An Appeal for Democracy and Justice in the Republic of Korea (South Korea)

An Appeal for Democracy and Justice in the Republic of Korea (South Korea)

In recent years, South Korea has made a remarkable economic and political advances. It has been a visible role model for many developing countries. This accomplishment did not come without heavy tolls, however. After the Korea War, South Korea has traveled a tumultuous roads to gain freedom and democracy. 

Beginning with the April 19th Uprising (4.19 Uprising against Seungman Rhee, 1960), the Kwangju Massacre in 1980 and the June 1987 Democracy Movements, the many precious young human lives were lost in the name of freedom and democracy. Despite the heavy losses of life, this hard-won democracy in South Korea is steadfastly dying: The unlawful intervention by the National Intelligence Services (NIS, aka. KCIA) in the Presidential Election of 2012; the renewal of the Neo- McCarthyism and the political "Witch-hunt is actively erupting.

Geopolitically, the Korean Peninsula is at a critical juncture. Its domestic stability and peace will become an important factor determining the world peace. Thus, at this juncture, we express a deep concern over the current political situations in South Korea. The autocratic dictatorial government of Park Chung-hee has resurfaced via his daughter, Park, Geun-hye who was "elected" into the office through the electoral coup d'etat!
To demand the return of peace, justice and democracy in the Korean Peninsula and ultimately to sustain and normalize world peace, we hereby earnestly request the following:

1. We urge the Geun-hye Park administration to cease and desist the reinstatement of her father's dictatorship! (Yoo-shin). Furthermore, the Park administration MUST acknowledge the brutal and illegal deployment of Neo-McCarthyism and IMMEDIATELY cease all witch-hunting politics!

2. We demand a PROPER and LEGAL prosecution of all those who intervened in the 2012 presidential election and an IMMEDIATE dismantling of the NIS.

3. We demand a FULL and COMPREHENSIVE return of the democracy in Korea by GUARANTEEING the INALIENABLE RIGHTS of the freedom of expression, ACADEMIC FREEDOM and ideology! Furthermore, we demand the COMPLETE eradication of censorship!

4. We demand the RETURN of the COMPLETE and UNEQUIVOCABLE normalization in the prosecutor's office. We urgently demand the IMMEDIATE DISCONTINUOUS of meddling and tarring the prosecutor's office.
Once again, peace and democracy on the Korean Peninsula WILL ULTIMATELY lead to a world peace.

We vehemently urge the Park administration to execute all of the above-mentioned demands. We urge the global citizens to join hands with this consorted effort to bring about peace and justice, not only in the Korean Peninsula, but to the entire world. Thank you!

September, 2013
The Conscientious People of the World

https://secure.avaaz.org/en/petition/Appeal_for_Democracy_and_Justice_in_the_Republic_of_Korea_South_Korea/?fbdm

Haemul sundubu jjigae (seafood and soft tofu stew)

Haemul sundubu jjigae (seafood and soft tofu stew) (Korean Bapsang)

Sundubu is uncurdled tofu, which has a high water content. The stew, jjigae, made with sundubu is enormously popular both in and outside Korea. If you’re lucky, you might have a good tofu house near you that specializes in this dish, offering several variations (seafood, meat, vegetables, combination, etc.) on the menu. 

To make this stew at home, I like to use anchovy broth, which is typical, but you can simply use water if you want. You can make different variations using the same basic technique in this recipe. Whatever you do, let the soft tofu be the star of the dish and do not overcrowd it with too many other ingredients. The delicate sundubu nicely contrasts with the spicy broth and bold flavors, making a delicious stew.

Ingredients: (1-2 servings)● 1 package (350 g) sundubu (extra soft/silken tofu)

● 60 g beef or pork (rib eye, sirloin, pork loin or pork belly)

● 7-8 pieces of seafood (shrimp, mussels, clams and/or oysters)

● 1/2 small zucchini (about 60 g)

● 1/4 small onion 

● 1 scallion

● 1 tablespoon red chili pepper flakes ― adjust to taste

● 1 teaspoon sesame oil (use a little more if using more chilli pepper flakes)

● 1 teaspoon garlic

● 1 teaspoon soy sauce

● Salt to taste (about 1/2 teaspoon)

● Pinch of pepper

● 1 cup anchovy broth (or water)

● 1 egg (optional) 

Cut the meat into short thin strips. Clean the seafood. Cut the zucchini into small pieces. Dice the onion and scallion. 

