Seoulite xx issue 3

SEOULITE XX feature: 2018 winter oylmpics in pyeongchang nears

2017 THEME: Global Populism and National Identity ISSUE 3 November 13 2017

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SEOULITE 2017 STAFF

Editors-in-Chief

Advisor

Marie Park, Alice Lee

David Coleman

Managing Editor

Reporters

Justin Chang

Sarah Jung, Dawn Kim, Yejune Park, Fiona Cho, Lyme Cho, Sia Cho, Eric Hwang (9), Alice Lee (10), Kate Lee, Samuel Oh, Min Chiang, Steven Chung, Eric Hwang (10), Wendy Kang, Emly Oh, Hannah Yoo

Assistant Editor Kirsten Huh Layout Editor Jiwon Chung Photo Editor Andrew Lee

Layout Artists Jaywon Yi, Andrew Kim, Catherine Cho, Eugene Song, Eddie Hahm, Erin Lee, Seoyun Yoo, Christine Lee Photographers Joanne Lee, Yujin Lim, Katie Ahn, Brian Chun, Anna Ganus, Allyson Kim, Angela Ahn, Eileen Kwon, Yunseo Jung

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Letter from the

editors Hello Delegates,

We are the editors of Seoulite, the official press publication of SEOMUN. We are honored to serve delegates, chairs, advisers, administrative staff members, directors, and other participants throughout the SEOMUN conference.

It is our utmost hope that all delegates have fruitful debates on various worldly topics and that they learn something new from this conference that they had previously been unaware of.

Over the next three days, our team of reporters, layout artists, and photographers will be creating a total of four issues of Seoulite. We will not only document the heated debates and potential remedies to global crises, but also capture the new friendships that were formed throughout this conference.

We would like to ask the delegates and chairs for two things: First, please pick up our carefully made issues every day and read through the pages--we promise to fill our issues with interest content ranging from migrant crises to nuclear proliferation along with a couple pages of pure, simple entertainment.

Second, when a press member approaches you for an interview, please cooperate--feel free to offer staff members your uncensored and personal opinions.

We wish all delegates the best of luck-- Happy SEOMUN XX! Editors in Chief Marie Park, Alice Lee

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Blast From the past

by Kirsten Huh

In times of increasing belligerence demonstrated by North Korea with its continuous ballistic missile testing, the nation’s relationship with the US has further deteriorated Despite the multiple warnings from the US for North Korea to stop its threats, North Korea, nevertheless persists with its aggression even as leaders from both nations have direct interactions.

Korean War. Regarding the sudden adjustment in the president’s schedule, there are Specifically, President Donald Trump and speculations on what his true intentions Supreme Leader Kim Jong-un exchanged are: to avoid creating greater tensions or fiery comments on social media. Trump ini- to facilitate the reaching out to US troops tiated the heated rhetoric between the two by stationed in Korea, as the Trump adminisdubbing Kim as a “rocket man.” In response tration has stated. to the verbal attack, Kim addressed Trump with an equally mocking term.

Although the relationship between the two nations was never this forthright and What is important to consider is that the transparent to the global public, both naclash between the presidents still remains. tions had always maintained an unfriendly Today, the fiery rhetoric between the two relationship. Back in 2013, North Korea erupted once more, as President Kim initiat- had threatened the US with claims to attack ed the attack by describing President Trump the nation with nuclear weapons and to as old. Trump immediately responded with, obliterate Washington following its multiyet again, another Tweet, implying that Kim ple missiles targeted at the nation. Similarly, is “short” and “fat.”

North Korea asserted in 2015 that it was “ready to use nuclear weapons any time.”

This exchange extended to diplomatic terms as President Trump changed his decision History illustrates that North Korea and to visit the DMZ, a region that serves to the US have maintained an unstable and separate North and South Korea. By visiting hostile relationship for the past several Camp Humphreys instead during his stay decades. As tensions continue to escalate in South Korea, President Trump broke the between the two nations, it is necessary presidential custom of visiting the DMZ that the presidents start acting in a diploas most US presidents have done since the matic manner towards each other.

