Volume 43 April 2013

The Telecommunications War

The Human Rights Center
MOA? MOA!
10 Questions for SISA
The Green Culture, We Mean
the Other Green
The Seoul National University English-Language Journal
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EditorsLetter
Feature
TheTelecommunitysOligopoly
TheWar intheTimeof Marketing
TheEffectsof TelecommunicationCompetitionon
Consumers
Regulatorsvs. Technology
SNUSociety
CampusNews
TheStereotypeswithinSNU
OneSchool, TwoCampuses
TheHumanRightsCenter
HomeSweet Home, theDormsof SNU
TheCentral LibraryandCenter for Learning,
Right byYour Side!
MOA?MOA!
NewBeginnings
A&C
TheFoodDiary: Sudamerica
10Questionsfor SISA
AHundredPoundStory
TheGreenCulture. WeMeantheOther Green
Volume 43
April 2013
CONTENTS
THEFOODDIARY: SUDAMERICA THEGREENCULTURE. WEMEANTHEOTHERGREEN
ONESCHOOL, TWOCAMPUSES
The End of the Ahn
Phenomenon

With all the noise from up north, I was conflicted whether to focus this issue on the
situation in the Korean peninsula. Currently on every news medium, there seems to be
an immediate update on all the moves that North Korea makes. As I write this piece,
just moments ago, the CNN headline read NK missile in firing position, now it reads
N. Korea lifts, lowers missile. Furthermore, former NBA star Dennis Rodmans visit
last month to North Korea blurred the lines of fiction and reality and the situation has
become an almost comical yet macabre circus affair. The coverage of North Korea
seems overhyped and redundant as the North Koreans act in its usual provocative
manner, however, the media seems to either trivialize or sensationalize the incredibly
complex situation. We should keep in mind on the gravity of the situation and the
consequences that may follow with a single misstep by any of the parties involved.
Without professional knowledge on the matter, it seemed logical for the Quill to not
pursue and contribute to the cesspool of information and news on the current North
Korean situation. Instead, in our Feature section, new editor Haesol Kim has decided to
tackle the recent operation suspensions on three telecommunication companies in
South Korea. Our writers have devoted much time to research to understand the
telecommunication market and its problems with surveys and an on field investigation.
In the SNU Society section, under the direction of new editor Diana Cho, we have
conducted a survey similar to one from last year on the study habits of SNU students
and the stereotypes based upon the majors. The new members of the Quill have also
contributed to the section with coverage on the various facilities of SNU. Abhas
Maskey, the editor of the Arts and Culture section, has broached upon a taboo subject
in Korea, marijuana. In his article, Maskey explains the current sober culture in South
Korea and also the happy past. Regarding the Quills financial situation and status as
an independent student press, we have approached the administration to be recognized
as a legitimate organization and we believe that we will be hearing good news soon.
With midterm season kicking in, we sincerely hope that everyone does well.
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF,
YUN HWAN CHAE
FROM
THE EDITOR
z
April 2013. Vol. 43

THE
SEOUL
NATIONAL
UNIVERSITY
uill Staff
Chief Managing Director Yeun-il Jeong
Editor-in-Chief Yun Hwan Chae
Vice Managing Director Eun Hur
Feature Section
Editor Haesol Kim
Seo Kyoung Lee
Song-Ug Yoon
SNUSociety Section
Editor Diana Dahyun Cho
Young Min Son
Junghyun Baek
KyeongHwan Kim
Bora Lee
Celine Jeong Hyeon Moon
Seung Hoon Bae
Arts and Culture Section
Editor Abhas Maskey
Tselmeg Chuluunbaatar
Hee Kyung Lee
Regina Hyun Jung Lee
Creative Director
Suzanne Park
Photographer
Yeun-il Jeong
E-Mail snuquill@gmail.com
Website www.facebook.com/snu.quill
Advisor Professor Eli Sorensen
Professor Eui Hang Shin
Printing Late Spring (0222698030)
Design Sun Hee Kim

November 2012. Vol. 41

April 2013. Vol. 43
,
W
hile South Koreas
Samsung is involved in a
huge number of lawsuits
with major global corporations abroad,
there also exists much domestic unrest
in South Koreas own domestic
telecom market. The top three wireless
carriers, SK Telecom, LG U+, and
KT, have waged numerous wars
against each other to stay competitive
by increasing the number of their
subscribers. The dense population of
the Seoul Metropolitan area allows for
such rapid development of LTE
(Long-Term Evolution, a fast new
type of telephone service) to take
place. South Korea has one of the
worlds most active
telecommunication technology
networks, and is noted for the
corresponding markets to be backed
by government subsidies and other
forms of support. With such help, it
was able to pioneer and venture out
with its submarine cable system as well
as its maturing internet system to sate
the thirst for expanding national and
international communications. Such
developments have transformed one of
the poorest countries in the world into
a progressive, respectable technology
power-house.
Surprisingly, all of the wireless
communications service providers in
Korea have the potential to provide
LTE services nationwide, a rare
phenomenon even in todays world.
Seoul is not only ideal demo-
graphically, but socially as well--in
terms of the fact that there is this
insatiable hunger in search of the
trendiest, newest good in the market.
Just a year after LTE service was
introduced, KT attracted 500,000
subscribers, SKT 2.2 million, and LG
U+ 1.9 million. As a result, the total
share of the three firms grew as high as
30%. It is even predicted that through
this exponential growth, the number
of LTE subscribers will reach 14
million by the end of 2013 and 45
million by 2014. But many contend
that such a growth must be controlled,
and despite the free South Korean
market, government intervention is
tantamount to unprecedented rapid
growth. This is because there have
been numerous violations and abusive
choices on part of the companies. In
the form of an oligopoly, the three
telecom companies have been accused
of tampering with price control,
engaging in technology war, and
manipulating the telecom market.
They have been accused of exercising
excessive power in the form of an
oligopoly, in which a market is
dominated by a small number of sellers
and therefore a general lack of
competition with higher costs for
customers. In most situations, the
firms in power manipulatively use
restrictive trade practices to raise prices
and limit production in the same way
as a monopoly does. In the case for the
Korean telecom market, competition
between the three companies remain
fierce, with comparatively low prices
and high rates of production.
In context, last December 2012, the
KCC, Korea Communications
Commission, made a statement that
the three firms violated the local
telecommunications law after an
investigation into their giving out of
illegal, excessive subsidies. In detail, the
three carriers were banned from
signing up new customers by offering
such subsidies. Such a restriction is
imposed to prevent the telecom
market from overheating and maintain
fairness in competition. The KCC
fined SK Telecom 6.89 billion won,
KT 2.85 billion won, and LG U+ 2.15
billion won. Despite previous business
suspension orders in 2002 and 2004,
the three companies had still
continued to make these illegal
violations, and so on January 7, 2013,
LG U+ was banned from running
business for 24 days, SK Telecom for
22 days, and KT for 20 days.
According to the KCC, the subsidies
are capped at 27 Korean won in order
to limit the mobile operators from
expanding the customer base since
they suffer from poor performance
due to excessive marketing costs.
Chun Young-man, the senior KCC
officer, commented that If the
carriers continue to [offer] illegal
subsidies despite being punished, we
will fine them again. During the
release of Apple iPhone5 for example,
SK Telecom and KT offered ridiculous
discounts to steal LGs customers. KT
insisted that U+ customers could buy
the phone for 114,000, as long as KT
was the carrier, while SK Telecom
offered to sell the iPhone at 199,000
won as long as the customer changed
carriers. Clearly, both companies
ignored KCCs warnings despite the
large amount of fines and constant
pleas not to do so.
There remain specializations and
differences in the three companies,
despite common knowledge that they
offer similar features. SK Telecom,
with its PETA technology
(Premium Quality, Excellent Speed,
Total Stability, and Advanced Tech)
promises to double the speed and
triple the capacity, while LG U+
wants to implement a system called
FAST (First All-IP Seamless Total
Network) that links all LTE networks
to LG Wi-Fi net works. It plans to
cover 84 cities, 889 countries, national
highways and the KTX (Koreas high
speed railway). KT has also sought out
higher speed and focuses on voice
quality while improving on existing 3G
network systems. As for prices, there
are many speculations based on
empirical changes that companies will
soon raise rates with the advent of the
new upgrades.
Although growth is clearly good for
the economy and technological
developments allow for a productive,
well-off society, there are limitations
and laws to abide to ensure fair
competition and prevent abuse of
power. Following are the details of the
feud and specific differences between
the three companies, Olleh KT, U+
LTE, SK Telecom.
Feature
LTEcellphoneusehas beenontherise.
Interesting facts:
- South Korea has the worlds highest
number of broadband services per capita
- In 2012, over 35%of the population and
85% of households were broadband
subscribers.
- Auctions were held raising over 1.5 billion
US dollars for 10year license agreements
- Wi-Fi investments allowed for a
reduction of pressure fromthe 3 telecom
services
The Telecommunitys
Oligopoly
BY SEO KYOUNG LEE
6
April 2013. Vol. 43
;
Feature
S
omeone once said that we
currently live in an ever-growing
era of Information Technology.
Needless to say, that somebody had
been right seeing that we live in a time
where new IT products never cease to
amaze us. Among all other things, lets
talk about the smartphone. Perhaps,
the smartphone is the very product
that the non-professional consumers
like us can have a peak at the current
progress of the technology. It is the
latest gizmo of the world that we gaze
at when we want to feel secure about
what the human race has achieved so
far.
It is often regarded as a big challenge
to choose which smartphone product
in line is most suitable for our
ubiquitous needs these days. As the
technology evolves, so should the
understanding of such products by the
consumers but now it seems that the
former is at the edge of surpassing the
latter inch-by-inch everyday. What it
comes down to is that now the
reserved spot for the role of marketing
is becoming bigger and bigger by day.
Such seems to be the basic mindset
of Korean cellular phone retailers these
days. As the South Korean cellphone
market becomes more and more
smart, so are the marketing
strategies of cellphone carriers.
