A Short Essay about Indo-Pacific Economic Framework

Do you like 'Lord of Rings' triology?  I really do. I watched them all in the cinema. You may remember the big and firey eye:'Eye of Sauron'.  Even with the big eye which can roll 360 degrees, Prodo could sneak in and destory the ring. Joining JGU, I feel a bit like the big eye guy. I thought I have been comparatively knowledgeable about international issues. However, taking the courses and exchanging ideas with the professors and co-students, I recognize that it is impossible to know and monitor the globe with no blind spot. 

I guess you might have the same feelings I do. So, I think  through revealing my perspectives, you can get triggered to try to be more enlightened. Now, I want to talk about "Indo-Pacific Economic Framework". The reason I felt like writing about it is that "Indo-Pacific Economic Framework" is quite related to the the country I was born, the country I lived, and the country I am living in. 

TPP(Trans-Pacific Partnership) had been a long and pivotal issue in Japan. One reason is that  before Trump Administration declared it would get out of it, TPP was the main framework  through which Abe administration was pursuing free trades with the main partners in the Indo-Pacific Area, agitating over the concern that Japan could fall behind the trend of lowering or removing trade barriers. If you try going to used bookstores in Japan, you can find quite a lot of books dealing with TPP in the section of politics and economics. 

Late November this year, I happened to find a Youtube video in which  Gina M. Raimondo,  U. S. Secterary of Commerce, was being interviewed by a Japanese  news media. In the interview, she was explaining a new frame on which Biden Adminstration is going to deal with economic issues with states in Indo-Pacific Area, adding that the new one will replace TPP. It was Indo-Pacific Economic Framework. 

Interview with Gina M. Raimondo, US Secretary of Commerce 

I googled her name. In the late November, she was visiting Southeast Asia including Malaysia. 

US says that new Indo-Pacific Economic Frame not typical trade deal

In mid December, US Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken was visiting ASEAN, during which I heard the news that there was an official ceremony for Intel's expansion of its own operation in Penang(where I am living) which is worth about $7 billion. 

Late December, I found another Youtube video in which US Under Secretary for Economic Growth, Energy, and the Environment Jose W. Fernandez was explaining Biden Administration's general economic policy and Indo-Pacifi Economic Framework. He was visiting Seoul after he finished his schedules in Tokyo. The video was taken at about the same time when US Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken was in Southeast Asia. 

Under Secretary talks about Biden Administration's economic policies

From oil to semiconductors

Bush Administration invaded Iraq even after it failed to find evidences that Iraq had developed weapons of mass destruction. The excuse was that Saddam Hussein hid and cooperated with terrorist groups which were involved in 9/11 attack but the grand strategy was that through reveraging the war with Iraq, U.S. advances its position in the Middle East and secures oil supply. About two decades later, U.S. became the big producer of oil thanks to shale. Now, semiconductors are the things which U.S. economy desperately needs to secure in order to take advanced steps in competition with China. South Korea, Japan, Taiwan, and ASEAN are the suppliers. We can say that in November and December diplomatic energy of U.S. was poured into securing the suppliers. South Korea has Samsung Electronics. Japan is the main producer of machinery and materials for manufacturing semiconductors. Taiwan has TSMC.  Intel has been operating its facilities in Malaysia since 1972. 

Intel new production facility in Penang ready in early 2024

Democracy, democracy, and democracy 

Watching the Youtube videos and reading the articles, I got an impresseion that 'democracy' is strongly emphasized as the shared value. Even in the video of interview with Commerce Secretary Gina M. Raimondo, 'democracy' was repeatedly mentioned. From my perspectives, the term sounded more like a strategy than principle. The partners in Indo-Pacific Economic Framework are in Asia, which means that China is their neighbors. Many of them have complaints over China's diplomatic and economic policies. However, they do not want to experience big troubles with China, either.  Democracy is quite useful in this kind of situation. Many countries such as South Korea feel uncomfortable with U.S. envoys' direct mentioning of 'China'. Emphasizing 'democracy' is a smart rhetorics through which Asian states feel easy in the new realm of Indo-Pacific Economic Framework without igniting China's sentiment. 

