*SOLOMON ISLANDS* EARTH QUAKE 7.7, 8, DEC, 2016

7.7 Earthquake hit the Solomon Islands in the South Pacific this morning. I saw CNN News, and I was worried because I interested in traveling there. It's a place I want to visit once in a while. I am a bit used to looking around the world map because of 'wanderlust', but I think there are some people who are not familiar with the location of Solomon Islands in the South Pacific. You can see the location.

Solomon Islands are a Commonwealth of Oceania and an island. Papua New Guinea is close to here so the Embassy of the Republic of Korea including their service area. Solomon Islands was known in Korea through the TV program 'Kim Byung Man's Jungle Law'. It showed the survival of Solomon Islands through popular entertainers. Before that, news and programs about the Solomon Islands have been rare, so it is true that they have become more familiar through entertainment programs. 

Earthquakes and Travel in the Solomon Islands

The earthquake in Solomon Island occurred at 63 km southwest of the Island Kirakira. In the Korean press, they called the 7.7 earthquake. But in the foreign press (Include CNN, ABC Aus, etc.) said 7.8 earthquake, it was slightly confused by the 7.7 to 7.8 earthquake. But USGS (US Geological Survey) has adjusted the earthquake scale to 7.7. In ABC News in Australia, 35 houses have been damaged on the island of Makila, and another damage has occurred. Of course, most of the damaged houses are relatively traditional houses that are relatively vulnerable to earthquakes. In response to the earthquake, the Australian government announced that they already had prepared shelter, water and necessities in advance. It was really breaking news from the morning.

To be sure, it is best not to travel as often as possible during these times. The tsunami warning was issued to the neighboring islands, but now the alarm has been canceled. However, in the Solomon Islands, since earthquakes have occurred quite often lately (since the tsunami incident in April 2007 with the intensity 8.1 seabed), it is important to keep these points in mind. There is no news yet at the Embassy of Papua New Guinea. Now the Solomon Islands will be in rainy season, so there could be more damage. One day, when we travel to the beautiful Solomon Islands, we have to decide good season and time to travel. Hope there will be no more damage..!


For Koreans - Do they use Korean Language 'HANGUL'?

There was the news for Koreans, Solomon Island planning to use their language as a 'Hangul'. Then, do you think it will be easy when you go travel to Solomon Islands because of the official language is 'Hangul' ? My answer is "Of course not!". Just two schools in some provinces of Solomon Islands have been informed of the introduction usage of 'Hangul - Korean language' in 2012. (Even here, there are various languages, so it's difficult to communicate each other.) I think there are quite a few people who have heard the news at that time. Then, do you know how the Korean Language Education Project's actual situation now? It was suspended in 2013 due to budget issues. According to the Seoul National University Institute for Humanities and the UN Global Compact, the budget for the year is about 200 million won(KRW). However, Professor Lee Ho Young of the Institute said that the education was temporarily suspended and the business is not stopped. I think that it is necessary to work on culture business as much as the age of the times nowadays, but I cannot imagine that they couldn't take 200 million of budget business, for meaningful cultural business.. and sorry about that.

So, I visited the homepage of the UNICEF Korea Committee, and on October 9, 2009, I got a page that introduces the Korean language education of Solomon Islands and they are always open for people who wants to support them with monthly donation. However, when I clicked on the banner, I was a bit confused that I cannot able to support only this language business by donation. It means, UNICEF online system has only donation for monthly or temporary to whole volunteer service. We cannot choose a specific business that we are interested in. Of course they will certainly distributed equally among the various businesses, but I do not know at all whether it is directly supporting the business what I chose. However, I encourage you to find and become sponsor those who are interested.

Hope, there will be no more damage in beautiful islands.