seeing eye blog

Cartoons - Fallout over failed appointment

SELECTIVE SACRIFICE - (Hankyoreh 11/1) Playing the role of the mythical daughter who tried to sacrifice herself to help her blind father is the presidential chief of staff Kim Woo-sik; President Roh, playing the father, tosses overboard two aides for "personnel" and "civil affairs," who think, "Scapegoats...."

NO NEW TAIL TO TELL - (Hankook Ilbo 11/1) President Roh, having shunned a brothel labeled "Improper appointments," cuts off from the Kim Woo-sik horse its tail, labeled "Personnel and civil affairs aides." (Title: Show of determination) (Note: Cartoon based on the legend of Kim Yoo Shin, a general from the Silla Dynasty famed for his determination. In his younger, pre-heroic days, he was undisciplined and frequented houses of ill-repute. Eventually he turned his life around.)

THE MORE THINGS CHANGE - (Chosun Ilbo 11/1) A mobile phone user, whose phone is labeled "A new era of digital media broadcasting has dawned" and who is watching a program on the "Scandal involving the deputy prime minister for education," says, "Politicians are at the fourth level, public officials the third, ... (Title: While the whole world changes....)

Cartoons - Fallout over fouled appointement

SELECTIVE SACRIFICE - (Hankyoreh 11/1) Playing the role of the mythical daughter who tried to sacrifice herself to help her blind father is the presidential chief of staff Kim Woo-sik; President Roh tosses overboard two aides for "personnel" and "civil affairs," who think, "Scapegoats...."

NO NEW TAIL TO TELL - (Hankook Ilbo 11/1) President Roh, having shunned a brothel labeled "Improper appointments," slices from the Kim Woo-sik horse its tail, labeled "Personnel and civil affairs aides." (Title: Show of determination) (Note: Toon based on the legend of Kim Yoo Shin, a general from the Silla Dynasty famed for his determination. In his mid-20s, he was undisciplined and frequented houses of ill-repute. Eventually, though, he turned his life around.)

THE MORE THINGS CHANGE - (Chosun Ilbo 11/1) A mobile phone user, whose phone is labeled "A new era of digital media broadcasting has dawned" and who is watching a program on the "Scandal involving the deputy prime minister for education," says, "Politicians are at the fourth level, public officials the third, ... (Title: While the whole world changes....)

Cartoons - So much for "The Truth"

WAVE OF RUMOR-ATION - (Hankyoreh 1/9) Perusing the "Lee Ki-jun file," President Roh is about to be struck by a tsunami which is tossing about "Rumors about Lee," and says, "What's wrong with the appointment?"

GARDEN OF GREED-EN - (Hankyoreh 1/10) Bitten by a "Gucci" bag is the scandalized host of a TV show, Shin Kang-gyun. The serpent, labeled "Power games, investment money and school background," says, "Got ya."

GOLFING, HOME DEPOT STYLE - (Hankook Ilbo 1/9) The broom President Roh holds is labeled "Lee Ki-jun," the ball he has just tapped "Education reform." A "Blue House aide," caddying a golf bag labeled "Personnel system," says, "NICE SHOT!"

THE GUCCI SHOW - (Hankook Ilbo 1/10) On an MBC TV show called "Shin Kang-gyun's Gucci," the vice chairman of the Taeyoung Corporation buddies up to Mr. Shin, who says, "We didn't have any material (for the show), so we made it ourselves!" At the table are bags labeled "Famous brands."

TAKING THE FALL - (Chosun Ilbo 1/10) Prime Minister Lee Hae-chan hosts the TV show "Lee Hae-chan's TRUTH..." filmed by "Blue House TV." He says, "THE TRUTH IS ... it was I who recommended Lee Ki-jun as the new deputy prime minister for education..." (Title: Who's to blame?)

Cartoons - Hail Miyazaki

ROH'S ROVING CASTLE - (Hankyoreh 1/7) In the "mouth" of the castle are President Roh and two of his ministership nominees, Hong Seok-hyun and Lee Ki-jun. The castle says, "Why should we stop, because of minor flaws?" Below, a "Collaborator with the Japanese" says, "Hey, what about me?"(Title: Unprincipled moving castle) (Note: Castle based on a "character" from a Japanese animation movie)

READY FOR PRIMETIME - (Hankook Ilbo 1/7) New Education Minister Lee Ki-jun and President Roh mimic a popular skit from a TV variety show, "People who love to laugh," or "People looking to sling mud." To the first question, "Working as outside director," Lee answers "Why not?" To "Misused university funds," Lee says, "I resigned for that." To "Son renounced his nationality," he says, "I had no idea till I saw the family registry." Lee says, "ISN'T IT STRANGE?"

