SEOULITE CONTRIBUTORS 2020 Editors in Chief
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Eric Hwang
Irene Nam, Kelly Sung, Lindsey Lim, Clair Kang, Kris Son, Grace Jiyoon Lee, Aimee Choi, Lauren Kim, Riwon Ahn, Jeffrey You, Jennifer You, Sarah Yim, Christine Yi, Hannah Yoo
Managing Editor Emily Oh, Wendy Kang Copy Editor Isabella Kim, Rosa Suh Layout Editor Edward Hahm, Justin Choi Photo Editor Rachel Lee, Katie Lee
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Photo(s) by Rachel Lee & Katie Lee Layout by Eddie Hahm
Layout Claire Kim, Yuzine Yi, Eunice Rhee, Emma Im Photo Alice Lee , Ashley Kim, Christine Yu Advisor Ms. Wendy Grant
LETTER FROM THE EIC Honorable delegates, chairs, advisers, guests, and readers, These next 19 pages include the hard work of Seoulite, the official press publication of SEOMUN. We as a staff and I as an editor am honored to serve SEOMUN’s many esteemed delegates, chairs, secretariats, advisers, and other participants throughout the conference’s 23rd annual iteration. We hope that all delegates will engage in fruitful debates on global issues and draw new insights from their encounters with new perspectives. It is of my firm conviction that there has never been a more important volume of Seoulite than our present publication. In a virtual conference in which delegates are separated by miles of physical distance and the glow of computer screens, it has become more difficult for delegates to interact with students outside of their committees or hear about debates that they do not personally participate in. As such, SEOMUN is at risk of losing its diversity of interactions and tight-knit community of past years. Our staff hopes to use our publication to overcome this obstacle. This conference, we will strive to use our stories as a connective tissue for SEOMUN’s international coalition, as a common thread to unify delegates from Beijing to Busan. With this in mind, Seoulite would like to ask the delegates and chairs of SEOMUN for two things over the next three days: First, please take the time to flip through our daily issues on issuu.com. We promise to fill our pages with fresh and engaging content ranging from coverage of environmental sustainability debates to memes about resolution drafting. Second, if a press member approaches you for an interview, please spare a few minutes of your time. We welcome and look forward to your uncensored personal opinions! On that note, we wish all delegates the best of luck. Happy SEOMUN XXIII!
Eric Hwang Editor in Chief
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Written by Eric Hwang Photo(s) by Rachel Lee & Katie Lee Layout by Eddie Hahm
JUKEBOX JEWELS
SEOMUN finally comes to a wrap as delegates, chairs, Secretariats and even members of Seoulite all breathe a sigh of relief. With the successful adjournment of the first online SEOMUN conference, all participants should take time to congratulate themselves, and more importantly, celebrate the cumulation of their hard work and success. While most may reward themselves with a deep sleep or celebratory dinner, one way to truly relieve stress is through music. Increased blood flow, dopamine production and release of endorphins are merely a few substantial ways music can improve our physical well being. Here are a few song recommendations that embody the triumphal mood of the end of three trying yet dynamic days. These four songs are small ways that delegates, or even chairs, Secretariats and advisors can improve their quality of life. Although most of us will return back to our regular school lives, nevertheless, we can still take the time within our day to listen to music and allow ourselves to take a small break from life. Congratulations to all on this year’s SEOMUN conference, and hopefully next year, we will physically meet again.
“Feel it Still” by Portugal. The Man The groovy bassline along with John Gourley’s falsetto are both satisfying features of this song, that help generate an upbeat and energized ambience. Having won a Grammy award for this song in 2018, Portugal. The Man, is a group that should be worth listening to. This song is perfect for quietly listening to during the closing ceremonies or the final session of the conference (albeit delegates should still be focusing on the speakers at the same time). Furthermore, Feel it Still represents the delegates’ exhilaration at having drafted exceptional resolutions that address each agenda.
“Wait a Minute!” by Willow Smith While most of us may know Willow Smith for her family or her keen fashion sense, she has released a number of notable tracks. This song describes the struggle of longing for a lover, by imploring them to stay. Willow Smith’s mesmerizing soulful voice paired with the slow yet eclectic sounds of the electric guitar, drums and beat incite a nostalgic feeling. This feeling of nostalgia can be embodied by delegates after SEOMUN has ended, allowing them to reminisce their experience at SEOMUN. Hopefully, this nostalgia will be appeased by participation in next year’s SEOMUN.
