[Weekender] Asian Games boosts city’s global ambition

With the 17th Asian Games kicking off next Friday at the Incheon Asiad Main Stadium, South Korea is seeking to make a good impression on the flock of international visitors set to arrive in the country’s gateway city.Organizers are also hoping that the biggest gathering of athletes in Asia will offer South Korean sports circles a chance to rebound from recent failures, while potentially acting as catalyst to mend corroding ties with North Korea.The event, taking place from Sept. 19 to Oct. 4, wi

More SportsSept. 12, 2014

[Weekender] Incheon mayor dreams big

Incheon Mayor Yoo Jeong-bok hopes to catapult the western port city onto the world map in the coming years. Although he is widely considered a close associate of the president ― a factor that carries much weight in local politics ― Yoo is faced with big tasks that range from handling the city’s 12 trillion won ($11.6 billion) debt and increasing investment in the free economic zone to successfully hosting the upcoming Incheon Asian Games. The Incheon mayor, however, is likely to have more than a

PoliticsSept. 12, 2014

[Weekender] Songdo aims to become NE Asia’s education hub

University of Utah president David Pershing (fourth from left) and Ghent University president Anne De Paepe (fifth from left) cut the ribbon at the joint opening ceremony on Monday at the Songdo Global University Campus in Incheon. Joining the two school chiefs are Han In-suk (third from left), president of the University of Utah Asia Campus; and Lee Jong-cheol (far right), commissioner of the Incheon Free Economic Zone Authority. (University of Utah)With renowned universities opening up campuse

Social AffairsSept. 12, 2014

[Weekender] Free Economic Zone picks up speed

The Incheon Free Economic Zone has gained momentum through attracting foreign investment and international firms to the area, stepping closer to its goal of becoming a major Northeast Asian economic hub. The IFEZ, South Korea’s first free economic zone, has strengthened its foothold as an international business-friendly zone for knowledge and technology-based business, tourism and the service industry since it was designated in 2003. “It certainly has been transformed from empty reclaimed land i

Sept. 12, 2014

[Weekender] Incheon courts international organizations

With a diverse portfolio of international organizations, Songdo is seeking to become a leading business, tourism and logistics destination in Northeast Asia. Long known for its seaside amusement park, the reclaimed island is the linchpin of the Incheon Free Economic Zone, which, since its 2003 inception, has been grappling with budget woes, flagging foreign investment and a moribund property market. The launch of U.N. offices and other multinational bodies in recent years was deemed a much-neede

Foreign AffairsSept. 12, 2014

[Weekender] Chuseok for modern Korean families

Family members dressed in traditional hanbok gather for the ancestral rite early in the morning on Chuseok, which falls on Aug. 15 on the lunar calendar. Dozens of dishes are laid out on the table for the rite, prepared by female family members over several days. After the ceremony, family members eat breakfast together. They make up for living apart in different regions by spending time together making songpyeong, a half-moon-shaped rice cake eaten during Chuseok. Such typical Chuseok scenes ar

CultureSept. 5, 2014

[Weekender] Early Chuseok advances harvesttime

JANGSU, North Jeolla Province ― This year’s Chuseok, Korean Thanksgiving Day, falls in the second week of September, the earliest in 38 years. Chuseok, one of the major traditional Korean holidays, celebrates the fall harvest and abundance on the 15th day of the eighth month of the lunar calendar. The moon is said to look fuller on Chuseok than on any other day.But the early Chuseok this year has advanced the harvesttime and delivery start for products and gifts by two weeks to a month. Chuseok

TravelSept. 5, 2014

[Weekender] Chuseok’s diverse culinary traditions

In kitchens across the nation, families gather together to make traditional Korean dishes for Chuseok, one of South Korea’s largest annual holidays. This Sunday, households will be busy crafting songpyeon, half-moon-shaped rice cakes, and other delicacies to offer up to ancestors in appreciation of a good harvest this coming Monday morning. Those ceremonial tables, loaded to bursting with carefully prepared food, will vary from home to home, serving as edible symbols of the foodways of each fami

FoodSept. 5, 2014

[Weekender] Parks, folk villages offer variety of festive choices

Chuseok, oftentimes referred to as Korean Thanksgiving, is one of the country’s most celebrated holidays and ushers in the fall season. Traditionally a time to spend at home with family members and loved ones, Chuseok is all about sharing in the riches of good company and good eats. However, for those looking for ways to spend the upcoming holiday outside the home, Seoul has countless destinations that are offering wide-ranging events and activities for both locals and expats alike. These opport

CultureSept. 5, 2014

[Weekender] Substitute holiday system in force

This year’s exceptionally early Chuseok holidays mark the first time the “substitute holiday system,” which guarantees an extra day off in lieu of public holidays that fall on a Sunday, will be implemented. As expected, all government organizations and most large companies will observe the extra holiday, whereas many small and medium-sized businesses cannot afford to offer a day off, to the dismay of their employees.The departure terminal of Incheon International Airport is crowded with travelle

