Vegetarianism In Korea Since 1988

 

In the Catholic Here/Now Blog a Jesuit priest's article on Vegetarianism was published. It first appeared on the Jesuit Human Rights Research Center website.

He recalls Dr. Lee Sang-goo a medical doctor who talked about the importance of eating vegetables, fruits, and grains back in 1988. Many who took meat for granted were shocked at the remarks. The doctor was excluded from appearing in rebuttal discussion programs and even confessed that it was difficult for him to live in Korea because of the opposition to his remarks.

At that time it was a popular opinion that eating meat was necessary for human metabolism to receive nutrients. But now all has changed not only do we hear talk of vegetarianism but also veganism not only abstention from meat but all animal products: eggs, cheese, and milk. Today even in the military we have the opinion that a menu for vegans is necessary.

Now, there is a consensus that a vegetarian diet is directly related to health. The word vegetarianism comes from the Latin word 'vegetus' meaning healthy, lively. Here we can see that from ancient times vegetables were seen as connected to health and vitality.

It is important to know that there are different types of vegetarians as the public's interest in a vegetarian diet has increased. (1) Pesco does not eat meat and poultry but eats fish. (2) Lacto-ovo does not eat meat, fowl, or fish but will eat dairy and egg products. (3) Lacto does not eat fish or eggs but does eat dairy products. (4) Ovo they don't eat dairy products but eat eggs. (5) Vagan not only does not eat meat and fish but all animal products including honey. These detailed classifications are indicators of how much interest in vegetarianism and the will to practice vegetarianism has increased.

It is not that humans have not eaten meat in the past. However, the development of distribution networks and science and technology induces many people to consume easily more meat. An issue is the livestock factory farming methods that prevail to meet the huge demand for meat.

Factory farming brings about more environmental harm than one may think. Forests around the world are being cleared at an incredibly fast rate for this mass livestock breeding. Remembering that feed must be grown in addition to the deforestation for livestock, and we have a vicious cycle that is getting worse.  

We have not only the destruction of forests but the existence of huge amounts of methane gas emitted by cattle. As the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere increases, the number of forests to absorb it decreases, which inevitably poses an environmental problem.

In addition, we have human rights violations arising from the threats to the basic right of survival of the indigenous peoples living in the tropical rain forests. In addition, wild animals living in these areas lose their habitat and face death. What is more serious is the fact that the more the forest is destroyed due to the excessive expansion of the livestock industry, the more the probability of contact between wild animals and humans increases. This increases the risk that an unprecedented lethal virus from animals can be transmitted to humans. Since too many livestock are densely raised for cost-effectiveness and efficiency in factory-operated livestock sites, there is a very high probability that they will be exposed to the spread of these viruses.

A vegetarian diet could mitigate the rapid changes in the global climate crisis. It would be unreasonable to say that everyone should be vegetarian, but for many, even a small reduction in meat intake can reduce land reclamation for mass livestock production. And it must be kept in mind that greenhouse gases, especially from beef and lamb production, are overwhelmingly large.  

To prevent deforestation, to protect the indigenous people and animals living in these forests, and finally, for our own healthy life, having a vegetarian diet, once a subject of surprise and rejection, is no longer so.
Everything in this world is interconnected. One piece of meat we eat harms forests and soils and causes great harm to the planet due to the increase in carbon dioxide. Our small gestures can be like the 'butterfly effect' shaking the Earth. There is a reason that rain or snow that falls from heaven falls on this earth so that it bears fruit and benefits people, rather than returning to the sky as it is.
 
Eating meat is a natural phenomenon and an option for anyone to choose, but promoting the livestock industry and consuming more meat is a different matter, making it an act of human selfishness that pollutes the land, and monopolizes food. We should face up to the fact that excessive meat consumption and more aggressive vegetarian recommendations are beckoning us not to leave the planet in a state beyond repair.

Why the LIfe and Death Struggle Against South Korea's Culture?

 

Recently, North Korea is amid an executive ideological revolution, with replacement and demotion of the ranks of high-ranking officials. So begins a column by a member of a 'think tank' on Asia Far East Issues in the Catholic Peace Weekly.

 

On the front page of a recent North Korean Labor Newspaper, a long editorial was published: "Let's further strengthen revolutionary discipline in the party." The editorial called for unity of ideas and strengthening the role of executives, emphasizing "unprecedentedly severe challenges and hardships" such as sanctions, prolonged corona 19, economic difficulties, and deepening citizens' hardships. In particular, they have been concerned with the weak loyalty of the so-called "Jangmadang generation" See Movie (https://www.nkmillennials.com). The editorial stressed the need for thought education for young executives. 

