We’re still building, but feel free to pick up a hammer and help.

If you have an Android phone in Korea, you probably have a Galaxy S, which means you probably means you are with SK Telecom. If that is the case, then you need to have the Mini T-World application, which is available on the T-Store on your phone as 미니 T world.

Check out the overview of the app here.

By all accounts, Naver Maps has surpassed Google Maps and Daum Maps in usefulness on both iPhone and Android platforms. It is fast, clear, and full of useful information and features. I will focus on transit directions this time, as that is what I have found sets it apart from the rest.

Head here for the full App guide: Finding your way by bus in Korea

Watch the Superbowl in Korea

If you’ve been around for a while, you’ll have learned about the TVing service from CJ Hellovision and GOM Player. If not, do a search of the donism for TVing.

It keeps getting better and the channel list keeps growing. One of the latest additions was ASN, American Sports Network. This could be good for a lot of sports fans, as they broadcast LIVE and recorded NHL and NFL games (among others).

This means that, of course, they will be airing Superbowl XLV Live on Monday morning (February 7th, 2011) at 8:30 (Korea Standard Time), if my time zone math is correct (and may not be). Here’s their schedule, for proof (times in SG/HK).

All you need to do now is to sign up for TVing, and download GOM Player. It is possible to watch it on the web version with Internet Explorer, but the GOM Player version is more convenient. This is not free, but at 1,000 won it’s *almost* free.

The 1,000 won part comes in if you sign up for one day of TVing service on that day (that includes all channels, including ASN). If you want to use it for a month or 30 days (what?) it’s 3,000 won and 3,500 won respectively. I recommend going for a month!

Details:

What: Superbowl XLV on ASN (American Sports Network)

When: Monday, February 7 @ 8:30AM KST (Pre-Show @ 8:00AM)

How: On TVing via GOM Player (Korean version only) on Windows (Sorry, welcome to Korea!)

Steps: Download GOM Player >> Sign up for TVing >> Choose Package

After clicking through tweets to some posts with a lot of copy and pasting of articles from 3rd party sources, with a few lines of commentary, I came across the ultimate representation of bloggers’ greed.

I will not link to the website for moral reasons, but here’s his twitter account.

The following is a screen shot from a “blog post” — which can only be represented as such with quotations. Doing some math, I have found that this post (with a total of  645,831 pixels) has 42% advertisements, 14.2% Recent Comments links, 0.8% meta, and the kicker…1.8% content (actually a link to a third party again).

In other news, mandatory military service means free snow removal courtesy of the Police ‘kids.’

Official email from the Canadian Embassy…

South Korea will hold a nationwide special civil emergency exercise today at 14:00 for 15 minutes. Sirens will sound, transport will be stopped and some people may be asked to take shelter in metro stations or basements. Aircraft may be heard overhead. There is no need to be alarmed. On 23 November, North Korea fired multiple rounds of artillery shells at the island of Yeonpyeong, killing 4 people and injuring several more. South Korea responded with its own artillery and has strengthened its military presence in the area. We advise against travel to Yeonpyong, or to the other North West Islands of Baengnyeong-do, Daecheong-do, Socheong-do and Woo-do. We assess that there is no substantially increased risk or danger to those living in or travelling to other areas of South Korea as a result of current tensions. Canadians should be vigilant, monitor ongoing developments, and follow the advice of local authorities.
Canadians are encouraged to maintain their level of readiness to cope with any emergency situation. It is recommended that:

you ensure that your travel documents, including your passport, are valid;
you have registered with the online Registry of Canadians Abroad (ROCA) and/or updated your registration with your latest information.

