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This page is graphically intense with long load times due to photos. However, the photos and narratives by the men who served at Osan Air Base makes the wait well worthwhile. The opinions expressed are those of the author and in no way represents any official statement of Osan AB or the USAF.

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If you wish to listen to some golden oldies from 1940s-1990s, click on the selection on the list below. There are about 80 full-length songs to choose from. (NOTE: Song audio degraded due to space limitations, but adequate for computer listening.) Click For Music 1940s: Billie Holiday_As Time Goes By 1940s: Kate Smith_God Bless America 1940s: Mills Brothers_Glow Worm 1950s: Big Bopper_Chantilly Lace 1950s: Bill Haley Comets_Youre Never Too Old To Rock 1950s: Coasters_Yakety Yak 1950s: Danny And TheJuniors_At The Hop 1950s: Del Shannon_Handyman 1950s: Doris Day_By The Light Of The Silvery Moon 1950s: Fats Domino_I Hear You Knockin 1950s: Freddie Canon_Palisades Park 1950s: Nat King Cole_Ramblin Rose 1950s: Pat Boone_Love Letters In The Sand 1950s: Red Skelton_Pledge Of Allegiance 1950s: Ricky Nelson_Listen To The Rhythm Of The Falling Rain 1950s: Ritchie Valens_Boney Maronie 1950s: Ritchie Valens_Donna 1950s: Ritchie Valens_LaBamba 1960s: Beach Boys_Surfin USA 1960s: Beach Boys_Barbara Ann 1960s: Beatles_Strawberry Fields Forever 1960s: Bobby Vee_Go Away Little Girl 1960s: Chubby Checker_The Twist 1960s: Chuck Berry_Johnny Be Good 1960s: Crosby Stills Nash_Teach Your Children 1960s: Dean Martin_Make The World Go Away 1960s: Elvis Presley_Blue Suede Shoes 1960s: Elvis Presley_Love Me Tender 1960s: Harry Belafonte_Day O 1960s: James Darren_Goodbye Cruel World 1960s: Johnny Mathis_Chances Are 1960s: Kingsman_Louie Louie 1960s: Marcels_Blue Moon 1960s: Marvin Gaye_Lets Get It On 1960s: Paul Anka_Put Your Head On My Shoulder 1960s: Harry Belafonte_Day O 1960s: Righteous Brothers_Youve Lost That Loving Feeling 1960s: Johnny Mathis_Chances Are 1960s: Peter Paul Mary_The Marvelous Toy 1960s: Roy Orbison_Only The Lonely 1960s: Roy Orbison_Pretty Woman 1960s: Sam The Sham_Wooly Bully 1960s: Shirelles_Soldier Boy 1960s: Silhouettes_Get AJ ob 1960s: Simon And Garfunkel_Bridge Over Troubled Waters 1960s: Thunderbirds_Hippy Hippy Shake 1960s: Tony Bennett_San Francisco 1960s: Ventures_Apache 1970s: Bette Midler_The Rose 1970s: Cher_If I Could Turn Back Time 1970s: Commodores_Three Times A Lady 1970s: Crystal Gayle_Ill Do It All Over Again 1970s: Dione Warwick_Ill Never Love This Way Again 1970s: Engelbert Humperdink_Release Me 1950s: Fleetwoods_Mr Blue 1970s: Lovin Spoonful_Rain On The Roof 1970s: Mamas And Papas_Age Of Aquarius 1970s: Mamas And Papas_California Dreaming 1970s: Mamas And Papas_Monday Monday 1970s: Tina Turner_Whats Love Got To Do With It 1970s: Tony Orlando And Dawn_Tie A Yellow Ribbon 1970s: Troggs_Wild Thing 1980s: Aaron Neville Linda Ronstadt_All My Life 1980s: Bruce Springsteen_Born In The USA 1980s: Kenny Loggins_Footloose 1980s: Kim Carnes_Betty Davis Eyes 1980s: Kris Kristofferson_Loving Her Was Easier 1980s: Lee Greenwood_God Bless The USA 1980s: LindaRonstadt_Desperado 1980s: Linda Ronstadt_Thatll Be The Day 1980s: Marie Osmond Dan Seals_Meet Me In Montana 1980s: Michael Jackson_Billie Jean 1980s: Michael Jackson_You Are Not Alone 1980s: Michael Jackson And Friends_We Are The World 1980s: Michael Jackson_Ill Be There 1980s: Phil Collins_In The Air Tonight 1980s: Ricky Nelson_Garden Party 1980s: Ronnie Milsap_Lost In The 50s Tonight 1990s: Kenny G_Auld Lang Syne 1990s: Luther Vandross_Id Rather 1990s: Ricky Martin_Livin La Vida Loca Free JavaScripts provided by The JavaScript Source

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OSAN AIR BASE AND THE SONGTAN AREA 2007

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RETURN TO MAIN TABLE OF CONTENTS

1970s View of Osan AB (USAF Photo)

SONGTAN EVENTS

January 2007

First Snow of 2007 (Jan 2007) The first snows of winter was in Dec 2006, but the first snow of 2007 was not as heavy and fell on 6 Jan. According to Yonhap News, heavy snows pounded South Korea on Saturday, disrupting air flights and snarling traffic in major cities. Seoul received 7.1 centimeters of snow as of noon, while Jinburyeong in the mountainous eastern Gangwon Province registered the largest snowfall of 15 centimeters, officials at the Korea Meteorological Administration (KMA) said.


Songtan First Heavy Snow (16 Dec 2006) (Frank Schreier)



The 6 Jan snowfall caused the cancellation of 38 domestic and international flights and delayed numerous flights at major airports in South Korea, airport officials said. Most of the ferry services to islands off the western and southern coasts were also suspended due to massive snowfall and high winds.

A number of traffic accidents were reported throughout South Korea, but there have been no immediate reports of death or serious injuries related to the snowfall, police said. The KMA issued snow advisories for Seoul and most regions in the western and southern provinces, and forecast more snow through 7 Jan.

In Songtan the snow was relatively light and caused no disruptions. However, the wind dropped the wind chill way down. Went down in the afternoon to change some telephone paperwork and had some tokbokki (rice cake and ramien) at a small shop near Songtan Girls Middle & High School -- cheap and filling (two people 6,000 won). From the restaurant, we watched as the traffic didn't reduce speeds. However, when I drove out to the Jinwi area to test out the reception on a portable TV in the back areas, the wind was a factor as the unimpeded gust from the open rice fields was blowing snow across the back roads and one could feel the gusts push the car sideways at places. Not good driving conditions. In all, the weather was simply a minor inconvenience.


First Snow in 2007: Getting a meal in Songtan (Jan 2007) (Kalani O'Sullivan)


First Snow in 2007: Light Dusting down near City Hall (Jan 2007) (Kalani O'Sullivan)


First Snow in 2007: Rice fields near Jinwi (Jan 2007) (Kalani O'Sullivan)

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Heavy snow on 27 Jan (Jan 2007) A cold snap hit the nation, dropping morning temperatures to minus seven degrees Celsius and the daytime temperature to minus two degrees Celsius, said the Korea Meteorological Administration. With snow that started falling on 26 Jan, the forecast was for about five to 10 millimeters of rain fell on Seoul, Gyeonggi, Gangwon and Jeolla provinces. When it fell in Songtan, it was very pretty, but as soon as it stopped, the snow started to melt off. The forecast for heavy snows throughout the country, but it never materialized. The weather administration issued a heavy snow warning, saying Seoul and the nation’s central regions could see up to 10 centimeters (3.9 inches) of snowfall, but ended up with egg on its face. In Seoul, only 0.1 millimeters of sleet fell. Incheon and Suwon had no more than 1 centimeter of snow. The Jeolla provinces and South Chungcheong province received up to 8 centimeters.

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Yellow Dust Early (Jan 2007) According to the Stars and Stripes on 19 Jan 2007, "dust levels in most areas had settled under 100 parts per million in a cubic meter of air, which the 18th Medical Command rates as only a “moderate” level of health concern. Levels above 151 parts per million per cubic meter of air are considered unhealthy ... On Tuesday and Wednesday, the following levels were recorded: Camp Bonifas/Warrior Base: 263. Kunsan Air Base: 211. Osan Air Base/Camp Humphreys: 201. Yongsan Garrison: 183. Camp Walker/Camp Carroll: 154. Camp Red Cloud/Camp Casey: 151. Camp Long/Camp Eagle: 116. Chinhae Naval Base: 102. "

The yellow dust that causes annual health concerns has returned early this year but in lower quantities than last spring’s storms. Higher January dust levels are relatively new but no longer unusual. A Korean Meteorological Association spokesman said Koreans do not consider the winter dust storms to be the same as the hwangsa, the yellow dust storm that plagues South Korea in the spring. Therefore, the Korean dailies reported it as "toxic dust" -- not "yellow dust" -- from China blaming warmer temperatures and weak winds to dissipate the dust.

According to the 18th Medical Command, in practical terms, they are the same. The current particulates are fine dust bound with heavy metals and pollutants. “Strong surface winds uplift dust from the dry, desert regions of China and Mongolia and transport the dust to the Korean peninsula,” Lund said, adding that winds also can transport the dust to Japan and farther east.

But the weak winds, warmer middays and lack of rain, which trap the dust on the peninsula, likely will continue, Kim said. People with asthma, heart disease, the young and the elderly should be especially mindful of dust levels, officials said.

