The Korea Herald

Sending socks and love to N.K.

Defector helps those he left behind keep warm this winterFinding a pair of socks on a mountainside might not only keep a North Korean person warm this winter, explained Cessilia Bosung Park.The socks ballooned by well wishers in the South could be traded for a month’s supply of food on the black market, the North Korea Peace organizer said.That is why she and more than 40 other international volunteers used five giant helium balloons to launch 2,000 socks from near the North Korean border on Sat

Feb. 1, 2012

Valentine flowers for N.Z. teacher’s hospital bill

The Daegu community is to help raise cash to pay an English teacher’s bill for life-saving surgery by selling Valentine’s Day flowers.The “Artists and Flowers,” shop in Siji, Daegu, has offered to donate 10 percent of its Valentine’s Day flower sales to a nationwide fund-raising campaign that has already collected more than 27 million won for Mick Milne.Milne, an English teacher from New Zealand, suffered a failed liver in October and had a live organ transplant in December after spending weeks

Feb. 1, 2012

From flier to freedom

When Lee Ju-seong first picked up a flier on a North Korean mountain in 1995, the locals he was with told him to put it down because it was “evil.” Bur Lee could not bring himself to discard the document he found while walking in North’s Gangwon Province, not far from the South Korean border.“The people were locals to the area. They were shocked and said don’t pick up that.” Lee said. “They said that is a flier from South Korea. There is evil words and evil information there.”But Lee’s curiosity

Feb. 1, 2012

Clothes for homeless in Seoul

A clothing and shoe drive is set to help homeless people in Seoul. Volunteer groups BEAN Seoul and PLUR are asking people to donate old-but-usable clothes, shoes, blankets and socks at the Presbyterian Church of the Lord in Songpa-gu, Jamsil, on Saturday from 1-4:30 p.m. The goods will then be distributed by the Korean Support Center for the Homeless. A movie on social justice and distribution of wealth will also be screened. The film, “Inside Job,” will start at 1:30 p.m. and will be followed b

Feb. 1, 2012

Charity plans orphanage for N.K. kids

A charity funding bakeries to feed starving North Korean children now aims to open a home for kids abandoned or orphaned in China.There are thought to be thousands of children in northeast China whose parents have died or fled after escaping with them from North Korea, leaving them stateless and without support.The Love North Korean Children charity is raising funds after visiting a potential site for a new home to help them. Charity worker Shirley VanderSchaaf, said that the new site, complete

Feb. 1, 2012

Francophones raise funds for orphans

A charity gala organized by French speakers in Korea is to take place on Feb. 18. The Association des Francophones en Core (Association of the Francophone Community in Korea) is holding the event to raise funds to provide Hye Myeong Bo Yook Won orphanage with a media library including a study area and a computer room.AFC is working with Han Design Concept, a design and project management service provider in architecture and interior design, to repeat the success of last year’s gala that raised o

Feb. 1, 2012

Acts needed for black culture night

Performers are being sought to celebrate Black Beauty in Seoul on Feb. 4. The Beaute De Noir group is looking for performers and poets to contribute to a Bob Marley Birthday Bash in Itaewon. Photographers and videographers are also needed to record the event to run from 8-11:30 p.m. at Bar Ireland Yuki and then from 12-3 a.m. at Spy Club.Janet Kim, Jae Yoo, Fancy, Sarah B, Da Green, Lyric, JoshRoy, Dj Chris, Dj Rico and Elliot Ashby are already confirmed to perform. Tickets are 10,000 won and ca

Feb. 1, 2012

SP Brief Homeless

Clothes for homeless in Seoul A clothing and shoe drive is set to help homeless people in Seoul. Volunteer groups BEAN Seoul and PLUR are asking people to donate old-but-usable clothes, shoes, blankets and socks at the Presbyterian Church of the Lord in Songpa-gu, Jamsil, on Saturday from 1 p.m.-4:30 p.m. The goods will then be distributed by the Korean Support Center for the Homeless. A movie on social justice and distribution of wealth will also be screened. The film, “Inside Job,” will start

Jan. 31, 2012

Winter games helpers sought

Volunteers are being sought to help at the 2013 Special Olympics World Winter Games. Organizers are seeking assistance in holding the games and volunteers to take part in a Host Town Program linked to the event to be held in Pyeongchang in early February next year. Volunteers who understand mental disabilities are also being sought to help out in fields such as guidance, interpretation and administration. “One of the unique elements of the Special Olympics is the Host Town Program where athletes

Jan. 25, 2012

Book club to meet in Seoul

A club to discuss books on North Korea and refugees from the country is to be held on Jan. 29 at 2 p.m. The meeting hosted by 10 Magazine book reviewer John Mensing will discuss texts including “The Cleanest Race” by B.R. Myers and “North Korea Through the looking Glass” by Kongdan Oh and Ralph C. Hassig. Other books to be discussed include “Nothing to Envy: Ordinary Lives in North Korea” by Barbara Demick, “Under the Loving Care of the Fatherly Leader: North Korea and the Kim Dynasty” by Bradle

