London Korean Links

Covering things Korean in London and beyond since 2006

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Selected publications

Death of the worlds oldest company

A Japanese company which, according to the Chosun Ilbo, has its roots in Korea, is to go into liquidation in January 2007. The company, temple builder Kongo Gumi, was founded in 578. Links: Family Business list of the world’s oldest companies Time Magazine article (Feb 2004) Kongo Gumi website [Read More]

Alternative takes on Independence Day

The Chosun Ilbo provides some interesting alternative takes on Independence Day. It’s not just the day that Koizumi visited the Yasukuni shrine again, or when Koreans held anti-American demonstrations. First, the event was marked in Japan, as it has for the past 16 years, by a “Concert for Peace” given by the Tokyo Phil, this … [Read More]

DPRK: Japan and the abduction issue

It’s been a while since I last received a copy of the DPRK e-bulletin. Here’s the latest one. The related BBC story is here. DPRK FM Spokesman Exposes Japan’s Moves to Internationalize “Abduction Issue” Pyongyang, June 13 (KCNA) — A spokesman for the DPRK Foreign Ministry issued a statement on June 13 as regards the … [Read More]

Book Review: Admiral Yi Sun-sin

Admiral Yi Sun-sin: A brief overview of his life and achievements Korean Spirit and Culture Promotion Project, 2006 A quick and easy read setting out the achievements of Admiral Yi in the Imjin war against Japan. As well as telling Yi’s story (sometimes using Yi’s own war diary and memorials to the throne), the book … [Read More]

Admiral Yi enters cyberspace in history book fightback

The Admiral who gave the Japanese a bloody nose in the Imjin War has no fewer than three websites to his name: www.koreanischerheld.com exclusively for German readership, www.koreanpatriot.net for a multilingual audience (including English), and www.koreanhero.net which is an html version of a glossy book on his achievements. He himself can be contacted, through some timewarp … [Read More]

Conspiracy theories

Tom Coyner has a mischievous speculation in one of his recent email news updates. I sometimes wonder if Pres Roh and PM Koizumi have these gentleman agreements, off the record of course, that allow each of them to act ridiculous so as to pander to local politics while knowing that the other politician is giving … [Read More]

DPRK embassy e-bulletin 7 April 2006: Dokdo

The text of a release circulated by the DPRK Embassy in London yesterday: DPRK Foreign Ministry’s Spokesman Slams Japan’s Claim to Tok Islet Pyongyang, April 6 (KCNA) — A spokesman for the DPRK Foreign Ministry in a statement issued on April 6 accused the Japanese authorities of recently allowing the description of Tok Islet as … [Read More]

Pyongyang declaration

PYONGYANG, Sept. 17 Kyodo The following is the full text of the Japan-North Korea Pyongyang Declaration issued Tuesday after a summit meeting between Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi and Kim Jong Il, leader of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK). Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi and Chairman Kim Jong Il of the DPRK National … [Read More]