The Atmosphere Policy Division of the South Korean Ministry of Environment did not put out an advisory or publish any official research regarding toxic dust during winter -- even though Warrior Base, Kunsan Air Base, Osan Air Base and Camp Humphreys all exceeded 200 parts per million, which the 18th Medical Command calls "very unhealthy." Levels above 151 parts per million per cubic meter of air are considered unhealthy and call for reducing all prolonged or heavy exertion. Yellow dust hits peninsula for First Time in 2007 (Feb 2007) South Korea was hit by a yellow dust storm on February 14. "Yellow dust, which originated from Neimeng and Manchuria in China, came through North Korea and was detected in Seoul, Dongducheon, Munsan, Suwon, and on Baekryeong Island," the Korea Meteorological Agency said. In Seoul and Dongducheon, the sandstorm started at 1:20 p.m. and 1:40 p.m., respectively, thought its density was not enough to cause serious health problems, forecasters said. According to the World Meteorological Organization, such dust storms tint the sky a yellowish hue and render visibility poor. "The yellow dust storm this time resulted from dust that originated from Manchuria," a forecaster at the meteorological agency said.

Yellow dust aggravates bronchitis and causes pinkeye, sinusitis, ear infections and respiratory problems. The dust also carries heavy metals from Chinese factories, according to South Korean and U.S. officials. (Source: Stars and Stripes.) (SITE NOTE: Along with the yellow dust there is a prevalence of fog as moisture precipitates around the floating dust particles. The Osan area has lots of fog in spring, but in 2007 longtime residents said the fog was getting denser.)

Heaviest Yellow Dust Hits Korea (Apr 2007) South Korea's weather officials issued a yellow dust alarm for most of the nation on 1 April as the worst-of-the-year yellow dust hit South Korea. The yellow dust warning was issued for most of the nation except for southern regions such as North and South Jeolla provinces and the southern island of Jeju, according to the Korea Meteorological Administration (KMA). In those less-affected areas, the KMA issued a dust advisory. Visibility in Seoul was only 3 kilometers as the heavy dust hit the capital city, compared with a more than 10-kilometer range in clear weather. In the southeastern port city of Busan, the range was 2 kilometers, while the range was only 1 kilometer in Ulsan. According to the weather agency, the dust originated from the Gobi desert in Mongolia and northern China and had advanced to South Korea as low atmospheric pressure moved eastward. It was the fourth time that the yellow dust warning had been issued in the capital city. The first warning was issued on March 21-22, 2002, while the latest one came on April 8-9, 2006. As the first-ever nationwide alert against yellow dust was issued, the Education Ministry issued guidelines for schools to adjust their schedules and even to consider temporary closure. (Source: Yonhap News.) The warnings were lowered to dust advisories for Seoul, Incheon and Gyeonggi Province as of 5 p.m.


Yellow Dust Storm: Yeouido, Seoul (1 Apr 2007) (Joongang Ilbo)

Four pro-baseball games around the nation were canceled, and yesterday the Education Ministry ordered public schools to adjust class schedules or shut down today if necessary. The Seoul city government said it would wash the streets. The dust also meant losses for industries, though no immediate estimate was given. Factories producing semiconductors, liquid crystal displays and plasma display panels were alarmed. “As soon as we were informed of the dust storm warning, we changed the filters in the air supply ducts for all clean rooms,” an official with Samsung Electronics said. “We doubled the 15-second air shower period before entering clean rooms. We’ve been battling against the yellow dust all weekend.” Shipbuilders had to postpone outdoor painting, and automakers said they will have to wash cars waiting to be shipped at docks before exporting them. Remembering the 200 canceled flights during the 2002 storms, airlines were concerned about additional maintenance and cleaning costs. (Source: Joongang Ilbo.)

In Songtan, the air actually looked like really bad -- like looking through a dusty window. On 1 Apr, it looked almost like there was a large brush fire in the area -- that was how gloomy the skies were. The weather warning was for limited activity and outdoor activities were not recommended. The ROKAF guards at the Osan AB gates were all wearing their surgical masks. For the past week, we had had dust conditions accompanied by rain. I didn't even bother going to wash the car for the past week as everything turned into a "mud bath." Luckily the rain continued and washed most of the muck off the car, but our white car was streaked and looking really bad. When I used the windshield wipers, it left the windshields streaked.

Yellow Dust in May Yellow dust incidents were also experienced in May with the USFK issuing warnings. Rainfall washed the yellow dust from the air. The incidents lasted only a day or two with the typical red sunrises and the aftermath of residue in the parking lots that looked like yellow paint spills. The intensity though was not as great as that in April when the effects were visually noticable at short distances.

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February 2007

Gaming Establishments Go on in Songtan (Feb 2007) (See PC Bang Gambling Newest Craze (Jun-Sep 2006) for background between Jun-Sep 2006 of the gambling scandal.) In Songtan, the gambling arcades -PC slot machines continue on. Some establishments folded initially after the crack down. However, soon others were sprouting up in their place.


(L) "Seongin PC Game" room in Songbuk-dong with video poker and go-stop. Still in operation in 2007. (R) "BiBa" Adult PC Room in Shinjang-1 dong. Went out of business after crackdown. (NOTE: Reopened in Jun 2007) (Aug 2006) (Kalani O'Sullivan)


Adult-only PC Bang near the Express Bus Terminal (July 2006) (Boram O'Sullivan) (SITE NOTE: This gambling arcade disappeared right after the crack down on arcades. It is now a flower shop in May 2007.)


(L) Burned out Computerized Horse-racing establishment near the Rail Spur on Plaza Road (June 2006) (Kalani O'Sullivan) (SITE NOTE: The heat of the fire was so intense that the ceiling melted and the glass windows exploded outward. By July the place was being refitted as another virtual horse racing gambling establishment, "Wild West".) (R) Wild West Grand Opening (Aug 2006) (Kalani O'Sullivan) By Feb 2007, the place was closed after the police crackdown. As of Jul 2007, there were signs pasted on the doors saying the place is closed. However, people were entering and leaving the establishment, so it is not empty.)

According to the the National Intelligence Service, the illegal gambling market amounts to about 8.8 trillion won a year, with 5 trillion won from about 20,000 adult-only arcades, 3.6 trillion won from about 10,000 PC game parlors and 2 trillion won from about 500 illegal casino bars. Also through gift certificates illegally exchanged for cash, the adult-only arcades make 4.5 trillion won a year, along with 4.3 trillion in PC game parlors. It is illegal to exchange gift certificates for cash at the arcades, but the practice is widely carried out as arcade owners receive up to 10 percent of the exchanged amount for a commission. With these types of numbers, it is apparent that there is a serious gambling problem in Korea -- and Songtan is simply one spot on the Korean map. This is a nationwide problem.

Prosecutors said on 22 Feb they had arrested 45 people and indicted 108 without detention in connection with an illegal arcade gaming scandal that erupted last year. The Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office yesterday announced the results of its six-month probe into the "Sea Story" scandal, involving lawmakers, high-ranking government officials, gang members, arcade businesspeople and gift certificate issuers.

A popular video slot game, "The Sea Story" was outlawed last year because arcades were found to be rigging the machines to raise betting stakes above the legal limit. Prosecutors then launched extraordinary investigations after realizing many other gaming machines were also operated illegally across the nation.

Rep. Kim Jae-hong of the governing Uri Party was recently indicted without detention on charges of receiving 30 million won ($31,000) between last May and June from an arcade businessman in favor of influencing legislation to benefit the game industry. Prosecutors have questioned 2,200 people, brought charges against a total of 153 people for the scandal, and sought to retrieve 137.7 billion won in revenues that were earned through illegal activities.

However, prosecutors have cleared Rep. Cho Sung-rai of the Uri Party, former Culture Minister Chung Dong-chea, and Rep. Park Hyeong-joon of the main opposition Grand National Party, of any wrong doing. Park was accused of receiving kickbacks from the same businessman who lobbied Kim, but prosecutors said it was hard to prove that the kickbacks were in return for favors.

Prosecutors said in a statement that despite Chung's mismanagement of his subordinates and his role in letting illegal gaming machines spread nationwide, he should not be charged with dereliction of his duty. Chung formerly led the Culture Ministry between July 2004 and March 2006. Prosecutors also judged that Cho had personally invested in gift certificate issuing companies, which distributed vouchers that were illegally used as winning chips to nationwide arcades. In 2005, the government selected 19 companies and allowed them exclusive rights to distribute the gift certificates in gaming rooms across the nation, and officials of 17 companies have received criminal charges.

According to the National Intelligence Service, the illegal gambling market amounts to about 8.8 trillion won a year, with 5 trillion won from about 20,000 adult-only arcades, 3.6 trillion won from about 10,000 PC game parlors and 2 trillion won from about 500 illegal casino bars. Also through gift certificates illegally exchanged for cash, the adult-only arcades make 4.5 trillion won a year, along with 4.3 trillion in PC game parlors. It is illegal to exchange gift certificates for cash at the arcades, but the practice is widely carried out as arcade owners receive up to 10 percent of the exchanged amount for a commission.

The prosecution declared it would continue to crack down the illegal gaming industry and investigate some politicians and government officials who are suspected of receiving illegal kickbacks. (Source: Korea Herald.)

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March 2007

Strange Weather: Feb-Mar 2007 The weather in February was unseasonably warm and the Korean Meterological Administration declared winter over as the warm (early spring) temperatures would continue throughout February. In fact the weather was the warmest winter in a hundred years. In March, this posed a problem as many cities that had time their flowering festivals for spring were upset because the flowers were blooming early. I never got a chance to wear my wool overcoat and heavy sweaters, and was getting ready to put them away when the cold snap hit.