Nowadays, it is hard to miss cellphone
retailer shops around every corner of
Seoul (there is even one in the student
center of SNU) whose signs are all
about how low their smartphone
prices are. Long story short, the
ultimate goal of Korean cellphone
providers seem to be luring as much
attention from potential buyers before
actually selling the products to them.
Here are a few strategies they take
to practice what is stated above.
1. Direct marketing
Of course, the easiest way to market
a product is to directly reach out to the
potential consumers by telling them
what sort of products and also the
benefits the companies are prepared to
offer to them. Apart from constantly
advertising new smartphone products
on the air and on the net, South
Korean cellphone retailers are
infamous for randomly selecting
numbers of potential buyers and
reaching out to them by calling them
up to tell them about their new
products. Normally, the companies
call up consumers who are currently in
contract with other carriers (SKT
telemarketers call KT cellphone users,
for example) but time-to-time, what
they do is that they call up their own
customers to introduce their new line
of products.
2. Free gifts
Another way to lure consumers to
change their cellphone carriers is to
give a bunch of free gifts when they
sign up for a new contract. Time to
time, the gifts could be as small as the
accessories for smartphones or could
range up to cash rebates of substantial
amount of money. (You heard it right,
real money!) Often times, when we
walk by cellular phone retailer shops,
you could see the scene of this
marketing scheme in the form of
stacks of ramen boxes or even kitchen
gadgetries to give away to cellphone
buyers.
3. Subsidies
Last, but most importantly, there is
the most controversial form of
marketing, subsidizing of cellphone
products. Before going deeper into this
subject, there is a personal anecdote
that I would like to share with the
readers concerning a trip to a local
cellphone store.
Just recently, as I was fairly intrigued
by the usual signboards that say free
phones or more honestly, cheap
phones, (Lets face it, nothing that
says free is ever free) I took my time
and stepped into one of these retail
sellers to inquire about buying a new
phone. As anticipated, the sales clerk
introduced me to some of the newest
lines of cellphones and was suddenly
dancing around the calculator to
enlighten me about how cheap the
latest Galaxy can be.
At first, he started with a solid
number of 900,000 Won but as he
juggled with the numbers, I was
informed that the final price that I
would be paying with a 24 months
contract would come to be only
360,000 Won in total.
At this point, the only words that
went through my mind was What
kind of sorcery is this?
Now, I dont know what he did, but
I remember him shooting out such
words as company subsidies, 24
months contract reduction and on top
of that, a certain amount of reduction
given by himself, the retailer.
In order to talk about price
reduction, one must understand that
there are various types of ways to
reduce the product price and also the
mechanism to reduce retail prices.
There are certain layers of price
reduction. For example, with an
original price of 900,000 Won, the
product gets a reduction of 160,000
Won through cellphone producer
subsidy. The next, a 70,000 Won
reduction from the carrier company
and after that, numerous other
subsidies given by the middlemen and
voila, it comes down to as low as
160,000 Won in total. (See picture
below)
At this point, one could wonder, so
what is the catch? How do they live
off with such an absurd amount of
price reduction? The answer is quite
simple, actually. One factor is that the
original pricing of cellphones already
take these subsidies into account
resulting them to be off the charts. i.e.
original prices do not really matter.
Another factor is the 24 months
contract. Almost all the new contracts
of smartphones these days oblige
cellphone buyers to go on a 24 months
contract with a minimum of 54,000
Won of monthly fees and the carriers
get their margins from this.
With such excessive amount of
reduction, the three major cellphone
providers of South Korea had to
undergo suspension of running
business for a certain amount of time
in turn by the government just
recently. However, the suspension had
not fully played its part as the real
problem was the amount of rebates so
experts believe that the banning of
business days was irrelevant to this
phenomenon. In reality, the rebate for
the Galaxy S3, one of the latest
product in line, had gone so
excessively high resulting the final
price of the product to go down as low
as 150,000 Won right before the ban.
With such excessive spending for
marketing, (over 2 trillion Won were
spent by all the carriers in second half
of 2012) the experts also predict that
sooner or later the providers would
have to increase the price of their
membership fees for the new buyers of
the future. Before it is too late, one
could state that this manipulation of
marketing schemes by cellphone
providers should finally stop.
BY YEUN-IL JEONG
Manufacturing Price of
900,000Wonminus...
-Manufacturer Subsidies 160,000
-Carrier Corporate Subsidies 70,000
-Carrier Regional Office Subsidies
40,000
-Carrier Branch Subsidies 30,000
-Retailer Subsidies 40,000
-Additional Membership Discounts
400,000(16,000monthly)
=Final priceof 160,000 won
Source: ChosunDaily
Cellphonecarriers arereadytogiveawayjust about anythingfor your purchasethesedays.
April 2013. Vol. 43
j 8
Never have consumers been so baffled by the current
state of war between SK Telecom, KT and LG Uplus. Of
course, consumers do often profit from occasional
skirmishes between the three major mobile carriers in the
country, yet seldom have consumers been inundated with a
constant myriad of offers from each of the rivals.For
example, an SK Telecom outlet in Gangnam boasts that the
company is offering a new Samsung Galaxy S III for 100,000
won if the customer changes carriers. Furthermore,
customers who switch from KT to LG Uplus are provided
with a 72,000 won monthly plan and the new LG Optimus
G Pro is ofered for just 250,000 won. The ban by the Korean
Communications Commission was never meant to lead to
additional opportunities for the major mobile carriers in the
South Korean telecommunications market, yet as the current
situation corroborates, it has evidently led to increased
prospects for not only the mobile carriers but also the
consumers. the latter has been bombarded by calls,
advertisements and messages offering significant discounts
and premiums on their current deal. Try going to a nearby
mobile carrier shop, for example. In recent days, the
atmosphere, far from being subdued due to the ban, has
enlivened in almost all mobile carrier shops with new events
being constantly initiated. Some consumers have even tried
calling the mobile carriers or paid a visit to their local branch
shops, to ask for special offers or obtain a new phone on a
bargain. In fact, now consumers are constantly on the look
for what offers are available from each mobile carrier and are
encouraging their close-ones to change their current deal for
the better! Indeed, this had even led to some consumers
ultimately swapping their mobile carrier. Yet has this unique
phenomenon ultimately benefited the consumers or is this
simply a short term ploy by the mobile carriers? To what
extent have consumers really gained or lost regarding the
current ban by the KCC? Despite the apparent boom, most
consumers, however, were determined not to switch their
phones, contracts, or mobile carrier. They realized that
switching would merely be vexatious and thought that the
carriers were simply offering good deals for their own
benefit. The fact that they were already tied to a complicated
contract also put them off. Consumers continued to use 3G
mobile phones. Making matters worse for the companies,
most consumers did not even know about the specicific
details of their contracts and the majority were simply
confused by the whole phenomenon. Generally, they were
not interested about the offers being provided by the mobile
carriers and most remained loyal to their original carrier. This
substantiates that consumers, overall, had very little interest
in their contracts and were scarcely affected by the KCC
ban. Some consumers did of course make a gain by using this
chance to obtain better deals for themselves, however, most
did nothing about their own contract. Instead they obtained
poor images of the 3 carriers who were seen as attempting to
steal as many consumers as possible during a period when
they should be repenting. Consumers were overflowed with
calls and messages which would have only irritated them
further.
Feature
Interestingly, alot of peoplestill use3G.
Weaskedpeoplewithwhichcompanytheydidtheir contract, someof theolder
peoplecouldnot answer this question
Half of thepeopleweaskeddonot reallyunderstandtheir
contract
Weaskedmostlystudents aroundcampus of SNUandSNU
station
The Effects
of Telecoms Competition
on Consumers
BY HAESOL KIM, SONG-UG YOON
T
he evolution of technology has
come to a point where it is now
integrated into our daily lives.
But while technology constantly
progresses at this rate, can the law and
the regulations keep up?
The dystopian future of machines
taking over the world may not yet be a
concern, however currently, there is
real harm to consumers due to the
inaptitude of the policies enacted by
the government and regulatory
agencies in response to the changing
technology.
The smartphone market in
particular has seen a great surge in the
past few years with the Korean market
totaling up to 30 million unit sales just
in the last quarter of 2012. Clearly, the
consumer demand for smartphones is
present and as such, many companies
have taken advantage of the situation,
implementing various marketing
methods that try to outsmart the
existing legal foundation to boost
sales. The recent subsidy methods
undertaken by the three
telecommunications companies in
South Korea exemplify this
phenomenon.
With the Korea Communications
Commission (KCC) imposing
operations suspensions to carriers in
previous years, the recent imposition
of an operations bans to LG U+, SKT
and KT are not a new phenomenon.
However, the imposition of both an
operation ban and a fine to each of the
carriers depicts the extent to the
problem that consumers and
government regulators face. Whereas
previous incidents only amounted to
operations bans, the KCC has taken a
more authoritative stance to the matter
this time around in regard to carriers
providing an excessive amount of
subsidies. The subsidy cap as enforced
by the KCC has been widely ignored
by all carriers. However, the
considerable fine that the carriers paid
last December (11.9 billion won) pales
in comparison to the highly inflated
marketing costs that amount to
trillions of won. Analysts have stated
that the fine actually serves beneficial
to the carriers as it levels out the
inflated marketing costs. Furthermore,
the operations ban period has seen
greater competition between the
carriers as they tried to make up for
lost business in their respective bans.
As the carriers each received
operation bans at a separate time, the
KCCs ban had the negative effect of
encouraging even more aggressive
marketing campaigns to make up for
losses in their own respective ban
periods. In the period of 66 days, in
which each of the carriers were banned
in operations for around twenty days,
all three companies saw an increase in
stock prices with SKT, LGU+ and KT
rising by 20.5%, 13.7% and 1.8%
respectively, while the overall KOSPI
index saw a decrease of 0.4%.
