I understand if you haven’t heard of ‘Basic Certificate.’ I was, too, totally unaware of its existence for the first thirty plus years of my life. Only after I was assigned to translate the document did I have to look up what it was and found out. This article will give a brief explanation of the document and a small lesson I learned from translating it.

It is a legal document issued by the government of Korea since 2008. The name of the document is self-explanatory. It displays the most basic information about the applicant, and, of course, certifies that he or she is a Korean citizen. It starts with the name of the applicant followed by the date of birth, ID number to which every Korean is assigned at birth, and sex. A bit more detail is listed below, such as the place of birth (often the name of the hospital), the date of registration, the person applying for registration, and a state government who accepted the registration. Up to this point it might sound very much like a birth certificate but it isn’t. Korea has its own form for birth certificate. It is what follows after the information mentioned above that separates itself from others. Depending on the purpose of the document, it can contain extra information such as change of name, change of nationality or else. It is not a complex form and is often done in a single sheet. The document replaces and improves another form of document which has been very familiar to Koreans for decades. Legality and complexity behind the reason as to why the country had to make such a big step on getting rid of the previous form which Koreans have been too accustomed to might be beyond the scope of this article. Instead, I would like to finish by sharing what I realized while translating this document.

Being Korean myself, I was reminded while doing a research on this basic certificate that I know very little about legal system of my own country. Quite frankly, why this document had to replace the old one was beyond my ken, and it is why I could not further elaborate above. Of course, as a translator I am not obligated to know the whole story. I just have to translate the words to appropriate English ones and I’m justified. It was, however, an opportunity for me to think about something: when it comes to something legal, how much is done in my life with full trust without having a slightest clue. It is quite a flimsy life.

The world’s most heavily traded derivatives are not available in the United States or Europe. It’s the Korea Composite Stock Price Index 200 index options.

Trading the financial markets has become a common obsession in Korea (South, not North). Ordinary people in Korea trading the KOSPI 200 options have made the Korea Exchange (KRX) the third most heavily traded derivatives exchange in the world.

It’s behind only the CME Group (includes both the Chicago Mercantile Exchange and Chicago Board of Trade) and Eurex.

However, it’s not just the Korean appetite for risk that makes the that one index option so popular. They outsell the KOSPI 200 futures by forty-six to one. And from 2003 to 2008 the index option monthly trading volume increased from 5.6 million contracts to 183 million. Their trading symbol is K200.

These index options are relatively small, making them accessible to many people. A contract size is KRW 500,000 (currently $432) times the index price. For perspective, that’s about one-fifteenth as large as an options or futures contract on Japan’s Nikkei 225.

The actual underlying index is two hundred of the largest companies on the entire KOSPI index, which is the companies listed on the Korean stock exchange, comparable to the U.S. S&P 500.

The tick size is 0.05 point valued at KRW 25,000. Trading hours are 9:00AM to 3:15PM Monday through Friday Korean time, which is fourteen hours ahead of New York City Eastern Standard Time.

The last trading day for these contracts is the second Thursday of the contract month. On that day, trading hours close at 2:50PM. The next day is the final settlement day.

Contract months are March, June, September and December. You are limited to taking a position of more than 7,500 contracts. The initial margin is KRW 16,830.750 (currently $14.568). Commissions vary, but are low because there’s a lot of competition between brokers.

Of course, Koreans form the major market for these index options. Their television shows many educations programs on technical analysis and other stock and options trading strategies.

But foreigners are joining the index options game in Korea. In 1999 they financed just 2% of options and futures transactions. Now, according to the Korea Exchange, it’s as high as 25%.

Trading index options may not be the most common reason to hop on a plane to visit Seoul Korea, but maybe it’s more common than we think (be warned, however — plane flights to the Far East average twelve hours or more in length.).

Want to join in? During October 2008, KRX and the Chicago Mercantile Exchange signed a contract listing KOSPI 200 futures contracts on the CME’s Globex platform. The CME will match trades, but the KRX continues to clear and settle the trades.

However, don’t be too hasty. You still have to open up an account with a Korean broker. And all transactions must be cleared and traded in Korean won. You could make a profit on the options trade, but lose it because the U.S. dollar declines during that period.