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Obama reportedly bored after presidency

by Justin Chang

Following his departure from the White House, former President Barack Obama has been engaging in a multitude of activities from golfing to basket weaving in order to quench his never ending boredom.

After spending much of his midlife as the arguably most powerful man in the world, Obama has found his later life to be often meaningless.

Along with seeking out hit rappers whom he expected to “drop a fire mixtape” and being turned down by their assistants, the former President of the United States also rang five-time NBA champion Kobe Bryant in order to fix his basketball shooting form. Bryant was reportedly harsh on Obama in hopes to help him reach his full potential in basketball. This prompted the former President to quit. Bryant later commented, “I used to love Obama, but not so much anymore.”

Obama has also dropped his hobby of golfing after he found the sport to be too boring and tiring. After spending eight years alternating between golfing and negotiating, Obama had realized what an uninteresting sport golfing was. He commented that he spent most of his time standing around, waiting. He claimed that golf, or at least the golf that he is playing, barely even counted as a sport.

same way, commenting that he and Obama were no longer “bros.”

Obama, in his latest bid to find happiness, has reportedly roamed the streets, bribibng strangers to rob a bank so that he can be called in for jury duty. However, once he was in the courtroom, Obama promptly fell asleep, and was therefore excused by the judge. Struggling, the former President began a lengthy and childish tirade during which he declared that he “should not be ordered around” and that he “doesn’t deserve this.”

As a last ditch attempt, Obama visited the White House in order to convince President Trump to step down, therefore leaving him to step into the position again. The former President barrelled through security and into the oval office, to which Trump responded by having Obama arrested on the spot. The father of two is now being held at Guantanmo Bay. “It was always the dream to have Obama arrested,” Trump said. “I am a very happy man.”

Obama’s family has found his demeanor in recent months to be “erratic” and more often than not “psychotic,” according to an anonymous insider. Former First Lady Michelle Obama declared her discontent.

Former Vice President, Joe Biden, felt the

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GA1

Who is your role model and why?

by Samuel Oh

“As a growing young woman and a member of a greater community of the 21st century, my role model would be Michelle Obama. Lawyer, advocate and former First Lady of the United States of America, Michelle Obama is recognized as one of the most powerful women in the world. Her beliefs, actions, and words not only strengthen me, but also compel me to change my outlook on life to view the good over the bad.”

- Ji Hyun Katie Koo, President

“Although there were many people who were against his actions and discriminated him during Apartheid, my role model is Nelson Mandela, who never gave up and was determined to have his voice heard. He became not only a national but also a global figurehead and a role model to people worldwide.”

- Ashley Krairojananan, Deputy Assistant President

“I admire Martin Luther King Jr. for his ambition and determination in fighting for what he deems correct. He overcame racial and stereotypical barriers, did not care about how others put him down, and gave in his best efforts. I want to become someone like him, making both a significant and lasting positive impact to our society.”

- Sabrina Chen, Deputy Assistant President

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General assembly 2

by Wendy Kang

Q. What was the most memorable moment during the SEOMUN conference and why?

“At the beginning of the conference, the original delegate of the United States did not show up. As the delegate of Argentina, I volunteered to absent delegate’s place. At first, the chairs said no. However, after I talked with the Secretary General and the other Secretariat members, I was able to change my delegation, which was something that I aspired to do. With a lot of persuasion, I got to become the delegate of the United States. This was memorable for me, because I liked how the conference was so fluid and flexible and, most importantly, how the people believed in me.”

- Sangmi Park, Delegate of USA

“The most memorable moments of the conference were when I made a lot of new friends. This is the first and only conference where I actually met some great people and we made special memories together. I know that I will be keeping in touch with them. I love how SEOMUN brings people together.”

- Emily Lee, Delegate of Netherlands

“What was memorable to me was finally getting to meet my fellow chairs on the first day of the conference. We started messaging over the summer when we were writing our research reports, and we became friends through social media. When we met in person for the first time two days ago, it felt as if we had known each other for a long time. I feel like I felt more comfortable as a chair, by making new friends at SEOMUN.” - Teagan Mountcastle, Deputy Assistant President

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Security Council

What brand best describes your committee and why?

by Wendy Kang

“I think my committee would be Gucci. I think our committee as a whole includes a lot of different delegates of diverse backgrounds and mindsets, just as how Gucci is a brand with a mixture of different styles and trends.”