This has prompted the KCC to take
further action, imposing an additional
fine of a total 5.3 billion won in March
14th. However, this has been criticized
widely as a relatively weak attempt at
trying to regulate the rampant
oligopoly by the three carriers. The
KCC commented on the criticisms to
the paltry fine stating that the
organization had only three weeks to
respond to the competition, whereas
the previous fine was based upon a five
month investigation. The statement
depicts the KCCs lethargic control
over the carriers and a lack of foresight
to market reactions. The heavy
penalties only amounted to further
competition that again ignored
regulations and benefitted all three
companies.
As for now, the fines have relatively
slowed down the competition and the
comments from the Blue House
urging carriers to abide by the
regulations, the subsidy marketing has
died down. However, the three
telecommunications companies have
instead negotiated to lower the factory
prices of the phones by up to 10%.
The price of Samsungs Galaxy Note 2,
for example, went down by 90,000
won. With the upcoming release of the
Samsung Galaxy S4, the three carriers
may be lying low for another fierce
subsidy war campaign as it happened
previously with the Galaxy S3. The
KCC should perhaps focus more on
consumer education on carrier
subsidies, instead of focusing on
penalties that do not necessarily
amount to anything.
The KCC needs to enact policies
that will encourage healthy
competition instead of the carbon
copy marketing strategies between the
three telecommunication companies.
The simple slap on the wrist rules and
regulations are merely factors that the
three giants already consider
beforehand. As mentioned previously,
the carriers simply consider the fines as
another expenditure. All the
consumers are presented with similar
phone contracts with the determining
factor being the subsidy offer at the
time. The KCC should implement a
policy that educates the consumers to
subscribe to a plan that does not
discriminate based on fluctuating
subsidy offers. According to a recent
report by Marketing Insight,
consumer satisfaction in
telecommunications has plummeted
from 56% in early 2011 to 44% in late
2012. With this in mind, consumer
opinion and demand must direct
carrier competition and the KCC
should provide the necessary
information for consumers to receive
the right product package that they
need.
Regulators
vs.
Technology
BY YUN HWAN CHAE
o
April 2013. Vol. 43
o
Feature
Thelucrativesubsidyoffers bycarriers haveamountedtoanoperations banfor 66days intotal bytheKCC.
TheLGU+telecommunications storeat thestudent center incampus
April 2013. Vol. 43
z
SNU Society
CAMPUS NEWS
BY DIANA DAHYUN CHO
College of Social Sciences
The College of Social Sciences is holding its 31st Student Presidential Reelection. This is a reelection because last semester there was no
student association, therefore this semester is considered a continuation as well as an election anew. In order to join the election, students
from the College of Social Sciences who have been members of the student body for more than 730 days, approximately two years (Juniors
and Seniors with exception to leaves and military service), and who have received recommendations (through signatures of approval) from at
least 100 students from the college are eligible as candidates. Voting took place on April 9, 10 and 11. The seat of Student President has been
vacant for the past semester due to an unsuccessful election which was caused by the failure to produce enough votes. There are many
prospects for this semesters elections, and many hope for a stronger student pride in the College of Social Sciences.
College of Education
The College of Education has already held its student elections for this year, last
semester in November 2012. It has been rather successful with the sufficient votes,
and the hard work of the former members as it has been its 34th election. Because the
College of Education is rather small, it consists of a president, vice president,
executive and major representatives. There are fifteen majors within the College of
Education, and each major has one representative to join the student association.
Though the elections for the main associates were held last year, the major
representatives were chosen throughout last year, November, up till March. The
recently chosen representatives were from the English Education Department and
the Geography Education Department. The college has indeed been keeping up with all of its elections and has managed to finally be
complete with all fifteen representatives at the end of March. The student association works on all student-related activities such as the
College of Education Festival, orientation along with jangtu (literally meaning marketplace where food and drink are sold by students all day
for a relatively cheap price). The College of Education recently held a seemingly succesful jangtu on April 1.
Miscellaneous
On April 4th, the SNU festival preparation committee, Chukhasa, organized
the Gwanak Music Syndrome Event, in which musicians such as CRYSPOT
and FUZE competed to perform in the upcoming spring festival this May. The
performances by eighteen bands and eight DJ teams were held at Beodulgol, the
grass field, behind the College of Education. Although the performances were
well received by an enthusiastic crowd, the Chukhasa was criticized for running
the show well past midnight, disturbing students in the dormitories nearby.
Despite the criticism, kudos to Chukhasa for a thrillingly, fun-filled night on
campus, a rare happening.
College of Business Administration
The College of Business Administration is going to be holding a special event this semester as it will be executing a slogan contest. Any
associates of the SNU college of Business Administration (students, faculty and alumni included) will be asked to create a catch phrase
representing the mission and vision for the college. This will not only be an innovative way to create a more positive atmosphere for the
department, but also a beneficial way to express what the college is all about. Because this is indeed at contest, the 1st place winner will be
granted a sum of 1,000,000 KRW, and two outstanding participants will be given 300,000 KRW. Also, the contest is not a group contest but
an individual contest. The registration period is from March 27th to April 17th, and applications are available through bizsnu@naver.com.
Hopefully, a lot of Business Administration associates applied and will apply!
J
ust as in any other society, there are a few stereotypes
that go around at Seoul National University (SNU).
With the campus roughly divided into two parts along a
line formed by the Central Library and the Administration
Building, science majors (ikwa) and non-science majors
(munkwa) sparsely get opportunities to interact with each
other. Although some of the students meet people from
different majors through student societies (dongari) or
classes, many wonder about the life beyond the dividing
line, and imagine the life of other majors. Non-science
majors hear about the 301 building that many of the
engineering majors sleep in and how one cannot come down
the hill once they enter the building. When it rained this
March, people talked about how it snowed up where the 301
building is located due to higher altitude. Science majors
think of literature majors practically living with their books
and philosophy majors discussing ideals enthusiastically. In
this issue, the SNU Quill attempts to delve into such images
of typical science and non-science majors lives and find out
what people think of each other and whether that images
hold to be true.
The data for the article was collected through a survey
which asked questions regarding the study and lifestyle of
the surveyed students and of the other majors. The purpose
of the survey was to see both the similarities and differences
among different majors and to find out if the perception held
by SNU members toward other majors is accurate. More
than 100 people participated in the survey, half of which
were non-science majors and the other half were science
majors.
Since some questions are not applicable to freshmen, answers of
the freshmen were ignored in such cases for more accurate
results.
April 2013. Vol. 43
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SNU Society
Q1. Do you come to school to study on the weekends? If so, how many times do you do so on the
weekends?
Though the popular belief within the school is that the majority of science majors come to school on weekends whereas
non-science majors dont, the results were quite different. The majority of both majors answered that they come to school on
weekends for their studies despite the fact that science majors come to school more frequently.
The Stereotypes
within SNU
Are They Real?

Non-science Majors Science Majors

Non-science Majors Science Majors
Q2. In general, do you think science/non-science majors come to school on weekends and if so, how
often?
74.2 percent of non-science majors and 81.1 percent of science majors answered that their counterpart would come to school
on weekends. Also, half of the non-science majors answered that science majors would come to school on weekends more
than twice a month, which fits into the result found in the question number one (that more than half of science majors spend
their weekends in school twice a month or more) quite well.
BY JUNGHYUN BAEK
April 2013. Vol. 43
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SNU Society
Non-science Majors Science Majors
Non-science Majors Science Majors
Non-science Majors
Q5. On which type of studying do you spend the most time?
The top choice for both majors was homework. In addition, 11.1 percent of the science majors answered that they spend
the most time on experiments, whereas none of the non-science majors answered so. Also, 32.4 percent of the non-science
majors picked assigned reading, whereas 15.6 percent of science majors, less than half of the non-science majors choice,
selected the same option.
Q4. In general, do you think science/non-science majors have heavier workload than your major? If so,
how much heavier workload would they carry?
83.0 percent of the science majors answered their workload would be heavier and 87.9 percent of non-science majors
answered that science majors workload would be heavier. In general, it seems that both the non-science majors and the science
majors have an accurate perception in terms of the workload.
Q3. How many hours, on average, do you spend a week for studying one major course, excluding lecture
hours?
The intention behind this question was to see how the workloads differ between non-science and science majors. The results
show that science majors spend more time on studying a single major subject than non-science majors; hence, the workload of
the science majors would be heavier than that of the non-science majors.
Science Majors
Non-science Majors Science Majors
Q6. In general, what kind of studying would take the largest part for science/non-science majors?
The most popular choice was experiments for non-science majors with 45.9 percent of the responses, though homework
was the most time-consuming form of study for science majors. On the other hand, 62.2 percent of the science majors chose
assigned reading, though homework was the most time-consuming type of study also for non-science majors. These false
expectations are probably caused by the general image science and non-science programs carry. Also, as both majors spend the
most time on homework but did not expect homework to be the type on which their counterparts spend the most time, it
would be reasonable to assume that they both expect other majors studying behavior differs from their own.
April 2013. Vol. 43
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SNU Society
S
eoul National University (SNU) has two campuses
the Gwanak campus and the Yongon campus. The
Gwanak campus, 3000m
2
in area, is home to sixteen
colleges. On the other hand, the Yongon campus houses the
College of Medicine, Nursing and Dentistry. However,
Yongon is still fully equipped with its own library, museum
and dormitories. In the case of the Yongon campus, smaller
does not mean less. It means higher satisfaction and
increased efficiency, as a medical student mentions the
facilities are smaller than the ones in the Gwanak campus but
it has everything we need.
Despite its size, the Yongon campus houses the Seoul
National University Hospital (SNUH) at heart. There is no
doubt that the Yongon campus with SNUH and numerous
laboratories built for studying medicine provides the most
optimal academic environment for the medical students.
