[Travel Bits] Festivals and sights across Korea

Gurye Sansuyu Festival The Gurye Sansuyu Festival, an annual spring flower festival, runs March 14-22 in the Jirisan hot springs area. Major attractions include an exhibition of local products made with “sansuyu” (cornus fruit) as well as fireworks and traditional music and dance. Admission is free, and the festival is open to visitors of all ages. For more information in Korean, English, Japanese or Chinese, visit www.gurye.go.kr. Jindo Miracle Sea Road Festival The Jindo

TravelFeb. 21, 2020

[Digital Simplicity] Consumers face dilemma of subscription economy

What is called a “subscription economy” is not so far removed from the everyday life of ordinary Koreans. A growing number of Korean consumers, especially those in their 20s, are embracing this new model that favors subscriptions over ownership. For digital services and software, this makes sense. Netflix is a case in point. Korean viewers, who once preferred downloading video files from online hard drive service operators, are signing up for the global video streaming platform. Th

ViewpointsFeb. 21, 2020

[Eye] Wisdom in a dish

  While more people around the world are starting to appreciate Korean food -- or “hansik” in Korean -- a basic understanding of true Korean food is necessary for all Koreans, says the Ven. Sunjae, head of the Korean Food Promotion Institute. Since April 2018, the Buddhist nun, known as a master of temple food, has been leading the state-funded institution. “Some questioned why a Buddhist nun was appointed to the position. It is true that I joined the Buddhist order 40 y

FoodFeb. 21, 2020

Expats find performance community in Wordsmiths

On the surface, Wordsmiths is like any other open mic event, providing a space for writers to share their poetry, prose and music. But a swift dig beneath the surface reveals a community of warmth, mutual support and acceptance. Wordsmiths’ events are held on the second Sunday of each month at Southside Parlor in Itaewon, organized by three of its members -- Kang Yea-hwon, Grace Kim and Brendon Spencer -- in their spare time. Spencer, Wordsmith’s resident DJ, has been involved s

BooksFeb. 21, 2020

[Weekender] The ‘Parasite’ impact

  For Jeon Da-jung, a 35-year-old office worker who often commutes through the neighborhood of Buam-dong, central Seoul, the concrete staircase that leads to the nearby Jahamun Tunnel didn’t mean much to her. But “Parasite,” from the acclaimed South Korean director Bong Joon-ho, completely changed her mind. By using the urban landscape as a metaphor for the deepening social divide between the haves and the have-nots, it opened her eyes to the reality of Korea today, she

FilmFeb. 21, 2020

Korea's exports up 12.4% in first 20 days of February

South Korea's exports moved up 12.4 percent in the first 20 days of February, customs data showed Friday, led mostly by chips and auto parts. The country's outbound shipments reached $26.3 billion in the Feb. 1-20 period, compared with $23.3 billion a year earlier, according to the Korea Customs Service. By product, exports of chips soared 15.4 percent, and outbound shipments of auto parts surged 40.6 percent. But the average daily exports -- which reflect working days -- fell 9.3 percent on

EconomyFeb. 21, 2020

Military to restrict draftees from vacationing, staying outside bases over coronavirus

South Korea will start restricting all enlisted soldiers from vacationing, staying outside their bases and meeting visitors this weekend, the defense ministry said Thursday, after the Navy reported the first suspected coronavirus case among the country's service members. The restrictions, set to go into effect on Saturday, came at a meeting of top defense and uniformed officials, which was presided over by Defense Minister Jeong Kyeong-doo. "Based on the recommendations from each armed s

DefenseFeb. 21, 2020

Bolton makes no apology for hardline stance on N. Korea: report

WASHINGTON -- Former US National Security Adviser John Bolton has stood by his hardline stance on North Korea, saying softer positions have failed to make the regime give up its nuclear weapons program. In an interview this week with The Vanderbilt Hustler, the official student newspaper of Vanderbilt University, Bolton also defended his suggestions that North Korea follow the "Libya model" and hand over its nuclear program before receiving any concessions in return. "I think t

North KoreaFeb. 21, 2020

S. Korea reports 1st military member infected with coronavirus

SEOUL/JEJU -- A Navy sailor on the southern island of Jeju was confirmed Friday to have contracted the new coronavirus in the first confirmed case among service personnel in South Korea, officials said. The sailor, 22, tested positive for COVID-19 in the initial examination the previous day and was finally confirmed earlier in the day, according to the officials. He visited his hometown, Daegu, 300 kilometers southeast of Seoul, from Feb. 13 to Tuesday. Upon returning to the base, he showed