“Campus” by Vampire Weekend
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Written by Wendy Kang Layout by Yuzine Yi
Vampire Weekend is a well known American rock band, famous for their multiple hits such as “Step” and “Ya Hey”. The group first met during their studies at Columbia University, where they began by playing at gigs at university literary societies and parties before rising to fame. This song has a fast paced bass line along with notes from the electric guitar and drums, which contribute to its lively mood. This song should be enjoyed as delegates praise themselves for prosperously engaging in animated debates and lobbying sessions, and for their uphill battle throughout the conference.
STUFF DELEGATES SAY From Delegate to Me : (Privately)
From Delegate to Me : (Privately)
To:
(Privately)
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Photos by Isabella Kim & Rosa Suh Layout by Yuzine Yi
GA I Q:
What video game does your committee resemble? Junho Son, President
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I think the landscape of GA 1 reflects the tensions and communication patterns of the recently popular video game Among Us. The establishment of six blocks with over 50 delegates in GA I really makes the group dynamic special. Even in different groups, delegates have worked together to upgrade each other’s resolution and kept a high standard for their work ethics. So I guess there are only two imposters: Junho and Audrey!
Audrey Chan, Deputy Assistant President
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Among Us would definitely describe my committee. The emergency meetings in Among Us are parallel to debates on amendments, and the imposters, who are more aggressive and leading in opinions, do a great job diverting attention from crewmates. The annoying tasks in Among Us also remind me of voting procedures here, because they can get pretty slow and even frustrating sometimes. Even the ghosts in Among Us are like the delegates here who don’t speak much, but still get things done.
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Ian Park, Delegate of ROK
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I think that our committee resembles the game Resident Evil because the delegates could be seen as the survivors of an apocalypse. In the game, there are different groups of people that have different opinions on surviving the apocalypse and have different ways of living. This goes the same for our committee, where we have different opinions and different solutions to resolutions. However, like in the game, all the people are going toward the one goal of surviving.
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Written by Aimee Choi Photo(s) by Audrey Chan, Ian Park, Junho Son Layout by Emma Im
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GA II Q:
What was the funniest moment of the conference?
Chloe Joy Chang, Delegate of Egypt
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The funniest moment of the conference was when we were working on our resolution. Our bloc was very collaborative, and we were able to become very open with each other, so we were continuously cracking jokes while working. I am very thankful for this opportunity to work with such a positive group.
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Hugh Kang, Deputy Assistant President
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The funniest moment of the conference was when I joined a breakout room during lobbying sessions, and the delegates were talking about how they had 10 anime boyfriends and husbands. I was impressed with the diplomacy that they maintained during the conversation.
Alex Kim, President
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The funniest moment for GA II was when the delegate of Albania constantly ignored the Rules of Procedure because he really wanted to say something. He unmuted his microphone whenever he wanted to and blurted out what he had to say under any circumstances. Though this should be something annoying to the rest of us, we were able to realize just about how passionate he is, and I hope that over time, he will be able to voice his opinions while simultaneously following the Rules of Procedure.
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Written by Grace Lee Photo(s) by Alice Lee, Chloe Joy Chang, Christine Yu Layout by Emma Im
GA III Q:
What genre of music represents your committee? Richard Kang, President
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Rock represents GA 3 as we’ve been going strong for the past three days. Tons of amendments and POIs rolled in, and there were some heated discussions from extremely enthusiastic delegates. Rock concerts, although tiring at the end of the day, are very enjoyable during the day. Everyone has a great time.
Jasmine Jeong, Deputy Assistant President
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I think jazz represents my committee. Our delegates effortlessly balanced out their strengths and weaknesses. I found this balance similar to how members of a jazz band generate unique sounds for each of their parts, yet still blend with each other seamlessly to create beautiful music.
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Jordan, Delegate of United States
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Like jazz, our committee was always in a groove. The flow of our debates was always natural, and all delegates fed off each other magically. Similar to how jazz musicians improvise their music through spontaneous creativity, delegates proposed amendments to the resolution to draw the most legitimate solution to the issues at hand.
