Should Convicted Sex Offenders’ Personal Information be Made Public?It could not have been a more ordinary day. Na-young Kim (an assumed name), an 8-year-old girl, was on her way to school during a December morning in 2008 in the city of Ansan, Korea. Doo-sun Cho (his real name), 57 years old, who has previous convictions for assault, murder and rape, was drinking alcohol on the street. As the young girl passed by him, he lured her to a toilet in a closed church. After locking the door, he smothered and beat her unconscious, then raped her six times and sexually torturing her. After the rape, he tried to destroy the evidence: he pressed down with a plunger several times over her anus in an attempt to extract his semen, which had caused serious damage to her intestines. In this process, her organs and anus were torn into one that ruined eighty percent of her colon and genital area. After she was rescued, despite undergoing five major surgical operations, she was left inflicted with a liissue throughout Korea. Many are unclear whether to delete it or not. According to this clause, felons can only receive up to 15 years’ incarceration, unless the court gives a life sentence. But that is usually only given for serial killers. Furthermore, under the name of the Seventeenth Article of the Second Chapter of the Korean Constitution—privacy, secrecy and freedom of all citizens are not infringed—people can never see the criminals’ faces no matter what they have done, unless their crime caused a gigantic sensation to the society. This relatively mild punishment only aggravated the situation. The mass media reports rape cases throughout the country at least three times a week. Therefore, some cynics are deriding the term ‘KOR,’ which are the initials for the Republic of Korea (South Korea), really represent an abbreviation for ‘Kingdom Of Rape.’ People now need to clear this stigma by making stronger punishments. We should make public sex offenders’ personal information for sevs for rape has increased 2.35 percent in the past ten years, from 89.89% in 2000 to 92.24% in 2009, but the rate of recidivism in this same decade has also increased by 81% compared to 2000, from 3,770 to 6,837 criminals. Furthermore, the rate of recidivism according to their types of previous punishment has also increased during this same period: the rate of recidivism of offenders who were suspended of indictment has increased by 50%; the rate of recidivism of offenders who were given deferred sentences has increased by 350%; the rate of recidivism of offenders who were released on parole has increased by 120%; and finally, the rate of recidivism of offenders who were sentenced to prison has even increased, by 109% percent. These surprisingly high ratios are due to lenient penalties. The death penalty is still on the books, though it hasn’t been utilized in Korea since the Clause of 42 of the Criminal Law made amendments in 1996 about criminals not be sentenced to more than 15 years.mit sexual crimes again.Priority consideration must always be given for the rights of victims, especially in Korea where penalties for felonies are relatively mild. Korea is a society based on the Confucian Idea which usually represents a form of male chauvinism. Although this thinking has almost dissipated in modern times, many people are still conscious of it. For this reason, some offenders might claim that they were seduced by the victims, and the court sometimes ridiculously decides in their favor. As a result, far from be consoled, the victims in these instances are blamed for their “seduction” which of course they didn’t actually do. The risk of something like this happening is real, and therefore many victims hesitate to file a report saying they were raped. According to research from the Korean Ministry of Justice, the rate of reporting rapes to the police was only 7.1% in 2007, compared to 80% in the United States. At only one in fourteen, it is an extremely low ratio. The res insisting that such an action was an abuse of human rights. The US Federal Court, however, declared that the protections for victims should be placed above the privacy rights of the offenders. After these new laws were enforced in these countries, most of the citizens gave them an enthusiastic welcome. The Korean Government should learn from these examples. It is time to make the right decision to publicize the sex offenders’ personal information.According to the First Article of the Thirteenth Chapter of the Korean Constitution, a panel offender cannot be punished twice in criminal law for one crime—the Prohibition of Double Jeopardy. This is one of the main points made by those people against releasing sex offenders’ personal information to the public. This prohibition, however, can only be applied to cases where a criminal might be punished in criminal law used by the Judiciary. To publicize their personal information, on the other hand, would be an administrative measure performe
August 3, 2011The Connotation of Communism in South KoreaThe term Communism originates from the Latin word “Commune” which means common property: abolishing all private property and owning only common property by all members of society. Starting in the eighteenth century, many different views were presented on how to implement this ideology; in the mid-nineteenth century, it was finally theorized and codified by Karl Marx. Contrary to other philosophers, Marx systematized his theory based on economics. He believed that the proletarians (working people) are the only catralysts of revolution. We can only build a classless society by means of a proletarian revolution. This way of thinking is different from Socialism in terms of recognition of private property and the means of distribution of wealth: Communism denies private property whereas Socialism permits it; Communism distributes public wealth according to the social demand, while Socialism shares common wealth according to individual performances. Nowadays, however, people usually do not make a distinction between Socialism and Communism. This is because the goals of both theories—establishing an ideal society without class or poverty—are similar. In brief, according to AudioEnglish, Communism denotes “a political and economic theory favoring collectivism in a classless society.” In my country, however, people usually scoff at this definition. This is because our special historical background.In Pyongyang, North Korea, Kim Il-sung established a new government in 1948. This country was officially named the People’s Democratic Republic of Korea (DPRK) and was financially and militarily supported by the People’s Republic of China and the former Soviet Union, which were the biggest communist countries in the world at that time. Meanwhile, the Republic of Korea (ROK, or South Korea) was receiving aid from its number one ally, the