Korean Job Discussion Forums

Holyjoe · Joined: 03 Mar 2003 Location: Away for a cuppa

Just saw the PyeongChang 2010 Winter Olympics ad featured on BBC World, and in it the Korean organisers make the claim "Korea is the only divided country in the world".

I guess they could be coming from the point of view that you can't travel between the two countries, in which case the Ireland situation doesn't count.
But then what about Cyprus? The island is divided into North Cyprus and the Republic of Cyprus...

(this is NOT Korea-bashing Wink

)

dogbert · Joined: 29 Jan 2003 Location: Killbox 90210

Circus Monkey · Joined: 10 Jan 2003 Location: In my coconut tree

Does Israel, Palestine, and Lebanon count? What about China and Taiwan? How about the situation in Sri Lanka? I'm not trying to sneak in a country that is in a state of civil war as "divided" since usually those things end quickly. I suppose some African countries may disagree with me here.

Maybe Koreans mean here that they have the biggest fence?

CM

The Lemon · Joined: 11 Jan 2003

Plenty of nations are divided for one reason or another, though that depends on what we're willing to call a nation. How about Kurdistan? Syria (Golan Heights)? Mongolia?

For sure, Cyprus is the best example though. It's not good for Korean officials who are trying to attract the most international of events to display such ignorance about the world. I have no problem "bashing" Korea on this score.

I mentioned the OP to my wife, and she told me that South Korea is trying to make the case that if they're awarded the Winter Olympics, it will help with relations with the North. Don't these people study recent history? The last time South Korea was awarded the Olympics, North Korea bombed a Korean Air out of spite and jealousy. Same with the incident in the Yellow "West" Sea a year ago, at the end of the World Cup.

Awarding the South the 2010 Winter Olympics would make things worse, if history is anything to go by.

rapier · Joined: 16 Feb 2003

Korea is a single nation of the same language and ethnicity, divided in two so as to prevent any border crossings whatsoever. I believe it is alone in this regard.
All the other examples mentioned allow limited border crossings, or are divided by ethnicity, language, whatever.
However with the occasional family reunion crossings being allowed recently, you could probably start to lower Koreas border to a "category 2" level.
Even then, its probably still the most militarised...

whatthefunk · Joined: 21 Apr 2003 Location: Dont have a clue

What about Ireland?

saharzie · Joined: 22 Jan 2003

I can drive from Dublin to Belfast, no border checks, nothing. The only reason you know you are in Northern ireland is that the roads suddenly improve...
If the organizers said korea was the only divided country in the world then they were obviously wrong. But Rapier is right to point out that all the other places are divided among ethnic religious lines, although you could say Korea is too..

Trinny · Joined: 01 Feb 2003

As far as I know, Pyeongchang is a distant third and Van is favoured.

The Pyeongchang bid team has always claimed that the province of Gangwon-do is the only divided province in the only divided country in the world. That has been the one and only selling point of their bid from the get-go.

The problem with Pyeongchang bid is that they have to build all the facilities from the scratch, while Whistler and Saltzburg have internationally tried and proven venues in place. Odds are IOC members wouldn't take a chance with a venue that needs to be built from the ground up.

I have some behind the scene stories with their bid, but I think it is a bit too early to go public with it.

rapier · Joined: 16 Feb 2003

Saharzie: I used to get checked at the border on the way from Belfast to Leitrim. But that was in 95...., and the check amounted to a boom and a few friendly questions.

itaewonguy · Joined: 25 Mar 2003

screw that!!!
NORTH KOREA AND SOUTH KOREA are two different countries if you ask me! one of them need to change their name!!

they will never reunite!!!!
the south want to because of all the cash they will make!! thats all!!
and the north dont want to because they will be the ones who lose it all!!

aint gonna happen not in our life time anyway!!
oooppsss I have gone off subject again.. DAMN I always do that Laughing

but yeah no korea is bragging again about something!
dont see them bragging about the 2002 standings..

first place again! worst driving records
and now the highest divorce rates .. second is USA!

highest smokers per capita and korean men hold the record for male dominate roles out of any nation!! put those on the TV'S and in the papers!
America reports theirs!

ohh one more thing! 2010 Winter Olympics
south korea is up against CANADAS whistler!! goodluck beating them!!!
JESUS!! come on!! whistler for gods sake! the best mountain in the world!
VS korea their best mountain has a 3 minute run!!

Joo Rip Gwa Rhhee · Joined: 25 May 2003

khyber · Joined: 16 Jan 2003 Location: Compunction Junction

man.....
i HOPE vancouver doesn't get it and i'm "from there"....well, the last year before i came to korea.

The govt.s in shambles. It JUST laid off about (or, is in the process of laying off) 30,000 public employees from "ALL departments"
(what does that mean? Education, health care and ENVIRONMENT get the BIG DAMN shaft.... environment lost the largest percentage of their workers and mainland BC now has a fraction of the wildlife officers that they had before)

But hey, what's the point in having people with jobs? Why do that? After all, the olympics could come to town. So, let's toss 230million JUST at trying to sell vancouver and whistler. THEN, if we ACTUALLY get it, let's spend another few hundred million dollars so that, for about 3 weeks, people will see everything that they ALREADY know about vancouver. Then, forget it b/c no one CARES about it anymore than they did before?

Instead of investing all that money in campaigning, the committee should have just sent the businesses tapes of "Ecks vs. Sever".

What kind of FUCKING JOKE IS THAT (i know that will get deleted but i am PISSED about that).???????

when is the last time that an olympics has had a REAL and LONG LASTING effect (positive should be implied) on a local economy? It's been ages!
That is SUCH an antiquated notion.

Esp. seeing how much money they put into:
1) selling the place
2) buildings
3) changing/building infrastructure

it wasn't the olympics (really, the world cup is bigger) but look at how long these sports stadiums were in use during world cup and asian games. I'd be surprised if another major event takes place in korea that could possibly utilize all those damn plexes.

THE OLYMPICS ARE THE BIGGEST MONEY SCAM SINCE THE PHRASE "NEW AND IMPROVED" HAS COME ABOUT TO DESCRIBE PACKAGING MATERIAL!!!!

Leslie Cheswyck · Joined: 31 May 2003 Location: University of Western Chile

Germany

Think real hard before mixing the gasoline/gel solution.

hojucandy · Joined: 03 Feb 2003 Location: In a better place

Timor - part independant, part Indonesian
New Guinea - part PNG, part Indonesian West Papua

HardyandTiny · Joined: 03 Jun 2003

Divided or not, in all cases it's the beaucratic middle class aspiring marketeer that comes up with this kind of uncaring and politically motivated slogan. I would guess that the poor in South Korea will have this slogan rammed down their throats, and I know for sure that the rich don't give a damn as long as they can make more money and retain their status.
It's the South Korea government using the North to brainwash its own people in the South. Then, "We are all one! The only reason so many people suffer in South Korea is because we are divided and that is not the South's fault."