Please see the weblinks below for additional information:

Travel report-up-to-date information about Korea
http://www.voyage.gc.ca/countries_pays/report_rapport-eng.asp?id=153000

Registry of Canadians Abroad
https://www.voyage2.gc.ca/Registration_inscription/Register_Inscrire/Login_ouvrir-une-session-eng.aspx?fwd=true&hash=p0V4sJhYtXNnDsAOImpW8w6161

How to obtain a passport
http://www.canadainternational.gc.ca/korea-coree/consular_services_consulaires/passport-passeport.aspx?lang=eng

Emergency evacuation
http://www.canadainternational.gc.ca/korea-coree/consular_services_consulaires/emergency_plan_urgence.aspx?lang=eng

http://www.voyage.gc.ca/faq/evacuations-eng.asp

We hope that this information will be helpful to you,

Your Consular team
Embassy of Canada

16-1, Jeong-dong,
Jung-gu, CPO Box 6299,
Seoul, Korea 100-662

D Cube Tower (The centrepiece of D Cube City in Sindorim, Seoul)

Forget about Yeongdeungpo Times Square, this is one of the main reasons I want to stick around Seoul in the coming years. D³ City is one of those urban paradises we all come to Asia to see. They will have a huge art centre, ampitheatre, department store, and multiple massive office / apartment buildings in the complex which is next door to Sindorim Station (Line 1 / Line 2 transfer station), and across the tracks from our sad sad, Sindorim Technomart.

Here’s a layout of the site. Go through to the official site to get more graphics and click onto the rest of this post for more pictures I took today with my Galaxy A.

D Cube City site map

D Cube City under construction

Dorimcheon at Sindorim Station

(The soon to be overshadowed) Sindorim Technomart

If you’ve been around for a bit, you’ll know I have a thing for the graceful sounds of the Gayageum (가야금). Have a look at this older post, A little Beatles, Gayageum-style, to start your journey.

This next video, by all accounts, should be something I am opposed to, with modernisms such as breakdancing and beat boxing (I am pretty crotchety for a 25 year-old), but it works out well for an apartment complex advertisement.

The Sookmyung Gayageum Orchestra goes for it again with this ultra-modern Canon variation. Play it a few times and let it grow on you.

Canada’s non-response is almost definitely because we’re already spread thin in Afghanistan, but it did raise some curiosity in me. I’ve always wondered what exactly our military presence is here, and it turns out the Canadian military totals exactly… three (3). That would be a Colonel (an attaché with the UN Command), his assistant (a Sergeant), and a Major in the Korean Army Staff College (so says The Globe and Mail).

The briefing note indicates Canada’s military footprint in the Korean Peninsula today is very light. Canada’s defence attache to Seoul, a colonel, and his assistant, a sergeant, represent the country on the UNC. Canada’s defence attach in Tokyo represents Canada at the UNC’s “rear” headquarters in Japan. And Canada also contributes a major to the Korean Army Staff College.

Looking around, perhaps I have found the document which ties us (I think this is a good thing) and other members of the United Nations Command who took part in the Korean War to the defense of the peninsula.

“…We affirm, in the interests of world peace, that if there is a renewal of the armed attack, challenging again the principles of the United Nations, we should again be united and prompt to resist.”

Found on page 54 of
CANADA’S ARMY IN KOREA – THE UNITED NATIONS OPERATIONS, l950-53, AND THEIR AFTERMATH: A SHORT OFFICIAL ACCOUNT BY THE HISTORICAL SECTION, GENERAL STAFF, ARMY HEADQUARTERS, OTTAWA. 1956 (from the Department of National Defence Directorate of History and Heritage)

This was signed on June 28, 1953 by those members of the United Nations Command who were included therein by default after participation in the Korean War. Does this mean Canada will have a presence sometime in Korea? Probably not. While “it is not inconceivable” (ibid)  that we could see a Navy ship show up, for now it’s just strong condemnations from Mr H. Besides, with the US military’s foothold here, is Canada even needed?

Sources:

New Korean war could ensnare Canada, documents suggest (The Globe and Mail)

Fallen marines laid to rest (The Korea Herald)

S. Korea-U.S. drills begin in Yellow Sea, as China’s talks proposal gets cold response (Yonhap)

CANADA’S ARMY IN KOREA – THE UNITED NATIONS OPERATIONS, l950-53, AND THEIR AFTERMATH: A SHORT OFFICIAL ACCOUNT BY THE HISTORICAL SECTION, GENERAL STAFF, ARMY HEADQUARTERS, OTTAWA (Department of National Defence Directorate of History and Heritage)