TOADYING TO TEACH - (Chosun Ilbo 1/7) New Education Minister Lee reads "Scandal of new minister's appointment deepening," The "elementary, middle and high school" frogs, in the "school systems" box, say, "Hush! Or he'll take his anger out on us..." (Title: Blue-spotted frogs in lab on high alert) (Note: Title refers to classic Korean novel)

MINISTER OVERBOARD - Lee Ki-jun says to President Roh, "Can I be saved?"

Cartoons - New minister on thin ice

DODGE EVERY MOUNTAIN - (Hankyoreh 1/6) President Roh and his new appointment as education minister, Lee Ki-jun, stop before a summit labeled "Criticism of morality." The scene is labeled "If a mountain is high, you have to go around."

CAREFUL WHAT YOU ASK FOR - (Hankook Ilbo 1/6) In Frame 1, President Roh supports his nominee for education minister, saying, "This appointment will help unite the nation!" In Frame 2, locking arms are "Civic groups," "Some from the ruling party," the opposition leader Park Geun-hye, and the two teachers unions. Their sign says, "Resign!" The scene is labeled "Love and fame ...." (Title: Can this be?)

DONOR ENVY - (Chosun Ilbo 1/6) In Frame 1, countries at a "Tsunami fundraising event" offer "$100 million!" "$300 million!!" and "$500 million!!!" In Frame 2, race-car driver Michael Schumacher offers "$10 million!" startling Bill Gates and Tiger Woods, who say, "What's that? Should I give more???"

JUST SAY ROH - (Busan Ilbo 1/6) A man who'd resolved not to smoke in 2005 lights up when he sees "New education minister Lee Ki-jun" on the TV and "Morality controversy" in the newspaper.

Nature

Good picture of a Korean mountainscape, courtesy of Yahoo:

Caption: Mountains are shrouded with fog as dawn breaks in South Korea's central Chunchong province. (AFP/Kim Jae-Hwan) - Jan 05 2:01 PM

HELICOPTERS TAKE BLOGGER TO BAD PLACE

This story brings back bad memories:

Presidential Helicopter Model to Be Picked This Month - The winning international bidder to supply three South Korean presidential helicopters will be announced this month, the Defense Ministry said Tuesday. South Korea launched a US$120 million project, code-named VH-X, to replace three of President Roh Moo-hyun's six VH-60 helicopters.

I was just a boy when the infidels came in their Blackhawk helicopters. The infidels fired at the oil fields and they lit up like the eyes of Allah. Burning oil rained down from the sky and cooked everything it touched. I could only hide myself and cry as my goats were consumed by the fiery black liquid death. In the midst of the chaos I could swear that I heard my goats screaming for help. As quickly as they had come the infidels were gone. It was on that day I put a jihad on them. And if you don't believe it, well, you better kill me now - cause I'll put a jihad on you, too.

LOVE ME GENDER

Meet your new Gender Equality Minister:

The newly elected minister of gender equality Jang Ha-jin is considered a progressive feminist scholar credited with theory and administrative experience ... The sociology professor of Chungnam National University served as the head of the Korean Women's Development Institute, a government-invested think tank on women's policy, from 2001 to 2004.

Here's hoping that Ms. Jang conducts her cabinetry duties in the spirit of America's top feminist, Andrea Dworkin, by linking sexual issues to the larger structures in society and realizing that sexual behavior is the biggest cause of inequality between men and women.

THAT'S MORE THAN I MAKE

Yonhap reports:

The average annual salary of South Korean wage earners rose 6.9 percent year-on-year to a pre-tax 31 million won (US$29,853) in 2003, tax authorities said Tuesday.

I really should aspire to become an average wage-earner.

THE POWER OF SILENCE

This seems troublesome:

North Korean workers in Russia, refusing to answer a summons to return to their communist homeland, have set up temporary shelters and are prepared to go to other countries ... The North Koreans hope to go to South Korea, believing that there is no future in Russia even though their lives there are free and comfortable compared with North Korea, RFA reported, quoting Korean-American pastor Douglas Shin, who advocates for human rights improvement in North Korea.

Sure, this is a bad development, for it could cause tension with North Korea. Fortunately, though, nobody in the South is raising an outcry demanding that these self-serving North Koreans be allowed to move here. There's only that Doug Shin guy.

As for the North Koreans who are acting afraid to go home, take a good look at yourselves:

MY BOSS TOSSED OVERBOARD

President Roh has sacked the Fisheries Minister Chang Seung-woo, with this overwhelming rationale:

...."Minister Chang has served twice as minister, so you will now need to give up your post." Chang was planning and budget minister under the previous Kim Dae-jung administration.

