3. A radical right-wing activist organization who hates North Korea government has sent huge balloons stuffed with thousands of anti-Kim Jong Il propaganda leaflets into North Korea. It brought threats from the North to sever relations and seriously raise tensions between South and North. On 12/2 several number of progressive acvivists gathered to deter right-wing activists from sending pamphlets again and it results in violent confrontation. Under complex situation, North Korea breaks off any connection with South. The private group mainly responsible for launching leaflets said it would stop the launches for now on 12/5.
--------------------- Progressive and conservative groups clash over release of leaflets to N. Korea
One person has been injured and one person has been arrested by police after progressive and conservative groups clashed over the launching of anti-North Korea leaflet balloons.
According to statements by members of both sides, six members from the conservative Fighters for Free North Korea and Abductees’ Family Union had planned to go to “Freedom Bridge” on the outskirts of Paju City on Tuesday to airlift 100,000 leaflets using 10 hot air balloons.
Approximately 40 members of the progressive group Jinbo Corea (Progressive Korea) had already arrived at the site, however, and were holding a press conference denouncing the leaflet offensive. The group members said the “sending of leaflets slandering the North” by “anti-North groups” is “a violation of the agreement to stop mutual slander along the Military Demarcation Line, agreed to after the June 15 Joint Statement” that “is making inter-Korean relations, already poor, even more difficult.”
The conservatives arrived in a truck about ten minutes later and a clash ensued. Park Sang-hak, 40, head of the Fighters for Free North Korea, fired a tear-gas pistol into the air. Another man from the same organization in charge of the balloon detail swung a wrench at people. Some 50 police officers positioned themselves between the two groups, but one of the progressive activists had already been injured, later receiving six stitches in hospital. The conservative activist who had been swinging the wrench was placed under arrest.
Despite obstruction from the progressives, the conservative groups managed to launch one balloon carrying ten thousand leaflets. Members of the progressive organization made off with some of the leaflets that had remained in the conservatives’ truck.
“The other side incited us first by demanding to know who was kidnapped by North Korea,” said Choi Sung-yong, the head of the Abductees’ Family Union. “We are going to launch leaflets as often as we can until the issue of the abducted is resolved.”
Jeong Yong-jun of Jinbo Corea told a different story.
“We didn’t go there for a clash, but the conservative groups came at us with violence,” he said. “The government needs to stop just saying that it is going to restrain the launching of leaflet balloons and take actual action.”
Jinbo Corea says it is going to file a legal complaint with the police against Park for firing a tear-gas pistol and the member of his organization for swinging the wrench.
Please direct questions or comments to [englishhani@hani.co.kr]
Posted on : Dec.3,2008 15:01 KST --- http://english.hani.co.kr/arti/english_edition/e_northkorea/325413.html
1.Chenyang Wu 2.Names of Unionized Teachers Disclosed 3. In this conflict case with minimal state invovement, the two sides derogate each other and are likely to seek the involvement of authorities, as KTU is trying to sue the conservative group. What seems inscruable to me is the minimal intervene of the goverment. If the fact was exactly what the conservative group said--some of the teachers are using their position to spread their pro-NK concept. It is quite dangerous to have children taught by the "enemy"! Is that because Korea is a open society, the goverment cannot interfere citizen's right to join any union or it just don't treat it as a big deal?
------------------------ By Kang Shin-who Staff Reporter
A conservative civic group disclosed a list of 4,950 members of the liberal Korean Teachers & Education Worker's Union (KTU) on its Web site, Friday.
The conservative group, ``People's Association for Removal of Anti-Nation Education'' (PARAE) said that it is the first batch of the list of KTU member teachers it has secured. It said it will continue to unveil the names of the unionized teachers in second and third rounds of announcements.
It said it confirmed the list of teachers through parents and school staff.
``We are going to announce all KTU members,'' the association said at a press conference. ``One of the difficulties local education faces is biased education from these KTU teachers.''
It said the KTU has been involved in activities against the identity of the Republic of Korea since it was legalized in 1999.
The right-wing group vowed to file lawsuits against KTU teachers who violated the law. ``Some 600,000 students have been educated by leftist teachers annually over the past 12 years and KTU teachers made children blindly follow communist ideology,'' it said. The conservative group, linked to New Right Union, has named the KTU an anti-state group.
