Lawmaker Complains About Images of Korea on U.S. Soaps

Images of Korea in popular American TV dramas such as "Lost," "24" or "CSI" tend to be full of inaccuracies, with Buddhist temples and traditional Korean-style houses looking distinctly Chinese or Southeast Asian. Now Grand National Party lawmaker Hong Jung-wook, a member of the National Assembly's Foreign Affairs, Trade and Unification Committee, has had enough.

Speaking during a parliamentary audit on Thursday, Hong said, "It is difficult to overlook the image of Korea being depicted on American TV dramas. It's a problem for Korea's image to be distorted this way in American dramas with more than 10 million viewers and being exported around the world."

In the case of "Lost," whose cast includes Korean actress Kim Yun-jin, the Han River looked like a small stream and the Hangang Bridge like a small walkway. A scene supposed to show Namhae in South Gyeongsang Province looked more like somewhere in Southeast Asia, and a Korean fisherman was wearing a Vietnamese straw hat.

Other inaccuracies Hong picked up on were related to the possession of guns in Korea and the custom of women adopting the last name of their husbands. In "24," a brutal torture scene took place in Seoul, while an episode of "CSI" set in a Korean neighborhood in the U.S. featured a North Korean propaganda song in the background.

"Even though we are hosting the G20 Summit and no matter how many nuclear reactors we export, foreigners will continue to have an inaccurate view of Korea given the speed with which popular culture is disseminated these days," Hong complained.

(source:english.chosun.com)

Jang wins Best Actress at China film gala

Korean singer and actress Jang Na-ra won the Best Actress award for her role in "Sky and Ocean" at the 19th China Golden Rooster and Hundred Flowers Film Festival.

The festival is China's top film gala organized by the China Federation of Literary and Art Circles and the China Film Association.

The 19th event was held in Jiang Yin City, Jiangsu Province in eastern China Oct. 12-16.

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In 2006, Korean actor Jo Seung-woo nabbed the Best Actor award for his part in "Marathon," and in 2009, veteran actress Kim Hye-ja was honored with the Best Actress award for starring in "Mother." -The Korea Herald/ANN

(source:news.asiaone.com)

Korea's Kang storms to inaugural Malaysia title

KUALA LUMPUR: South Korea's Jimin Kang claimed a thrilling one-stroke victory in the inaugural Sime Darby LPGA Malaysia after three birdies in the last four holes on Sunday.

A big crowd at the Kuala Lumpur Golf and Country Club witnessed Kang calmly roll in a 12-foot downhill putt on the final hole to shoot a six-under-par 65 to finish a stroke ahead of LPGA Hall of Famer Juli Inkster.

Kang's blistering final round left her with a nine-under-par 204 total and her second LPGA victory, following her win at the 2005 LPGA Corning Classic.

"Speechless," said Kang afterwards. "And that's not that easy to do for me.

"I played solid. I hit a lot of putts. As you guys can tell, my score was good enough to win a tournament, and you know, it's been a while. So I'm trying to soak this in. I can't believe I won."

Inkster's second-place was her best of the season thanks to her own brilliant stretch of birdies at 13, 15, 16 and 17, the last of which put her into the outright lead.

However, she pushed her second shot into the right greenside bunker at the 18th, nearly holing out from the sand before having to settle for a two-putt bogey.

Combined with an 18th hole birdie from Kang, playing a group behind Inkster, it was enough for victory, or at least a shot at a play-off, to slip away.

"When I miss it, I miss it right," Inkster said of her final approach. "It was a three-quarter shot and I left it out there. I played well all day."

First-round leader Mike Miyazato of Japan and Maria Hjorth of Sweden shared third at six-under 207, with Korea's Meena Lee alone in fifth another shot back.

Meanwhile, American Cristie Kerr could take over the top position in the Rolex Rankings as a result of her superb final round.

The current world number two began the final round tied for 29th and, teeing off on the 10th hole, registered four birdies in her first six holes of the day.

Although she added a bogey at 18 (her ninth hole) birdies at three and five saw her finish at five-under-par 66 and in eighth position.

"It would feel great to take over number one this week," said Kerr.

"It's been so close the last four tournaments. It came down to one putt in Alabama and last week I had a great finish, but just wasn't close enough.

"I've been thinking about this race all year. It's coming down to a putt here or there and it cannot get any closer."

Korea's Shin Jiyai, who finished tied for sixth with Christina Kim, is projected to take the number two spot in the rankings, while Ai Miyazato, who could only finish tied for 28th, could fall to number three.

