Psy’s ‘Gangnam Style’ video draws over 130 million views from 220 countries

Korean singer Psy’s “Gangnam Style” music video drew more than 130 million views from 220 countries around the world in less than two months, recent data provided by YouTube showed on Tuesday.

The number of views for the viral song’s music video in the United States topped the list with 19.36 million, followed by Korea and Thailand with 17.06 million and 8.97 million, respectively. Malaysia and Canada placed fourth and fifth with 6.79 million and 3.65 million views. The music video has also been watched more than thousand times even in Muslim countries in Africa and in the Middle East.

Surprisingly, the data also revealed that the online music video attracted more views from countries in North America and Europe than Japan and China, where K-pop already has a strong presence.

The music video by the South Korean singer broke the 130-million mark in just 58 days. It took more than three months for world star Justin Bieber to break that with his hit-song “Boyfriend.” It was three years before the music video for Lady Gaga’s “Poker Face” broke the 130 million mark, the data showed.

By Cho Chung-un (christory@heraldcorp.com)

Primary school children decrease below 3 mil.

By Na Jeong-ju

The number of elementary school students fell below 3 million for the first time this year, the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology said on publication of its annual education statistics Tuesday.

The decrease reflects Korea’s aging population and a chronically low birthrate ― some 471,300 children were born here in 2011, which is one of the lowest birthrates in the world.

The number of primary school students dropped for the 10th consecutive year to 2.95 million as of April 1. That’s a 5.8 percent decrease from a year earlier and nearly half of the 5.65 million students tallied in 1980.

There are fewer students in secondary schools as well.

The number of middle school students fell by 3.2 percent from a year ago, and that of high school students dropped by 1.2 percent.

In contrast, the number of preschool children hit an all-time high of 613,749, up 8.7 percent from 2011, thanks to the introduction of free education for 5-year-olds and increased state subsidies for the parents of preschoolers.

The report showed some 7.38 million students are enrolled in kindergarten, elementary and secondary schools, compared to 7.6 million in 2011, 8.2 million in 2008, 8.38 million in 2005 and 8.55 million in 2000.

The number of students taking undergraduate and graduate courses at colleges also edged down by 0.2 percent from a year ago to 3.73 million. It’s the first time that the figure has fallen since 2006.

The number of foreign students enrolled at local schools also dropped by 3 percent to 86,878 ― the first decrease in a decade ― due mainly to the toughened application process. The figure had grown rapidly over the past few years because of the worldwide popularity of Korean dramas, pop songs and movies.

The ministry has made it compulsory for universities to get government certification first to admit new foreign students in a bid to enhance the quality of education services for those who want to study in Korea. It also banned poorly-managed colleges from accepting new foreign students for a limited period.

The moves reflected concerns that some unpopular private colleges admitted almost any foreign applicant in order to increase enrollment and boost profits.

The Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) has released its 2012 edition of Education at a Glance, a comprehensive report on educational statistics from its member nations.

The report said the country spent 8 percent of GDP on public education ― 4.9 percent by the government and 3.1 percent by the private sector ― in 2010, much higher than the OECD average of 6.3 percent. Spending by the private sector on public education was the highest among OECD countries for the 12th consecutive year, indicating that Korean parents rely heavily on private tutoring for their children’s education. 

Ahn –– master of ambiguity

Ahn Cheol-soo, right, dean of the Graduate School of Convergence Science and Technology at Seoul National University, speaks at the Kumoh National Institute of Technology in Gumi, North Gyeongsang Province, Sept. 11, 2011. / Korea Times file

By Kang Hyun-kyung

Ahn Cheol-soo’s description of his father-in-law as a poor farmer hit hard by Typhoon Bolaven has earned him the nickname “Mr. Bongdae” among some netizens referring to a person who overstates things to curry favor with his audience.

It comes in response to comments the Seoul National University (SNU) professor made during a meeting with farmers based in the small central eastern farming community of Hongsung late last month.

