QUESTIONS FOR DEBATING
1. Why do you think cohabitation is on the rise these days?
2. What are the pros and cons of cohabitation?
3. Let's talk about side effects of cohabitation, particularly to young people. What do you think about the opinion that cohabitation can ruin female's life? What do you think about some young generation who think that they have right to live with his or her sweetheart.
4. What do you think about the following statement?
"Long-lasting commitment or loyalty in marriage seems to be withering away and transience has been acquiring more dominant position in all kinds of relationships. And the rise of transience is not exclusive to relationships. Actually all kinds of our life patterns are getting more and more transient."
5. Do you think current dominant concept of family will last forever?
6. When you have a chance to cohabit, are you going to do that?
7. Someone says that cohabitation can reduce the divorce rate. What do you think about this opinion.
Related Story
The National Statistical Office released a report called "Women's Life through Statistics" on Wednesday that quantified the significant demographic changes the nation has undergone in the past few decades. The report said that 11.6 percent of all marriages last year were second marriages for both husbands and wives. The same figure in 1990 was only 4.7 percent. The percentage of marriages that were the first for both spouses decreased 79 percent from 89.3 percent in 1990.
According to the statistics, our marriage culture is changing dramatically. We have the second highest divorce rate it the world, and the average age for getting married for the first time is getting higher each year. Some people even prefer staying single forever. In light of such high divorce rates, some people are arguing that more couples should "live together" before actually getting married. So that is the topic of this week's discussion. What do you think about "living together" before a marriage? What are the pros and cons? If you are single now, would you live together before marrying someone? I think we can talk about various things related to this topic. I'll be looking forward to reading interesting comments from you. Have a wonderful week
Japan's Refusal to Rectify History Books |
Questions
1. The issue has been a ‘hot potato’ for a long time. However, have you ever seen this problem from the Koizumi’s part that wants to inoculate the young with patriotism and the sense of superiority about the nation to the world on the education side, although one’s history textbook ought to show reality?
2. You may hear that our history textbook has also been distorted or falsified in some way under previous regimes and yet(?). Why don’t we have some time to come up with those one by one?
3. Some people say that China is worse that Japan to Korea in view of interference into our internal affairs. That’s because Japan damaged us just for 36 years while China including Mongolia had bothered us for hundreds years. Do you agree or not?
4. If you were in Japanese prime minister’s shoes, do you make history textbook revised for fear of worldwide criticism including Korean hostility? Think that Japan is the 2nd economy following US (even though now they suffer recession) and its power to the world is impressive so that their self-esteem is soaring up.
5. If you were in the presidency or a member of cabinet, what do you propose a solution to persuade stubborn Japanese prime minister to accept our public stance?
6. These days, one of the most important national income is made from tourism, and the number of Japanese tourist is soaring year by year. The above problem might hurt our economy as we can guess. Do you have any backup to solve it?
[Japan's Refusal to Rectify History Books Unacceptable, Kim Says] By Oh Young-jin Staff Reporter of Koreatimes 7/11/2001
President Kim Dae-jung said yesterday that Japan's virtual refusal to rectify its ``distorted'' history books was unacceptable. In a weekly Cabinet meeting at Chong Wa Dae, President Kim said, ``Japan's action will not be tolerated,'' asking his ministers to try and make Japan revise the textbooks in question.
President Kim gave the instructions after receiving a briefing from Foreign Affairs-Trade Minister Han Seung-soo, press secretary Park Joon- young said.
It was Kim's first official reaction after Japan notified Seoul of its intention not to accommodate South Korea's demand for corrections of controversial passages contained in the textbooks. Seoul expressed its regret and repeated its call for changes in the strongest terms yet.
``Japan is obligated to teach truth to its people,'' the President was quoted as telling the ministers. ``If Japan doesn't fulfill this obligation, we have the right to demand that it should do so. We will not relent from our demand, until the Japanese government accepts it.''
Kim said that he felt shocked to find bilateral efforts made by the two countries to foster friendship impaired, and this situation might pass the point of no return. Kim forged the ``new partnership for the 21st century'' between Korea and Japan when he visited Tokyo in 1998.
The partnership led Korea to allow Tokyo access to its culture markets at the risk of unilateral inflow, and decided to refer to the Japanese ceremonial head of state as an ``emperor'' rather than a king, also in the face of public opposition.
``Japan should bear in mind that the textbook issue is not just an issue of its sovereignty or an internal affair,'' Kim said. ``I can't help but wonder if this is leading Japan to return to its old ways and repeat the unhappy history.''
According to Chong Wa Dae officials, Kim's reference to the textbook row shows his determination to set the record straight once and for all.
Despite strong protests by Korea and China, two victims of Japanese colonial rule, Tokyo has not shown any willingness to accommodate the changes in the textbooks as demanded.
Seoul officials vowed that the government will continue to press this issue until it is rectified, while experts admitted that it would be hard for the Koizumi government to back down and address the neighbors' concerns.
``Prime Minister Koizumi is enjoying high popularity, which is partially attributed to its accommodation of ultra-conservative sentiments,'' one expert said. ``Externally, Japan is closing ranks with the U.S., a phenomenon that raises its international prestige.''
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