In response, the KTU said it will consider filing a suit against the conservative group. ``They are trying to disturb our activities after defining us as an anti-state organization. After looking into the disclosed contents, we will seek to sue them on charges of defamation, and we can make additional charges, such as business interruption and illegal information disclosure,'' said Han Man-jung, KTU policy director. KTU has about 11,600 members in Seoul schools.
The Ministry of Education, Science and Technology said it would not intervene in the case. `` We have not heard about it and we don't deal with their activities, and there is no reason for us to intervene in the matter,'' said Park Ki-yong, director of the ministry.
From last Monday, the ministry has obliged all schools to disclose the number of teachers belonging to trade unions but not to name them. -------- http://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/news/nation/2008/12/117_35646.html
1. Martine Ibsen 2. Iceland Protests 3. This article about the people of Iceland protesting about loosing their jobs and savings. What I found especially interesting here was the way the protesters treat the policemen. Giving them flowers and being kind to them, framing this protest in a way to make them feel as at the same ground/level as the protesters, as a part of the protesting group.
--------------------------------
Iceland Protests Iceland's economy went into crisis in October when its' banking sector collapsed under tens of billions of dollars of foreign debts. Trade in the Icelandic currency - the crown, has all but halted and the country is relying on a $10 billion aid package. People in Iceland have seen their savings wiped out and many people have already lost their jobs or risk losing them in the near future.
Protests in Reykjavik, prompted by the economic crisis there Protests are being held almost every weekend now and citizen journalist Dori contacted Your Story with photos and video footage to show what has been happening on the streets of the capital Reykjavik. These are Dori's words describing the protests ... Another protest was held today in downtown Reykjavik. Mostly peaceful and the same demands as before - election as soon as possible and new governors at the Icelandic Central Bank. It is cold here - around the minus zero celsius. But there were around ten thousand people downtown. Toilet paper was thrown at the parliament building and also eggs and tomatoes. People also gave the few policemen that were downtown flowers and were very kind to them. This financial crisis is also hurting them.
Dori interviews a young woman about how the financial crisis is affecting her Watch Watch Dori's interview on vimeo She tells Dori how the crisis has closed off opportunities for her. We are demanding that the people in charge take responsibility for their lack of action and their lack of foresight. They don't even tell us what is going on which is the most offensive thing about this. Dori is updating his blog with the latest videos, photos and the meetings he is going to.
2. Riots hit Greek cities after teen killed by police
3. I was wondering if this kind of 'riot' could be regarded as a social movement. Some rampaging youths started to attack the office car first, according to this article, and there's no reason they did it, so it seems to me the vadalism of some youths. (Even though the shooting by the officer could not be justified.)
------------------------------
ATHENS, Greece (CNN) -- Violent riots hit the streets of Greek cities late Saturday and early Sunday as hundreds of youths battled police after an officer shot dead a teenager late Saturday.
A firefighter in Athens Sunday looks at a store and car destroyed by rioters.
1 of 2 The rampaging youths, many of who were self-styled anarchists, threw firebombs, smashed storefronts and burned businesses as they battled with police, who fought back with tear gas.
The violent anger soon spread from central Athens, where it began to other cities.
The shooting death of a 16-year-old boy by a member of an elite police corps was the trigger, officials said.
A police statement said the incident started when six youths pelted a police patrol car with stones.
The teen was shot as he tried to throw a fuel-filled bomb at the officers, police said.
Other youths -- often referred to in Greece as " the known-unknowns -- converged on the site almost immediately, using texting and Web sites to organize and communicate.
In a statement reported by the Associated Press, Athens police said at least 24 police were left injured by the riots in the capital.
The statement added that at least 40 businesses and 25 cars, including six belonging to the police, had been burned or damaged, the agency reported, with six people arrested.
Fighting between youths and police soon erupted in other parts of Greece, including Thessaloniki in the north, the country's second largest city.
In Thessaloniki, hundreds of militant youth took to the streets of the sprawling port city, smashing storefronts, setting refuse bins on fire and finally barricading themselves behind the gates of a state university, where police are barred from entering.
Prime minister Kostas Karamanlis refused to accept the resignations of interior minister Prokopis Pavlopoulosand Panagiotis Chinofotis, the deputy interior minister, AP reported.