Economic framework not  trade pact

I heard the term "TPP" for a long time, which means it took a lot of time and energy to build it up. From the perspectives of U.S. it was quite burdensome in Washington politics. Politicians in U.S Congress were reluctant to ratify it because they could get backlash by their voters blaming politicians in Washington are manipulating thier given power taking thier jobs overseas. If President Biden had pursued 'TPP' again, he should have spent all his time and energy arguing with the Congresspersons. He had been a Congresman for a long time and knew what it is like. Biden Administration seems to have chosen a bypass to make a new frame in order to deal with the new challenge in international relations around Indo-Pacific area pretty swiftly.  

Biden, old and bold

I was so impressed with President Biden, comparing him with President Obama. After the inauguration in late January, he took time to reconfigure U.S. foreign policy. Then, he took actions. Look at how decisive he was for Taiwan and Afghanistan. He dispatched his staff all around Asia in order to persuade and encourage the countries in the area to join the new frame. He finished the transforming process before Christmas. As far as I remember, President Obama was not that fast. 

The real rivalry just began

2022 will be the year recovery from COVID19. The emergency situation will be over. Then, people will find themsleve in a world they had not used to be. China won't be able to enjoy taking the benefit of free trade under the umbrella U.S. had made. Americans will have to tighten their belts facing rising price rates. The rest countries can not help but watch both of the two superpowers wrestling. 

I am looking forward to 2022. 

Let us be factful and hopeful with 'Factfulness'

설명 추가

'Factfulness' is the first book I borrowed from the public library in my neighborhood after coming back to South Korea. Until now, I have been reading up to page 74. I typically used to write a book review after finishing. 

But, when it comes to 'Factfulness', I think revealing what has come to my mind reading just a portion of it is not a bad idea. Surely, it doesn't mean the rest part I haven't read yet is not worth reading further. Rather, the book has got me to review so many ideas I had been holding very vividly with less than 100 pages. That is why I thought it would be better to write short review blogs several times rather than one extremely long blog. 

My recent concern: a friend of mine happened to use the term 'Apocalypse' in a social media and I couldn't say it can't happen at all.  

Roaming around YouTube, I got to watch a portion of Korean TV Talk show named "비정상회담" in Korean and "the Summit of Non-leaders of the world" in English. It is a talk show in which good-looking(?) guys from all around the world talk about various kinds of issues from nationalism to climate change. 

The video I was watching was about climate change. The German panel(he was speaking Korean so well) in the show introduced general understandings about climate change among the young generation in Europe and mentioned a term "the last humanity". He said that the majority of the population in Europe has been concerned about the climate change quite seriously and thinks that if there is no radical changes in dealing with it soon, there is high possibility that the population born in the 21th century might be the last human beings on the earth. We have the same destiny with dinosaurs. 

Even my niece mentioned that taking a drastic measure against climate change needs global cooperation, but with 7 billion decision makers or practitioners, it is impossible to make it. 

Oh, we are doomed. The world is becoming worse. Covid-19 is just a omen for the Apocalypse. Really?

Death toll by Covid-19 reached 1 million a few days ago. 1 million is a huge number, but compared to Spanish Flu in the early 20th century, it is a big triumph of the public health care network worldwide. Covid-19 is a sign that we have improved in overcoming threats from viruses. 

My father had to get through two wars: Korean War and Vietnam War. I didn't get through any kind of war or violent conflict. Except for a few regions, the world is free from wars. 

'Factfulness' gives more evidences that the world is becoming better than the past even with lots of serious problems to be solved. 

Then, what distorts our view to the world?

It is our instincts.

The first instinct is dichotomy.

I do not like "Marvel movies" that much. One aspect I don' like is that in most of them it is clear who are the good guys and who are the bad ones, which may be the main reason for their worldwide popularity. They are very human instinct-based produced. 

And living your life, you may agree or not,the the most difficult people to deal with are the ones who have very clear views over what is right and what is wrong.

Dichotomy is widespread and general even for the educated. 

When I was in middle and high school, even in university, I learned  countries all around the world are divided into two groups: developing and developed. The US, Japan and dozen of countries in Europe are the developed and the rest are the developing. 

