In the News

Too often, Korea is in the news only because of 'the war'. The war that never actually happens and doesn't really affect anyone living here. So what's going on the rest of the time?

Well, Korea is known for its little eccentricities. Like when someone created the 'death experience' where people had to write their own suicide notes and then be shut in a coffin for 20 minutes, all in an attempt to deter people from commiting suicide. Or how the government decided to send home it's workers an hour early each Wednesday in the hope they'd make babies. Or when the 69yr old lady finally passed her driving test after 960 attempts....and they still gave her a license (look out Korea)....

So what wierd things have been going on recently? Well......!

Government Say Get out Your Long-Johns

This month has been excrutiatingly cold...hitting the chilliest temperatures in years, down to -27 with windchill. Bleedin freezin some might say. So everyone has cranked on the heating to surive the winter. Understandable I think. But this surge in power use is threatening a severe powercut across the country which could be crippling for businesses and familes alike. So the government have announced that all civil servants must wear high-tech thermal underwear, turn down the heating to a maximum of 18 degrees, and turn off all heating devices for a set number of hours a day. In the streets, members of NGO's energy network held campaigns across Seoul urging citizens to don thermal underwear and avoid this energy crisis. It's almost as though my mother knew when she sent me that thermal vest for Christmas.

campaigners in Myeongdong 'wrap up to save energy'


The Octopus Heads Up

Government officials turned some angry heads when they publically suggested that eating more than two octopus heads a day could be bad for your health. Tests showed that the heads contain carcinogen cadmium, which could poison your kidney and liver if eaten in enough quanity. Restaurant owners were outraged by the statement, especially as it meant the sales of their octopus heads plumeted. The officials also suggested removing the octopus' internal organs before devouring the poor thing whole, and usually alive.

Local fishermen and restaurant owners joined forces to protest to Seoul's mayor - demanding both an apology and reparations for lost sales. The mayor gave a vague apology, but stood by his decision to 'inform people of the health risks associated with eating octopus'. Pretty fair, I think? 

But this wasn't good enough for the protestors. So in a public attempt to prove their support for the fishermen, a group of well-known legislators decided to eat live octopus at the National Assembly Session, heads and all. The Mayor has since issued an apology, and October 20th is now renamed 'Seoul Octopus Day'. 

legislators eating live octopus

So word to the wise....don't mess with Koreans. They LIKE the heads.