But just as the KMA had erred before, it did it again by declaring winter over. The weather remained wet and drizzly at the beginning of March -- and then on the 5th there were light snow flurries, but nothing sticking -- just the biting wind. Due to strong winds with heavy rain and snow across the nation for two days on March 4 and 5, damage was caused including the breakdown of ships and facilities and the suspension of airplane services. On the west coast, because all service of regular passenger ships and excursion ships were closed, 51 sea routes were shut and 74 ships were tied up at harbors. On 5 Mar a cold spell gripped South Korea with the mercury hovering below zero degrees Celsius. Suwon registered about minus 5C (23F).

The morning low on the 6 Mar was -7C, but the wind chill made it feel even worse. Other parts of the peninsula also had chilly weather -- minus 13.4 degrees in Taegwallyong, minus 11.5 degrees in Taebaek, minus 8.6 degrees in Chechon, minus 7 degrees in Kanghwa, minus 5.7 degrees in Kumsan and minus 2.7 degrees in Pusan. Along with the chill, yellow dust blew across the nation with Kanghwa in Kyonggi Province recording a dust density of 355 micrograms per cubic meter. ``It is the third time this year that Korea has had yellow dust. The dust from the northwest mainly hit the western parts of the peninsula,'' a meteorologist said.

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Korea poor protector of property rights: DVD Sales at Shinjang Mall Still Booming (Mar 2007) Korea lags far behind advanced countries in the protection of property rights, an international survey showed yesterday. According to the Property Rights Alliance, Korea received a score of 5.8 out of possible 10, and ranked 25th among 70 nations in its international property rights index. Norway ranked first with a score of 8.3, with the majority of advanced economies in the top 20. In Asia, Singapore, Japan and Hong Kong were notches ahead of Korea, all ranking between 12th and 17th.

The property rights index is the first international comparative study to measure the significance of both physical and intellectual property rights and their protection for economic well-being. The Center for Free Enterprise, a Seoul-based institute, took part in the survey from Korea. While Korea received a relatively poor score of 4.9 in the legal and political environment category, it fared well in the protection of intellectual property rights. "The study shows that Korea needs to improve the legal and political setting to better protect property rights," the CFE said in a statement. (Source: Korea Herald.)

What this actually means is that the ROK is still a rip-off heaven. Korea continues to be sued over infringements of intellectual property rights. Its "legal and political setting" fosters an environment which allows copyright infringements to exist -- though it has all the laws in place to prevent it. The police or prosecutor's office will enforce the law -- when it is brought to their attention through informants. The informants only collect on the reward if there is a conviction -- but are expected to follow the case and apply after the prosecutors get an indictment or settle out-of-court. This defeats the purpose of the law. There seems to be an uneven enforcement of the law -- and many feel it is used simply as a form of retribution to eliminate the competition.

The Korean Intellectual Property Office offers rewards to those who report factories churning out fake goods. The agency said it would offer a reward of up to 10 million won ($9,920) for reports to agency officials, the police or local prosecutors of persons who produce or sell knockoff handbags, shoes or other products without the permission of the copyright holders. In 2006, a recipient, whose name was legally protected, reported two domestic companies that manufacture replicas, including handbags, belts and watches, of brand products that included those by Louis Vuitton, Chanel, Gucci, Prada and Rolex. The counterfeiters were indicted. Rewards have a limit of 10 million won for reporting manufacturers or distributors of fake goods worth over 30 billion won in aggregate. But the office is not making the rewards particularly easy to collect. Those reporting fake goods are expected to follow the progress of the case, and can apply for rewards only after the prosecution issues an indictment or settles a case with a suspended indictment, the latter an out-of-court settlement. An application for the reward can be made only within three months of one of those two actions by prosecutors. (Source: Joongang Ilbo.)

The life-blood of most embroidery shops was endangered, but no massive crackdown followed. It has remained business as usual. The rip-off copies of jackets and other paraphernalia sell for 75 percent what the authorized logos items cost. At times, you can pick them up for $10 on sale with "official" NFL labels and all -- but usually because the individual on the jersey has been traded to another team. But a word of caution: Don't try to sell these rip-offs jerseys over the internet and use the military postal system to ship them. One airman last year lost his stripes and was booted out of the service for doing this -- after being warned to stop. They are definitely a good deal and to be truthful, most customs into the US do NOT check the items if it is for personal use. It is those individuals who are selling for profit or shipping in bulk that they go after.

Everything from Gucci bags to fake RayBan glasses are available on Shinjang Mall. We were a bit perturbed when we bought a REAL RayBan sunglasses at the BX for around $120 -- and then bought a fake one on the Mall for $10 -- and probably paid too much. But what fascinated us was that it was an exact copy down to the etched "RB" on the lens -- though it didn't come with the RayBan case. There are bargains in rip-offs still to be had on the Mall. But these rip-offs are not only on Shinjang Mall but also seen in the concession area of the BX, but at about double the price of Shinjang Mall.

The DVD sellers on Shinjang Mall still keep on a partial amount of their stock on the mall -- with the remainder of their stock hidden in a side shop or a car secreted on a sidestreet. This is in case someone decided to "finger" them to the police. The raid would only confiscate only a portion of their stock. "Mike" a seller on the mall was targeted by the police and is now out of business -- and soon replaced by another seller. There are currently three DVD sellers on the mall and business must be good because one has added on staff to help sales.


Shinjang Mall near Main Gate. The DVD sellers a short distance beyond the toy stall. (Unknown)

However, the sale of pirated DVDs continues -- with three DVD sellers on the Mall and multiple shops selling them in shops off the mall. We have developed a love of these pirated DVDs that we can throw away if terrible, but keepers if good. Also the Korea DVDs make excellent gifts to Korean expats living in England or Europe as there are few Koreans except in the major cities. I sent about a $100 worth of these Korean DVDs to my "daughter" in England because where she lives with her husband and son is up near the Scotland border and there are NO Korean anything up there.

Most of the DVDs are so-so copies, but many of them skip or are very poor quality. The ones taped with a video camera in a theater are usually horrible because the sound quality is bad -- and they usually have people walking across the scene. The worst of them has some bozo constantly refocussing the camera with his hands in front of the lens. Most vendors will tell you if the DVD is "DVD quality." However, recently we have found that the DVD producers are switching the formats. In 2007, the pirated DVDs will not play on our cheap JVC DVD player nor play on our portable Panasonic DVD player. They will only play on our computer DVD-ROM/DVD-RW drives. I don't mind for one or two flicks, but it definitely is not worth it if they all start going to this format. As of May 2007, about three out of five DVDs are in this new format. All Korean DVDs are under the old format. Lately though we have started to watch the pirated DVD sets of the television series -- which are under the old format and include Korean subtitles. They've been hijacked from the networks showing them on Korean TV and are "DVD quality" copies.

Sometimes there are surprises amongst these pirated DVDs -- not in quality, but in acting. The John Cena film, The Marine, was a disappointment in that it wasn't a military action flick we anticipated -- but a rather ridiculous action flick. However, we were surprised that John Cena can actually act. Unlike Cain of WWF fame who did a horror flick, Cena can really do a credible job of acting. Even the "Rock" also of WWF fame isn't a great actor whose dead-pan face doesn't reflect much emotion. The Rock made the transition to the movies (The Scorpion King, Doom) parlaying his WWF fame and his good looks and physique. (NOTE: Unfortunately, there are not many "keepers" in the DVDs bought on the mall and many find their way into the trash can. Still at $4 a DVD (5 for $20), it doesn't hurt as badly as buying a dud (on sale) in the BX for $12.95. They are definitely cheaper than a movie ticket.)

Too bad there are no pirated VCDs for sale on Shinjang Mall. VCD (Video CD) is a lower quality version of the DVD and is usually sold in two disc sets. We still buy our VCDs at EMart (for about $4) -- for use in our old car system and computer -- but we are dissatisfied because most of the VCD movie releases are over five years old. The pirated VCDs available from the truck sellers on the streets are Korean soft-porn which we have no use for.

The base periodically runs ads on AFN about the dangers of pirated goods and sending them in the military mail. In fact, one airman in 2005 was convicted for shipping the counterfeit sports jerseys through the APO mails for profit. He had been warned to stop this practice when he was discovered before. He continued and was prosecuted. He wasn't nailed for the counterfeits, but for the illegal use of the mail system after being told to stop his illegal sales using the military mail system. However, for personal use, there really isn't a big push to clamp down on counterfeit clothing or DVDs simply because it would be cost prohibitive to launch such a campaign. The point is don't get greedy and start shipping tons of counterfeit goods back to the US -- simply keep it down to personal use items.

On 29 Jun President Roh Moo-hyun on instructed his Cabinet to intensify its crackdown on pirated films after his meeting with South Korea's film industry representatives, including actress Jeon Do-yeon, who won the award for Best Actress at the Cannes Film Festival in May for her role in "Secret Sunshine." "The Culture Ministry and police have to join forces to steadily crack down on pirated films circulating on the black market. Film piracy must be clearly recognized as an act of crime," Roh said during the luncheon meeting at the presidential office, Cheong Wa Dae. This is the first time the President has announced a "crackdown" though the Prime Minister's office has instituted many "crackdowns" in the past.