However, there are some conflicted opinions about studying
at Yongon. Its really nice to finally move into the Yongon
campus. It feels like home. The professors, seniors and my
colleges are finally under one roof. There is a tight
community here and everyone looks out for each other,
says Hee Jung Lim, a 3rd year medical student. Having a
hospital in campus also means that students can easily take
practical training courses, allowing students to get more field
experience. However, there are some disadvantages, says
Saemi Choi, it sometimes does not feel like a University but
a hospital. While the Gwanak camus is closed to the public
in general, the Yongon campus is relatively open with its
operating hospital.
The Yongon campus may be academically oriented, but it
provides an equally rich cultural life of Daehangno to its
students. Daehangno also known as University street is
One School,
Two Campuses
BY YOUNG MIN SON
Other Questions
In the last part of the survey, three questions on logicality,
language skills and efforts made were asked. Though it
would be very difficult to prove which major is more logical,
has better language skills, or puts in more efforts, the results
are valuable as they represent the general characteristics of
each major perceived by the SNU demographic. About 40
percent of both majors answered that people in their own
major are more logical than the others. 45.5 percent of the
non-science majors and 54.7 percent of the science majors
answered that there was no difference between them. The
results are very intriguing as there is no consensus on which
major is more logical, but rather a pattern of evaluating their
own majors logicality higher than the others. In contrast,
81.8 percent of the non-science majors and 75.5 percent of
the science majors answered that non-science majors have
better language skills, implying a general agreement that non-
science majors are better with language. Last but not least,
62.1 percent of the non-science majors and 50.9 percent of
the science majors believed that there is no difference in
terms of efforts among different majors. In addition, 34.8
percent of the non-science majors and 47.2 percent of the
science majors believed that science majors put in more
efforts, making it the second most popular choice.
Conclusion
Overall, it seems that science majors carry heavier
workload and spend more time in school. Also, what one
expects the other majors life to be seems to be quite accurate
in general. This result is quite surprising, since, from the
outer looks, it looks like there is almost no interaction
between non-science majors and science majors with the
transparent boundary in between. However, as most of the
participants are currently involved in one or more dongari,
with only about 11 percent not involved in any, many
actually do interact with each other and get a pretty good
idea of what each others life is like.
It should always be kept in mind, however, that some of
the expectations or stereotypes are totally incorrect and that
generalization is almost impossible at times. No one will fit
perfectly into all the stereotypes of their majors. It would be
irrational to expect a certain behavior or aspect from a person
just because one belongs to a particular major. In the same
context, the results of the survey included in this article
should not be used to justify an existing stereotype or to
create a new one, but should be viewed as a general
understanding of what students at SNU think of each other
and how the reality is.
Science Majors
Q7. Have you ever slept within the campus area, excluding the dormitory, in order to study? If so, how
many times have you slept within the campus area?
As suggested in the beginning of this article, many non-science majors believe that many of science majors sleep at school.
(66.7 percent of the non-science majors answered that they believe the science majors sleep at school.) 59.5 percent of the non-
science majors answered that they have never slept within the campus area to study, whereas only 35.6 percent of the science
majors answered so. The results also vary among the number of times slept in school. The most significant difference is found
in the proportion of the people who have slept in school more than ten times: 20.0 percent of the science majors have slept in
school more than ten times while only 5.4 percent of the non-science majors have done so, which is only about a quarter of
their counterpart.
Non-science Majors
zo z
April 2013. Vol. 43 SNU Society
A
center that is open to everyone. This is what
Kim Ah-Hyun, expert advisor who works for
the Human Rights Center of Seoul National
University (SNU) stressed over and over again as the
interview progressed.
The Human Rights Center was established in July of 2012
to protect the rights of every member of the campus
community and create an environment of care and respect.
Before the establishment of the center, discussion about
human rights in the university was narrowly focused on the
issue of sexual harassment. One of the few resources
available was the Sexual Assault Advice Line.
People have always had interest in human rights, but
there was never an institution to expertly deal with the issues
and report on them, said Ms. Kim. The Human Rights
Center was created to fill this need, to deal with the diverse
issues that can occur in the campus.
Open for Everyone,
The SNU Human
Rights Center
the street dedicated to art and culture of Korean youth. The
students who study at Yongon have access to a variety
inexpensive cultural activities such as musicals and plays.
Students also enjoy trying out unique cafes and restaurants
in the area. The freshmen studying in Gwanak often
complain about being far away from Daehangno one of the
most popular meeting places among university students.
Interestingly enough, our Gwanak campus played a key role
in the establishment of Daehangno. Without the Gwanak
campus, the Daehangno would not exist today.
SNU, as the first university to be ever established in
Korea, mapped its first campus at Dongsung-dong (now
Yongon campus) in 1946. Establishment of SNU was the
first dedication made to Korean youth after the Korean War.
Thirty years later, SNU was ready to move its main campus
to Gwanak-dong; and only the College of Dentistry,
Medicine, and Nursing was to stay in the Yongon campus.
Across the street from the Yongon campus is the
Marronnier Park that marks the center of Daehangno. This
park is named after the Marronnier tree that was planted
outside the SNU College of Liberal Arts and Science early in
the 1900s. Ten years after SNU moved to the Gwanak
campus, small group of performing artists and theatres
started to collect themselves onto the empty campus
grounds, and the old campus ground was named Daehangno
in 1985.
Even though the two campuses are both entitled as Seoul
National University, the two campuses are relatively
independent of each other. Most of the students who stay in
the Gwanak campus until graduation know very little about
the Yongon campus. For the medical students though,
studying in both campuses at the same time can be
challenging. The freshmen nursing students mark Fridays as
their Yongon day. In order to fulfill their school credits,
the students in the nursing department will take general
classes from Mondays to Thursdays, and then take their
major class on Friday. The school is kind enough to provide
a shuttle that runs from the Gwanak campus to Yongon
campus on Fridays but this shuttle may be the only
consistent connection between the two campuses.
Although the students who study in the Gwanak campus
may remain oblivious to the benefits of the Gwanak campus,
the benefits of the Gwanak campus are very clear to the
medical students who have moved on to the Yongon
campus. Sometimes it feels claustrophobic because it
becomes difficult to socialize with people from different
majors, says Lim. This does not only refer to general classes
but also dongari (student clubs). Although some medical
students are interested in continuing dongari they started in
Gwanak campus, it is difficult to make time. Meanwhile, the
limited variety of dongari in Yongon is not entirely
satisfying. The activities are limited in Yongon compared to
the variety of dongari that is being offered in the Gwanak
campus. The spacious Gwanak campus, unlike the Yongon
campus provides the necessary connection and the distance
between the sixteen colleges.
The freshmen medical students often complain of a very
different problem than their seniors. All the seniors in my
department are studying in the Yongon campus so its very
difficult to have lunch or coffee with them, complains a
freshman in the nursing department. For the freshmen,
entering a new community with limited support from the
seniors can be challenging but a worthwhile experience. They
will soon start complaining about seeing the same faces every
day in classrooms, lounges, restaurants, libraries and
dormitories.
We may be miles apart in distance, and we may often
forget about each other as we struggle to keep up with our
lives. However, your major, your class year and your campus
does not matter. What matters, is that we are all SNU
students, and there is only one SNU. The name itself should
be enough to keep us together as one.
BY BORA LEE
Kim Ah-Hyun, expert advisor for the Human Rights Center of
Seoul National University opens up about the objectives of the center,
its accomplishments to date and hopes for the future.
KimAh-Hyun, expert advisor onhumanrights inher office
zz
The center today deals with a broader range of human
rights issues and does so through measures beyond the
ordinary. Although the main objective remains as advice on
sexual assault through phone or visit to the office in Room
103 of the Doore Cultural Center Building (Building 67),
there is another line open for other human rights issues such
as discrimination, disability and unfair treatment. In addition,
the center conducts educational forums, symposiums and
training programs. On November 27, 2012, it conducted a
forum for international students to discuss issues regarding
discrimination and academic difficulties. As a supplement to
the forum, it is currently distributing a survey to research on
the lack of English courses for international students. If
many people respond to the survey, the center plans to make
a request to the university to increase the number of english
courses.
The coming months are also busy with preparation for
events. On May, the center plans to hold a symposium on
the theme of Human Rights and Development. Experts
and activists from all over the world have been invited to
discuss international human rights, global organizations and
future policy. All these efforts, Ms. Kim said, are to provide
an opportunity for the members of SNU to ponder about
human rights and discuss them freely and openly.
Considering its short time of existence, the Human Rights
Center has achieved much and has helped solidify SNU as an
emerging global university. Ms. Kim also testified that the
increased publicity in the last months has brought more
people to the doorstep, seeking advice. However the path
has not always been smooth. Survey results published by the
center in October of last year, reporting on human rights
violations that graduate students receive from professors
brought unwanted attention and exposed the university to
criticism from outside. The Human Rights Center, although
it had done its job, was surrounded in the controversy of
whether it should allow matters of the school to be so
openly publicized, giving the opportunity for outside press
to sensationalize it. Ms. Kim was careful to talk about such
matters, for she was employed in February and was not
present to deal with the controversy. However she assured
that the center was aware of the risk of misreport and
exaggeration by outsiders.
If reports from the center that are meant to protect
members of SNU are misreported, it can instead bring harm
to the members. So in those matters, we are always extra
attentive, stated Ms. Kim.
Rather, she was worried that such controversies and the
perception that the center is a place for only those who have
experienced human rights violation might be chasing people
away. Her biggest hope for the future of the center is to
open the doors wider so that everyone can come freely - not
because they have experienced human rights violation, not
because they need help but simply to talk.
It doesnt necessarily have to be a council on human
rights violation. Everyone faces hardships in ordinary life, so
anyone can come in comfortably and talk about anything,
perhaps over a cup of tea. We want to open up the concept
of human rights and provide opportunities for discussion.
With a smile, she added, We want to create a campus
environment where everyone respects each other.
April 2013. Vol. 43
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SNU Society
B
asic amenities like food,
clothing, and shelter are
necessary especially when
studying in a foreign country. To
compensate for the high expenses of
Seoul, students tend to congregate to
certain areas near campus- with few
exceptions. It would be necessary for
the school, SNU International Student
Affairs (SISA), and Office of
International Affairs (OIA) to explain
where would be a recommendable
dwelling for a typical student. The
SNU Quill interviewed students from
various houses to compare and
contrast the wof some locations
nearby.
