Obama and Hu to co-ordinate on North Korea rocket launch
BBC News

China and the US have agreed to co-ordinate their response to any “potential provocation” if North Korea goes ahead with a planned rocket launch, the White House says.

S.Korea May Need U.S. Help to Shoot Down N.Korean Rocket
Chosun Ilbo

The government plans to shoot down a North Korean rocket scheduled for launch in the middle of next month if it strays off course, causing the first stage booster to fall on South Korean territory, the Defense Ministry said Monday.

But experts point out that the missiles in South Korea’s arsenal are unequal to the task of engaging intercontinental ballistic missiles, which many believe is really what the North is testing, and will have to rely on the U.S. to shoot it down.

‘Hallyu’ back: Obama catches the ‘Korean Wave’
Los Angeles Times

On his third visit to South Korea, President Obama seems to have caught the “Korean Wave.”

The term for the surge and spread of Korean pop culture — “hallyu” in Korean — popped up in the president’s speech on Monday, along with a sprinkle of other in-the-know references intended to show he could hang with the kids of Hankuk University, the audience for his otherwise policy-heavy speech.

Before launching into a review of his nuclear weapons policy, Obama name-checked South Korea’s hugely popular social networking sites — Me2Day and Kakao Talk, the latter claiming to transmit 1 billion messages daily. He praised the young Koreans’ optimism and promise — and tech savvy.

“It’s no wonder so many people around the world have caught the Korean Wave — hallyu,” Obama said, in one of his biggest applause lines.

US World Bank pick launches global charm offensive
AFP via Google News

The Korean American physician tapped by US President Barack Obama to lead the World Bank will embark on an 11 day global charm offensive Tuesday, the Treasury Department said.

Amid anger that the United States and Europe appear poised to stitch up leadership of the bank for at least another five years, South Korea-born Jim Yong Kim will try to win over skeptics in Africa, Asia and Latin America.

Christie calls Kwon vote ‘awfully unfair’
Statehouse Bureau (N.J.)

Governor Christie criticized Senate Democrats who rejected his Supreme Court nominee last week on a monthly call-in radio show Monday night.

On Thursday, First Assistant Attorney General Phillip Kwon was voted down by the Senate Judiciary Committee 6-7, with all the “no” votes coming from Democrats. It was the first time in modern history a governor’s nominee was voted down by the panel of lawmakers.

“It was awfully unfair. It was a terrible disservice to the state for them to just play politics,” Christie said on NJ 101.5’s “Ask the Governor,” an hour-long segment for callers to ask Christie questions each month.

Exclusive: Goldman Sachs losing private equity exec
Fortune

Gene Yoon is leaving Goldman Sachs (GS) to manage a new $500 million private equity fund, Fortune has learned. Sources say that the new effort will officially launch in May, and that it will be bankrolled by a European family office.

Yoon has spent more than four years running private equity for Goldman’s Americas Special Situations Group, which focuses on growth equity and mid-market private equity investing. According to CapitalIQ, his current portfolio company board seats include LifeLock, Picis, Amber Road and Northface University.

In North Korea, a brutal choice
CNN.com

During a sleepless night, Song Ee Han agonized over a decision: Was she willing to leave her youngest child behind while she and her daughters escaped North Korea?

The next morning, Han knelt beside her only surviving son, 5-year-old BoKum, searching for the right words. The boy looked half his age, his distended belly protruding awkwardly from his tiny frame. He was weakened and fatigued from their journey. They had stopped at a friend’s house less than halfway to the border, and Han and her daughters were too small or weak to carry him.

“Why are you taking my sisters, but not me?” he wailed.

Places Obama should visit in Seoul
CNNGo

Siwhadam
The shortest dinner at this new VVIP-only Korean restaurant in Itaewon is a three-hour, 19-course fete.

Korean American community praises professor’s new textbook
San Francisco State News

SF State Professor of Asian American Studies Grace Yoo has released a book on Korean American history and culture that leaders in the community are praising as the new standard for Korean American Studies courses nationwide.

