Ko So-young S-line?

Ko So-young (she looks like this) S-line, would in Korean parlance refer to Ko So-young the actress, and her S-shaped, or slim, figure. S.K.Y. would normally refer to that which falls down at the end of the world, or a trio of the top Korean elite schools, being Seoul National, Korea, and Yonsei (their graduates combine to make up about 2/3 of the political and bureaucratic elite). But not for the ever inventive Korean netizens (here).

Ko(rea University), So(mang Church), and Young(nam voting disctricts) become short hand for the powerbase of newly inagurated President Lee Myung-bak. S-line, or its looks, refers to his time as a S(eoul) mayor. S(omang), K(orea University), Young(nam) does the same. As JoongAng Daily put it: “The SKY is the limit for minister nominees” and its not difficult to make a similar sentence that includes line either.

President Lee Myung-bak is a graduate from Korea University and has brought with him a darling amount of alumni to serve as ministers and at other top positions. As a churchgoer at the 70,000 man strong Somang Presbyterian Church, he is in company with 60 former ministers (not including pickings of his own), 10 university presidents, and 150 popular entertainers (here). Then there is Youngnam, the two Gyeongsang provinces that is the political homeland for Lee Myung-bak’s Grand National Party (although the homeland would probably liked to have seen someone born there as its candidate, such as daughter of former military general-cum-dictator-or-president, Park Geun-hye).

Unfortunately I am skipping the part that should read, “note, the above is not uncommon in South Korea”. And although your company present believes a president should be judged by more, it would be somewhat unfair to let Lee Myung-bak be judged on other than his (economic) performance (if the voters remember that’s why they elected him). To bad then, that he will be judged in April, at the National Assembly election. For references Ko So-young is spelled 고소영 S-라인 in Korean.

More on elites, see: Ahn, Byong-Man (2003). Elites and Political Power in South Korea. Cheltenham: Edgar Elgar

Sungnyemun, National Treasure No. 1, burns down

After a taxi driver reportedly called in about a fire at 8:50 pm Sunday, it took 99 firefighters seven minutes to get to the fire scene at Namdaemun. Up to 360 firefighters were involved in trying to save the South Gate of Seoul – originally called Sungnyemun - from what could be the work of an arson or an electric fault. Constructed from 1395 to 1398, it was until recently the oldest wooden structure in Seoul. Rebuilding may take two to three years, and costs are quoted from 10 bill. to 20 bill. won. The insurance policy for fire damage will only cover 95 mil. won ($101,000).

Many people feel strongly about their National Treasure No.1 (as it is designated by the Cultural Heritage Administration), and the government has held an emergency meeting, presided over by Prime Minister Han Duck-soo. A parking lot attendant cited in the JoongAng Ilbo (here) is quoted as saying: “My heart is aching. I have seen Namdaemun every day for 40 years. We elderly people feel shamed because we could not protect our ancestors’ heritage.” Lee Kyung-sook, chairman of the transition team for the incoming government, echoes: “I feel sorry to our descendents for failing to protect the gate” (here).  People are quietly drawn to the scene (yours truly included) observing, taking photographs, and some putting down chrysanthemums, normally offered to the deceased.

By irony, luck, or coincidence, Sungnyemun’s tablet inscriptions were saved. As the Korea Tourist Organization (here) explains: “Sungnyemun’s name means fire, which is from the harmony of the Five Elements and if written vertically, the Chinese character ‘fire’ looks as if it is providing protection”

Timeline from JoongAng Daily

In April 2005, Naksan Temple, one of the country’s oldest Buddhist temples and a National Treasure, was lost to fire.  It is just more than two months since Korea’s worst oil spill in history

At this early stage, reports have been somewhat contradictory. For some selections see:

- IHT: Fire destroys centuries-old national treasure in Seoul [February 11, 2008]
- JoongAng Ilbo: Delays and passivity criticized: Firefighters, cultural administration blamed for failing to save Namdaemun [February 12 2008]
- Yonhap News: Centuries-old gate collapses in fire [2008/02/11 19:20 KST]