Add the red chili pepper flakes and sesame oil to a small pot, and place it over medium heat. Stir until the pepper flakes become a bit pasty in the heating pot. (The red chili pepper flakes burn easily, so do not preheat the pot.) Add the meat, onion, garlic and soy sauce. Stir fry until the pork and onion are almost cooked, 2-3 minutes.

Pour in the broth (or water). Bring it to a boil and continue to boil for 3-4 minutes.

Add the soft tofu in big chunks along with the zucchini. Bring to a boil again. Gently stir at the bottom of the pot once or twice so the tofu does not stick to the bottom. Cook for 3-4 minutes.

Add the seafood and boil until the clams and mussels open, 2-3 minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste. Add the scallion right before turning the heat off. If desired, crack an egg into the stew right before serving while it’s still at a boil.

Dubu jorim (braised tofu)

Jjukkumi guui, (spicy grilled baby octopus)

Jjukkumi gui (spicy grilled baby octopus)(Korean Bapsang)

I know that a lot of people are intimidated about cooking octopus. If you’re one of them, I urge you to try cooking with baby octopus, “jjukkumi.” Baby octopus is naturally tender and easy to handle. If you prefer, you can also use small squid for this recipe. Here, they are marinated in a spicy gochujang sauce and seared quickly on the grill. Marinating helps tenderize the octopus, so give it sufficient time to marinate. You will have tender baby octopus with a burst of flavor in every bite!

2 to 3 servings

Ingredients:
● 450 grams (10-12) baby octopus 

● 1 small cucumber, thinly sliced, for garnish (optional)

Marinade:

● 2 tablespoons gochujang (red chili pepper paste)

● 1 to 2 teaspoons gochugaru (red chili pepper flakes) 

● 1 tablespoon soy sauce

● 1 tablespoon rice wine (or mirim)

● 2 tablespoons sugar 

● 1 teaspoon minced garlic 

● 1/2 teaspoon finely grated ginger

● 1 tablespoon sesame oil 

● 1 teaspoon sesame seeds

Defrost the octopus, if frozen. If not pre-cleaned, remove and discard the beaks and insides of the heads. Rinse the octopus well under cold running water.

Combine the marinade ingredients. Pour over the octopus and mix to coat well. Marinate in the fridge for 2 to 3 hours (or overnight). Heat a lightly oiled grill or grill pan over medium high heat and sear for about 3 minutes, turning a couple of times. Do not overcook. Plate them on the optional cucumber slices to serve.

Oi naengguk, (Chilled cucumber soup)

This chilled soup is a perfect dish to cool off on hot summer days. Oi naengguk is a cold soup that’s made with cucumber. A popular variation is made with miyeok (seaweed), which is what I made here. Simply use more cucumber if you are not adding seaweed. Make ahead of time and chill well before serving. 

4 servings

Ingredients:
● 1 Korean cucumber or 2 Kirby (pickling) cucumbers (about 160 grams)

● 1 cup soaked miyeok (seaweed) ― about 15 grams dried

● 1 green or red chili pepper or scallion 

● 1 tablespoon soup soy sauce

● 1 teaspoon Korean red chili pepper flakes

● 1 teaspoon sugar

● 1 teaspoon sesame oil

● 1 teaspoon sesame seeds 

For the soup:
● 4 cups of water

● 1 tablespoon soup soy sauce

● 3 tablespoons vinegar

● Salt to taste

Cut the cucumber into match sticks. Finely chop the chili pepper or scallion.

Prepare the dried seaweed by soaking and rinsing well. Boil water in a small pot with 1 teaspoon of salt. Blanch the soaked seaweed briefly, about one minute. Drain and rinse with cold water. Drain again, squeeze out excess water and cut into bite size pieces.

