One of friends who I haven't seen for almost a decade, yet still very vividly amicable in my mind has been diagnosed as the last stage of an intestine cancer. Since past month, I've tried to contact him, which I found harder as time goes by, probably because of him taking more painkillers by the passage of time. I called him again last weekend, hoping to see him once for all, which he only resigned politely. In his voice, I felt no life. Near whispering voice was much too toned-down with obvious despair and pain, whereas mine exaggeratedly loud and pseudo-cheerful. For the first time, I felt him dying. A man in his early thirties, at a pinnacle of one's life, was fading away.
Perhaps, I pushed him too much. Felt somehow guilty to be well, while he has not been blessed with, I have wished to see him, perhaps even wanted to confirm how well and happy I am by seeing him suffering. Maybe, I was selfish to ask him too much to go and see him when he is at his worst state since we saw last time. Deep sorrow surged from the inside.
Friday, August 31, 2007
Friday, August 24, 2007
"It means a world to me."
How can such simple words embed such a profound feeling?
Lately, I've had troubles to read and comprehend updated news from papers or any other sources of media for some unknown reasons. Instead, I decided to go over some nonfictions that I purchased yet never had enough time to indulge myself into. "The Kite Runner," a book recommended by a friend with wondering mind, has been kind to me enough to provide a humble resort in my barren city life for last couple of days. There, newly immigrated Ali seeks comfort in Jahara, a girl he has longed for, at his father's near death bed. Prohibited from being seen together by their customary Afgan Sharia Law, how they found out the feelings for each other would be god-only-knows. After years of hide-and-seek type of pursuit for each other, finally Ali said to Jahara at his father's death bed that her presence next to him then means a whole world to him.
At the first glance, it may sound stereotypical. However, to me, the simple comment was overwhelming enough to make me bite my lips not to shed tears in the crazy communiting subway No. 2 this morning.
When did I feel so desperately longing for something? What did I desire then, if any? I know there still is burning fire within me, the thirty that can't be met easily any time soon, yet I also feel that the longings have been gradually faded away from hectic daily chores depsite all the struggles I've made.
Lately, I've had troubles to read and comprehend updated news from papers or any other sources of media for some unknown reasons. Instead, I decided to go over some nonfictions that I purchased yet never had enough time to indulge myself into. "The Kite Runner," a book recommended by a friend with wondering mind, has been kind to me enough to provide a humble resort in my barren city life for last couple of days. There, newly immigrated Ali seeks comfort in Jahara, a girl he has longed for, at his father's near death bed. Prohibited from being seen together by their customary Afgan Sharia Law, how they found out the feelings for each other would be god-only-knows. After years of hide-and-seek type of pursuit for each other, finally Ali said to Jahara at his father's death bed that her presence next to him then means a whole world to him.
At the first glance, it may sound stereotypical. However, to me, the simple comment was overwhelming enough to make me bite my lips not to shed tears in the crazy communiting subway No. 2 this morning.
When did I feel so desperately longing for something? What did I desire then, if any? I know there still is burning fire within me, the thirty that can't be met easily any time soon, yet I also feel that the longings have been gradually faded away from hectic daily chores depsite all the struggles I've made.
Thursday, August 23, 2007
By your side.
Ladies from the Financial Dept. of our hotel invited me over to their little Ddeok-bokki (Korean rice cake with red-peppered source) luncheon this afternoon. Being verterans working over a decade in the hotel, they were well aware of whatabout politics in/out of the hotel. One of top gossips for today was, without doubt, about the current GM leaving and its expected political turmoils afterwards. There are almost seven hundreds mouths and ears to gossip and listen to whatever you say near this work place, and certainly these four late thirty something ladies didn't find too difficult to seek their hideouts at the Ddeok-bokki place to gossip.
Now, everyone seems very aware of the currnet GM leaving and a new one replacing him early next month. What a lame duck he is. Mostly, not because of him simply leaving his office, but because of him not having been such a virtuous, respectful, and proven leader-typed manager who put so many of employees into deep frustrations as a result, most associates in the hotel seem not too sorry at all about his departure.
Personally, I have a mixed emotion on GM's leaving. I am glad to confirm my judgement on him as a supervisor and a leading personnel of this big organization, but at the same time, feel sorry to see this happening so early. Because this also may imply nobody in this hotel would be responsible much for their works and feel ownership to the hotel, which will inevitably weaken the fundamental structure of an organization. Who will be so sincere when they think they can only be in a position for less than a year or two?
Thanks to all the mess GM made, the company is now undergoing a severe restruction, laying off dozens of employees who have been working for this firm more than fifteen years. This means, lots of managerial staffs are leaving and there will be big vacancies in regular operations. Everyday, I realize an individual doesn't cost much, and he/she can be replaceable without exception, most of cases. It's sad. And I think about how would I be remembered at the end of the days. Most definitely, fondly over dreadfully and missed over regretted, I wish to be recalled.
One fine summer afternoon.
Now, everyone seems very aware of the currnet GM leaving and a new one replacing him early next month. What a lame duck he is. Mostly, not because of him simply leaving his office, but because of him not having been such a virtuous, respectful, and proven leader-typed manager who put so many of employees into deep frustrations as a result, most associates in the hotel seem not too sorry at all about his departure.
Personally, I have a mixed emotion on GM's leaving. I am glad to confirm my judgement on him as a supervisor and a leading personnel of this big organization, but at the same time, feel sorry to see this happening so early. Because this also may imply nobody in this hotel would be responsible much for their works and feel ownership to the hotel, which will inevitably weaken the fundamental structure of an organization. Who will be so sincere when they think they can only be in a position for less than a year or two?
Thanks to all the mess GM made, the company is now undergoing a severe restruction, laying off dozens of employees who have been working for this firm more than fifteen years. This means, lots of managerial staffs are leaving and there will be big vacancies in regular operations. Everyday, I realize an individual doesn't cost much, and he/she can be replaceable without exception, most of cases. It's sad. And I think about how would I be remembered at the end of the days. Most definitely, fondly over dreadfully and missed over regretted, I wish to be recalled.
One fine summer afternoon.
Friday, July 13, 2007
Sweetheart sorrow.
It was only a few days ago, when things started to slip away from what I scheduled. The new job, which I was unexpectedly offered with, had put me into a rocky rollercoster with the notorious boss and eventually relocated me into a position different from what I signed for. A person who I've been kindly of looking forward to seeing again only brought a very very awkward momentum of the grendeur rendezvous after more than a year of separation. Perhaps, I expected much. That's fine.
Now I am sitting in an office I wouldn't imagine to be then, sipping water from a plastic bottle, updating my blog, and waiting the office hour to be ended. Although, things are not particularly moving in a way I planned, I still have plenty of things to take care of and to make me feel needed. Additionally, since I already understand sometimes unexpected turns may be await us here and there to garnish to our lives, the nearly a month of rather hectic past period of the transition did hardly scare me nor change my attitude towards life in general.
At this new position, okay, ,,. I was offered with a head assistant position to general manager of Renaissance Seoul Hotel, a branch of Marriott International the hotel magnate, and now switched to the Operations Dept., the largest managerial division of five others in the hotel hierarchy. No matter what, as always, I will do my utmost effort to meet the company's expectation, and hope to find an initiativeness to lead my career in a way that I can shape into an ideal blue print I have always dreamt of.
Now I am sitting in an office I wouldn't imagine to be then, sipping water from a plastic bottle, updating my blog, and waiting the office hour to be ended. Although, things are not particularly moving in a way I planned, I still have plenty of things to take care of and to make me feel needed. Additionally, since I already understand sometimes unexpected turns may be await us here and there to garnish to our lives, the nearly a month of rather hectic past period of the transition did hardly scare me nor change my attitude towards life in general.