Korea-U.S. FTA tightens Copyright Regulations on books, music and movies (May 2007) According to the Korea Times on 27 May, the Korea-U.S. free trade agreement (FTA) means a lot more than the simple scrapping of tariffs. The full text of the pact released by the government showed that the strengthened protection on intellectual property rights will affect our daily lives.

Photocopying of books

Korea and the United States agreed to prevent illegal copying and distribution of copyrighted works on university campuses and provide effective enforcement against book piracy in a confirmation letter promoting protection and effective enforcement of copyrighted works on university campuses. Though it was illegal, it was very common for Korean students to photocopy foreign books used as class materials. The copied ones were available at the photocopy shops around the campus, for approximately one-tenth of the original price. They will now have to buy books in the bookstores, however, as Korea has promised to enhance enforcement activities with respect to underground book piracy operations, and to promote the use of legitimate materials. It will develop campaigns to raise general awareness among the public sector of illegal book printing activities as well as commercial scale operations of illegal reproductions of copyrighted works.

Crackdown on movie downloads

Film industry and record firms have been damaged as an increasing number of people download movies and music. The two parties agreed to shut down Internet sites that permit the unauthorized reproduction, distribution, or transmission of copyright works. Korea also agreed to shut down Internet sites that permit the unauthorized downloading of copyright works, including so-called Webhard services, and provided for more effective enforcement of intellectual property rights on the Internet, including peer-to-peer (p2p) services. The Korean Alliance against KorUS FTA said portals like Naver and Daum may have to shut down the sites following the measure, however, as unlike previous agreements, it went a step further to shut down the sites. Most of the movies downloaded illegally from the Internet were taken with a camcorder in movie theaters, but those taking camcorders in to record movies will be punished for their attempt to do so. Currently, only the ones who film and distribute the movies illegally are punished. (SITE NOTE: Don't believe it. It will be impossible to catch these fly-by-night folks who have inside help at the theaters. As long as the police do not want to go after the mass-producers of the pirated DVDs, nothing will change. Now they only target the more visible distributors -- the street sellers, but only after someone complains or provides a tip-off.)

Copyright violators

The pact also has it that the service provider should expeditiously disclose the alleged infringer to the copyright owners, even without a warrant. The move has Korean portals, which haven't requested copyright consent for their Web content, concerned, as it would have to provide the personal information of the Korean infringer to the American copyright owner even without a warrant.

Illegal DVD sales on street

Many Koreans are used to buying DVDs from vendors on the street, at a price of 10,000 won for three or four movies -- while Americans pay $5 for one DVD or $20 for 5 movies. It's a deal that can't be beaten. These copyright infringers will have a hard time, as they will face stiff penalties including imprisonment if they continue to sell copyright protected materials illegally. The authorities can initiate legal action without the need for a formal complaint by a private party or right holder. (SITE NOTE: This is already in effect in Shinjang Mall, but the police only seem to raid those who have a bitch against them. There are two things in Korea: the law and the enforcement of the law. Korea overflows with laws, but very seldom do you see "enforcement." Instead you only see "crackdowns" which usually only last a week. My only gripe is that more and more of the pirated DVDs are playable only on my computer DVD-ROM drive. But still its cheap enough that I can still throw them in the trash if they're garbage movies.) (Source: Korea Times.)

(SIDE NOTE: Korea second in fakes to Japan -- behind China (Jul 2007) After China, Korea is the second-biggest exporter of counterfeit goods to Japan, the Korea Trade-Investment Promotion Agency reported on 3 Jul. Almost 40 percent of the 380,000 counterfeit imports into Japan were manufactured in Korea, according to the report. Korea accounted for 8,700 attempts, or 44.5 percent of the total cases detected by the Japanese customs authorities, while 9,400 cases came from China.

Since 2002, the number of cases from Korea has increased from 5,334 to 8,720 last year. However, the number of items has been on a steady decline since 2005, the report showed. "Smugglers are importing in smaller quantities than before," said Nam Woo-suk, manager at the Asia and Oceania team at Kotra. "That is why the number of cases is increasing while the number of items is falling."

Park Jong-hoon, head of the Working Korea Students Association in Tokyo, sees the matter from a different perspective. "Since 2005, Koreans have been allowed to visit Japan without a visa. The number of Koreans visiting or staying in Japan, both legally and illegally, has skyrocketed. They are using parcel services to import counterfeit goods as a way of easily making money." Koreans are not required to hold a visa for visits under 90 days. Smugglers prefer to use postal parcel services for smaller quantities rather than using freight services, Park said. "Parcels are inspected under relatively loose procedures compared to general freight," he said.



Counterfeit goods to Japan are basically high-priced luxury items like bags, wallets and other accessories. Japan introduced stricter measures to protect intellectual property rights in 2002. The Kotra report, although it doesn't deny the number has been going up, claimed that the actual rate of increase isn't as great as the statistic because detection procedures were much more relaxed in the past, meaning more goods used to slip through.

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June 2007

Monsoon Season Arrives (Jun 2007) The rainy season kicked off nationwide on 21 Jun, with some thunderstorms in the central region and further south. A seasonal rain front from the Yangzi River area of China headed north and covered the entire country including Jeju Island. Precipitation in Seoul and other areas was about 5-40 mm. In Songtan on 21 Jun, it was just another rainy day with overcast skies -- and brought a welcome relief from the 85 degree temperatures in the area as the rain cooled things down a bit. The next day it was back to normal with overcast skies and temperatures climbing back to the 80s. More rains were predicted for the next week.

The Chosun Ilbo warned that special care is needed in the rainy season. The rainy season increases the risk of various waterborne diseases along with colds and weaker immunity due to the wet weather. One danger is food poisoning, since food is easily spoiled and the number of bacteria increases with the hot and humid weather. The Korea Food and Drug Administration in a booklet published on 20 Jun advised cooking all food for more than a minute at a temperature exceeding 85 degrees Celsius. Food that has been flooded should be thrown away.

Since bacteria can build up in food kept in the refrigerator, it is advisable to cook only the amount that is eaten. Even purified water and underground water should be boiled, as should table napkins that may contain mildew or bacteria. This was of special interest to me as lines of cars on the street are from people filling up on the artesian water at the park near our apartment there in lieu of buying purified water. No one boils this water.

Cooking implements such as chopping boards should be disinfected by pouring boiling water over them. If diarrhea sets in, consult a doctor. Prof. Kim Sang-hwan of Eulji University Hospital said, "Taking paregorics because you have symptoms of diarrhea can drag out the illness since they do not completely affect poisoning or bacteria within the colon." Mildew that accumulates in various parts of the home during the rainy seasons is also a danger. If the spores in the air get into the body, they can cause bronchitis, allergies and asthma as well as skin problems since small cuts can easily become infected. People should bathe often and dry off completely afterwards. Rooms should be ventilated with air conditioners and other dehumidifying devices. Antibiotics should only be taken on the advice of a doctor.

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July 2007

Monsoon season, but I-dong Reservoir WAY DOWN (Jul 2007) Our favorite spot for amateurish fishing is I-dong reservoir about twenty minutes away from Songtan. But recently we noticed that the waters are WAY down. In June 2007, we went out there and the waters were low -- much lower than we had seen in 2006.


I-dong Reservoir (2 Jun 2007) (Kalani O'Sullivan) (Notice that on 2 Jun the shore had receded quite a bit. The water was choppy and the fishing was not good so people were packing up to go home after a while. We just cooked a hamburger on the gas stove for lunch and then headed back home. Did pick up some orchids on the way home at one of the wholesale florist places along the way so it wasn't a completely wasted day.)

In July 2007, the waters were even further down -- the lowest we had ever seen. The waters are being siphoned off for the rice crops in the area, but the monsoon rains haven't seemed to have raised the levels of the large reservoir. In our visit to I-dong reservoir on 1 July, we noticed the folks who drove in to fish packed up after 10-15 minutes and left. We didn't even unpack the fishing gear because the waters were muddy and it just did not look like good fishing.

The only one who was happy was Shelly, my cocker spaniel, who had a ball running at full tilt in the soft soil. Oh, there were no people around to scare off -- except a few kids who came over and were having fun chasing Shelly.


I-dong Reservoir (1 Jul 2007) (Kalani O'Sullivan) (Notice how the shore line has receded even more. It had rained the day before but not enough to impact the level of the reservoir. People were casting everywhere but there just wasn't anything biting.)


I-dong Reservoir (1 Jul 2007) (Kalani O'Sullivan) (The fishing houses across the lake. They looked deserted, but we did see one boat go out to them.)


I-dong Reservoir (1 Jul 2007) (Kalani O'Sullivan) (Shelly with her ears dragging in the dirt.)

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Weather: Typhoon Season and Rising Heat: (Jul 2007) On 13 Jul the Chosun Ilbo reported that this year's fourth typhoon Man-Yi was moving northward and expected to hit the two countries around the 14 Jul. The Korean agency said on 11 Jul that winds blowing up to 15 m per second will affect a 450 km radius area from the eye of the typhoon as far as the southern Jeju coast by 14 Jul. The midsize typhoon was moving northwestward toward Taiwan from above waters some 1,000 km east of the Philippines as of Wednesday 3 p.m. at a speed of 30 km per hour. Once Man-Yi reaches Japan's Okinawa on 13 Jul, it was likely move course to the east and affect southern Japan and the southern coastline of Korea's Jeju Island on 14 Jul. On 14 Jul Man-Yi had passed over Okinawa and moved to east with Japan taking the brunt of the typhoon and the fringes touching Pusan. On 15 Jul all that was seen in Songtan was the residual overcast skies, but no rainfall.