DefenseFeb. 21, 2020

Moon to receive emergency report on virus response

President Moon Jae-in will be briefed Friday on South Korea's response to the fast-spreading coronavirus outbreak by Prime Minister Chung Sye-kyun, Cheong Wa Dae said, as the number of confirmed cases in the country more than tripled over the past two days. The virus has begun to spread locally at a rapid pace, putting the quarantine authorities on high alert. Moon plans to receive the "emergency" report at Cheong Wa Dae with Interior and Safety Minister Chin Young and Health and We

PoliticsFeb. 21, 2020

S. Korea designates Daegu, Cheongdo as 'special care zones' over coronavirus

South Korea declared the southeastern cities of Daegu and Cheongdo are "special care zones" Friday as a cluster of coronavirus cases have been reported there in recent days. On Thursday, the country confirmed its first death of a COVID-19 patient in the southeastern city of Cheongdo, with the total number of confirmed cases in the country surpassing 100. Concerns about community spread have mounted as new cases surged this week in Daegu, the country's fourth-largest city and home to

Social AffairsFeb. 21, 2020

Moon, Xi agree to closely cooperate against coronavirus

South Korean President Moon Jae-in agreed in his telephone conversation with Chinese President Xi Jinping on Thursday to strengthen cooperation between the neighboring countries in a desperate fight against the novel coronavirus pandemic, according to Cheong Wa Dae. They also agreed to share relevant clinical experiences of their countries, in addition to close partnership between their quarantine authorities, Cheong Wa Dae spokesperson Kang Min-seok said in a press briefing. Xi proposed the

PoliticsFeb. 20, 2020

NSC discusses coronavirus response

South Korea's National Security Council convened Thursday and  discussed the coronavirus outbreak, as the country reported the first death of an infected person. In its weekly standing committee meeting, top national security officials checked the "seriousness of the situations at home and abroad and the international community's moves and reviewed ways the government will respond going forward," according to Cheong Wa Dae. South Korea announced 53 new confirmed COVID-19 cas

PoliticsFeb. 20, 2020

Mass infection feared at a hospital in Cheongdo

A hospital in Cheongdo, North Gyeongsang Province, could emerge as the new cluster of COVID-19 outbreak here, after a total of 15 people, including a man who died Wednesday, were confirmed to have contracted the virus.  The deceased was in his 60s and had been under treatment at Cheongdo Daenam Hospital for 20 years. He died the previous day, according to health officials. The patient suffered pneumonia-like illness before death and was confirmed to have been infected with COVID-19 throug

Social AffairsFeb. 20, 2020

Why Naver is finally shutting down comments on celebrity news

The nation’s largest web portal, Naver, will not publish comments under its entertainment news until further notice, for the sake of celebrities’ mental health. “We acknowledge that the current technological efforts aren’t enough to relieve the pain felt by celebrities and have decided to close the comment section for entertainment news until a further structural overhaul,” the company said Wednesday. The move takes effect sometime next month. Kakao, which owns th

K-popFeb. 20, 2020

[Graphic News] COVID-19 helps toy sales

　Sales of toys are surging in South Korea as children stay home longer and people pay more attention to their health due to the prolonged scare over COVID-19, a respiratory disease caused by a new coronavirus, industry sources said. 　Online shopping site Auction said its sales of toys for toddlers and children skyrocketed from a year earlier in the seven-day period to Feb. 9. 　Sales of ball tents and toy blocks surged 285 percent and 72 percent, respectively, with those of mobile toys like

BusinessFeb. 20, 2020

Military suspends drafting soldiers in Daegu

South Korea’s Military Manpower Administration said Thursday that it had decided to suspend physical examinations for conscript candidates in Daegu and adjacent North Gyeongsang Province until March 6. The decision was a response to the recent spike in cases of COVID-19 linked to church services there. Men who have already passed the physical and are waiting to join the military will be asked to delay enlistment, the agency said, adding it is postponing interviews for Navy and Air Force a

DefenseFeb. 20, 2020

[Breaking] S. Korea reports 1st death from coronavirus

South Korea reported the nation's first death from the new coronavirus, with the number of confirmed cases surpassing 100, officials said Thursday. The patient, who had been under treatment at a hospital in the southeastern city of Cheongdo, died earlier in the day, health officials said. The health authorities are working to determine the exact cause of the patient's death. (Yonhap)

Social AffairsFeb. 20, 2020

S. Korea takes aim at Gyeonggi to curb housing prices

South Korea’s government on Thursday unveiled additional regulations to curb housing prices, this time focusing mostly on Seoul’s outskirts that have recently gained popularity. The latest measures marked the 19th housing-related regulations announced since the Moon Jae-in administration took office in May 2017. They were also the first to focus primarily on non-Seoul areas. The Ministry of Economy and Finance, the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, and the Financi

EconomyFeb. 20, 2020