Restaurateur exploited immigrants
Winnipeg Sun (Canada)

A Winnipeg restaurateur busted for staffing his popular sushi spots on trendy Corydon Avenue with illegal foreign workers is facing a stiff fine after admitting he broke Canada’s immigration-protection laws.

Jung Won Choi, owner of Kenko Sushi and now-closed sister eatery Kenko Niwa, pleaded guilty in provincial court Monday to breaching a provision of the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act.

DREAMer and Sunday school teacher detained, facing imminent deportation
Change.org

Currently, 26-year old DREAMer and Sunday school teacher, Ueen Joung Chang (Cindy Chang), from San Jose, California is detained in Eloy, Arizona with the threat of imminent deportation to South Korea.

She has not committed a crime, and has in fact been an upstanding member of her community serving the homeless as well as a lay deacon and Sunday school teacher with her church.

She came to the United States when she was seven years old and was not aware of her immigration status until she was stopped at an immigration checkpoint in Arizona on her way to a friend’s wedding in Phoenix. She is now ordered deported despite her family having followed the steps to attain green cards, but were foiled by bureaucratic errors. With no family in South Korea, her deportation would tear her away from her family and community which depend on her.

Park Chan-ho to Raise Awareness of Language Barriers
Chosun Ilbo

Hanwha Eagles’ pitcher Park Chan-ho was on Monday appointed promotional ambassador for BBB Korea, non-profit organization that provides interpretation services.

The organization has nearly 4,000 volunteers who interpret for tourists and members of multicultural family.

It said it picked Park because he is a renowned sportsman, has been at the forefront of charitable activities, and is married to Park Ri-hye, a third-generation Korean-Japanese.

Kamala Films Acquires ‘Lone Wolf And Cub’ With ‘Fast Five’s Justin Lin Attached
Deadline Hollywood

Kamala Films has acquired film rights to the Kazuo Koike-created 1970s Japanese manga Lone Wolf and Cub, attaching David & Janet Peoples to write the script. Fast Five‘s Justin Lin had already been attached to direct.

Asian Heritage Month Celebration Brings Singer-Songwriter David Choi to Rochester
Univ. of Rochester

The University of Rochester celebrates Asian Heritage Month with a performance by David Choi, a Korean-American singer and songwriter, whose tracks have been featured on international television shows and commercials.

Beverly Kim’s Beet Salad recipe
ABC Chicago

Keep an eye out for our profile of Beverly in the upcoming April 2012 issue of KoreAm.

Storylines, players to watch at Nabisco
ESPN.com

2. Na Yeon Choi
If you are asking “Who is Na Yeon Choi?” the answer is “the best player in the world you have not heard of.” The 24-year-old South Korean, a five-time LPGA winner, moved past Norway’s Suzann Pettersen into the world No. 2 spot a few weeks ago. She’s known as a serious contender with lots of game. This year, she has two runner-up finishes and is coming off an 18th-place finish Sunday in the Kia. Choi won the LPGA money title in 2010 and was third last year. In the past 11 LPGA majors, she has six top-10 finishes, including a second at the 2011 U.S. Women’s Open.

Suspect in executive’s slaying: ‘I have made many mistakes’
Los Angeles Times

In a blog posted two weeks after detectives say Orange County Internet advertising executive Edward Younghoon Shin killed his partner and covered up his death last year, the businessman wrote even a “hardened killer” is worthy of being saved by “the Creator.”

Orange County prosecutors allege that Christopher Ryan Smith, a 32-year-old executive, was killed by Shin in their San Juan Capistrano office.

Dave Kim Wanted To Be Your BFFF
Philebrity.com

Starting on April 1st of this year, Dave Kim made it his mission to be your Best Friend Facebook Forever. The month-long social experiment had Dave attending every event he could (in 30 days he attended 84), making people’s birthday wishes come true, and friending over 700 people. And as far as social experiments go, it was pretty regimented. Dave lived by a set of 14 rules during the project, which included friending at least 30 people per day, messaging every new friend, and meeting people at every event.

