From: the_dojang-owner@hpwsrt.cup.hp.com To: the_dojang-digest@hpwsrt.cup.hp.com Subject: The_Dojang-Digest V7 #712 Reply-To: the_dojang@hpwsrt.cup.hp.com Errors-To: the_dojang-owner@hpwsrt.cup.hp.com Precedence: The_Dojang-Digest Tues, 14 Nov 2000 Vol 07 : Num 712 In this issue: the_dojang: Thanks! the_dojang: Congratulations Vice President Silz the_dojang: FYI the_dojang: . ========================================================================= The_Dojang, serving the Internet since June 1994. ~1280 members strong! Copyright 1994-2000: Ray Terry and Martial Arts Resource Replying to this message will NOT unsubscribe you. To unsubscribe, send "unsubscribe the_dojang-digest" (no quotes) in the body (top line, left justified) of a "plain text" e-mail addressed to majordomo@hpwsrt.cup.hp.com. To send e-mail to this list use the_dojang@hpwsrt.cup.hp.com See the Korean Martial Arts (KMA) FAQ and the online search engine for back issues of The_Dojang at http://www.MartialArtsResource.com Pil Seung! ---------------------------------------------------------------------- From: "Camalfi" Date: Mon, 13 Nov 2000 20:38:43 -0500 Subject: the_dojang: Thanks! Mr. Terry, so often we ASK for something from someone. Many of those times we take the responses to our request(s) for granted, dismiss it (however unintentionally), or just simply forget to be thankful. I do not want that to happen to the responses that I have received. I posted a request for assistance--belt systems--on the digest and I would like to say thanks to our members for responding! I posted it yesterday (Sunday) and now, just about 24 hours later I have received 11 responses!!! OUTSTANDING!!! I do hope to receive more, but I was just overwhlemed at such quick response! A sincere and hearty thanks goes to; Bruce, Greg, Sarah, Erik, Shaun, Judy, sunryder, Robert, Jennifer, Lorraine, and John. I will still take any information I can get on various belt systems used, send it to: Camalfi@msn.com Ray, I would also like to take this time to tell you how much I appreciate your time and effort in producing the digest. Daily you remain commited to your faithful readers. I hope that more martial artists will join the list and the disucssion and tips will grow. My daughters and I have benefited greatly from the tips and discussions in the digest. The last three years of training has recently paid off big time! Not only did I pass my black belt test (at age 40!) but I had the privilege and honor to do so with my daughter right next to me, testing along side of me! WOW! As a father and martial art enthusiast you could not ask for anything more! So Ray, Thank YOU, for all you do! And thank you to all our members, for taking the time to read the postings, and for responding in a courteous and kind hearted manner. Tang Soo/Tae Kwon Carm Train hard and have fun! ------------------------------ From: Tkdtiger@aol.com Date: Mon, 13 Nov 2000 22:53:39 EST Subject: the_dojang: Congratulations Vice President Silz - --part1_a9.dab4406.27421143_boundary Content-Type: text/plain; charset="US-ASCII" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Master Silz was elected USTU Vice President last saturday - Congratulations - --part1_a9.dab4406.27421143_boundary Content-Type: text/html; charset="US-ASCII" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Master Silz was elected USTU Vice President last saturday -

Congratulations

- --part1_a9.dab4406.27421143_boundary-- ------------------------------ From: Ray Terry Date: Tue, 14 Nov 2000 15:11:43 PST Subject: the_dojang: FYI Content-type: text/plain; charset="US-ASCII" Global Intelligence Update - 14 November 2000 Joint Currency Offers Both Koreas Control Summary South and North Korea have agreed on a joint currency solely for inter-Korean use. The currency, which officials described as more a unit for the calculation of settlements than a physical currency, will offer both Seoul and Pyongyang greater political control over emerging economic ties. While protecting Pyongyang from potential mixed loyalties, it returns to Seoul control of international political and economic contact with North Korea. Analysis South and North Korea agreed on the establishment of a single currency for inter-Korean exchange during economic meetings Nov. 10. The new invisible currency allows inter-Korean trade and investment without the use of dollars. This will allow Seoul increased political control over inter-Korean economic cooperation and offer Pyongyang a way to counter the potentially destabilizing effects of increased contact with South Korea. Following a round of economic talks with representatives of North Korea, South Korea's chief delegate to the talks, Lee Keun Kyong, explained the new currency will be exclusively for transactions between the two Koreas, according to the JoongAng Ilbo. A South Korean Finance Ministry official explained further that the currency wasn't a physical entity, but more as a unit for the calculation of settlements. The decision offers both Seoul and Pyongyang greater political control over the emerging economic ties across the 38th parallel. Inter-Korean