World Bank pick draws praise, unsettles Dartmouth
Boston Globe
President Barack Obama’s nomination of Dartmouth College President Jim Kim to lead the World Bank rippled throughout political and higher education circles today, leaving many surprised though approving of the choice.
Political leaders had widespread praise for the nomination, noting Kim’s sterling-public health resume and his years of experience at international agencies, including the World Health Organization.
World bank nominee has colorful side
AFP via Google News
Singing rap, citing Buddhist teachings, and once dreaming of being a sports star, the likely next head of the World Bank may not be widely known — but he’s no faceless bureaucrat.
Korean-born Jim Yong Kim is the president of Ivy League Dartmouth College, a medical doctor and, above all, a renowned campaigner against AIDS and tuberculosis in some of the world’s poorest regions.
The 52-year-old’s CV glitters with prestigious posts at Harvard Medical School and Brigham and Women’s Hospital, among others. An anthropologist, Kim is also one of the foremost actors in the kind of global health problems that are often seen as nearly hopeless.
A biographical snapshot of Jim Yong Kim, Obama’s choice to head the World Bank
AP via Washington Post
NAME: Jim Yong Kim.
AGE: 52.
EDUCATION: Graduated from Muscatine (Iowa) High School. Brown University, bachelor’s degree in 1982; medical degree from Harvard Medical School in 1991; doctorate in anthropology from Harvard University in 1993.
In South Korea Visit, Obama Visits Border and Warns North
New York Times
President Obama warned North Korea on Sunday that its threats and provocations would only deepen its international isolation and jeopardize the resumption of American food aid, and he called on the North to scrap its plans to launch a satellite next month.
Squinting through binoculars from an observation post at the demilitarized zone between North and South Korea, Mr. Obama got a firsthand look at North Korea. The North, with a new leader in place, briefly tantalized the United States weeks ago by raising the possibility of ending the standoff over its nuclear program, only to resume its usual defiance with the recent satellite announcement.
N.Korea Moves Rocket to Launch Pad
Chosun Ilbo
North Korea has moved what it says is a satellite-carrying rocket by train to the launch pad in Tongchang-ri, North Pyongan Province. The South Korean Joint Chiefs of Staff on Sunday said Seoul and Washington are aware of the fact that North Korea moved what they believe is a long-range missile to the test site and is preparing for launch.
Students Deface Posters They Call Racist Against Asians
Cornell Daily Sun
Scrawled in black marker across posters advertising the upcoming concert of an Asian-American comedian, hours after they had been printed on March 14, was overt disapproval: “WTF. This font is not OK.”
Khamila Alebiosu ’13, chair of the Multicultural Concert Funding Advisory Board — one of the groups organizing the concert — said that she found more than half of the 100 posters and quarter cards promoting the event in the Office of Student Support and Diversity Education defaced and then shuffled in with the unmarked pile that day.
Margaret Cho, a Korean-American stand-up comedian who critiques social and political problems in her performances — especially those pertaining to race and sexuality — will perform at Cornell on April 6. The release of the posters advertising her concert, which were created by the African Latino Asian Native American Students Programming Board, sparked controversy among minority groups on campus, leading some students to successfully demand their removal.
New eateries blend US, Korean palates
Yonhap News via Korea Times
When you walk through the doors of Vatos, a four-month-old restaurant in Itaewon, you would be forgiven if you mistook the scene for something out of Austin, Texas: a welcoming interior of steel and burnished wood, servers that check up on you with a friendly ease, and most importantly, grilled galbi topped with a sweet ssamjang aioli and cabbage slaw wrapped in a freshly made tortilla.
Vatos introduces the Korean taco — an idea that started with the Kogi truck in Los Angeles and spawned a national food obsession with spin-offs in every major U.S. city — to Koreans.
“When you think about it, the taco is a very natural food to a Korean,” Jonathan Kim, one of the co-owners of Vatos, said. “You’re essentially wrapping and eating a piece of grilled meat, vegetables, and sauce — just replace the lettuce with a tortilla.”