At this new position, okay, ,,. I was offered with a head assistant position to general manager of Renaissance Seoul Hotel, a branch of Marriott International the hotel magnate, and now switched to the Operations Dept., the largest managerial division of five others in the hotel hierarchy. No matter what, as always, I will do my utmost effort to meet the company's expectation, and hope to find an initiativeness to lead my career in a way that I can shape into an ideal blue print I have always dreamt of.
Thursday, July 05, 2007
Seoul, Seoul, Seoul!
Summer, the queen of all seasons, has indeed arrived. Some of those who I have become acquainted with at some point of my life are visiting Korea and many of us are planning for a short summer trip to somewhere, well, though not all of us do. As an employee who has been hired twice and laid off once within two weeks, asking for day-offs would be ridiculous thing to do, so I swallow the strongest sense for an exploration and filed fatigue through my throat.
So far, the experience with this hotel has been very unique in its own way, yet I still find there are plenty of things that I feel gratitude for. Although, interactions among colleagues are relatively shallow and too quick to savor thereof, compared to those at my previous firm, I sense there still are invisible hands ready for me to hold, thereby leading me toward the betterment. I thank for that and his will.
So far, the experience with this hotel has been very unique in its own way, yet I still find there are plenty of things that I feel gratitude for. Although, interactions among colleagues are relatively shallow and too quick to savor thereof, compared to those at my previous firm, I sense there still are invisible hands ready for me to hold, thereby leading me toward the betterment. I thank for that and his will.
Wednesday, July 04, 2007
Wheel of chaos
Last two weeks were the MOST unpredictable and insecure moments in my life. Transition made into its grendeur entry, since then everything went blur and disceptive that I could literally trust no one at work where I was supposed to work for a possibly extended period of time.
Direct boss wasn't ready to train me in whichever way and expected the same or above experiences and work capacity that he couldn't even find from a person with ten years of experience in the field, who he eventually dismissed before I entered into this firm. After one and half week of nightmarish time with him, he dismissed me as well. It's not that I stole money or anything. I guess it was simply a result of huge differences in expectation. That's fine. But the problmatic points arised therefrom was the misjudgement of the employer brought out severe damages to my rights to be hired and work, according to a legal expert who I asked an advice from. Although, I did not make too much confusion or loud noise for everybody's sake in the firm, so I asked the firm would give me either an approved involuntary separation paper. Then the employer offered me a different position, which pays less annual salary. I rejected the offer unless they pays me the same amount of salary indicated in our contract, then, director and deputy director from Human Resouces Department with an approval from General Manager verbally guaranteed that they will assure my annual salary to be unchanged dispite of changes in job position. It was already ridiculous enough to experience all that confusion, but real fun part hasn't come yet. They gave me a red slip showing the position entitled to me has been changed. Funny thing? I have never received the form when I first came into the previous position, and it does not indicate the wage stays the same in anywhere thereon. That is, they are neither willing to keep their verbal assurance they made to me, nor to give out an involunary dismissal paper that can be used unfavorable to them. Sneacky and wicked wastes!
Perhaps, I only become aware of what really is happening in most of the society in which I reside, I feel pity for all of our comrades who fight for their share of bread, and wish the best for all of us!
Direct boss wasn't ready to train me in whichever way and expected the same or above experiences and work capacity that he couldn't even find from a person with ten years of experience in the field, who he eventually dismissed before I entered into this firm. After one and half week of nightmarish time with him, he dismissed me as well. It's not that I stole money or anything. I guess it was simply a result of huge differences in expectation. That's fine. But the problmatic points arised therefrom was the misjudgement of the employer brought out severe damages to my rights to be hired and work, according to a legal expert who I asked an advice from. Although, I did not make too much confusion or loud noise for everybody's sake in the firm, so I asked the firm would give me either an approved involuntary separation paper. Then the employer offered me a different position, which pays less annual salary. I rejected the offer unless they pays me the same amount of salary indicated in our contract, then, director and deputy director from Human Resouces Department with an approval from General Manager verbally guaranteed that they will assure my annual salary to be unchanged dispite of changes in job position. It was already ridiculous enough to experience all that confusion, but real fun part hasn't come yet. They gave me a red slip showing the position entitled to me has been changed. Funny thing? I have never received the form when I first came into the previous position, and it does not indicate the wage stays the same in anywhere thereon. That is, they are neither willing to keep their verbal assurance they made to me, nor to give out an involunary dismissal paper that can be used unfavorable to them. Sneacky and wicked wastes!
Perhaps, I only become aware of what really is happening in most of the society in which I reside, I feel pity for all of our comrades who fight for their share of bread, and wish the best for all of us!
Saturday, June 23, 2007
Wednesday, June 13, 2007
Alea iacta est.
So it is, the die has been cast! It was rather frustrating until the moment the decision was needed to be made and become known to those related, yet the moment is gone now and I feel lucky and much more optimistic for whatever may come ahead, mostly because I know he will be with me every step of the way. Yes, it will be a lie if I say I am not nervous about an unknown kind of work and new environment, etc., yet surprisingly peace residing within me overwhelms the nervousness or frustration that may occur during this transition, along with deep appreciation for him to answer some of my calls.
The work will begin from June 19, and my heart beats from sheer excitement and hopeful expectation.
The work will begin from June 19, and my heart beats from sheer excitement and hopeful expectation.
Thursday, June 07, 2007
1987.
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I was twelve years old when I first saw this painting of a bleeding college student, Lee Han-yeol. Too young to comprehend what was going on then, all I remembered about the occasion in 1987 was pretty much only this painting. They say memories have a tendency of being encarved as images, they may be true of this case. Periodically organized details of the incident and stories of young social activists, now most of them being big shots in Korean politics, are fascinating to read, particularly only a few months before the election. Click the title of the article to see more details.
Sunday, June 03, 2007
A change, again?
An offer from a seemingly prestigious employer certainly boosted my ego and made me feel honored, yet I had to spend my whole weekend speculating over possible pros and cons to take the offer. Perhaps, write all those down would help me to make the decision.
pros.
1. an employer with a better-known label,
2. possible step stone for a career path,
3. approximately CAD 7,000 of an annual salary raise,
4. possibly more extrovert work characteristic depending on how I manage the work,
5. up close contact with people having quite interesting backgrounds,
6. better work environments including more perks with a strong union (for better or for worse).
7. access to information.
cons.
1. three-months of provisional period; i can be laid-off aftermath,,(god, this would be horrible!)
2. I can be completely isolated if work is mismanaged,
3. seemingly more competitive work condition (a handsome amount of politics will be foreseeably involved),
4. leaving the current position, which I get relatively stable and friendly work condition and relationship with coworkers,
5. this can be seen as another career change in my CV,
6. my work will be evaluated by a single person, most likely, which may be advantageous or vice versa depending on situations.
7. need to get accustomed to a new environment.
What would you reckon?
pros.
1. an employer with a better-known label,
2. possible step stone for a career path,
3. approximately CAD 7,000 of an annual salary raise,
4. possibly more extrovert work characteristic depending on how I manage the work,
5. up close contact with people having quite interesting backgrounds,
6. better work environments including more perks with a strong union (for better or for worse).
7. access to information.
cons.
1. three-months of provisional period; i can be laid-off aftermath,,(god, this would be horrible!)