Jack Sithiphone (Philippines,
Material Science, 13) of Gwanaksa
Building 923 has explained how his
dormitory is close to the area. When
you want to leave the dorm just walk
and turn around after fifty meters,
then shortly after theres the bus stop.
The accommodation is not that good
when compared to other buildings, but
I was satisfied with the cleanliness.
Mr. Sthiphone has acknowledged the
frequently discussed problems of
living in the oldest dorm of SNU,
particularly with regards to the
desolate environment. The only
problem is the shared bathroom.
There are only 2 bathrooms on a single
floor, so you can imagine how
important it is to keep yourself and the
toilets clean. The lack of dialogue
between my roommate and I does not
help to lighten the atmosphere. He
has explained that there was little
interaction with neighbors or
roommates but expressed having no
other concerns with the dormitory in
terms of quality. I do enjoy the
residence for the basic necessities like
the washing machine, TV and kitchen
is provided without extra cost, but the
atmosphere is not very lively. My silent
roommate and I do not disturb each
other and have a similar lifestyle.
An anonymous interviewer who
resides in 919 has commented on her
satisfaction and discomfort with
dormitory quality. Paying 520000
KRW a month wasnt cheap but since
the commuting was simpler than
waking up to meet the rush hour it was
a better choice than jachui, self
residence. Besides, with friends and
continuous source of food, the
dormitory has greater benefits than
anywhere else for residence. She has
agreed upon the worrying trend of low
readmission rate for older students
who needed a home as much as
freshmen did. Its not perfect outside
of the dormitory and it reflects in here.
You know about the tragedy of
commons? Without an overseer this
Home Sweet Home,
the Dorms of SNU
BY SEUNG HOON BAE
Theofficeof theHumanRights Center inDoore Cultural Center Building
April 2013. Vol. 43
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SNU Society
z
Central Library
Just like its name suggests, the Central Library(CL) is
located right in the center of the campus. In fact, the CL is
among the most familiar and popular facilities of the school.
It is home for many students with many purposes. The two
core functions of the CL are as follows.
Resources
As a library, one of its main functions is borrowing books.
The CL contains almost 3 million books, including over 1
million foreign language books. This is the second largest
library in Korea after the National Assembly Library. Many
courses these days require numerous readings; it would cost
too much to purchase all the necessary books. Students can
borrow almost any book they need, up to ten books at a
time. Books can be borrowed for as long as two weeks, and if
there is no reservation for the volume, the period can be
extended. For students convenience, book returning
cabinets are located throughout the campus. The CLs
resources are not limited to only books. There are 165,377
non-book materials such as DVDs, CDs and 84,115
periodicals. For students who are not familiar with ways to
search useful resources, the CL runs a program on how to
effectively use library functions. Also note that the CL
receives requests from students to purchase books they
need!
Studying
Another core function of the CL is the Yeolamsil(Reading
Room). Countless students use Yeolamsil to work on their
personal studies and readings. The Yeolamsil consists of
3,354 seats and is divided into six sections: 1, 2, 3A, 3B, 5, 6.
Even though some students complain about its sanity, most
agree that it is being kept in a nice condition considering its
size and abundant users. One key characteristic of Yeolamsil
is that room 3A is open 24/7. For students with need of a
place to study over night, room 3A of the CL is like a
sanctuary. I often pull an all-nighter in the CL, especially
during exam periods. If I stay in the CL for the night, I can
concentrate better than when Im at home, says Ahn Jaegu
(Dept. of Geography, 12), who was studying in 3A at 3:00
Central Library
and Center for Teaching
and Learning,
Right by Your Side!
BY KYEONGHWAN KIM
place is going to be run over with
unfinished laundry and chip bags. Yet
there are still applicants to even the
oldest 926 dorms because alternatives
are rare. State sponsored housing
programs are only for students from
specific regions in middle of Seoul for
commuting and jachui costs too much
for financially unstable students.
Maintaining a constant level of GPA
for qualification is already a task, yet
there are no safety belts for us when
we are ejected from the bunk and
breakfast service of SNU dormitory.
However, not all students that have
been chosen for dormitory have
decided to live inside it. Some, like
Sanjaa Otgontugs (Mongolia, Urban
planning, 11) chose to stay in Nokdu,
a town near SNU famed for
entertainment and service. I did live in
the dorms last semester, but moved
out due to cultural differences. Many
foreign students have differing view of
privacy that contrasts with Korean
students views. Foreign students in
fact often seek out one another to live
close by, away from dorms filled with
only Korean students. For only two
hundred thousand KRW a month, the
one-room (rented rooms with bare
minimum furniture for cost efficiency)
is similar to the cost of cheapest
dormitory. I could have chosen the
Northern part of Nokdu because of its
cheaper cost, but that would have been
too distant from the main road.
Security is not a major concern in
Nokdu with many familiar faces
nearby to keep watch. The nearby
5516 bus for returning to Nokdu and
5513 bus for transportation to the
SNU entrance station makes Nokdu
feasible for jachui. The only problem
would be loneliness. Its ironic, but
since its a one room there is no one
else I could openly talk to. Of course,
going out to have a good time would
be obvious; but since there is no
helpful study facility, I would have to
concentrate harder.
There are other people who seek
familiar faces than comfort. Anjali
Singh (India, Korean Language, PhD)
still lives in Haewhwadong( an old
town in Jongno District) for two and a
half years. Apart from the distance and
the problem of Wi-Fi connection, she
has no major qualms with her old
residence. Its actually a separate
payment, she said, but its roughly
equal to the dormitory, so I do not see
problems with payment. She does
blame the OIA for not contacting her
early enough to inform her about
handing in the application for
dormitory. Haewhwadong for Angali
is a good place to hang around, save for
meals. Her lifestyle as a vegetarian is
troubled with so many restaurants
with meat. Its a vibrant community
at Daehakro(SNUs previous
location), so there are many good
people and good shops. However I
might try to go back inside the campus
because an hour ride to school is a
problem.
Many students who live in particular
places choose to live outside of the
dormitory for reasons of their own.
Nevertheless, the dormitorys
proximity and superb facility for
educational help cannot be compared
with that of adjacent towns like
Nokdu. The administration may have
to do a better work at satisfying
complaints of much needed expansion
and layout of the dormitory.
In the wide and vast campus of SNU, there are so many buildings that it is hard for
students to know what they all are. However there are some that students should not miss,
and among them are the Central Library and the Center for Teaching and Learning. These
two facilities aid students with their academic activities.
SNUdormitoryhas providedshlter for students, but thereis not enough
capacitytosupport all undergraduates.
Naksungdaeis famous for students as aresidential townwithplentyof bars.
z6
April 2013. Vol. 43
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SNU Society
AM. In fact, the 24/7 Yeolamsil is so popular during the
exam periods that sometimes room 3B is open as well
because 505 seats of 3A cannot suffice. Also, using 3A
reduces the time wasted on roads (considering the long
average commuting time of SNU students, this is not small!)
and can enable students to study together through the night.
Center for Teaching and Learning
The CTL is located across Building 8 of the Humanities
Department. Unlike the CL, it is much less known among
students. There are many students who do not even know
the existence of the CTL. However, remarks on its programs
by participants are dominantly positive. If core functions of
the CL are mainly focused on providing necessities
(resources, studying spaces, etc.) to students, the CTLs core
function is more direct: it guides professors and students to
teach and learn well by lecturing, tutoring or counseling.
Writing
The CTL puts a great emphasis on writing. To quote its
homepage, The primary goal of college education is to raise
intellectuals who are able to think creatively and critically.
Writing plays a significant role in developing those
intellectual capacities. The CTL provides two programs for
writing alone: general academic writing coursework and
tutoring programs. These two programs are complementary
to each other. The General academic writing coursework is a
broad program while the tutoring programs focus on the
individual. The coursework is composed of lectures and
practice sessions. In the coursework, students are guided to
learn the fundamentals of writing, following the standard
procedure of writing an academic paper. On the other hand,
the tutoring programs are designed to help students with
their own work such as homework assignments. For
instance, they can get remarks on their drafts so that if there
is an expected problem, modification can be done before
actually writing the assignment. It is especially helpful to
international students to whom Korean is a second language.
They are likely to face difficulties with writing assignments
due to insufficient level of Korean. At the CTL, they can get
help from the staffs that are fluent in both English and
Korean!
Counseling
Another program the CTL offers is academic counseling.
It involves meeting with professional counselor to talk about
students academic difficulties. All difficulties about studies
can be consulted: it may start from GPAs, tests and
choosing majors to external factors that might influence
studies such as mental disorder, depression, anxiety, etc.
Many students who are in need of information can also get
help from accumulated database of the CTL. The counseling
can be done one on one or as a group. If face to face
counseling is unavailable or uncomfortable, the CTL also
provides online counseling.
The CL and CTL are two facilities that students should
know. There are so much more about them that can be
helpful to SNU students. For more information, visit the
websites: http://library.snu.ac.kr/ and http://ctl.snu.ac.kr/.
T
he first time I stepped into the
campus and walked up the hill
to the Humanities building, I
noticed the red mushroom-like
sculptures with white polka dots on
my left side. It was quite unique for a
college campus building and the sign
next to it read, MOA. The building
looked quite modern with U-glass
exterior and steel-framed trusses.
Everytime I passed the main gate,
the red mushrooms with white polka
dots were always, ALWAYS there for
me to notice. Now, the main gate is
all people think about when they talk
about Seoul National University. But
this was somehow extremely weird to
me, since the red mushrooms with
white polka dots were definitely much
more unusual and symbolic for a
college building.
Several days passed, and I finally had
the time to let myself in through the
door. It was then that I finally realized
the red mushrooms with white polka
dots signified an art museum. I was
greatly pleased to understand that
SNU had enough sense to build up an
entire building for the art.