Rising Heat Starts in August (Jul 2007) The annual heat wave is forecast to start from early August (Aug. 1-10) when the vacation season gets properly under way. KMA said to expect sultry days in early August, when the monsoon ends and Korea comes under the effect of the North Pacific anticyclone. Average regional record high temperatures in early August between 1971 and 2000 were 30.2 degrees Celsius in Seoul, 29.7 in Gangneung, 31.3 in Daejon, 32.1 in Daegu, 31.4 in Gwangju and 29.6 in Busan. (Source: Chosun Ilbo.) (SITE NOTE: At the end of July through the beginning of August the heat hovered around 30 degrees Celsius (86 degrees Farenheit) in Songtan. There were intermittent showers so the weather was hot and humid. On the weekend of the 4-5 Aug, sudden downpours washed out railways and homes in several regional areas while scores of vacationers were evacuated. The monsoon season was supposed to be ending, but Pacific high pressure areas were impacting the weather -- most heavily in the Gangwon area. The only good thing was that by 6 Aug, showers and overcast skies had helped to drop the temperatures to a livable 25 degrees Celcius (77 degrees Farenheit) in the Songtan area. Unfortunately, the rainy weather cooped people up in their homes at the height of the vacation season. By 7 Aug, the temp was down to 23 degrees Celcius (75 degrees) and the rain was still falling -- and thankfully, no longer muggy because the sun was hidden.)

Tropical Nights above 25 degrees Celsius (Aug 2007) It was reported on 13 August that despite weeks of rain, so-called tropical nights have started nationwide. Normally it is only once the rainy season is over that nighttime temperatures stay above a “tropical” 25 degrees Celsius, and the continuing rain prompted predictions that there would be fewer of them than last year. But the Korea Meteorological Administration on Sunday said Seoul saw six tropical nights in the 12 days of August, Daegu five days and Jeonju seven.

In Seoul, where it rained every day this month, the frequency of tropical nights has increased steeply compared to the average in previous years. From 1971 to 2000, there were 3.2 tropical nights in August, and between 2001 and 2006 there were 4.8, or between once every 10 days and once a week. Yet this year every other night has been tropical.

Experts explain the recent tropical nights are different from those of the past. Prof. Ha Kyung-ja of Pusan National University’s Deartment of Atmospheric Sciences said, “Usually, pollutants in the atmosphere are the biggest culprit in the urban heat-island effect that blocks heat radiation. But recently, vapor in the air has been the most important factor in the heat-island effect.” (Source: Chosun Ilbo.)

On 16 Aug heat wave warnings were issued for most parts of the nation. The Korea Meteorological Administration said that temperatures hovered above 30 degrees Celsius across the nation. Heat wave warnings are issued when afternoon highs stand above 33 degrees Celsius for more than two days. Tropical nights were to continue. In some areas of the nation, summer vacation for some elementary kids was extended a week because of the heat.

Tropical Nights Result of Global Warming (Sep 2007) According to a Korea Meteorological Administration report on the summer weather this year released Monday, the average temperature this August was 26.1 degrees Celsius in 60 areas nationwide, up 1.1 degrees from the 35-year average of 25 degrees. Average daily highs rose 0.8 degrees to 30.4 degrees, while the average daily lows rose 1.6 degrees to a 35-year record of 22.9 degrees.

The surge in the daily low increased the number of tropical nights to 11 days in Seoul in August, four times more than before. The KMA said during the three months of summer this year, most parts of Korea experienced twice as many tropical nights as in the past. Rainfall was 676.3 mm this summer, 23.6 mm less than before, but Korea saw 46 days of rain this summer, seven days more than in the past. Prof. Ha Kyung-ja of Pusan National University’s Department of Atmospheric Sciences said the frequent rains prove that global warning “is well underway.” (Source: Chosun Ilbo.)

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YOUTUBE CLIPS: (Require Active X)


Mogi man -- Kids chasing the truck as we did when we were kids in Hawaii back in the late 50s-early 60s. (Location Unknown)


Mosquito truck early in morning 20 Aug 2007 (Location Unknown)

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September 2007

Freak Rains 2.5 times Heavier than Rainy Season (Sep 2007) After the hellish heat waves of August, the rains were a welcome relief that lowered the temperatures and made sleeping tolerable. However, the rains were strange. Korea has seen more rain in late August and early September than during the entire monsoon season from June to July. The southern region was hit particularly hard. Rains at the end of summer are not unusual, but it is rare for them to be heavier than the actual rainy season. According to the Korea Meteorological Administration, accumulated rainfall amounted to 8,879.5 mm in 40 observatories in Jeolla Province, Gyeongsang Province and Jeju Island. The south saw rainfall of 22.2 mm a day on average from Aug.26 to Sept. 4. During the 34-day rainy season from June 21 to July 24, rainfall there was only 11,888 mm or 8.7 mm a day, meaning the last 10 days were 2.5 times wetter than the monsoon.

Meteorologists say the late heavy rains are an unusual phenomenon. Min Kyung-duk, a professor emeritus at the Department of Astronomy and Atmospheric Sciences of Kyungpook National University, said the North Pacific high pressure should normally weaken and recede from the Korean Peninsula by now. But the anticyclone is still hovering over the peninsula, colliding with cold air from the north to bring heavy rains. (Source: Chosun Ilbo.)

And then there was the dust from China... (Sep 2007) According to photos taken by U.S. weather satellites on Sep 10-11, a dust zone had spread from the West Sea across Seoul and its surroundings, leaving areas blanketed in misty smog even at high noon. The situation was caused by fine dust particles from China that cannot escape the Korean peninsula because of a stalled air system. As a result, the dust particles couldn't blow off the peninsula and accumulated in the air. Like the Yellow Dust storms, the dust posed a health risk. However, as typhoon Nari moved closer to Korea on 13 Sep, a heavy rain warnings were issued in Jeju and advisories were issued in Gyeonggi, Chungcheong, Gangwon, South Gyeongsang and North Jeolla provinces. The rains cleared the pollutants out of the air.

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October 2007

Fifth Annual Korean-American Friendship Festival The festival started in 2002 when the vilest anti-Americanism was being foisted on the American GIs. Throughout Korea, the reaction to the accidental deaths of two Middle-school girls by a convoy in the DMZ area spread like wildfire -- and in the presidential campaign, Roh Moo-hyun, espousing an anti-American stance, was swept into office. The current President then Kim Dae-jung sat on his hands and allowed the circumstances to develop unabated. In the midst of this hate-fest, the Sontan merchants saw that their livelihood depended on the GIs coming to shop and party in their Shinjang area. In fact, these merchants at the time seemed to be the only ones who stood by their friends at Osan AB in making a statement of their support. Thus started the festival. (SITE NOTE: The event has been growing every year. In 2005, the main stage was set up halfway up the mall. Then in 2006, it was set up directly at the end of the mall next to the rail road tracks. This year in 2007, it was set up to the left with the right opened up for other booths.)

The following is from an article in the Stars and Stripes announcing the event

The blare of live bands and the smell of Korean food and American burgers and hot dogs will fill the autumn air this weekend. The fifth annual Korean-American Friendship Festival is set to run from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, and will be held in the Shinjang Shopping Mall across from the main gate.

Osan Air Base and the Songtan Chamber of Commerce are co-hosting the festival. ... “This is a huge event in the local community,” Air Force 1st Lt. John Ross, a base spokesman, said Tuesday. “Last year we had more than 40,000 people here from the local area. It’s a great opportunity for us to interact with the local culture and also share some of our own.”

A parade is to begin Saturday at 2 p.m. from the main gate, along a route that brings it back to where it started. Parade elements include airmen representing Osan’s 51st Fighter Wing and 7th Air Force, and civic groups from Pyeongtaek City.

Scheduled weekend entertainment includes live performances by Fishbowl 5, a rock band made up of airmen stationed at Osan; Bad Moon, a civilian band that includes at least one contractor from Osan; and South Korean performers, including the Nan-Ta drummers and pop star Hyon-Suk.

On 13 Oct, I went down to the Shinjang Mall to see what was going on.


(L) Signs above Entry Gate to Shinjang Mall; (R) Advertising for new bank at Lotte Cinema (2F) downtown (13 Oct 2007) (Kalani O'Sullivan)

At the entrance to the mall were large banners strung across the gateway. One read, "Emphatically Oppose Any Anti-US Demo That Threatens Our Friendship" from the Songtan Foreigner Tourist Business Facility Association Songtan Branch -- more commonly known as the Bar Owners' Association. Below it was the Songtan Chamber of Commerce banner with its slogans for the festival were: "We go together" from the Songtan Merchants side and "Be a Good Neighbor" from the USFK side. There was even a banner for the "One Heart Festival" at Anjung-ni outside Camp Humphreys on the 20th of Oct.

Despite all the problems and friction between the base and the Songtan bars in the past, the fact remains that the bar and shop owners of Shinjang Mall have been the staunchest supporters of the military over the years. In the vile anti-American demonstrations in 2002, these people stood up against the vile national wave of anti-Americanism that swept President Roh Moo-hyun into office. They were Americans' friends when the nation turned its back on the Americans. When the demonstrations at Daechuri in Pyeongtaek against the Camp Humphreys expansion threatened to spread to Osan AB, the local Chamber of Commerce staged counter demonstrations. Though some people might sneer cynically that it was economically motivated, the fact remains that it meant a lot to the folks locked up behind the Main Gate that there was someone outside in the local community supporting them. Yes, the Shinjang Mall folks have been friends of Osan AB for a long time.