2. I can be completely isolated if work is mismanaged,
3. seemingly more competitive work condition (a handsome amount of politics will be foreseeably involved),
4. leaving the current position, which I get relatively stable and friendly work condition and relationship with coworkers,
5. this can be seen as another career change in my CV,
6. my work will be evaluated by a single person, most likely, which may be advantageous or vice versa depending on situations.
7. need to get accustomed to a new environment.
What would you reckon?
Friday, June 01, 2007
Zeal for life.
Seriously, I am not going to trade an hour of sleeping with anything else in this world. I can't stop yawning for hours now, and this seems not too uncommon lately in my life. Some say why bother to sleep when knowing that you will be sleeping eternally when you're dead. Well, though I have to say I just love taking time in my comfy bed with a crisp cotton bed sheet wrapped around my thighs until late mid-afternoon, reading and sipping morning coffee therein.
At a tea table on a rooftop of a tea shop in Insa-dong last nite, fellow colleagues from the previous job gathered around and shared thoughts on our future path and what hopefully could give us a purpose or a zeal for our lives. Dramatic blue prints made by the UAE's city planning strategies introduced by one of the previous bosses was particularly interesting to listen, since it almost sounded to me as aiming for the impossible. What he described is this;
The UAE sets a target to increase an average capital per person from the current approximately slightly over USD 20,000 to USD 1,000,000 by 2025(?), if I remember correctly. Can you believe a nation bold enough to aim making all of their people millionnaires? It sounded ridiculous in the beginning, but it wasn't much so as I listened to what he eagerly delivered to us under the bright cresent. He wasn't emphasizing whether they would achieve the target or not, but seemingly wanted to point out that certainly setting a higher goal would enable those believers to achieve more than what the others with smiliar qualifications and backgrounds would do. Creativity and ambition; boldness to take risks to carry out thereof, if i may summarize his lengthy talks into a sentence.
The manuevers taken so far were striking and even sensational for a big entity as a state to adopt, and the risks potentially following are needless to mention.
What they do is creating a building paradise, proudly touched by cutting-edge techniques from top engineers around the world, in the middle of desert. ... hey, this sounds a lot alike the stories of Bugsy Siegal, the legendary founder of the hotel "Flamenco" in Las Vegas, a thug dreamed an impossible but turned into reality. Now back to those in the UAE who built a hugh mass of sand island along the shore, their perks to allure foreign investors were building grandeur structures with very odd concepts such as an indoor ski slopes in amid of sandy desert, THE most luxurious seven star hotel of Birds-al-arab, etc. But to everybody's surprise, the real estate of the sand island has been skyrocketing for last some years. Here, he didn't forget to advise us to invest some money if we're interested in.
Surely, listening to what he said helped to broaden the scope of my agendas, which lately have been suffered from a dramatic downsize thereof, due to routined repetitive life circles and work. well, i have been inquiring around information to invest in stocks and funds like most of Seoulites would do when they begin to see their bank account growing. Bank interests are just so mere to expect any no matter how long you leave your money there, so~yeh, why not turn my eyes a little bit further!
At a tea table on a rooftop of a tea shop in Insa-dong last nite, fellow colleagues from the previous job gathered around and shared thoughts on our future path and what hopefully could give us a purpose or a zeal for our lives. Dramatic blue prints made by the UAE's city planning strategies introduced by one of the previous bosses was particularly interesting to listen, since it almost sounded to me as aiming for the impossible. What he described is this;
The UAE sets a target to increase an average capital per person from the current approximately slightly over USD 20,000 to USD 1,000,000 by 2025(?), if I remember correctly. Can you believe a nation bold enough to aim making all of their people millionnaires? It sounded ridiculous in the beginning, but it wasn't much so as I listened to what he eagerly delivered to us under the bright cresent. He wasn't emphasizing whether they would achieve the target or not, but seemingly wanted to point out that certainly setting a higher goal would enable those believers to achieve more than what the others with smiliar qualifications and backgrounds would do. Creativity and ambition; boldness to take risks to carry out thereof, if i may summarize his lengthy talks into a sentence.
The manuevers taken so far were striking and even sensational for a big entity as a state to adopt, and the risks potentially following are needless to mention.
What they do is creating a building paradise, proudly touched by cutting-edge techniques from top engineers around the world, in the middle of desert. ... hey, this sounds a lot alike the stories of Bugsy Siegal, the legendary founder of the hotel "Flamenco" in Las Vegas, a thug dreamed an impossible but turned into reality. Now back to those in the UAE who built a hugh mass of sand island along the shore, their perks to allure foreign investors were building grandeur structures with very odd concepts such as an indoor ski slopes in amid of sandy desert, THE most luxurious seven star hotel of Birds-al-arab, etc. But to everybody's surprise, the real estate of the sand island has been skyrocketing for last some years. Here, he didn't forget to advise us to invest some money if we're interested in.
Surely, listening to what he said helped to broaden the scope of my agendas, which lately have been suffered from a dramatic downsize thereof, due to routined repetitive life circles and work. well, i have been inquiring around information to invest in stocks and funds like most of Seoulites would do when they begin to see their bank account growing. Bank interests are just so mere to expect any no matter how long you leave your money there, so~yeh, why not turn my eyes a little bit further!
Tuesday, May 29, 2007
Glass eyes
I saw glass eyes last night.Eyes so hollow as if they were directly tunneled into an oblivion of the eternal darkness. They seemed transparent, yet unabled to show any signs of vividness from inside. They emitted a strange metalic blueness, almost surreal to envisage that they indeed belong to life.
Completely being bewildered and even feared by those eyes filled with rampage and hatred, there was I still desperately seeking a hint of fullness, warmness, and celestialness that once plenished thereof.
Confronted with impetuous hollow eyes at the front and a helplessly sobbing wounded heart at the back, I was crushed by the same dilemma once Camus faced and dictated in his "Le Mythe de Sisyphe." Quickly going through the past few days to examine any occasions that would've fired up the misfortunate event of the night didn't particularly provide any clear answers to the profound distress we were facing; only discarding what we believed as a source of this viciousness and praying for the best were followed.
Thursday, May 17, 2007
Favoring abortion when a fetus is proved as disable.
Myung-bak, Lee, the former Seoul Mayor and a strong president hopeful from the major opposition party, the Grand National Party (GNP) in Korea said yesterday that he is fundamentally against the gay marriage and the abortion, but an abortion may be considered if a fetus is proven disable.
Not surprisingly, his comment brought up an immense criticism from civil groups advocating human rights particularly for those wtih has physical and mental difficulties. Tear shedding scene of physically challenged demonstrators in wheelchairs shrieking out strike slogans was painful to look at. They've already suffered from all forms of discrimination and unbearable arduousness beyond anybody's imagination. And this person who hopes to run the country "proudly" calls it may not be worthwhile to share the grendeur theme of "human rights" with the challenged personnels. Wonderful!
I was speechless when I heard him speaking it. I couldn't simply believe that someone intending to run for a presidency has such an unethical, cold-blooded, discouraging, and simply wrongful idea. And he didn't bother to make an official apologetic comments aftermath. Well, his spokesperson made a press release that his comment was "misinterpreted" by media, yet never made an apology. Very convient! More shocking fact adding to it? He is supposedly a sincere Christian, entitled with a senior position at the church he has been attending.
Listening to a series of mistakingly(?) made comments of his, I became convinced that he can't be a person who will give his best to embrace all and protect the needed, and he won't hesitate to leave those behind if they don't concur with his ideas or can't meet thereof, which severely blemishes one of the integral constituent of democracy; reaching mutual concurrances through negotiations, not leaving opponents behind offended and unsatisfied.