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Written by Christine Yi Photos by Christine Yu, Richard Kang Layout by Yuzine Yi
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ICJ Q:
What brand represents your committee?
Chhavi Kumar, Deputy Assistant President
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I think Nike represents us because of how diverse we are in terms of personality, opinions and our strong mindset overall. All the members of ICJ are strong as individuals but when they come together - they are a very powerful unit. Just like how Nike is an advocate for justice, our judges and advocates work together to maintain international peace and give justice. Finally, Nike represents our committee because each person’s individuality is respected and embraced.
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Tae Kyeong Hong, President
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I’d say Reese’s because just like Reese’s peanut butter cup, although the ICJ may seem mundane and dull on the outside, it actually holds a lot of fun and interesting discussions and it involves something that can’t be found anywhere else.
Phyo Thiri Thu, Judge
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I feel like Gucci represents our committee. ICJ is very formal and gives off an elegant vibe. Everyone is somewhat sophisticated and posh in their own way. If you witness our court debates or when the judges try to come to a consensus, you will see that our discussions are very eclectic like the brand itself. The advocates of ICJ are also bold when presenting their points just like the craftsmanship of Gucci.
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Written by Irene Nam Photos by Chhavi Kumar, Tae Kyeong Hong, Phyo Thiri Thu Layout by Yuzine Yi
HRC Q:
What superpower is your committee? Ana Park, President
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Considering the relatively large size of HRC, I’d say shape shifting—our delegates are extremely adaptable, flexible debaters who have the capability to adjust their stance according to each agenda. During lobbying, I find that our delegates are some of the most amiable collaborators to work with. In debate, however, they become independent, shrewd participants to embody their delegation.
Emily Sung, Deputy Assistant President
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I think my committee’s superpower is absolute stamina, because even after three-hour long resolution debates, they were never tired and continued to participate to the fullest of their ability. They endured resiliently throughout the entirety of the conference, and regardless of who gets best delegate, they all tried equally hard with amazing stamina and energy
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Brandon Choi, Delegate of the United Kingdom
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I think the HRC represents X-ray vision, because it tries to discern human rights violations across the world that may not be very apparent and also tries to identify corruption in governments as well. It is very concerned with human rights violations, but also wants to maintain certain rights such as freedom of speech and the press when others try to undermine it.
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Written by Kelly Sung Photo(s) by Alice Lee, Ana Park, Brandon Choi Layout by Eunice Rhee
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UNDP Q:
What color is your committee? John Kim, Delegate of Japan
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I believe that the color of UNDP would most likely be green. This is because the UNDP focuses on sustainability, and combating climate change is one of the largest issues of sustainability. Combating climate change, as well as other sustainable development methods, refers to a green future and a greener Earth which is why I believe UNDP is the color of green.
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Andrew Cho, Assistant President
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I associate our committee with the color white. Like white, which is a combination of all colors in the visible light spectrum, our committee consists of many delegates that exhibit different colors. There are delegates who are like red—passionate and often contrarian—others are like blue—diplomatic and calm, and more.
Marie Grochowski, President
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I believe sky-blue is the color of the UNDP. UNDP is a committee that tries to integrate all 18 Sustainable Development Goals set by the United Nations (UN), which provides a blueprint for peace and prosperity for people and the planet. We discussed issues with great importance and tried to achieve sustainability during these three days. This makes me feel at peace since I know that one day, these great ideas will be used in the UN and help global citizens live in a more peaceful place.
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Written by Lindsey Lim Photo(s) by Ashley Kim, John Kim, Andrew Cho Layout by Eunice Rhee
CSTD Q:
What kind of drink represents your committee? Darius Mahjoob, Delegate of Denmark
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The drink that best represents my committee is carbonated water or Sprite because we take regular solutions— water—and spice them up to apply to all aspects of our resolution papers. Many solutions have already been enacted by the UN. Our committee takes those starting solutions and builds off of them, often taking them into a new direction, much like how carbonated water takes the base of water and builds off of it by pressurizing it with carbon dioxide.
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Paul Moon, Delegate of China
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I think my committee is like a multi-layered smoothie that gets better as I go further down— most people in my committee are average and contribute very little to debates and discussions. However, once you get to hear everyone, you realize there are some people that are extremely well-versed in MUN, and I think that’s interesting.