(source:indiatimes.com)

Matildas in pieces after Korean upset

SUWON, South Korea: Australia head to Europe this week to play world champions Germany with much to prove after a disappointing loss in the Peace Queen Cup final. The Matildas were upset by South Korea after Kim Narae scored for the home side in 16th minute and Jeon Gaeul delivered in the 56th.

Kate Gill scored the Matildas' only goal a minute later, winning her the tournament's Golden Shoe Award for her three goals.

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The Australians were the favourites as the reigning Asian Cup winners and the 11th ranked world nation, compared with Korea's ranking of 21.

The home side made the final on a lottery, having finished the group stage equal with New Zealand and the USA after all their matches finished in scoreless draws.

Matildas coach Tom Sermanni was disappointed with the loss but pleased with the overall effort of his players. Australia now play Germany in Wolfsburg on Thursday in the lead-up to next year's World Cup.

(source:smh.com.au)

Korea was a key mediator

Korea played an instrumental role in persuading the G-20 nations to reach a breakthrough agreement on curbing competitive currency devaluations and possibly saving the G-20 Summit in Seoul next month from collapse, according to officials yesterday.

A senior official at the Presidential Committee for the G-20 Summit said the government had been concerned that the exchange rate controversy would overshadow other issues at the Nov. 11-12 G-20 Summit, such as a global financial safety net. As a result, Korea felt the need to come up with solutions to the problem.

“We were worried that the G-20 Summit next month will be dominated by this [the exchange rate issue], when we had put much preparation into other agenda items, such as the global financial safety net, IMF quota reforms and development issues among emerging nations,” the official said.

According to the official, President Lee Myung-bak ordered Korean negotiators in early September to devise ways to resolve the currency dispute and they had proposed linking the currency issue to other problems causing the global economic imbalance.

The G-20 official said the results announced in the joint communique amounted to a dramatic agreement. His comments suggested that China had made a compromise on agreeing to the idea of a market-based exchange rate system in return for the U.S. and Europe approving giving more voting rights at the International Monetary Fund to China and other developing nations.

Korean officials said last week that such a trade in concessions was in the works.

“Korea, as the host, successfully proposed alternatives,” the G-20 official said, speaking on the condition of anonymity. “Now nobody will think of Korea as a figurehead host. Because there were major agreements in Gyeongju, there is going to be more progress at the Seoul Summit.”

Lael Brainard, the U.S. Treasury undersecretary for international affairs, said that Korea had played a “pivotal” role in the G-20 meeting, according to the G-20 official.

The Korean Finance Ministry and the G-20 Organizing Committee are now preparing detailed guidelines for the G-20 Summit based on the agreements reached by the G-20 finance ministers and central bank governors at their weekend meeting in Gyeongju, North Gyeongsang.

The next step likely to be undertaken by the Korean government will be drawing up specific proposals to manage excessive trade surpluses or deficits that threaten to create imbalances in the global economy.

(source:joongangdaily.joins.com)

Alonso wins Korea GP

YEONGAM, South Jeolla Province Ferrari’s Fernando Alonso snatched the inaugural Korean Grand Prix in the rain soaked Yeongam circuit that saw a slew of spin-outs and crashes.

It was a scrappy affair with this season’s drivers’ championship leader Mark Webber crashing out just a lap after the safety car gave clearance for the race to restart after a 40-minute delay.

The Red Bull ace spun, hit the wall and drifted into the path of German Nico Rosberg at lap 18 in drizzle.

The crash put an end to the Aussie’s charge for the the 2010 championship.

As if mirroring his teammate’s misfortune, Germany’s Sebastian Vettel spun out at lap 47, squandering the lead he had taken from Webber.

Ferrari Formula One driver Fernando Alonso of Spain leaps in the air on the podium as he celebrates his win at the Korean Grand Prix on the Korean International Circuit in Yeongam on Sunday. (AP-Yonhap News)

Alonso seized the opportunity, charging ahead to take the top spot with McLaren’s Lewis Hamilton in second.

This is the Spaniard’s 26th career win as he tore through a slippery track that claimed several machines early on, making it clear that the race was more a game of survival.

Alonso along with Vettel was 14 points adrift of leader Webber in the drivers’ championship. He now leads with 231 points, with Webber on 220 and Hamilton on 210 points. Just a pair of races in Brazil and Abu Dhabi remain in the current season.

Just before the start of the race, the circuit had been hit by rain that began Saturday night.

Marred by rain, several teams also raised the possibility of the race being unable to go the full distance. Alonso was fuming during the practice run led by the safety car.