Top: (L) Duo of Musicians; (R) Middle school dancers; Bottom (L) Modern dance from church (R) Pedestrian with vendor table (13 Oct 2007) (Kalani O'Sullivan)

Across from the front gate, there was a small area where performers entertained the crowd. An American duo using computerized backup were really good. They were undoubtedly professionals because their repetoire seemed to indicate that they'd performed these songs many times before. I was fascinated by the lead guitar (the one on the left in the pic) who used his guitar to strike set of chords that was repeated on the computer, then used his guitar to strike a beat that was repeated on the computer, then started playing accompaniment with fret work -- and finally joined in a duet. Later I found out this group was a stateside group performing in Korea at schools and in clubs. They were on AFKN FM in an interview and called their music "alternative rock" -- whatever that means. They're called "Station 2" -- and I must say that I was very impressed with their music. Fascinating!!! This was followed by a group of middle-school kids who performed some synchronized hip-hop dance routines. Then came modern dancers who I believe was performing a dance interpreting the blood of Jesus saving the world. I assumed they were from the local Baptist congregation as their signs were everywhere. Other groups followed from the base and from the local area.


(L) Main Stage; (R) Vice-mayor of Pyeongtaek speak -- General in front row (left) (13 Oct 2007) (Kalani O'Sullivan)

On the opposite end of the Mall, the road with the parking had been blocked off where the Mall forms a "T" next to the Kyongbu Railroad tracks. It was set up with a sound system -- for night amateur shows and other performances. In the opening ceremonies, there was an interpreter who translated all the Korean remarks into English and American comments into Korean. I missed the first part of the opening ceremony where I presume the 7th AF commander spoke and 51st Wing Commander said a few words. The Last year I missed Kasey Lee's welcoming speech as the local Chamber of Commerce President -- and I remember getting a scolding by him for failling to show up. This year atleast I made it. He was followed by the vice-mayor of Pyeongtaek -- who was apologetic of the mayor's absence as in the audience were the 7th AF commander and vice commander. Other speakers followed. As one speaker from the Songtan area joked, "I've never seen so many stars and its still day." The common theme of the speeches were the pending move to the area of US forces and the community welcomes these troops and their families.

Oh, how things have changed in ten years. I remember when the Pyeongtaek Mayor and the City Council refused to accept the proposed movement of US forces from Yongsan to Camp Humphreys in 1990 when the first MOU was signed with Korea to move the troops out of Seoul -- going so far as staging street demonstrations. At that time, Songtan was still a city (Songtan-shi) which openly welcomed the move, but as very few manning slots were moving to Osan, it was ignored in the press. It's amazing what the fifteen years and the promise of multi-millions of dollars in government grants to support the expansion of the community will do to change the attitudes of the city government.

Beside the stage, the "sound booth" was set up to control the lights and fireworks for the night time performances. According to the Stars and Stripes, the scheduled weekend entertainment included live performances by Fishbowl 5; Bad Moon; the Nan-Ta drummers and pop star Hyon-Suk.

Next to the sound booth, there was a tent set up for the Marine veteran unit decked out in their uniforms with the bright red patches and berets. These folks represented the strong feeling of camaradie between the ROK military and US military. During many anti-American demonstrations in the past at the Osan front gate, these vets in their uniforms were present to provide a counter-point. With their wives present, these ROK vets were not ashamed of being patriotic to a fault.

All along the mall there were food booths packed with Korean and American food. For the first time, even the VFW had a booth and the local Lions club was there as well. Seems as though there was a wide representation of local groups as well as commercial sellers. Like last year it was jam-packed with food vendors. However, the difference this year was that the USAF units were represented by food booths as well selling hamburgers, hot dogs, sodas and such.


(L) Regular street vendor; (R) Barbeque pig (13 Oct 2007) (Kalani O'Sullivan)

There was everything from Thai food to roast pig on a spit to the standard hamburger and hotdog on the stick. Because I have to stick to a rigid low salt and sugar diet, I couldn't touch the mouth-watering dishes. Even the silk-worm larvae -- a Korean treat -- looked good. Instead, I just settled for a boiled corn on the cob to nibble on. I felt sorry for Shelly, my dog, who was whining for something to eat, but I've learned that what goes in -- comes out in a short time with her -- and in a crowd that is not a pleasant scene. She could wait until we got home to eat. The normal food vendors who operate their carts on the mall were there, but they were squeezed out of their normal spots to way down towards the end of the mall. These are the best bargains for a hamburger with an egg on top for W1500 ... though I think all the rest of their foods are over-priced.


(L) Korean candy vendor; (R) Traditional Korean snack foods (13 Oct 2007) (Kalani O'Sullivan)

Times are changing and the traditional Korean candy vendor dressed in white peasant garb was missing. They used to sell their hard yellow rock-like confection from a cart. You could hear them on the streets keeping time to traditional music (played on a portable cassette) with their rounded metal shears. They would break off pieces of the candy from trays on the cart. In their place was the modern version. The cart was replaced by a motorcycle with a drum strapped to the back and now the candy comes pre-packed in neat plastic packages. Though still dressed the same, somehow the mystique is gone with kids clamoring around the cart. Times and tastes change. There were some of the familiar snacks that Koreans enjoy such as silkworm larvae, roasted chestnuts, and such as well.

There was a booth selling kim chi products, but the food stuffs were double the price as found at the open farmer's market, so one can assume it was aimed at selling it to the Americans. At the rear there was a puffed rice sales tent that was making puffed rice products -- like the flat rice cakes. It was interesting to watch how the flat rice cakes were made there at the booth. I love these cakes and saw a few Americans ask the vendor for a free sample. There was even a 1000-won tent where most of the stuff could be bought for 1000 won. These are found along the street and some bargains can be had IF you need that stuff. The one American booth way at the end belonged to the EOD from base with their robot on display. A lot of Koreans stopped by to look and touch, but with the language barrier very few asked questions. I'd recommend the EOD folks ask their ROK counterparts to help them with a taped Korean presentation that they could use to put on this type of demonstration off-base. It may not improve the question and answer part, but it could provide the answers that the Koreans want to ask. Near it was a booth preaching the dangers of smoking and alcohol. I don't smoke and drink anymore, but they had peach cobblers and cookies on sale. They didn't mention the dangers of high sugar for folks like me ... bah, I really wanted to get some cookies. The U-2 "Black Cat" folks were also represented, but their booth looked more like a T-shirt sales shop.

There was a booth for caricatures by what appeared to be a middle-school art club. For W5,000, their results were quite good. Other small vendors sold their wares from the backs of trucks or tables along the walkways. There were the resident beggars with their plastic baskets at the entrance of the mall -- and toy sellers hawking items for kids. This year's favorite was a squash gel-toy in the shape of a gold piggy bank -- this is a lucky year of the pig -- that splatters and then returns to its original shape. Children were getting their parents to shell out W3000 for these toys -- a rip-off, but what are fairs for?





TOP (L) Artist stand; (R) Area near Main Stage; BOTTOM (L) DVDs to left and vendor tables to right (R) Vendors under tents (13 Oct 2007) (Kalani O'Sullivan)

There were only a few of the Shingjang Mall vendors set up on the mall, like the Royal Art Gallery where I bought most of my paintings. The vendor where I buy my pirated DVDs was forced to resort to leaning his racks against a shop window as people walked by. His boxes of DVDs were stacked against a food booth tarp where he and his coworkers squeezed in to keep out of the way of pedestrian traffic. (SITE NOTE: Bought a few DVDs as I hadn't been down there in a while. Got the Hyung Shin-rae "Dragon Wars" flick out of curiousity and my recommendation is do NOT buy it. What a forgettable movie!!! Loved him as a comedian, but he sucks as a writer and director.)

As to the Shinjang Mall vendors on the side streets, they were not doing any any business. The crowds were centered on the mall. Talked to a few of the shop owners I knew and when I asked "how's business", they all pointed to the mall. Their business was way off. Even the folks on the main mall were being bypassed as the food booths crowded the center of attention. Some stores put out tables with their wares on the mall to make people aware of their stores existence.

At the end of the mall, there were some very amateurish games -- toss the coin, pop guns, pop the balloon, etc. One of the most ingenious was simple -- making soap bubbles for kids -- but at W2,000 each, it was rather steep. Maybe next year they will have some rides for the kids that I've seen at annual apartment affairs. Surprisingly, one of the most popular games with the kids -- and a few adults -- on the mall was a row of video machines one finds in front of stationary shops for elementary school kids.

One of the nicest touches I saw was a young man on stilts with oversized shoes to help him balance. With his face painted as a mime, he bent over to delight the kids by making toy swords from balloons for them. Obviously a professionaI, he delighted the kids by also making toy poodles and other balloon objects. It added just the right touch to the festive mood, but because of the cramped space of the food booths on the mall, he was restricted to the main stage area. Later I watched kids having "sword fights" with these balloons -- and most important having a ball. Maybe next year, the festival promoters might consider hiring roving clowns (without stilts) to circulate through the crowd doing balloon tricks for kids.

Don't judge the festival a success based on the American attendance alone because they will be there regardless. The success of the Friendship Festival should be rated on how many locals attend. Judging from what I saw on the first day, this was going to be the best ever. It is a statement that the Koreans of Songtan as a group really like the Americans as part of their community.

