Journal Entry: 6/10/09
Yonsei is a private research University in Seoul. It is also widely regarded as one of the top three universities in Seoul along with Seoul National University and Korea University. These three schools makeup the acronym SKY.
In 1990, Yonsei University Library became the first to operate a computerized library system in Korea. Recently, in 2007, Samsung donated $30 Million in the construction. The name was changed to the Yonsei-Samsung Library in 2008. The Library’s collections total more than 1.8 million printed works and 16,000 serials.
The entrance of the library is denoted as the U-Lounge (ubiquitous). There are touch-screen LCD’s where you can search for a book, read newspapers, post memo’s, and play games. Probably one of the most high-tech libraries I’ve ever seen.
Next we visited the National Assembly of the Republic of Korea, the legislative branch of the South Korean national government. We got a tour of one of the halls where single-member constituencies comprise 245 of the National Assembly’s seats, while the remaining 54 are allocated by proportional representation. Members serve four-year terms.
We were given a presentation on the Library next. We were given pamphlets about the Dokdo island. Sovereignty over the islets is disputed between Japan and South Korea. South Korea claims it has been their for some time and currently have military personnel stationed on the island. There is also two Korean citizens who have taken permanent residency on the rocks.
South Korea designated Dokdo Natural Monument No. 336 in 1982. Dokdo means “Lonely Island” or “Rock Island”. If Japan gains ownership of the Dokdo islands their fishing grounds will extend further into the Sea of Japan.
Afterwards we met some people for dinner. We were supposed to go on a boat ride but we decided to check out the Bier Halle close to our hotel in Myongdong and then went out for karaoke.
In 2009 I traveled to South Korea to study abroad. I kept a diary of each day of my visit. When I returned to the United States, I created these digitized posts of my entries and the images that I took on each corresponding day. You can find all the South Korea journal entries here.