Not surprisingly, his comment brought up an immense criticism from civil groups advocating human rights particularly for those wtih has physical and mental difficulties. Tear shedding scene of physically challenged demonstrators in wheelchairs shrieking out strike slogans was painful to look at. They've already suffered from all forms of discrimination and unbearable arduousness beyond anybody's imagination. And this person who hopes to run the country "proudly" calls it may not be worthwhile to share the grendeur theme of "human rights" with the challenged personnels. Wonderful!
I was speechless when I heard him speaking it. I couldn't simply believe that someone intending to run for a presidency has such an unethical, cold-blooded, discouraging, and simply wrongful idea. And he didn't bother to make an official apologetic comments aftermath. Well, his spokesperson made a press release that his comment was "misinterpreted" by media, yet never made an apology. Very convient! More shocking fact adding to it? He is supposedly a sincere Christian, entitled with a senior position at the church he has been attending.
Listening to a series of mistakingly(?) made comments of his, I became convinced that he can't be a person who will give his best to embrace all and protect the needed, and he won't hesitate to leave those behind if they don't concur with his ideas or can't meet thereof, which severely blemishes one of the integral constituent of democracy; reaching mutual concurrances through negotiations, not leaving opponents behind offended and unsatisfied.
Wednesday, May 16, 2007
An exploding tomato.
This is a perfect example of what-not-to-do for a reporter. John Sweeney is a BBC reporter who was filming a documentary "Scientology and Me" at the time of him being caught in this Youtube UCC. He appears as completely lost while conducting an interview. Sorry for him, it is though unbelievably hilarious!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RsHyRSi08ic
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RsHyRSi08ic
Tuesday, May 15, 2007
Japan takes steps to revise the Constitution's Article 9.
There have been concerns regarding the emerging movement to revise Japan's Constitutional Article 9, which was imposed by American occupation authorities after World War II. Living in Korea, one of many Japan's neighboring nations used to be a colony of Japan during the war, I felt this concern rising up close and personal.
Japan's strong nationalists supported neocons in the US that strategically have intended to position its ally Japan more to fill up the military vacancy, and thus maintain the power balance by surpressing the emerging power of China after the foreseeable withdrawal of the US military forces in the region.
Now, its parliament having endorsed a national referendum on the revision of the pacifist Constitution article 9, Japan will be able to hold the referendum as early as 2010 under a bill approved by the upper house of parliment; the bill was passed in the lower house last month. This rings an alarm bell in a sense that Japan has never been so clearly apologetic on war crimes committed during the war, and its educational system still not fully encompassing its past as it was.
Notoriously known, arbitrarily laid US foreign policies throughout the world, especially since early 20th century do not particularly lessen the concern. Al Qu'aida, once assisted by the CIA of the US in order to deter the former USSR's expansion to the region, is now THE evil target for the US to primarily destroy. The Khmer Rouge, which also was funded by the US as an American attempt to stop spilling of the domino effect of communism by Vietnam in the region in late 1960s and early 1970s, which only came up with self-created lunatic form of Maoism-like ideology resulting in the genocide of one third of its own population. What about the coups in 1970s in Korea by general Park, the father of one of the strongest candidates for upcoming presidential election (can you believe that? seriously, what's wrong with people in this country? they must be either out of their minds or have masochistic fetishes to vote for Park, Geun-hae). The coup by Park has been widely believed that it would not be possible if there weren't aids or at least intentional negligence from the US. The exemplary cases above imply a fatal tendency of the US foreign policies in modern era, i.e., their arbitrariness and ignorance on different poli-economical entities, and thus immense amount of finance and bloodsheds had to be spilt on route to clean up mess aftermath. How could we assure the US policy to support the revision will not bring out the similar consequences?
Japan's strong nationalists supported neocons in the US that strategically have intended to position its ally Japan more to fill up the military vacancy, and thus maintain the power balance by surpressing the emerging power of China after the foreseeable withdrawal of the US military forces in the region.
Now, its parliament having endorsed a national referendum on the revision of the pacifist Constitution article 9, Japan will be able to hold the referendum as early as 2010 under a bill approved by the upper house of parliment; the bill was passed in the lower house last month. This rings an alarm bell in a sense that Japan has never been so clearly apologetic on war crimes committed during the war, and its educational system still not fully encompassing its past as it was.
Notoriously known, arbitrarily laid US foreign policies throughout the world, especially since early 20th century do not particularly lessen the concern. Al Qu'aida, once assisted by the CIA of the US in order to deter the former USSR's expansion to the region, is now THE evil target for the US to primarily destroy. The Khmer Rouge, which also was funded by the US as an American attempt to stop spilling of the domino effect of communism by Vietnam in the region in late 1960s and early 1970s, which only came up with self-created lunatic form of Maoism-like ideology resulting in the genocide of one third of its own population. What about the coups in 1970s in Korea by general Park, the father of one of the strongest candidates for upcoming presidential election (can you believe that? seriously, what's wrong with people in this country? they must be either out of their minds or have masochistic fetishes to vote for Park, Geun-hae). The coup by Park has been widely believed that it would not be possible if there weren't aids or at least intentional negligence from the US. The exemplary cases above imply a fatal tendency of the US foreign policies in modern era, i.e., their arbitrariness and ignorance on different poli-economical entities, and thus immense amount of finance and bloodsheds had to be spilt on route to clean up mess aftermath. How could we assure the US policy to support the revision will not bring out the similar consequences?
Monday, May 14, 2007
Being salt and light.
What use salt would have if it loses its unique taste?
This is quite threatening words if you think twice, since it is questioning the purpose of our existance, directly. For some time, but not from so long ago, I have been sensing that the once intense strength to differ myself from many of the others and drive me forward with critical perspectives to observe daily occasions have been faded away, very slowly and thus almost unnoticeably even to myself. Then, bang! Without anyh particular reasons or occasions, I just realized this morning that I have lost the unique taste of mine if there were any to start with in the beginning. Envisaging the above plunged my ever lazy awareness into a tiny confinement cell filled with senses of insecurity and endangerment.
It was when I listened to one of CBC Radio programs introducing a book called "Sleeping Buddha," written by a young Canadian woman with an Afgan ethnicity who travelled to Kabul and met with young Afgans as an attempt to understand how they perceive the world and deliver their thoughts to the outside of the Islam world. So she did. I was inspired not because that I felt the book was done in highly sophicated manners, but because the book was completed by a woman of my age pushing herself to seek what she aimed initically, which is in many ways, not so different from what I have wished for doing in my life. Through paying attentions to the voices unheard and assuring to publish their stories in the west, she realized her promises that she made to herself and to those she met along the way.
Depressing myself or the others would be the last thing I would want to do, but certain things seem seriously not right lately. Finally, the daily routines surpasses my reason, and this slowly yet painfully puts me into a deep sleep of numbness and indifferences. Occasionally, there are those trying to warn me for not noticing what I was supposed to notice, here and there of my daily routines, but I don't/can't seem to catch glimpse of them anymore. Oh, god, what should I do and where should I start to annihilate this viciousness?
This is quite threatening words if you think twice, since it is questioning the purpose of our existance, directly. For some time, but not from so long ago, I have been sensing that the once intense strength to differ myself from many of the others and drive me forward with critical perspectives to observe daily occasions have been faded away, very slowly and thus almost unnoticeably even to myself. Then, bang! Without anyh particular reasons or occasions, I just realized this morning that I have lost the unique taste of mine if there were any to start with in the beginning. Envisaging the above plunged my ever lazy awareness into a tiny confinement cell filled with senses of insecurity and endangerment.