“(Like you farmers), my father-in-law grows vegetables in a windproof vinyl greenhouse (in the southwestern port city of Yeosu). I heard from him recently that his farm was ruined after the strong Typhoon Bolaven devastated the region,” Ahn said. “I was really sorry that I couldn’t visit him after the typhoon.”

Some farmers posted the conversation with the potential presidential candidate after Ahn visited the area without informing the media of his schedule in advance.

After this, Ahn drew a barrage of sarcastic responses from bloggers as he wrongfully described the profession of his father-in-law, and the damage that he suffered. It is not clear whether he did this intentionally or not.

Ahn’s father-in-law, Kim Woo-hyun, is not a farmer. According to media reports, Kim, a Seoul native, has resided in a waterfront area of Yeosu since 1992. The 78-year-old once owned a brewery there but now retired. Kim grows vegetables in his small backyard.

Some bloggers with knowledge of Kim and his house said a corner of his backyard was covered with vinyl to protect vegetables from the wind but the small tiny cover disappeared after Bolaven brought torrential rain and strong winds.

An Internet user, Samrihwa, said no one calls a person who raises vegetables in their garden as a hobby a farmer. “If we call such a man a farmer, we should also call those who grow vegetables in flower beds farmers, too,” he said.

Another blogger, Imunik, suggested that Internet users call Ahn “Mr. Bongdae” from now on as he seems he will overstate anything if necessary to woo voters.

Yoo Min-young, a spokesman for Ahn, declined to comment on the allegations.

He told the Korea Times over the phone that Ahn’s remarks need to be understood in the context that he addressed concerns about the typhoon damage and farmers as they have gone through income loss and other negative material consequences following the typhoon.

Despite this, some bloggers considered Ahn’s behavior intentional as this is not the first he has done so.

Earlier, Ahn’s remarks about the period he lived in rented accommodation drew criticism. In the recent book “Ahn Cheol-soo’s Thoughts,” the SNU professor said he knew of the inconveniences of tenants better than anyone as he had been a tenant for a long time. But the actual period he lived in contract-based housing was less than a year.

The founder of anti-computer virus software firm AhnLab was also criticized over claims his laboratory had provided the computer vaccine program to North Korea in 2000 without receiving approval from the National Intelligence Service or the Ministry of Unification.

Ahn served as chief executive officer of the company back then. Initially, he denied the allegation, saying AhnLab didn’t give the V3 software to the North.

But this was confirmed not to be true.

In 2005, a publicist for the firm acknowledged that it provided the North with the software. The publicist recently said she made the remarks as she didn’t know that she was not authorized to speak to the media on the matter.  

Old US documents disprove Japan’s claims over Dokdo

Old US documents disprove Japan’s claims over Dokdo

The cover of a document titled “Asiatic Pilot: East Coast of Siberia, Sakhalin Island and Korea” released under the authority of the United States Hydrographic Office in 1909. / Korea Times file By Chung Min-uck Navigation documents drawn up by the United States government over 100 years ago show that Washington did not recognize the islets of Dokdo as Japanese territory, disproving the latter’s latest claims over them. A document titled “Asiatic Pilot: East Coast of Siberia, Sakhalin Island and Korea,” released under the authority of the U.S. Hydrographic Office in 1909, refers to Dokdo as “Hornet Islands (Liancourt Rocks).” It also describes them “as two barren rocky islets, covered with guano, which makes them appear white.” In the description it never mentions territorial sovereignty of Dokdo, whereas, in the case of Tsushima Island, the closest Japanese territory to Korea, the document clearly states it “belongs to the Japanese.” Another Hydrographic Office document released in 1910 titled “Asiatic Pilot, The Japan Islands,” committed to provide information on Japanese islands, does not mention Dokdo or the Hornet Islands (Liancourt Rocks) at all. The U.S. navigation documents were published after Imperial Japan annexed the Korean Peninsula in 1905. According to historians here, the U.S. recognized Japan’s sphere of influence in Korea following the 1905 Taft-Katsura Agreement made between Washington and Tokyo behind closed doors. Following the revelation, observers here claim Seoul should urge Washington to change its neutral stance on the issue and openly show support for Korea’s ownership of Dokdo, as the documents prove Japan is making false claims that it took over sovereignty since 1905. Japan insists the islets came under its control after being incorporated into Japan’s Shimane Prefecture at that time. Washington has long refrained from interfering in any disputes between its two key allies in East Asia. During last week’s APEC meeting in Vladivostok, U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton urged the two allies to “lower the temperature” and to “work together in a concerted way to have a calm and restrained approach.” Meanwhile, Dokdo, which lies closer to Korea in the body of water dividing the Korean Peninsula and Japan, has been a thorn in Seoul-Tokyo relations due to Japan’s continued challenge to the Korea’s territorial sovereignty. Seoul keeps a small police detachment on the islets effectively controlling them. Tension surrounding the islets heightened after President Lee Myung-bak’s unprecedented visit to the islets on Aug. 10, to which Japan responded with a plan to take the issue unilaterally to the International Court of Justice for a resolution. Tokyo on Tuesday placed ads in Japanese newspapers renewing its territorial claims, which further raised the tension between the two neighbors.