- Euodia Cho, Delegate of China

“Chanel, because it is a posh and sophisticated brand, just like the delegates in the Security Council. Our delegates are all advanced in the field of MUN and also sophisticated in the way we collaborate and write resolutions together.”

-Olena Vasyltsova, Delegate of Uruguay

“Security Council would be Hollister, because to me, Hollister has always been a brand that is comfortable in any situation, whether it is worn to a party or to school.

It also has a huge variety of clothes that are, at the same time, affordable.”

- Hyongmin Kim, President

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ECOSOC I

WHAT MOVIE DOES YOUR COMMITTEE REPRESENT AND WHY?

by Yejune Park

“Zootopia: We have delegates that come from various countries and thus, resemble the animals of diverse species in the movie. In addition, all delegates represent different personal characteristics as there is a medley of attention seeking, arrogant, scored, lazy, including some ‘try-hards’.”

– Safwat Rahman, Assistant President

“Confidential Assignment: The movie is about reconciling negotiations between South and North Korea. In comparison, this committee is about making negotiations, reaching agreements with other countries regardless of past conflicts, to seek benefits for each country – Joanne Yang, Delegate of France

“Kingsman: First of all, we all wear suits. Secondly, we all compete in a neutral manner, like the characters do in the movie. But at the same time, we support each other and have fun.”

– Eddie Kim, Delegate of Sweden

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ECOSOC 2

What genre of music does your committee represent and why?

by Alice Lee

“I think that our committee represents classical music because, for the most part, we are harmonious and concurring, but once in a while, there are disputes and disagreements, which I believe is a characteristic of some classical pieces.”

- Sujin Park, delegate of the United Kingdom

“I think rock music is a good representation of ECOSOC II because the intensity of the genre matches that of our committee. We are a very loud committee with many conflicting voices, and the debates are always extremely passionate.”

- Helen Zhang, delegate of Norway

“In my opinion, our committee represents rap music because ECOSOC initiatives are founded on fine backing beats of grassroots change, and at the same time we pack so much content in such a limited amount of time. Because of the fast pace, our delegates are forced to speak with lightning flow. Moreover, our committee members are creative and have versatile mindsets in approaching world issues.”

- Janice Hahn, President of ECOSOC II

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Advisory panel

by Kate Lee

Q. What was the most memorable moment during the SEOMUN conference and why?

“There were several challenging moments, but in my opinion, it was very difficult to persuade some nations when they have a biased view of or misinterpreted the clause.”

- Paya Hosseini, delegate of USA

“The most challenging moment for me was when the delegate of Syria asked me about my human rights violations, which was very ironic since Syria also has human rights violations in their country too.”

- Marcos Nordenstahl, delegate of China

“Other than having to use the toilet right before the speech, the most challenging moment was when there was a clause I really wanted to vote for, but could not, because I did not submit my amendment fast enough.”

- Arit Sharma, delegate of Syrian Arab Republic

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South Korea's reputation at stake at the Pyeongchang Olympics

by Eric Hwang

Throughout history, the Summer and Winter Olympics have served as symbols of peace and unity. However, the upcoming 2018 Pyeongchang Winter Olympics are surrounded with shadows of doubt and fear. Regional loose cannon North Korea has become increasingly aggressive over the past year, and with host country South Korea moving on from an impeachment scandal, it is unclear how security will be ensured for the athletes. With security in doubt, ticket sales have plummeted and some countries are on the verge of withdrawing participation from the games.

“In regards to the Olympics, I would expect the Kim regime to launch preemptive artillery strikes on South Korean bases,” said Hyong Min Kim, the President of the Security Council. “I would even go as far to say that the Kim regime may dispatch various teams of special forces to Korean cities to create confusion and unrest, just anything possible to make the Pyeongchang games a disappointment in front of an international audience.”