Asian-Americans Buck Stereotypes, Find Fame on YouTube
Voice of America

The next Legaci or Apl.de.Ap of the Black Eyed Peas is probably out there—uploading videos of themselves on YouTube.

YouTube stars like Ryan Higa, David Choi, Kevin Wu (KevJumba), or Clara Chung (Clara C) may not be household names yet, but their popularity is serving as an inspiration for other young Asian-Americans.

Caught between parents pushing traditional careers and a relatively disinterested mainstream entertainment industry, many young Asian-Americans are turning to YouTube to express themselves artistically, break down stereotypes and change the way they’re seen by the wider culture.

Which Woman Directed the Highest-Grossing Female-Helmed Movie to Date?
MovieLine

[Jennifer Yuh] Nelson is now ranked above Phyllida Lloyd (whose Mamma Mia grossed $609.8 million worldwide), Vicky Jenson (whose Shrek grossed $484.4 million) and Catherine Hardwicke (whose Twilight grossed $392.6 million worldwide). Congratulations!

Love clashes with tradition in ‘This Burns My Heart’
Today Books at MSN.com

Read an excerpt from the first chapter of the debut novel by former KoreAm staffer Samuel Park.

South Korea suicide toll doubles over a decade
BBC News

Suicides in South Korea have more than doubled in 10 years, according to new figures from the government.

South Korea has one of the highest suicide rates in the world and pressure has been growing for the government to do more to stop the problem spiraling.

Prestigious Fellowship Will Advance Care in Korean American Community
Johns Hopkins Nursing Magazine

Miyong T. Kim personifies the immigrant success story in America.

The School of Nursing associate professor left her native South Korea 18 years ago with her husband and two young sons to begin a new life in Arizona. As a nurse researcher, she has developed an expertise in community-based health research, mainly among the Korean immigrant population, and is a tireless advocate for health care access and education for under-served minorities.

Last summer the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation named her one of 20 Executive Nurse Fellows who will take part in a three-year program aimed at preparing nurses for executive leadership roles. As a recipient of the prestigious fellowship, Kim will receive financial and educational assistance to expand her efforts in improving the delivery of health care to under-served minority communities.

Korea draws against Kuwait in World Cup qualifier
Korea Times

Unable to hold on to an early lead, South Korea managed a 1-1 draw against Kuwait here Tuesday in the third round of the continental World Cup qualification.

At Peace and Friendship Stadium, captain Park Chu-young gave South Korea a lead in the eighth minute, but Hussain Fadel evened the score eight minutes into the second half of the physical contest to salvage the draw.

Korean-Born French Lawmaker in Racist Controversy
Chosun Ilbo

The ethnicity of former French Green Party lawmaker Jean-Vincent Placé, who was born in Korea and adopted by French parents, has become an issue of political debate in France. Alain Marleix, a lawmaker with French President Nicolas Sarkozy’s conservative Union for a Popular Movement accused Placé (43) of being a “Korean national” and warned he would “pay the price.”

K-Pop Impresario Buys Luxury Villa in LA
Chosun Ilbo

Lee Soo-man, the chairman of K-pop factory SM Entertainment, has bought a luxury mansion in the U.S. According to a U.S. media report on Thursday, Lee bought the house in Studio City, Los Angeles for US$2.8 million in May.

Angry Birds theme park opens in China
CNNGo

Angry Birds addicts around the world may still be committed to the ultimate destruction of the game’s irritating porcine rogues, but at a real-life Angry Birds theme park, Chinese gamers are already knocking over actual green pigs.

The Angry Birds theme park opened to the public on September 1 in Changsha, the capital of Hunan province in southeastern China.

Jay Park’s New Music Video for “Demon”

South Korea Reacts to Jobs’ Resignation
Wall Street Journal

The fate of Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon is dominating the South Korean media Thursday but the resignation of Steve Jobs from his CEO role at Apple Inc. isn’t far behind.

