Commemorating the fourth anniversary of the Namdaemun gate arson, the Cultural Heritage Administration of Korea this week is holding two events examining better ways to protect cultural properties from natural and man-made disasters.On Thursday, the administration is holding a special session titled “International Symposium 2012 on Disaster Risk Management for Cultural Heritage: Cultural Heritage and Climate Change,” where local and foreign pundits will gather at the National Palace Museum of Ko

Feb. 6, 2012

More English literature and language programs in local universities should offer English-immersion courses, and collaboration among scholars with different interests would strengthen the local English-language studies, said the newly appointed president of English Language & Literature Association of Korea. “Our academia is divided into English literature, English language, English education, and English-Korean interpretation and translation,” professor Kim Young-min told The Korea Herald on Thu

Feb. 5, 2012

WASHINGTON (AP) ― The National Archives unveiled its 715-year-old copy of Magna Carta on Thursday after a conservation effort removed old patches and repaired weak spots in the English declaration of human rights that inspired the United States’ founding documents.A $13.5 million gift from philanthropist David Rubenstein funded conservation and a new case for the only original Magna Carta in the United States. Rubenstein bought the historic document at auction in 2007 for $21.3 million and sent

Feb. 5, 2012

The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism will push Korean traditional culture as the new driving force for “hallyu,”or Korean Wave.The Culture Ministry announced on Monday plans to further promote Korean traditional culture and also inaugurated the K-Culture Promotion Taskforce which will coordin

Jan. 30, 2012

Drinks, exhibition venues and overseas promotions for designers become part of shopping experienceFashion merchandise buyer Nam So-hyun has been making occasional visits to multi-brand shops sprawled along Garosugil in Sinsa-dong, southern Seoul, for quite some time. “Being a buyer, it helps me keep a good eye for fashion. Multi-brand shops bring in new, interesting brands and are the quickest in Seoul to reflect the latest trends of the international fashion scene. The items tend to be a bit ov

Jan. 27, 2012

Theater“Without You” : Based on musical star Anthony Rapp’s best-selling memoir of the same title, the musical “Without You” brings to life Rapp’s turbulent personal journey in the late 1990s. Rapp, best known for the role of Mark in Jonathan Larson’s Tony Award-and Pulitzer Prize-winning musical “Rent,” plays himself in the upcoming musical in Seoul. The show chronicles Rapp’s making of “Rent,” especially after Larson’s sudden death from a heart attack just a day before the premiere. The show a

Jan. 27, 2012

7 Wonders chief refutes doubts among KoreansKorea’s Jeju Island was chosen as one of the New Seven Wonders of Nature through fair competition and there should not be any more doubts about the process, the chief of the Swiss-based organization told a Thursday press conference in Seoul.Bernard Weber, chairman of the New7Wonders Foundation, convened a press gathering a day after arriving in Korea, vowing to resolve suspicions over the transparency of the voting that was conducted via the Internet a

Jan. 26, 2012

Top policymaker stresses globalization of Korean wave, eyes 11m visitors this yearWith the world’s attention continually shifting from one aspect of Korean culture to another, Korea should produce high-quality and consistent cultural products in the coming years by linking the old and new and the unique and universal, Culture Minister Choe Kwang-shik said. “The first hallyu was led by Korean dramas and the second by K-pop. The third wave should consist of the Korean culture overall ― the content

Jan. 24, 2012

 BEIJING (AP) _ Millions of ethnic Chinese, Koreans and Vietnamese across Asia are ringing in the new Year of the Dragon with fireworks, feasting and family reunions.From Beijing to Bangkok and Seoul to Singapore, people hoping for good luck in the new year that began Monday are visiting temple

Jan. 24, 2012

Chung Hyung-min, director of the Seoul National University Museum of Art, was named the new chief of the National Museum of Contemporary Art, the Culture Ministry said Thursday. Chung, 61, will hold the post for two years. After receiving a Ph.D in art history at Columbia University, Chung has held a variety of posts that helped her secure the knowledge and experience necessary as director of the national art museum, the ministry release said.Chung has been teaching art at Seoul National Univers

Jan. 19, 2012

“Divided country” is the first thing that comes to mind at the mention of Korea, said 34 percent of foreign nationals surveyed by the Corea Image Communication Institute. “Samsung” came in second (23 percent), followed by “kimchi” (20 percent). CICI announced the results of the survey at the annual CICI Korea Image Awards gala event held on Tuesday at Grand Intercontinental Hotel’s Grand Ballroom in Samseong-dong, Seoul. The survey was conducted for about a month starting December last year via

Jan. 18, 2012

Korea boosts its brand value across the globeFashionistas around the world may soon be adding a new city to their list of fashion capitals alongside Paris, New York, London and Milan.With its up-and-coming designers and beautiful celebrities Seoul is preparing to become the world’s next fashion and beauty destination.Greeting President Lee Myung-bak and his wife at the White House during the Seoul-Washington summit last year, first lady Michelle Obama was clad in a distinguished purple dress de

Jan. 17, 2012

Ven. Jaseung shares his plan for order’s 50th year anniversaryThe Jogye Order, Korea’s largest Buddhist sect, will focus on promoting harmony and peace this year, its 50th anniversary.“It’s easy to say the word ‘harmony,’” said Ven. Jaseung, president of the Jogye Order, at a press conference at the Center for Korean Buddhist History and Culture in Seoul on Tuesday. “But there is a saying that conflicts are unavoidable unless you live all alone by yourself. This is an important year for Korea, a

Jan. 17, 2012