Many other delegates supported Hyong’s perspective, suggesting that North Korea would ignore the calls for peace around the world. In response to this unrest, South Korea has announced that the Pyeongchang Olympics would be closely guarded by double the amount of soldiers and guards that most Olympic games call for. In addition, a large number of diplomats previously skeptical diplomats left satisfied with Korea’s preparations.

Despite this, the general public remains uneasy.

Ticket sales have plummeted, with only 35 percent of projected ticket sales being sold. Even within Korea, many are either uneasy or indifferent.

“I am not really excited for the Olympics, even though it is to be hosted by my home country, because it poses a lot of danger on South Korea and its residents,” said Shawn Yoon, delegate of the Republic of Korea. “Especially with rising tensions with North Korea and the rising trend of bombings at conferences and sporting events, I am more concerned and hesitant about attending the games.”

This lack of enthusiasm and increasing fears regarding low crowd turnout have many concerned about how the games will affect South Korea’s image. Any breaches of security would heavily damage South Korea’s reputation in the eyes of the international community. If countries withdraw their athletes at the slightest sign of North Korean aggression, this could further hurt South Korea’s ability to produce an exciting Olympic game.

“The Olympics definitely have the potential to pose a threat to South Korea’s reputation,” said Emma Lee, the delegate of North Korea. “During the Olympics, the entire world is watching the host country, and if anything goes wrong, people will take notice. For example, if there is a security breach, tourists will be more hesitant in coming to South Korea in the future.”

2018 Winter Olympics preparations turn out in vain

by Yejune Park

On Feb. 9, people from all across the globe will visit Pyeongchang for the 2018 Winter Olympics.

Despite the numerous incidents regarding the impeachment of the South Korean Geun-hye Park and the inauguration of Jae In Moon, along with continuous threats from North Korea, the long awaited event will still proceed with its preparations.

North Korea’s past actions give more reason to worry. The year before the 1988 Summer Olympics, agents from Pyongyang bombed a Korean Air flight, killing 115 passengers. In 2002, when South Korea was hosting the World Cup, North Korean patrol boats sparked a naval clash, which sunk one South Korean ship and killed six sailors.

“Because North Korea has attacked South Korea in 2002, and in 1988 with the Summer Olympics, there’s no doubt that they will do it again in the Pyeongchang Winter Olympics,” said Chris Cho, delegate in the Six Party Talks. “They will inevitably do the same thing whenever a big event happens.

In order to prevent possible disasters from happening, we need to heighten security by increasing patrols in the ocean and the DMZ border.”

In response to North Korea’s nuclear threats, South Korean President Jae-In Moon requested for the nation to halt their nuclear weapons program.

Although some South Koreans expressed their desires of becoming a nuclear nation, President Moon claimed that developing nuclear weapons would only escalate tensions and lead to an unnecessary arms race.

Due to the hostile discussions between the USA, North Korea, and South Korea, Pyeongchang will definitely be less of a success than expected before,” said Chris Lee, delegate in the Disarmament Commission. “Just like how many international school events were cancelled for Korea, I expect that less people will come. I have heard that the people who originally entered the lottery to buy Pyeongchang tickets now don’t want to go. South Korea should try to improve their international image by promoting the idea that South Korea is safe.”

South Korea has already managed to overcome a few obstacles, including construction delays, and logistical conflicts. In spite of the ready progress, it is still unclear as to how many fans will actually show up as there is a lack of enthusiasm from sponsors, and early ticket sales have been slow.

According to Forbes news, organizers are $267 million short of the $2.4 billion budget needed to operate the games. There is still hope though, as previous host cities faced similar financial issues but saw a large increase in ticket sales in the final months leading up to the games.

“The Olympics has been long held as a symbol of peace for all nations and has been maintained as a way for nations to maintain their optimism for the future and international peace,” said Sei Chang, President of Disarmament Commission. “Due to immense conflicts, some of this optimism can fade away. The Olympics can reinforce this shared passion and optimism for making the world a better place. In terms of the sport, it also represents friendly competition as you can admire them for their athletic capabilities.”