CultureSept. 5, 2014

[Weekender] Elderly life has silver lining

Lee So-young, a 33-year-old office worker in Seoul, pictures herself spending her mornings 70 years from now listening to classical music and sipping on herbal tea. “I want to become a gracious granny who embraces the joy of life every moment,” she said. “Maybe I would still be able to travel the world.” Despite this rosy picture, she hesitated for a moment when asked of how she would prepare financially for her later life. “Actually, I have no idea. Maybe I should save more.”Lee is one of many

Social AffairsAug. 29, 2014

[Weekender] Korea struggling with aging

South Korea’s population is rapidly aging, but the government appears to lack policies to deal with the demographic change.According to Moody’s, a global credit rating agency, a total of 13 countries including Korea will be categorized as “super aged” societies by 2030, meaning that more than one-fifth of the population will be over the age of 65. Last year, more than 12 percent of Korea’s 50 million people were in this age bracket. The impact of such aging on the global economy would be tremend

Social AffairsAug. 29, 2014

[Weekender] Societal aging poses challenge to health sector

Stepping inside Gangnam-gu Haengbok Convalescence Hospital, it is easy to mistake the property for some kind of leisure resort. There is a sauna, a beauty salon, as well as a cafe on top of its fully equipped physical therapy center. With colorful paintings on the walls and lush trees surrounding the grounds, the hospital has that modern and cozy, “home away from home” ambience.Located in Segok-dong, a relatively quiet area in Seoul’s affluent district of Gangnam, the hospital ― which opened in

Social AffairsAug. 29, 2014

[Weekender] ‘Don’t stop living life’

During the Stone Age, working until dying was the most common retirement plan. Many simply never lived past 40. In South Korea today, many retirees are choosing the same path, but not because life ends before retirement, but because life continues after retirement. The life expectancy for South Koreans born in 2012 is 81, according to the World Health Organization. The figure is expected to reach 100 in the coming years.For some, the answer to figuring out what to do with this extra time comes n

Social AffairsAug. 29, 2014

[Weekender] Flourishing silver industry key driver of future growth

Industries catering to senior citizens in Korea have been expanding at a rapid pace in recent years as the pensionable population grows.The market for goods and services geared toward the elderly is projected to grow at an annual average rate of 12.9 percent until 2020, according to a report by the Korea Chamber of Commerce & Industry, while the average overall growth rate is estimated to stay at about 4.7 percent.The Ministry of Health and Welfare also projects the scale of silver businesses wo

Social AffairsAug. 29, 2014

[Weekender] Five wonders of Jindo Island

Jindo Island is rich not only in historical and cultural traditions, but also gastronomy, according to locals and tourists who have visited the island over the years. Jindo residents claim that the best seafood in Korea is found on their island thanks to the strong sunlight and powerful sea currents. The region’s specialties ― laver, seaweed, abalone and green onion ― are often known, along with the Jindo dog, as the “Five Wonders of Jindo” due to their superior quality and taste.In fact, the fi

TravelAug. 22, 2014

[Weekender] Timeless beauty of Jindo

JINDO, South Jeolla Province ― A grueling 5-hour drive from Seoul seems to be a small price to pay for the chance to become immersed in this island’s majestic scenery of mist-shrouded cliffs hovering above a picturesque coastline.Jindo Island of South Jeolla Province is South Korea’s third-largest island. Despite being raised in the public consciousness for the recent Sewol ferry tragedy that left more than 300 dead or missing, its natural beauty remains vibrant, with the scenery consisting of r

TravelAug. 22, 2014

[Weekender] Governor pledges to boost culture, agromarine industry

JINDO, South Jeolla Province ― Jindo County Governor Lee Dong-jin pledged to promote the region’s cultural assets and modernize the agriculture and fisheries sectors to get the local economy back on its feet. “We live in an age in which culture, art and even nature need to be commercialized in order to succeed. We plan to capitalize on Jindo Island’s unique cultural resources to get the economy back in shape,” Lee said in an interview with The Korea Herald. The governor, who began his second ter

PoliticsAug. 22, 2014

[Weekender] Treasure house of history and art awaits tourists

Just off the southwest corner of the Korean Peninsula, Jindo Island is a treasure house of ancient shamanism and folk culture, brimming with stories to tell.In the words of an old proverb, don’t boast your talent in calligraphy, painting, dancing and singing when you visit Jindo. The collection of some 230 small islets is full of rich cultural heritage. “Jindo used to be a land of exile for scholars during the Joseon Era. The scholars suppressed their tears and regret with art. That’s how folk c

TravelAug. 22, 2014

[Weekender] Island looks for hope after ferry disaster

JINDO, South Jeolla Province ― As a successful businessman who owns a wedding hall and a photo studio, Cho Jae-yong, 37, is a motivated and a respected Jindo resident, who has built a thriving business based on his diligence and a strong human network.But he misses the good old days. “I ask myself every day, ‘What if I could go back to the night before April 16?’” Cho told The Korea Herald. April 16 is the fateful day the ferry Sewol capsized off the coast of Jindo Island on its way from Incheon

Social AffairsAug. 22, 2014