Korea IT Times August Contributors
We would like to express our gratitude to the July contributors as we celebrate the 20th anniversary of Korea IT Times. We are now excited to publish the new contributor's article for August.
- Prof. Jong-Shik Kim, PhD: Working with AI, Living with AI
- Essays by Layne Hartsell PhD, and Alexander Krabbe, MD: The Echoes of War: The Specter Advances, A Response for the Sake of Sanity
- Byoung min Im, Columnist : The Courage of India's Prime Minister Modi
- Barnaby Page, VP of IR & Cyber Risk at SentinelOne: Cyber Safeguard: The Insurance Industry's Role in Enhancing Digital Security
- Layne Hartsell, PhD and Ashok Kumar Janakiraman, PharmD: Nanotechnology for the Treatment of Dementia
- Tae-il Kwon, PhD, CEO of Bigsun Systems: Next Generation Wireless Network Technology in the Age of AI
- Jinkook Kim, PhD, CEO of Coreline Soft: The role of AI in lung cancer screening
By Byoung min Im, Columnist
Recently, Russian President Vladimir Putin welcomed Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi to Moscow. The world's media highly praised Prime Minister Modi's honesty, straightforwardness, and courage. Modi told Putin that "war cannot solve problems." During a speech at a children's hospital in Ukraine, Modi described the killing of children as 'unbearable and fatal pain.' Prime Minister Modi emphasized to President Putin that "peace is of utmost importance."
Quoting the words of a prophet, it is said that if two people fight, they are both equally at fault. Similarly, Putin and Zelensky are currently engaged in conflict, and regardless of who is right or wrong, their actions are unforgivable. According to January 2023 statistics, more than 200,000 precious lives have been lost on both sides. If one's own life is precious, then the lives of others are equally precious. These two leaders have committed a grave sin against humanity, so are Putin and Zelensky's lives more valuable than anyone else's?
A common belief among many is that the lives of others are more precious, especially when they are young and have the right to live longer. War must be stopped unconditionally. Prime Minister Modi has stated that the solution to the Ukraine war “cannot be found in war.” This reflects his belief that only courageous individuals can speak the truth.
In his youth, Prime Minister Modi was traveling by bus to Dhandhuka in Gujarat when an elderly woman boarded. When the conductor approached her, she explained her destination. Upon hearing it, the conductor informed her that she had taken the wrong bus. Distressed, the old woman requested to be let off, but the bus guide refused. Witnessing this, Modi lamented the conductor's rude behavior and insisted that the bus stop to let the woman off. Afterward, Modi approached the conductor to ensure she understood her mistake, explaining that respecting the elderly is part of Indian culture and tradition. This incident underscores the philosophy that only those who value principles, values, and moral beliefs, and who have courage, can defend them.
Courageous people possess six characteristics: First, they do good without negotiating with injustice; second, they face physical danger or pain for the sake of justice; third, they endure difficulties with patience; fourth, they have the determination to recover from setbacks or failures; and Fifth, they maintain principles, values, and moral convictions. Sixth, courageous people are characterized by thinking about and defending what is important to them, exploring new things, challenging existing beliefs, and seeking the truth.
We need to understand another aspect of Prime Minister Modi's courage. Mahatma Gandhi, India's spiritual and political leader, is a respected figure. In contrast, Indira Gandhi, named after her husband Feroze Gandhi, was known for her ruthless massacre of Sikhs and declaring a dictatorship. During a dangerous emergency, Modi acted with innovative courage to save the nation. Like many Indians, he pursued a new future without compromising with injustice, significantly contributing to communication networks that challenged established beliefs, and helped transform India into a global power through his courage and commitment to justice.
The first edition of John F. Kennedy's "Profiles in Courage," a best-selling book that won the Pulitzer Prize for Biography in 1957, was published in 1956. I read a translation of this book in my youth and found it deeply moving. The courage it describes has guided my life to this day. Putin and Zelensky must immediately and unconditionally stop the current war. Having fought, they must make amends with each other, express their apologies, and end the conflict. Since the land is not ours but nature's, all futile desires must be relinquished. Courage can uphold values and moral beliefs and ultimately stop wars. Wars cause loss of life, injuries, and widespread human suffering, disrupt economies, destroy infrastructure, hinder development, and lead to environmental destruction and the loss of cultural heritage. War inflicts psychological trauma on individuals and communities, leaving long-lasting emotional scars.
In contrast, peace fosters democratic governance, mental well-being, stability, and participation in decision-making processes without fear or coercion. It contributes to global stability and promotes values of human rights, justice, and equality. Love flourishes through respect and ethical consideration. Just as Prime Minister Modi boldly and directly told President Putin that "war cannot solve problems," they hope for an end to the conflict. People worldwide seek peace without conflict through non-violence, and war must be stopped immediately and unconditionally with a strong will and courage to resolve conflicts.
About the Author
Columnist Byoung min Im, possesses a distinct background as a first-generation Korean computer scientist who majored in his education in EDPS at the University of NSW, Australia. He created the world's first introductory computer book in webtoon format, simplifying complex computer concepts through comics (currently housed in the National Library of Korea). Im has been a pioneer in the Korean IT sector, developing the first Korean language for Apple Computer (6502), spearheading the adoption of GIS systems (Genesys) and XML, and collaborating with KAIST to create the world's first XML DTD. He also contributed to developing Samsung Electronics' costing system (KPC), Korea's first integrated utility billing system (KIS), and the first Ethiopian Amharic smartphone keyboard worldwide.