It was when I listened to one of CBC Radio programs introducing a book called "Sleeping Buddha," written by a young Canadian woman with an Afgan ethnicity who travelled to Kabul and met with young Afgans as an attempt to understand how they perceive the world and deliver their thoughts to the outside of the Islam world. So she did. I was inspired not because that I felt the book was done in highly sophicated manners, but because the book was completed by a woman of my age pushing herself to seek what she aimed initically, which is in many ways, not so different from what I have wished for doing in my life. Through paying attentions to the voices unheard and assuring to publish their stories in the west, she realized her promises that she made to herself and to those she met along the way.
Depressing myself or the others would be the last thing I would want to do, but certain things seem seriously not right lately. Finally, the daily routines surpasses my reason, and this slowly yet painfully puts me into a deep sleep of numbness and indifferences. Occasionally, there are those trying to warn me for not noticing what I was supposed to notice, here and there of my daily routines, but I don't/can't seem to catch glimpse of them anymore. Oh, god, what should I do and where should I start to annihilate this viciousness?
Friday, May 11, 2007
Ladies' night in Chongdam St.
Well, yes! Five ladies with fire in their hearts got together after approximately a year of separation . We met as colleagues then, but the passage of time allowed us last night to let our hairs down and completely be comfortable with each other. To our amusement, we discovered one of our mutual bosses was truly a womanizer who tried smooches to more than three of us then but not so successful. We cracked out laughters for a while when one of us said she actually pinched his arse so hard until he outcried for pain. Gosh, for a moment, I was wondering how he would react if he were there listening all that.
Three of us spending most of the past one year in Seoul, one in Singapore, and the last in Ohio, we all were in slightly different walks of lives, yet there were still stuffs that we could relish mutually. The one visited from Singapore, where she is doing her PhD in public administration, before she hops off to Brussel for her internship in an energy chart organization under the European Union was constantly mourning about wrinkles on her forehead and was paranoid of this hollucination that she has been losing loads of hairs everyday from ridiculous amount of reading. Funny, i thought but completly understandable. After her brief affair with another coworker at work two years ago, now she's got a new cute aussie beau named James who had worked at the World Bank for some years before taking some time at the program she's in. she overall seemed quite happy and proud of what she's been doing.
Another lady just, who came back from Ohio after visiting her sister and brother-in-law who study there, looked ever more voluptuous and femine. Seriously, she could've had a better career in film industry with that body! Taking some time off from work and her seemingly not so pleasantly ended love, she came back with regained strength and zeal for a new start. Yet, she opted out for the night club, which i only later regretted not to join her.
Last but not least, a very deer friend of mine showed up with her usual combat-styled work wears of sneakers and pants along with her pink Channel jacket. Although her prestigious title at a regional branch of the UNESCAP, because of recent undergoing troubles with her boss at work, she now is considering to leave the work. Though complaining her near fiance departing for Australia this afternoon for a business trip without taking her, she also seemed enjoying her being herself again. Sometime, I do wonder why I talk to this woman so often and become so honest with her in almost all matters. Despite some characters in her that I would never act concurred upon, she is exceptional in ways of her bluntness and vigor on almost all subjects in life, which have facinated me for last two good years.
Anyways, after being mellowed with some good glasses of wine, we decided to extend our night excursion a bit further and hit the floor at a night club in Chongdam-dong, the fancy district for yuppies in town. Well, .. Although I have never experienced "night club" here, somehow I presumed it wouldn't be much different from one of those regular clubs. So we got a cab and proudly stepped out of it at entrance of the club. There were two bouncers at the door, looking very unprofessional and having boring looks on their faces. They bluntly asked if we were interested in "yangju (imported liquors)" seat. "Huh? What on earth this guy is talking about?," I murmured. Then, to our surprise, the youngest, shiest, and most moderate looking with very well-mannered one among us stood up and led our ways into the hall in the club passing smoothly through two dumb-looking bouncers. I asked later about the definition of this "yangju" seats to her. She, ever looking confident than before, explained that they are seats located in the private rooms surrounding the dancing hall, of which door is see-through so that people therein can watch the dancing floor and enables to pick ladies of their tastes. Yes, this kind place indeed exists in the land of morning calm, of which its supposedly most valued virtues include the modesty. Well, as soon as I heard of what she told me, I felt like being a piece of meat on a shelf. Without even realizing what had been going on for the first few minutes, my friends were "sold" one by one, and last two of us being rather still in shock decided to act as if we're in love.. Great!
Music was too loud so we could barely hear each other. Had a couple of sips before hurriedly moved ourselves from the panic hole. No drama took place that night, only memories and slight hangover in the morning.
Three of us spending most of the past one year in Seoul, one in Singapore, and the last in Ohio, we all were in slightly different walks of lives, yet there were still stuffs that we could relish mutually. The one visited from Singapore, where she is doing her PhD in public administration, before she hops off to Brussel for her internship in an energy chart organization under the European Union was constantly mourning about wrinkles on her forehead and was paranoid of this hollucination that she has been losing loads of hairs everyday from ridiculous amount of reading. Funny, i thought but completly understandable. After her brief affair with another coworker at work two years ago, now she's got a new cute aussie beau named James who had worked at the World Bank for some years before taking some time at the program she's in. she overall seemed quite happy and proud of what she's been doing.
Another lady just, who came back from Ohio after visiting her sister and brother-in-law who study there, looked ever more voluptuous and femine. Seriously, she could've had a better career in film industry with that body! Taking some time off from work and her seemingly not so pleasantly ended love, she came back with regained strength and zeal for a new start. Yet, she opted out for the night club, which i only later regretted not to join her.
Last but not least, a very deer friend of mine showed up with her usual combat-styled work wears of sneakers and pants along with her pink Channel jacket. Although her prestigious title at a regional branch of the UNESCAP, because of recent undergoing troubles with her boss at work, she now is considering to leave the work. Though complaining her near fiance departing for Australia this afternoon for a business trip without taking her, she also seemed enjoying her being herself again. Sometime, I do wonder why I talk to this woman so often and become so honest with her in almost all matters. Despite some characters in her that I would never act concurred upon, she is exceptional in ways of her bluntness and vigor on almost all subjects in life, which have facinated me for last two good years.
Anyways, after being mellowed with some good glasses of wine, we decided to extend our night excursion a bit further and hit the floor at a night club in Chongdam-dong, the fancy district for yuppies in town. Well, .. Although I have never experienced "night club" here, somehow I presumed it wouldn't be much different from one of those regular clubs. So we got a cab and proudly stepped out of it at entrance of the club. There were two bouncers at the door, looking very unprofessional and having boring looks on their faces. They bluntly asked if we were interested in "yangju (imported liquors)" seat. "Huh? What on earth this guy is talking about?," I murmured. Then, to our surprise, the youngest, shiest, and most moderate looking with very well-mannered one among us stood up and led our ways into the hall in the club passing smoothly through two dumb-looking bouncers. I asked later about the definition of this "yangju" seats to her. She, ever looking confident than before, explained that they are seats located in the private rooms surrounding the dancing hall, of which door is see-through so that people therein can watch the dancing floor and enables to pick ladies of their tastes. Yes, this kind place indeed exists in the land of morning calm, of which its supposedly most valued virtues include the modesty. Well, as soon as I heard of what she told me, I felt like being a piece of meat on a shelf. Without even realizing what had been going on for the first few minutes, my friends were "sold" one by one, and last two of us being rather still in shock decided to act as if we're in love.. Great!
