This is what has been keeping me from blogging, of late:
www.daegupockets.com

I’m the furthest thing from being 변태, but its great when Korea’s tradition media shows their true colors when reporting on this spring’s short skirt fashion of high school girls, as can be seen in this picture shot on Dongseongno.

Source:Imaeil

Around 10:30pm last night, in Beomeo-dong, Suseong-gu, of Daegu, a noraebang owner and friend were spending time at the owner’s establishment. “While meeting with my friend, I called out for the hostess.”, the owner commented, “But after she didn’t respond, I went and looked for her, where I found her dead.”

Daegu Police announced that, at that time, the owner had found that parts of her clothing had been removed and confirmed that she was bleeding from the head.

Police are continuing to investigate the matter.

Source: SBS

Quizlet Vocab Study Aid

A: Hmm… I can’t turn this key in the lock.

B: Oh, this lock often sticks. Let’s see if I can open it.

A: 음…. 이 열쇠가 자물쇠 안에서 안 돌아가는데요.

B: 아, 이 자물쇠가 종종 말을 안 들어요. 제가 열 수 있는지 볼게요.

A: Turn the steering wheel to the right … Yes, very good … Now turn it in the opposite direction.

B: Thanks. I hate parallel parking.

A: 핸들을 오른쪽으로 돌리세요…. 예, 아주 좋아요…. 자, 이제 반대 방향으로 틀어 보세요.

B: 고마워요. 일렬주차 정말 싫어하거든요.

동 사 turn의 기본 의미는 힘을 가해 ‘방향을 바꾸는 것’이다. 사물을 대상으로 할 때는 ‘∼을 돌리다’라는 뜻이 된다. 일상 생활에서 ‘열쇠를 돌리는(turn the key)’ 행위나 ‘자동차 운전대를 꺾는(turn the steering wheel)’ 행위, ‘TV 채널을 돌리는(turn the channel)’ 행위 등을 모두 turn으로 나타낸다.

Source: Segye

Have you met each other before?

Scott Park: Hi, John. How are you?
John Kim: Fine. How are you, Scott?
Scott Park: Good.
Scott Park: Have you met each other before?
John Kim: I’m afraid not.
Scott Park: Why don’t I introduce you to each other?
Jane, this is John. John, this is Jane.
Jane Hanson: Hi, John. Nice to meet you.
John Kim: Hi, Jane. Nice to meet you, too.

상황설명: 이 상황은 스캇이 자기 친구인 좐을 만나 마침 자기하고 같이 있던 제인에게 좐을 처음으로 소개를 시키는 상황입니다.

두 사람이 전에 서로 만난 적이 있어요?

스캇 팍: 안녕, 좐, 어떠세요?
좐 킴: 괜찮아요. 당신은 어때요, 스캇?
스캇 팍: 좋아요.
스캇 팍: 두 사람이 전에 서로 만난 적이 있어요?
좐 킴: 만난 적이 없었던 것 같은데요.
스캇 팍: 내가 서로 소개 시켜 줄게요.
제인, 이 쪽은 좐이에요. 좐, 이 쪽은 제인이에요.
제인 핸슨: 안녕, 좐. 만나서 반가워요.
좐 킴: 안녕, 제인. 나도 만나서 반가워요.

Source:Segye

Only about half of native English speakers working at Seoul schools have renewed their contracts for 2009.

According to Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education, Tuesday, 144 of 273 foreign English teachers who were eligible for a renewal of their contract have signed to stay on another year.

Lee Young-chan, an education Ministry official in charge of native teachers said it was not necessary to renew every contract. “They are neither regular teachers nor lecturers who can conduct classes independently. They are `assistant teachers,’ hence their teaching experience doesn’t matter much,” he said. “Rather, it’s better for students to have more new teachers so that they can meet various kinds of foreigners,” he added.

Last year, the city education office also saw about half of its foreign teachers renew their one-year contract, however, it had only 11 who had more than three years teaching experience.

“Some foreign teachers did not want to renew due to the devaluing of the won, while others cited worsening relations between South and North Korea,” said Choi Chun-ok, a supervisor at the education office.

To secure more experienced teachers, the office plans to introduce incentive programs to keep foreigners at the same schools for longer terms.
“Foreign teachers with more experience will receive higher salaries and better working conditions,” Choi said.

“Many native English teachers are young and return to their countries after a one- or two-year stay in Korea. Moreover many of them who work at schools in rural provinces seek jobs in Seoul,” said Cho Jeong-im, a middle school teacher in Busan.

The city education authorities plan to hire more foreigners for English conversation classes next year.

Jason Thomas, a Canadian teacher trainer at a Busan university, pointed that the Korean immigration office better extend entitled residence periods for English teaching E-2 visas from the current one year to multiple years to encourage teachers not to change schools so often.

“ Of course, some employers don’t want teachers to stay. In fact, with some it is an unstated policy not to employ teachers for more than a year, no matter how good the teachers are,” Thomas said. “These employers are more concerned with managing their businesses than providing an education. New teachers often have lower expectations and are easier to manage.”

The total government budget for native English speakers has risen to 147 billion won this year from 105 billion won in 2007 and 69 billion won in 2006. This year, the government is expected to spend some 180 billion won to employ about 4,500 - 5,000 foreign teachers at elementary and secondary schools nationwide. A native English speaker who has just started to teach English in Korea can receive a salary equivalent to that paid to a Korean teacher with five years of experience, an official said.

Some education experts are skeptical about the effectiveness of the system.

“Native English speakers have to get through a certain period of training and need experience and know-how,” said Jeon Byung-man, an English education professor at Chonbuk National University. “I don’t think native English speakers are helpful for our students. If they need native English speakers, they should hire those who have teaching licenses.”

Source:Korea Times

Currently making the local news is this cellphone cam footage of a high school teacher beating a girl at a local high school in Daegu.

Koreans converge on Palgongsan to squeeze in views of the remaining days of ‘danpoong’, which is the time when leaves change colors in the fall. Danpung is expected to last until next week, according to local forecasting.

Source: Imaeil

30 days left until Suneung! Parents pray to Gatbawi, hoping that their children past the terrifyingly important test, next month.

Source: Imaeil