Recently, I received a variety of New Year s cards from home and abroad featuring the zodiac symbol of the rabbit, appropriate as 2023 is the Year of the Rabbit according to the lunar calendar and Chinese astrology.
When the sweltering heat, humidity and heavy rains give way to the crisp air of autumn, even though it comes with a few warm and cool days, I enjoy my daily walks more than ever. The brisk air makes me move quickly and get in my 10,000 daily steps with great joy. The change of color is also welcome. I love Korea s verdant hills and mountains, thickly forested (thanks to former President Park Chung-hee s aggressive tree-planting) with all kinds of trees.
Although I am not Buddhist, my enthusiastic interest in Korean Buddhist heritage has led me to explore many ancient temples, hermitages, and all things about Korean Buddhist art and culture. My family is from Gyeongju, the capital of the ancient Silla Kingdom, and I am fortunate that my father, Choe Nam-ju, was a pioneer of Korean archaeology.
A professor of Harvard Business School, who co-authored a textbook on Korean politics and history, said he plans to make editorial changes to rectify historical distortions in the book, which a local civic group pointed out.