Korea Unemployment

Most Korean media has finally acknowledged that the rise in unemployment is due to overcrowding of small businesses in such areas as restaurants and retail, and decrease in industrial jobs.

They still criticize President Moon's policies of spending money on low income people and on creating jobs. They do not mention all the tens of billions of dollars wasted by the previous conservative administrations of former Presidents Myung-bak Lee and Keun-hye Park. Myung-bak Lee wasted probably over a hundred billion dollars on construction projects to build canals in which almost all the major construction companies were found guilty of collusion in jacking up bidding prices and faulty construction. They were promptly granted amnesty by President Keun-hye Park. Then there were all the tens of billions of dollars wasted by President Keun-hye Park in her "Creation of Businesses" projects which were ridden with corruption and waste.

The good news is although President Moon has seen his popularity drop from the 80s to the 50s, the conservative party did not achieve any gains in popularity. In fact, they dropped to 11% which is a record low. This is the party that most Korean media blindly support and has almost 50% of the seats in the National Assembly. Their popularity rating was usually over 40%.

It seems most Koreans do not believe conservative media propaganda. And they definitely do not believe the party that supported and fiercely defended former Presidents Myung-bak Lee and Keun-hye Park.



Wish we had NORML in Korea. I would start a chapter, but I am afraid of being arrested.

91.3% of Korean Males Drink Alcohol

As stated before, it seems drinking alcohol is a national pastime in Korea.

According to The Lancet, 91.3% of Korean males drink.

The Lancet: Alcohol Is Associated With 2.8 Million Deaths Each Year Worldwide

As many comedians pointed out, alcohol is a very dangerous drug, and so are cigarettes. These actually kill a lot of people. Consuming marijuana never killed anyone.

No "Life" After Death, But "Consciousness" Is Eternal

Had a feeling that consciousness was eternal, now physicists are trying to prove it.

Express: Life after death: Soul continues on a QUANTUM level – scientists reveal

Dark Energy

If the universe is surrounded by emptiness, then the universe would have pressure and the surroundings would have no pressure. There is no need for dark energy for the universe to expand. It would expand due to pressure difference.

Add this to the pressure exerted by radiation/photons shooting out of the universe.

94% of Americans Approve Legalizing Medicinal Marijuana

Remember when most Americans were opposed to legalizing medicinal marijuana? It seems like only a decade ago.

Newsweek: Legal Weed: How Republicans Learned to Love Marijuana

Wake up, Korea. Stop with the "reefer madness" stuff.

Corona beer maker invests $4 billion into marijuana business.

Reuters: Corona owner invests another $4 billion in cannabis producer Canopy

Heineken also enters the marijuana beer business.

The Drinks Business: HEINEKEN HAS LAUNCHED A CANNABIS ‘BEER’ WITH THC

Only In Korea? I Think So.

Korea's National Assembly  used to receive "special operational" funds to the tune of 5-6 million dollars a year,  which they did not need to account for. Citizens groups sued to have details of how these funds were used made public. The Supreme Court ruled that the details be made public, but the National Assembly has only released some of the details. In many cases, the funds were used for personal purposes, such as children's tuition and vacations.

The National Assembly promised in the past to get rid of these special operational funds, but they again tried to break their promise. However, due to strong public opinion and potential backlash, they now promise to get rid of most of the special operational funds, except for the absolute minimum needed for operation. In addition, they promised that details of use and receipts would be made public.

Yonhap: National Assembly scraps special activity funds amid criticism

Korean Media Blames Minimum Wage Increase For Drop In Employment

Drop in employment has been a global phenomenon for several years and is due to automation and other technological advances. Yet, most Korean media continue to blame labor unions and wage increases. They do not mention that the conglomerates have decreased recruitment of employees despite increased turnover and profit.

When they reduced corporate tax about a decade ago, they argued that businesses would reinvest their profits and increase employment. The conglomerates did not neither. In fact, they reduced employment and investment. They promised many times to increase employment and investment, but did not. They are promising again to invest hundreds of billions of dollars and increase employment, but I seriously doubt they will keep their promises. 

Another critical article typical of Korean media blaming increased minimum wage and critical of the Moon administration. Most Korean media do not seem to want a progressive government to win in the next National Assembly and Presidential elections. The conservative party's popularity is at an all time low, yet they have yet to mention this in the news. Most media spend all their time criticizing the Moon administration and anyone progressive or liberal. At the same time, they give a lot of air time and attention to conservative views. 

Korea is still run by the conglomerates and the wealthy, at the expense of the people. 

Korea Herald: Gov't shifting from 'income-led growth'

A more objective article explaining some of the reasons for the loss of jobs.

Korean Net: Involuntary-job changes