Chinese team hopes to taekwondo better

HONG KONG: Wu Jingyu of China’s taekwondo team was depressed after losing her match in the ongoing 2009 East Asian Games, even though she’s already, at the age of 22, garnered all the major taekwondo championship titles.

China’s Yin Zhimeng kicks the Republic of Korea’s Yun Heesung in the men’s 84kg taekwondo final at the East Asian Games in Hong Kong yesterday. Yun won 7:2. Edmond Tang

“I am very disappointed about losing the match in the Women’s 51 kg-category semifinals two days ago. Every event I attend is very important to me, especially those in which I’ve never achieved victories,” said Wu.

Wu attended the 2005 East Asian Games in Macao, where she failed to grab gold as she was still green. However, in the following four years, Wu achieved all the dreams any taekwondo practitioner could ever hope to realize: being a champion in the 2006 Asian Games, 2007 World Championships, 2008 Beijing Olympic Games and 2009 National Games. Still, Wu is not happy with her sluggish performance in Hong Kong two days ago, when she was forced out of the semifinals by a player from Chinese Taipei.

“I have not been in a good state these days, though I am eager for victories in the Games. People might say the East Asian Games were too easy for me. However, I was not training under the right regimen for a while after the National Games, which could simply explain my poor performances,” said Wu.

Chinese taekwondo experienced a collective flameout in the Games this time, except Lin Ji, who managed to clinch the only gold medal for China in the Women’s 47 kg-category among the total 16 events on Sunday. Chinese players Shao Hua and Yin Zhimeng appeared in the finals of the Women’s 67 kg-category and Men’s 84 kg-category yesterday. Both of them and their dreams were crushed by their overwhelming opponents from the Republic of Korea.

“We did not achieve the two-gold plan for the Games this time,” said Zhao Lei, Vice President and Secretary General of the Chinese Taekwondo Association.

Zhao said the breakdown in the Games revealed many problems behind Chinese taekwondo’s development. It is not just the players, but the coach, the management, even the whole taekwondo system should face up to the long-standing problems disguised by some glories achieved in the past, said a disappointed Zhao.

“We did score some accomplishments in the past, like those in the Olympic Games, but it does not change the fact that compared to the Republic of Korea and Chinese Taipei, our taekwondo has had a very short history and thin foundation.

“Wu had very good innate physical constitution and reflexes to qualify as an outstanding taekwondo player. However, her problem is obvious, (namely) that her basic techniques are not sound, which became apparent as she entered more events. Wu lost her match this time because she dared not take initiatives in the game. Her lack of self-confidence is due to her technique problems,” said Zhao.

“Start from zero again when you are walking down to the medals podium,” Zhao advised, a message he wants all of his players to take to heart.

“I am in the new 4-year preparation cycle for the 2012 Olympic Games, and I hope to position myself as a starter. I will try my best to win every event I participate in. All of this is for the next Olympic Games,” said Wu.

bron: www.chinadaily.com.cn

Man weds corpse

Devoted partner Yu Liang, 27, married his fiancee’s body after she died just days before their wedding day.

Bride Zhang Jinying, 25, was clothed in her wedding dress and brought up the aisle in a flower-covered glass coffin for the service in Zhengzhou (simp郑州trad鄭州), central China.

Cosmetics saleswomen Jinying had died during an epileptic fit, but her fiance persuaded her grieving parents to go ahead with the service.

“I had promised her a white wedding and I wasn’t going to break my word to her. I now feel like her husband,” said Liang.

A funeral service was held immediately after the wedding. Now Liang plans to take the honeymoon the couple planned in Korea – taking a photo of his bride with him.

bron: www.austriantimes.at [13-11-2009]

Chinese scholarship for foreign students

A total of 113 foreigners have been awarded scholarships worth 85,800 yuan (S$17,460) to become Chinese language teachers.

The students became the first batch of foreigners to receive the Chinese language teaching scholarship in Beijing on Tuesday. Between 2009 and 2013, up to 3,000 scholarships will be given to candidates who love Chinese culture and have a decent level of Chinese.

South Korean recipient, Lee Eun-Min, said more and more Korean students are interested in studying in China, but the appreciation of renminbi made it unaffordable for many Korean families. “The scholarship will give me great support financially, and I can be more concentrated on my study,” she said.

Lee is a graduate student in Chinese studies from Pusan University of Foreign Studies. She has now begun a two-year Chinese language postgraduate course at Beijing Foreign Studies University (BFSU). “After two years of study in China, I think my Chinese will be improved significantly because I am in a Chinese language environment.” She said after graduation she would dedicate herself to teaching Chinese to foreigners.

Zhao Yanqing, the head of the scholarship project from the Office of Chinese Language Council International, told METRO that next year they would be more aggressive in terms of giving out scholarships as a way to promote Chinese language, culture and enhance mutual understanding between China and the world.

This is the first time the Chinese government has launched a large-scale project to leverage the quality of Chinese teaching faculties around the world, according to Zhao.

Each candidate receives 42,900 yuan per year for the two-year program. In return they have to spend at least five years teaching Chinese to foreigners either in China or their home country.

