Published by the Gwangju International Center since 2001
What would you do with seven million dollars? Retire early? Buy a few houses? Set aside enough money to put your great grandchildren through university? How about build a deathtrap offramp against the express advice of experts that ends up being so dangerous that it can never be used?
The May 18 Foundation was founded in 1994 in order to help develop Korea through the spirit of struggle and solidarity of the May 18 Democratization Movement or Gwangju Uprising. Through various projects, the Foundation is committed to sharing the history of the May 18 Movement and its impact as the “foundation of democracy in Korea” at a national level, though it also promotes democracy and human rights at a global level. We meet Mr. Won Sun-seok, the chairperson of the May 18 Memorial Foundation, where he shares his personal account of the May 18 Democratization Movement, the Foundation, and his hope for the future.
In this new column, our correspondent, Umesh Mansukhani, visits areas around Gwangju to give our readers an overview of what makes each and every district great in its own way.
One of the things that surprised me most about Okinawa was the serious lack of spontaneous karate demonstrations as well as the virtual dearth of enigmatic old men who were willing to use unconventional training techniques to turn me into a karate-fighting machine in mere days. But apart from this, Okinawa is by far one of the most beautiful places I have visited in Asia.
To mark my fifth year stewarding the “Lost” column, I’d like to return to Gwangju proper, specifically Yang-dong. This month, I’ll scribble the pages of the Gwangju News with a tale involving hostess bars, North Korean collages, menacing graffiti, courteous cult invites, and a tenacious cat I call Achilles who, like Yang-dong itself, refuses to die despite all odds.
The neighborhood of Songjeong is wonderful and provides a serene environment as well as a safe and secure atmosphere where the international residents can lead happy and joyful lives.
The 12th World Human Rights Cities Forum (WHRCF) was held at the Kimdaejung Convention Center for four days, October 10–13, 2022. During this year’s Forum, 38 programs were organized with 320 domestic and foreign speakers and around 1,800 participants in total. Under this year’s theme, “Climate Crisis and Human Rights,” we concluded that it was important to recognize that the climate crisis could also impact human rights, not just the environment.
The five nations of Central Asia – Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, and Turkmenistan – were once part of the USSR. Their being late to obtain independence has meant that they are arguably still overlooked, though they are hidden gems in their own right. Kazakhstan, like its neighbors, is home to scenery that is nothing short of epic: Mountains capped with snow, glacial lakes, and gorges make it a dream for keen hikers and novices alike. It is a country where the influences of Islam and communism still clash wonderfully with each other, making way for some truly beautiful architecture, the likes of which I have never seen anywhere else.
