Must viewing -- President Dwight D. Eisenhower's farewell speech from the White House

Time Magazine piece on Seoul and PyeongChang Olympics -- my interview

As readers of this blog will know, I've long been interested in the political impact of the Olympics as a global media event.  (See my many prior posts)
Some weeks before the opening of the PyeongChang Winter Olympics last month, I was contacted by a writer for Time magazine.  Olivia B. Waxman's article, in which my book (with Heung Soo Park) is cited, was published on February 8 and can be read at this link.  Of course, the story of Olympic diplomacy surrounding the PyeongChang Winter Olympics is still being written, so I anticipate future posts on the topic.

Robots, simulators help Korea's shipbuilding industry

An interesting article in The Korea Joongang Daily entitled "Robots, simulators help build Korean ships."  One can find the influence of digital technologies (a.k.a. information and communications technologies) in all industries, explaining why we are in the midst of a digital revolution. (click on the graphic for a full size version)

Korea's beloved Arirang folk song at the PyeongChang Olympics

A very interesting article appeared in The New York Times entitled "A tune heard often at these Olympics gets to the heart of being Korean."   The accompanying video contains a version of the song performed on KBS television.
The New York Times' article includes the following excerpt.  "In an 1896 essay, Homer B. Hulbert, an American missionary in Korea, wrote: “To the average Korean, this one song holds the same place in music that rice does in his food — all else is mere appendage. You hear it everywhere and at all times.” The same could perhaps be said about the song’s place at these Games. It has turned up as more than background music for the skating pair’s routine. It was played twice at Olympic Stadium during the opening ceremony. It has been sung in the stands at hockey games. And with all the interaction here between North and South Korea, it has served as a stand-in national anthem for the formerly unified countries."  The rest of the article is well worth reading.

Global television and the politics of the PyeongChang Winter Olympics

Three decades ago, the 1988 Seoul Olympics carried enormous political significance for Korea, as documented in my 1993 book (with Heung Soo Park), Global Television and the Politics of the Seoul Olympics. (full text PDF downloadable here from Google Books.)  Domestically, the 1988 Olympics played a key role in South Korea's political liberalization and democratization. Internationally and in terms of Korean foreign policy, they were the principal vehicle for President Roh Tae Woo's "northern policy."  That policy opened up diplomatic, economic and cultural relations with the Soviet Union, nations of Eastern Europe, China and Vietnam, all of which had been cut off from South Korea during the long Cold War.

It is too early to say whether the PyeongChang Winter Olympics, currently underway, will have such a profound political impact on Korea, but North Korea's decision to participate in the games, and to send a high level diplomatic delegation to them, provides a glimmer of hope.  In 2018 as in 1988, television continues to play a major role in the politics of the Olympics.  Three decades ago, the Korean Olympics were a mass media event.   Today television still attracts massive global audiences for events like the Olympics.  However, people are watching on multiple screens.  The Olympics have become a "bring your own device" showcase for 5G, digital phenomenon, as amply demonstrated in the PyeongChang Opening Ceremony on February 9.