New secretary-general Seok talks about roles of Korea, Japan and China in facing historyNortheast Asian History Foundation, a state-run research institute, aims to facilitate historical reconciliation and further regional cooperation among Korea, Japan and China through continuous research, the organization’s newly appointed secretary-general said. “There are no institutions like the Northeast Asian History Foundation in China and Japan,” said Seok Tong-youn, who was appointed secretary general

May 14, 2012

CAIRO (AP) ― Taking advantage of Egypt’s political upheaval, thieves have gone on a treasure hunt with a spree of illegal digging, preying on the country’s ancient pharaonic heritage.Illegal digs near ancient temples and in isolated desert sites have swelled a staggering 100-fold over the past 16 months since a popular uprising toppled Hosni Mubarak’s 29-year regime and security fell apart in many areas as police simply stopped doing their jobs. The pillaging comes on top of a wave of break-ins

May 14, 2012

Newly listed Intangible Cultural Heritage fetes Buddha’s birthThe annual “Yeon Deung Hoe,” or lotus lantern festival, will kick off its three-day run on May 18 in Seoul to celebrate Buddha’s Birthday, which falls on May 28 this year.What makes this year’s event more special than previous years, is that the festival was designated an intangible cultural heritage by the Cultural Heritage Administration last month.The first form of the festival dates back to Korea’s Silla Kingdom (57 B.C.-935 A.D.)

May 13, 2012

 The president of the nation’s largest Buddhist sect released a statement of apology on Friday, following the release of a video clip recorded last month showing its high-ranking monks gambling and drinking at a luxury hotel.Amidst mounting criticism directed at the sect, the Most Ven. Jaseung, president of the Jogye Order of Korean Buddhism, vowed to conduct a thorough investigation into the incident and carry out heavy punishment against those involved according to the laws and regulations of

May 11, 2012

A guide to appreciating Korean tea and culture It’s been almost a month since the first picking of green tea leaves took place in Korea. For those who are familiar with the well-known tea cultures of India, China, or Japan, it may be a surprise to discover Korea also has a rich history of tea ceremonies. Known as “darye” in Korean, the ceremonies have been practiced for some 2,000 years, since the time of the ancient Gaya Kingdom (A.D. 42-562).May is the perfect month to enjoy all aspects of Kor

May 11, 2012

New chief stresses two-way communication between Korea and ‘middle powers’With South Korea increasingly flexing its diplomatic muscles on the international stage, it is time to focus on strengthening its soft power, a scholar-turned-diplomat in Seoul said.Korea Foundation president Kim Woo-sang argues that the nation should foster a network of multilateral cooperation, particularly with emerging “middle power” countries.“The time has come for Korea to take a leading role in resolving global issu

May 10, 2012

Paintings from the cultural golden age of Joseon will go on public display at the Kansong Art Museum starting Sunday. It will be the first exhibition this year for the museum, a treasure trove of artwork including more than 10 National Treasures, which also marks the 50th anniversary of the death of its founder Jeon Hyeong-pil. Named after Jeon’s pen name, the museum holds only two exhibitions a year, each free of charge and lasting two weeks. The doors and the windows at this venerable institut

May 10, 2012

Photographer captures anxiety of soldiers standing in the middle between ‘we’ and ‘I’One photographer, well-known for portraits capturing the anxiety in individuals, had never taken portraits of men as they are not good at revealing their inner selves. But captivated by the instability and anxiety he saw in young soldiers, Oh Hein-kuhn began to document them as “middlemen” who are isolated from the outside world and caught in the middle of conflicts between the individual and the collective in t

May 8, 2012

PHILADELPHIA (AP) ― If the world ends on Dec. 21, 2012 ― as some believe the Maya predicted ― that leaves plenty of opportunity to see a new exhibit that examines the civilization’s ancient kingdoms, intricate calendar systems and current culture.Experts at the Penn Museum in Philadelphia apparently give little credence to the apocalypse myth, considering the show runs through early 2013. But they say the legend, which has been perpetuated in pop culture through disaster movies and sensational t

May 7, 2012

Various cultural events will be held in Seoul’s historic and cultural areas of Jeong-dong Street and Deoksu Palace from May 25-27 under the theme “Rediscovery of Jeong-dong, No. 1 Place of Modern Cultural Heritage ― Time Travel to the Daehan Empire,” the Cultural Heritage Administration said Monday.The administration said the events are designed to rediscover the historic and geographic significance of Jeong-dong, the site of South Korea’s legacies of modern diplomacy, education, religion and me

May 7, 2012

Experts question legitimacy of ownership on valuable text on Korean alphabetThe legal owner of the missing text of Korea’s writing system Hangeul handed over ownership to the government on Monday.The state-run Cultural Heritage Administration said it hoped the ownership transfer could lead to a breakthrough in finding the missing piece as officials need to have the full rights to investigate without getting consent from the owner. “I decided to donate my ownership of Hunminjeongeum to retrieve t

May 7, 2012

The Korea Creative Content Agency, affiliated with the Culture Ministry, will open an integrated support center for content providers this month as well as a specialized team for the export of hallyu-related contents, its new head said Friday.Hong Sang-pyo, president and CEO of KOCCA, told reporters that the plan was part of the agency’s restructuring process and was aimed at supporting content providers in different genres. The planned center will provide a wide range of consulting services on

May 7, 2012

ISTANBUL (AFP) ― Can the Muslim headscarf be synonymous with glamour? Turkey’s first fashion magazine for conservative Islamic women looks set to prove that it can.In less than a year since it was launched last June, the monthly Ala ― meaning “beauty” ― has become a mainstream glossy.With a circulation of 20,000, it is only slightly behind the Turkish versions of Cosmopolitan, Vogue and Elle magazines.Ala’s pages are splashed with models reflecting a conservative Islamic style, all wearing heads

May 6, 2012

Torch Trinity Graduate University, situated in a business hub in southern Seoul, is the only university in the metropolis with an English focus. While far smaller than its peers with approximately 600 students, the school has drawn students from 32 different countries. Its draw, according to school officials, is its genuine and intentional English-only curriculum.Other prestigious universities in the country have enticed international students with English-only programs in an attempt to become m

May 6, 2012

The Culture Ministers of Korea, China and Japan agreed to expand cultural cooperation and promote exchanges between the three countries at a trilateral meeting held in Shanghai on Saturday, officials said.The action plan includes programs designating “cultural cities” in each of the three countries in 2014, and hosting joint art exhibitions in a way to draw interest from world’s leading traditional and modern artists.  The annual meeting was attended by Korean Culture Minister Choe Kwang-shik, C

May 6, 2012