In a medium-sized bowl, gently toss the vegetables with the next five ingredients. Refrigerate to chill.

In another medium-sized bowl, mix 4 cups of water with the soup soy sauce, vinegar and salt. Start with a half teaspoon of salt, taste it, and add more if necessary. Refrigerate to chill.

When ready to serve, combine the cucumber and miyeok mix with the soup. Stir the soup and adjust the seasoning with salt to taste, if necessary. Serve in chilled bowls with a couple of ice cubes.

Dak gomtang, (chicken soup)

Dak gomtang (chicken soup) (Korean Bapsang)

Based on the lunar calendar, Koreans mark the hottest summer period with three distinct days: chobok (beginning), jungbok (middle) and malbok (end). On these days, Koreans traditionally eat samgyetang, ginseng chicken soup, which is believed to be an energy-boosting dish. As chobok is here, this dak gomtang is a healthy and delicious chicken soup that you can make even if you don’t have ginseng. 

Gomtang generally refers to a soup made by simmering beef bones and meat for several hours. The result is a comforting milky broth with tender meat. Dak gomtang is a variation made with a whole chicken, but the chicken does not take as many hours to simmer. The key is to use a lot of garlic. Make this flavorful chicken soup, and beat the heat the Korean way!

Ingredients:
● 1 whole small chicken 

● 10-12 garlic cloves

● 1 small piece ginger

● 1/2 medium onion

● 2-3 scallion white parts

● 1/2 teaspoon whole black peppers (optional)

● 10-12 cups of water

● 3 scallions, finely chopped to garnish

● Salt and pepper to taste

Place the cleaned chicken in a stock pot large enough to hold the chicken and 10-12 cups of water. Add the garlic, ginger, onion, scallions, optional peppers and the water (or enough to cover the chicken).

Bring it to a boil over high heat. Skim off any foam on top. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer, covered, for about 40-50 minutes, depending on the size of the chicken. Cut through the thickest part of the breast with a knife to see if the chicken is cooked and tender.

Turn the heat off and carefully remove the chicken. When the chicken is cool enough to handle, remove the meat off the bones. Shred the meat into small bite-size pieces. You can strain the broth, remove the excess fat, and serve at this point, but I put the bones back in the soup and simmer again for more flavorful broth (see optional step).

To serve, place some rice in a serving bowl, add chicken pieces, and then ladle the hot broth on top. Typically, chopped scallions, salt and pepper are served separately so each person can season to taste. Serve piping hot with kimchi.

Optional step:
Put the bones back in the broth and simmer over medium low heat for an additional 30 minutes to an hour. Strain the broth, remove the excess fat, and serve. 

Hobak bokkeum (stir-fried zucchini)

This is a simple summer side dish that goes well with meat dishes such as bulgogi, galbi or jeyuk bokkeum. You can use any variety of zucchini, which happens to be plentiful this time of the year. The classic seasoning for this dish is saeujeot which is tiny salted and fermented shrimp. Its distinct, savory flavor works wonderfully with zucchini. If unavailable, substitute it with fish sauce or simply season with salt to taste.

Ingredients:

● 1 medium zucchini (about 300 grams) 

● 1 tablespoon oil for stir-frying

● 2 or 3 teaspoons saeujeot 

● 1 teaspoon minced garlic

● 1 teaspoon sesame oil

● 1 teaspoon sesame seeds

● 1 scallion, finely chopped

Cut the zucchini in half lengthwise (or in quarters if using a thicker zucchini). Then cut crosswise into 2/3-centimeter thick slices. You can use saeujeot as is or finely chopped. 

Heat a pan with the oil over medium high heat. Add the zucchini and 2 teaspoons of saeujeot to the pan. Cook for 1-2 minutes, stirring well. Add more saeujeot if needed.

Add the remaining ingredients and 2-3 tablespoons of water. Cook for an additional 1-2 minutes, stirring, until the zucchini is softened and turns translucent.

