Stories about East Asia from July, 2013
PHOTO: South Koreans Protest Against the Secret Agency Scandal
Another round of protests against the state secret agency's electioneering have erupted in South Korea over the past weekend. @wsjfree posted a nice roundup of protest photos on Storify.
Fukushima: No Place Like Home
‘No Time for Anger [de]’, a visualization journal by a team of Swiss media reporter and designers, illustrates Fukushima two years after the triple catastrophe of the Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami followed by the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear disaster on March 11, 2011. Fearing radiation, some residents sought evacuation to other areas...
Is the Man Who Bombed Beijing's Airport a Terrorist or Victim?
A man in a wheelchair, who claims he is paralyzed as the result of cruel beatings by police officers in 2005, set off a homemade bomb in Beijing's airport.
PHOTO: Fishing in the Polluted Waters of Manila Bay
A fisherman at work on the polluted waters of Manila Bay against the backdrop of the Manila skyline. According to government statistics, fisherfolk comprise the poorest sector in the Philippines
How Vietnam Controls the Press
Asia Sentinel publishes an article written by Pham Doan Trang about the situation of journalists in Vietnam: The press card system is a sophisticated method of controlling reporters. No card, no access. Without a press card, reporters can't hope to meet high-ranking officials, visit contacts at public offices or cover...
South Korean Authorities Raid Ex-Dictator's Home, Seize Massive Art Collection
Authorities hauled away 350 works of art worth millions of dollars. But was the raid a meaningful attempt at justice or a political decoy?
Residents Oppose Coal Project in Southern Philippine City
Coal plant could also undermine Davao City’s reputation as Southeast Asia’s first smoke-free city.
Chinese Court's Bizarre Anti-Sexual Abuse Poster
A poster, warning people to obey the law otherwise turn from “a fresh daisy” to “a shriveled sunflower”, was recently put out by People’s Court in Manzhouli, a small city in the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region. See Ministry of Tofu for the poster's sexual implication.
China Law Professor: Raping Bargirl Does Less Harm
While commenting on a recent rape case, Tsinghua University law professor Yi Yanyou argued on microblogging site Sina Weibo that, “It does more harm to rape a good woman than to rape a bargirl, a dancing girl, an escort or a prostitute.” Such arguments were echoed when the lawyer of...
Experience of Being Black in China
Marketus Presswood, who previously lived in Beijing for more than eight years, wrote in Tea Leaf Nation about his experience of being black in China in late 1990s. I overheard students speaking in Chinese about how they were paying so much money and wanted a white instructor. One student went...
China: Crackdown on Citizen Movement Activists
Chinese Human Rights Defenders has an update on the arrest of citizens and activists in China. The latest detainee is prominent activist Xu Zhiyong, who is considered a moderate reformer. 25 individuals have been confirmed criminally detained since February for publicly appealing for an end to official corruption and for...
Blockbuster Film ‘Tiny Times’ Reflects China's Generational Conflict
China's older generation critics are blasting the 'materialistic' Tiny Times, a luxury brand-heavy drama about four young women who pursue love and success.
Foreign Words Invade Traditional Japanese
A 71-year-old man is suing Japan's public broadcaster because he is literally lost in translation, in his very own country.
Nigeria Cements China Relations With Presidential Visit
Was President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan's visit to China payback to US President Barack Obama for not visiting Nigeria during the American leader's African tour? Nigerian netizens evaluate.
Thailand ‘Hitler’ Chicken Story Exposed as Inaccurate
What does the Daily Mail, The Sun, Bangkok Post, Time, Gawker, MSN Money, Huffington Post have in common? They all published a story about the existence of ‘Hitler’ Fried Chicken Store in Bangkok which was recently exposed by Thailand-based blogger Matt of The Lost Boy as inaccurate. Some of these...
China Cracks Down on Corruption Whistleblower
China has blocked the web presence of anti-corruption hero Zhu Ruifeng for reporting on the shady relationship between two local communist party officials.
PHOTO: “Go Bald for a Cause” in Brunei
“Go Bald for a Cause”, a charity event to benefit the Brunei Breast Cancer Support Group. “The act of shaving their heads will also aid in creating public awareness on breast cancer, demonstrating that hair loss is just a temporary setback on the road to recovery for patients.”
South Korea Suspects North Korea Was Behind June Hacking Attack
South Korean investigators suspect North Korea has carried out a series of cyber attacks on June 25 that temporarily hobbled the presidential office websites and major media sites, pointing out the fact that an IP address used in the attack matched one used by North Korea in previous cases. North...
Thousands in China's Guangzhou Rally Against Trash Incinerator Plan
Residents of Shiling town in China’s southern Guangzhou province took to the streets over pollution fears.
Billionaire Jack Ma Makes About-Face, Praises Chinese Government
Was Ma's change of attitude related to the recent secret execution of “China's Madoff”?
South Korea's Ex-President Accused of Lying Over Four Major Rivers Project
Civic groups say the project will cause irreversible harm to the environment by blocking water flow and meddling with the ecosystem.
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