He's served twice? Unforgivable. Replacing Overtime Chang will be Oh Geo-don, former vice mayor of Busan, who was owed a consolation prize from Roh's Uri Party after he lost as the party's candidate in Busan's mayoral election last year. Another factor - and a good one if you're progressive like me - is Roh's desire to strengthen Uri Party's influence in the backward-thinking, conservative-dominated, anti-democratic and anti-reunificatory South and North Gyeongsang provinces.

KBS SUPPORTING GREAT LEAPS FORWARD

A couple of months ago the brilliant Jon Stewart from the Daily Show, appearing on the CNN rant-fest Crossfire, tore into the idiot conservative host Tucker Carlson, calling him a dick and reminding him that journalists have been "dishonest" and are "doing a disservice" to the American public. Stewart reminded Carlson and the other "partisan hack" that host the show that they have a "responsibility to the public discourse" - i.e. to filter out bad, right-wing opinions, in order to further the interests of correct-thinking, reality-based, progressive society.

In that vein, I like this New Year's message from Korea's government-run broadcaster:

The Korean Broadcasting System (KBS) held an opening ceremony for the new year Friday, committing itself to do its best as a public broadcasting entity to help the nation take leaps forward in every sector of South Korean society.

See? News outlets aren't supposed to just report the news "fairly," allowing both sides to have their say. They're supposed to report the right kind of news, to "help the nation take leaps forward in every sector." That would explain why Dan Rather saw fit to go forward with the fake but accurate documents, the ones that effectively shattered any notion that George Bush ever possessed even an iota of honesty or personal integrity.

Cartoons - INCENDIARY APPOINTMENT

FIERY MORAL HAZARD - (Hankyoreh 1/5) The passengers in a subway car spontaneously combust upon the entry of the new deputy prime minister for education, Lee Kee-jun, labeled "Overusing allowance as president of Seoul National University" and "Illegally appointed a corporation's outside director." (Title: Arson)

TAKE IT FROM AN EXPERT - (Hankook Ilbo 1/5) The new education minister writes "Moral hazards" on the chalkboard, and his students at the ministry think, "He teaches very well!"

CLOCK'S TICKING - (Chosun Ilbo 1/5) President Roh, holding a notice saying "Six ministers replaced," tells his cabinet, "The appropriate term is two years..." The ministers think, "So how many days left does that make [for me]?" (Title: From "Long durations" to "Two years tops")

ROH IMITATES ART

A Hankyoreh cartoon from a few days ago realized:

SEOUL, Jan. 3 (Yonhap) -- Roh Orders Gov't to Consider More Aid to Tsunami Victims - South Korean President Roh Moo-hyun urged the government on Monday to take a more active role in helping relieve the pain of the victims of the massive earthquake and ensuing tsunami that inundated coastlines across South Asia in late December. "I want the government to more actively come up with measures to help the victims," Roh said at a weekly meeting with senior aides at the presidential office, according to his spokesman Kim Jong-min.

Cartoons - Right-wing journalists, swimsuit edition

RIGHT-WING JOURNALISTS, SWIMSUIT EDITION - (Hankyoreh 1/4) The ankle-high wave is labeled, "[New] newspaper law."  The journalists say, "IT'S A TSUNAMI!"

SUBWAY WORKERS, THY NAME IS FORGETFUL - (Hankook Ilbo 1/4) Surveying the damage caused by the latest subway arsonist, one guy says, "This looks a little familiar!"  The other says, "....Deja vu?" (Note: In Korea, a forgetful person is called a "chicken head."

TAKE THAT SOMEWHERE ELSE - (Chosun Ilbo 1/4) Passing by the National Assembly building, which is blowing its top and is labeled "Aftershocks after the four-reform bill failed," pedestrians say, "If you're so energetic, go to the earthquake site and help those people."  (Title: Though the new year comes, politicians are in the same mood)

URI QUITTERS, READY FOR PLUCKING - Uri Party leaders, led by Chairman Lee Bu-young and Floor Leader Chun Jung-bae, leave a room labeled "Party Leadership" and drop their nameplates, labeled "Mass resignation," in the "Uri Party" wastebasket.  The dog, representing the National Security Law, says, "They're about ready to eat?!"

LOOK WHAT I GOT IN THE MAIL!!

It's a New Year's greeting from the Kim Jong-il regime!!  That regime is just so thoughtful (mind you, I have no illusions that it ... blah blah blah).

