World Students in Korea (WSK) Recruiting the 4th Batch

The Presidential Council on Nation Branding (PCNB) is recruiting the 4th batch of members for the program “World Students in Korea.”

“World Students in Korea” aims to provide international students in Korea with opportunities to experience Korea in a more organized, diverse, and involved manner and to promote cultural exchanges between Korea and the students’ home countries through blogs (web logs) run by the member students.

The 1st batch was launched in July 2009. Members participate in a variety of activities including camps, field trips, workshops, performances and other events.

1. Number of members sought :
Fifty (50)

2. Application Period :
October 11 (Mon) – October 31 (Sun) 2010

3. Eligibility
- International students (i.e. those who are currently enrolled in an educational institution(s) in Korea)
- Those who own and run a blog (*Those who do not are requested to open one prior to applying)
- Those who are interested in Korea’s industries and culture
- Those who speak Korean may be given priority in selection

4. Tenure
November 2010 – April 2011 (6 months)

5. Tasks
- Open and run an individual blog upon which students are to post contents (articles, photos, videos etc.) related to Korea
- Attend various workshops, field trips, and events hosted by the Council

6. Benefits
- Upon evaluation by the Council at the end of the tenure, students who have shown distinguished on- and offline activities will receive awards (e.g. A roundtrip flight ticket to home country for Grand Prize winner)
- Opportunities to attend diverse cultural events and performances related to Korea, or those hosted by the Council
- Media coverage (TV programs, interviews with newspapers, magazines etc.) regarding WSK activities and Korea

7. How to Apply
Via the Council’s official web site. Click the following link: http://www.koreabrand.net/html/en/embeddedform_4.html

8. Inquiries

Ms. Mi-Kyung Shin
International Cooperation Bureau
Presidential Council on Nation Branding
mkshin@koreabrand.go.kr
02-2280-2778

Mr. Young-Suk Lee
International Cooperation Bureau
Presidential Council on Nation Branding
gqlee@koreabrand.go.kr
02-2280-2724

Ms. Jung-A Lee
Culture, Tourism & Global Citizenship Bureau
Presidential Council on Nation Branding
brand@koreabrand.go.kr
02-2280-2745

Ms. Jin-Sook Lee
International Cooperation Bureau
Presidential Council on Nation Branding
milkyway@koreabrand.go.kr
02-2280-2736

*** For further information on the Presidential Council on Nation Branding, visit www.koreabrand.net

http://www.koreabrand.net/en/show/show_event_view.do?EVENT_SEQ=11&CATE_CD=0046






World Students in Korea (WSK)
제 4기 멤버 모집


대통령직속 기구인 국가브랜드위원회가 World Students in Korea 제 4기 멤버들을 모집합니다.

World Students in Korea는 한국에서 유학하고 있는 외국인 학생들에게 한국을 보다 다양하고 심도 있게 경험할 수 있는 기회의 장을 제공하며, 학생들이 운영하는 블로그를 통하여 한국과 학생들 자국 간의 관계를 더욱 돈독히 하는 데 목적을 두고 있는 프로그램입니다.

2009년 7월 제 1기가 선발되었고, 그간 캠프, 문화탐방, 공연관람, 워크숍, 간담회 등 다양한 체험과 활동이 있었습니다.

대한민국의 온라인 홍보대사로 활약하게 될 WSK 제 4기 모집에 외국인 유학생들의 많은 지원 바랍니다.

1. 모집 인원 : 50명

2. 모집 기간 : 2010년 10월 11일(월) – 10월 31일(일)

3. 지원 자격
- 외국인 유학생 (즉, 한국의 교육기관에 적을 두고 있는 외국인)
- 블로그 운영자 (*미개설자의 경우 신청 전까지 블로그 개설 필수)
- 한국어 구사 가능자 우선
- 한국의 문화 및 산업에 관심을 가지고 있는 사람

4. 활동 기간 : 2010년 11월 – 2011년 4월 (6개월)

5. 활 동
- 국가브랜드위원회 주최 캠프, 문화행사, 워크숍 등 참여
- 개인 블로그에 한국 관련 소식 소개

6. 특 전
- 활동기간 말 위원회 측에서 평가를 실시해 우수한 활동을 보인 학생들에게 소정의 상품을 수여 (대상: 모국으로의 왕복 항공권)
- 한국과 관련된 다양한 문화행사, 공연, 전시회 등에 참가 우선권 부여
- WSK 활동 및 한국에 대한 방송/신문 인터뷰 및 출연

7. 지원 접수
국가브랜드위원회 공식 웹사이트를 통한 직접 온라인 접수. 아래의 링크를 클릭하세요.
http://www.koreabrand.net/html/en/embeddedform_4.html

8. 문의 사항

신미경
국가브랜드위원회 대외협력국
mkshin@koreabrand.go.kr
02-2280-2778

이영석
국가브랜드위원회 대외협력국
gqlee@koreabrand.go.kr
02-2280-2724

이정아
국가브랜드위원회 문화시민국
brand@koreabrand.go.kr
02-2280-2745

이진숙
국가브랜드위원회 대외협력국
milkyway@koreabrand.go.kr
02-2280-2736

*** 국가브랜드위원회 공식 웹사이트: www.koreabrand.net

2010 Bucheon World Intangible Cultural Heritage Expo

The Expo aims to provide its citizens with a variety of programs that are loaded with fun events that seamlessly blend traditional and modern art, as well as providing an educational juxtaposition of the Oriental and Western cultures. The programs include diverse traditional arts performances, exhibits of famous Korean and foreign artists, as well as public demonstration and experience programs.