Li Bing, director of office of international student at BFSU, told METRO that this year six out of 10 students applied from BFSU received the scholarship. They plan to give out 10 more scholarships next year.

In Beijing, eight universities are eligible to give out the scholarships. This includes Peking University, Beijing Normal University, BFSU, Beijing Language and Cultural University, Capital Normal University, Renmin University of China, Communication University of China, and Minzu University of China.

Applicants can directly contact the enrollment offices at the universities.

bron: news.asiaone.com [13-11-2009]

Korean woman’s driving test joy… after 950 attempts

A woman in South Korea who has tried to pass the written exam for a driver’s license with near-daily attempts since April 2005 has finally succeeded – on her 950th time.

Having spent more than 5 million won ($4,200) on application fees, Cha Sa-soon, 68, finally passed the written exam with a score of 60 out of 100 on Wednesday.

It’s the minimum score that will now allow her to take the driven part of the test, but it’s enough. A commemoration plaque the employees of the exam office promised has already been handed over.

Written part finally out of the way – now for the practical.

bron: www.metro.co.uk

Chinese navy vessel sets sail for ROK, Japan

The “Zhenghe” training vessel of the Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) Navy left Dalian, northeast China’s Liaoning Province, Monday for visits to the Republic of Korea (ROK) and Japan.

At the invitation of the ROK’s navy and Japan’s maritime self-defense force, the vessel is scheduled to visit the ROK’s port of Chinhae and Japan’s port of Kure from Oct. 29 to Nov. 2, and Nov. 5 to 9 respectively, according to the schedule.

Two cadets from an institute under Japan’s maritime self-defence force were on board the vessel to receive training with their Chinese counterparts, said Rear-Admiral Liu Yi, the PLA Navy’s deputy chief of staff, who will lead the vessel.

This was the first time for foreign cadets to take part in the whole course of navigation training on a Chinese navy vessel, according to Liu.

Of nearly 370 people on board the vessel, 230, including 16 female, are cadets from four academies under the PLA Navy. They will have a variety of professional exchanges with their ROK and Japanese counterparts respectively, according to Liu.

During the visits, four Chinese navy students will get the opportunity to receive training in academies of the ROK’s navy and Japan’s maritime self-defense force for two or three days, he said.

The visiting ship “Zhenghe” was named after a Chinese maritime explorer who sailed overseas about 600 years ago. Dubbed “a mobile college on the sea”, the vessel was put into service 22 years ago and had sailed for a total of more than 280,000 nautical miles.

bron: news.xinhuanet.com

Li Bingbing Wins Korea Tourism Award

The Chinese actress Li Bingbing (李冰冰) is to be given an appreciation award by the Korea Tourism Organization (KTO) on Wednesday for her contribution to promoting exchanges between Korea and China.

The 33-year old is one of the top three actresses in China along with Zhang Ziyi (章子怡) and Zhou Xun (周迅).

KTO said, “Li is actively working for the promotion of exchanges between the two countries, having released a photo album with pictures taken in Seoul last year.” Li arrives in Korea on Wednesday and visits Seoul and Busan.

Chinese actress Li Bingbing poses at the Korea Tourism Organization headquarters in Seoul on Wednesday. She is here to receive an award for her contribution to promoting exchanges between Korea and China. Newsis.

bron: english.chosun.com [13-10-2009]

Top three books on learning Korean for foreigners

As Korea’s visibility in the global picture continues to become explicit, the demand for learning Korean as a foreign language also grows immensely. Of the numerous books published to satisfy this need, the following are the current best-selling three: “Surviving Korean” by Stephen Revere (Nexus Books, p.272, 21,500 won). As a native English speaker with a degree in teaching Korean as a second language, Revere refers back to his personal experiences learning Korean. Having felt a disparity between what was taught and what was desired to learn, Revere wrote this book to bridge the gap between traditional Korean language and its practical use today. Using an analogy of a child learning to speak through hearing and practicing before learning the rules, Revere offers practical and commonly used language before providing clear comprehensible explanations. With diagrams of mouth shapes, DVD extracts with captions, and cultural tips with real context for the taught material, “Surviving Korean” offers a hands-on introduction to learning and experiencing the Korean language. “Basic Grammar Skills” and “Vocabulary” textbooks are separately available for those interested in upgrading their level of language. “Korean Made Easy” by Oh Seung-eun (Darakwon, p.288, 17,000 won). Being a teacher at the Korean Language Education Centre of Sogang University, Oh provides a simply approach to Korean for those without a Korean background. The book consists of twenty self-study chapters with practical everyday conversations in fun cartoon-style illustrations. Essential grammar is also taught through visual presentations, and listening and reading exercises based on the Korean Language Proficiency Test are also offered. Furthermore, a CD of clear pronunciations by professional voice actors and a detached “Key Phrase” book with 38 most commonly used Korean phrases for everyday situations are attached with the textbook. A second series, titled “Korean Made Easy: for everyday life,” is also available for more in depth Korean for specified situations, such as traveling, adapting to Korean life, or making appointments. “Ganada Korean for Foreigners” by Ganada Korean Language Institute, translated by Lee Kee-dong (Korean Language Plus, p.223, 20,000 won). As opposed to the above two books that concentrate on practical sides of learning a language, “Ganada Korean for Foreigners” is more concerned with grammar and vocabulary. With a textbook layout, the book is divided into three stages: primary, intermediate and advanced. The primary stage is composed with an emphasis on correct pronunciation, whilst the intermediate stage offers more varied vocabulary and the advanced stage introduces history, culture and social aspects of Korea. Though the textbook layout and method of continuous exercises may appear juvenile, it provides a great system of repeated practice and learning. bron: www.koreaherald.co.kr [14-10-2009]

