Some useful sites for exploring Korea

Here I will try to update some important websites in various areas in Korea.

Culture:

http://koreanhero.net/
This website is about some heroic stories of Korea.


Education:

Tenure: faculty verses housing

One of my good friend mentioned that In United States, true contribution of research (or in other words radical research) starts after getting tenure. Before tenure faculty members do not take risk for radical research because it may harm in getting a tenured position. And after a long talk I observed tenure position is very important for research especially radical research.

I revisited the issues of tenure in housing. How tenure is important in housing? I felt that there is great linking in tenure for radical improvement in housing especially for urban poor.

But How we are unaware and the very same 'tenure' is more stressed in academic domain but less stressed in solving housing issues for urban poor.

There is need to link urban slum problems with their tenure of land in more depth. Let us build our cities slum free with maximum tenure of land to underprivileged section of society.

Kyoto a historical, envorionment friendly city

Here, I will note down few interesting things about Kyoto journey. Kyoto is accessible by many international airports. But I went there by Kansai International Airport, which is constructed on man made island. This is wonderful example of high level of civil engineering input. Since its construction it has sunk more than 8 meter. It has provided lessons for other airports like Hong Kong Airport and probably to Incheon International Airport.

Japan in general and particularly Kyoto impressed me for many resons. First, its multi-cultural nature. Although I am living in Seoul a cosmopolitan city but have not observed too much multiculturalism despite government intention. In East Asia we rarely see any Halal food but they have arrangement in their University cafeteria and even in reception parties. I remember most prestigious university of Korea SNU tried for the same in past but could not succeed. So this could be one lesson for Korea from neighbor country japan.

Second, very friendly with environment. I observed many people ride bicycle including university students and professors. Kyoto has very good cycle friendly path.

Third, City has many world heritage sites and government is very serious to conserve it. Heritage conservation helped buildings and precincts conservation one hand and tourism promotion in other hand. Probably, this nature of Kyoto has guided it for low dense development. In the city we can feel harmony in development. The buildings are very much in integration with each other.

You can feel the very same about Kyoto in photographs tour.