Government officials, fearing more violence, swiftly condemned the shooting.
"An investigation is underway and those found responsible with be punished," said Pavlopoulos. "Measures will also be taken to avoid such incidents again in the future."
The police officer who fired the fatal shot has now been suspended from his duties.
Authorities are now bracing for possible violence during a protest march in support of illegal immigrants set for Sunday afternoon.
3. The government is planning to change the curriculm of english classes in elementary schools. This article says that more than 70% of teachers and parents agree on expanding english classes for third graders. However progressive teachers in the Korea Teachers and Education Workers’ Union oppose to this plan claiming that english should not be stressed more than other subjects. I was curious why the article finishes with comments from foreign english teachers saying that english should be learnt from a young age. I think By placing the comments advocating the government's plan i n the last part, the article supportthe government's plan. In my opinion, in this kind of disputable issue, quantitative fairness of in both sides is required as a newsreporter. Can I say that this article has more lines and more quotatations of supporters of the government's plan, losing fairness?.
----------------------------------
By Kang Shin-who Staff Reporter
Teachers and parents have been divided over the government’s plan to expand English classes at elementary schools.
The Ministry of Education, Science and Technology plans to set up more English classes for primary school students. Currently, grade 3 and 4 students have one hour of English instruction and grade 5 and 6 students receive two hours per week, but the ministry is now pursuing providing at least three hours for students past grade 3.
``Some 70 percent of parents and more than half of teachers support the expansion of English classes, according to a recent survey. If we increase English classes, we can remove the English education gap between children in cities and rural areas,’’ said Kuen Yong-han, the ministry official.
After public hearings on the plan, the ministry will decide on curricula revision and apply it from 2010 at the earliest. However, progressive teachers and some parents groups are opposing the movement.
The Korea Teachers and Education Workers’ Union (KTU) said the ministry should scrap the plan and cancel the unachievable goal of trying to make students gain basic conversation skills only through regular school education.
``Why does the ministry focus only on English education? They should balance all subjects. We understand the importance of English education, but it is not necessary for third-grade children to have intensive English education. Other countries like Austria and France do not stress English education too much, like us,’’ said Han Man-jung, KTU director.
Meanwhile, many other foreign English experts see the movement as positive. ``I think it’s very good idea although it would put more pressure on teachers. Learning another language is difficult and more exposure to languages when you are younger will give better results.
If you are exposed to English only one day per week, it’s like putting one step forward and then taking two steps backward,’’ said Julie Sormark, an American English teacher trainer in Korea.
2. Xinhua, the Chinese government's news agency, has condemned officials who try to cover up dissent and called for greater press freedom in the internet age.
3.This article is about the freedom of press repression in China. The government strongly feels that "guiding public opinion" by releasing its own facts and figures and hoping that news organisations do not have the time or resources to challenge the government line is better for the people.
------------------------
Chinese state media pushes for press freedom
By Malcolm Moore in Shanghai Last Updated: 5:56AM GMT 05 Dec 2008
A searing editorial in Liaowang magazine, which is owned by Xinhua, said that officials who tried to suppress the truth were committing an "official dereliction of duty".
The piece by Huang Huo, which also appeared on the Xinhua website, said local governments had handled a recent series of riots badly. Unrest has spread across China, especially in the South, as more and more workers are fired from the country's factories in the economic downturn.
The editorial was reprinted in almost all China's liberal newspapers, in a rare sign of unison between the state media and China's reformists.
"Recently, local governments have been rushing to blame some quite large mass incidents on 'a small group of people with ulterior motives', or 'masses out of touch with the facts', or 'evil forces plotting behind the scenes'," said Mr Huang.
He said these statements "seem to regard people as idiots lacking in independent personality or freedom of thought: their unhappiness can only be because they have been deceived or incited. By contrast, the implication is that government officials understand the facts and never get things wrong".
"Such a definition is completely out of touch with the times," he said, adding: "Claiming that the masses are out of touch with the facts exposes the blindness of some officials to public opinion, as well as their strong aversion to ideas that power should be supervised."
The heavy-handed response from government officials, who seek to attribute a political bent to the smallest of protests, was misguided, he said. "Having been in power for 60 years, the inertia of the "dictatorship" era lingers in the mentality and behaviour of some officials," he added. "The Government Information Disclosure Bill has long been promulgated and implemented, but a lot of the information that the public most wants, needs and deserves to know cannot be published," he said.