The reality is a bit more complicated. 

When I worked in Japan, I was in charge of foreign customers. Many of them were from East Asia. But I could serve customers from the U.S , France, etc. 

I had thought the customers from the West could spend more money in my restaurant than the rest. The reality was different. As far as I remember, the customers who spent the most per capita were all from Southeast Asian countries(let's exclude Singapore, you guys know what I mean).

Surely, it could be said that it was because only the a few richest people from Southeast Asian countries can afford to travel Japan. It is true. But the experience I had in the restaurant I worked made clear that the frame that people from the developing are poor and the ones from the developed are rich is wrong. The terms of 'developing' and 'developed' didn't work enough to explain what I experienced. 

'Factfulness' gives a good frame to replace the dichotomy of 'developing' and 'developed'.

Four levels

Level 1: income per capita a day $2 or less

Level 2: income per capita a day between $2 and $8

Level 3: income per capita a day between $8 and $32

Level 4: income per capita a day more than $32

Domestic controversy: is South Korea rich or not? 

It has been a big issue among the Korean population visibly after 2002 World Cup. The book made it clear. South Korea is included in level 4. The book describes typical life of a typical person of a country in level 4. The person has more than 12 years education. The person has been on an airplane on vacation. The person can eat out at least once a month. The person can buy a car. 

Definitely, the person is me, who is comparatively poorer than the average Koreans. 

Hope is crucial in life. There are many ways to have hope. But in this kind of modern world, I think hopes based on facts could be the most powerful and realistic. 

'Factfulness' gives hope. 

To be continue!!!

Self Quarantine and Online Language Exchanges in Pyeongtaek City in South Korea

It is 26^th in September. It has been 8 days since the beginning of quarantine. I had had an experience of staying home without going to work in Fukuoka City and thought it would be fine back in Korea, too. But I was wrong. In Japan, I had been encouraged to stay home, but back in South Korea, I have been forced. I can not go out at all. I can go grocery shopping or take a walk around my neighborhood at all.

A good news is that I was negative on PCR test. Reviewing, I arrived in Korea on 18^th. I took the test on 19^th. The next day, in the morning I got the result.

 In the afternoon, at around 2 pm, a public officer who is in charge of me, came over to my place. She gave me specific information about the rules over living the quarantine, treating the trash, etc. She emphasized two things. The first was that I should check my condition twice a day and report it using the app I had downloaded and installed. The second was that I am not allowed to go out of my apartment without permission. 

I got the notification that I stay isolated until 12:00 pm on 2^nd in October. If I do not follow like some people did, I could be sentenced less than one year of imprisonment or less than 10,000,000 won of fine. In case of foreigners, their visa could be cancelled or they could be deported. I also got a packet which held a thermometer, masks,  sanitizer, and a trash basket.

Lastly, she said that there would be some food delivered in 2 days. It was more than I had expected. I got 10 kg of rice, 6 bottles of mineral water, and a big box of foods. In the box, there were lots of things I missed in Japan, tuna cans, instant noodles, dried seaweeds, etc. I 

thought it was a good policy. I had not thought about feeding myself seriously because most of my family members live near my place and I won’t have any problem getting food. But in case that there is no one around who can go grocery shopping and help delivering, one could have serious hardship in living isolated.

Life of isolation

 

Online.

 

Back in Fukuoka, I used to do language exchanges in McDonalds or Starbucks. Back in Korea, I keep on online. Until now, it has been quite satisfying. It has been more than one year since I started to have conversation classes  of Chinese online. I am practicing English, Japanese, Korean, and Chinese all online, which makes me feel productive even living isolated.

Still 6 days ahead.

I am just waiting for the first running along the golden rice fields. 