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HISTORICAL SECURITY COUNCIL:

What do you think is the most important turning point in history and why?

by Dawn Kim

“I think that the Chinese Revolution of 1911 is the most important turning point in history. The Xinhai Revolution overthrew the Qing dynasty, ending the autocratic feudal monarchy and establishing the Republic of China. The revolution also led to social and economic development for the Chinese by ending their seclusion.”

– Sophie Lee, President

“The most important turning point in history was the United Nations intervention in the Korean war. This action led to drastic changes not only in the tide of the war, but also in the alliances between the East and the West.”

– Jake Jung, Deputy Assistant President

“I think the most important turning point in history was the creation of the atomic bomb.

The creation led to many distractions from the development of economies and culture. Furthermore, it required a lot of attention in order to build a large thermonuclear weapon and led to a long period of political discord globally.”

– Logan Choi, delegate of Cuba

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Disarmament Committee

Which celebrity best represents your committee and why?

by Sia Cho

“I feel like the Disarmament Commission is best represented by Kim Kardashian, as this committee is very dramatic sometimes. Not only that, but there are also many controversial decisions that take place, since we are a nuclear disarmament—some countries do not want to give up their nuclear weapons and some countries want all nations to give up their nuclear weapons.

Likewise, this tension is what defines the Kardashian family.”

- Sei Chang, Disarmament Committee President

“I believe that Chuck Norris best represents the Disarmament Commission, as he is very famous for his moves to disarm people. Even though human beings technically cannot be disarmed, their two muscular arms act as their armaments; Chuck Norris can easily disarm these guns, and this ability largely represents that of our committee as a whole.”

- Alex Jallet delegate of Indonesia

“Kim Jong-un best represents the Disarmament Commission because he shoots his own missiles into the sea, essentially disarming North Korea. As the nation is a nuclear state, it also represents the numerous controversies that our committee debates on to resolve the issue of nuclear proliferation.”

- Max Baskin, delegate of India

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Human rights council

What animal best represents your committee and why?

by Fiona Cho

“I would say tigers represent our committee, because all of the delegates are so eager to debate with each other and constantly ask POIs. Every time one delegate speaks up and proposes an amendment or a clause, another delegate stands up to oppose it, which is why the atmosphere is always so intense and fierce.”

- Juna Jang, President

“I think a cat would best represent our committee.

Sometimes, we are very cordial and even a little bit cute, creating a warm and friendly atmosphere. But other times, the mood is very quiet and calm, just like how cats can be quiet and serene. Furthermore, a couple of our delegates sleep a lot during debates or lobbying time.”

- Esther Lim, delegate of Turkey

“This is a little difficult to explain, but I would say that our committee is the most similar to hyenas because we’re very sneaky. Many of the delegates sneakily attack other delegates, pretending to be supporting them but choosing to turn against them in the actual voting.”

- May Zaw, delegate of Iran

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UNHCR

WHICH COLOR REPRESENTS YOUR COMMITTEE AND WHY?

by Min Chiang

“The color blue represents our committee because blue is a color of peace. In addition, blue is associated with education, which was a significant part of solving the refugee crisis during our committee’s debates.”

– Sarah Barth, delegate of Kenya

“I would say our committee is yellow. First of all, yellow represents our committee, because delegates in our committee are relatively younger. Yellow is also fitting since it is a bright and welcoming color, and our committee focuses a lot on the humanitarian side rather than the war, military, or the postwar effects of refugees.”

– Amy Kim, President

“I think our committee is represented by the color dark blue because, like the ocean, our debate flows very smoothly. Dark blue also symbolizes stability and confidence, which is an important aspect of a MUN conference.”

– Andy Yoon, Deputy Assistant President

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What drink represents your committee and why?

by Eric Hwang

“The tensions within my committee remind me of Sprite. Although these tensions make me extremely nervous, at the same time, they make the debates interesting and therefore, make me eager to debate. Just the way someone would be energized when drinking Sprite, the atmosphere within the conference room makes me enthusiastic, exuberant, and motivates me to attend more MUN conferences in the future.”