 

The North Korean authorities have been isolated longer than ever before due to the coronavirus quarantine. In this situation, if the party officials, the basis of the system's maintenance, is weakened due to a generational shift, they could have foes on all sides.

 

In fact, it has long been the case that not only many party officials but also young people in North Korea are attracted to the pop culture of the South. North Korean authorities are working hard to crack down on the South Korean way of speaking, language, grooming, clothes, and behavior that have recently spread among the younger North Koreans. 

 

The National Intelligence Service's recent report to the National Assembly for example mentions that hugs between men and women on the streets are banned as "enemies of the revolution," and even the way young people speak is controlled. You should not call your husband 'oppa' or boyfriend 'boyfriend' in the South Korean way. Also banned are expressions such as "disgraceful" and "glossy" that are commonly used by young people in South Korea. Chairman Kim Jong-un ordered major meetings such as the party's Central Committee and the party cell secretariat to launch the socialist war more aggressively, and authorities are cracking down on young people's clothes and South Korean accent.

Last December, North Korea even enacted the

"Reactionary Ideas Eradication Act," which calls for the death penalty for the distribution of South Korean films and TV dramas, and for viewers to be sentenced to up to 15 years in prison. North Korea has a life and death commitment to thought control wanting to focus everything on economic construction and stabilization of the lives of its people. 

 

As North Korean media always say, "It is a time when we desperately need a strong revolutionary spirit that moves forward the revolution and unfolds a new era of homeland prosperity. 

Like the previous generations, we need to create a new way from nothing and turning what is impossible into the possible." Ideas are a very important factor in the self-reliance of the North Korean regime. In a capitalist society, money determines everything, but in socialist North Korean society, ideas determine everything. Stressed over and over again the most powerful weapon in a socialistic society is thought.

Cardinal Pietro Parolin, the head of the Vatican's State Council, told National Assembly Speaker who visited the Vatican on the 9th that Pope Francis wanted to go to North Korea. However, after the failure of the second U.S.-North Korea summit in Hanoi, Vietnam in February 2019, Kim Jong-un's thoughts changed 180 degrees. Considering the recent movement of thought control, the outlook is not bright.

Peace As Goal In Society

In the Catholic Times' Light of the World, the priest columnist uses a word English speakers can translate literally as— 'the last scene', 'last chapter'. The connotation, however, when used with 'soap operas' describing their immorality and unethical contents but usually record high ratings and popularity is what is meant. 

Why is that? Thanks to the secrets surrounding birth, rising status in society, greed, desire, conspiracy betrayal, violence, evil deeds, the rapid development of stories, and reversal, soap operas maintain tension and increase viewers' immersion. It also stimulates the instincts, desires, and emotions hidden in human unconsciousness to satisfy them. 

 

Unfortunately, these soap operas are not helpful in our lives according to the columnist. Many conflicts and fights that arise between individuals, families, and society are similar to what we see in these soap operas.

Several factors play a role in creating this crazy reality: human conflict, quarrels, feuds over interests, envy and jealousy, lack of love, hatred and pain caused by this lack of love, and repeated resentment that follows. Socially, there are decades-old past history not sorted out, unrealized rewards and apologies, a vicious cycle of violence, and the suffering of individuals and society. They collide violently with each other. 

The Catholic Church wants us to understand these problems deeply and strive to solve them and ultimately teach that the more we try to solve social problems, the more important it is to achieve peace. In this context, encouraging violence can never be tolerated. 

 

 "Violence is never a proper response. With the conviction of her faith in Christ and with the awareness of her mission, the Church proclaims “that violence is evil, that violence is unacceptable as a solution to problems, that violence is unworthy of man. Violence is a lie, for it goes against the truth of our faith, the truth of our humanity. Violence destroys what it claims to defend: the dignity, the life, the freedom of human beings" (Compendium of the Social Gospel #496).

The columnist finds it difficult to deliver the church's teachings on the various social conflicts in society. The problems are many and difficult. Even if it is properly identified and judged, there are tremendous difficulties in asking persons to yield individual interests and to forget the factors that make this difficult. These he believes are emotions and violence. Events and causes that make people experience unfairness and anger are also problems, but it is also a pity that they are caught up in such emotions.

