[JSRC 학생기자] Gaecheonjeol: On Being a True Korean

Gaecheonjeol: On Being a True Korean
Jiyoon Kim(10th Grade,William Fremd High School)

Are you a true Korean? If you are, you’ll know the Korean holiday Gaecheonjeol. Celebrated on October 3rd in North and South Korea, Gaecheonjeol is known as National Foundation Day. It celebrates the foundation of Gojoseon by Dangun in 2333 BC.
The legend says that the father of Dangun Wanggeom, Hwanung, came down from heaven and told a tiger and a bear to eat twenty cloves of garlic for 100 days. The survivor would receive the award of becoming a human being. The tiger gave up, but the bear did not and became a human woman. This woman later married Hwanung and gave birth to Dangun. Koreans believe that the sun worshipping tribe and the bear worshipping tribe were brought together when Gojoseon was made. The first human beings were called Hongik. Hongik means “benefiting all mankind.” As benefactors of mankind, we should think about how we treat our culture. Many people are interested in legends. More than mere interest, however, it’s important to know the true meaning of these legends in order to connect ourselves with Korea.
The Korean Consulate General in Chicago held a dinner party on September 30th to celebrate Gaecheonjeol. They informed people about the national symbols of Korea and performed traditional songs honoring Gaecheonjeol. Let’s follow the Korean Consulate General: as Koreans, we have to love our country and culture. We should be proud of our nation and pass on traditions. Teenagers like us should know what's significant to Korea and experience these traditions by visiting places that honor Korea and its culture.

Have You Heard About K-Food Week 2015?
Joseph Park (Junior, Northern State University)

K-Food Week 2015, an event sponsored by the Republic of Korea’s Ministry of Agriculture, Food, and Rural Affairs and Ministry of Foreign Affairs, as well as the Korea Agro-Fisheries & Food Trade Group, is taking place throughout the United States from Sept. 26 to Oct. 4.
The purpose of K-Food Week 2015 is to introduce Americans to Korean food. Many Korean restaurants, grocery stores, and other organizations participate in events that showcase Korea’s cuisine.
You can find more information about K-Food Week 2015 online at http://kfoodweek2015.com/ This website not only shows you the locations of participating restaurants and grocery stores, but also provides mouth-watering descriptions of Korean food and recipes that will allow you to cook your own Korean dishes.
K-Food Week 2015 will help you introduce Korean culture and Korean food to your friends!


Kang Jung-ho Hits His First MLB Grand Slam
Daniel Oh (11th grade, Adlai E. Stevenson Highschool)

The Pittsburgh Pirates shortstop Kang Jung-ho, a transfer from KBO’s Nexen Heroes, hit his first grand slam in Major League Baseball (MLB) on September 9 to win a game against the Cincinnati Reds 5-4. This grand slam is Kang’s 15th season home run, just as foretold by Kang, who promised his fans that he would hit 15 home runs this season!
Yet Kang’s pace actually exceeds fans’ expectations. Even though his ratio of hits to at-bats was 0.356 during his last season as a shortstop for the Nexen Heroes—one of the best records in KBO—no one expected him to play nearly as well in MLB, as the level of play in these two leagues is completely different. Though Kang indeed got off to a slow start in the spring, he demonstrated his skill in the summer: Kang was named “Rookie of the Month” in July.
Kang is not merely a valuable defensive player: his batting average is 0.28, very high for a shortstop (since most shortstops use much of their energy on defending). Perhaps this is due to Kang’s batting posture—his strong lower body muscles stabilize his upper body at bat—which has been admired since his debut in 2006.
Kang Jung-Ho has been a key defensive and offensive Pittsburgh Pirates player since June. His first MLB grand slam further demonstrates his skill. Let’s watch out for Kang in the future!


The CSAT System faces New Change
MiJi Kim(11th, Glenbrook S. High School)

The Scholastic Ability Test is required for students who aren’t accepted by universities through rolling admissions. On October 1, Korea’s Department of Education officially announced that the evaluating system of the English section will change from relative evaluation to absolute evaluation starting in 2018.
What’s the difference between relative and absolute evaluation? Relative evaluation determines a test-taker’s score in comparison to others who have taken the same test. In relative evaluation, a test-taker’s scores are assessed on a scale of 1 to 9 depending on the year’s average. On the other hand, absolute evaluation doesn’t consider the scores of other test-takers in assigning a grade: for example, if a student gets 94 out of 100 on one of the subjects on the test and above 90 points corresponds to the first grade, the test-taker will get the first grade on his or her transcript regardless of the performance of other test-takers.
Some of the disadvantages of absolute evaluation are as follows: first, the rate of the people who get the highest grades on the English section will increase exponentially, and there will be a large gap in scores between the English section and other subjects. Also, since competition will be decreased, the rivalry between students on other sections such as math and Korean language may be fierce.
The Department of Education in Korea states that they will lower the standard of the English section so that even elementary school students can get the right answers. Some high schools are predicted to shorten their English education courses and expand their math or Korean language courses.