Meanwhile, the editorial makes clear that in the internet age, any delay by government officials in reporting the news can lead to wildfire rumours.
The Communist Party is seeking to adopt more sophisticated ways of "guiding public opinion" by releasing its own facts and figures and hoping that news organisations do not have the time or resources to challenge the government line.
However, in a sign that there is a significant debate within the Communist Party about how far to reform China, a parallel editorial appeared shortly afterwards on Xinhua, which claimed that the "current press system is reasonable under the national conditions at present" and that the media should continue to be "a mouthpiece for the party, government and people".
David Bandurski, a researcher at the China Media Project department of Hong Kong University, said: "The big picture is that we are seeing a war between two factions over China's 30 years of reforms." He said a faction in favour of strong government control and Communist ideology may be exploiting the current downturn to try to reverse many of China's reforms.
The debate is most starkly illustrated by a battle over Yanhuang Chunqiu, or Yellow Emperor, a liberal magazine that dared to publish an editorial praising Zhao Ziyang, the former Chinese prime minister who was purged for showing sympathy to the protesters in Tiananmen Square and spent the last 15 years of his life under house arrest.
The editorial, in the November edition, is thought to have angered Jiang Zemin, the former president, who ordered that Du Daozheng be removed as editor. However, Mr Du has refused to "retire" and insisted that the magazine's December edition would contain more praise for Mr Zhao.
Mr Du's current position is unclear, however, and he may have gone to ground. The December edition is yet to appear.
A very down to earth* kind of guy. I'm an environmental sociologist interested in establishing material and organizational sustainability worldwide. I'm always looking for interesting materials/technologies, inspiring ideas, or institutional examples of sustainability to inspire others to recognize their choices now. To be fatalistic about an unsustainable world is a sign of a captive mind, given all our options.
*(If "earth" is defined in a planetary sense, concerning comparative historical knowledge and interest in the past 10,000 years or so anywhere...) See both blogs.
6 comments:
1. Kyung-Hee, kang
2."Leaflet release ends with violence"
3.
A radical right-wing activist organization who hates North Korea government has sent huge balloons stuffed with thousands of anti-Kim Jong Il propaganda leaflets into North Korea. It brought threats from the North to sever relations and seriously raise tensions between South and North.
On 12/2 several number of progressive acvivists gathered to deter right-wing activists from sending pamphlets again and it results in violent confrontation.
Under complex situation, North Korea breaks off any connection with South. The private group mainly responsible for launching leaflets said it would stop the launches for now on 12/5.
---------------------
Progressive and conservative groups clash over release of leaflets to N. Korea
One person has been injured and one person has been arrested by police after progressive and conservative groups clashed over the launching of anti-North Korea leaflet balloons.
According to statements by members of both sides, six members from the conservative Fighters for Free North Korea and Abductees’ Family Union had planned to go to “Freedom Bridge” on the outskirts of Paju City on Tuesday to airlift 100,000 leaflets using 10 hot air balloons.
Approximately 40 members of the progressive group Jinbo Corea (Progressive Korea) had already arrived at the site, however, and were holding a press conference denouncing the leaflet offensive. The group members said the “sending of leaflets slandering the North” by “anti-North groups” is “a violation of the agreement to stop mutual slander along the Military Demarcation Line, agreed to after the June 15 Joint Statement” that “is making inter-Korean relations, already poor, even more difficult.”
The conservatives arrived in a truck about ten minutes later and a clash ensued. Park Sang-hak, 40, head of the Fighters for Free North Korea, fired a tear-gas pistol into the air. Another man from the same organization in charge of the balloon detail swung a wrench at people. Some 50 police officers positioned themselves between the two groups, but one of the progressive activists had already been injured, later receiving six stitches in hospital. The conservative activist who had been swinging the wrench was placed under arrest.
Despite obstruction from the progressives, the conservative groups managed to launch one balloon carrying ten thousand leaflets. Members of the progressive organization made off with some of the leaflets that had remained in the conservatives’ truck.
“The other side incited us first by demanding to know who was kidnapped by North Korea,” said Choi Sung-yong, the head of the Abductees’ Family Union. “We are going to launch leaflets as often as we can until the issue of the abducted is resolved.”