economic cooperation is as much, if not more, a political issue than an economic issue at this time. Investments in the North thus far have offered few true economic benefits to South Korean companies. A key example is Hyundai's flagship Mount Kumkang tourism project, which incurred nearly $245 million in losses in its first 13 months of operations, according to a September report by South Korea's Budget Policy Bureau of the National Assembly Secretariat. Hyundai's losses in North Korea are undermining investor confidence in the already embattled chaebol. Despite the obvious economic losses, anecdotal evidence strongly suggests Seoul takes extra care in dealing with Hyundai in return for its groundbreaking investments into North Korea. While the South Korean government is taking a stronger hand with other firms, Hyundai manages to dodge the most intrusive government reforms. Switching to a virtual inter-Korean currency will allow Hyundai and the South Korean government to obscure the true level of losses in inter-Korean operations. Thus Seoul, which has declared investment in the North a private business matter, can direct, protect and reward businesses entering the North while keeping a lower profile. For North Korea, South Korean investment and trade presents a different problem: It threatens to undermine unity within the ruling regime. The flow of investment into North Korea largely has been segregated geographically and socially. Free trade zones are established in remote locations, and the Hyundai Mount Kumkang project remains fenced off from the rest of the country. North Korea has watched the Soviet Union's attempted transition from a centralized to a market economy fail spectacularly. Even the more closely controlled transitions in China and Vietnam to so- called socialist market economies have led to splits in their central governments and competition between regional elite and the central governments. As Pyongyang seeks to increase capital and technology flow from the South and elsewhere, however, it risks shifting the basis for political prestige. The biggest concern for North Korean leader Kim Jong Il and his advisors is to remain the power brokers and central power in Pyongyang. The North Korean government seeks to eliminate the possibility the elite will grow more powerful by building their relationships with South Korean businesses. By creating a virtual currency good only for inter-Korean dealings and thus unconvertible on the international market the North Korean government retains control over the internal value of the currency and control over the elite's ability to buy power. Pyongyang minimizes the chances of facing internal rifts between factions of the elite competing over contacts with South Korean businesses. At the same time, it will potentially increase the pace and scale of investments from the South, because such investments do not require U.S. dollars as a medium of exchange. South Korea's government gains more control over investments heading North, while remaining able to obscure its hand by reporting such trade and investment in terms of the ethereal inter- Korean currency. At the same time, South Korean businesses can adjust their accounting to look more solid for outside investment if inter-Korean trade and investments do not require U.S. dollars or even South Korean won. Ultimately, Seoul regains control over other nations' political and economic contact with the North through the inter-Korean currency scheme. Foreign businesses interested in investing in the North, but wary of the risks and massive capital outlays, could reduce their risk by investing in South Korean companies investing in the North. This would not only reduce risk to the foreign businesses, but increase the strength of the South Korean businesses thus improving the South Korean economy. South Korean companies will have a competitive advantage in investing in the North; Seoul will likely give not only its political but its economic support. The obscurity of this political influence and the opacity of the new currency dealings will give Seoul and South Korean businesses the ability to manipulate the apparent benefits of international investments in the North, allowing Seoul to once again retake the initiative in international relations with Pyongyang. ------------------------------ From: Ray Terry Date: Tue, 14 Nov 2000 15:16:08 PST Subject: the_dojang: . ------------------------------ End of The_Dojang-Digest V7 #712 ******************************** It's a great day for Taekwondo! Support the USTU by joining today. US Taekwondo Union, 1 Olympic Plaza, Ste 405, Colorado Spgs, CO 80909 719-578-4632 FAX 719-578-4642 ustutkd1@aol.com http://www.ustu.org To unsubscribe from the_dojang-digest send the command: unsubscribe the_dojang-digest -or- unsubscribe the_dojang-digest your.old@address in the BODY of an email (top line, left justified) addressed to majordomo@hpwsrt.cup.hp.com. Old digest issues are available via ftp://ftp.martialartsresource.com. Copyright 1994-2000: Ray Terry and Martial Arts Resource Standard disclaimers apply.