Mr. Oh presided over a failed referendum Wednesday to reduce the scope of Seoul’s school free-lunch program and strongly intimated that he’d resign as a result. So people are waiting for that shoe to drop.

But Mr. Jobs’ departure from his main operating role at Apple is also getting huge attention. In part, that’s because of a media-driven narrative that Apple and Google are threatening to South Korea’s “national champion” companies Samsung and LG. On the other hand, Mr. Jobs is widely admired in South Korea as a visionary and entrepreneur.

Court Denies Motions to Dismiss Kim Leak Case
FAS.org

A federal court yesterday rejected multiple defense motions to dismiss Espionage Act charges against former State Department contractor Stephen Kim, who is accused of leaking classified information to a Fox News reporter.

Mr. Kim’s defense team had marshaled a series of seemingly ingenious arguments for dismissal. The use of the Espionage Act to punish “political crimes” such as leaking is prohibited by the Constitution’s Treason Clause, one defense motion said. Further, the language of the statute appears to prohibit unauthorized disclosure of tangible items, such as documents, not “information” which cannot be surrendered on demand. Also, the defense argued, the Espionage Act is impermissibly vague and ambiguous with respect to oral disclosures. Finally, prohibitions against leaks are enforced and prosecuted rarely and unpredictably, rendering those rare cases intrinsically unfair.

Hines Ward Builds His Dream House
Atlanta Magazine

Ward’s custom home in north Atlanta combined his wish list—often inspired by projects he’d seen in home and garden magazines or during his travels—with practical ideas from a talented team of architect, designer, builder, and real estate broker. “I like modern, but we wanted to build something that will last for a long time,” says Ward, who grew up in Atlanta and wanted to respect the city’s architectural tradition. The athlete also envisioned a spacious home, with plenty of room for memorabilia and entertaining—but more intimate than other supersized celebrity homes he’d seen. Privacy was a big priority.

North Korea’s Kim visits China
CNN International

North Korean leader Kim Jong Il arrived in China Thursday after a visit to Russia, the state-run Xinhua news agency in China reported.

The brief report from Inner Mongolia said Kim was visiting northeastern China but gave no further details about what he was doing or who he was meeting.

The trips comes after Kim visited Russia earlier this week, where he said North Korea is ready to return to nuclear talks without preconditions, according to Russian President Dmitry Medvedev’s spokeswoman.

Breaking down barriers
The Sydney Morning Herald (Australia)

An outspoken bisexual, feminist and equal rights campaigner, Margaret Cho is known for her frank comic style. ”I’m not really into the supermodel body type,” she says in her live show, Beautiful. ”Like, Kate Moss – she doesn’t have a vagina. She didn’t feed it and it died.”

Korean Nationalism Put to Song in Lavish ‘Hero’
AP via ABC News

Non-Korean-speaking theatergoers attending Lincoln Center’s production of “Hero: The Musical” might find themselves occasionally skipping some of the English supertitles projected high above the stage to devote more visual attention to the exorbitant onstage attractions in this lavish, $6 million production.

It would be understandable considering the elaborate set and ornate costumes that adorn the sweeping, historical tribute to Korean nationalism — a somber, grueling epic that is as ambitious as it is long.

David Choi Q&A
TheOtherAsians

The grandfather of YouTube and the unofficial spokesperson for Chick-Fil-A, Mr. Choi has the one-of-a-kind combination of exceptional musical talent, tenacity, modesty, effortless humor, and the ability to sing about a girl picking her nose and make us fall in love with her. It certainly helps that he’s not afraid to show off his endearing idiosyncrasies, and no matter how much he doesn’t smile, he leaves us grinning from ear to ear.

From not having heard his first pop song until the 6th grade (Smashmouth’s “All Star” remember?!) to becoming one of the most beloved musicians on YouTube with television, film, and international acclaim, David still remains unassuming, humble, and treats each and every single person—Hollywood celebrity to high school fan—with the same respect and kindness.

Remembering Korean WW II victims
Queens Chronicle (N.Y.)