Jeong Yong-jun of Jinbo Corea told a different story.
“We didn’t go there for a clash, but the conservative groups came at us with violence,” he said. “The government needs to stop just saying that it is going to restrain the launching of leaflet balloons and take actual action.”
Jinbo Corea says it is going to file a legal complaint with the police against Park for firing a tear-gas pistol and the member of his organization for swinging the wrench.
Please direct questions or comments to [englishhani@hani.co.kr]
Posted on : Dec.3,2008 15:01 KST
---
http://english.hani.co.kr/arti/english_edition/e_northkorea/325413.html
1.Chenyang Wu
2.Names of Unionized Teachers Disclosed
3.
In this conflict case with minimal state invovement, the two sides derogate each other and are likely to seek the involvement of authorities, as KTU is trying to sue the conservative group. What seems inscruable to me is the minimal intervene of the goverment. If the fact was exactly what the conservative group said--some of the teachers are using their position to spread their pro-NK concept. It is quite dangerous to have children taught by the "enemy"! Is that because Korea is a open society, the goverment cannot interfere citizen's right to join any union or it just don't treat it as a big deal?
------------------------
By Kang Shin-who
Staff Reporter
A conservative civic group disclosed a list of 4,950 members of the liberal Korean Teachers & Education Worker's Union (KTU) on its Web site, Friday.
The conservative group, ``People's Association for Removal of Anti-Nation Education'' (PARAE) said that it is the first batch of the list of KTU member teachers it has secured. It said it will continue to unveil the names of the unionized teachers in second and third rounds of announcements.
It said it confirmed the list of teachers through parents and school staff.
``We are going to announce all KTU members,'' the association said at a press conference. ``One of the difficulties local education faces is biased education from these KTU teachers.''
It said the KTU has been involved in activities against the identity of the Republic of Korea since it was legalized in 1999.
The right-wing group vowed to file lawsuits against KTU teachers who violated the law. ``Some 600,000 students have been educated by leftist teachers annually over the past 12 years and KTU teachers made children blindly follow communist ideology,'' it said. The conservative group, linked to New Right Union, has named the KTU an anti-state group.
In response, the KTU said it will consider filing a suit against the conservative group. ``They are trying to disturb our activities after defining us as an anti-state organization. After looking into the disclosed contents, we will seek to sue them on charges of defamation, and we can make additional charges, such as business interruption and illegal information disclosure,'' said Han Man-jung, KTU policy director. KTU has about 11,600 members in Seoul schools.
The Ministry of Education, Science and Technology said it would not intervene in the case. `` We have not heard about it and we don't deal with their activities, and there is no reason for us to intervene in the matter,'' said Park Ki-yong, director of the ministry.
From last Monday, the ministry has obliged all schools to disclose the number of teachers belonging to trade unions but not to name them.
--------
http://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/news/nation/2008/12/117_35646.html
1. Martine Ibsen
2. Iceland Protests
3. This article about the people of Iceland protesting about loosing their jobs and savings. What I found especially interesting here was the way the protesters treat the policemen. Giving them flowers and being kind to them, framing this protest in a way to make them feel as at the same ground/level as the protesters, as a part of the protesting group.
--------------------------------
Iceland Protests
Iceland's economy went into crisis in October when its' banking sector collapsed under tens of billions of dollars of foreign debts. Trade in the Icelandic currency - the crown, has all but halted and the country is relying on a $10 billion aid package.
People in Iceland have seen their savings wiped out and many people have already lost their jobs or risk losing them in the near future.
Protests in Reykjavik, prompted by the economic crisis there
Protests are being held almost every weekend now and citizen journalist Dori contacted Your Story with photos and video footage to show what has been happening on the streets of the capital Reykjavik.
These are Dori's words describing the protests ...
Another protest was held today in downtown Reykjavik. Mostly peaceful and the same demands as before - election as soon as possible and new governors at the Icelandic Central Bank. It is cold here - around the minus zero celsius. But there were around ten thousand people downtown.
Toilet paper was thrown at the parliament building and also eggs and tomatoes. People also gave the few policemen that were downtown flowers and were very kind to them.
This financial crisis is also hurting them.
Dori interviews a young woman about how the financial crisis is affecting her
Watch Watch Dori's interview on vimeo
She tells Dori how the crisis has closed off opportunities for her.