Kim, who spent much of his formative years in Texas, partnered with Kenny Park, a native of Palos Verdes, a city a half hour drive from Los Angeles, to open a restaurant that would try to fill the void of “good Mexican food” in Seoul. Each plays to the other’s strengths: where Kim’s gregariousness befits his role at the front of the house, Park’s precision and perfectionism suits the kitchen.
Korean language classes thrive in Ridgefield, Palisades Park
The Record (Bergen County, N.J.)
Bergen County’s growing Korean population is driving efforts to expand language classes at more area high schools so students can learn not only the basics of speaking and writing, but the Asian country’s culture, as well.
Ridgefield Memorial High School is the second school in the state, following nearby Palisades Park Junior-Senior High School, to offer Korean under a pilot program funded in part by the South Korean government. The program is expected to grow further as the country’s influence, known as the Korean Wave, spreads through the economy, cuisine and K-pop music.
Orioles still plan on signing South Korean 17-year-old Kim
Baltimore Sun
Despite the international drama their pursuit of South Korean 17-year-old Kim Seong-min caused over the past several weeks, the Orioles still plan on signing the left-handed pitching prospect once he becomes available, a team source said.
More than thirty days have passed since Major League Baseball’s commissioner’s office ruled it would not approve the contract of Kim because of a breach in protocol, specifically that the Orioles did not conduct a proper status check through the commissioner’s office inquiring about Kim’s eligibility. The club also received an undisclosed fine.
The Orioles are still waiting for clearance to be able to follow proper protocols to sign Kim, and once the team receives permission it will pursue another contract with Kim.
South Korea stuns Canada
Canada.com
Ji-Sun Kim predicted on Wednesday that, given another opportunity, her South Korean team could beat Heather Nedohin and Team Canada.
Saturday afternoon at the Enmax Centre, the 24year-old skip both backed up her words and sent Canada crashing out of the Ford world women’s curling championship in stunning fashion.
Standing up twice in the hack to reset when the proCanadian crowd started making too much noise, Kim finally sufficiently set-tled down to throw a clutch short raise to the four-foot to score two for a shocking 4-3 win over Nedohin’s heavily favoured team from Edmonton.
The South Korean team then lost to Switzerland and then lost to Canada in a closely contested rematch for the bronze medal.
David Chang on THE PAUL HOLDENGRABER SHOW
Intelligent Channel via YouTube
Here’s a look at some of the videos we are watching this week at KoreAm.
Robots Dance to “Nobody” by the Wonder Girls
The “Nobody” dance by girl group Wonder Girls took the world by storm, causing all sorts of people to try out the neat choreography. Videos of police officers, soldiers and average Joes doing the famous dance sprung up on all corners of the Internet. This video shows another group doing the dance: robots. These robots are on par with the motions of the “Nobody” dance.
Gary Lee – An American Dream
Gary Lee, a graduate of USC, joined the Obama for campaign right after graduation and used his knowledge in electronic and social media to help the Senator. He shares a bit of his uplifting tale from his humble beginnings to working the the White House.
Boomerang Trick Shot
A Korean man shows off his mastery of the boomerang. From knocking items off of people’s heads to striking balloons with a blindfold on, the man’s skills with the boomerang causes applause from bystanders.
Loyal Dog Guards Owner’s Grave
In eastern China, a loyal dog warms everyone’s hearts by staying beside his deceased owner’s grave, refusing to budge. The villagers would try to lead him back to the village with the food, but the dog remains near the gravesite.
Chinese Snake Charmer
Liu Fei, a snake charmer from Mianyang, China, goes above and beyond with his tricks and bag full of snakes. The elderly man can easily weave the reptiles in and out of his mouth and nostrils with complete ease.
Joy Osmanski Promotes ‘Wedding Palace’
Cast member Joy Osmanski visits Portland for the West Coast Screening Premiere of “Wedding Palace.”
