It’s as though the North Korean regime is forever pushing the envelope of their brinksmanship, as if saying to the world community: “If you thought last week was crazy, well, you haven’t seen nothing yet.”

In just the space of a week they displayed a rash of military bluster, taunting the nations of the region with their nuclear and missle threats and swinging recklessly toward possible war.

Roboseyo shares some key points about the May 2009 working paper, “Discrimination Against Non-Citizens in the Republic of Korea in the Context of the E-2 Foreign Language Teaching Visa.” It was written by Benjamin Wagner, an attorney associated with the Kyunghee University School of Law, hence the alternate name “the Wagner Report.” Written for educational purposes, the report elaborates on the points made in a 2008 complaint to the National Human Rights Commission of Korea (NHRCK).

Check our the report and the summary [Roboseyo]

We’re reproducing Mizar5’s comment at the Marmots Open Thread (comment #22), because it highlights the differences between Engrish and English beautifully! Right on target, Mizar5!

“What I’m sure most English teachers must realize by now, or should (not that I speak for them, rather I speak from the Korean perspective is that Engrish occupies an interesting niche in Korean culture that is wholely unrelated to communication.” (read the rest…)

Reuters reported that 12 F-22’s, the most advanced stealth air supremacy fighters in the U.S. arsenal, have landed in Okinawa, Japan on Saturday for a four-month deployment. (read more…)

This has turned out to be an unexpected opportunity for South Koreans seeking American citizenship, but it could also be a forboding dove-tailing of resources and current events. The Wall Street Journal reports that a little publicized U.S. Army recruiting program has seen their recruiting office inundated with inquiries from South Korean nationals seeking to join the ranks. (read more…)

[photo: Kim Sang Hoon]

From the New York Times on Friday:
“We will not stand idly by as North Korea builds the capability to wreak destruction on any target in the region — or on us,” Mr. Gates told a major security conference here that has been dominated by North Korea’s test this week of a nuclear device and the firing of at least six short-range missiles, all in defiance of international sanctions. (news summary and video clip inside…)

Starbucks Socialist, Seo Eun-mi, also an English professor at Howon University, takes legitimate aim at kindergarten-aged children ordering/drinking coffee while also taking liberal aim at hagwons, consumer capitalism, and beautiful teachers. (more…)

The Berlin Airlift this was not, but we’re glad to say that random folks who read about the teachers’ situation have now made a small difference in the comfort levels of some of them. Find out how you can help and make an even bigger difference of your own for the rest. The 7-Day Drive continues…

This is the bold idea: before the KCDC cuts off the internet and completely isolates the instructors for a week:

Deliver care packages to the teachers so that they can have the most peaceful, entertaining, self-fulfilled, relaxing bit of zen that metropolites like us could only dream about in our wildest temple-stay daydreams.