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Hannah Kim, Deputy Assistant President
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Coca-Cola represents our committee. Things looked dark at first, and the committee seemed to be going nowhere, just like how one might see the dark color of Coke and mistake it for an unpleasant drink. However, there was a pleasant surprise as we went on with our debates. Delegates started making valuable contributions—we had nearly 15 amendments approved for each resolution, much like the pleasant taste Coke provides when actually consumed.
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Written by Clair Kang Photo(s) by Christine Yu, Darius Mahjoob Layout by Claire Kim
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ENV Q:
What plant does your committee resemble? Edward Lee, President
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I believe that the Environmental Commission functions much like a tree. A tree is composed of several necessary parts, be they the roots that suck up the nutrients from underground or the leaves that photosynthesize sugars from above. And much like that tree, every member of the Commission serves a vital role in the successful running of the Committee, be they delegates, chairs, or part of the administration.
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Michelle Bok, Delegate of Brazil
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I think that ENV represents the roots of a plant because it serves as the foundation for all environmental actions. Since environmental protection requires the direct participation of people in that specific area, the environmental commission strives to formulate solutions that achieve this goal while not damaging the inalienable human rights of its residents.
Katie Kim, Delegate of France
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I think the Environmental Commission resembles bamboo. I think this because although we took a long time to get rolling, we were able to grow immensely after we became more comfortable. Additionally, bamboo is very tough and strong, and because we are a strong committee, I believe bamboo can represent ENV.
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Written by Kris Son Photo(s) by Ashley Kim, Edward Lee Layout by Claire Kim
CSW Q:
What kind of vacation is your committee? Shawn Yoon, President
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My committee is like a weekend business trip. Though it is a refresher from our daily lives, we still must stick to the basic formalities and give our best efforts. Despite it being a tiring trip, we can travel around the world meeting new people from different places.
Sunny Lee, Deputy Assistant President
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Our committee is a trip to Boracay. Many visitors feel nervous before the trip, but once they arrive, they experience a new type of joy. Exploring the beautiful ocean with strangers they met on the island, scuba diving with the most interesting organisms, and enjoying the nice weather with a sip of martini gifts them a feeling of content. Our committee has many delegates from a variety of cultural backgrounds, but when we come together, we have this amazing synergy that brings everyone together. Without a doubt, every delegate and chair will leave SEOMUN with a sense of accomplishment.
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Daniel Shin, Delegate of Denmark
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My committee is most similar to a winter vacation. Though the conference itself takes place over a span of three days, it does not feel as long as it seems, as the delegates debate on multiple resolutions. CSW is also a place where people from all over the world gather together and spend time to solve the world’s biggest problems. Though the intentions of both MUN and winter vacation are different, the communal gathering of people is very similar to that of winter break.
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Written by Sarah Yim Photo(s) by Alice Lee Layout by Eunice Rhee
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SPT Q:
What kind of dessert is your committee? Bin Ma, Delegate of USA
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Over the last couple of days, as the committee with the smallest number of nations, I believe our committee was one of the most aggressive committees of SEOMUN. Therefore, I believe that our committee can be represented by a red velvet cake. Just like our committee, the dessert is isolated into different layers. With each layer having its unique taste and most of the layers being red, a color that can well-represent the aggressive debates in our committee, it resembles SPT.
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Michelle Heo, Delegate of USA
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I think our committee is a rainbow cake. All 6 delegations have unique stances and approaches to the agendas; however, within these differences, we strive to reach a general consensus to solve the issues at hand just like how the colors of the rainbow all come together to create a delicious rainbow cake!
Juwon Jeong, President
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Our committee is like a box of Krispy Kreme original glazed donuts, which are actually my favorite kind of dessert. There are exactly a dozen delegates in our committee, yet each and every one of them is extremely competent, active, and passionate. The Six Party Talks is also my favorite committee in MUN, because it is very entertaining to watch debates happening on extremely complex diplomatic issues amongst 6 prominent nations. Not to mention that our committee is the best out of all others in SEOMUN, just like how Krispy Kreme beats Dunkin Donuts.
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Written by Lauren Kim Photo(s) by Ashley Kim, Michelle Heo, Juwon Jeong Layout by Eunice Rhee
SC Q:
How would you describe your committee in one word? Sejoon Chang, Assistant President
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The word that describes the Security Council is “fiery,” since everyone is so passionate and active, to the point where it’s difficult for me to handle all the messages asking me to approve amendments.