Oi sobagi (stuffed cucumber kimchi)

Oi sobagi is stuffed cucumber kimchi. It is best made in the summer time when cucumbers are in season. Always look for cucumbers that are firm and slender. For the kimchi, the cucumbers are first salted in boiling hot salted water before being stuffed with the filling. Don’t worry, the hot water won’t cook the cucumbers. This is the method traditionally used for Korean pickled cucumbers, called oiji, to keep the cucumbers crisp and crunchy for a long time. Hope you get a chance to make this quick and refreshing summer kimchi before the summer is over. 

Ingredients:
● 5 Korean cucumbers (10 kirby/pickling cucumbers)

● Salting water:

● 6 cups water

● 6 tablespoons coarse sea salt

Stuffing:
● 110 grams Korean garlic chives (buchu)

● 80 grams Korean radish (mu) or carrots

● 5 tablespoons Korean red chili pepper flakes (gochugaru)

● 1 tablespoon salted shrimp (saeujeot)

● 1 tablespoon fish sauce

● 1 tablespoon minced garlic

● 1 teaspoon finely grated ginger

To clean, rub each cucumber with a little bit of salt and rinse. If using long Korean cucumbers, cut in half crosswise.

Add 6 cups of water with 6 tablespoons of salt in a medium-size pot. Bring it to a rapid boil. Turn the heat off. Pour the boiling water over the cucumbers in a bowl. Keep the cucumbers submerged by weighing them down with a bowl or plate. Let it sit for about 2 hours.

Meanwhile, cut the chives into about 1 centimeter lengths. Julienne the radish, and then cut into the same lengths.

Combine all the stuffing ingredients and mix well. It should taste a bit salty.

Drain the cucumbers. Holding the top end of the cucumber on the cutting board, run a small knife through the middle lengthwise. Leave about 1.5 centimeters uncut at both ends. Turn the cucumber and make another cut through the middle lengthwise to make a cross cut, again leaving about 1.5 centimeters uncut at both ends. Repeat with all the cucumbers.

Gently open each slit and insert about a teaspoonful or two of the stuffing. Be sure to fill all four slits of each cucumber. Repeat until all the cucumbers are stuffed. Place them in a jar or an airtight container. Leave it out at room temperature for half a day or so. Then, store in the fridge.

This cucumber kimchi can be eaten right away and will keep well for a few days. This is a quick kimchi not intended for weeks of storage.

Gaji namul (steamed eggplant side dish)

Gaji namul is a popular summer side dish that is made with steamed eggplants. The traditional way of making this dish is to steam the eggplants and then tear them into small strips. It’s very easy to overcook eggplants, resulting in mushy vegetables that fall apart during the tearing process. You can avoid this by cutting the eggplants into bite sized pieces before steaming them quickly. 

The key is to steam the eggplants until they are tender but still slightly firm. Eggplants are in peak season now. Look for slender eggplants with a rich purple color and shiny skin, and without any soft or brown spots. Gaji namul is easy to make, plus tasty and healthy.

Ingredients:

● 2 medium size Korean/Asian eggplants

● 1 scallion, finely chopped

● 1 teaspoon minced garlic

● 1-1/2 tablespoons soy sauce

● 2 teaspoons sesame oil

● 1/4 teaspoon sugar

● 1/2 teaspoon *gochugaru *(Korean red chili pepper flakes)

● 1 teaspoon roasted sesame seeds

● pinch pepper

Cut the eggplants lengthwise in quarters. Then cut crosswise into 4 to 5-centimeter pieces. Boil the water in a pot with a steamer tier or basket over high heat, covered. Place the eggplant pieces in the steamer, and steam until softened but still a bit firm, about 3 minutes. Set aside to cool. Add all remaining ingredients and gently toss everything together. Add more soy sauce to taste if needed.

Kongguksu (chilled soy milk noodle soup)

Kongguksu is a cold noodle soup that’s served in creamy soy milk. Making soy milk is less work than you might imagine. Soaked soybeans are cooked, then pureed and filtered through a sieve. 