United States. On June 25th, 1950, Kim Il-sung provoked the Korean War, an act that sacrificed millions of innocent people’s lives. Three years later, when both Koreas signed an armistice, the South Korean government began purging communists who had not evacuated and were settling in the country. People called them Bbalgangi which means “Commie”, and regarded them as spies who had infiltrated the country before the war. This even happened to their family members. They pointed a suspicious finger at them, tortured them, and put the blame of the war on them. Up until the 1980’s, when I was young, the government maintained an anti-communist stance in education. At that time, students were educated that all communists were our enemies and communism as a theory had failed and was obsolete. Although it is not that obvious now, this indoctrination continues to this day. People think that being called Bbalgangi is one of the most disgraceful things, and those few remaining communist countries in the world are our potential enemies. We often witness reports about suspects of communist espionage walking on the streets and using public transportation. The idea is ultra-conservative. Some supporters, especially older people who suffered through the war, define communists as evil. People who believe in conspiracy theories even insist that the suicide of former president Noh Mu-hyun (who had belonged to a liberal party and had given economic and technical assistances to North Korea) was really an assassination, and made to look like a suicide by rightists. For these reasons, the very word communism connotes an extremely negative meaning in South Korea. In spite of this, people disagree on their perspectives about what communism really is or what is really going on in North Korea. It is a serious and significant problem, one that will not be solved until after both Koreas are reunited.
August 10, 2011Changes in the Wedding CeremonyA man was meeting his fiancée with his parents and her family in a sumptuous restaurant in the early evening. “So, where did you buy the house for them?” the woman’s mom asked. “Real estate prices have increased too much recently. We bought a house for them in the suburbs.” his mom answered. The woman’s mom nodded with an unsatisfied look. The man’s father finally broke the silence and began to question his future in-laws about the wedding ceremony location, how many people were they inviting and how much food should be prepared, like it was his turn now to ask. This is a very common situation in Korea where two families meet and discuss about the wedding ceremony before two people get married.Up until the mid-1970’s, before the wedding ceremony was westernized, it was regarded as a rite of passage; not only noble but also lofty in our country. The wedding ceremony was always held in the bride’s house. The bride’s whole family, even their ns to the groom’s house after the wedding. The wedding ceremony begins as soon as the groom arrives. They wear traditional costumes and stand side by side on a table. The master of ceremonies, usually the oldest member of the bride’s family or the principal of the village school, announces the beginning of the wedding and all people surround them and watch. The most interesting thing is that, in the past, most marriages were of convenience or arranged, so the bride and groom usually did not see each other before the wedding. During the wedding the groom covers his face with a folding fan and the bride lowers her head as much as she can. After the wedding, the groom and bride travel from her house to his house. The bride’s family, usually women, follow the march to the entrance of the town. The bride’s mother usually cries at this time. This is because after the bride gets to the groom’s house, she can never go back to her house except when the groom’s family allows her to go. After theyes and eat western food at the wedding. People also give money to the bride and groom for show, but they all think the amount of money represents their social position. Simply put, the wedding ceremony in Korea is becoming a “show” to impress other people.In the past, the maximum number of guests at a wedding was around fifty, including family members and their neighbors. Now, however, it has changed. Each bride and groom invites not only his or her relatives, but also colleagues, classmates, friends, and even acquaintances. Therefore, the number of guests has increased to at least a hundred for each family, so almost two hundred people are invited to the wedding. The more guests come, the more the bride and groom are satisfied. They feel they are in the majority and save face after all. Some people, who can afford to spend more money, invite a popular band to play the wedding march or a nuptial song. In the past, family members and neighbors played instruments themselves for free. As ding ceremony in a small traditionally decorated room. This reception can only be attended by the families and close relatives. The bride and the groom dress in traditional clothes, known as Hanbok. They then make a Keunjeol, which is prostrating themselves in front of elders to show their respect. At the beginning, they do this for the oldest person in the family. After they finish the Keunjeol by family precedence, they kneel on the floor and listen to the words of wisdom and blessings from elders. All the adults make speeches, and then, each person gives them an envelope with some money. Today even though there is no name on the envelope, the young bride and groom usually remember who gave which envelope. They tell their parents who gave how much money so that their parents can give a similar amount of money to their friends’ children when they get married. After receiving the money, the bride and groom hold a long piece of fabric in their hands at each end all the while continuing nfinished show. This is when they visit their parents after the honeymoon.Hanbok, a Korean tradition cloth, has won high praise for its beauty many times from foreign media. Globally, it is well-known by designers and presidents of different countries who have visited Korea. Many foreigners admire its beautiful color and functionality, cool in summer and warm in winter, but to some young Koreans, it is countrified cloth. They never wear Hanbok, but instead prefer wearing suits. This also applies at the wedding ceremony. They not only don’t wear Hanbok, but are willing to hold a western style wedding and have western food. Some people now even exchange their marriage vows, a western custom, promising to their partner in a couple, and usually they write their words down on a paper, and read it to the other, which we did not have at all. Others invite a professional singer to sing an epithalamium, as they have seen in western television and movies. They think it is unthinkable to hold a wife.