Well, you should try it!

Learning Korean online is a great alternative to attending an inconvenient class to study material presented at an inconvenient pace. And you might not be able to take a class in Korean in your area if you wanted to, because it is not a common language option in most smaller schools. Choosing your own Korean language program on the internet allows you the flexibility to match the way you learn with the kind of program you want.

But before you embark on learning Korean online, there are a couple of things to keep in mind. First, the Korean language has many levels of politeness, and in Korea, politeness is essential. For example, the standard greeting in English is hello, regardless of whether we’re speaking to our neighbor or the President. In Korea, it’s totally different. In Korean, you’d greet your grandmother with one phrase, your child with another, and your boss differently still. It’s a lot like the difference between “How do you do”, “Hello,” “Hi,” and “Wassup” – only more so! For this reason, when learning Korean online it’s important to find a course that delves into Korean language and culture rather than just the rote pronunciation of words.

There’s another obvious between Korean and any other language you may have studied. Korean is written in a special alphabet called Hangul or Hanguel. This makes learning Korean difficult for visual learners who depend on reading for comprehension. Fortunately, Korean can also be written using the same alphabet as English (this is called Romanized spelling) and visual learners should insist on this feature when researching ways to learn Korean online.

We hope that by now you’re ready to plunge into learning Korean online, and you’ve chosen a program that works for you – but is there anything you can do to speed up the process? Why not find some Korean-speaking friends? Look for an online language program with a student forum where you can share your problems and successes with other students. These forums are often staffed by native Korean speakers who can help and advise you on any study-related troubles you may have. But just finding other people out in cyberspace who are sharing your experience is often a boost to your own learning.

Hopefully, you now feel ready to tackle the job of learning Korean online. Are you up to the challenge?

Because it uses an alphabet much different than our own, called Hangul, the Korean language can be challenging to learn. Like all languages, however, if you learn how to learn, and then make a good learning strategy, prior to hitting the books, you can pick up the language quickly and easily. This article is going to give you three very important tips that you should follow when learning the Korean language.

Tip 1: Define Your Korean Fluency Goals

One does not sit down and learn a language. One sits down and learns pieces of a language. For example, most language textbooks are divided into sections, such as shopping, eating, family, and transportation. Before you sit down and start studying, decide which part of the language is most important to you. If you are going to Korea to be an English teacher, your first goal could be to learn "classroom Korean." If you are going to Korea on business, start with basic business Korean. If you're traveling, learn travel phrases. Set small but important fluency goals and your learning will move along swiftly and smoothly.

Tip 2: Have Structure From the Beginning

When learning the Korean language it is important to have structure. You must first learn how to pronounce the letters of a new and unfamiliar alphabet. Then you must gain an understanding of Korean sentence structure and grammar, which is very different than it is in English. Then you can start to memorize vocabulary words, phrases, and, eventually, complete sentences. Failure to follow this structured approach will cause frustration and poor learning progress. Get it right from the beginning, on the other hand, and you'll progress nicely.

Tip 3: Be Consistent With Your Studying

Consistency is an important part of learning any language; studying for five hours one day and then skipping the next four days is not nearly as effective as studying for one hour each day for five days in a row. This you probably already know. It is worth noting again, however, because this consistency is particularly important when studying a language that has an alphabet that is unfamiliar to you.

The reason is because you have to not only learn new words and phrases, but you also have to remember how to pronounce a whole new set of characters, characters that you cannot sound out, as you could if learning, for example, Spanish.

Final Thoughts

Learning Korean can be challenging, but it doesn't have to be difficult. Define your Korean language fluency goals, create a structured learning plan, and be consistent with your studies, and you'll pick up the Korean language quickly and easily.

To understand the answer to the question, what is tae kwon do, you must first understand its name. Tae kwon do is the national martial art of Korea and is also correctly referred to as tae kwon do and tae kwon do.

Tae kwon do is an "open hand" style of combat that has ancient roots and great similarity to many of the combat arts practiced throughout the Orient for more than two millennium. Tae kwon do has evolved greatly since its origins but became the martial-art we know today during the 1940s and 50s.