韓国のピョンテクでの自己隔離とオンライン言語交換

 今日は9月26日。自家隔離が始まった日から8日が経ちました。日本で緊急事態が宣言されてマンションの中で自粛した経験があり、今回の隔離生活も大丈夫じゃないかと思いましたが、全然違います。スーパーマーケットとかコンビニとか買い物に行くこともちょっと出掛けて走ることも禁止ですから、凄くストレスになります。走れないのは本当に大変です。

再び知らせることですが、僕、陰性でした。18日に帰国。19日朝、PCR検査を受けました。次の日、結果が出てきて陰性でした。

19日午後2時頃僕を担当している公務員の方が僕の家を訪ねました。簡単に自家隔離中ですることを案内してくれました。外に出ることはダメ。毎日午前９時そして午後3時ダウンロードしたアプリを使って自分の調子を報告する方法も再び教えてもらいました。

説明が終わった後で先もらったものは隔離通知書と自家隔離生活案内書です。

‘感染症の予防及び管理に関する法律’によって僕は感染症疑心者に当たって隔離対象でありました。自治体からの許可の無しで離脱するのは禁止。 離脱した場合、1年以下の懲役又は千万ウォン以下の罰金刑。 外国人の場合、査証および滞在許可が取り消されたり強制退去、入国制限などの不利益を受けることができることです。厳しいです。

10月2日12時まで絶対に隔離すること。もらったものが体温計、マスク、そして殺菌消毒剤。これいいねと思いました。

もっと素晴らしいものが三日後届きました。食べ物でした。ミネラルウォーター六本、10キロのお米と少し大きな箱が届きました。箱の中では美味しいものいっぱい！ツナ缶、レトロ食品、インスタントラーメン、海苔などの日本で欲しかったものがいっぱい入っていました。僕の場合は家族がみんな近くに住んでいるから食料について余り考えなかったんですが、一人暮らしの方としては大切なものだと思いました。出かけること全然だめですからね。

隔離生活、どう活用するか？
オンライン言語交換！
福岡で住んでいた時にスタバックスとかマグドナルドとかの所で言語交換の集まりをし続けましたが、韓国に帰ってオンラインで会って続けています。結構効率的な方法だと思います。僕の中国語の勉強について話すと一年前から中国に住んでいる中国語先生からスカイプで中国語を教えてもらっています。日本語の場合は福岡で一緒に勉強していた方達とオンラインで毎週二回ぐらい会って勉強しています。本当に楽しいです。

今日から6日ぐらい。

がんばります！

コロナ時代の帰国:関西空港から韓国の家まで

韓国に帰る飛行機が出発する時間は午前十一時五十分、僕が起きた時間は六時。ちょっとゆっくりしても大丈夫ではないかなと思いながら荷物を再び片付けました。朝食を提供してくれるホテルに泊まっていて最後の朝ご飯は何にしようかな考えずにチェックアウトしたのは凄く楽な感じ。

南海線の電車に乗って関西空港に行きました。難波で電車に乗った時間は八時頃、駅は出勤している方が多くて，ちょっと怖かったです。逆に関西空港に行く電車に乗る乗客の数は少ないんじゅないかなと思いましたが、空港に近くになればなるほど電車の中は学校に行っている生徒たちばかり。僕の予想は外れました。

 空港は暇でした。営業している店も少ない、働いている方の顔も皆退屈な顔でした。暇すぎだったし静かすぎだったし電気を節約するためかチェックインする所も結構暗くって空港はゴーストタウンみたいです。

以前韓国に帰る時と違ったのは出国手続き。日本に帰るつもりかときかれて戻りませんと答えました。僕の答えで審査官は一枚の書類を出して見せてくれました。その書類の名称はちゃんと覚えられないですが僕が次に日本に入国する時には再び新しいビザを申し込むことを確かめる確認書でした。記入しながらコロナ事態が終わらないと帰ることはできないと思ってちょっと寂しかったです。

搭乗ゲートにある店のほとんども営業していなかったです。営業している免税店の中を見ても回っているお客さんは全然見えなかったです。僕は直ぐゲートの前の所に行って本を読みながら時間を過ごしました。

僕の席は窓口の側でした。隣りの席は空いたままでした。乗客の数を考えると飛行機代は余り高くなかったねえと思いました。関西空港は曇りでしたが、仁川空港に近くなると天気は晴れになりました。大気質もよかったのか、窓から見える下の景色は本当にきれいだったんです。飛行機内で普通にもらう税関申告書以外に二枚の紙をもらいました。もちろんコロナウイルスに関するものでした。一枚は特別検疫申告書、他の一枚は健康状態質問書でした。外国人の場合は自分のスマホでモバイル自家隔離アプリを設置していなかったり韓国で泊まるつもりの所の住所がなかったりすると入国拒否される恐れがあると繰り返して放送されました。

