AI Library
The Double Structure of Digital Sovereignty
Europe’s Departure from Palantir and the Chains of American Big Tech
Kim Kyung-jin, Attorney at Law
This is a record of 2026, when European intelligence agencies and defense ministries began removing analytics tools from America’s Palantir. It covers the replacement decisions made by France’s General Directorate for Internal Security (DGSI), Germany’s Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution (BfV), and the Netherlands Ministry of Defense; the incident in which US export controls severed an ally’s ac…
New English Edition
Artificial Intelligence in Horticulture
Kim Kyung-jin, Attorney at Law
Across five chapters and ten sections, this book examines computer vision for crop diagnosis, harvesting robots and autonomous field systems, smart greenhouses and digital twins, precision irrigation and supply-chain quality control, high-throughput phenotyping, and predictive breeding.
New English Edition
Artificial Intelligence in Food Crop Agriculture
Kim Kyung-jin, Attorney at Law
Across six chapters and eighteen sections, the book examines digital agricultural infrastructure, remote sensing, crop diagnosis, yield forecasting, precision irrigation, genomics, molecular breeding, agricultural robotics, climate-smart agriculture, and global food security.
New English Edition
The Future of Forestry and Agroforestry
Kim Kyung-jin, Attorney at Law
Driven by Artificial Intelligence and Digital Innovation
Across five chapters and fifteen sections, the book follows satellites, drones, LiDAR, digital twins, forest-specific language models, wildfire and pest forecasting, forestry robotics, agroforestry, timber traceability, and forest carbon markets.
New English Edition
Smart Livestock Farming: AI Enters the Barn
Kim Kyung-jin, Attorney at Law
Sensors listen, cameras watch, and artificial intelligence helps farmers decide.
Across five chapters and fifteen sections, the book follows precision livestock farming from animal health and reproduction to robotic milking, virtual fencing, digital twins, methane reduction, welfare, and data ownership.
Table of Contents
Han Dong-hoon, Busan Buk-gu Gap: A Record of the 100 Days Before and After the Election (Mar. 26-Jul. 3, 2026)
Kim Kyung-jin
Table of Contents and 13 sections
From March 26 to July 3, 2026, this record follows the spring after expulsion, the Busan Buk-gu Gap by-election, victory as an independent, and the first bill submitted in the National Assembly.
Table of Contents
Artificial Intelligence and Medicine
Kim Kyung-jin, Attorney at Law
AI in clinical care, hospitals, education, and research
AI in medical imaging, risk prediction, treatment planning, hospital operations, education, and research, with patient safety, privacy, and accountability.
[AI Library] Chapter 14: Exploring Historic Malacca
Malaysia and the Malacca Strait: Whoever Controls It Controls the World
Chapter 14: Exploring Historic Malacca
Kim Kyung-jin
Part Four: Major Cities and Tourism
Stadhuys and Dutch Square
The historic city of Melaka in Malaysia holds some of Southeast Asia's richest colonial heritage. What strikes visitors first is the red-painted Dutch Square and the Stadhuys standing at its center. The buildings in their bright terracotta red create a symbolic landscape that leaves the first impression on tourists visiting Melaka.
Built in the 1650s, the Stadhuys takes its name from Dutch meaning "city hall," and is among the oldest surviving Dutch colonial buildings in Southeast Asia. Originally it served as the residence and administrative center of the Dutch East India Company governor. Today it functions as the Melaka History and Ethnography Museum, displaying the city's rich history and culture.
The Stadhuys follows Dutch Renaissance style, though unique elements were added to suit the tropical climate. Thick walls and high ceilings helped keep indoor temperatures cool, while large windows promoted natural ventilation. Inside, imposing wooden columns and staircases, along with period furnishings, guide visitors into the past.
Dutch Square gathers multiple colonial-era buildings around the Stadhuys. Christ Church, completed in 1753, was built as a Dutch Reformed church but later converted to an Anglican church. The building likewise displays its distinctive red exterior and blends Portuguese-made bells, Dutch tiles, and columns crafted from local Malaysian timber,a unique mix of cultural elements.
At the square's center stands a fountain of Queen Victoria, with a clock tower and monuments from the British colonial period nearby. These structures preserve the traces of the three European colonial powers,Portugal, the Netherlands, and Britain,that shaped Melaka.
"Standing in Melaka's red square, time seems to stop," wrote British travel writer Simon Winchester in his book "The Map That Changed the World." "The red buildings shine with brilliant tropical sunlight, creating the illusion that a Dutch city has been transplanted near the equator. Yet unlike the quieter Dutch cities, Melaka's Dutch Square is filled with the sounds, smells, and colors of many cultures."
Today, brightly decorated tricycle rickshaws wait around Dutch Square for tourists, while various vendors sell local food and souvenirs. This place, where historic buildings blend with modern tourism, is the first essential stop for every visitor to Melaka.
St. Paul's Hill and Portuguese Ruins
Climbing the hill from central Melaka, you reach St. Paul's Hill. This hill holds Melaka's oldest European colonial ruins and offers a view of the city's entire historical transformation.