Unmarried Korean Women Population in Late 20s Rises to 59.1%

The population of unmarried women in their 20s and 30s has grown rapidly in Korea, a government report showed Sunday, underpinning concerns that delaying marriage is contributing to the country’s declining birthrate.

The share of unmarried women increased from 39.7 percent of total females aged 25 to 29 in 2000 to 59.1 percent in 2005, according to the National Statistical Office (NSO) report. The corresponding ratio for women aged 30 to 34 jumped from 10.5 percent to 19 percent in the same period.

Single women made up 4.1 percent of females between 35 and 39 in 2000 and grew to 7.6 percent in 2005, it added.

“The result shows that encouraging married women to have more babies alone cannot resolve the issue of the country’s low birth rate,” the report said.

Concerns have mounted that the falling birthrate will dent South Korea’s growth potential in the coming decades.

The NSO said around 35,900 babies were born in July, down 5.8 percent from a year earlier and marking the 17th consecutive on-year decline in childbirth.

According to the latest statistics released by the World Health Organization, South Korea had an average of 1.2 babies per woman of reproductive age, the lowest among 193 countries and below the OECD average of 1.73 babies.

bron: www.koreatimes.co.kr [11-10-2009]

South Korean, DPRK families meet in reunion event

South Korean Lee Jung-ho (L) cries as he meets his DPRK elder brother, who was originally from the South and was a war prisoner from South Korea during the Korean War, at the DPRK resort of Mount Kumgang September 26, 2009. (Xinhua/Reuters Photo)
Hundreds of families from the two Koreas on Saturday met at the DPRK’s Mount Kumgang resort in the first government-arranged reunion since the inauguration of South Korean President Lee Myung-bak.

Earlier in the day, 96 South Koreans, of whom more than three-quarters were at the age of 70 or older, crossed the inter-Korean border, heading for the Kumgang resort to meet their families separated by the 1950 – 1953 Korean War.

Arriving at the DPRK’s resort in the afternoon, South Koreans met with their long-separated families at a massive gathering at around 3 p.m. local time (0600 GMT), and are later to have a dining meeting in the evening.

The separate, personal meetings are scheduled to be held on Sunday.

The South Korean families will come back home on Monday after the three-day gathering, which will be followed by the second-session reunion event which will last from Tuesday to Thursday.

The reunion, which had become a semi-regular event since 2000 after a historic inter-Korean summit in Pyongyang, was suspended in 2007 with a deteriorating mood in inter-Korean relations.

South Korean Yang Yoon-hak (L) meets his DPRK elder sister at the DPRK resort of Mount Kumgang September 26, 2009.(Xinhua/Reuters Photo)
Saturday’s family meeting, however, came as a result of an agreement reached last month between the DPRK leader Kim Jong-il and Hyun Jeong-eun, chairwoman of South Korea’s Hyundai Group.

The resumption of the family meetings is regarded as conveying the DPRK’s reconciliatory intentions, along with the country’s recent moves including lifting a ban on cross-border traffic to and from the Kaesong Joint Industrial Park, local media said.

About 600,000 South Koreans are believed to have relatives in the DPRK. Ordinary citizens were not allowed to make phone calls, send letters or exchange e-mails across the border.

bron: Xinhua [26-9-2009]

Man Indicted for Racist Harassment

Man Indicted for Racist Harassment

Prosecutors have indicted a man for calling an Indian “dirty” and “smelly” on a public bus. The Bucheon branch of the Incheon District Prosecutor’s Office on Sunday said it summarily indicted the 31-year-old man identified only by his surname Park.

“This case shows that a racist remark that could potentially harass a foreigner can be subject to legal punishment,” a spokesman said. Unlike some advanced countries, Korea has no separate criminal offense covering racist remarks or behavior, so Park was indicted for contempt.

Park is accused of insulting Banajit Hussain (28), a research professor at SungKongHoe University, on a bus on July 10. Park, who was drunk at the time, started the dispute by disrupting a conversation between Hussain and a Korean woman. Park counter-sued Hussain for contemptuous remarks but dropped the charge during the investigation, apologizing and admitting he was at fault. Hussain accepted Park’s apology but did not drop the charge, prosecutors said.

The number of foreigners staying in Korea for 90 days or over or with Korean citizenship stands 1.1 million.

bron: english.chosun.com [7-9-2009]