Samsung goes after Apple's iPhone 5

Samsung goes after Apple's iPhone 5

Shin Jong-kyun Samsung Electronics’ mobile chief Shin Jong-kyun confirms plans to countersue rival By Cho Mu-hyun Samsung Electronics’ mobile chief Shin Jong-kyun said Wednesday that there will be “no agreement” with Apple, a likely indication that the technology giant will sue its rival over long-term evolution (LTE) patents on patents used in the iPhone 5. “We negotiated (with Apple) following the San Jose court’s instructions for the top executives to meet numerous times but it was no use,” Shin told reporters at the firm’s headquarters in Gangnam. “An agreement seems to be out of the question.” Tim Cook Apple CEO When asked by reporters of the likelihood that the iPhone 5 will be violating one or more of Samsung’s patents if it features fourth generation (4G) LTE, he nodded in consent, but added: “We are cautious of LTE patents. Considering the relationship between the finished-goods market and component industry, it is hard to do as we please.” The Monday edition of The Korea Times was the first to report that Samsung would sue Apple over its LTE patents. He added “We are not worrying much about the iPhone 5. We are focusing on making our products well.” Shin predicted that sales of the Galaxy S3 will top 30 million within this year, while it will eventually sell over 60 million in total. On the upcoming Galaxy Note 2, he said that “it will be released in October as planned. I think we will sell twice as many as the Galaxy Note.” Samsung lost a major case against Apple in a patent trial at a San Jose court on Aug. 24 and was ordered to pay $1.05 billion in damages.

Child rapists may face life in prison

Children cross their arms over their heads to make an “X sign” during a session teaching them how to avoid sex crimes, at their daycare center in Bongcheon-dong, southwestern Seoul, Monday. The session was hosted by the civic group Good Neighbors. / Korea Times photo by Hong In-ki

Law revision also aims to enable unsolicited police probes into sex crimes

By Na Jeong-ju

The Ministry of Gender Equality and Family said Monday that it will push for a law revision to increase the maximum penalty for rape of a minor from the current five years in jail to between 10 years and life imprisonment.

The Ministry of Justice is also seeking an amendment to enable law enforcement officials to investigate rapes and other sex crimes without receiving an official report or complaint.

The measures came as the government is stepping up a fight against sex offenses amid soaring rape cases including those of children.

“I’m very sorry as a top government official in charge of preventing sexual violence for the growing public anxiety over a string of sex crimes,” Kim Kum-lae, minister of gender equality and family, told reporters.

She said the government will spare no efforts to better protect women and children by getting tougher with offenders.

The revision will also no longer allow the influence of alcohol to be an excuse for those who commit sex crimes, the ministry said.

Under the revision, those convicted of molesting children under the age of 19 but not of raping them will face up to 5 years in prison or a fine of 30 million to 50 million won.