DUTCH COURAGE

Read this article by an Iraqi that mentions several Westerners documenting and fighting against the Americans' crimes of occupation.  Excerpt:

Soon afterwards, I met a Dutch woman on Mutinabi Street, where booksellers lay out their wares on Friday morning. Iasked her how long she’d been in Iraq and, through a translator, she answered, “Three months.” “So you were here during the war?” "Yes!” she said. “To see the crimes of the Americans!”

She then went on to say:

“Soon will come the day that the Americans will do worse.”

Read the whole thing - it's very uplifting.

Cartoons - The dawn still breaks

SUN FOR THE MONEY - (Hankyoreh 1/1) The cock says, "I hope the new year brings a money storm."

WHO'S YOUR DADDY? - (Hankyoreh 1/3) Though the hen is labeled "Reform chicken," out of an egg hatches the "Dispatch extension [for Korean troops in Iraq]."  The hatchling says, "Quack quack."

STEPS AWAY FROM THE SKEWER - (Hankook Ilbo 1/1) Uri Party Chief Lee Bu-young and his Grand National counterpart Park Geun-hye sit on an egg labeled "Coexistence."  Looming behind them is the "People's" "Chicken barbecue" truck. (Title: Year of the cock)

IN THE WAKE OF GIANTS - President Roh, delivering aid to tsunami victims, looks up at the enormous Japanese and U.S. freighters and says, "Why don't they give within their means?" (Title: Tsunami aid)

THE DO-GOODER OLYMPICS - (Chosun Ilbo 1/3) Japan offers $500 million to South Asia for disaster relief, and the recipient says, "J...Japan ... Fi...Five hundred million!"  Other donors scramble, thinking, "We have to give more...."

FOUL START FOR ECONOMY - (Chosun Ilbo 1/1) Representing "the economy," the man is pecked at by a chicken saying, "Stop sleeping, wake up now!!"

THE DAWN STILL BREAKS - The rooster still crows, though below chickens are getting their necks wrung by a dog labeled "National Security Law," a men labeled "Sluggish economy" and "Disenfranchised temporary workers." (Title: The dawn still breaks [refers to Kim Young-sam anti-dictatorship quote, "Though you ring the rooster's neck, the dawn will still break."])

Cartoons - Uristein vs. Giant GNP Robot

WHERE'S THE REFORM BEEF? - (Hankyoreh 12/31) Under a sign that says "REFORM GALBI - similar meat but from different cow," leaders of the Uri, Labor and Grand National parties use paste to connect beef to bones.  (Title: Can this be?)

URISTEIN VS. GIANT GNP ROBOT - (Hankook Ilbo 12/31) The Grand National Party giant robot, piloted by Chairwoman Park Geun-hye, tells the Uri Party's Frankenstein: "Next year try to understand yourself better!"

DUMP TRUCK ASSUMPTION - (Chosun Ilbo 12/31) Unloaded from the truck are "unemployment," "partisanship," natural disasters," "bad economy," and "dog-eat-dog policies."  The people say, "Go and never come back!!!" (Title: Adieu 2004)

SOUL EVAPORATION - (Busan Ilbo 12/31) As the sun of 2004 sets, a waterspout composed of sorrowful humanity rises from the ocean.

Cartoons - Spirit of the movie fan

SECURELY IN THE GROUND - (Hankyoreh 12/30) Grand National Party Chairwoman Park Geun-hye weeps over the grave of the National Security Law, which thinks, "It's time for me to go, just do it."

FLICK OF THE WRIST - (Hankook Ilbo 12/30) The movie director Kang Woo-suk faces a prosecutor with "Fortune-teller" on his back and a "National Security Law" book on his table.  Another prosecutor holds a poster of Kang's movie "Silmido," over which is written "Not guilty."  The first prosecutor says, "Spirit of the fan ..... ! It tells me .... he's not a spy."  His cohort says, "You can go!"

WORLD IS BREAKING UP - (Chosun Ilbo 12/30) In Frame 1 the Earth goes "Creeeak" due to the "Asia earthquake/tsunami."  In Frame 2 the elderly woman sees a news report that says, "Every day brings 458 divorces," and says, "Dear, doomsday is near."

TSUNAMI OF PUBLIC SENTIMENT - (Busan Ilbo 12/30) Seated atop the National Assembly building are lawmakers from the right (holding painting gear and smiling) and left (splashed red).  In the space between them, which says "17th National Assembly" is a sheet of paper just torn in two, one piece saying "Working" the other "together."  Above the scene rises a huge wave, labeled "2004 - Yeouido," with human faces making up the white tips.