It was very easy for me to get inside
and immediately start appreciating the
art pieces since I had a SNU student
ID card: anyone who has it can simply
hand the card in, and enjoy the art for
free.
MOA was built and opened to the
public in 2005. The Korean fashion
designer Andre Kim held his fashion
show at MOA to celebrate its launch.
Samsung donated the budget for the
construction, and Rem Koolhaas
designed the exterior and the interior.
Renowned for his influence on the
architect, he has won the Pritzker
Architecture Prize in 2000 (often
called the Nobel Prize in
Architecture) and designed many
buildings, two of which are the Dutch
House in the Netherlands and
Netherlands Dance Theatre in the
MOA?
MOA!
BY CELINE JEONG HYEON MOON
Room3Aat 3:00AMinthemorning Mainentranceof theCTLbuilding
TheMOAbuildingandthesign
April 2013. Vol. 43
zj z8
Hague. According to Koolhaas, the
design from the huge structure to the
details was meant to connect the
center to the wings on two sides and
make all grounds penetrable through
the center space. Such a structural
design is rarely seen in Korea.
MOA shows diverse attempts to
bring people into the world of art on
adaily basis. The core focus is to
promote art as a fundamental part of
everyday life, and educate art to people
who may very well grow ignorant and
indifferent about art. Hence, there are
quite a few events that happen often at
MOA.
For one thing, some of the artists of
the on-going exhibitions are invited to
talk to anyone who is interested in
knowing about the art through
discussions.
Another major program opened for
the public is Art & Culture Program
for Leaders (known as ACP for
short). It is a program designed for the
leaders of upcoming generations to
have enough opportunities to work on
their creativity and collaborating
abilities. MOA, as do many experts,
believes that the arts are about
transforming the ordinary to the
extraordinary, developing the
capability to communicate without
words with ones organization, and
that the arts change constantly for new
identities that define the individuals.
ACP is to develop such qualities
within the young thinkers.
There are less serious programs for
children as well. These programs
change every now and then and are
mainly for children around the age of
seven to sixteen. These activities
require children to be futuristic and
environmentally sustainable, a lot of
which are digitalized, helping children
to grow more familiar with arts
collaborated with digitals.
The latest exhibition is titled
<Re:Quest>, the Japanese
contemporary Art since the 70s. the
exhibition started on the 5th of March
and ended on the 14th of April. The
fabulous red color used on the sign
<Re:Quest> is quite appealing. 112
art pieces of 53 Japanese artists walk
the viewers through the 70s Monoha
movement, 80s Modernism, 90s Pop
Art, and the currently on-going art
trends. There are six sections in total in
this exhibition, which starts on the top
floor of MOA.
The upcoming exhibition is titled
<Data Fabrication>. It will open on
the 21st of May and close on the 21st
of July.
Whether you need a short runaway
from your insipid routines, or need a
space to hang out with your lovers or
friends, MOA is quite a place you can
spend time at. The red mushrooms
with polka dots are quite enjoyable and
an underground cafe is a nice place to
savor the spring-time leisure.
New Beginnings
A
s the 2013 spring semester
begins, all students are off to a
fresh start- freshmen entering
a new chapter of their lives as
university scholars, sophomores and
juniors committing to new goals, and
seniors enjoying their last campus
experiences. In accordance to the
novel atmosphere that comes along
with this particular time of year, the
campus too has undergone new
changes and additions of its own.
One new building that definitely
cannot be missed is WooJeongWon
(friendship building), situated in front
of the College of Business
Administration and the CJ
international office. Since the
construction that began in early
summer of 2012, the large blue sheath
covering the construction site and the
considerable amount of dust produced
aroused the curiosity of many within
the school. Numerous students
passing by or waiting for the shuttle
bus (which was unfortunately located
directly amidst the construction area)
had made many predictions on what
the purpose of the building would be.
Finally after months of inquisitive
guesses and dust-inhaling, the building
unveiled its covers this semester to be
the SNU WooJeongWon Global Social
Contribution Center funded by the
College of Physical Education.
The ingtriguing internal structure of
the building consists of six floors
including a basement parking lot. The
first floor contains a community
service room along with the executive
offices. The second is facilitated with a
memorial hall and an interesting facet-
volunteer work preparation room-
where the opportunity for volunteer
projects within the campus to be
planned and executed under the
supervision of the College of Physical
Education is provided. The fourth,
which is currently undergoing
construction, is planned to be a library
for resources pertaining to community
service and general knowledge.
Another new facility of this
semester that is gaining attention is the
Gamgol building adjacent to the
College of Social Sciences. Although
the upper portion of the building is
not yet accessible for students, the
ground level is meeting possibly the
highest efficient results amongst the
other newly developed buildings. The
only vegetarian buffet on campus
along with the school food court that
was formerly located in the College of
Arts have been moved into this new
facility. Nuisances occured with this
relatively abrupt change in location not
only among the arts students who
were accustomed to eating in their
own departments, but also within the
new Gamgol restaurant where students
were not able to make card payments
due to technical difficulties. However
now that the semester has fully started,
temporary troubles have been fixed
and more students are becoming aware
of this new practical area that is open
to a wider range of students. Doori Na
(Business Administration, 11)
expressed her attitude towards the new
building by stating, the new Gamgol
food court is very useful as it is close to
the College of Business
Administration, and Im glad the
school has built a new place for
students to spend their time on
campus.
With the newly starting school
semester and the blooming of cherry
blossoms, we students look forward to
another campus life filled with pleasant
surprises, and new meetings. It is no
doubt that the visual aid of newly
established facilities will also
participate in this wholesome
phenomenon of new beginnings and
provide a more amiable atmosphere
for everyone.
SNU Society
BY EUN HUR
WpoJeongWon locatedi nfront of theCollegeof
Business Administration
Re:Quest - JapanesecontemporaryArt sincethe1970s
Gamgol situatednext totheCollegeof Social
Sciences
Newvegetarianbuffet insideGamgol
A
close friend of mine recommended Sudamerica to
me, so I knew I would not be disappointed even
before I got there. Quite surprised that such a place
existed, I wasnt sure why I hadnt come across it before. As
it turns out though, not many people have. Turning left into
the street before Olive Young (SNU station, Exit 2), a little
way down, there is a petite restaurant called Sudamerica
which will definitely not disappoint you.
Not quite comfortable going alone, I took a friend along
with me and we took seats by the window. I noticed the
restaurant itself was quite small, but not confined. The right
wall was littered with an array of photographs and maps (a
particular large one of South America) and the left wall, with
shelves of miniature plants and photo frames. The
mismatched stools and chairs made the place seem familiar,
yet the space was not enclosed enough to feel cosy. Still, the
dim-orange lighting and yellow painted walls ensured a
relatively homely feel. Instrumental music was being
constantly played in the background which was exotic and
not surprisingly, had a South American flavour to it. It was
relaxing and quite remindful of music you may often hear on
a holiday.
Only one table other than ours was occupied and we
deliberated on the menu before both of us chose the
Hamburguesa Uruguaya. Being the most moderately
priced on the menu, (the prices ranged from the 6000Won
Hola, chica! bagel on the lunch menu to the 23000Won
Bistec a lo Pobre steak) it seemed like a good deal. We half
expected to see the waiter carry our meal only to be later
disappointed when it arrived at the table next to ours and
rightly so, as those guests had arrived first. However, there is
April 2013. Vol. 43
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BY REGINA HYUN JUNG LEE
The Food Diary:
Sudamerica
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April 2013. Vol. 43

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z
nothing quite like that excitement and
then let a down!
As my eyes darted across, I couldnt
help but notice that there was a fair
amount of tomato ketchup sprinkled
across the plate. Personally, I am not
into that. Seeing this, we called over
the waitress and asked if the
Hamburguesa Uruguaya contained
ketchup. She told us that it did. We
requested that one of the hamburgers
be plain, and she hurried off into the
kitchen looking worried. A few
minutes later we found out why; only
one burger arrived and the waitress
explained that my own burger was
being remade without sauce. She
accepted my apologies graciously and
asked instead if I would prefer some
other sauce. Feeling somewhat guilty, I
assured her that nothing else would be
required. When my own plate arrived
we were finally able to enjoy the food.
I may be no food expert, but if your
guilty pleasure is the occasional bite of
fast food, consider this an upgrade. As
well as the burger (consisting of bacon,
fried egg, pickles, onion, cheese and so
on) there was a portion of fries and a
ramekin containing pickles. Not only
was it tasty, but it was also filling. I
cannot vouch for any others on the
menu but if you have trouble deciding,
choose the Hamburguesa Uruguaya.
Youll know its a safe option.
Later, we noticed that the taller
menu standing up on the table was the
alcoholic drinks menu. Therefore we
came to the realisation that Sudamerica
was not only a restaurant but also a
bar. However, with no intentions to
get drunk over a Quill article, we paid
and left the place with our stomachs
full and souls well and truly satisfied.
To me, the best thing about
Sudamerica was the service (not to
mention the delicious food!). The
friendly waitresses and waiter made all
the difference. If, like me, ketchup is
not your thing, then you know they
will kindly remove it. Although I am
aware I cannot vouch for the taste of
other food on the menu, I can
certainly vouch for the service there
and the pleasant atmosphere.
I look forward to going there again
and trying something different on the
menu; perhaps something more
alcoholic this time.
S
ISA, or SNU International Students Organization is a mammoth organization
in which all of SNU international students are accepted as members. About 8-
10 executives members work together to organize various festivals and
programs and help international students smoothen out any troubles they might
have with their campus lives. The SNUQuill met the new SISA president, Zhang Lili
for in-depth information about her aims as well as future plans for SISA.
1. How does it feel like to be the new president of SISA?
I feel nervous and excited at the same time. Being a president of SISA means new
responsibilities and work, and because I want to do the best I can, I feel pressure.
