Ron McMillan

Last updated

Ron McMillan
Born(1958-04-29)29 April 1958
Paisley, Scotland
OccupationNovelist, travel author, photojournalist, writer for film and television
NationalityBritish

Ron McMillan (born 29 April 1958) is a Scottish freelance photojournalist and author best known for his rare photo coverage of North Korea and for authoring one of the few [1] crime/suspense novels taking place in modern-day South Korea.

Contents

Photojournalist

McMillan began his freelance journalist career in Seoul, Korea during the run up to the 1988 Olympic Games. For two years he reported on the street riots and political uncertainty that preceded the Seoul Games, which he photographed from Opening to Closing Ceremonies for the Seoul Olympic Organizing Committee.

McMillan spent the next ten years based in Hong Kong, travelling on assignments everywhere from Afghanistan to Japan for publications in Asia, North America and Europe. His photographs and articles from an unprecedented five visits to isolated North Korea ran worldwide, including on the covers of TIME, Newsweek, the New York Times and L’Express, [2] and in the Encyclopædia Britannica. [3] He visited Mainland China on assignment almost fifty times, [4] and in May 1989 was possibly the only journalist to photograph Chinese Army tanks parked up in a western suburb of Beijing. A week later, the tanks rolled into Tiananmen Square. [5]

Author

Upon returning to Scotland in 1998, McMillan concentrated on writing and illustrating travel and business features for broadsheet newspapers such as The Herald and Independent on Sunday. His first travel book about the Shetland Islands, Between Weathers, was published in June 2008 by Sandstone Press. Between Weathers was nominated for the prestigious Saltire Society First Book Award. [6] It is also the inspiration for the movie of the same name - the first to be shot entirely in Shetland in the past 74 years, for which McMillan is an Associate Producer. [7]

McMillan's first foray into published fiction was released by Sandstone Press in June 2010. Yin Yang Tattoo is a crime thriller set in South Korea, and, according to the author, "represents the first in a new series of thrillers with the same central character, and set in various Asian capitals known well to me from my time freelancing around the region." [6]

Bibliography

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">South Korea</span> Country in East Asia

South Korea, officially the Republic of Korea (ROK), is a country in East Asia. It constitutes the southern part of the Korean Peninsula and borders North Korea along the Korean Demilitarized Zone; though it also claims the land border with China and Russia. The country's western border is formed by the Yellow Sea, while its eastern border is defined by the Sea of Japan. South Korea claims to be the sole legitimate government of the entire peninsula and adjacent islands. It has a population of 51.96 million, of which roughly half live in the Seoul Capital Area, the ninth most populous metropolitan area in the world. Other major cities include Incheon, Busan, and Daegu.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">History of South Korea</span>

The history of South Korea begins with the Japanese surrender on 2 September 1945. At that time, South Korea and North Korea were divided, despite being the same people and on the same peninsula. In 1950, the Korean War broke out. North Korea overran South Korea until US-led UN forces intervened. At the end of the war in 1953, the border between South and North remained largely similar. Tensions between the two sides continued. South Korea alternated between dictatorship and liberal democracy. It underwent substantial economic development.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kaesong Industrial Region</span> Special administrative industrial region of North Korea

The Kaesŏng Industrial Region (KIR) or Kaesŏng Industrial Zone (KIZ) is a special administrative industrial region of North Korea (DPRK). It was formed in 2002 from part of the Kaesŏng Directly-Governed City. On 10 February 2016, it was temporarily closed by the South Korean government and all staff recalled by the Park Geun-hye administration, although the former President of South Korea, Moon Jae-in, signalled his desire to "reopen and expand" the region in 2017.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cho Tae-yong</span> South Korean diplomat (born 1956)

Cho Tae-yong is a South Korean career diplomat with over three decades of experience who has served as South Korea's National Security Advisor since March 2023. until December 2023. At January 16, 2024; he is appointed as Director of the South Korean National Intelligence Service

<i>Taegeuk</i> Traditional Korean symbol

Taegeuk is a Sino-Korean term meaning "supreme ultimate", although it can also be translated as "great polarity / duality". The term and its overall concept is derived from the Chinese Taiji popularised in the west as the Yin and Yang. The symbol was chosen for the design of the Korean national flag in the 1880s. It substitutes the black and white color scheme often seen in most taijitu illustrations with blue and red, respectively, along with a horizontal separator, as opposed to vertical.

Kkangpae (Korean: 깡패) is a romanization of the Korean word that is commonly translated to 'gangster' or 'thug'. The term is commonly used to refer to members of unorganized street gangs. By contrast, members of organized crime gangs are called geondal (건달) or jopok.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jo Myong-rok</span> North Korean military officer

Jo Myong-rok was a North Korean military officer who held the military rank Chasu. In 1998, he was appointed first vice-chairman of the National Defence Commission of North Korea, Director of the Korean People's Army General Political Bureau. Previously, he was the commander of the air defence forces.

