarabag FK (in Azerbaijan’s league), Son, who started as a center forward, scored two goals when his team was losing 0-1. This performance had an even stronger impact since it took place at a home game in White Hart Lane. Also, in the EPL home match against the club Crystal Palace (with which Korean player Chung-yong Lee is affiliated), Son fooled three defenders to score an amazing goal. Son was even selected by the EPL secretariat as the official Best Eleven of the 6th Round! In the Spurs’ match against Manchester City, which is one of the best teams in the league, Tottenham won 4-1. Even though Son didn’t score a goal, he helped his team by tying up Manchester’s defense. It’s still early in the season, which is great news for fans eager to see more of Son’s great plays.

[JSRC 학생기자] Gaecheonjeol: On Being a True Korean

Gaecheonjeol: On Being a True Korean Jiyoon Kim(10th Grade,William Fremd High School) Are you a true Korean? If you are, you’ll know the Korean holiday Gaecheonjeol. Celebrated on October 3rd in North and South Korea, Gaecheonjeol is known as National Foundation Day. It celebrates the foundation of Gojoseon by Dangun in 2333 BC. The legend says that the father of Dangun Wanggeom, Hwanung, came down from heaven and told a tiger and a bear to eat twenty cloves of garlic for 100 days. The survivor would receive the award of becoming a human being. The tiger gave up, but the bear did not and became a human woman. This woman later married Hwanung and gave birth to Dangun. Koreans believe that the sun worshipping tribe and the bear worshipping tribe were brought together when Gojoseon was made. The first human beings were called Hongik. Hongik means “benefiting all mankind.” As benefactors of mankind, we should think about how we treat our culture. Many people are interested in legends. More than mere interest, however, it’s important to know the true meaning of these legends in order to connect ourselves with Korea. The Korean Consulate General in Chicago held a dinner party on September 30th to celebrate Gaecheonjeol. They informed people about the national symbols of Korea and performed traditional songs honoring Gaecheonjeol. Let’s follow the Korean Consulate General: as Koreans, we have to love our country and culture. We should be proud of our nation and pass on traditions. Teenagers like us should know what's significant to Korea and experience these traditions by visiting places that honor Korea and its culture. Have You Heard About K-Food Week 2015? Joseph Park (Junior, Northern State University) K-Food Week 2015, an event sponsored by the Republic of Korea’s Ministry of Agriculture, Food, and Rural Affairs and Ministry of Foreign Affairs, as well as the Korea Agro-Fisheries & Food Trade Group, is taking place throughout the United States from Sept. 26 to Oct. 4. The purpose of K-Food Week 2015 is to introduce Americans to Korean food. Many Korean restaurants, grocery stores, and other organizations participate in events that showcase Korea’s cuisine. You can find more information about K-Food Week 2015 online at http://kfoodweek2015.com/ This website not only shows you the locations of participating restaurants and grocery stores, but also provides mouth-watering descriptions of Korean food and recipes that will allow you to cook your own Korean dishes. K-Food Week 2015 will help you introduce Korean culture and Korean food to your friends! Kang Jung-ho Hits His First MLB Grand Slam Daniel Oh (11th grade, Adlai E. Stevenson Highschool) The Pittsburgh Pirates shortstop Kang Jung-ho, a transfer from KBO’s Nexen Heroes, hit his first grand slam in Major League Baseball (MLB) on September 9 to win a game against the Cincinnati Reds 5-4. This grand slam is Kang’s 15th season home run, just as foretold by Kang, who promised his fans that he would hit 15 home runs this season! Yet Kang’s pace actually exceeds fans’ expectations. Even though his ratio of hits to at-bats was 0.356 during his last season as a shortstop for the Nexen Heroes—one of the best records in KBO—no one expected him to play nearly as well in MLB, as the level of play in these two leagues is completely different. Though Kang indeed got off to a slow start in the spring, he demonstrated his skill in the summer: Kang was named “Rookie of the Month” in July. Kang is not merely a valuable defensive player: his batting average is 0.28, very high for a shortstop (since most shortstops use much of their energy on defending). Perhaps this is due to Kang’s batting posture—his strong lower body muscles stabilize his upper body at bat—which has been admired since his debut in 2006. Kang Jung-Ho has been a key defensive and offensive Pittsburgh Pirates player since June. His first MLB grand slam further demonstrates his skill. Let’s watch out for Kang in the future! The CSAT System faces New Change MiJi Kim(11th, Glenbrook S. High School) The Scholastic Ability Test is required for students who aren’t accepted by universities through rolling admissions. On October 1, Korea’s Department of Education officially announced that the evaluating system of the English section will change from relative evaluation to absolute evaluation starting in 2018. What’s the difference between relative and absolute evaluation? Relative evaluation determines a test-taker’s score in comparison to others who have taken the same test. In relative evaluation, a test-taker’s scores are assessed on a scale of 1 to 9 depending on the year’s average. On the other hand, absolute evaluation doesn’t consider the scores of other test-takers in assigning a grade: for example, if a student gets 94 out of 100 on one of the subjects on the test and above 90 points corresponds to the first grade, the test-taker will get the first grade on his or her transcript regardless of the performance of other test-takers. Some of the disadvantages of absolute evaluation are as follows: first, the rate of the people who get the highest grades on the English section will increase exponentially, and there will be a large gap in scores between the English section and other subjects. Also, since competition will be decreased, the rivalry between students on other sections such as math and Korean language may be fierce. The Department of Education in Korea states that they will lower the standard of the English section so that even elementary school students can get the right answers. Some high schools are predicted to shorten their English education courses and expand their math or Korean language courses.