Essay Composition 1, Spring 08

The Korean government stipulates that candlelight assembly is illegal behavior(reported by Kim Byoung-jo, Chosun newspaper, May 4, 2008). The police says that candlelight assembly about protest in American cow is illegal, so they decided to summon prime movers and investigate them. The Korean civic groups are repelling this measure because they think it violates their human rights. One citizen who is named Park Ji-won says “It is related to our health and the right to live. Government don’t have right to protect this assembly.”
I think candlelight assembly is peaceful demonstration. It doesn’t harmful to the others. Everyone is gathered voluntarily. In addition, the right of freedom is very important. So, what do you think about? Please reference.

These days, it seems like young Koreans try to follow and absord the western beliefs and values, especially American culture. The majority of young people think that traditional practices are old and boring, such anachronism should be thrown away. Therefore, they instead praises individualism, equality, and Materialism of the western. However, the beliefs and values in east asia including Korea, China, Japan, are sustained for a long time. It’s not a just tradition, it’s what shaped our society today. Not like the western values, so called orientalism forcus on community. This value is called as “share the life.” It might sounds dependable, but what it truely means that people should care and grade other persons interests as theirs. Therefore, that society will be healthier. It more focus on harmony than individual happiness. It’s impossible to compare which is good or bad, but just throwing out our traditional beliefs and values is irrational and foolish.

Our university festival is numbered. So almost students expect this festival. Nowdays, popular entertatiners tend to star on the stage and become the main of festival that is not so different with concert. I heard  from radio that their performing fee is more than 10 million won and could reach upon 20 million won at the maximum in accordance of name value. Each board of students in unversties competes to take more popular entertainer to attract lots of people and show their ability as well as self-esteem bewteen universties. And They even spend more than a half of total fund during this period.  Above all, I was shocked felt some absurd that we have to pay expensive money including our tuition fee to see the celebrity blink in eye who just may perform their show for a few minutes. It’s so contradiction that we seriously used to oppose raising tuition fee at the early time of this year.  And I heard that some students in Seoul university got injured by pressure in thousnads of crowds because backward people suddenly flock forward to see Wonder girls. Neverthless, almost students don’t think negatve of the festival because of the unique period in semester they can enjoy without burden and stress. Is it all right for you to become commercialism in campus ? 

President Lee is progressing bill about privatization in medical insurance. This bill is expected to enforce as of October 2008. Privatization in medical insurance is similar to American way. In present, Korean should join healthcare when they are born and government support their medical fee. So, people can be treated for cheaper. However, under the privatization, government don’t control this and people should join private medical company. Also, medical fee is more expensive than now. Of course, privatization in medical insurance causes creating jobs in medical industry and raising their competitive. However, many common people can’t go hospital because of expensive cost.
What do you think about? Is it desirable?

In modern society, communication methods are becoming more and more diverse. Almost all people use a telephone at home, cell-phone, computer and internet, and so on everyday. Those are becoming essential in our life and make our life more convenient.
However, because of over-reliance on those communication devices, we seem to miss the personal touch. Some people talk on the on-line messanger even if they sit next to each other at work. Even others use the text message on the cell-phone when they say break-up to their girlfriend or boyfriend. That’s hard to understand for me.
Sometimes, traditional forms of communication are more powerful and impressive. I have received hand-written letters from friends on special days such as birthday and Christmas. That makes me more pleased.
On some occasions, it can be a better way to express our true heart to others by writing a hand-written letter or talking in person.

The hard tour of Olympic torch raised many issues by protests. There are many issues, such as environment condition, Tibet, and especially, in Korea, treatment of North Korean refugees. During the torch ran in Korea, some protest went on. North Koreans raised their voice on repatriation of North Koreans. Many of North Koreans refugees who repatriate from North Korea in order to escape from the hunger were sent away to North Korea again. Even they are doing repatriation during the torch run, which is far from peace and harmony. Two North Koreans tried to burn themselves, but they were stopped by the police. Sadly most Koreans, however, don’t pay attention to these protests including me. Perhaps, it’s because not related with our direct interest. North Korean refugees are doing protests because they care about their families, friend and people who left in North Korea. By doing so, they believe it can be better than before. I was ashamed of myself and wondered do I really want the ‘Re-unification’?

The first Mad cow disease are founded in England in 1985. After that, it has been founded more than 150.000 cows. Department of Agriculture in Korea said that it is 99.9% safe, if the SRM (Specified Risk Material) is eliminated. However, it has been discovered a little after the first stroke. It is earlier to say it is safe. Unfortunately, we cannot be safe by not eating cows. Gelatin which is used in many processed food, is made of leather of a cow. In the United State, one of the victims of Mad Cow Disease died, he/she was a vegetarian though. It’s everywhere. May be there is a reason that the government want to import American cow. However, more research and inspection should be made because it is directly related with the health of citizens.