Music was too loud so we could barely hear each other. Had a couple of sips before hurriedly moved ourselves from the panic hole. No drama took place that night, only memories and slight hangover in the morning.
Sunday, May 06, 2007
Yamagata Perfecture
Three days in Yamagata perfecture went very quickly. To my surprise, it had abundant natural beauty to offer, including endless rice paddies, curvy mountains extending over an hour of train riding distance, multiple waterfalls and the green moss-covered paths therebetween. Late cherry blossoms were still blooming to savor, surviving through rains until a day prior to my arrival. Weather was warm enough to stroll around with shorts, and sellers of street vendors were kind enough to make me constantly indulge myself into new bursting tastes of soy souce and fish stocks.
Along the hiking trails, millions of flowers and herbs greeted us with somehow familiar, yet still exotic appearances and frangrances. Colors of wilderness ranging from yellow, blue, purple, green, red, pinkish white, etc. were proudly illumiating under summer sun ray.
The photos on top left was taken from the hike around Yamadera, a beautifully embraced path along the stream of crystal blue water amid of deep greens of early summer. One on the middle was taken on the first day of the journey at a walkway along a seashore busy with many street oyster shops. The top right is my tired feet wearing Simpson socks cooling off from the mountain breeze after a long walk.
Along the hiking trails, millions of flowers and herbs greeted us with somehow familiar, yet still exotic appearances and frangrances. Colors of wilderness ranging from yellow, blue, purple, green, red, pinkish white, etc. were proudly illumiating under summer sun ray. Other than mesmerizing colors of wild flowers and their almost intoxicating frangrances as well as the superb weather all through my stay in the little mountaineous town up north, several hours of driving from Tokyo, my holiday was 
completed by a pleasant companionship from Thang, a friend from UBC who has been working at the Yamagata perfecture's provincial governmental office for three years. In spite of constant quarrels over cute Japanese guys by blaming each other for depriving chances to attract their attentions and some excessively heated debates on numerous subjects, we agreed upon the past couple of days being still mutually beneficiary and inspiring to each other. My trip could be perfect only because of you, my friend! Oh, I also appreciate your haiku!
completed by a pleasant companionship from Thang, a friend from UBC who has been working at the Yamagata perfecture's provincial governmental office for three years. In spite of constant quarrels over cute Japanese guys by blaming each other for depriving chances to attract their attentions and some excessively heated debates on numerous subjects, we agreed upon the past couple of days being still mutually beneficiary and inspiring to each other. My trip could be perfect only because of you, my friend! Oh, I also appreciate your haiku!
Thursday, April 12, 2007
Seeking for the light amid of the dark.
There are moments in life that we simply can't explain and completely feel helpless, and thus overwhelmingly sense existance of a supernatural being that may look down on our earthly lives and guide those to detined places. Surely none of victims or those enrolled in Virginia Tech University on early Monday morning last week would've foreseen or even guessed in their wildest dreams that an atrocity such as the one occurred on that day would've taken place on the supposed-to-be a holy ground of an academia. According to aftermath statements from some survivors and witnesses, many experienced a strong disbelief even when they faced the terrorizing scene under their own eyes and fiercing sounds of ammunitions flying right by/penetrating through their bodies. One survivor from a German class in which the shooter entered and fired at students and a professor therein said, he couldn't still believe his own eyes until he felt one of his ears was penerated by a flying bullet and started to bleed, even then, he continued to imagine/think, the blood pouring down from his ear and the body on top of him felt like a ketup-like substance, just like the one used in any ordinary hollywood films.
In the amid of doomed chaos, still a reel of fortune or a destined path laid by a supernational being - or whatever it may be called - divided the fates of those therein. How ironic! Some survived by pretending dead when the shooter walked around nearby bodies of their friends, some survived by their prof holding off the door to prevent the shooter from entering the room, etc.
Among the stories from survivors, the most intriguing of all was regarding Liviu Librescu, a professor who survived the holocaust during WWII. Apparently, he gave up his life in order to secure more time for his students to flee from the scene. In a message by one of thousands of mourners for Dr. Librescu, an anonymous writer wrote that Dr. Librescu survived the holocaust and lived for sixty something more years only for this day (to sacrifice himself so as to save others).
It won't be much of anybody's surprise that he was thinking of, if he had any chance to think of anything then, the rampaged strikes reminded him much of events he would've experienced during the war as a holocaust victim and psychological debt he might hadtoward other Jew victims of the war who were not fortunate enough to survive through the dark tunnel of the time. And this caused him to decide to stand against the evil, once he feared and ran away from. There is not doubt that he was a brave man and was the one who shone us the light among the dark.
Now, talking about the dark side of the event, the shooter Choi, known as a Korean American immigrated when he was still a child. Most of those who had been acquainted with him at some point of their lives recalled him as a very introverted child who never bother to make an effort to engage with anybody, and more than that, even rather reluntant to do so. Trying to understand what would have been going through his mind at the time of massacre may be beyond our capability, obviously even his own family, according to the statement released by his sister, didn't notice the eerie darkness that has dwelled in him until the moment of the massacre. Well,,, whether those who knew him could've guessed the date of massacre coming or not may not be the most important issue here. The significance is there were people who thought something was snapped in him and his behaviors bazzed, sometimes even threatening, but decided to let him be there alone, knowing that he was not capable of dealing with the devil inside all alone.
Of course, the issues with gun-control in the US, and the NRA's role therein have been a great concern, and perhaps is the priority we need to talk about at this moment, but personally, I rather welcome that people make an effort to look inside of the shooter's psychological state and any social/cultural environments that may have influenced him, because hate crimes, which doers do not fear to take their own lives, do usually take more delicate and complicated origins than controlling tools of conducts, in this case, a 9-mm gun and another handgun Choi used.
An interesting point here occurred from observing the incident and its aftermath is the reaction from Korean government and people therein, not to mention of those from Koreans residing in the US. Korea's strong attachment to its fellow countrymen abroad has been well known dispite diplomatic misconducts of failing to protect them on an occasional basis. The case concerning Choi wasn't an exception and most Koreans expressed their sincere consolation to the US.
Articles from major daily newspapers in the US including the Washington Post and and the NYT repeated cleared that the shooting by an individual is nobody's responsibility. But it seemed that it was nation-wide heartfelt consolation from Korea that drew the condolation and a sort of redemption to other fellow Koreans in the US.
In the amid of doomed chaos, still a reel of fortune or a destined path laid by a supernational being - or whatever it may be called - divided the fates of those therein. How ironic! Some survived by pretending dead when the shooter walked around nearby bodies of their friends, some survived by their prof holding off the door to prevent the shooter from entering the room, etc.
Among the stories from survivors, the most intriguing of all was regarding Liviu Librescu, a professor who survived the holocaust during WWII. Apparently, he gave up his life in order to secure more time for his students to flee from the scene. In a message by one of thousands of mourners for Dr. Librescu, an anonymous writer wrote that Dr. Librescu survived the holocaust and lived for sixty something more years only for this day (to sacrifice himself so as to save others).
It won't be much of anybody's surprise that he was thinking of, if he had any chance to think of anything then, the rampaged strikes reminded him much of events he would've experienced during the war as a holocaust victim and psychological debt he might hadtoward other Jew victims of the war who were not fortunate enough to survive through the dark tunnel of the time. And this caused him to decide to stand against the evil, once he feared and ran away from. There is not doubt that he was a brave man and was the one who shone us the light among the dark.