President Barack Obama and President Hu Jintao of China
Official White House Photo by Chuck Kennedy
There was much ado made about Michelle Obama’s “Communist-red” dress at the White House state dinner, held in honor of China’s President Hu Jintao – but perhaps there should have been more fuss about who was performing and what he was going to perform.
According to the Daily Mail, some Chinese, unlike many conservative Americans, have been exulting in the pianist’s song choice.
“‘Those American folks very much enjoyed it and were totally infatuated with the melody!!! The US is truly stupid!!’ wrote one China-based blogger.
‘In the eyes of all Chinese, this will not be seen as anything other than a big insult to the U.S,” said Yang Jingduan, a Chinese psychiatrist based in Philadelphia. ‘It’s like insulting you in your face and you don’t know it, it’s humiliating.’”
According to the L.A. Times, Lang Lang isn’t apologizing for his choice of song – he has stated that his selection was due to national pride, as well as a fondness for the melody. To his credit, Lang Lang did not sing the offending lyrics or make any reference to its political nature beyond stating the title of the song.
And not everyone is offended – White House spokesperson Tommy Vietor told ABC News that “any suggestion that this was an insult to the United States is just flat wrong.”
Lyrics after the jump: Continue Reading »
Gawker gets out of pocket in their Obama Hotties Update, a follow-up from their Pick Your Favorite Obama Hottie poll last January, analyzing the deliciousness of President Obama’s new administration. When we get to Special Projects Coordinator and Confidential Assistant Eugene Kang — who garnered 2% of the Hottie poll votes last year— Gawker’s update reads: “Who the f*ck is this?”
To which I say, “That’s Eugene Kang!”
Maybe we don’t see him too much in the press because he’s busy being Barack’s right hand man (and golf companion) and strutting around the West Wing as the youngest (only 25!) and most handsome Korean American in the White Hiz-ouse.
Get some glasses, Gawker!
He likes Korean food!
During a friendly phone conversation with South Korean President Lee Myung-bak in November, President-elect Obama, who grew up in Hawaii and Indonesia, apparently confirmed the rumor that his favorite Korean dishes are bulgeogi and bibimbap.
He speaks Korean!
At an Obama campaign rally, one audience member stood up and introduced himself as a high school student originally from South Korea. The then-presidential candidate responded with, “Annyeonghaseyo!” to a wave of applause.
His economic advisor is Korean!
Audrey Choi, 40, has been tapped to join Obama’s presidential transition team as an economic advisor. The Harvard graduate who once worked as a correspondent for the Wall Street Journal in Germany was formerly chief of staff for the White House Council of Economic Advisers during the Clinton administration. Great Choice, Mr. President.
His dry cleaner is Korean!
Remember how dapper our president-elect looked as he took the stage on election night? It wasn’t a stylist who made him look so good, but his Korean American dry cleaner. Sarah Kang, owner of Golden Touch on the south side of Chicago, told the Joongang Ilbo that it was her cleaners that laundered and pressed Obama’s winning suit and that the Obamas are regular customers. You may have noticed Obama forgot to thank Kang in his speech, but he had a lot on his mind.
His name is (sort of) Korean!
The Korean media reported that, after Obama’s election win, a meat company offered to give free meat to customers with the last name “Oh,” the first syllable of Obama’s surname as well as a common Korean name. At least our new president’s last name (Oh-ba-ma) phonetically jives with Hangeul sounds so it’ll be easier to pronounce for Koreans. “Bush-ee” not so much.
– Compiled by staff
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Featured Event
One of the the biggest Asian cinema events to hit Southern California opens on May 10. The Los Angeles Asian Pacific Film Festival, presented by Visual Communications, features the latest works by established and emerging filmmakers, along with seminars, panel discussions and symposiums on topics relevant to Asian Pacific cinema.
Opening Night features “Shanghai Calling,” directed by Daniel Hsia and starring Korean American Daniel Henney, who plays a Chinese American expat lawyer navigating his way through the mean streets of Shanghai (the picture above also indicates he is a raisin smuggler). But does he take off his shirt? Go watch the movie to find out! read more
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