UNSRC Korean Cultural Society

KOREA TIMES
11-03-2009 17:42

By Lee Tae-hoon
Staff Reporter

The Cabinet approved a revision bill Tuesday that would make it mandatory for foreigners entering Korea to be fingerprinted and photographed from 2012.

Under the measure, all foreigners over the age of 17, excluding diplomats and those traveling on official duty, must have their fingerprints scanned and be photographed upon entry.

Currently, Koreans are required to register their fingerprint information and photos at the age of 17.

The bill will be put to a vote this month at the National Assembly and, if approved, will take effect from the second half of 2012, said Ahn Kyu-suk, spokesman of the Immigration Service.

Those who enter the country before the measure comes into force will be obliged to visit one of the 37 immigration offices nationwide to register their fingerprint and facial data.

The bill was drawn up last April in response to a growing number of crimes committed by foreign nationals and difficulties in identifying forged passports.

The number of overstays increased from 209,841 in 2004 to 223,464 in 2007, and that of crimes committed by foreigners soared from 9,103 to 14,524 during the same period, according to the National Police Agency

More than 2,000 foreigners, who have been deported or refused entry, have attempted to come back to Korea with a forged passport or under a different name, according to the Ministry of Justice.

“Collecting biometric information will not only deter crimes committed by foreigners but also reduce the number of people coming here with fraudulent documents,” Ahn said. “Unlike names and dates of birth, which can be changed, biometric data are unique and almost impossible to forge.”

Ahn said the new system will help protect the identity of foreigners if they lose their passports.

The spokesman also refuted the claim that the biometric verification system would discourage tourists from coming to Korea.

“When Japan introduced a biometric immigration control system, many people expected the number of tourists to drop sharply,” Ahn said. “But the number of tourists has increased since its introduction.”

Japan adopted the new immigrant management system in November 2007, which is similar to the system introduced in the United States after the Sept. 11 attacks in 2001.

Ahn said the government will discuss the sharing of a database on terrorists, criminals and illegal immigrants with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security in November.

leeth@koreatimes.co.kr

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KOREA TIMES
10-30-2009 17:41

“Doenjangjjigae” is one of the typical forms of Korean stew. Though the taste of fermented soybean might strike most strangers as unfamiliar, Warwick said the dish can be glamorized with interesting stories as a representative of Korea’s everyday dishes.

Ingredients

90 grams of beef (top round or sirloin), 15 grams (3 sheets) of brown oak mushrooms, 700 milliliters (3.5 cups) of rice-washed water, 75 grams (5 tablespoons) of soybean paste, 250 grams (0.5 block) of tofu, 2.2 grams (1 teaspoon) of chili powder, 20 grams of green onion, 15 grams of green pepper, 20 grams of red pepper

Seasoning sauce: 9 grams (0.5 tablespoon) of clear soy sauce, 4.5 grams (1 teaspoon) of minced green onion, 2.8 grams (0.5 teaspoon) of minced garlic, 0.5 gram (1/3 teaspoon) of sesame salt, 0.3 gram (1/8 teaspoon) of ground black pepper, 4 grams (1 teaspoon) of sesame oil

Preparation

1. Clean blood off beef with cotton cloths, and cut 2.5-centimeter square and 0.5-centimeter thick pieces.

2. Soak brown oak mushrooms in water for 1 hour, then remove stems, wipe water and shred into 4-centimeter long and 0.5-centimeter wide strips.

3. Cut the tofu 2 centimeters wide, 3 centimeters long and 1 centimeter thick.

4. Mix beef and mushrooms with seasoning sauce respectively. (Photo 2)

5. Cut green onion and green/red peppers 2 centimeters long and 0.2 centimeters wide diagonally.

Cooking

1. Preheat the pot, put the beef and mushrooms, stir-fry for 2 minutes on medium heat and add rice-washed water.

2. Dissolve soybean paste, and boil it for 4 minutes on high heat. When boiling, lower the heat to medium and boil for another 10 minutes. (Photo 3)

3. When the paste has soaked out fairly, add tofu and chili powder and boil for 2 minutes. Add green/red peppers and boil for another 1 minute. (Photo 4)

* After adding tofu, just boil it shortly to keep it soft before serving.

* In the summer, adding squash slices enhances the taste of the dish.

* All images of the recipe are courtesy of “The Beauty of Korean Food: With 300 Best-Loved Recipes,” published by the Institute of Traditional Korean Food.

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Royal Treasure to Come Under Heritage Protection

Prince Imperial Yeong’s official robe with dragon designs /Courtesy of Cultural Heritage Administration

The royal family inheritance of Prince Imperial Yeong (1897-1970), the last crown prince of Korea, will come under state protection.

The Cultural Heritage Administration on Monday announced plans to protect the treasure. Some 72 artifacts excavated from mid-Chosun era military official Byeon Su’s (1447-1524) tomb are also to be protected.

The royal treasure comprises 333 items of clothing and accessories such as court ceremonial robes and everyday dresses, enhancing understanding of the royal garments of the era.

The tomb contained early 16th-century clothes and wooden dolls, which are considered valuable material for the study of funeral customs of the time.

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