Again, the difficulties faced by individuals and society are complex and acute. And as long as emotions and violence repeat, solutions will be a long way off. Looking at the recent controversy over fairness in our society, he thinks it should be discussed peacefully, and we should all work together to find alternatives. Of course, the old, unreasonable, and unjust situation should be improved, but if we lose the way of peace and peace as a goal, only greater difficulties will be repeated.

"Peace is built up day after day in the pursuit of an order willed by God and can flourish only when all recognize that everyone is responsible for promoting it. To prevent conflicts and violence, it is absolutely necessary that peace begins to take root as a value rooted deep within the heart of every person" (#495).

Catholic Response to Corona in Korea

On the Catholic website Now/Here was an article on the Catholic response to the pandemic by Korean Catholics. It was first published in the Human Rights Research Center of the Jesuit Society. This is a brief summary of the contents.

A professor of Sogang University presented his thoughts under the title: Awareness and Response of the Korean Catholic Church during the Corona Era. He explained that the thorough compliance with the
governments' guidelines were the results of a combination of factors: organizational characteristics of Catholicism, historical experience, understanding of the world, and response to social expectations.

Organizational characteristics come from the parish-centered life where all must follow the orders of the bishop. This made for a seamless response, helped also by the response of the Vatican.
 
Secondly, the historical experience refers to the process of dealing with various infectious diseases from ancient times to the Middle Ages and early modern times. In addition, dedicated care for patients by parish priests, religious and laity, and caring for charities voluntarily organized by believers, funerals, and protection of orphans is the historical experience for Catholics.
 
Catholicism understands the realization of the common good in the world on a doctrinal level, so it is acceptable to restrict some religious life, such as community Mass, for quarantine purposes.
 
The social credibility and social expectations of Korean Catholics are also important factors. In other words, Korean Catholicism gained social credibility in the 1970s and 1980s by dedicating itself to the democratic movement against the military dictatorship. Based on this, there is a sense that social responsibility must be fulfilled at the base of Korean Catholicism. Therefore, the consciousness to meet the social expectations with active cooperation with the government's efforts in the prevention of corona.
 
The professor admits that the negative aspects of the past 25 years have been amplified in the corona situation, including a continued slowdown in the growth rate of Korean Catholics and a significant decline in the participation in the Sunday Masses. However, he also pointed out the believers also realized that it was not only on parish grounds they were to live with their consciousness of religious life. Therefore, he argued that the corona situation forced people to live their faith in their everyday lives outside the parish which served as an opportunity to reform Catholicism. Furthermore, Catholicism's efforts to fulfill its social responsibility for taking care of the poor and underprivileged, such as the homeless and migrant workers, are still ongoing amid the corona crisis.

The writer of the article made some suggestions regarding the professor's talk.

Of course, there is no objection to the diagnosis that Catholic organizational principles have enabled a uniform response to the corona crisis. However, doesn't the decision-making structure, which culminates in the bishop help to make the ordinary believers passive? The situation in which community Mass was suspended and confessions and the other sacraments difficult to approach should have brought a considerable sense of crisis to enthusiastic believers. However, what role did believers and parish organizations, and parish councils, play in the process of finding ways to resolve the problems?
 
In the long run, the religious vitality of Catholicism in Korea could continue to decline. Perhaps the individual believer will tend to pursue an inner religiosity more than the liturgical or sacramental life of the parish. How will the Catholic Church, which values ​​the liturgy and the sacraments, deal with this situation? It could be a more serious crisis than Corona.  
 
If you accept at face value the claim that social doctrine and the pursuit of common good played a positive role in the prevention of corona, you will think that Korean Catholicism is practicing the social doctrine with a consensus. But is that so? In this regard, the question is whether it would be appropriate to understand the quarantine cooperation of Korean Catholics under the framework of the pursuit of the common good based on the social doctrine. Bishops' conferences, bishops' associations, or dioceses can use the expression "cooperation in quarantine" in the statement to realize the common good. However, it is an excessive interpretation to say that social doctrines and pursuit of common causes are the work of the whole church for it is equating church authorities with the whole church.

The professor in conclusion gave his answers to the above rebuttal of the writer.

As for the organizational characteristics of Catholicism, its vertical hierarchy indeed tends to make believers passive. It is the result of a disease called clerical centralism or clericalism in the church. It was not only a problem for the Korean Catholic Church, but it was also taken for granted in the past. However, since the Second Vatican Council, which closed in 1965, clericalism has been understood to be a problem to be solved. It is not that there were no complaints from believers in the process of quarantine measures with decisions about  community Mass. According to a survey, believers were evaluating the suspension of community Mass as a good thing but pointed out that the decision had to be with the believers.

