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| Record high number of Chinese visitors, 20 teams at Jeju Wind Ensemble Festival, Lack of administrative support for Jeju Olle | |||||
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| Writer : | Elizabeth Holbrook | Date : | 2012-08-06 | Hit : | 379 |
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Record high number of Chinese visitors The number of Chinese tourists visiting the island hit a record high this year. According to the province, so far this year, the total number of Chinese visitors stood at roughly 573,000, which is twice the number from the same period last year. The number of Chinese tourists was 57,000 in 2000, 115,000 in 2005, and 400,000 in 2010. The total amount leaped to 570,000 last year, and is increasing steadily every year. The provincial government said if this trend continues, the number of Chinese visitors might surpass 800,000 by the end of the year.
20 teams at Jeju Wind Ensemble Festival The Jeju Students Cultural Center and the Korea Brass Association of Jeju hosted the Jeju Wind Ensemble Festival from August 4th through the 6th. A total of 20 teams, consisting of four elementary schools, one middle school, eight high schools and seven adult groups, participated in the festival. Attendees say the event this year felt more like a school brass band concert or a performance by amateur ensemble bands rather than a festival. A special interactive program was also held during the event, enabling visitors to look at, listen and play the instruments.
Some officials are pointing out the lack of administrative support for Jeju Olle walking paths, saying the trails bring significant economic benefits to the island. In a press release, (윤춘광) Yun Choon-gwang, a member of the Democratic United Party, said 1,090,000 people hiked along the trails in 2011 and estimated that Jeju gained 320 billion won in economic benefits. Yun stressed that the administrative budget for the paths is no more than 1.2 billion won and is mostly allocated for marketing. He added that only about 200 million won is set aside for the path’s facilities, which is more important than other details. Yun continued to point out there was no money set aside to improve the safety of the trails in 2011, and less than 50 million won has been allocated this year. He also states that some of the money has already been used to install first-aid kits at the trails and is not enough to guarantee overall safety for hikers.
Due to the scorching heat, indoor temperatures are high. This kind of small house downtown heats up easily because it isn't well insulated and it has poor ventilation. Sitting in the shade of a tree, this elderly man is fanning himself, but it's not enough to cool down. < Interview : Choi Dae-hyeon / Elderly person living alone> Recently, heat wave warnings have been issued and many local residents have collapsed with heat exhaustion. In July alone, six people received hospital treatment. The number of such patients is expected to increase this month. When exposed to high temperatures for a long time, people can easily develop thermal conditions such as heatstroke and heat cramps. The Jeju provincial government has strengthened its around-the-clock monitoring system of high-risk residents including the elderly living alone and laborers working outside. < Interview : Oh Jin-taek / Director, Public Health Dept. Jeju Government > The Jeju Fire Department has provided equipment including ice vests and ice packs to the emergency squads of each fire station. It's also started the Heat wave Emergency Squad. The Fire Department recommends that residents avoid outdoor activities from 12 pm to 6 pm. If people can't avoid being outside, they should be sure to get enough rest and drink lots of water. < Interview : Koh Yoon-mi / Iido 119 Center > As the heat continues, seniors and people with chronic diseases such as high blood pressure and cardiac disorders are reminded to be extra cautious. Jack Quin KCTV.
As the summer's sweltering heat continues, special swimming pools operated by community residents are gaining popularity. To attract more vacationers, pool operators are removing seasonal restaurants and banning the sale of alcoholic beverages around the pool. Bu Hye-seon reports.