In addition, those who possess child pornography will face up to 10 years in jail. The maximum penalty for such offenders is currently a fine of 20 million won.

The government is also seeking to expand the enforced usage of hormonal treatment against sex offenders. Currently, the punishment is only reserved for pedophiles, but it wants to increase its use to include all sex offenders.

The justice ministry is also seeking to revise relevant laws so that prosecutors can bring charges against perpetrators of sex crimes even without complaints from victims.

The ministry said it is working with legal experts to abolish a clause in Criminal Law which calls for direct complaints from sex crime victims to investigate and prosecute suspects.

Currently, such crimes against minors and physically and mentally challenged people are excluded from the clause, but adult victims must submit complaints directly.

If the clause is scrapped, the prosecution could probe and punish perpetrators of all types of sex offenses without complaints from victims.

The move reflects public demand for tougher punishment for sex offenders amid a series of high-profile brutal crimes against minors and women.

“There are concerns that the scrapping of the clause may infringe on the human rights of perpetrators and sex crime convicts. It will also make it impossible for victims to be compensated for their pain and suffering,” a ministry spokesman said.

“In the past, many perpetrators evaded prosecution after reaching a financial compromise with victims, but that will never happen, if the clause is removed.”

The prosecution plans to demand much heavier jail terms for murderers and sex offenders. Police have also launched a crackdown on peer-to-peer file-sharing websites and Internet servers, believed to be the main distribution channels of child pornography, in a bid to counter sex crimes.

Last week, prosecutors indicted five people for keeping child porn on their computers after downloading it from websites. It is also investigating some 60 other people for distributing such images on the Internet.

Minister Kim called for nationwide efforts to prevent sex crimes.

“We’re living in a flood of obscene materials spreading via smartphones or the Internet,” the minister said. “All members of society should take this problem seriously and make efforts to produce sound sexual awareness.”  

Threat of veto

Lee must accept opposition-chosen special counsel

Critics often compare President Lee Myung-bak with ex-U.S. President Richard M. Nixon. Neither of them is considered the most ethical nor were they good at communicating with their own people. Both mixed public and private interests and are suspected of breaking laws in the process. The late U.S. leader met a disgraceful end by deceiving Americans, but most Koreans hope theirs will avoid the same fate at the least.

Which is why President Lee should squarely allow an investigation into a scandal on his abortive retirement home project, by an independent counsel.

It is regrettable in this regard that Lee is reportedly considering vetoing the independent counsel bill written in a rare bipartisan agreement. The reason: the President thinks the provision that allows the main opposition party to recommend two special prosecutors is unconstitutional by violating the independence of the three arms of the state.

Cheong Wa Dae also notes the independent counsels should be free from not just the President but also political parties, and there have been no precedents of the political opposition naming them. These are not wrong as a form of logic.

But the President and his aides must first think why even the ruling Saenuri Party has agreed to the bill.

In the “Naegok-dong scandal,” so called after the southern Seoul (Gangnam) neighborhood the private residence might have been located, the presidential security team furtively bought land along with the President’s son, and is suspected of paying for part of the latter’s portion from its budget. The security chief resigned taking responsibility, but the public think he was a scapegoat. The prosecution cleared everyone involved later without summoning Lee’s son.

Koreans have seen the previous 10 probes conducted by independent counsels, recommended by either the Korean Bar Association or Chief Justice, fail to solve their questions. Those making recommendations had to watch the face of the final appointer ― the President. Will they be able to name special prosecutors with enough integrity and strength to make a difference, especially in a case involving the President and his family members? Not a chance. The President’s hinting at exercising of his veto power is nothing but an insistence he will choose his own investigator.

Before posing as a guardian of the Constitution, Lee must reflect on why he has become the first sitting President undergoing this disgrace. We can’t help noting the veto suggestion came after Lee’s meeting with Rep. Park Geun-hye, the ruling party’s standard-bearer. If there were some political compromise in the Lee-Park meeting, voters will not forgive it.