May 3, 2011Comparing Two Dinosaur of TabletsAfter Apple achieved continual success with the iPod, the iPhone and a series of laptops, they are now trying to accomplish another success with the iPad. Since Apple launched the iPad in April of 2010, it has been greatly praised by people all walks of life. However, Samsung, which competes with Apple in the MP3, smart phone and laptop market, released their tablet PC--Galaxy Tab in November of 2010. People who prefer the Android operating system were cheering as the Tab was released. The iPad is facing a huge challenge. As the most powerful pursuer, the Tab is catching up and has created a threat to the iPad. Tablet PC is still a new device for people. It means more fashion and more convenient. Then, which one will be more appropriate for fashionable people?The iPad is more attractive on the whole view. The Tab and the iPad are different but similar in appearance. The Tab has a 7-inch screen and weighs only 0.84lbs, and is 11.98 mm thick. Ccreen. Compared with a separate button design, the iPad is more concise. Both the Tab back panel with piano white porcelain paint and the iPad back panel with the metallic feeling have their own characteristics. In the interface area, in addition to data interface and a headphone jack, which both of them have, the Tab has a Micro-SD card slot and a SIM card slot. The Tab-owned storage space can be expanded to ensure that it is more flexible and easier to upgrade than the iPad which only has fixed disk capacity.The Tab is more convenient for communication. Unlike the iPad, the Tab supports not only Wi-Fi and 3G networks but also ordinary telephone voice calls, text messages and video calling features. The Tab with the speaker can be used with a wired headset or Bluetooth headset for making calls and its text message function is like a regular phone text message function. The most attractive function is the video call feature. The Tab at the top of the screen is also a 1.3 million pixel over the Android operating system. By contrast, Apple’s operating system—iOs, does not support Flash. Although it has a bigger screen, it does not give users a PC-like web browsing experience. In specific aspects of the operation, both of them support multi-touch zoom operations, but the Tab is often rough while zooming in and out. In this regard the iPad is smoother than the Tab.The Tab has an absolute advantage in the mobile commerce aspect. The Tab supports not only Word, Excel, PPT, PDF files and other documents but also multitask background operation and Bluetooth wireless printing. It has indeed achieved the integration of phone and computer. It’s a very useful function for businessmen. The iPad is positioned at the direction of entertainment and fashion, so lacks network capacity to process something in the mobile office. Although it can be installed through iWork and other office software, the compatibility of office tools still won’t work well with the PC Windows system.In the, WMV videos and HD movies, but the iPad built-in video player supports only MP4 and MOV formats. The iPad’s visual experience is more delicate than the Tab and the color fidelity is also better. Most of all, the iPad is more attractive to people.After reviewing the features of both the Apple iPad and the Samsung Galaxy Tab, we realize that they have some different characteristics: the Tab is smaller, lighter, and more convenient for communication and supports almost every video format. In contrast, the iPad is smoother for zooming and has more applications to run.Overall, the Tab is more like a pragmatic worker. People can use it to entertain and the various functions built-in are very practical for business people who often need a mobile office, or wireless documents printing. Adding communication function makes it more versatile to achieve the function integration of mobile phone and computer. Although the Tab currently only has twenty percent of the tablet market share, its growth Tab, are totally difficult to steal market share from Apple. Also when people talk about Apple, it is always related with fashion. As fashion followers, people prefer choosing the Apple iPad.Works CitedClie701. "Comparison Specs between Galaxy Tab and the iPad." Blue ocean’s Touch Mobile. Naver, 30 Oct 2010. Web. 29 Apr 2011. ."Compare the iPad and Galaxy Tab." Pandora TV. Web. 24 Jan 2011. .Hello_Mania. "Let's compare the iPad and Galaxy Tab." Naver, 15 Nov 2010. Web. 29 Apr 2011. .Hohyung, Kang. "Galaxy Tab vs. iPad: Which One Should We Buy?." MBN News (2010): n. pag. Web. 29 Apr 2011. .Mingming, Ding. "Contrastive Analysis between Samsung Galaxy Tab and Apple iPad." IT168.com 23 Mar 2011: n. pag. Web. 29 Apr 2011. .Raphael, JR. 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