The pool is filled with spring water, a national first. In recent years, a large amount of sand at the beach has been washed away so the number of visitors dwindled. But, the low priced fun of a pool with a big water slide coupled with the kindness of local residents has helped bring vacationers back to the beach. < Interview : Jeong Yong-woo, Hwang Mi-kyeong > Unlike other regions, this village has no beach. But thanks to the swimming pool built three years ago, the area has had more visitors every summer. The pool's merits are that its water comes from 60 meters underground and the fact that people can enjoy a view of the sea while swimming. < Interview : Hong Seong-ji, Hong Seong-yeon > With the increase of visitors, villagers are looking for ways to get them to revitalize the local economy. In this village, they removed the seasonal restaurants around the pool and banned selling alcoholic beverages. By doing so, their immediate income has dropped. But considering the fact that the main visitors to the pool are children, they wanted to make it child-friendly. < Interview : Kim In-jong > The villagers also plan to set up a campground in the parking lot around the swimming pool. Each village has its own unique character and facilities and when local villagers' make their best efforts the local economy benefits. Bu Hye-seon KCTV.
Turning to Arirang now, when thinking about the military, fashion is probably the last thing to come to mind. However, a recent military fashion show could be changing that perception. Arirang's Kim Hyun-bin reports.
It was an opportunity to showcase how military clothing can become everyday wear. The event's focus was to emphasize the history of military wear from past to present, as well as its eco-friendly aspects. All the outfits on display were derived from real military clothing donated by the Korean Army. The creative and imaginative designs that appeared on the runway were intended for people with an artistic taste in fashion. [INTERVIEW] Kaye Leigh/Design PD Nouveautes The models for this year's event consisted of active duty army soldiers. The new uniforms have mesh embedded in the fabric to give them a better flow during working hours and can easily be sealed for training outdoors. [Camera ] Chung Hong-jae
Cho Young-nam exhibition held through Sept. 2 Korean singer and pop artist (조영남) Cho Young-nam is holding an exhibition of his drawings at Laon Private Town gallery until September 2nd. Cho’s work revolves around artistically recreating Korean popular images. Some of his pieces on display include (화투) hwatu used for a Korean gambling card game, go boards and the Korean national flag called (태극기) Taegeukgi. A talk about Cho’s art and life will be open to visitors on August 11th at 5pm. Both the admission to the exhibition and the talk are free.
Crackdown on businesses wasting energy The city is cracking down on restaurants and stores doing business with their doors open and air conditioners running. In order to put an end to this energy wasting practice, The Jeju City municipal government has formed special investigation teams at each administrative district called '(읍) eup', '(면) myeon' and '(동) dong' in the city. Government officials say the businesses will receive a warning the first time caught, but if the policy is violated several times, the establishments could receive up to 3 million won in fines. The city, however, admits it will be flexible concerning restaurants and stores who have to keep their doors open in order to let smoke out.
Success in producing fry of shellfish A project on Jeju to produce fry of shellfish, which is the term for newly hatched fish, has been successful. The positive outcome is allowing Jeju to look at a possible future in the industry. The Korean Marine and Fisheries Institute in Jeju says it has recently succeeded in producing fry of short-neck clams from (오조리) Ohjo-ri and trough shells from (곽지) Gwakji. The institute says that 6 million fry of trough shells and 10 million short-neck clams have been produced and will be released into Jeju waters once grown to the proper extent. One kilogram of trough shells is traded at 40,000 won. The Jeju government expects the success of these projects to increase the income of fishermen and boost the tourism industry, as it will establish fishing grounds where the general public can experience marine life.
Details - Sculptures Date - Through August 28 Location - Jeju Museum of Contemporary Art
Details - Kim Yeong-cheol and 2 others Date - Through August 16 Location - Jeju Museum of Art
Details - 120+ artifacts Date - Through October 28 Location - Jeju National Museum
Details - Stories of Jeju female sea divers Date - Through September 25 Location - Halla Art Hall
Details - Over 100 kinds of lotus flowers Date - Until August 12 Location - Hallim Park
▶ Jeju Folklore and Natural History Museum is displaying photography of the island's marine life, gotjawal forests and other nature scenes through October 19th.
Detail - Local nature photos Date - Through October 19 Location - Jeju Folklore and Natural History Museum |
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| Links | http://www.kctvjeju.com/a/201208/120806n5.asx | ||||
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