 

一時間半後、飛行機は仁川空港で着陸しました。機内で待機する時間が長くなったんじゃないかなと思いましたが、そうではなかったです。普通のように皆急いで早く飛行機を出ました。僕が最後でした。

 

ゲートと入国審査する所の間に以前見たことない施設がありました。症状がある方とない方を分ける所と症状がある方に対してPCR検査をするブースがありました。僕は症状がなかったので飛行機で作成した特別検疫申告書と健康状態質問書を提出する所に行きました。そこの担当者は僕が作成した特別検疫申告書と健康状態質問書を確認した後で自家隔離者安全保護アプリをスマホに設置することを手伝ってくれました。設置した後で入国審査を受けました。

入国審査は簡単でした。韓国人ですから当然だと思いました。出口で待っている方達は入国者が他の所に行かなくて直接的に二週間隔離する所まで行けるように手伝う担当者達でした。一般的なバスとタクシーに乗るのは禁止でした。電車に乗るのもダメでした。政府と自治体が揃えて置いた特別編成バスと自分の車を利用して隔離する所まで行くべきでした。僕の場合は、僕の姉が僕の車を運転して持って来て駐車場に残して自分の家にバスに乗って帰りました。姉としてはめんどくさい事でしたが、ほかの方法がなかったんです。

出発する前に僕は自家隔離者安全保護アプリで自動的に登録されている僕の町の自治体の担当者に電話をして僕の車を利用して一人で家に行くつもりだと報告しました。

 家について担当者に再び電話して到着したと報告しました。僕の担当者が変わったと言われて設置したアプリを消して再び同じアプリを設置しなきゃならなかったんです。再び僕の名前、電話番号、住所などの個人情報と担当者方のアイディーを入力しました。

自家隔離者安全保護アプリの主な使用の目的は二つです。ひとつは毎日自己診断の機能を使って一日に二回体温などの自分の調子を担当者に報告することです。もう一つは隔離者の位置を担当者が24時間把握することです。

担当者は電話でアプリの使い方を再び教えてくれました。そして、毎日午前九時、午後三時、二回自己診断して報告するべきだと案内してくれました。ちなみに、次に日朝市内にある保健センタを訪ねてPCR検査を受けることだと言われました。

 午前10時頃保健センターに着きました。保健センタの後ろにある駐車場でPCR検査のための施設がありました。三人の担当者待っていました。皆防護服を着用していましたので誰が看護師か医者さんか全然わからなかったんです。検査を受けるために待っている方は全然いなかったんです。検査を受けました。細いストローみたいな物を二つ使って短いものは口に入れて引いて長いものは鼻の穴に入れて引いて検出しました。鼻の穴に入れるものはけっこう深く入って気持ちが悪かったです。それで終わりでした。

午後2時頃僕の担当者が家に来ました。彼女は僕に隔離通知書を渡しました。僕が隔離するのは十月二日午後12時までだと書いてありました。その後、マスク、手消毒剤などの防疫用品と特別なゴミ箱をもらいました。僕のゴミはコロナウイルスに汚染されている可能性がありますから別のゴミ箱を使用するべきだと言われました。彼女三日後インスタントラーメンなどの食料品が着く予定だと言ってくれました。

次の日の朝、担当者からの電話が来ました。検査の結果は陰性でした。良かったなと思いました。帰国する前に比較的によく出掛けて友達と一緒にご飯を食べたりビールを飲んだりしていてちょっと心配でした。

大変だったがやっと来た！

 

The Way Back to South Korea in the Era of Covid-19

 

I woke up at 6:00 am. The flight back to Korea from Kansai Airport was 11:50 am. I had enough time. Feeling a bit guilty to myself, I tried to make myself a bit lazier than usual repacking my two carriers. Eating the last breakfast in the hotel, I praised myself of having reserved a hotel which offers breakfasts.