- Period : September 28 – October 12, 2010
- Venue : Bucheon Visual Cultural Complex, Gyeonggi-do
- Theme : Discovering the Future in Tradition

For detail information http://www.bucheonexpo.org/index_eng.php

Hi Seoul Festival 2010

Teams and individuals from 13 countries, including France, Australia and Spain will present spectacular shows under the theme of “Non-verbal Performances.” There will be a firework event on the eve of the festival on October 1.

- Period : October 2 – October 10, 2010
- Venue : All over the city of Seoul (mainly around Han River areas)
- Theme : Non-verbal Performances

For more information http://english.hiseoulfest.org/2010/src/hsf/HSFIntroduction.asp

A New Better Way to Make Korean Rice Cake

http://eventdaum.daum.net/ribbonevent_20100915/

I love traditional Korean rice cakes (called “tteok”). Some people eat rice cakes in the morning as a grab-and-go breakfast while some others eat them to lose weight as a dietary food. These days, there are so many new kinds of rice cake, made from some unusual ingredients with new techniques.

I’d say the most appealing thing about rice cake is its texture, its soft chewiness. And thus, one of the most baffling things about tteok is that they lose its signature chewiness so fast. You buy some nice chunks of tteok in the evening on your way home from work, and the next morning you find them gone all hard and dry. Hard and dry, that’s not rice cake anymore. I bet you all have this sad experience.

And here is some good news for you! A new technique has been developed that can make tteok that preserves its chewiness for a long, long time.

No more hardened rice cake

Korea’s Rural Development Administration (RDA) developed a manufacture technique that prevents rice cake from going hard and dry. With this new recipe that involves no chemical processing or additive whatsoever, you can now enjoy the soft chewiness of rice cake for a long, long time. They call it “miracle” rice cakes since if you store them in the fridge, once defrozen they will restore their original chewy texture but completely.

Rice cake developed by Korea’s Rural Development Administration (RDA)
RDA developed a manufacture technique that prevents rice cake from going hard and dry


According to RDA, the soft, moist, chewy texture comes from beating rice cake a numerous number of times which produces microscopic, elaborate structures within. And RDA managed to convert this beating into an exacting, scientific process.

In Korea, rice cake is a “must” item at special feasts like holidays, birthdays, kick-off ceremonies etc. And since rice cakes turn hard and dry so easily, tteok manufactures, when there is a large order, have to wake up at the break of dawn and start making rice cake right on the day it’s needed; they can’t do it earlier. That sure is a tough labor. Also, rice cake’s poor durability and difficult storage has been detaining vitalization of the tteok industry. But now with the new technique, things will start looking up, including increased rice consumption.


Time for rice cake to go global

Now that we’re striving for globalization of Korean food, rice cake can be one of the key items, especially with the new technique. Compared to bread, rice cake is healthier, more digestible, and can fill up your stomach. With the new technique, RDA announced that they’re expecting to generate1.3 trillion won worth of economic value. They plan to get the technique (which they named “cool tteok recipe”) patented soon and start putting it to practical use.

Let’s look forward to days when rice cake will be more popular than bread!

Korea’s Online Procurement System Going Abroad

The Public Procurement Service (PPS) is one of Korea’s central administrative bodies that provides public institutions with materials, facilities and services from supplying companies that they need. With the rapid spread of the Internet and Korea’s advanced level of Information Technology, the nation’s procurement system, also, is going online. Furthermore, a growing number of developing countries where issues of budget waste, lack of transparency and corruption are considerable are trying to import! and benchmark Korea’s online e-procurement system.
Korea’s online e-procurement system


Procurement officials overseas visit Korea to learn

Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA) conducted a training program “Public Procurement System Establishment” for 18 participants from 8 countries including Uzbekistan, Egypt, Morocco, Ghana, Tunisia, Senegal, Cote d’Ivoire, and Uganda. From September 2 to 18, the participating officials took various courses on the strategy for establishing the e-Government and e-Procurement system.


Costa Rica imports Korea’s e-procurement system

Costa Rica’s e-procurement system which opened in July 2009 was constructed by Samsung SDS for USD 8.3 million. Recently, a total of 9 systems were launched including the electronic bidding, security/authentication, electronic contracts, electronic payments, electronic documents, document distribution and others. Samsung will support the operation until December and then transfer the controls over to ICE (Instituto Costarricense de Electricidad).
Samsung SDS and Costa Rica’s ceremony


With the introduction of the system, the Costa Rican government will be able to operate efficiently through integration, standardization of procurements. Also, it is expected to contribute to the transparency of procurement and the efficiency of the bidding companies.

Laura Chinchilla, President of Costa Rica said, “I am very pleased because the e-procurement system improves the efficiency of public institutions and provides high-quality services of government agencies; it provides equal benefits to all the citizens.” She also thanked South Korea’s embassies and Samsung SDS for their efforts in making the successful launch.

Through the project to spread Korean online procurement system to foreign countries, Korea’s software and IT consulting companies are accumulating their know-how on overseas projects and improving their international competitiveness. Also, efforts are being made to make the Korean e-procurement system a global standard.

Not so many people are aware Korea has an advanced procurement system like this. Promoting it to the world must surely be a way to raise Korea’s brand value!