Lee should name one of the two opposition-recommended independent counsels, face the probe, and accept responsibility if needed. That is the only way everyone ― his family, his party and the nation ― can move on.  

A rebel’s triumph

Culture industry should respect diversity, peculiarity

``This is the most outstanding achievement in the 100-year history of Korean filmmaking, which wrote a new history itself.” Nothing sums up the significance of the Korean movie ``Pieta” winning the top prize in the Venice Film Festival Saturday better than these words of Kim Dong-sup, a veteran industry figure.

Korean directors, actors and actresses have received various awards in the three major film festivals, which also include Cannes and Berlin, but the best film prize has always been beyond their reach.

Most ironic was that the nation’s film industry has realized its long-cherished dream thanks to a director it has almost left out. Kim Ki-duk, a former factory worker with little formal education in both life and filmmaking, has made it almost singlehandedly through sheer devotion and determination.

Based on his lowly life of 52 years, which is more dramatic than most films, Kim has stuck to one subject _ fallen humanity and its redemption.

His often violent, gruesome dramas nearly always feature ``bad” guys and their ``victimized” girls, and women in his films are either saints or street walkers. All this has made most Korean filmgoers with lighter tastes, and even many film critics, especially women, take some distance from his more artistic movies. Little wonder that Kim was alienated by film distributors and financial sponsors.

Kim nearly gave up but came back by combining artistic and popular appeal in his latest masterpiece produced in just three weeks at a fraction of the cost of commercial films. Kim’s success, as an artist and as a person, is thanks to this ability to overcome adversity by finally embracing his critics and accepting their views while not seriously compromising the essentials of his own artistic pursuit, instead of remaining as a perennial complainant as he did until a few years ago.

This also shows why domestic filmmakers cannot readily congratulate Kim’s success for bringing honor to the entire industry. The fact that Kim was far more popular in Europe than in his own nation says much about the cultural parochialism and snobbery in this country, which dominantly prefers the half-baked Korean imitations of Hollywood-style blockbusters to small-scale, independent films that delve into human nature and social problems in search of solutions.

The domestic film industry and its distribution system is no exception from the nation’s overall industrial structure, in which some giant distributors monopolize the market with commercial films, leaving little breathing space for smaller, independent competitors. It would be no coincidence that Kim’s Venice-winning film is about the cruel injustice of modern Korean capitalism and its dismantling of traditional values, such as family.

Film industry people here must be buoyed by Kim’s feat and vow to use it as inspiration to enable another launch of Korean movies. For that to happen, however, both filmmakers and audiences need to accept what is different, even challenging, to what they think is good and normal.

Otherwise, Korea will hardly be able to see a second or third Kim Ki-duk. 

1 out of 7 Koreans think about suicide

By Kim Rahn



One in seven people have thought about committing suicide, according to the Ministry of Health and Welfare, Sunday.

The ministry’s report on people’s mental health in 2011, which was released a day before the 10th World Suicide Prevention Day, showed 15.6 percent of adults seriously think about killing themselves at least once in their life and 3.2 percent have attempted to do.

Korea’s suicide rate is the highest among member nations of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD).

A total of 15,566 people took their own lives in 2010 — an average of 42.6 people per day, according to Statistics Korea. This means 31.2 people per 100,000 killed themselves that year, the highest for eight consecutive years among OECD members.

Suicide is a serious problem among not only adults but also young people. The primary cause of death of people aged between 15 and 24 was suicide, accounting for 13 percent of the total deaths for that age group in 2010, the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family said.

Experts say suicide mostly is triggered by social problems rather than individual troubles as seen in students who were bullied by classmates or part-time workers sexually harassed by their employers taking their own life.

“Suicide is a matter not of individuals but people in the country, so the government should make more efforts to prevent it,” a director of the Korean Association for Suicide Prevention said.

“When enduring hardship, many people habitually say, ‘I want to die.’ We need to teach children that death is not a solution for problems and that life is valuable,” she said.