- Hyojung Lee, delegate of the United Arab Emirates

“Our committee is like a bottle of Coke—everybody is tranquil at first, but once one person shakes the bottle, things get a little out of hand, and everybody starts arguing. On the first day of the conference, when delegates first entered the conference room, many felt uncomfortable and reluctant to speak. However, as the debates progressed, more and more people felt confident and were engaged in the discussion.”

- Brian Ham, delegate of the Netherlands

“I think a Piña colada cocktail best represents my committee. It is sweet, and has a nice sense of freshness, but if you go too deep into it, you can go nuts, and bad things can start to happen. As much time elapses during each day of the conference, debates start to get very heated, and delegates defend their stances passionately.

However, aside from these extremities, usually, we are in a spot where much fruitful debate exists.”

- Jason Kim, delegate of Saudi Arabia

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Which Superhero represents ICJ?

by Steven Chung

“I think Wonder Woman represents the International Court of Justice, because Wonder Woman can make someone tell the truth with her lasso. Likewise, the most important principal in ICJ is to always tell the truth.

Also, the intention of ICJ is to always reach for justice, just like how Wonder Woman always tries to protect justice.”

- Jeffrey Heo, Deputy Assistant President of ICJ

“Superman represents ICJ, because the entire intention of ICJ is to enact the justice that we feel is fit and is necessary for the world to function. Also, we have a special ability that is denoted to us, which is to issue a verdict meaning that we can enact justice in our own way like how superman does.”

- Andrea D’souza, Judge of ICJ

“I would have to say that Dr. Strange best embodies the International Court of Justice, because like many other superheroes, he has the ability to protect justice without any prejudice. I believe this goes for the ICJ as well, because ICJ has a unique international authority where it can deliver justice on an international scale unlike any other judicial organization.”

- Nathan Cho, Judge of ICJ

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SIX PARTY TALKS:

WHAT ICE CREAM FLAVOR DOES YOUR COMMITTEE REPRESENT AND WHY?

by Sarah Jung

“Rainbow Sorbet. We all represent distinct colors that could look discordant, but if you take a bite, you will realize how well we blend together. The cooperation and negotiations that happened during the conference resemble the vibrant colors of this flavor, as each discussion was energetic and dynamic.”

– Alyssa Choi, President

“Mint chocolate chip. This flavor is sweet overall, but tastes fresh and new every time you eat it. Since our committee has three delegates from different schools working together, each team is like a unique cluster of chocolate chips in the mint ice cream. ” – Janet Lee, Assistant President

“Shooting star. As we got to know each other better, we realized we have a variety of characters and personalities. Each popping candy in the flavor represents the bursts of ideas and discussion that happened in the committee. The different colors of blue and pink also reflect how diverse we are as a group.”

– Jeong Woo Kim, Deputy Assistant President

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Special Conference

What was the funniest moment during the conference and why?

by David Coleman

“The funniest moment was probably when we were debating on LGBTQ rights, and someone said, ‘The world started with Adam and Eve, not Adam and Steve.’

It was a very awkward, yet memorable and hilarious moment in the conference.”

- Geo Yoo, delegate of Australia

“We were discussing an issue about education, and there was a resolution including a clause about having reports on education. Regarding this topic, I made a speech about how the reports should be made by a third party, not a government because the government is corrupt. However, I found it funny when, after making the speech, this other delegate raised a POI asking if I am okay with third party personnel coming into my country, considering I am the delegate of DPRK. To his POI, I responded, ‘Yeah, because the education material in our country reflects true facts... The supreme leader is God…’” - Emma Lee, delegate of DPRK

“The funniest moment in the conference was probably when we cleared a clause exempting countries from an entire resolution, which is kind of like a paradox, because I would have exempted them from the last clause as well. Even the delegate of Saudi Arabia voted for this resolution, which made no sense considering the general stance of the country, but in the end, we at least got to pass the resolution, which was good.”

- Nakul Sharma, delegate of China

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PHOTO C

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COLLAGE

Check out the last bit of SEOMUN 2017!

SEOULITE 2017

ISSUE 3 November 12, 2017