The secret to making delicious soy milk for kongguksu is not to overcook the beans so that they retain their natural flavor. More often than not, a small amount of sesame seeds and/or nuts (such as pine nuts, peanuts, almonds and walnuts) are pureed with the soybeans for an extra-nutty flavor. 

Nothing beats the summer heat better than a bowl of this icy cold kongguksu!

Ingredients: (4 servings)
● 1 cup dried soybeans (meju kong)

● 4 tablespoons roasted pine nuts (or any other nuts of your choosing) 

● 2 teaspoons roasted sesame seeds (more for garnish)

● Salt to taste 1 small cucumber, julienned

● 1 small tomato, sliced (or watermelon) ― optional

● Somyeon (thin wheat flour noodles) ― about 120 grams per serving

Rinse and soak 1 cup of dried soybeans for 5 to 6 hours or overnight. (Yields a little more than 2 cups of soaked beans.)

Place the beans in a pot. Add enough water to cover the beans. Bring it to a boil over medium-high heat, and cook for an additional 3 minutes. 

Drain and place the beans in cold water to cool. Rub the beans with your fingers to remove the skins. Pour out the skins that rise to the top. Add more water, and repeat this process until most of the skins are removed. 

In a blender, puree 1/2 of the cooked beans, 2 tablespoons of nuts, and a teaspoon of sesame seeds in about 2 cups of cold water as fine as you can. (The finer it is, the creamier the result will be.) Repeat with the remaining beans. Add water (no more than 1 cup) to adjust the thickness of the liquid.

Run the puree through a fine sieve for a smooth milk-like texture, stirring with a spoon to force it through. (This step is optional.)

Stir in salt to taste. Refrigerate to chill.

Bring a pot of water to the boil. Cook somyeon noodles according to the package instructions (about 3 minutes). Drain quickly and shock in cold water to stop cooking. Drain again and rinse in icy cold water. Make serving size mounds. Place the mounds in a colander to drain.

Stir up the solids settled on the bottom of the soy milk and pour over the noodles in a serving bowl. Garnish with the julienned cucumbers, tomato pieces and sesame seeds. Drop in a few ice cubes and serve very cold.

Any leftover soy milk can be refrigerated for 2-3 days. 

Hobak gochujang jjigae (spicy zucchini stew)

Hobak gochujang jjigae (spicy zucchini stew) (Korean Bapsang)

I love having a constant supply of sweet and tender Korean zucchinis (aehobak) from my garden this time of the year. This gochujang jjigae (stew) is one of my favorite ways to eat them. If you like rich and pungent Korean stews, such as kimchi jjigae and doenjang jjigae, this stew is for you. Gochujang adds lots of spicy, robust flavors to this simple stew which is made with a few ordinary ingredients such as zucchini and potato. Tofu, mushrooms, onions, and radishes would all be great additions to this stew as well.

Ingredients:
● 1 medium zucchini 

● 1 medium potato 

● 1 scallion

● 1-2 green or red chili peppers

● 1 teaspoon minced garlic

● 3 ounces clam meat (fresh or canned)

● 1-1/2 tablespoons gochujang (Korean red chili pepper paste) 

● 1/2 tablespoon doenjang (Korean soybean paste)

● 1 tablespoon gukganjang (soup soy sauce)

● 2 cups water used to rinse rice, ssalddeummul*

(*The water used to rinse rice is commonly used in Korean stews and soups. Use the water from the second round of rinsing.)

Cut the zucchini into about 1.5-centimeter bite sizes and the potatoes into slightly thinner pieces as the potato takes longer to cook. Roughly chop the scallion. Thinly slice the peppers.

Add the water to a small pot. Add the red chili pepper paste, soybean paste, and soup soy sauce. Stir well to dissolve. Bring it to a boil.

Add the potatoes, zucchini, clam meat, chili peppers and garlic. Cook until the potatoes and zucchini become soft, about 10 minutes. Throw in the scallion with 2 minutes remaining. Serve hot with a bowl of rice.