“It’s the worst conditions I ever drove a car,” said the two-time world champion over his radio during the first attempt to start the race going.

“It’s impossible. I don’t even know where is Webber.”

Reigning world champion Jenson Button echoed Alonso’s frustrations saying over the team’s radio “You can’t even see the front tires when you’re on the straight,” and added “You’re just driving completely blind, waiting to hit something.”

Race director Charlie Whiting initially ordered a 10-minute delay before abandoning plans for a regular start and dispatching the safety car which led the machines off the starting grid.

The decision was understandable due to the conditions. It also denied fans a thrilling start to a key race in the season’s battle among five title contenders.

The turnout was less than stellar as large blocks of seating were empty.

All around the tracks were incomplete patches of construction and columns supporting the bridge over the starting grid had yet to be painted showing raw concrete.

The race’s local promoters Korea Auto Valley Operation are contracted to host races until 2016 with a five-year option after which would take the race until 2021.

(source:koreaherald.com)

92 people killed last week in Karachi,in taget killings

Pakistan to recruit 3,000 extra police for Karachi

KARACHI — Pakistan will recruit 3,000 extra police in a bid to stem repeated outbreaks of violence in its largest city of Karachi, the country's interior minister said Friday.

The teeming city of 16 million is the country's economic capital, home to its stock exchange and an Arabian Sea port where NATO supplies dock ready to be trucked overland to support the US-led war effort in Afghanistan.

More than 70 people have died as a result of politically motivated killings since Saturday. In recent months, Karachi has suffered the worst such violence in years with 85 people killed after a lawmaker was shot dead in August.

"We will recruit 3,000 more policemen in Karachi," Interior Minister Rehman Malik told reporters, blaming the violence on organised crime networks.

"Action will be taken against anyone who dares challenge the writ of the state," he added, but declined to reveal any details.

Malik said that after "drug mafia" and "land-grabbing mafia" the city was now facing "extortion mafia".

Malik said four murders were reported in the city overnight "but no targeted killings" and urged political parties to work together for peace.

The interior minister of the southern province of Sindh, of which Karachi is the capital, said police on Friday killed a notorious robber Qadri Chachar who had a bounty of 1.5 million rupees (17,500 dollars) on his head.

Zulifqar Mirza said police also arrested a wanted "targeted killer" along with up to 15 other suspects in connection with the recent violence.

Authorities had said previously that more than 80 suspects were rounded up and interrogated over the killings.

The Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM), which represents the Urdu-speaking majority in Karachi and the Awami National Party (ANP), whose power is rooted in Pashtun migrants from the northwest, blame each other over the violence.

(source:afp)

Celine Dion Gives Birth to Twin Boys

Celine Dion and husband Rene Angelil are doubly joyful this weekend, welcoming fraternal twin boys who were delivered via C-section on Saturday morning in West Palm Beach, Fla., joining big brother Rene-Charles, age 9.

The babies have not yet been named, according to People.com. "Celine is resting now and they plan to discuss what to name the boys when she wakes up," her spokesperson says. "René-Charles has been to the hospital to visit his brothers, and is just so excited they are here."

Dion's new sons were born at 5 lbs., 10 oz., and 5 lbs., 4 oz., and are premature but healthy. They will reportedly spend a few days in neonatal intensive care, a common procedure for newborn twins, who often arrive before their due date.

At a press conference outside St. Mary's Medical Center, Dion's longtime obstetrician talked about the successful delivery -- and what the babies look like.

Dr. Ronald Ackerman (whose son, Dr. Joshua Ackerman also assisted in the delivery) explained that the surgery to deliver the babies went as expected -- with the first boy born at 11:11 a.m. and the second born at 11:12 a.m. -- and said that both twins were born with a "good amount" of hair.

The Canadian chanteuse, 42, has been open in recent years about her struggle to conceive. She revealed in May that she was pregnant, after undergoing a sixth attempt at in-vitro fertilization.

(source:popeater.com)

Krystal Ball's Image Problem, Racy Photos of Virginia Candidate

Krystal Ball, a Democrat running for Congress in Virginia, has accused conservative political operatives of a sexist smear campaign, leaking racy photographs of her taken at a holiday costume party.

Ball, 28, a first-time candidate, said the images were taken six years ago, soon after she graduated from college. The images, which depict Ball in a short skirt and Santa Claus hat posing with her husband, an unidentified woman and a sex toy, were first posted on the conservative blog Virginia Virtucon. The photos have since gone viral, spreading all over the Internet and making Ball one of the most searched terms on Google.

Virginia Virtucon has since removed the photos from its website. 

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(source:abcnews.go.com)