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A SHORT REMINDER WHY THE KOREAN-AMERICAN FRIENDSHIP FESTIVAL IS SO IMPORTANT!!!


(L) US Military Out of Korea; (R) American Flag Burning (28 Jul 2007) (Tongil News)

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First Freeze (Oct 2007) First freezing weather hit Songtan and the winter's just around the corner. The temperatures dropped on 20 Oct to 34 degrees F (5 degrees C) with the temperatures falling below freezing at night. The 13mph winds made the chill factor something to contend with, though not really bad. Time to start digging out the winter wear. After a day of cold, the weather popped back up to the high 60s, but I noticed that everyone was now wearing light jackets.

In addition, on 25 Oct the air quality management bureau, said 17 out of 27 observation locations in Seoul recorded levels of microdust above 100 micrograms per cubic meter, the maximum acceptable limit. On a typical day, Seoul has about 30 to 40 micrograms of dust per cubic meter of air. Besides gray skies, there was no warning issued except that exercising should be limited.

First fall sub-zero weather (Nov 2007) The morning low on 18 Nov in Seoul hit minus 3.2 degrees Celcius, the first sub-zero temperature in the country's capital this fall, the Korea Meteorological Administration (KMA) said, adding the wind-chill factor reached minus 8 degrees in the city. Other morning lows were 6.1 degrees in Busan, 3 degrees in Daegu and 4.5 degrees in Gwangju.

Most parts of the country was gripped by sub-zero temperatures. The mercury dropped to minus 5 degrees in Seoul and minus 6 degrees in Suwon. On 21 Nov, it was surprising to see the first dusting of snow in the morning -- which melted off by 10 am.

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November 2007

Korean cable firms to stop AFN broadcasts (Nov 2007) South Korean cable companies will cease broadcasting the AFN Pacific Prime channel this month, leaving some U.S. personnel living off base looking elsewhere for the programming they’ve grown accustomed to. American Forces Network-Korea personnel take a satellite feed of the Pacific Prime broadcast and insert local command information including nightly news broadcasts, Korea-specific commercials and alerts such as school closures and product recalls.

That product is then provided to the on-base cable subscribers and is sent out over the open airwaves, so any USFK member who has an antenna and is within range can pick up the signal. The purpose of the over-the-air broadcast is to provide another means of emergency-information transmission, a supplement to the primary radio outlet, according to USFK spokesman Col. Franklin Childress. But South Korean cable companies also capture the signal and then sell it along with their other programs, according to Childress. (SITE NOTE: In the 1970s, the USFK bases allowed the power of the their on-base transmissions to be gradually raised to overlap the US military housing areas off-base. There was no complaints from the ROK and everyone was happy. In the 1990s, the AFN went to cable and the off-base transmissions stopped, but the AFN scheduling was picked up by the cable companies -- including the national TV on grounds that it was for English education. The USFK did not protest -- because of the community relations value seen of the programs. However, in the 2000s, the situation is now radically different. The anti-Americanism of the early 2000s shaped the USFK's view of the effectiveness of AFN as a public relations tool. Also the face of Korean TV was changing as more and more English education programs were added to TV as English became an important factor in business and "globalization". More and more American movies -- albeit with subtitles -- are seen daily. Children's and adult English education programs still abound on TV -- including the Korean version of Sesame Street. AFN in its censored format is no longer wanted by the Koreans -- because it lacks the subtitles that aid in learning English and the Americans speak "fast speech" that is undecipherable to the Korean ears in most news broadcasts.)

American companies attempting to sell their programming in South Korea in recent years raised the issue, saying, “‘You guys have got to do something about it,’” he said. American Forces Radio and Television Service contacted USFK and asked the command to “take action,” Childress said. USFK gave a letter to the Korean Broadcasting Commission on June 17, asking “respectfully” that it direct the removal of Pacific Prime from the Korean cable lineups. Childress said the KBC moved faster than expected, and some cable companies began running announcements last week to let customers know the channel would stop being broadcast this month. (SITE NOTE: The loss of AFN programming is really no loss. The TV series (CSI, Battlestar Galletica, Ugly Betty, and other losers are on cable already. Oprah is on -- though Doctor Phil is not. The "On Style" channel has America's Top Model, American Idol and America's Got Talent. The "Alice" Channel has many of the Hallmark series movies -- some good and some so-so. American programming goes on and on.)

Kang Dong-won, director of New Media and Foreign Channel division with the Korean Broadcast Commission, confirmed during a phone interview that USFK requested that stoppage. Kang said KBC officials summoned several cable companies to Seoul for a meeting in July and then sent a letter to all companies broadcasting the signal to explain the situation. Childress said pulling the channel from the non-authorized broadcasters was vital, since it could have affected “our worldwide programming” had the American companies stopped providing their product to AFRTS. “This really has to do with ‘What’s the right thing to do?’” he said. “We can’t just look the other way,” while unauthorized broadcasts go out. (SITE NOTE: What is surprising is how the attitude of the USFK has changed. In the past, the use of AFN was viewed as a public relations tool, but now it is simply a business proposition. This reflects an overall change in the USFK attitude towards the ROK in a lot of areas.)

For many of those off-base residents, South Korean cable or satellite service normally is provided when renting an apartment or house. Those USFK personnel will lose access to Pacific Prime and will either need to pick up the over-the-air signal or get an AFN Direct-to-Home satellite dish and decoder box, available through the Army and Air Force Exchange Service. Both Childress and AFN-Korea commander Lt. Col. Michael Lawhorn stressed that the satellite option is best. “AFN Korea reminds off-post residents that while set-top or rooftop antennas may allow limited television reception, DTH satellite decoder systems remain the best method to receive AFN television programming,” according to a statement on the AFN-Korea Web site. (SITE NOTE: The cable at my home has AFN but it is fuzzy and muffled because of the weak signal and worthless anyway. The loss of AFN on cable is no loss.) (Source: Stars and Stripes.)

Korean Broadcasting Commission, the ROK broadcasting watchdog, on 23 Dec announced its decision to ban local cable TV operators from relaying the U.S. Forces Korea's English-language television broadcasting to Korean cable subscribers. The planned ban, however, will be enforced after a months-long grace period, in consideration of the inconvenience it will cause Korean viewers of the AFN-K channel, the Korean Broadcasting Commission said.

The AFN-K channel has been popular, especially among local viewers who are interested in learning English through U.S. news, sports and entertainment. According to industrial data, 62 out of 106 registered cable TV operators here provide the U.S. channel to their customers. Under the plan, Korean TV viewers will not be able to watch AFN-K starting early next year or in the second half of next year, depending on the circumstances of cable service providers, it added. AFN-K, or the American Forces Network Korea, was first established in 1945, providing U.S. military service members here with some of the most popular shows made in the United States as well as live breaking news and sporting events. (Source: Yonhap News.) (SITE NOTE: What this says is ????. It appears that the "ban" will have a "months-long grace period." Oh well, so much for pirated broadcasting by the 62 cable companies -- which the ROK isn't getting all bent out of shape since it is AMERICAN programming in question and AMERICAN copyright violations. The U.S. Army filed complaints in June 2007 that such a practice done by Korean broadcasters violates the Copyright Law banning broadcasters from resending programs without copyright holder’s consent. The Korean Broadcasting Commission has directed cable companies to cease broadcasting a pirated AFN Pacific Prime signal by June 2008, said Kang Dong-won, director of KBC’s New Media and Foreign Channel Division.)

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December 2007

First light dusting of snow amidst bitter cold (Dec 2007) The beginning of December saw the first light dusting of snow -- and rain. But for me, it was evident that the old car had trouble starting in cold weather -- being deisel, it's by nature hard starting in the cold. Thus I park the car where the morning sun hits it to give it a fighting chance before the battery runs down. In the first week of December, the temperatures dropped below freezing -- but it seemed much more severe than the temperatures indicated. Because of the humidity and wind, the chill factor was below freezing. In my office, I had to run both the LPG gas heater AND the halogen heater -- and my hands were still freezing. Took a while to heat that small space up. Left Shelly, my dog, at home because she just got a haircut before the cold snap and she's shivering with this cold.

YOUTUBE CLIPS: (Require Active X)


Yellow Dust from China (Level 4)

On 30 Dec, there was a rare yellow dust alert along with falling temperatures. As of late 30 Dec, dust levels were under 100 micrograms per cubic meter of air at all U.S. bases except those in the Pyeongtaek area, including Camp Humphreys and Osan Air Base. Those bases had a count of about 125 micrograms, but the exact number wasn’t posted on the 18th MEDCOM site. Medical officials long have warned that the dust particles, measuring one to 10 microns, aggravate bronchitis and cause pinkeye, sinusitis and ear infections.

Heavy snow alerts, expecting over 20 centimeters of snow, were issued in South and North Jeolla provinces and Gwangju. Lighter snow advisories, amounting to about 5 centimeters or more snow, were also given to regions in South Chungcheong Province and some coastal regions -- Jeju, Ulleungdo and Dokdo.

The most amount of snow -- 15 to 30 centimeters -- was expected in the Jeolla Province. Up to 10 centimeters of snow was projected to fall on some parts of Jeju, Ulleung-do and Dokdo. On 30 Dec, morning temperatures dropped to minus 12 degrees Celsius at the lowest and the daytime temperature ranged between minus 4 degrees Celsius and 4 degrees Celsius.