Meanwhile, many priests who saw the empty churches seemed surprised. So it is often found that clerics try to listen better to the believers. Some of the Dioceses were led by the Council of lay believers, to support the creation and distribution of guidelines for the life of believers during the covid-19 period. As such, Covid-19 has led to a tendency to weaken clericalism and strengthen the leadership of believers. It remains to be seen whether this trend will spread throughout the Korean church or return to its former state.

Social doctrine and the pursuit of the common good had a real impact on the prevention of the coronavirus. The official position of the Catholic Church comes from the bishops. Therefore, the official position should be interpreted primarily from the position of the bishops. However, different opinions may arise from within the church. In particular, opinions may differ on social doctrine. Because the social situation is different.

An Unlikely Teacher In Accident Prevention

In a Catholic Digest article, a doctor introduces the readers to a  young man who prepared a  firework for America's Independence day some years ago,and lost the use of his right hand. Because he was wearing a corona 19 mask the doctor did not quickly recognize the man. He waved his right hand before the doctor: "You are the one that gave me this crayfish-like hand."

Mr. P was the man who some years before, on July 4th bought some fireworks in the market wanting to show off to his girlfriend. He was not really interested in finding a job and was living a life of leisure, the life of what we would call problem youth.

He took the firework and added more explosive powder making for a powerful firework. This of course was all against the law of the country.
 

He visualized the happiness on the girlfriend's face when he lit the fuse, unfortunately for him instead of going up to the sky it exploded in his hand. He lost his right hand and his body and face were injured. He had the wrist intact and with this, the doctor was able with the fragments to make a hand with the ability to grasp—thumb and forefinger.

The young man seeing the life ahead as bleak, fell into a deep depression. His girlfriend did return to him a few times but left him which made the depression more severe.

When one has the thumb and forefinger he has 70% of the use of his hand he reminded the young man, trying to give him hope for the future. The young man with a wry smile: "I didn't have a job when I had the use of two hands what kind of work can I find with only one hand?"

The doctor did pray for the young man and for a while he came to mind but soon forgot. Four years later he appeared with a smile on his face and appeared happy. He recounted what had transpired over the years.

For several years he was beset with depression and not able to find any work. He was no longer able to watch firework displays.

In the news, he saw how an elementary school student had injured himself in a firework accident. An idea flashed in his head. If he went to the schools and talked about his experience and showed the students what happened to him would this not reduce the number of accidents?

He went to see the principals of the elementary schools and they were quick to give permission. He talked to the students in the upper grades telling them of the dangers of fireworks and showing them his hand and letting them touch it. He felt like a celebrity in a public performance. News spread from one school to another and was busy as a teacher in preventing accidents.  

With two hands he had difficulty finding work  but now is busy talking about what he has learned about safety. He met a nurse in one of his talks and has begun dating, which gave him something to boast about. 

He demonstrated to the doctor his ability to pick up sheets of paper. He also grabs the arms of the students and shows the strength that he has. He even showed his strength to the doctor.

The doctor was glad to see the great change in the young man and expressed this in clapping for the new man that he had become.

Understanding ESG ( Environment, Society, Governance)

A lawyer writes in the Catholic Peace Weekly of his experience working in the international human rights field. His law foundation is a non-profit human rights group working for the common good. When he was still a student he dreamed of working for the people who were deprived of their rights and soon realized that it is not only a matter of good people doing good things that brings change but structures of society need to be changed.

The article begins with human rights violations of local residents in the gas development projects in Myanmar with funds provided by the military. They met with executives of Korean companies involved in the project and shared some complaints of the local people. Companies saw no problem and presented documents related to their ethical management. He asked were they following the Universal Declaration of Human Rights? There was no one to answer.  The meeting, expecting sincerity, turned into a comedy.

When the steelworks construction project in India was being carried out despite the opposition of local residents, the representative of a Korean company announced that it would feed 20,000 local underprivileged children in corporate social responsibility. A while later he met a Korean company employee who said they couldn't find 20,000 starving children, so it was impossible. When discussing corporate responsibility, it can be a comedy if the meaning is not known and they act, but it can be a tragedy if a responsible person thinks he knows but doesn't.