The official also urged the government to set aside a bigger budget for suicide prevention efforts, saying Korea spends some 2 billion won per year, while in Japan it is about 300 billion won.

World Suicide Prevention Day was designated in 2003 by the World Health Organization and the International Association for Suicide Prevention to raise public awareness of the seriousness of the issue.

Rep. Park’s niece probed for illegal stock trading

By Kim Tae-jong

The financial authorities are investigating allegations that members of Park Geun-hye’s niece’s family were involved in illegal stock trading using insider information, according to industry sources Monday.

Park is the presidential candidate of the ruling Saenuri Party and believed to be one of the strongest candidates in the presidential election in December.

The investigation began because Park Young-woo, chairman of Dayou Smart Aluminum, and his family members sold a large volume of the company’s stocks a few days before a public announcement that revealed the firm’s poor earnings result in February.

However, in line with common practice regarding confirmation of such investigations, the Financial Supervisory Service declined to confirm whether it has actually launched inquiries into the allegations. The investigation was, however, confirmed by lawmaker Jang Byung-wan of the Democratic Party.

The company’s shares are so-called “politician theme stocks” _ a group of stocks that are believed to be linked to certain presidential candidates and gained massively for no apparent reason.

In fact, its stock prices suddenly soared to almost 4,000 won per share in May, which moved around 1,070 won before last December.

Lawmaker Jang, of the opposition Democratic Party, also raised the allegation that the chairman’s family obtained illegal gains by using non-published information.

He argued that the public earnings announcement was scheduled on Feb. 13, when the firm said it posted 4.6 billion in deficit, turnover from 4.3 billion in profit last year.

But three days before the announcement, the chairman, his wife Han Yoo-jin and their two children sold about 2.2 million stocks worth 3,500 won per share and secured about 8 billion won, Jang said.

“It is so obvious that the chairman’s family obtained illegal gains by using confidential information,” Jang said.

The lawmaker also said the chairman violated the stock trading regulations by falsely reporting the date of stock trading.

On the report to the Korea Exchange, he said that he sold 5.7 billion stocks at a price of 3,515 won per share on Feb. 14, but he reported to the firm’s holding group, Donggang Holdings, that he sold his stock on Feb. 10.

The lawmaker claimed that the chairman had long planned to enjoy huge gains from stock trading, because he bought 2.1 billion stocks at a price around 1,000 won per stock between last August and December before it was categorized as “politician theme stocks.”

After the massive purchase, the stock prices soared drastically because the company was later known to have a connection to Park Geun-hye late last year

Pregnant rape victim beheads rapist, leaves head in village square

Nevin Yildirim

A rape victim awaits trial as she shot and decapitated her rapist and left his head in her village square, according to news reports.

26-year-old Nevin Yildirim was raped multiple times by distant relative Nurettin Gider, 35, over a period of eight months after her husband left for work in another town in January. Gider allegedly blackmailed her with nude photos he had taken of her after sneaking into her bedroom at night. He also threatened to kill her two children, aged 2 and 6, if she did not cooperate.

After multiple rapes, on Aug. 28, Yildirim shot Gider as he was climbing up the back wall of her house to sneak in. He reached for his gun, but she shot him against in his groin area. She shot him ten times in total and stabbed him once in the abdomen. She then cut off his head and carried it to the village square at Yalvac, southwest Turkey.

She told onlookers, “Don’t talk behind my back, don’t play with my honor. Here is the head of the man who played with my honor.”

Yildirim was arrested after being reported. She told the police, “My daughter will start school this year. Everyone would have insulted my children. Now no one can. I saved my honor. They will now call children the kids of the woman who saved her honor.”

She is five months pregnant with her rapist’s child and is asking Turkish court for an abortion even though Turkey’s abortion laws have a ten-week limit.


From news reports
(khnews@heraldcorp.com)

S. Korea's national debt falls to one of lowest among OECD countries

South Korea's national debt to gross domestic product (GDP) ratio fell to one of the lowest numbers among major economies in 2011, the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) said Sunday.

