[Book of the Week] 'Asymmetric Post-Cold War 1990-2020' and 5 Other Books

◆Asymmetric Post-Cold War 1990-2020=The 1990s marked a major transition in the 'post-Cold War' era. Externally, East and West Germany unified, and Eastern European socialist countries underwent a series of systemic changes. Internally, South Korea established diplomatic relations with socialist bloc countries such as the Soviet Union and China. During this time, North Korea became isolated in an asymmetric post-Cold War situation by failing to establish diplomatic ties with the United States and Japan, representatives of the liberal bloc. The author focuses on 42 incidents that occurred between the two Koreas from 1990 to 2020, centering on this situation. Through this, the author interprets the hidden context within 30 years of inter-Korean relations, adding interpretations on the roots and solutions of inter-Korean distrust, North Korea-US hostility, the North Korean nuclear issue, and the true intentions of the United States regarding peace on the Korean Peninsula. (Written by Lee Je-hoon · Seohae Munjip)

◆Our Body is Electricity=This book breaks the common notion that genes are the most important element constituting humans. The author emphasizes 'electricity' as a crucial factor determining human destiny, referring to 'Homo Electricus.' He argues that no matter how important neurotransmitters like adrenaline, dopamine, and serotonin are, without the help of electrical signals, they have no effect on brain activity. The book scientifically explains the history of discovering 'bioelectricity,' which can be considered the essence of life and intelligence, and the process by which bioelectricity is generated and operates within the body. The author states that controlling bioelectricity can manage diseases, deformities, and cancer, and can regenerate cells, organs, and limbs. (Written by Sally Adee · Sejong Books)

◆First Steps in Reading Classical Chinese=Although its function as a language has faded, Chinese characters and classical Chinese still permeate many aspects of our lives. Statistics show that 70% of Korean vocabulary and 90% of conceptual words are based on Chinese characters. There are many cases where understanding the original meaning requires knowledge of Sino-Korean words. The author, who has devoted over 20 years to studying Chinese characters and classical Chinese, published this book to address the regrets he felt during his own studies. It contains content helpful for those who want to read classical Chinese materials as general knowledge, verify original texts of translations, or are curious about the traces of classical Chinese embedded in the Korean language. Through 322 classical Chinese sentences selected from works such as the Analects, Mencius, Zhuangzi, Laozi, Samguk Yusa, and Nanjung Ilgi, the book introduces methods to understand meaning, context, and structure for accurate interpretation. (Written by Jeong Chun-su · Bookie)

◆Ambiguous Loss='Ambiguous loss' refers to a psychological state where one cannot call it a 'complete loss' but is still immersed in a sense of loss. It encompasses cases such as dementia or alcoholism, where the person is present but difficult to connect with emotionally, and conversely, cases like disappearance due to natural disasters or tragedies, where the person is absent but cannot be let go emotionally. The author warns that such indefinable situations hinder family mourning, causing oscillation between hope and despair and leading to physical illness. As a clinical psychologist who has counseled over 4,000 families, the author links counseling content with literary works such as the 'Myth of Sisyphus' and 'The Little Prince' to introduce the impact of loss within families and the proper process of resolution. (Written by Pauline Boss · Jakga Jeongsin)

◆Winning, Defending, and Surpassing: Korean Semiconductor=In 2023, Samsung Electronics ranked first and SK Hynix second in the global memory semiconductor market. This achievement was realized about 40 years after the Tokyo Declaration by Samsung Electronics Chairman Lee Byung-chul in 1983, which marked the official start of the semiconductor era. The author, who witnessed the development of the domestic semiconductor industry firsthand over 40 years, examines the context in which Korea's semiconductor industry came to lead the global market. By narrating the 40-year history, the book introduces the characteristics of the domestic semiconductor industry, how it succeeded, and the secrets behind gaining competitiveness in the global market beyond Korea. It also conveys the efforts needed to maintain sustainable competitiveness and strategies to target the AI semiconductor market, which has emerged as a game changer in the semiconductor industry. (Written by Choi Soo · Angle Books)

◆Science Trivia Encyclopedia Canned Edition (Human Body Edition)=Why does sleep disappear when you are hungry? The answer is 'orexin,' a substance secreted by the brain when hungry. Orexin increases brain arousal levels and concentration and excites the sympathetic nervous system, making the body move continuously. Then why do coughing and sneezing occur? When nasal mucus and phlegm flow into the bronchi, the body initiates defense activities to prevent foreign substances from entering the lungs. At this time, tiny hairs inside the bronchi called 'cilia' catch foreign substances and induce coughing to expel them outside. Thirteen medical experts scientifically interpret such everyday phenomena. The book introduces interesting facts such as why lips are red and why bending the little finger also bends the ring finger. (Written by Kizuna Publishing Editorial Department · Saramgwa Namu Sai)

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.