ESG is presently a hot topic. ESG is an acronym for Environment, Society, and Governance, which means that non-financial factors should be used as indicators when evaluating companies. There have been various discussions and implementations at home and abroad over the past decade, but they have not become well known. However, it has become a popular term in the economic and political world.

The temporal, spatial, political, economic, social, and cultural connections of ESG need to be known. Even the president said that 2021 in Korea should be the 'first year of the spread of the ESG movement and that ESG is a symbol of a 'warm capitalist era'.

ESG is anything but new. Management of human rights, morality, social responsibility, sustainable management, and human rights violation relief systems have all talked about solving problems that are not focused on economic benefits. Communication and participation with civil society, interested parties, victims, etc. have continued, why have we not seen the results we hoped to achieve? Without proper awareness of ESG's faults and errors and serious reflection and planning to move forward, we will not be moving forward, and be a silent accomplice to corporate human rights violations.

Difference Between Dementia and Senility

 

In the Catholic Peace Weekly a medical doctor in his article on Dementia and Senility gives the readers something to think about. The term that many doctors use now instead of these two terms is 'neurocognitive disorder' which may be minor or major.

It has been four years since the 'National Responsibility System for Dementia' of Korea was implemented. This policy was also the first pledge of the president's administration, and it was also a policy that he himself emphasized greatly. Perhaps it was based on the judgment that the number of people suffering from dementia is increasing due to aging. Therefore, as it is a policy that the current government and our society consider important, it is now necessary to illuminate and evaluate the extent to which the policy has been effective. However, there are still few such evaluations and prospects.

One of the reasons it is difficult to assess is that the objectives of this policy are mixed. In fact, the pain caused by dementia is more to the family and people around the patient than the patient. Like most cognitive disorders, daily life needs to be supported by those around them, and the need to be prepared to  suffer from delusions, aggression, and suspicion of the patient. Care is essential due to this problem, and in Korea, dementia care is often costly or someone in the family sacrifices because they cannot find the right person.

In other words, the reason for the emergence of the dementia national responsibility system stems from the absence of social care services rather than the problem of treating and medically managing a disease called "dementia." The absence of public care services is actually a problem that is revealed in Korea that  needs a solution: neglect of the disabled, and establishment of facilities for the mentally disabled. Therefore, it is not only a matter to discuss specific disease groups, but a need to present alternatives to how to systematize and make known the care needed in our society.  

However, the proper solution began to be distorted when only "dementia" was removed and the problem of care was raised. First of all, special calculations for lowering the burden of health insurance in case of diagnosis of dementia have been expanded. The benefits of the expansion are limited to medical services that are fully covered by health insurance. Therefore, hospitalization and medical diagnosis of dementia patients were encouraged. In addition, 'dementia' has become a subject of medical treatment, not aging. With the exception of some  Alzheimer's, most are senile dementia.

In addition, a huge amount of money was invested in research and development for the fundamental treatment and prevention of dementia, which is mostly caused by aging. With the amount invested in dementia research, three or more public hospitals could be built and operated in medically vulnerable areas, but the government spent this money on research  and development expenses for pharmaceutical companies. Of course, the results are very weak. Above all, it is because the fundamental treatment for dementia is equivalent to an attempt to prevent aging. Humans can and should conduct various studies to prevent and slow down aging, but this is not an area that can be pioneered by research on aging considered as a disease. Also, if you look at it more broadly, our society's perspective on aging also shows an aspect of trying to commercialize even aging.

Therefore, it is no different from "medicalization" ( process where human conditions come to be defined and treated as medical conditions —aging considered a medical problem) unless it is a non-specific cognitive disorder in some young patients that requires neurocognitive testing and MRI for dementia diagnosis. Moreover, perhaps due to this view, the system of strengthening local communities and providing public care services for dementia patients has not been properly planned or budgeted. As it is classified as dementia, patients who are subject to treatment, are directed to dementia centers, nursing hospitals, and homes. There is little  public facilities, and only private care and care providers are still prevalent.

So, at this time, the doctor can't help but question what is happening. Maybe the reason for changing the uncomfortable word ‘senility’ to 'dementia' was not an evasive measure to turn away from care of the senile aged.  Maybe it was a meant to give consolation  by the diagnosis of dementia  and not to disparage those with senility in old age. Therefore, shamefully in OECD countries  where the poverty rate for the elderly is still close to 50%, what is really important is not the commercialization of specific diseases caused by aging, but public care services and income security that can sustain basic life. He hopes that 'aging' will not continue to be commercialized and politicized.