[09/29]President Roh Wraps Up APEC Trip (From Stylish)

[Vincent(카페지기)]

 

What about you talking about your Chu-seok time first and foremost?

How did you spend your long holidays?^^;

Topic1

President Roh Wraps Up APEC Trip

21 leaders from the Asia-Pacific region have wrapped up their meeting in Sydney, adopting a statement that reaffirms commitment to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change.

Pacific Rim leaders agreed Sunday that differences in economic and social conditions among APEC member economies need to be reflected in the U.N.'s climate change arrangement.

Leaders of the 21 APEC member economies in a declaration on climate change, energy security and clean development reaffirmed their commitment to the U.N. convention as a primary tool to fight global warming.

The leaders also highlighted the import!ance of sustainable forest management and energy security.

Announced by the APEC host, Australian Prime Minister John Howard, the declaration also called for a post-2012 international climate change arrangement.

The member economies also saw eye-to-eye on the view that open trade, investment and environmental policies are crucial in realizing these goals.

On the sidelines of the APEC forum, South Korean President Roh Moohyun met with Russian President Vladimir Putin.

The Korean leader expressed gratitude for Russia's efforts to bring about a denuclearized Korean peninsula.

Mr. Putin promised full support for the upcoming inter-Korean summit, adding that Russia will cooperate in the next step of security arrangements for the two Koreas, still technically at war.

''At the forefront of President Roh's APEC agenda was building an international consensus on the need to establish permanent peace on the Korean peninsula.

With an inter-Korean summit scheduled to take place in October, it seems making substantial progress in this issue will be on the front burner for the South Korean president who has 5 months left in office.

He returns Seoul Monday morning.

기사와 질문의 내용이 조금 다르다는 점 주지하시고 질문 중심으로 준비해 오시면 될 것 같아요^^

여러분들의 지식이 조금 요구되는 이번 주 토픽입니다.~~

Questions

1. What is  APEC ? (tell us as much as you know)  

2. How many international bodies do you know?

    (KEDO,WHO...)  Could you explain the function ?

3. What do you think is the most current issues or main concerns

      among the international communities ?

4. What is your opinion about peace on the Korean peninsula?

5. Do you think North Korea is enemy or our brother ?

6. Do you believe unification between inter-koreans will be done ?

---------------optional questions-----------------

7. How do you think about our government policies toward North Korea?

    (ex. support for food, the upcoming second inter-Korean summit ..)

8. Do you have any idea about N.Korea's lastest denuclearization move ?

Topic 2

Changes in Korean work habit

Before the economic crisis began it was said that the workaholic Japanese were the only people who could make Koreans look lazy. Koreans became known for their industriousness, and it was the diligence of the Korean people that was mostly responsible for the rags to riches economic development.

However in a poll taken in 1996, Koreans started showing they'd rather have more time off than earn more money. Many employees and labor union suggested 5-workweek like the foreign companies. They asked for Korean companies to start adopting 5-day work schedules and eliminate Saturdays from work. Korean employees worked too much a week which makes them tired and in a long term decrease the produce efficiency. But to an employer, same salary but reduction in working hours can possibly call for less labor demand. If the 5-workweek gets settled in Korea, many differences will occur. There will be both positive and negative sides to it.

Today even a bigger change is taking place in Korean employment system. Many Korean's view on traditional lifelong relationship between employees and employers are changing rapidly. Japanese and Korean workers developed lifetime loyalties to their employers, expecting to remain with the same company from the time they were hired until they retired.

But now, many Korean workers switch companies whenever they find a better job offer, atmosphere or in order to add more experience. And employers lay off employees according to their needs. Company loyalty is no longer expected, and workers are free to come and go. These changes have been made necessary by the economic crisis, which is forcing companies to streamline their operations in order to become more efficient. And many companies are becoming merged together between each other by government. These also have the effect of giving westernized system of employment, which is a drastic change from the past.

Wether it is a change asked from inside the employees, or the outside atmosphere is effecting for a change, it is sure that there is a change going on in and outside of our work habit. Today might be the big turning-point in our employment system.

Questions

1. Today Labor union is asking for 5-days workweek. However 5 work-week can have both positive and negative sides to it. Do you agree or disagree about the 5-day workweek? Tell us the reason why or why not.

2. Korean workers used to develop a lifetime loyalty to a company. Now this traditional employment system is changing to a new system; many Koreans change or move jobs more easily for many reasons. Which system do you prefer? Or what can be the merits and demerits of each system?

3. In our society we can see the labor union having many public protest. What do you think is the biggest problem for employees working in Korea?

4. After graduating, many of you will get an employment. What will be some of the most import!ant considerations when choosing a job? (The major, the salary(pay), the atmosphere...etc.) Speak freely about your personal thoughts..*^^*

[Doo ^^]

왠만하면 갑니다...^^

[Teddy~*]

공부열심히 해야되고 이케요,,, 갑니다갑니다~ ^,.^

[세실]

참석합니다.^^

[JJun(Manager)]

자~ 추석 잘 보내셨죠? 이제 공부 좀 해볼까요? ㅋㅋ

[스탈리쉬]

당근..참석요~

[Skylark]

이번 주 토요일에는 연수교육이 있어 불참... 모두들 열공 하세요 CU ^^

[Nana~]

참석요~

[bloody]

참석할까 말까 고민중~ ㅡㅡ;;

[amy~]

오랫만에 참석하네요!!!

[christine(박윤경)]

참석고민중 ㅋㅋ

[도덕적 해이]

너무 오랫동안 안가서 참석할려니 걱정이 앞서네요 ^^;;; 7시에 뵈요

[Jake]

cham seok!

[박근영]

참석합니다

[Clark]

참석해요!