Skirmish Intent and Massive Exam

Following up on Tuesday naval showdown off the coast of Incheon is an article in the Washington Post on Thursday. In it, the North claims the South purposely provoked them, and that the South would pay for their actions.

Here's the issue. The North and South both blame each other for crossing the Northern Limit Line (NLL). The NLL was set in 1953 by the U.S. Military. But the North never agreed on it, apparently.

I know we have all these satellite technology and global location systems available, but it can't be that easy to know where this line is. There's not going to be a billboard 200 kilometers out in the ocean warning all trespassers to turn back.

Also, both North and South Korea have guidelines that their soldiers are to shoot first, ask later, when anyone crosses a border.

Did the South provoke the North? I don't think so. Did the North cross on purpose (if it was indeed the North who crossed)? I doubt it. It's just a case of sibling rivalry ... with missiles.

Check out the story here.



Also in the news right now is that the biggest test day in a Korean's life happened on Thursday. Nearly 700,000 students took time out of their schedules for a 9-hour long university entrance exam.

It's pretty ridiculous the lengths they go to to make sure the day runs smoothly.

From the story:

'The test, which is given once a year, largely determines a young person's future. It is so important that aircraft are barred from flying near the test site, and the workday begins an hour late, to prevent traffic jams that might make students late.

A police officer on a motorbike could be seen escorting a tardy student to Bosung Girls High School, one of more than 1,100 exam locations throughout the country. On the cold and windy morning, a mother shouted words of encouragement to her daughter. Other parents stood outside a gate holding coffee cups, and watching as students ran to their tests.'

Regardless of how ridiculous it appears, this test means almost everything for students' futures in this country. That means the government is also on suicide alert right now. Every year, reports come out about students killing themselves over these tests.

I met my InHa University friends tonight. Cassie told me a girl killed herself already. I didn't know if that was just hearsay, but it's in this newspaper article.

From the story again:

'The pressure of this test can have tragic consequences. Every year, there are reports of stressed students taking their lives, including a 19-year-old student who jumped to his death early Thursday.'

Check out the full story here.

Of all the things in Korean culture I mock or get frustrated about, this one is near the top. This country's government and parents put so much pressure on the students that they are killing themselves at the third highest rate in the 30-country member OECD.

I understand that not all the suicides have to do with the tests and school work and studying. But my thought is that the low quality of life idea starts when they have their spirits broken early on, and that spirit never gets fixed. It just sucks.

I'd file this under "For the birds," but it's just not funny.