Dark Side of Mobile Phones 

     The usage of smart phones in the whole world  drastically increased by the last decade. Of course there are so many benefits of using smart technology however let's discuss  some disadvantages:

                                       -> Radiation 

       

                             

                             Korea's Thyroid-Cancer “Epidemic” — Screening and Overdiagnosis

  According to the New England Journal of Medicine, South Korea has experienced a thyroid cancer epidemic in recent years. The authors of this paper attribute the "epidemic" to a government-sponsored cancer screening program. As evidence, they report, 

"There was a strong correlation between the proportion of the population screened in a region in 2008 and 2009 and the regional incidence of thyroid cancer in 2009. Although the aggregate correlation could be vulnerable to the ecologic fallacy, the finding of significant positive correlations in each of eight age- and sex-based groups suggests that the finding is more robust." 

That widespread screening identifies more cancer is not surprising. This could at least partly explain the increasing incidence of thyroid cancer observed in South Korea, and nine other countries including the U.S. Could exposure to the electromagnetic radiation (RF and ELF) emitted by cell phones and cordless phones be contributing to this worldwide thyroid cancer epidemic? This question is still under research.

* Hyeong Sik Ahn, Hyun Jung Kim, H. Gilbert Welch. Korea's Thyroid-Cancer “Epidemic” — Screening and Overdiagnosis. N Engl J Med 2014; 371:1765-1767 November 6, 2014DOI: 10.1056/NEJMp1409841

A headline in Haaretz a year ago March reads, "Israeli scientists find possible link between cellphone use, thyroid cancer." 

 * http://bit.ly/14rrWfA

 In the present study we investigated the possible histopathological effects of pulse modulated Radiofrequency (RF) fields on the thyroid gland using light microscopy, electron microscopy and immunohistochemical methods. The overall findings indicated that whole body exposure to pulse-modulated RF radiation that is similar to that emitted by global system for mobile communications (GSM) mobile phones can cause pathological changes in the thyroid gland by altering the gland structure and enhancing caspase-dependent pathways of apoptosis.

 *  http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20807179

                                                  -> Eye Sight Problem      

  

"Among patients visiting our clinic, over 30 percent complain of eye diseases related to smartphones, such as dry eye syndrome, presbyopia, and pseudomyopia," said Dr. Jwah Woon-bong at Kangnam Eyence Eye Clinic in southern Seoul. The ratio of smartphone users is higher among young people. Among those in their 20s in the country, 94 percent use smartphones, and this ratio is 84 percent among those in their 30s. Three out of four teenagers also use the gadgets, which supports the idea that smartphone related problems are likely to increase in the future.  * http://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/news/culture/2013/08/316_134244.html                                                                                    -> Other issues There is , actually, a big list of issues related to mobile phone usage and human health. In my blog I brought only two global issues as well as Korean issues. By the conclusion I want to ask one question. Have you ever hear this phrase:  “Mobile phones have 18 times more bacteria than toilet handles.”  Probably after reading this phase you might go and clean your phone, well, it is good idea! Believe me, I didn't want to scare anybody, just share some information about mobile phones hazards. Take care and use your cell phone in smart way~

         

           Tongue surgery as a key for                education in the "bigger world".

South Korea is well-known about extremely intensive education politics. It is not surprise anymore to hear that Korean students study very hard spending almost whole time from early morning till the late night in order to get better scores on examinations for being successful in admission to prestigious universities and correspondingly for finding a highly paid good job. In other words, education field in south Korea is considered as a very big and important part of people's life with the reason to achieve career development, to base lifespan in good conditions or simply saying, to have a "happy life" as they believe. 

In this article I would like to share with you my small researches about Korean cosmopolitan striving through the English language issues. Have you ever hear about "lingual frenectomy" or "tongue surgery"? It is quite interesting and delicate topic to discuss. 

- So what is "lingual frenectomy" and how does it related to education in South Korea? 
The fact is that in Korea the knowledge of English language is very valuable. There are not  so many countries like Korea which make tremendous focus on English as a marker of globalization. 

However there is a small issue, most of Koreans have some challenges with English pronunciation. So the reason of tongue surgery, which is quite popular for Koreans,  is to make an ability to pronounce English.  A lingual frenectomy is the removal of a band of tissue connecting the underside of the tongue with the floor of the mouth.* The surgery takes about ten minutes overall. 

 'One Korean doctor, Jung Do Kwang, an ear, nose and throat specialist, said: "Korean mothers have a fervour for education and think it will make their children fluent in e
English" '* This show  how South Korean mothers make an accent on surgery for flawless English and we can see that many mothers agree on surgery for good English pronunciation, what demonstrate an Korean obsession about education.

References:
"Mother's Management of English Education in South Korea" So Ji Park and Nancy Abelmann
* http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lingual_frenectomy
*http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-108751/Childrens-surgery-speak-better-English.html
and some more if you want to know more about:
http://articles.latimes.com/2004/jan/18/news/adfg-tongue18

                  RUMORS OR TRUTH?

     DOG MEAT CONSUMPTION IN SOUTH                                       KOREA

      Probably many people all around the world heard about one of the most famous stereotypes of Korea that Koreans consume dog meats. And perhaps many of them have not hear anything special related to dog meat topics in China, Philippines, Vietnam even though eating the dog meat in those countries is fairly normal behavior. Then here is the question why only Korea is so well-known about dog meat?  

     The Mayor of Seoul in 2001, at the time when the FIFA World Cup was to be started in Seoul, announced in public that there will not be a taboo on selling the dog meat anymore. This action, as I think, was the main reason how the dog meat consuming stereotype in Korea appeared in the global view. 

  There are few famous Korean cuisine with dog meat like "Bositang" and "Gaegogi" which contain dog stew and considered as good for health dishes. One interesting thing is that there is a special season for eating dogs, usually at hottest days of summer when it helps to balance internal body temperature well and for more internal organs benefits.

   Actually eating dog meat in South Korea is as common as in China. In fact approximately half of Korean population have eaten dog meat at least once and only 2% eats it regularly meanwhile in China there are a dog meat festival. The Chinese dog meet cuisine is even more abundant.  

Korean cuisine

 The cuisines of different countries are so diverse.

       All around the world there are many countries where people still consume dog meat, cat meat and many other types which many people might find disgusting but let's see it from the other side, for instance, when you were born your parents fit you with common resources from your country and of course you don't really think about what you eat as long as your community consider that normal. Thus geographical position plays a big role in what kind of animal meat or even insects people consume. In some countries eating snails/snakes/rats/sparrows/monkeys/sharks/alive octopus/horses/dogs and so on is common while in some it is considered as repugnant. Likewise the dog meat in Korea is ordinary however not that much extreme as whole world think.    

       

        Here is some more examples of particular kind of Korean cuisine:

Alive octopus 

Silkwarm pupae

References: "Food and Korean identity in global context" Boudewijn Walraven