Sometimes I am afraid that I will not be able to live up to standards that Ive set for
myself. However, I am trying my best with all our members to make SISA into one
great family for international students at SNU. Plans for the upcoming semester are
making me excited as well.
2. What is SISAs prime objective?
SISA was founded with the purpose of giving international students in SNU a
family atmosphere. Our objective is to bring international students in SNU together
as one big family. Our motto, in line with our aims, is Together as One. We try to
achieve this goal by helping international students adjust to SNU campus, and also
by planning and organizing meaningful events to improve intercultural
understanding. We hope students will feel less lonely and more at home, with the
family they have around them at SNU.
3. As the new president, what direction do you want SISA to take?
I hope that SISA will become an organization which can provide useful
information, solve problems effectively and manage and plan more interesting events
and festivals. To achieve these goals, we have already laid out plans for 2013. First, we
want to make ourselves known to every international student in SNU through our
communication channels, which include a Facebook page, website, and brochures.
Secondly, SISA will connect international students to school administrations like the
Human Rights Center and OIA on campus, and to Gwanak-gu Office, Health
Center and Gwanak-gu Police Station off campus. By pooling resources with the
right parties, we hope to help both students who live on campus, and off campus.
Last, but not least, SISA will try to provide more efficient service for students.
4. How often do the executive members of SISA meet and what do
you discuss?
We meet every week, and if necessary more. In our meetings, we usually discuss
new events, festivals for international students, brainstorming for ideas and checking
10 Questions for SISA
BY HEE KYUNG LEE
The new boss responds in style
Below: Thetablebythewindow.
Sudamericahas avibrant atmosphere. Thewall is decoratedwithanarrayof photographs.
April 2013. Vol. 43
,
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up on each others work. We also discuss how to run SISA
website and Facebook page well. In all, we try to give
students better service. Although the work is demanding, we
feel the work is worthwhile since we can help international
students like ourselves solve their problems. Besides the
work, we also have time to enjoy ourselves.
5. Do you have anything new this semester or
this year?
SISA has a lot of plans for the upcoming semester. First in
line is our SNU survival game scheduled on April 27th.
Students in groups will carry out missions designed to help
students learn about the campus. We hope participants will
make new friends and have time to relax after the demanding
midterm exams. Food festivals and culture trips this year will
be held on May 16-18th as well. We also want to share more
useful information with students. Through our new
publication, SISAs biweekly newsletter,students will have
access to information about jobs, scholarships, and Gwanak-
gu services to their benefit. We have more plans stored, so
the upcoming semester should be pretty fun-packed for all.
6. We understand SISA revamped its website.
What changes have you made? We hear there is a
forum as well?
Yes, we now have a forum. The sections include SNUlife,
(Study Board, Campus Life), Seoul Life Section (Job &
Recruitment, Flea Market & Housing Transfer), and Free
Bulletin Board (Free Board, Suggestion Box). Any
international student is welcome to join and contribute to
our forum. Not many seem to know about these changes so
we hope that more international students will join in. (SISA
webpage: http://sisa.snu.ac.kr)
7. Many people that we talked to claimed SISA to
be an event manager rather than problem
solver. What do you have to say about these
comments?
The main purpose of events and festivals is to make
international students feel they are not alone here, and
provide leisure in campus life. However, SISA is also
concerned about students problems, and we are doing our
best to remedy a situation. Just last year, the lack of English
courses in SNU posed a problem for international students.
So SISA brought the matter to Student Affairs offices
attention. The situation has been gradually changing after
that. Human Right Center is conducting a survey to find out
what kind of English courses students need and will take
action accordingly. For students who have studying
problems, SISA has been working with the school to set up
academic advisors at each college. SISA welcomes emails, so
if students will send their questions to us, we will try our best
to help.
8. We understand that SISA has appointed
country representatives. How effective has it
been?
The country representatives main work is to spread useful
information to their country or area friends, and gather
information about the problems their friends might have.
Having country representatives has been effective so far. For
instance, last semester SISA worked together with
International Students Human Right Forum and invited
country representatives to the meeting. Country
representatives were able to provide information about
problems that international students have. One such
problem was that long full names some students have were
cut short on the Student ID card. The school made changes,
and from this semester, students are able to print their name
in full on their ID cards.
9. How is the administration working on solving
students problems? People we talked to express
disappointment on how the problems are handled.
Some students come to us with relatively small
problems related to housing and jobs. Our executive board
members cover these. For example, an exchange student
missed the dorm application deadline, and asked us to help
her find a place to live. So we contacted dormitory
administration office to find out if they accepted late
applicants, and when they said no, we told her that she could
look for a house off campus, and that if she needed more
help, like the help of a translator, she could contact us again.
But sometimes, there are problems which require others to
step in. For these, we talk with Human Right Center,
Students Affair Office, Career Development Center and
Dormitory Administration Office. Off campus, we work
with Gwanak-gu Office, Gwanak Health Center and
Gwanak Police Office to provide more services for
international students. This year, we will be redoubling our
efforts, so I hope students will not hesitate to contact SISA
about problems.
10. Just out of curiosity, what do you guys
usually have for Khwaja(snacks) during your
meetings?
We have some normal Korean snacks, beverages and
sometimes chicken! We have fun during our meetings!
A Hundred
Pound Story
Losing a hundred pound is no joke.
But did the society play a role in that?
BY TSELMEG CHULUUNBAATAR
6
April 2013. Vol. 43
;
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H
ave you lost some
weight? You look
prettier is a common
comment you will receive from
someone you have not seen for a
while. Would you take this as a
compliment or an insult? We live in a
society where outer appearance is
important and are sadly judged by it.
Do you think you need to lose
weight? Are you overweight than
average? In Korea, yes would probably
be the answer. However, Korea is the
thinnest nation among the OECD
countries tied with Japan, while USA
has ten times bigger amount of body
mass index [Nation Master Statistics
2012]. Is it the social factor driving the
people crazy about losing weight? Or
is it really something you should do
without the influence of society?
The Quill had the chance to sit
down and talk to a student who has
achieved what most people could only
dream of. He had set out a goal and
although it is still work in process, the
results are already impressive. He has,
in less than seven months, lost a total
whopping sixty kilos. Losing a kilo
takes a lot of effort, imagine doing
that.
Meet Andrew Lee (Mechanical and
Aerospace Engineering,10), born in
Korea but lived most of his life in
America. He came to Korea four years
ago to attend university. Our hero of
the day (his achievement is no less
than heroism) starts talking about how
he has been overweight all his life, but
it was never a problem for him. Life in
America was a lot different than in
Korea, says Andrew. Obesity is also
a problem in the States, but more
common than it is in Korea. People
really dont look at you differently,
you are more normal than you are not,
compared to here. But here if you are
little overweight, people tend to judge
you without knowing who you are and
look at you differently. Being
overweight has a lot of stereotypes.
However it was different for him as he
was never bullied or teased in school,
but instead they knew him for being
him and not as the big Asian guy with
glasses. He lived a life as he wanted. If
the circumstances were different, I
would have changed my outer
appearance a lot earlier he adds.
But things were different here in
Korea. He was no longer at ease at
who he was and so he started out on
this difficult track to fitness. So on
September 10 of last year, he decided
that it was time to get serious.
After the long winter break, there
was a total change in how he looked.
On the first day back in the university,
everybody was shocked to see him and
some, he explains, didnt even
recognize him. He was surprised to
hear people telling him that he looked
great rather than ask about how his
vacation was or how his health was.
The way people looked at him or
treated totally changed even though he
was still the same person as he was
before. So what was his secret?
He had none. He did not go by any
of the strict diets that he could find
online. He disciplined himself. He
worked out twice a day and cut out on
carbohydrates. It has now become a
lifestyle for him. The important part
for him was seeing the result as he
says, There was a visible change when
I looked myself in the mirror but
sometimes it got frustrating as well.
Every day was a constant battle over
the cravings for some foods or longing
to stay in bed to miss a workout
sessions. To others it might seem just a
simple banana but for him it would
mean ten more minutes on the
treadmill for the next day. Coke,
sweets and pizzas, which he dearly
misses, are nothing but a thing of the
past.
The biggest difference he felt was
the response from his Korean and
American friends. The ones here in
Korea push him to keep going until he
reached the Korean average size in
contrast to his friends in America who
advise him to take it easy.
Additionally, no one over there was
curious about knowing how he did it
whereas here everyone was interested.
Unconsciously, he compares the two
cultures he grew up within, which he
realizes are so different from one
another. If he was still in America, he
probably would not have had started
dieting. Korea was definitely an
influence and the environment which
spurred him to take action. He says, I
wouldnt recommend this extreme
type of diet to anyone because I know
what I have been through and I dont
want people to suffer like I did.
But despite all this, he silently
admires how the culture has brought
out change in him. Losing a hefty sixty
kilos is no joke and that goes on to
show how much motivation,
dedication and discipline he has in him
to put that goal into reality. A culture
that is obsessed with how they look
and how they show themselves in
public can be annoying at times, but
for Andrew, it was the medium for
change. He does accept the fact that to
maintain what he has already lost will
take greater responsibility but he feels
confident that he will do so.
I feel much better now, he
concludes. The Quill acknowledges
that.
A
t this grave juncture that will settle the matter
of life and death in our one-on-one [struggle]
with the Communist Party, the smoking of
marijuana by the youth is something that will bring ruin
to our country... You must pull up by the roots the problem
of marijuana smoking and similar activities by applying the
maximum penalties currently available under the law.
-Park Chung Hee, 2 February 1976.
After the humiliating defeat in Vietnam, then President
Park Chung Hee set about to get a firm grasp on his
domestic affairs. His internal policy of defending the
system firmly stressed the need for traditional culture to be
conserved as well. Unfortunately, Koreas youth were busy
imitating western hippie culture which included wearing
jeans, flaunting long hair, carrying guitars, singing pop songs,
expressing anti-war sentiments and smoking weed. Park had
seen enough.