Now, talking about the dark side of the event, the shooter Choi, known as a Korean American immigrated when he was still a child. Most of those who had been acquainted with him at some point of their lives recalled him as a very introverted child who never bother to make an effort to engage with anybody, and more than that, even rather reluntant to do so. Trying to understand what would have been going through his mind at the time of massacre may be beyond our capability, obviously even his own family, according to the statement released by his sister, didn't notice the eerie darkness that has dwelled in him until the moment of the massacre. Well,,, whether those who knew him could've guessed the date of massacre coming or not may not be the most important issue here. The significance is there were people who thought something was snapped in him and his behaviors bazzed, sometimes even threatening, but decided to let him be there alone, knowing that he was not capable of dealing with the devil inside all alone.
Of course, the issues with gun-control in the US, and the NRA's role therein have been a great concern, and perhaps is the priority we need to talk about at this moment, but personally, I rather welcome that people make an effort to look inside of the shooter's psychological state and any social/cultural environments that may have influenced him, because hate crimes, which doers do not fear to take their own lives, do usually take more delicate and complicated origins than controlling tools of conducts, in this case, a 9-mm gun and another handgun Choi used.
An interesting point here occurred from observing the incident and its aftermath is the reaction from Korean government and people therein, not to mention of those from Koreans residing in the US. Korea's strong attachment to its fellow countrymen abroad has been well known dispite diplomatic misconducts of failing to protect them on an occasional basis. The case concerning Choi wasn't an exception and most Koreans expressed their sincere consolation to the US.
Articles from major daily newspapers in the US including the Washington Post and and the NYT repeated cleared that the shooting by an individual is nobody's responsibility. But it seemed that it was nation-wide heartfelt consolation from Korea that drew the condolation and a sort of redemption to other fellow Koreans in the US.
Wednesday, April 11, 2007
Interview on Korea's chief negotiator of the FTA with the US.
<연합인터뷰> 김종훈 "통상조약, 공동선위해 주권일부 접는것"(서울=연합뉴스) 경수현 기자 = "통상조약이란 공동선을 위해 주권을 일부 접는 것입니다"광화문 외교통상부 청사의 집무실에서 만난 김종훈 한미 자유무역협정(FTA) 우리측 수석대표는 투자자-국가간 소송에 대한 합의를 두고 주권포기니 나라를 내주었다느니, 일방적으로 손해만 본 독소조항이라느니 하는 반대파들의 비난 표적이 되고 있는데 대해 답답해했다. 우리 투자자를 보호하기 위해 외국과의 통상협상에서 우리도 반드시 얻어야하는 것인데 왜 투자자-국가소송이 우리에게만 일방적으로 불리하다는 것인지 이해하기 어렵다는 표정이었다. 미국과의 협상은 끝났지만 김 수석대표는 요즘도 협상때와 마찬가지로 하루 24시간이 빠듯할 정도로 분주하다. 국회에 참석해 협상 결과를 설명하고 후속대책 마련을 위해 관련 부처를 만나야하기 때문이다. "지난 일요일에는 그래도 좀 잤는데 개운하지가 않네요" 응접테이블을 마주하고 가까이에서 본 그는 온몸에 피곤한 묻어났다. 미국과의 피를 말리는 막판 마라톤 협상이후 제대로 쉬지를 못했다. 국가 통상 역사를 새로 쓴 한미FTA를 어렵게 타결했지만 그보다 더 힘들다는 대내협상(국민설득과 국회 비준동의)이라는 가시밭길이 기다리고 있는 것이다. 김 수석대표는 임기가 끝나는 7월이후의 거취에 대해 "외교부는 순환근무가 원칙인데다 본부 근무 3년이 다돼가므로 외교관 직분을 충실히 할 수 있는 데로 가야지 국내에서만 근무해서야 되겠는가"며 무거운 짐을 벗어버리고 싶다는 속내를 숨기지않았다. -- 4월2일(월요일) 타결 직전에 다녀온 곳은 청와대였나. ▲청와대는 아니고 광화문에서 몇몇 장관들이 모여 있었다. --돌아오면서 최종적으로 협상안을 받겠다고 미국에 통보한 시점은. ▲낮 12시40분쯤이었다. 미국도 나름대로 전전긍긍한 것 같다. 미국 행정부와 의회의 문서수발 담당자가 낮부터 대기하다가 미국시각 일요일 밤 11시40분까지 기다렸던 것 같다. --당초 3월31일(토요일) 새벽 1시였던 협상 시한이 연장될 것이라는 짐작은 언제 했나. ▲처음부터 했다. 4월1일 밤에 경제 관련 장관 회의에 갔더니, 2일 새벽 1시 타결을 전제로 후속일정이 짜여 있었다. 그래서 오전 11시까지 협상이 계속될 수 있다고 보고했다. 아침에 출근해 타결 소식이 없더라도 협상중일테니 너무 궁금해하지 말라는 말씀도 드렸다. --농업 분야는 처음 연장 때 통고받지 못해 토요일 새벽 5시 가깝게 협상이 진행됐는데. ▲협상은 배짱 싸움이다. 분과장들은 별도의 지시가 있을 때까지 열심히 하라고 했다. 당시 농업, 자동차, 섬유는 열심히 협상하고 있을 때다. 또 의약품, 투자, 지재권, 금융, 서비스 등도 몇개 쟁점이 남아 있었다. --토요일 새벽에 협상 연장 가능성을 공개하지 않은 이유는. ▲토요일 새벽 1시쯤 연장 가능성을 공개할까 생각은 했지만 그렇게 하면 우리의 생각이 노출될 수 있다고 판단했다. 