Most Popular
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Dongduk Women’s University halts coeducation talks
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Defense ministry denies special treatment for BTS’ V amid phone use allegations
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OpenAI in talks with Samsung to power AI features, report says
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Russia sent 'anti-air' missiles to Pyongyang, Yoon's aide says
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Two jailed for forcing disabled teens into prostitution
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Trump picks ex-N. Korea policy official as his principal deputy national security adviser
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S. Korea not to attend Sado mine memorial: foreign ministry
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South Korean military plans to launch new division for future warfare
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Gold bars and cash bundles; authorities confiscate millions from tax dodgers
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North Korean leader ‘convinced’ dialogue won’t change US hostility
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KTO recruits college student travel writers
The Korea Tourism Organization is recruiting 70 college students to write travel stories about various places in Korea. As part of efforts to promote unknown spots in the country, the KTO plans to use groups of college students who are interested in travel and good at using social networking sites. Those who are selected are required to write travel stories, create short video clips on the destinations they are writing about and promote the places online through Twitter and Facebook. They will b
Feb. 28, 2013
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Free Wi-Fi picked as most needed hotel amenity
Free Wi-Fi has been picked as a must-have service for travelers, according to a hotel amenity survey by Hotels.com. A majority of the 8,600 respondents selected free Wi-Fi as the most necessary hotel amenity service. Two-thirds of the respondents also answered they would like to have free Wi-Fi become standard service in every hotel. Free breakfast service (31 percent) ranked second. Thirty percent of Korean respondents also chose free Wi-Fi as their favorite hotel amenity service, followed by f
Feb. 28, 2013
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Park Hyatt Busan opens in Marine City
Busan’s new affluent and luxury district of Marine City welcomed newcomer Park Hyatt Busan this week. Located adjacent to Haeundae Beach, the 33-story hotel features 269 guestrooms, including 69 suites, and restaurants, meeting facilities, spa and fitness centers. Designed by the world-renowned architect Daniel Libeskind, the hotel adds to the dynamic landscape of Busan with its curved shape representing ocean waves. The interior design by the Japanese design firm Super Potato creates a modern
Feb. 28, 2013
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Marine City: The glamorous side of Busan
BUSAN ― Busan has often been associated with its popular fish market Jagalchi Market and the rows of stalls offering fresh sashimi. But South Korea’s second-largest city is also enhancing its glamorous image, defined by upscale high-rise developments and luxury hotels.Marine City is changing Busan’s landscape with high-rise developments and affluent districts being established on the southern coast of the city. According to a recent local news report, about 50-60 percent of Busan’s wealthy are f
Feb. 28, 2013
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[Photo News] Korea Travel Expo
Feb. 28, 2013
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MVL Hotel Kintex ready to greet guests
When MVL Hotel Kintex in Ilsan, Gyeonggi Province, opens its doors on March 20, it will be the area’s largest premium hotel.MVL Hotel Kintex is the second hotel to open after MVL Hotel Yeosu, the six-star deluxe hotel which served foreign VIPs attending the Yeosu Expo last year, earning the hotel its title as “the accommodation spot for stars.” MVL Hotel Kintex features 377 guest rooms, including 34 suites. The rooms are traditionally styled with a modern twist. The hotel also features a sauna,
Feb. 27, 2013
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India sets up tourist safety hot line
India has dispatched police officers for tourists in most of its states and plans to launch a help line from which tourists can seek help in emergency situations, according to India’s secretary of tourism. A series of highly publicized rape cases, including the alleged drug rape of a 23-year-old Korean woman and the death of a 23-year-old Indian woman after a gang rape on a bus in south Delhi last December, has raised questions about the safety of female travelers in India.“We are very much conc
Feb. 25, 2013
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AirAsia plans budget airline in India
KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia (AP) -― AirAsia, Southeast Asia’s top budget carrier, said Wednesday it will set up an airline with India’s Tata conglomerate to tap the world’s second most populous nation after moves to liberalize its airline industry.AirAsia said it has applied to Indian authorities to take a 49 percent stake in a joint venture, with the remaining 51 percent held by Tata Sons Ltd. and tycoon Arun Bhatia. The move follows the Indian government’s decision to ease foreign investment rules
Feb. 22, 2013
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Hyatt Hotel launches dining membership at Park Hyatt Busan
The dining membership program jointly launched by Grand Hyatt Seoul and Park Hyatt Seoul is now available at Park Hyatt Busan, which opened on Feb. 18. The DINE@HYATT membership program allows registered members to earn 10 percent off their bill as point rewards whenever they dine at one of the three Hyatt hotels in Korea. In celebration of the opening of Park Hyatt Busan, DINE@HYATT is offering a special 50 percent discount on new member registration fees until March 31. The registration fee is
Feb. 22, 2013
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KORAIL offers discounts on Busan-Fukuoka ferry