You'll need a little history lesson to understand why an ancient Korean martial art is so young. In a nutshell, the Korean people were subjugated by Japan as far back as 1898. Japan officially annexed Korea in 1910 and continued to occupy the Korean peninsula to varying degrees until 1945, and the end of WWII.

Korea was reeling from so many years of horrific treatment at the hands of the Japanese and was struggling to unite itself once again.

During their struggles with the Japanese, many Korean masters emigrated to Japan or China where they were allowed to learn and practice combat arts. This is something that was not allowed in Korea which is how Korean combat arts were lost in great detail. The return of these martial arts masters after 1945 brought a resurgence to combat arts in Korea.

These fathers of modern tae kwon do opened schools where they taught their individual styles based on Japanese, Chinese and original Korean combat arts.

What is Tae kwon do? Tae kwon do is a modern martial art from the country of Korea with ancient roots influenced by Chinese, Japanese and Korean combat styles.

The Koreans have used potteries from 7000 to 8000 years ago. Since ancient times they used to make pottery by firing clay at a heat of 1300 degree Celsius. They produced unique, original and beautiful pottery. They traded extensively with China and adopted manufacturing skills of Celadon.

Korean pottery is healthy and alive due to its good natural disposition. The Korean potters believed in nature and sought to be a part of it. So they lived in deep recesses of mountains to give a natural touch to their wares and used simple colors with liberal techniques for molding the clay prior to making the pottery.

Korean pottery can be studied in terms of three empires. These three empires which present the foundation of Korean ceramic history also reflect the culture of pottery during this era. These three kingdoms are – Silla, Goguryeo and Joseon. The Korean potters produced coarse household goods as well as highly sophisticated statues of imperial figures, guardians, horses, escorts of the dead in mausoleum of kings, as well as nobility.

1. Korean pottery in the Silla era (668 to 935) – the pottery was plain in color, design and silhouette at the time of the unified Silla era. Celadon was the main produce. Gradually in the 14th century Bakeja porcelain wares developed which had vibrant varnish. These were made up of highly refined clay. Bakeja wares were fixed with feldspar and were very cautiously fired in very huge and fresh kilns. Bakeja wares flourished tremendously until the Joseon dynasty came to power.

2. Korean pottery in the Goguryeo era (918 to 1392) – during this epoch some of the best small scale works of ceramics were accomplished in Korea. In this age the potters made foliate designs, key fret, geometric shapes, elliptical panels, stylized fishes and insects, and they started using incised designs from this era. The glazes used, were different shades of Celadon. For stoneware and storage goods they used black and brown glazes.

3. Korean pottery in Joseon dynasty (1392 to 1910) – it can be called the golden era of Korean pottery. The Korean ceramics developed to a great extent and pottery was produced in a large commercial scale for export. The quality of the pottery also improved considerably. They followed the Chinese Ming Dynasty in evolving their improved range of pottery and they are similar in certain aspects to the Chinese wares. Storage pottery, celadon, white porcelain were alike and only with minimal variations either in glazes, designs or weight. Ming influence was also felt in the blue and white matter by using cobalt blue glazes.

After the fall of the Ming dynasty many Chinese potters migrated to Korea and brought colorful and vibrant pottery of special forms which was discarded by the Korean potters who preferred to make simple and less bedecked wares.

Korea exported most of its potteries to Japan and principally from the Busan area. The climbing kilns were exported to a considerable extent.

There were two ways of export- through deal and intended immigration of potters or by the means of invasion and pottery theft.

The music of Korea is over 1000 years old. Isang Yun – a musician teaching in Berlin included Korean songs in his course which was later brought back to Korea. Like all other strong influences, war definitely had its impact on Korean music. Korean music is mostly influenced by shamanistic and Buddhist thoughts. The dance, drum and the sinawi dance music is clearly evident in folk music.

The Dongbu folk songs are unique in various areas and are typical about the styles. The songs from the Jeolla and chungcheong area are known as Namdo folk songs. They are full of drama and the collections are tasteful. The Pansori and the Sanjo were created out of Namdo music. The music of Jeju from Jeju Island is simple and rich in their compositions. The Pansori is actually a one man show which involves dialogues, enactment, dance and a drummer assists with the rhythm for the singer. The Pansori is done at a stretch for eight hours. It is actually required to make the voice hoarse by shouting, so as to become a Pansori singer. The props include a handkerchief and fan.