Jan. 25, 2012

A visit to House of Hope

Volunteers are set to visit a center for people with mental disabilities on Jan. 28. The Mannam volunteer organization is to visit House of Hope to help the center users, who are aged from about 7 to 30 years old. Twelve people are needed to carry out tasks such as cleaning the center’s dining room and kitchen as well as distributing food and washing dishes.Mannam Volunteer Association also recently made a trip to Daecheong Social Welfare Center in Gangnam, where the organization’s singing club

Jan. 25, 2012

Scots party held for charity

A Burns Night Charity Ball is to be held in Ulsan on Jan. 28. The celebration to mark the anniversary of the birth of Scotland’s national poet Robert Burns will be held to raise money for local charities.The event has been organized by ten expats hailing from the U.K., Germany, India and America, all working in the marine and offshore industry here.The initial party will be held at Hyundai Hotel, Ulsan, from 6-11:45 p.m. and will include a five course dinner, champagne and fine wines, as well as

Jan. 25, 2012

Kids learn to give with English-language loans

Middle school students in Korea have helped give more than $600 in loans to good causes thanks to a project set up by an English teacher here. Mike Harrington, from the U.S., set up his own microfinance group to teach his students at Daejeon’s Namseon Middle School about aid projects. “The group was initially set up as a means to expose students to those in need, and to give an example of an aid project that is serving them,” Mike said. “After briefly discussing it in class, I decided that I wou

Jan. 25, 2012

Kids learn to give with English-language loans

Fighting cancer with creativity

Painter helps breast cancer patients find hope, healing through artShe won her own battle with the help of art ― and now painter Posoon Park is helping other breast cancer patients channel their creative energies to heal. The Korean-born artist has fought breast cancer three times since her first diagnosis in 1992. And now she has helped women currently battling the illness in Seoul use paintbrushes to fight the disease by creating their own paintings. The fine arts graduate of Hongik University

Jan. 25, 2012

Human rights essay contest

Essayists are invited to enter a contest to write on the topic of human rights for a new competition. The 2012 Global Human Rights Essay Contest on “Human Rights City” is inviting people to register by midnight on Jan. 31. Applicants then have until March 15 to submit their essays on the topic: “If I were to change my city into a Human Rights City.”The contest is a joint initiative by The Institute for Social Development and Policy Research of Seoul National University and the Korea Human Rights

Jan. 18, 2012

Seoul Village seeks volunteers

Volunteers are being sought to help out with language buddy programs in Seoul. The Seoul Village group is seeking more facilitators to help with its informal conversation clubs as well as its more focused weekly group meetings for learners of languages such as Spanish, Korean, French, Russian and Portuguese. The group is also seeking volunteer linguists to provide simplified translation services offered via phone, text or e-mail. “Considering that we don’t have enough volunteers, we provide simp

Jan. 18, 2012

Amnesty International meeting in Seoul

An Amnesty International meeting is to be held in Seoul on Jan. 28. The first Amnesty G48 meeting of 2012 will be held to assign new roles within the organization, as well as sharing information on the situation in Gangjeong, Jeju Island, where campaigners have been protesting against the building of a new naval base.Amnesty G48 is a local branch of Amnesty International set up by English speakers in Korea.The South Korean government is constructing a $970 million base in the village, but the pl

Jan. 18, 2012

Asan animal shelter trip Sunday

Animal lovers are invited to join a trip to Asan animal shelter on Jan. 22. The group will meet at the Cheonan/Asan KTX station near Dunkin Donuts at 11 a.m. before traveling together to the shelter. Volunteers are advised to bring hand sanitizer, snacks for the animals as well as a change of clothes and sturdy pair of shoes. Volunteers will walk and play with the animals as well as helping out with some cleaning and grooming. Anyone wishing to attend should first e-mail tatianahopps@yahoo.com.

Jan. 18, 2012

V-Day casting auditions to be held in Seoul on Feb. 4-5

Actors are being sought to perform in a play in Seoul to help end violence against women. Auditions to find the cast for a production of “The Vagina Monologues” are to be held on Feb. 4 and 5 at Club Moonlight in Itaewon. The production of Eve Ensler’s award-winning script will be staged as part of Korea’s participation in international V-Day events. The annual celebration, now in its 14th year, aims to publicize the fight to stop violence against women and girls, including rape, battery, incest

Jan. 18, 2012

Students thank U.K. for veterans’ scholarship

Students from a school near the DMZ have visited the U.K. Embassy to deliver a poster of thanks dedicated to British veterans of the Korean War. Three students from Jeokseong Composite High School in Paju, Gyeonggi Province traveled to Seoul with their teachers to thank British Ambassador Scott Wightman for U.K. soldiers’ service during the 1951-53 war and for scholarships they have donated to Korean students ever since. The fund is supported by British companies doing business in Korea. High sc

Jan. 18, 2012

Students thank U.K. for veterans’ scholarship