We are demanding that the people in charge take responsibility for their lack of action and their lack of foresight. They don't even tell us what is going on which is the most offensive thing about this.
Dori is updating his blog with the latest videos, photos and the meetings he is going to.
---------
http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/interact/2008/11/081125_yourstory_iceland.shtml
1. So youn Kim
2. Riots hit Greek cities after teen killed by police
3. I was wondering if this kind of 'riot' could be regarded as a social movement. Some rampaging youths started to attack the office car first, according to this article, and there's no reason they did it, so it seems to me the vadalism of some youths. (Even though the shooting by the officer could not be justified.)
------------------------------
ATHENS, Greece (CNN) -- Violent riots hit the streets of Greek cities late Saturday and early Sunday as hundreds of youths battled police after an officer shot dead a teenager late Saturday.
A firefighter in Athens Sunday looks at a store and car destroyed by rioters.
1 of 2 The rampaging youths, many of who were self-styled anarchists, threw firebombs, smashed storefronts and burned businesses as they battled with police, who fought back with tear gas.
The violent anger soon spread from central Athens, where it began to other cities.
The shooting death of a 16-year-old boy by a member of an elite police corps was the trigger, officials said.
A police statement said the incident started when six youths pelted a police patrol car with stones.
The teen was shot as he tried to throw a fuel-filled bomb at the officers, police said.
Other youths -- often referred to in Greece as " the known-unknowns -- converged on the site almost immediately, using texting and Web sites to organize and communicate.
In a statement reported by the Associated Press, Athens police said at least 24 police were left injured by the riots in the capital.
The statement added that at least 40 businesses and 25 cars, including six belonging to the police, had been burned or damaged, the agency reported, with six people arrested.
Fighting between youths and police soon erupted in other parts of Greece, including Thessaloniki in the north, the country's second largest city.
In Thessaloniki, hundreds of militant youth took to the streets of the sprawling port city, smashing storefronts, setting refuse bins on fire and finally barricading themselves behind the gates of a state university, where police are barred from entering.
Prime minister Kostas Karamanlis refused to accept the resignations of interior minister Prokopis Pavlopoulosand Panagiotis Chinofotis, the deputy interior minister, AP reported.
Government officials, fearing more violence, swiftly condemned the shooting.
"An investigation is underway and those found responsible with be punished," said Pavlopoulos. "Measures will also be taken to avoid such incidents again in the future."
The police officer who fired the fatal shot has now been suspended from his duties.
Authorities are now bracing for possible violence during a protest march in support of illegal immigrants set for Sunday afternoon.
----------
http://edition.cnn.com/2008/WORLD/europe/12/07/greece.riots/index.html
1. Hojin Yoo
2. Expansion of English Classes Draws Protest
3.
The government is planning to change the curriculm of english classes in elementary schools. This article says that more than 70% of teachers and parents agree on expanding english classes for third graders. However progressive teachers in the Korea Teachers and Education Workers’ Union oppose to this plan claiming that english should not be stressed more than other subjects.
I was curious why the article finishes with comments from foreign english teachers saying that english should be learnt from a young age.
I think By placing the comments advocating the government's plan i n the last part, the article supportthe government's plan.
In my opinion, in this kind of disputable issue, quantitative fairness of in both sides is required as a newsreporter.
Can I say that this article has more lines and more quotatations of supporters of the government's plan, losing fairness?.
----------------------------------
By Kang Shin-who
Staff Reporter
Teachers and parents have been divided over the government’s plan to expand English classes at elementary schools.
The Ministry of Education, Science and Technology plans to set up more English classes for primary school students. Currently, grade 3 and 4 students have one hour of English instruction and grade 5 and 6 students receive two hours per week, but the ministry is now pursuing providing at least three hours for students past grade 3.
``Some 70 percent of parents and more than half of teachers support the expansion of English classes, according to a recent survey. If we increase English classes, we can remove the English education gap between children in cities and rural areas,’’ said Kuen Yong-han, the ministry official.
After public hearings on the plan, the ministry will decide on curricula revision and apply it from 2010 at the earliest. However, progressive teachers and some parents groups are opposing the movement.
The Korea Teachers and Education Workers’ Union (KTU) said the ministry should scrap the plan and cancel the unachievable goal of trying to make students gain basic conversation skills only through regular school education.