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Bryn Dingemans, President
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I chose the word “kinetic,” because this committee is full of high-spirited energy and spirit. The committee is kinetic because it’s fast moving and always changing in tone. From moments of agreement to passionate disagreement, the delegates’ energy and spirit are evident.
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Haotian Rex Yang, Delegate of South Africa
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The word for the Security Council is “diplomatic.” My committee has been an unforgettable experience, where people passionate about the topic convene together and are eager to debate. I made new friends and acquaintances, and it was such a shame this could not happen in person this year. Delegates, old and new, are loving the Security Council experience and are taking advantage of every single second to tackle some of the most contentious crises in our world today.
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Written by Jeffrey You Photo(s) by Haotian Rex Yang, Bryn Dingemans, Sejoon Chang Layout by Emma Im
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SPC Q:
What fruit represents your committee? Yoonsung Kim, President
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Cherries often come in pairs—just like the delegates in SPC. Excellent cooperation is shown between pairs of delegates with similar stances to convince the committee to either vote for or against resolutions and amendments, and move the committee forward.
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Sarah Ju, Deputy Assisstant President
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SPC is like blueberries. No one eats a single blueberry. They don’t taste that good alone. However, things get better as you start shoveling handfuls of berries into your mouth. Similarly, our committee’s extremely collaborative environment helps create solid conclusions and resolutions.
Daniel Min, Assisstant President
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Although they taste bad at first, pomegranates taste better the more people eat them. This is also the case with SPC. At first, the agendas in the SPC may seem repetitive and boring, but the longer the debate lasts, the more we realize that these topics are important.
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Written by Emily Oh Photo(s) by Christine Yu, Yoonsung Kim Layout by Emma Im
WHO Q:
What animal represents your committee? Alex Taehoon Kim, President
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If I were to choose an animal for our committee, it would be a butterfly. We started out as an egg: shy to speak, reticent, and hesitant. Then, we evolved into a larva and took our first step. We became the pupa to lay a solid foundation, grasp on our resolutions, and form friendships. Finally, we became an adult to spread our wings, debating gracefully and freely. We are a committee of metamorphosis.
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Minju Lee, Assistant President
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For me, the biggest surprise of the conference was the skill level of many of the younger delegates. Despite the fact that older, more experienced delegates usually have a tendency to dominate the debate, my committee displayed a strong trend to go against this norm. The diplomatic and collaborative nature of all delegates, even despite their backgrounds in MUN, was the most interesting and touching part of this conference that I was not expecting.
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Erica Lim, Delegate of USA
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I would choose a penguin as the mascot because they always travel in packs, gather in times of storms, and refuse to separate until the storm passes. The WHO committee is just the same. Whenever there is an issue concerning the committee, the committee gathers for a meeting, works together, and refuses to leave until they tackle the issue at hand.
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Written by Jennifer You Photo(s) by Alex Taehoon Kim, Minju Lee, Erica Lim Layout by Claire Kim
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APQ Q:
What Hogwarts house is your committee?
Sean Kim, Deputy Assistant President
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I think APQ would be Gryffindor because our advisors are brave to speak up and fight for international causes that plague society as a whole. Our advisors’ practical but idealistic solutions to problems like the Persian Gulf Crisis resonated to me as conspicuously thoughtful and adequate, and their courage in venturing into uncharted yet innovative solutions was enough to inspire others to act with the same cause.
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Glenn Lee, Delegate of the United Kingdom
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I would say Ravenclaw, as our committee is composed of very smart people who genuinely want to find solutions or look for real problems that our solutions can address. We intellectually stimulate each other whereas other committees have people fighting to be the main submitter or the best delegate. We’ve never had problems of that sort.
Sooyoung Sylvia Jo, Delegate of China
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My committee as a whole is likely Ravenclaw as everyone is so smart. The resolutions are incredibly detailed and all the discussions are highly professional. It is clear that everyone has researched extensively and knows the procedures through and through. I don’t think I’ve ever seen anything like it.
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Written by Riwon Ahn Photo(s) by Christine Yu, Sean Kim, Sylvia Jo Layout by Claire Kim