St. Paul's Church, atop the hill, began in 1521 as a cathedral called "Nossa Senhora da Anunciada," built by Portuguese Duarte Coelho. In the mid-1500s, Jesuit missionary Francis Xavier carried out active missionary work here, and after his death in 1553 in Shangchuan Island, China, his remains were temporarily placed in this church.
After the Dutch took Melaka, they renamed it St. Paul's Church and used it as a Dutch Reformed church. During British rule, it became an ammunition depot and gradually fell into disrepair. Today only stone walls remain in ruins, yet their dignity and historical weight endure.
Old Dutch gravestones inside tell the stories of Dutch merchants, officials, and their families who lived in Melaka at that time. In front of the church stands a statue of Francis Xavier with a broken arm. An intriguing legend surrounds this statue. Shortly after its installation in 1952, a severe storm broke the statue's right arm. The next year, a similar incident occurred when the arm of a Francis Xavier statue in Nagasaki, Japan broke in the same spot. Local people saw this as divine will and decided to preserve the statue as it was.
From St. Paul's Hill you can enjoy expansive views of Melaka and the strait. On clear days, you can see all the way to Sumatra across the Malacca Strait, and at sunset the reddening horizon mingles with the city lights to create a fantastic landscape.
As you descend the hill, you encounter the Porta de Santiago, the only remaining part of the A Famosa fortress built by Afonso de Albuquerque after Portugal seized Melaka in 1511. The original fortress was much larger but faced destruction when Britain took control of Melaka in 1807. It survives today because Thomas Stamford Raffles of the British East India Company recognized its historical value and persuaded authorities to preserve at least the gate.
In 1935, British writer Maurice Collis described St. Paul's Hill in his travel essays: "As sunset began, I sat inside the roofless ruins of St. Paul's Church. Below, the Malacca Strait gleamed gold, and in the far horizon I could make out the faint outline of Sumatra. In that moment, I could imagine Francis Xavier here, dreaming of Asia's future. Through the same sea where he arrived, a completely different world has now flowed into the East. History always moves in directions we never anticipate."
These Portuguese ruins are precious historical evidence showing traces of Melaka's first European colonial period. And they continue to tell, vividly to this day, the story of when East and West first met and collided.
Jonker Street and Chinatown
A short walk from Melaka's historic center brings you to the vibrant Jonker Street. Its official name is Jalan Hang Jebat, but most people call it by its Dutch-era name, Jonker Street. This thoroughfare is the heart of Melaka's Chinatown and was once home to wealthy merchants and nobility during Dutch rule in the 17th and 18th centuries.
Today Jonker Street has become a cultural and commercial hub lined with antique shops, craft stores, cafes, and restaurants. The Jonker Walk Night Market, which runs Friday through Sunday, ranks among Melaka's most popular attractions. As night falls, the street fills with colorful lanterns, street vendors, street food, and performers, creating a lively festival atmosphere.
Most buildings on Jonker Street are shophouses,narrow, elongated two- or three-story structures joined together. These are traditional Chinese merchant houses with shops on the ground floor and living quarters above. Their exteriors blend Chinese, Malay, and European colonial styles in a distinctive way. Ornate tiles, intricate woodwork, and colonial architectural elements combine in these buildings, making them living evidence of Melaka's multicultural history.
Many historical and cultural sites fill Jonker Street and the surrounding area. Built in 1673, Cheng Hoon Teng Temple is Malaysia's oldest Chinese temple and exemplifies traditional southern Chinese architecture. It has served as both a religious and social center for the local Chinese community, and its interior, decorated with intricate woodcarvings and delicate sculptures, leaves a deep impression on visitors.
The Baba Nyonya Heritage Museum, housed in a 19th-century mansion of a wealthy Peranakan family, displays the distinctive Peranakan lifestyle and culture where Chinese and Malay traditions blend. Ornate furniture, elaborate ceramics, and delicate embroidered pieces offer glimpses into the lavish life of Peranakan society in the past.
In 2007, renowned Singapore author Tash Aw wrote of Melaka's Chinatown in his novel "The Harmony Silk Factory": "Walking Jonker Street is like traveling through time. Each building, like pages of layered history, holds stories of different eras and cultures. The footprints of Chinese merchants, Dutch officials, Malay craftsmen, and British explorers are carved into the stone and wood of this narrow street. And as evening comes, the street awakens with new vitality, becoming a unique space where past and present engage in endless dialogue."
On Jonker Street you can also taste various local foods and snacks. Chicken Rice Balls, Durian Puffs, Pineapple Tarts, and Nyonya Laksa,Melaka's distinctive dishes,captivate visitors' taste buds. Peranakan cuisine is a unique fusion food that combines Chinese cooking methods with Malay spices and ingredients, making it an essential part of Melaka's local food culture to experience.
The Chinatown area is also a place where diverse religious facilities coexist. Near Cheng Hoon Teng Temple stand the Sri Poyyatha Vinayagar Moorthi Temple, a Hindu temple, and the Kampung Kling Mosque, showing the history of religious diversity and coexistence. This coexistence of different religious facilities in one area reflects Melaka's multicultural character.