<i>The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo</i> 2005 novel by Stieg Larsson

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo is a psychological thriller novel by Swedish author and journalist Stieg Larsson (1954–2004). It was published posthumously in 2005, translated into English in 2008, and became an international bestseller.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">South Korea–Taiwan relations</span> Bilateral relations

South Korean–Taiwan relations

<span class="mw-page-title-main">China–Japan–South Korea trilateral summit</span> Annual diplomatic meeting

The China–Japan–South Korea trilateral summit is an annual summit meeting attended by the People's Republic of China, Japan and South Korea, three major countries in East Asia and the world's second, fourth and 12th largest economies. The first summit was held during December 2008 in Fukuoka, Japan. The talks are focused on maintaining strong trilateral relations, the regional economy and disaster relief.

Yoon Byung-in, also known in English reference as Byung-in Yoon, was a Korean Grandmaster of martial arts. He is believed to be the first Korean national to study Chuan Fa in China and to return to teach it in Korea. He was an influential instructor to many current and past Masters and Grandmasters, and himself a master of many styles and studies of Martial Arts.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Canada–North Korea relations</span> Bilateral relations

Relations between Canada and the Democratic People's Republic of Korea are very limited, as Canada suspended full diplomatic relations in 2010 over North Korea's destabilizing nuclear activity. Travel and commerce with North Korea are discouraged by the Canadian government and there is very little trade or diplomatic contact due to Canada's perspective that North Korea plays a destabilizing role in the Asia Pacific region.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Battle of Unsan</span> 1950 Korean War battle

The Battle of Unsan, also known as the Battle of Yunshan, was a series of engagements of the Korean War that took place from 25 October to 4 November 1950 near Unsan, North Pyongan province in present-day North Korea. As part of the People's Republic of China's First Phase Campaign, the People's Volunteer Army (PVA) made repeated attacks against the Republic of Korea Army (ROK) 1st Infantry Division near Unsan beginning on 25 October, in an attempt to take advancing United Nations Command (UNC) forces by surprise. In an encounter with the United States military, the PVA 39th Corps attacked the unprepared U.S. 8th Cavalry Regiment in Unsan on 1 November, resulting in one of the most devastating U.S. losses of the war.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Battle of Onjong</span> Battle between Chinese and United Nations forces

The Battle of Onjong, also known as the Battle of Wenjing, was one of the first engagements between Chinese and South Korean forces during the Korean War. It took place around Onjong in present-day North Korea from 25 to 29 October 1950. As the main focus of the Chinese First Phase Offensive, the People's Volunteer Army (PVA) 40th Corps conducted a series of ambushes against the Republic of Korea Army (ROK) II Corps, effectively destroying the right flank of the United States Eighth Army while stopping the UN advance north toward the Yalu River.

Events in the year 2010 in South Korea.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Third Battle of Seoul</span> 1950–1951 battle in the Korean War

The Third Battle of Seoul was a battle of the Korean War, which took place from December 31, 1950, to January 7, 1951, around the South Korean capital of Seoul. It is also known as the Chinese New Year's Offensive, the January–Fourth Retreat or the Third Phase Campaign Western Sector.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">First and Second Battles of Wonju</span> 1950 - 51 battle between North Korean and United Nations forces during the Korean War

The First and Second Battles of Wonju, also known as the Wonju Campaign or the Third Phase Campaign Eastern Sector, was a series of engagements between North Korean and United Nations (UN) forces during the Korean War. The battle took place from December 31, 1950, to January 20, 1951, around the South Korean town of Wonju. In coordination with the Chinese capture of Seoul on the western front, the North Korean Korean People's Army (KPA) attempted to capture Wonju in an effort to destabilize the UN defenses along the central and the eastern fronts.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kim Sae-ron</span> South Korean actress

Kim Sae-ron is a South Korean actress. She began her career when she was nine years old and became a popular child star through the films A Brand New Life (2009) and The Man From Nowhere (2010). As Kim reached her teenage years, she was cast in more leading roles, notably in the film A Girl at My Door (2014). She has also starred in television drama series, including Listen to My Heart (2011), The Queen's Classroom (2013) and Hi! School-Love On (2014). Her first adult lead role was in the television drama Secret Healer (2016).

Yang Sung-chul is a South Korean political scientist, politician, and diplomat.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">United Front Department of the Workers' Party of Korea</span> North Korean governmental agency tasked with relations with South Korea

The United Front Department of the Workers' Party of Korea is a department of the Central Committee of the Workers' Party of Korea (WPK) tasked with relations with South Korea. It conducts propaganda operations and espionage and manages front organizations, including the Chongryon.

References

  1. "ROK Drop Book Review: Yin Yang Tattoo By Ron McMillan". ROK Drop: Korea From South to North. 30 June 2010. Retrieved 12 January 2011.
  2. "Paisley-born author covers Asia". The Korea Times. 28 September 2010. Retrieved 12 January 2011.
  3. "The skyline of P'yŏngyang, North Korea". Encyclopædia Britannica Online. Retrieved 12 January 2011.
  4. "Interview with Ron McMillan". Expat.com. August 2010. Retrieved 12 January 2011.
  5. "Between Weathers Associate Producer Ron McMillan". BETWEEN WEATHERS - Changing lives, building futures. 2010. Retrieved 21 September 2010.
  6. 1 2 "Biography". RonMcMillan.com. 11 August 2010. Retrieved 21 September 2010.
  7. "First film to be made in isles for 73 years wins approval in planned location of Fetlar". Shetland Times. 6 November 2009. Retrieved 21 September 2010.