On 30 Dec, I went out to the parking lot to drive my daughter and her friend, Jean, to the train station to go to Kunsan and the old junker had a terrible time starting up. The colder it gets the worse the agony of trying to crank the thing over. With the temps falling below freezing, it is rough to get it started.




Jisan-dong Streets (31 Dec 2007) (Kalani O'Sullivan)

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Shinjang Mall: Jungang Market

The following photos are from 1978:




Jungang Market Place (1978) (Marvin Metzinger)

NOTE: Notice the fiberglass panels on the roof in the 1978 photos to allow sunlight in. These are all gone. There was a fire in the 1980s that burned out the fiberglass roof panels and they were replaced with non-flammable transite (concrete and asbestoes) sheets. The area today is very gloomy and has to be lit with lights even during the day. According to the older residents, the alleyway is much narrower than in the 1970s because they eliminated the "road" in the 1980s and allowed shops/stalls to be built along the sides. Thus there is only a narrow path that weaves through the stalls today. This area can be identified only by the metal construction of the roof supports and a few remaining fire warning signs from the 1970s.




Jungang Market Place (Aug 2007) (Kalani O'Sullivan)

Shinjang Mall: Back Alley Photos


Near Railroad tracks. Lookingup at the Hanil Church one sees the Buddhist temple tucked on the hill. (Mar 2006) (Kalani O'Sullivan)


(L) Near Railroad tracks. Deserted building. Songtan Central Presbyterian Church seen at top of hill. (Mar 2006) (Kalani O'Sullivan); (R) New Mokchon Road Expansion for additional parking (Jun 2006) (Kalani O'Sullivan) (SITE NOTE: Location of the old Mokchon Railway Crossing and now the pedestrian underpass is located on the site. The area used to be known as Pink Town" from the strings of red lights on both sides of the tracks. It was also known as "Keoji Chon" (Beggar's village) in the 1970s as it was the poorest section of Songtan.)


(L) Near the intersection leading to Main Gate at Shinjang-2 dong (R) Alleyway with Volvo Dealer near the intersection to Main Gate (Mar 2006) (Kalani O'Sullivan)


(L) Jungang Market Road: "Power Shop" site of former Seoul Glass Shop (Jun 2006) (Kalani O'Sullivan) (R) Seoul Glass Shop (1958) (51st FW Archive) (SITE NOTE: The "Seoul Glass Shop" was in the same location from the late 1950s until the 1980s.)

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Songbuk Farmer's Market (Achim Morning Market)


(L) Songbuk Farmers' Market (R) Garlic for sale (Sep 2006) (Kalani O'Sullivan)


(L) Produce and Garlic for sale (R) Chili peppers and produce for sale (Sep 2006) (Kalani O'Sullivan)


(L) Cabbage, Turnips and Produce for sale (R) Green onions, leeks, cucumbers and produce for sale (Sep 2006) (Kalani O'Sullivan)


(L) Road near what used to be a Bus Depot (R) Road leading up hill to Jwadong Methodist Church (Sep 2006) (Kalani O'Sullivan)


(L) Songbuk Market: Old side road cut in 1978 (R) Taxi Parking area leading from Mokchon Pedestrian Underpass (Sep 2006) (Kalani O'Sullivan)


(L) MSR-1 Across from Old Police Station (R) Street across from Police Box (Sep 2006) (Kalani O'Sullivan)


Taehyun Road near Songbuk Market (Aug 2007) (Kalani O'Sullivan)


(L) Taehyun Road towards Overpass (R) Taehyun Road at Overpass (Aug 2007) (Kalani O'Sullivan)

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Structures in Shinjang-dong Area


(L) Circa 1960s houses near the Kyongbu railroad tracks in what was "Pink Town" area (R) Circa 1960s house in Shinjang 2-dong next to beginning of railspur. (Aug 2006) (Kalani O'Sullivan)


(L) Old Plaza Shopping Center along railspur showing Catholic Church on hill in background (R) Circa late 1960s transite roof with welded steel braces in Jungang Market place. (NOTE: Clear plastic panels in roof added in 1970s.) (Aug 2006) (Kalani O'Sullivan)


(L) Shinjang 1-dong alley in Jungang Market area (R) Alleyway end of Jungang Market Road showing circa 1980s multistory concrete structures (Aug 2006) (Kalani O'Sullivan)


(L) Shinjang 2-dong alley leading to overpass (R) Alleyway next to overpass with stairs from overpass (Aug 2006) (Kalani O'Sullivan)

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Scenes from Milwal-dong Perimeter near Mustang Village-Commissary


(L) Milwal-dong New Road over hill near Perimeter Fence; (R) Milwal-dong looking south to Hill 180 Gate and Rhee Family Grave Site with Mustang Village perimeter fence to right


(L) New Road looking down on Commissary; (R) 1960s mudwattle farmer's house with stucco coating and hondol heating. Transite roof and kitchen to left with living quarters on right. Notice chimney flues patched with concrete.

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Scenes from Milwal-dong - Seomiri - Hill 180 Gate Area


(L) Milwal-dong Looking at Shinjang 2-dong; (R) Milwal-dong looking south to Seojong-ni


(L) Milwal-dong toward Capital Hotel; (R) Seomiri Construction abuts Osan AB Perimeter Wall


(L) Seomiri Looking to Hill 180 Gate (Notice Mudang (Fortune Teller) Bamboo Pole with Red Flag); (R) Seomiri Looking to Hill 180 Gate


(L) Seomiri Looking toward Seojong-ni; (R) Seomiri Looking west to Hill 180 Gate Road


(L) Just Outside Old Hill 180 Gate looking South; (R) Hill 180 Gate now closed and barricaded


(L) Lodge outside Hill 180 Gate (R) Apartment complex outside Hill 180 Gate fallen on hard times (July 2006) (Kalani O'Sullivan)


(L) Hill 180 Gate intersection looking south toward Pyeongtaek; (R) Hill 180 Gate intersection looking southeast toward Seojongni


(L) Makumni Looking east toward Hill 180 Gate; (R) Makumni entrance.

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East Side of Osan AB (Seotan Myeon):


East of Osan AB -- Chinwi River from middle of old bridge going to Seotan (Aug 2007) (Kalani O'Sullivan)

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EMart:


Emart

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OSAN AB EVENTS

Commander, 51st Fighter Wing, Osan AB: Brig. Gen. Joseph Reynes Jr., July 8, 2005 -- June 15, 2007
Col. Jon A. Norman, June 15, 2007 --

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January 2007

Jack Tierwel, Retired Activities Office Moves On (Dec 2006) As a non-SOFA retiree family living in Kunsan, we were accustomed to being treated as something lower than used toilet paper. Being a remote unaccompanied tour area, Kunsan retirees were at the bottom of the list -- and being a non-SOFA retiree dropped you off the list. However, we adjusted and relied on the Korean economy's medical services and other institutions to handle our needs for over a decade with very little contact with the base authorities except for commissary or BX runs. Thus when we moved to Osan and first met Jack Terwiel of the Retired Activities Office (RAO), we were flabbergasted at the services he provided in getting our car registered on base and in obtaining information on various subjects. Jack worked strictly as a volunteer, but the services he provided were professionally done and beyond anything we had ever encountered -- including stateside bases. Osan retirees were lucky to have Jack around.

Jack maintained a website for the Retired Activities Office (RAO) at http://www.rao-osan.com/. The site contains a lot of great information for retirees as well as a huge amount of ancillary information on Osan AB and the Songtan area. His photographic history of Osan AB is a must-see slide show. He also has a slide show on the bar areas of Shinjang Mall for newcomers. It is a highly recommended site for all retirees and newcomers.

Unfortunately for Osan AB retirees, in 2006, Jack received an offer to become the Retiree Services Officer for Korea and decided to move on. He was going to relocate his offices to Yongsan, but they could not provide him with a private office that his RSO job description required. Jack is awaiting office space at Camp Humphreys and will relocate there in January 2007. In addition, Jack will be traveling between camps to service pre-retirees throughout Korea -- as well as the retiree communities in those areas.

Though the loss of Jack's full-time services to the Osan AB retiree community will be greatly missed, the rest of Korea's military retirees will benefit from his elevation to his RSO position. With his new job as the RSO for Korea, he will assume expanded responsibilities that will formally task him with providing services to pre-retirees -- especially those intending to retire in the local area. As such, Jack has placed another website online at http://rso-korea.com. The site covers information for pre-retirees and post-retirement info such as retirement benefits, retiring in Korea, problems with visas, etc.

On October 1, 2006, a Retirement Services Office reopened at Yongsan Army Garrison in Seoul serving pre-retirees and retirees throughout Korea. Seoul Retiree Bulletins from the mid-1980s indicate that a Retirement Services Officer civil service position existed and was occupied by Fred D. Yarborough. Subsequently, the position was taken in 1989 by David Downing, who served for only 8-9 months before the civil service position was transferred to the Army Career and Alumni Program at Yongsan and the RSO position was eliminated. This time, the RSO is a dedicated contractor position occupied by one person.

The office is operated by Mr. Jack Terwiel, a retired U.S. Air Force Captain who preceded his RSO job with almost nine years of full-time voluntary service operating the Retiree Activities Office at Osan Air Base. He was concurrently serving from early 1998 as the Voluntary Post-Retirement Services Officer for Army retirees living and working in Korea.

The office is open daily from 0800-1600 and most of the individual services are provided by appointment Mon-Thu. (SITE NOTE: Yongsan could not provide a separate offic