The Korea Railroad Corporation announced it is offering a 40 percent discount on the express ferry between Busan and Fukuoka to those who purchase JR Kyushu rail pass at its ticket booths at major train stations in Korea. The KORAIL offers a 7 percent discount on the Kyushu rail pass and a 30 percent discount on KTX tickets for customers who purchase the Japanese rail pass. With the special discounts, tourists can also reduce their travel cost to Japan. In the case of a person planning a trip fr
Feb. 22, 2013
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San Francisco’s other Chinatown ― the real one
SAN FRANCISCO ― There are two Chinatowns in San Francisco, one where tourists can buy conical straw hats and tacky souvenirs, and a second where the locals live, shop and eat.There are no defined boundaries ― you don’t cross a street and step from Tourist Chinatown to Authentic Chinatown. Rather, the two overlap. A visitor can leave a neon-lit store, loaded down with bamboo back scratchers and plastic Buddhas, and a half-block away turn down a dingy alley dotted with shops and businesses where n
Feb. 22, 2013
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Alaska cruise brings wildlife up close
FREDERICK SOUND, Alaska ― “There’s a whale right here, next to us!” whispered 15-year-old Will, leaning over the railing and frantically trying to focus his camera on the shiny black hump off the port side bow. “And there’s another one, right there!” he said, pointing at the second giant head that rose up and tipped sideways, fixing a round black eye on the ship.Humpback whales, too many to count, circled the Sea Bird as the 62-passenger vessel, a Lindblad Expedition cruise ship, idled in Alaska
Feb. 22, 2013
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Making the most of winter
After a ride out of Seoul into the mountains and stepping off the shuttle bus, you might find that the air is different ― Konjiam Resort in Gyeonggi Province, about a 50-minute drive from southern Seoul, is nestled in the valleys of Jeonggwangsan Mountain, granting fresh, crisp air. The famous Noribong peak was covered with snow and the reflected light makes the eyes squint. The mild slopes are family-friendly, covered with clean, fine snow for beginners and those of mid-level ability. Skiers an
Feb. 15, 2013
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Krabi, the true hidden gem of Thailand
KRABI, Thailand ― Krabi province is Thailand’s representative resort area. Unfortunately, it’s not as easily accessible as other tourist spots in Thailand. Unlike Phuket, you have to arrange flights, jeep rides and boats to get around. Yet the area is one of the most desired destinations in Thailand, a true “hidden gem” that remains untouched by mass tourism.We started the tour by taking Thai Airways International from Bangkok to Phuket. Working our way to the northwest coast of Phuket, we arriv
Feb. 15, 2013
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Raindrops, gloomy skies can’t stop Mardi Gras
NEW ORLEANS (AP) ― Despite threatening skies, the Mardi Gras party carried on as thousands of costumed revelers cheered glitzy floats with make-believe monarchs in an all-out bash before Lent. In the French Quarter, as usual, Fat Tuesday played out with all its flesh and raunchiness.Crowds were a little smaller than recent years, perhaps influenced by the forecast of rain. Still, parades went off as scheduled even as a fog settled over the riverfront and downtown areas.Police, who had to deal wi
Feb. 15, 2013
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Pocheon Sanjeong Lake Hotel becomes Benikea member
Pocheon Sanjeong Lake Hotel has joined the Benikea chain of hotels, certified by the Korea Tourism Organization. Benikea chain hotels are a group of reasonably priced hotels in Korea whose services are approved by the state tourism agency. The hotel, currently under remodeling, is expected to open in April with 46 rooms. Located close to Seoul, the hotel offers convention and small meeting facilities for weekend trips for office workers. “We aim to add around 10 hotels on the Benikea chain this
Feb. 15, 2013
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Dubai backs plans for world’s biggest Ferris wheel
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) ― Dubai’s ruler has approval a $1.6 billion island development project that would be home to what’s billed as the world’s biggest Ferris wheel.The project reflects a renewed appetite in Dubai for extravagance as the economy rebounds from a debt-driven slump during the past three years.The official WAM news agency said Wednesday that the Ferris wheel ― dubbed the Dubai Eye ― will stand 210 meters (688 feet), exceeding the London Eye’s 135 meters. Construction is s
Feb. 15, 2013
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Las Vegas sees record number of visitors in 2012
Las Vegas saw a record 39.7 million visitors in 2012, approximately a half million more visitors than the previous high of 39.2 million set in 2007. According to the 2012 year-end statistics by the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority, Las Vegas has seen gradual improvement in the meetings and convention industry with 4.9 million delegates attending a convention, trade show or meeting in 2012, reflecting a 1.6 percent increase over the previous year. In 2012, Las Vegas hosted 21,615 meeti
Feb. 15, 2013
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Croatia plans to invest $9 billion in tourism by 2020
ZAGREB (AFP) ― Croatia plans to invest 7 billion euros ($9 billion) in tourism by 2020 in a bid to reach the world’s top-twenty list of attractive holiday destinations, a minister said Wednesday.Around one third of the amount would be invested in the construction of new hotels and resorts, mostly on Croatia’s popular Adriatic coast, as well as into renewing existing structures such as camps or ports, Tourism Minister Veljko Ostojic said.The aim is to double the country’s current income from tour
Feb. 7, 2013
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Hotel The Designers opens new branch in Hongdae
An affordable concept hotel opened in the trendy neighborhood of Hongdae this month. Hotel The Designers, which opened its first branch in Samseong-dong last June, opened a second one in Hongdae on Feb. 1. The hotel has received attention for its affordable price and quality service since opening. The 16-story Hongdae branch features 80 rooms with a restaurant and a lounge bar. The restaurant “Plate Plate” on the first floor offers all-day dining and dishes using organic ingredients. The rooms a
Feb. 7, 2013