Malacca Strait Mosque
The Malacca Strait Mosque (Masjid Selat Melaka), one of Melaka's modern landmarks, sits on Pulau Melaka (Melaka Island), a short distance from the city's historic center. Completed in 2006 and built over the strait itself, it gains fame for its distinctive appearance: at certain times it appears to float upon the water.
The Malacca Strait Mosque features modern design blending Middle Eastern Islamic architecture with traditional Malaysian building elements. Its white and blue exterior harmonizes with the surrounding sea and sky, while the gold-decorated dome and four minarets create an elegant yet grand impression. The mosque's interior can accommodate up to twelve thousand worshipers and includes spacious prayer halls, auditoriums, and educational facilities.
The mosque's most notable feature is its relationship with the sea. At high tide, the mosque appears to float upon the water, earning it the nickname "Floating Mosque." Visit at sunset and you witness a fantastic sight: golden sunlight washes the mosque's white walls and dome in warm tones.
The Malacca Strait Mosque welcomes not only Muslim but also non-Muslim visitors. However, visitors must wear appropriate clothing,long pants and long-sleeved shirts,and women must cover their hair with a scarf. The mosque provides loaner robes and scarves for visitors.
The Malacca Strait Mosque goes beyond being a religious facility,it is an important cultural landmark symbolizing Malaysia's Islamic culture and modern advancement. The building reinterprets the long relationship Melaka, once a maritime trade hub, has maintained with the Islamic world in contemporary form.
In 2018, British architecture critic William Curtis, visiting Malaysia, assessed the mosque as follows: "The Malacca Strait Mosque is an outstanding example of contemporary Islamic architecture. Beyond its religious function, this building beautifully expresses Melaka's geographic character and historical identity. Appearing to float upon the sea, the mosque is like a spiritual bridge connecting Melaka's past and present. In the past, Islam spread to this region across the Malacca Strait, and today this beautiful mosque stands on the same waters, commemorating that historical journey."
For travelers visiting Melaka, this mosque offers a distinct appeal different from the city's historic center. Amid centuries-old colonial structures and traditional houses, the Malacca Strait Mosque stands as living proof of modern Malaysia's progress and Islam's continuing influence on the culture.
Local Food and Cultural Experience
To fully understand Melaka, you must experience the city's distinctive food culture. Due to diverse cultural influences spanning centuries, Melaka boasts some of Malaysia's most unique and varied cuisine.
The heart of Melaka's food culture is Peranakan or Baba-Nyonya cuisine. This distinctive fusion developed from cultural exchange and marriages between Chinese settlers and local Malays in the 15th and 16th centuries. Peranakan cuisine blends Chinese cooking techniques with Malay and Indonesian spices and ingredients.
Representative Peranakan dishes include Ayam Buah Keluak (chicken cooked with special nuts), Asam Laksa (sour fish-based noodles), Pongteh (meat cooked with fermented bean sauce), and Otak-otak (fish paste baked in banana leaves). These dishes feature complex spice combinations and lengthy cooking times, with unique recipes passed down in each family.
Another special dish found only in Melaka is Chicken Rice Ball. Though derived from the chicken rice of China's Hainan region, in Melaka it has evolved into a distinctive style where rice is shaped into small balls. Served with tender poached chicken, it is eaten with chili sauce and thick soy sauce.
For dessert you can taste various local sweets: Cendol (green rice jelly in coconut milk and palm sugar syrup), Durian Puffs (pastries with durian cream), tapioca cookies, and more. Melaka is also famous for Pineapple Tarts, cookies made with sweet pineapple jam baked inside buttery dough.
The best places to experience Melaka's food are the restaurants and street vendors around Jonker Street. Weekend night markets offer a chance to taste various local dishes in one location. Additionally, several restaurants along the Melaka River provide good spots to enjoy local cuisine with river views.
Beyond food, Malacca offers a wealth of cultural experiences. Batik workshops provide an excellent opportunity to learn Malaysia's traditional textile-dyeing techniques. Several studios offer programs where visitors can draw batik designs and experience the dyeing process firsthand.
The Malacca River cruise is another popular activity that reveals a different side of the city. The 45-minute cruise showcases historic buildings lining the riverbank, traditional houses, and vibrant street murals. Evening cruises offer a romantic experience as sunset illuminates the city, with the lights of riverside cafes and buildings reflecting on the water.
Renowned Malaysian author Predin Muhammad wrote in his essay "The Taste of Malacca": "Tasting Malacca's food is more than culinary experience; it becomes a journey into understanding this city's complex history and cultural identity. On a single plate, one can taste influences from China, Malaysia, India, Portugal, and the Netherlands, much as one encounters them walking through Malacca's streets. In every bite, we experience that remarkable process where cultures meet, blend, and create something new."
Kim Kyung-jin
Attorney · Former Member of the National Assembly · AI Policy Researcher
© 2026 Kim Kyung-jin. All rights reserved.