Korea's national mascot for construction site safety, Be-bob the Builder
Over the past few decades South Korea has experienced economic growth not seen since Al Gore's invention of the interweb in the mid-90s. Led by advances in technology, telecommunications, and the auto industry, the nation has acquired the name The Asian Tiger, as opposed to its neighbor North Korea, which is known around the world as Satan's Asshole. One effect of this boom has been widespread construction throughout the country. On my initial bus ride from the airport to Jeonju University, it was nearly impossible to look out the window without seeing some type of structure being torn down or built up, or a rolling countryside literally being rolled around by mud-caked bulldozers, ready to make way for tomorrow's PC-bong. (PC-bong is the Korean and more hilarious way of saying PC cafe.)
Typical Korean construction site. Different from similar sites back home in Long Island in that men are actually working.
As a testament to its economic achievements, the Republic of Korea has been elected as the chair country for the G-20 in 2010. This means that over the next year, the nation as a whole will bear a special burden as the most powerful countries in the world come together to work diligently to eventually get around to developing a plan to start tackling some of mankind's most pressing issues. To learn more about the G-20's efforts or to see the body of nations in action, visit their website: G-20 Official Website.
In an ideal world, Korea will play to its home field advantage this year and instill in its counterparts some of the dynamism and industry that's circulating through its streets like crystal meth through Fergie's veins. You can bet that if The Asian Tiger takes point and works the same magic that it has within its own borders, not only will more families have bread on the table, but more toilets will have tiny robotic scrubbers that circle the brim and do their business after you're done doing yours. That's right, they have those. I'll try to remember my camera the next time I go to make a Big American...
Reads: Coming Soon, Something So Technologically Advanced It Won't Be Coming to Your Country for Another Five Years!!
They have those toilets in Bryant Park, too.
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