The Harriet and Kenneth Kupferberg Holocaust Resource Center and Archives at Queensborough Community College has joined forces with the Korean American Voters Council to present a new exhibit, “Come from the Shadows,” which tells the story of Korea’s “Comfort Women.”

John Kwak: A not-yet-ready-to-retire business owner and Korean community leader
Northwest Asian Weekly

Kwak immigrated to Seattle from South Korea in 1973. In Korea, he participated in the pro-democracy movement against a totalitarian regime, first as a student and then as a professor of education at Korea University. He was primarily a speechwriter, as he did not like to speak in front of crowds himself. However, he was able to articulate ideas for others. Eventually, his activities brought him to the attention of the government, and he was asked to desist.

Cleveland Indians’ Shin-Soo Choo plays for a country
USA Today

The South Korean outfielder is getting a chance to play again, to salvage a season marred by not only the injury but also a DUI arrest. It’s a season in which arguably the best player his country has produced often felt alone and isolated, feeling the weight of the world — or at least countries on both sides of the world — pressing down on him.

Chinese weather woman in ‘F–king’ T-shirt
Korea Times

A weather woman in China broadcast while wearing a T-shirt with a swear word, stirring criticism among the public. The weather caster is said to work at WZTV, one of the national channels in Zhejiang Province.

5 best clubs in Seoul
CNNGo

Seoulites don’t seem to know when to stop partying, as anyone who has ever been near Gangnam station on the weekends can attest.

Lines snake out of the hottest venues all night long, and managers vie with each other about who’s throwing the best party that week. So the next time you’re looking for where to go after round three, look no further. Here are the five best clubs in Seoul, where Champagne and shots flow like water.

Paul Kim – You Left Me For That (Official Music Video) HD

It’s showtime!

What better way to spend your night than to serve the community by attending Showtime 2011?

Showtime 2011, the 18th Annual Benefit Concert for the Asian American Drug Abuse Program (AADAP), raises funds to provide the necessary treatment and programs to families, victims of substance abuse. The Carson Student Movement, Filipino Student Forum, the Carson Red Ribbon Week, and Connexions are just a couple groups that participate in this non-profit organization’s substance abuse prevention program.

AADAP proudly presents this year’s lineup of performers:

Clara C
David Choi
Jennifer Chung
Feats In Inches
The Bricks

That’s right, the YouTube stars have come together to color this special night with their music. AND afterwards, a dessert reception will follow. For those avid fans out there, grab those VIP tickets that include the privilege of partaking in the exclusive meet-and-greet with the artists! A delightful treat awaits non-VIP guests as well: the silent auction and raffle. Continue Reading »

Clara C and David Choi will be participating in a White House Ustream Panel on education today (Feb. 17th) at 4 p.m. PST.

The event, which is put on by the White House Initiative on Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders, is part of a national campaign to recruit more diverse/qualified teachers – only one percent of teachers in the country are Asian American or Pacific Islander.

Sefa Aina, the commissioner of the President’s Advisory Commission on Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders and Taryn Benarroch, project director of the U.S. Dept. of Education TEACH Campaign will also be participating.

If you can’t make it to the panel, which will take place at Granada Hills Charter High School (10535 Zelzah Ave., Granada Hills, Calif.), you can watch it live through Ustream!

The panel will also be taking questions through Twitter (#AAPITEACH) and email (eddie.lee@ed.gov.)

WED's Links: Asian Ams grab Obama’s attention, Jenna Ushkowitz, SK's 1st Chemical Castration Pedophile; Uglydoll Makers http://t.co/w9gRr0sH

Tuesday's Links: North Korea (again), K-Pop, Author Krys Lee, Man charged with slapping loud kid in theater http://t.co/DhC62HjN

The Ten Most Fashionable Asian-Americans In NYC http://t.co/oTE8EJCN

Just a reminder, the SMTOWN live streaming K-pop concert is going on ... right now! http://t.co/JywXQ91F

I uploaded a @YouTube video http://t.co/NnQFpSdq SMTOWN World Tour - EXO, SHINEE, f(x) Performance P.2