미국이 48시간 연장 얘기를 꺼내서 아침에 연장사실을 브리핑한 것이다. --장관급에서 다룬 패키지 협상 대상은. ▲시간이 흐른 뒤 얘기하자. 방식은 장관급으로 올라온 상태에서 서로 의견을 좁히는 것이다. --막판 협상전 2차례의 고비는. ▲의약품 때문에 논의가 중단된 2차 협상 때와 연말에 무역구제 분야에서 미국이 법률 개정은 안된다고 통보했던 때다. 그래서 되면 되는대로 안 되면 안되는 대로 값을 키워 다른 것하고 교환할 생각을 갖고 국회에 살짝 보고했는데 문건이 유출됐다. 결과적으로 보면 무역구제와 의약품 분야의 최저가 보장, 투자자-국가간 소송제(ISD) 간접수용에서 부동산.조세 제외 등으로 해서 좀 맞췄다. (이 부분에서 그의 목소리가 다소 커졌다) ISD는 왜 그렇게 불안해하는지 모르겠다. 국가주권을 내준 것이라는 주장은 이해되지 않는다. 세계무역기구(WTO) 같은 다자간 통상조약도 공동선을 위해 주권을 일부 접는 것이다. --한덕수 총리가 빠르면 내주중 협상원문을 공개하겠다는 의사를 밝혔는데. ▲봐야 한다면 보여줄 수는 있다. 그러나 보안이 지켜져야 한다. 또 문구 조정이나 법률 검토과정에서 바뀔 수 있다는 것을 전제해야 한다. 나중에 바뀌었다고 논란이 되면 안 된다. (FTA 비판자들이)무엇을 그렇게 숨긴다고 그러는지 모르겠다. (지난 4일 배포한 세부협상 자료를 들추면서) 자 봐라. 유전자변형유기체(LMO) 기술협의, 스냅백 이런 것이 (배포자료에) 다 들어있다. --의심을 갖고 보면 그럴 수 있지 않나. ▲이미 다 공개하겠다고 국회에서 말했다. 다음주에 공개하면 관세양허표 같은 것들은 오타 문제 등 때문에 숫자를 일일이 다 확인해야 하는데 나중에 달라졌다고 할까봐 걱정된다. 해보긴 하겠는데 참으로 걱정이다. --전문직 비자쿼터를 따내는 작업은▲미 의회를 상대로 한 정지작업은 오래전부터 해왔다. 6월30일 체결되면 호주가 했던 식으로 할 것이다. 장담할 수는 없지만 할 수 있다고 본다. --비자 유형은. ▲호주는 새로 만든 것이다. 체류상의 여러가지 편의를 누릴 수 있는 카테고리를 만들어 받고자 하는 것이 우리 목표다. 별도의 카테고리를 만들어야 하고 쿼터는 호주보다는 많아야 할 것이다. --노동분야 등 추가 협상 가능성이 거론되고 있는데. ▲미국 민주당이 다수석을 차지하면서 행정부도 곤혹스러운 입장이다. 미국도 국제노동기구(ILO) 기준을 모두 충족하지 못한다. 민주당은 그렇다면 미국법을 고치라는 입장이지만 합의가 도출되지 않았다. 가설적으로 미 행정부와 의회가 합의를 이룬다면 다시 협상할 수 있지 않겠느냐는 얘기가 나올 수 있겠지만 불확실한 상황을 갖고 말하는 것 자체가 부적절하다. 막판 협상때 그런 일이 있으면 안 된다는 반대 의사도 이미 강하게 표명했다. --한반도역외가공지역(OPZ)위원회 아이디어는 어떻게 나왔나. ▲역외가공이 당장되면 좋겠지만 현실적으로 쉽지 않다. 미북관계, 북핵문제, 미국의 테러관련법, 적성국교역법 등을 봐라. 협정문에서 일거에 (문제를) 해소, 개성공단 제품이 협정 발효후 바로 미국으로 실려나가는 것을 목표로 삼기는 힘들다. 그렇다면 그것을 위한 가능성을 열어놔야 하는데, 일단 역외가공 지역이라는 원칙에 합의하고 이를 구현하기 위한 위원회를 만들어 점차 협의하자는 쪽으로 정부 내부에서 올해들어 좀 논의가 됐다. 그것 자체도 미국이 응하기 쉽지 않을 것이라고 봤다. 마지막 협상 앞두고 미측에 우리 문안을 던졌고 저쪽에서 거의 그대로 우리 문안을 받았다. 미측이 좀 더 추가하고 싶은 문안을 넣어 수정안을 만들기는 했다. 협의 과정에서 느낀 점은 미국도 6자회담 등 동향을 긍정적으로 평가하고 그런 모멘텀을 계속 살려가려 한다는 것이다. 원칙은 하는 것으로 하되 필요한 조건들은 협의해 나가자고 하는 것은 적절히 절충된 것 같다. --영문 명칭에도 한반도가 들어가나. ▲"COMMITTEE ON OUTWARD PROCESSING ZONE ON KOREA PENINSULA"로 돼있다. --이익의 균형을 맞췄다고 하는데 정부내에서 평가방법이 있나. ▲경제와 통상은 다르다. 경제학자들은 개방은 개방자체로, 교역은 교역자체로 좋다고 한다. 그런데 통상은 경제+정치다. 통상은 돌아가서 그 품목에 관심있는 업계에 할말이 있어야 된다. `이건 내가 받았습니다'라고 말할 게 있고 `저쪽도 챙겼습니다'라고 말할 게 있어야 한다. --웬디 커틀러 미측 대표와 협상 타결 뒤 통화는 했나. ▲두번 했다. 비준도 남아있고 하니까 서로 발언을 조심할 필요가 있다는 얘기를 나눴다. 그게 바로 정치영역이다. --양측 협상단 모두 명분을 얻은 것인가. ▲굳이 말하자면 우리 입장에서 공산품은 94%까지 조기철폐 됐으니까 돈이 된다. 농업은 우리가 선방했다고 하지만 미국은 시장접근에서 많이 개선했다고 볼 것이다. 미국은 제도개선 차원에서 투명성, 이해관계자의 의견제출 기회, 동의명령제, 고시나 기술표준 제정절차의 투명성 등에 관심이 많았다. 이들 내용은 미국이 받아갔다고 할 수 있지만, 우리도 어차피 그쪽 방향으로 갈 필요가 있다. --자동차 분야 스냅백과 신속분쟁처리절차는 미국이 제시한 아이디어였나. ▲그렇다. 자동차 분야에서 우리는 시장접근을, 미국은 비관세 장벽 개선을 요구했는데 미 의회는 약속이 지켜질지 보장받고 싶다는 시각이 있었다. FTA를 체결하려면 상대편의 요구를 서로 수용해야 한다. 불쾌한 생각도 들었지만 시장접근은 실리 문제이고 미국 요구는 명분이어서 명분은 주고 실리는 챙긴다는 생각으로 받아들였다. --얀포워드 예외품목수는 ▲남성용 셔츠 등 관세분류 코드(HS10단위)로 하면 33개다. 지난 3년 평균 1억3천만달러 수출된 품목이다. 그 다음에 관세특혜할당(TPL)이 있다. 미국과 한국에서 원사 공급이 부족한 중간투입재로 만든 완제품은 원사기준 예외다. 금액으로는 대체로 3억달러가 좀 넘는다고 한다. 업계가 적극 활용하면 잠재력이 있다. --한미FTA에 따라 개정해야할 국내 법률은. ▲지금 부처별로 집계하고 있는데 농업 등 4개 분야는 덜 끝났고 나머지 15개 분야 집계 결과만 보면 15개 안팎의 법률 개정이 필요하다. 전체적으로 20개안팎이지 않을까 생각한다. 계속 집계하고 있지만 고시나 시행령 등은 15개나 20개정도이니, 이 것까지 다 합치면 40개 정도다. --법률 개정 부담은 당초 예상보다 덜한 수준인데. ▲법률을 고쳐야 하니까 어찌됐든 부담은 있다. 하지만 고칠 것은 고쳐야 한다. --미국도 물품수수료 면제는 법률 개정사항이라고 들었는데. ▲그렇다. 또 미국이 지리적 표시 특별취급 품목으로 들고나와 우리도 안동소주 등이 있다고 받아쳐서 합의됐고 이는 시행령 개정사항인 것으로 안다. (여기서 공식적인 질문은 끝나고 가볍게 개인적인 얘기를 물었다)--수석대표 지위는 언제까지 가나. ▲작년 2월에 발령받을 때 7월1일까지로 돼 있다. 6월말 체결 때까지다. --국회 비준 동의 과정에서 협상 당사자를 부르지 않겠나. ▲비준은 범 정부 차원에서 해야 한다. 비준은 어떻게 보면 정치행위다. 협상 수석대표보고 책임지라고 하는 것은 좀 그렇다. --그럼 7월이후에는 어떻게 되나. ▲외교부의 원칙이 순환근무다. 올 가을에도 내년 봄에도 인사가 있을 것이고 본부 근무 3년이 다 돼가므로 외교관 직분을 충실히 할 수 있는 데로 가야지 국내에서만 근무해서야 되겠는가. 지나고 나니까 때때로 어려운 고비도 있었지만 보람도 있었다. 예전에 분과장 및 분과원들과 용인에 모여 워크숍을 할 때 인생에서 유일한 기회이니 전력투구하자고 말한 적이 있다. 저는 장단기 이익을 갖고 주판알을 튕기는 것도 중요하지만 개방과 공정한 경쟁의 방향으로 간다는 메시지가 국민들에게 전달된게 더 중요하다고 생각한다. evan@yna.co.kr
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