``Why does the ministry focus only on English education? They should balance all subjects. We understand the importance of English education, but it is not necessary for third-grade children to have intensive English education. Other countries like Austria and France do not stress English education too much, like us,’’ said Han Man-jung, KTU director.
Meanwhile, many other foreign English experts see the movement as positive. ``I think it’s very good idea although it would put more pressure on teachers. Learning another language is difficult and more exposure to languages when you are younger will give better results.
If you are exposed to English only one day per week, it’s like putting one step forward and then taking two steps backward,’’ said Julie Sormark, an American English teacher trainer in Korea.
kswho@koreatimes.co.kr
----------------------------------
http://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/news/nation/nation_view.asp?newsIdx=35091&categoryCode=117
1. Graciela Nooitgedagt
2. Xinhua, the Chinese government's news agency, has condemned officials who try to cover up dissent and called for greater press freedom in the internet age.
3.This article is about the freedom of press repression in China. The government strongly feels that "guiding public opinion" by releasing its own facts and figures and hoping that news organisations do not have the time or resources to challenge the government line is better for the people.
------------------------
Chinese state media pushes for press freedom
By Malcolm Moore in Shanghai
Last Updated: 5:56AM GMT 05 Dec 2008
A searing editorial in Liaowang magazine, which is owned by Xinhua, said that officials who tried to suppress the truth were committing an "official dereliction of duty".
The piece by Huang Huo, which also appeared on the Xinhua website, said local governments had handled a recent series of riots badly. Unrest has spread across China, especially in the South, as more and more workers are fired from the country's factories in the economic downturn.
The editorial was reprinted in almost all China's liberal newspapers, in a rare sign of unison between the state media and China's reformists.
"Recently, local governments have been rushing to blame some quite large mass incidents on 'a small group of people with ulterior motives', or 'masses out of touch with the facts', or 'evil forces plotting behind the scenes'," said Mr Huang.
He said these statements "seem to regard people as idiots lacking in independent personality or freedom of thought: their unhappiness can only be because they have been deceived or incited. By contrast, the implication is that government officials understand the facts and never get things wrong".
"Such a definition is completely out of touch with the times," he said, adding: "Claiming that the masses are out of touch with the facts exposes the blindness of some officials to public opinion, as well as their strong aversion to ideas that power should be supervised."
The heavy-handed response from government officials, who seek to attribute a political bent to the smallest of protests, was misguided, he said. "Having been in power for 60 years, the inertia of the "dictatorship" era lingers in the mentality and behaviour of some officials," he added. "The Government Information Disclosure Bill has long been promulgated and implemented, but a lot of the information that the public most wants, needs and deserves to know cannot be published," he said.
Meanwhile, the editorial makes clear that in the internet age, any delay by government officials in reporting the news can lead to wildfire rumours.
The Communist Party is seeking to adopt more sophisticated ways of "guiding public opinion" by releasing its own facts and figures and hoping that news organisations do not have the time or resources to challenge the government line.
However, in a sign that there is a significant debate within the Communist Party about how far to reform China, a parallel editorial appeared shortly afterwards on Xinhua, which claimed that the "current press system is reasonable under the national conditions at present" and that the media should continue to be "a mouthpiece for the party, government and people".
David Bandurski, a researcher at the China Media Project department of Hong Kong University, said: "The big picture is that we are seeing a war between two factions over China's 30 years of reforms." He said a faction in favour of strong government control and Communist ideology may be exploiting the current downturn to try to reverse many of China's reforms.
The debate is most starkly illustrated by a battle over Yanhuang Chunqiu, or Yellow Emperor, a liberal magazine that dared to publish an editorial praising Zhao Ziyang, the former Chinese prime minister who was purged for showing sympathy to the protesters in Tiananmen Square and spent the last 15 years of his life under house arrest.
The editorial, in the November edition, is thought to have angered Jiang Zemin, the former president, who ordered that Du Daozheng be removed as editor. However, Mr Du has refused to "retire" and insisted that the magazine's December edition would contain more praise for Mr Zhao.
Mr Du's current position is unclear, however, and he may have gone to ground. The December edition is yet to appear.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/asia/china/3564250/Chinese-state-media-pushes-for-press-freedom.html
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