 I took Nankai line to the airport. I got on the train at 8:00 am when commuters were scrambling at the station heading for their workplaces to make their ends meet. I was scared. I relieved myself expecting there would be fewer passengers in my train to the airport reasoning that the airport is quite far from the center of Osaka City. I was wrong. Getting closer to the airport, the train got filled with more and more students.

 But the airport was not busy. More specifically it was empty. Few stores were open. Almost all the clerks were suffering from un-busyness not business. With its silence and darkness, the airport seemed like a ghost town. Oops! Ghost airport.

Even checking in was different. I was asked whether I intended to enter Japan with the visa I had. I said no. I was shown a piece of paper I had never seen before. It was the confirming paper that makes sure that I do not have intention to enter Japan with the current visa. Drawing down my signature, I just felt weird.

Even around the gates, few stores were on business. Even in the stores, there was almost zero customers. I just went straight to the gate of my plane and got a good bench with a good sight over the runway and spent the waiting time reading a book.

 

My seat was next to the window. The two seats next mine were just empty, which made me feel happy with my decision to choose the plane. The price I had paid for the flight was definitely reasonable. It was cloudy in Kansai Airport. But, getting closer to Incheon Airport, it got clearer. Moreover, the view down to the sea and ground was delightful with presumably good air quality.

Even in the plane, I got two additional papers: one was Travel Record Declaration and the other was Health Declaration Form. It was repetitively broadcast that without installing the app for quarantine or having no specific address for staying in South Korea entrance to South Korea could be prohibited.

 Tip! Do not ever think of coming to South Korea without a smart phone!

 The plane landed on the airport around 1:30 pm. I expected that getting out of the plane could take more time. I was wrong. I was the last passenger to get out of the plane.

 There were two new facilities between the gates and customs: One is for dividing the passengers with symptoms and the ones without symptoms. The other is the booths for giving PCR tests to the passengers with the symptoms. I did not have any symptoms and went straight to the place I should submit the papers I had filled in. One of the persons waiting helped me download and install the app. The rest were the same as usual.

Oops! The last hurdle. It was not allowed to take the usual public transportation. I could not take a bus, taxi, and the subway. The central and municipal governments had already arranged special buses and taxis to transport the passengers to make sure they do not drop by other places and get in touch with the public. The other option was using her or his private car. I had asked my sister to drive my car to the airport. She drove my car to the airport and went back to her place taking a bus. I knew it must be bothering, but I thought it was the best way.

Before departing, I made a call to the public officer who automatically got registered to be in charge of me with installing the app and told her that I would depart for my apartment.

 Arriving in the apartment, I made another call to her. I was told that another one would replace her and I should erase the current app and reinstall the same one again. I downloaded and installed the app again and filled in my personal information such as my name, address, and GPS location. I also filled the ID of the person who was in charge of me.

 There are two purposes for the app: the first one is to make users who are quarantining check their conditions such as body temperature and send the information to the officer in charge and the second one is to keep eyes on the location of the users.

The officer called me again and guided me over how to use the app. She told me that I should check my condition twice a day at 9:00 am and 3:00 pm and send the data through the app. Additionally, she informed me that I should go to the public health center and get the PCR test in the morning the next day.

I arrived at the center 10:00 am. The facilities for testing PCR were located at the parking lot behind the main building. There were three people fully armored with gowns, gloves, masks, and goggles. There was no one waiting for taking the test. They used the two narrow straw-like things. The shorter one was inserted to the mouth and the longer one was into the nostril. It felt momentarily painful to get the long stick deep into my nostril. But, I did not cry.

The officer in charge of me visited me at 2 pm at my apartment. She gave me a packet for sanitation and the notification that I quarantine until 12:00 pm on 2^nd in October. The packet had a set of masks, sanitizer, a special waste basket, etc. It was interesting to get the basket, but I thought medically it made sense to have it. Lastly, she let me know a box of an array of foods is supposed to arrive in three days.

 The next morning, I got a call. I was negative. I was relieved because I had had comparatively lots of dinners and parties with friends back in Fukuoka.

 At last I felt I came back.