아홉 번째 항목 (Ninth Entry)

        North Korea warned South Korea on Thursday that any military crash that did happen on the maritime border could cause an attack on the presidential office in Seoul. They threatened to engulf the South Korean leadership "in a sea of fire". That's so scary!
       
        The threat was received exactly one day after South Korea had conducted military drills near Yeonpyeong - front line island west of Seoul. The conducted military drills was timed exactly the same time last year when North Korea released an artillery attack on Yeonpyeong which killed two marines, and two civilians.

        North Korea claims that the drills were done to provoke North Korea. They stated in their threat letter that "If one single shot drops in our sacred waters and territory again, the sea of fire on Yeonpyeong-do will spread to a sea of fire on the Blue House, and that deluge of fire will sweep away the stronghold of the group of traitors". Note that the Blue House is the office of the South Korean President, Lee Myung-bak in Seoul.

       The United States being concerned with the possibility of military attacks from North Korea, reaffirmed once more that they were ready to and committed to defend South Korea at any time.

사랑,
Tai Le

• North Korea Warns South on Maritime Drills
• http://www.nytimes.com/2011/11/25/world/asia/north-korea-threatens-south-korea-with-a-sea-of-fire.html?ref=southkorea

여덟 항목 (Eight Entry)

        In South Korea on Tuesday, the World Health Organization (W.H.O.) decided to resume the distribution of medical aid to North Korea - financed by the South Korean government. The reason? Because of the assistance calls for malnourished North Korean children.

        A Senior South Korean Unification Ministry official spoke to reporters on Tuesday, and stated the distribution of medical aid was because it "was base upon our belief that purely humanitarian support for the you and vulnerable in North Korea should continue".

        The W.H.O. group sent $13 million worth of medicine and medical supplies to the North, but the supplies had to stop when there was a sinking of a South Korean warship in March 2010. The sinking was caused by the North when they torpedoed the ship, and because of this, they killed 46 sailors.

       Although South Korean is still frustrated that North Korea remains tight with its nuclear program, South Korea admitted that it should not be punishing the citizens for the government's deeds. It's been recorded that last month, six million North Koreans were in urgent of food aid and medical supplies.

       South Korea found that sending supplies is super urgent because aid organizations warned that malnutrition had plagued two generations in North Korea, and would have a huge consequence if the North and South Korea were to reunite one day. South Korea since then has been sending money to help spread the medical aids to all persons in need in North Korea.

사랑,
Tai Le

• South Korea Approves Sending Medical Aid to the North
• http://www.nytimes.com/2011/11/09/world/asia/south-korea-approves-sending-medical-aid-to-north.html?ref=southkorea

일곱 번째 항목 (Seventh Entry)

        Plastic surgery in the past used to be something that was frowned upon, but these days, it's something common. In Korea, it's more common than ever. It's not just a nose job these days. These days, it's everything on the face. It's the jawline. It's the eyes. It's the cheekbones. Why is it necessary to endure such pain? Such horrible, and painful pains?

        Beauty. Expectations. Celebrities.

        Many are influence by the media to look a certain way. Imagine America's teens, only times twenty. It's that scary. In Korea it's hard to find someone how's the exactly Korean because all of the women from the age of 19 - 45 have had plastic surgery. Women in Korea - if they want to get married - have to look a certain way, or society will find them ugly. The "normal look super normal, while the pretty look super pretty".

        In a society where electronics keep society moving, seeing everything on the Internet can influence someone. When celebrities decide to get a part of them fixed, their before and after photos are released instantaneously on the internet. Normal can see that even celebrities have flaws, and they fix them. This being another reason to has plastic surgery.

        What about the family life? It used to be belief from Confucious that "tampering with the body bestowed by one's parents was a violation", and the individual would be discouraged of cremation. But today, it's different. Parents bribe their young girls of plastic surgery if they pass their classes, and make it to college.

        They think that plastic surgery is so successful, that they don't even realize the accidents that have arose from it. Today, society is beginning to notice that plastic surgery is constituting an obsession in women. If they surgery is unsuccessful, there have been cases where girls have killed themselves. It's that dangerous. It's getting to a point where self appreciation is gone from society.

        How will a person truly show their true self if they're always trying to look a different way? What doctors have noticed that all the girls who come in for surgery are all looking like a certain group of celebrities. They all have several faces they want, and that's not doing anything for society. This has to change.

사랑,
Tai Le

• In South Korea, Plastic Surgery Comes Out of the Closet
• http://www.nytimes.com/2011/11/04/world/asia/in-south-korea-plastic-surgery-comes-out-of-the-closet.html?ref=southkorea&pagewanted=all