As of the end of 2011, the country's debt to GDP ratio came to 33.6 percent, down 1 percentage point from a year earlier.

The figure is the fourth lowest among the 34 member countries of the OECD after Australia, Luxembourg and Chile. The debt-to-GDP ratio is a key indicator of a country's financial soundness.

Japan posted the highest debt to GDP ratio of 211.7 percent at the end of last year, up 11.7 percentage points from a year earlier, according to the OECD.

South Korea's improved financial stability apparently helped recent decisions by two global ratings agencies -- Fitch Ratings and Moody's Investors Service -- to upgrade the country's sovereign credit ratings by one notch.

In its five-year fiscal management plan, submitted to the parliament on Wednesday, the Ministry of Strategy and Finance said it will bring the debt to GDP ratio to below 30 percent in 2016, further improving the country's financial soundness.

With improving stability in its financial conditions, South Korea's default risks dropped to a 12-month low, according to industrial data.

As of Friday, the credit default swap (CDS) premium for the country's five-year currency stabilization bonds slipped to 84.2 basis points, down 14.6 basis points from the previous day. (Yonhap News)

Kim Ki-duk becomes 1st Korean director to win top film prize at Venice

Gruesome morality tale ’Pieta’ tops Venice

Kim Ki-duk received the Golden Lion award for his 18th feature-length film “Pieta” on Saturday to become the first Korean director to win the top prize at the Venice Film Festival.

Venice, along with Cannes and Berlin, is considered one of the three most prestigious European film festivals. The film fests are often called the “Big Three.” No Korean director has ever won a top prize from any of the three until now.

Before leaving for Venice, the director had promised local reporters at a press meeting in Seoul that he would sing Korea’s national anthem should he win the award. Upon receiving the honor, he instead sang “Arirang,” Korea’s national folk song, while giving his acceptance speech on stage.

Director Kim Ki-Duk holds the Golden Lion for best movie on his head during a photocall following the award ceremony of the 69th Venice Film Festival on Saturday at Venice Lido. (AFP-Yonhap News)

“Pieta” is a gruesome morality tale about a cruel debt collector running into a woman who claims to be his long-lost mother. The film won three unofficial awards from critics and reporters before winning the Golden Lion on Saturday.

“Kim’s winning of the Golden Lion is the biggest triumph in Korea’s film history of the last century,” said Kim Dong-ho, the founding director of Busan International Film Festival and its current honorary chief. He has been working as one of the leading figures in the local film scene for more than 20 years.

“I’d like to express my gratitude for his achievement on behalf of Korea’s film industry.”

Director KIM Ki-duk is celebrated as he is announced the winner of the Golden Lion for best movie for his film `Pieta` at the 69th edition of the Venice Film Festival in Venice, Italy, Saturday. (AP-Yonhap News)

Shim Jae-myung, who is the CEO of Korea’s leading film production company Myung Films, also congratulated Kim via Twitter.

“It was Kim Ki-duk who became the first Korean director to win the top prize, not Park Chan-wook, Bong Joon-ho, Hong Sang-soo, nor Lee Chang-dong,” she wrote.

“I send my sincere congratulations to Kim, who had been an outsider in Korea’s film scene.”

Director Kim, who had an impoverished upbringing and never went to film school, released his first feature-length film “Crocodile” in 1996. Though his early films were severely criticized by some local critics for their almost misogynist content and graphic subject matter, he gradually became one of the most significant filmmakers in contemporary Korean cinema. He is also considered one of the best known Korean filmmakers overseas.

He won the Best Director award at the Berlin International Film Festival for his 2004 drama “Samaritan Girl,” and won the equivalent prize at Venice for “3-Iron” in the same year.

“Pieta” came out after Kim’s last year personal documentary “Arirang.” The controversial film featured his own perceived failings as a filmmaker, as well as a series of “betrayals” he experienced in Korea’s film industry. The film won a coveted sidebar prize at Cannes Film Festival last year.


By Claire Lee
(dyc@heraldcorp.com)