A troupe of thirty musicians performs the Nongak. The Sanjo is a tempo based playing which accelerates and moves to a high tempo. The musical instruments of Korea include Kayagum which can be played in the solo style, duet and as a group of three. The instrument has to be placed on the lap with the tail on the ground level. Tanso is the wind instrument and played along with the flute. The original bamboo of Tanso is now replaced by resin. The sound produced is pure melody. Yanggum is made of bamboo and is a string instrument almost as big as a piano. The fourteen keys which is now increased to the count of twenty six keys. Most of the string instruments of Korea in the contemporary folk times are made of silken threads.

There are bowed, plucked and struck varieties in the folk string instruments that encompass the Geum, Bipa, Sohaegeum and Yangguem. There are flutes, horns and oboes and mouth organs and also the jeok, so, Hwa, Dae piri and Nagak in the wind instrument folk variety. There are other chimes, gongs and cymbals of various varieties in the percussion musical instruments. Folk songs are still evident in the villages. Rituals, ceremonies and festivals mark the occasion with traditional Korean folk’s songs. Though a evolution is also seen in the making of musical instruments, traditional Korean folk songs bring pure melody.

If you’re white and plan on dating Korean women then this Asian Caucasian dating advice is VITAL.

Your Korean buddies might have told you about how “easy” it is but they don’t know the real deal.

After living and dating Korean ladies in Seoul I’ve discovered that the dating dynamics are different if you’re white.

Am I saying that it’s not “easy”? I’m saying that it’s different…way different.

When you’re white you have advantages and disadvantages compared to Korean men.

Asian Caucasian Dating Advantages

You’re a novelty. Any human being loves something new. It takes us away from our daily routine and plunges us into adventure. Being white and foreign does that with Korean women. Not only that but many Korean girls are tired of being with Korean guys. Let’s face it – who doesn’t want to at least TRY something new.

You’re “Western”. If you’re white then Koreans will assume you’re Western. That’s a great thing because Koreans look up to the West. If you’re Western then you have high status. Period.

You’re an escape. For Korean women who want to break away from their culture then you’re an alternative. Also a lot of Korean women are tired of their culture. You offer them something new.

So it’s all good? Not quite. You also have some disadvantages.

Asian Caucasian Dating disadvantages

You’re a foreigner. Korea is still a very closed society. Something like a ‘black’ Korean is unheard of (but soon enough.)

Sometimes my expat friends and I joke about one day being at the airport immigration line and seeing a black or caucasian man in the ‘Korean Citizens’ line.

That’s a big deal for Korean women. Her friends and family might not accept you into their circles simply because you’re foreign. There’s nothing you can really do about that besides learn the culture and hope for the best.

Korean guys will prevent you from dating Korean ladies. For some reason (ahem “inferiority complex”) most Korean guys will block and prevent her from talking to you. It’s quite subtle but it’s there.

Why? Because they think that it’s “easier” for caucasian men and they’re jealous. Sure they sugarcoat it by pretending that they’re “protecting the bloodline and her honor” but after 5 years in Korea you start to see the envy in their eyes.

So that makes Asian Caucasian dating challenging in Korea or with Korean women.

Have fun!

Dan Bloom with http://www.Korea-Dating-Tips.com

In 1997 the government of North Korea decided there were just too many people roaming around the country. A royal decree came forth in September demanding that all street children were to be arrested and placed in institutions. Some have opined that the real reason behind his action was cover-up. These beggars made the country look suspect in the eyes of UN officials that were still there in ’97. Got to save face before a watching world. Jasper Becker, author of the book where I found this information (Rogue Regime), decided to visit one of the so-called “9-27″ camps, so named from the date of the edict. He was shocked at the effects of malnutrition on the children that had been nicknamed “flower-swallows”. They are compared to birds because they flit from eating place to eating place like their tiny winged counterparts. Here he met…

Chi Gang. 15 years old. Four feet tall.

A 13-year-old. Three feet six inches.