So on 2 December 1975, Park decided to crackdown on a
huge number of entertainers and ban them from performing
on stage calling it the marijuana crisis. The early half of
Korean 70s had witnessed a growth in young musicians, as
stated above, heavily influenced by the hippie nature of the
west. They would tend around university students and with
its audience, voice out against the Vietnam War. The fact
that Parks own son was also involved in the culture made
things much more personal. By condemning these
entertainers behind the bars and by broadcasting ridiculous
anti-marijuana propaganda on national television, Park set
out to cleanse a generation that would make the marijuana a
social taboo altogether.
The Green Culture.
We mean
the other green.
Lets talk Marijuana, shall we?
BY ABHAS MASKEY
Exaggeration: Avideostill of the1975Anti-MarijuanaPSA
showingthedrugs effects
April 2013. Vol. 43
j 8
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Getting behind Marijuana:
Marijuana is a term for the dried flowers and leaves of the
plant cannabis sativa. Also known as ganja, cannabis or
simply weed, its flowers contain concentrated amounts of
mind altering chemicals known as cannabinoids. Hashish, on
the other hand, is made by the resin extracted from
cannabinoid rich trichomes-tiny hair like structures
produced by the plant. Different types of marijuana produce
different amounts of mixtures of cannabinoids; these vary
with the genetics of the plant, with growing practices and
even with the timing of the harvest.
So how does it feel to get high?
As Harvard psychiatrist Norman Zinberg described the
sensation achieved of a particular drug to be drug, set, and
setting, high widely varies on the type of drug being used
(potency of marijuana), on the particular culture or religion
people are influenced by and on the ambience they find
themselves in while on the drug. It could also vary with other
factors as well; alcohol and music have long thought to have
an elevated effect while on high. In a small survey done by
the SNU Quill through the internet, the participants
expressed that they felt soothed and relaxed, had elevated
sense of humor, mood F5 (refreshed) and that they could
think more clearly, be more creative, take things
lightly, be more receptive when under influence.
The use of science to explain high:
THC, or delta-9-tetrahydricannabinol, is the main
psychoactive chemical present in marijuana responsible for
the intoxicating effects. But as confident as science is in
uncovering the chemical that produces high, it has little to
say for the sensations that are generated while being
intoxicated and predictably, its comparison to other drugs.
Its effects are complex; while most recreational drugs are
categorized into either depressants or stimulants of the
central nervous system (CNS), marijuana is strangely
neither. This is because the chemicals react to a specific pair
of nerve receptors (CB1 and CB2) and a naturally occurring
neurotransmitter called anadamide(ananda meaning bliss
or pleasure in Sanskrit)
The interactions of the psychoactive compounds to these
receptors are multiple and oddly assorted.It focuses
attention on sensory experience, impairs sensory short-term
memory and the executive function in ways that interfere in
absorbing of complex information and managing divided
attention, enhancing appetite and making users more
receptive to humor. This goes to some extent in explaining
the effects users experienced in the survey.
The Culture:
Globally an estimated 125 million to 200 million people
use marijuana in the course of a year; thats 3-4 percent of the
worlds population aged 15-64 (notice the age range), [Ref.
Marijuana Legalization: What Everyone Needs to Know,
Oxford University Press, 2012*]making cannabis by far the
most widely used illicit substance in the world. The
interesting thing to note here is that although it does dwarf
the use of other illegal substances, it has no comparison to
the use of alcohol. [Ref.*]
The way people consume marijuana is different and
depends on the kind of culture they adopt. Most commonly,
it is smoked using hand-rolled cigarettes called joints and
through pipes and water pipes called bongs. Usually
mixed up with tobacco, burnt up and inhaled, the vapor that
goes into contains the chemicals that are responsible for
creating that high. However that is not the only way.
Marijuana can also be added in food and beverages. As the
active psychoactive chemical THC dissolvable in fats, oils
and alcohols, a range of products can be made. The
marijuana brownies, cakes and cookies that Hollywood
movies feature at times deliver the high once they get
digested over time. In South Asia, Bhang Ladoo, a round
edible substance made out of freshly grinded marijuana
leaves with water and milk, is a popular item to indulge upon
during Hindu festivals. Drinks such as Green Dragon
infused with THC are available as well.
So what about the culture in South Korea?
Its not that the drug use is completely absent among
youths here. Reports had emerged last year that an exchange
student in Korea University had to be taken to the hospital
after smoking synthetic marijuana in the dormitory. The
SNU Quill tried to get hold the dormitorys administration
but was denied information. Sources claim that he was
deported back after being found that he also dealt
marijuana.Reports of marijuana dealing in KAIST have
emerged as well. The SNU Quill talked to sources close to a
student who allegedly deals the drug. In addition to giving
insight into how much five grams of cannabis would cost,
the source had interesting details into how the drug arrives in
Korea.
During the 70s though, it was different story here. The
use of marijuana as a happy smoke was generally accepted
amongst college youths in view Kim Woo Jin who had come
of age at that hippie era. In journalist Jason Stothers article
Koreas Forgotten High Times, he talks to Kim, an art
student at that time. Kim explains that there was absolutely
no guilt about using marijuana at all and was not considered a
social problem during his college years. A lot of art
students were smoking marijuana at that time. he recalls.
Fast forward nearly half a century later and marijuana is a
complete taboo subject to talk about. People who have tried
it are shunned upon and are often at the end of harsh
criticisms. Celebrities and public figures who have publicly
come forth after admitting its use have been shamed and
have been at the end of vicious internet attacks. Actress Kim
Bu Seon, who now publicly advocates the use of the illicit
substance after being caught back in 2004, was no exception.
She caused a media uproar and so have others who have had
to go down the same guilt ridden path.One of Koreas most
talented traditional musicians, percussionist and dancer Yi
Kwang Su, has been in and out of jail a number of times as a
result of his fondness for the odd reefer.
Ironically, Korea has a long a history with the plant. Once
largely found growing in the countryside and on the sides of
dirt roads as means to prevent the dust from the road into a
habituated area, Daema-Marijuana in Korean- was one of
Koreas largest cash crops. Considering the present state, this
is hard to believe but the plant was cultivated to make hemp
for numerous products which included the traditional dress
hanbok and was largely used as an ingredient in the Korean
traditional medicine. The timeline of the actual abuse of
the plant is, however, difficult to trace down. Lee Chang Kis
book The Story of Drugs released in 2004 goes on some
way in claiming that it was the American soldiers who
showed Koreans the High-Way. Considering the fact the
Americans themselves didnt embrace the drug properly
until the hippie culture of 60s took over, that claim still
remains debatable. Were Koreans really that na?ve not to
notice its potency before?
Thecatalyst of change: President Parks distastetowards theplant was the
mainreasonfor its rejectionintheKoreansocietytoday.
Religion:Aportrait of LordShiva smokingMarijuana.
Hinduismhas alongstandingrelationshipwiththedrug.
LoneVoice: Actress KimBuSeonhas beenpubliclyadvocating Marijuana
How they do it:
- One of the most common ways is through air
- 5 individuals work as a unit, 3 as carriers
- Special vacuum seal used, tapped around the body
- Remaining 2 work as divergence, carry a special
frequency whistle
- Frequency detectable by sniffer dogs, not humans
- Whistle means of distraction, just in case
o
A&C
The Tale of Two Koreas:
The division of two Koreas has, like the difference in
opinion regarding which political structure to follow,
brought out a difference in the tolerance of marijuana use.
As far as reports and first-hand accounts in the internet are
to be believed, North Korea has no law against the
production, distribution and use of the plant.
Across the DMZ though, there is a complete zero-
tolerance for all that is related to the plant. The fact the
suspects dont even need to be caught possessing the
substance to put them into custody goes on some way into
explaining how seriously the Korean law sees marijuana. A
suspect and his or her sample of urine or hair (Korean police
have complete authority to take samples anytime, anywhere,
anyone) with a positive test result implies breaking the law.
This means even if the person had abused the substance a
week ago, he or she will still have to face the consequences.
And the consequences are dire.
Besides the internet being proliferated with horror stories
on how getting caught in Korea is possibly the worst thing
ever, the actual penalty for dealing the drug is five years
sentence to life imprisonment while simple possession will
hand in a maximum of five years. Getting positive on the
drug test will hand in a similar sentence. Foreigners face a
lighter sentence depending on his or her involvement. Once
convicted of use or possession, they serve three to six
months in prison, get fined $1000-5000 before they are
deported to their native country (depends on citizenship).
However, there are reports of longer and harsher
punishments.
The Result:
Korea now has comparatively low drug related problems
than other countries in the world. Clearly when videos
released in 1970s show hippies to be hallucinating, jumping
out from a cliff and showing clear signs of mental problems
just because they smoked marijuana [YouTube: Korea Anti-
Marijuana PSA 1975a], it is easy to understand why, over the
years, Korea has become increasingly intolerant to even the
lightest of the drugs. Although this is no bad thing, it begs
to question whether the same could have been applied to use
of alcohol. Then the SNU Quill would have had to witness
less people sleeping out on the street, completely
unconscious.
In Numbers:
- Average 4 (Scale of 1-5, 5 highest) obtained from a
survey conducted by the SNU Quill marijuana use in
universities around the globe.
- 5 grams cost around 130,000 Won. Compare that to a
mere $2 for 100 grams in India.
- 300 grams produced in a year by a small home grower
who attended university here. Worth 7,800,000 Won.
Got caught this year.
- US Solider caught with 3,480 grams of synthetic
marijuana Spice last year. Worth 110 million Won.
Marijuana Laws:
- Nepal: personal use allowed during select Hindu
festivals.
- Columbia: 20 grams allowed for personal use.
- Paraguay: up to 10 grams allowed.
- Peru: allowed to carry up to 8 grams of cannabis.
- Germany: up to 6 grams allowed.
- Japan: 5 years prison plus hard labor for possessing.
- Execution in Saudi Arabia and Malaysia for smuggling.
TheMovies:
ThePineappleExpress strainof Marijuanais knowntoagivealonger high.