Kang Minghwa. 16 years old. Looked barely 9 years old. Kang’s testimony is chilling. Her impression is that the children were being brought into custody to die out of sight. A mixture of bean powder and unknown “food substitutes” was fed the children day after day. And day after day, children died. Kang crawled through a camp window, then under a railway bridge that crosses the Tumen River into China. Making her way into Yanji she begged for food on the street.

Because of the love of Christ manifested by many believers in the area, some children in this condition were cared for. But oh so many were and are not. To this day an average North Korean is 20 centimeters shorter and weighs half as much as his South Korean counterpart. In the late 90’s a survey indicated that 2/3 of North Korea’s children were stunted, living proof that the famine had been going on for some time, that it was not some temporary problem brought on by merely natural causes.

Many nations have natural disasters, including our own. But through modern communications and transportation, the peoples of Earth rally together and have, even from the world’s viewpoint, a remarkable recovery in a relatively short period of time. Add the love of Christ in many of Earth’s people, and “miraculous” can be added to the description. But NK’s leaders truly believe they are trying to save their land from the evil influences of a world that hates them. And in so doing they are slowly permitting the genocide of the Korean people.

Who will have mercy on North Korea? Surely God already does. Now we must.

Asian TV channels now available in the United States can enhance the viewing pleasure of many Asian Americans. Keeping up with events in their homeland is as easy as turning on the tv. There are a lot of channels available now from Directv and Dish Network. So for those who are not aware of them, we have Korean and Vietnamese channels. They are listed below.

DirecTV Korean

CTS is a premium network which brings to you 24 hours of Korean Christian programming, including sermons, testimonies, praise and worship, documentaries and news.

MBC One of the most watched channels, MBC is a 24 hour Korean broadcast network. Catch some of the most popular children’s programs, latest news and drama everyday.

SBS Stay in touch with what’s happening in Korea through this 24 hour channel with latest information, variety shows, and hit dramas.

SBS Plus Catch the best of Korean “Halliyu” with popular drama, movie programs, and other original programs – 24 hours a day.

YTN Korea’s first round-the-clock news network.

Directv Vietnamese

SBTN Saigon Broadcasting Television Network is the first 24-hour Vietnamese programming network in America which broadcasts a great mix of news, sports, variety, movies, talk shows, children’s programming and more – all in Vietnamese.

TVB Vietnam Catch up on the best TVB dramas and telemovies from past and present dubbed in Vietnamese including themes such as martial arts, costumes, episodic, modern action and situation comedy.

VHN–TV A visual treat for those of you who want to get acquainted with the Vietnamese customs and traditions, this channel believes in creating awareness and education. Features news, drama, education, public service, comedy (traditional and contemporary), entertainment and variety programs.

Dish Network Korean

ARIRANG TV broadcast live from Korea 24-hours-a-day, Arirang TV showcases entertaining and informative programs for viewers of every age and background. Programming includes Korea’s latest box office releases, news, sitcoms, dramas, quiz shows, financial updates, music, documentaries and current affairs programs.

BTN is a 24-hour Korean-language Buddhist channel. BTN’s programming includes Buddhist news, ceremony, priesthood, worship, mass, world temple tour, vegetarian cooking, meditation, yoga, missions and much more from Korea.

JSTV is the #1 rated 24-hour-a-day Korean-language Christian channel in North America. JSTV’s programming includes Christian related news, business, music, bible studies, gospels, worship services and much more. JSTV will also broadcast locally produced programs and programming from the Korean broadcasting channel commonly referred to as CBS.

KBS WORLD, a Korean-language channel with English subtitles, is a general entertainment channel which is the oldest and most popular broadcasting station in Korea. Programming includes the most watched news, sitcoms, dramas, documentaries and current affair programs.

ONGAMENET is a top-rated 24-hour Korean-language gaming channel. Ongamenet’s programming includes gaming industry news, video games, pro-gamer league, competitions and other game-oriented programming straight from Korea.

WOW-TV is a 24-hour-a-day Korean-language business news channel broadcast from Korea. WOW-TV’s programming includes economic updates, the latest stock market information, real estate, e-business, news and much more.

So there you have it, 14 different channels. Entertainment for the whole family, young and old alike. Instead of seeing a five minute clip of news from the Asia, watch indepth coverage of the same event. It’s like bringing your homeland in to your livingroom.