[Photo News] Lotus lanterns light up Jogye Temple

The annual Lotus Lantern Festival, called “Yeondeunghoe” in Korean, is held on a rainy Saturday in celebration of Buddha’s birthday at the Jogye Temple in Seoul. This year’s parade of lanterns was scaled down over concerns of a spread of the COVID-19 pandemic, after last year’s cancellation. Buddhist communities at home and abroad participate in “Yeongdeunghoe,” the Lotus Lantern Festival, via Zoom at Jogye Temple in downtown Seoul, sharing words o

CultureMay 16, 2021

[Photo News] Farewell to Safari Bus, Hello to Wild Tram

Safari Bus passengers look at tigers at the event “Adieu Safari Bus, Welcome Safari World Wild Tram” at Everland in Yongin, Gyeonggi Province.  The Safari Bus ferries its final Safari tour as Everland is set to replace it with a tram with frameless windows and a lower floor height to allow passengers to get a better view of the wildlife.  Staff wave at the Wild Tram as it sets off for the first time.  Everland staff take a commemorative photograph in front of the

CultureMay 15, 2021

[Photo News] Summer comes early to Seoul

With the sun shining bright and temperatures soaring up to 30 degrees Celsius, South Korea is experiencing an early dose of summer this week.  A man takes off his jacket and rolls up his sleeves as he walks down the street in an effort to cool down amide the early summer temperatures.  Seoulites rest in the shade as daytime temperature in the capital rises well past 25 C.  With summer almost here, customers head to electronic stores to look for fans to help cope with the sizzli

Social AffairsMay 15, 2021

[Photo News] Spring rice-planting season begins in Korea

Students at the College of Agriculture and Life sciences at Kangwon National University practice rice planting at Kangwon National University’s subsidiary farm in Chuncheon, Gangwon Province.  A farmer plants rice seedlings using a rice transplanter machine in a field in Taean, Chungnam, for the first rice-planting in Taean this year. (Photos: Yonhap) By Yoon Chae-won (choenayoon@heraldcorp.com)

Social AffairsMay 8, 2021

[Photo News] Red carnations bloom to welcome Parents’ Day

Children make paper carnations at a kindergarten attached to Hanil Elementary School in Suwon, Gyeonggi Province. Namdaemun Flower Market is crowded with people purchasing flowers for Parents’ Day.  Park Sung-soo, the mayor of Songpa-gu, and staff from the Songpa-gu Saemaeul Women’s Society deliver carnations and kimchi to a senior citizen living alone in southeastern Seoul.  (Photos: Yonhap) By Yoon Chae-won (choenayoon@heraldcorp.com)

Social AffairsMay 8, 2021

[Photo News] Korea to roll out coronavirus self-test kits at pharmacies

At SD Biosensor’s factory in Osong, North Chungcheong Province, the South Korean drugmaker producing COVID-19 self-test kits and its staff conduct a final inspection before the products go on sale at local pharmacies and online channels.  The test kits of SD Biosensor use a sterile nasal swab by which people can detect specific antigens of COVID-19 present in specimens collected from the nasal cavity.  Those who use the home test kits are able to see the test results in 15 to

Social AffairsMay 1, 2021

[Photo News] South Korean civic groups’ strong petition against Japan’s Fukushima water release

Following Japan’s announcement that it will release contaminated wastewater in the Pacific Ocean, civic groups all around the nation expressed strong concern on the decision, denouncing the action as a threat. Weeks after the initial announcement, civic groups are still acting strongly to portray their rage in petitions.  Concerns are especially high on Jeju Island, as it is the first province to be affected by the released water. In front of the Consulate General of Japan on Jeju, r

Social AffairsMay 1, 2021

[Photo News] Youn makes history at the Oscars

 Youn Yuh-jung and Han Ye-ri arrive at the 93rd Academy Awards, at Union Station, in Los Angeles, US, Sunday.  Youn Yuh-jung, winner of the award for best actress in a supporting role for "Minari," poses in the press room at the Oscars on Sunday, at Union Station in Los Angeles.  Actress Youn Yuh-jung in her early days. Youn Yuh-jung's debut flim, 'Women of Fire.' By Gha Hee-sun (lizka98@heraldcorp.com) (Photos: Yonhap)

FilmApril 26, 2021

[Photo News] Spring weather with a ray of sunshine

Warm weather has finally arrived in South Korea, putting an official end to a spring cold spell. Tired from being inside amid the pandemic, Seoulites went out in the sun on the weekend to brighten their lives. People enjoy the view under a clear blue sky at the top of Inwangsan in Seoul.  People take advantage of the warm, sunny weather to gather for a picnic in Han River Park on their day off. By Gha Hee-sun (lizka98@heraldcorp.com) (Photos: Yonhap)

Social AffairsApril 25, 2021

[Photo News] Jeju horses in green grassland

Staff of the Jeju Stockbreeding Promotion Institute release Jeju horses at Jeju Horse Pastureland, located on the side of Hallasan. Before being set free in the pastures of Hallasan, 83 Jeju horses spent the last winter in pastureland inside the institute.  The horses, designated as National Treasure No. 347, enjoy their freedom in Yonggang-dong of Jeju City. (Photos: Yonhap) By Yoon Chae-won (choenayoon@heraldcorp.com)

CultureApril 17, 2021

[Photo News] Athletes break a sweat as countdown to Tokyo Olympics begins

With the Tokyo Olympics kicking off in less than 100 days, athletes are buckling down for intense training at the Jincheon National Training Center in North Chungcheong Province, in the hopes of winning medals.  According to Gracenote, a US sports data analysis company, South Korea is projected to finish 10th overall at the upcoming Olympics with nine gold medals. To reach this goal, athletes from various disciplines are making their best efforts despite the uncertainties of COVID-19. 

Olympic GamesApril 17, 2021

[Photo News] Remembering the Sewol ferry tragedy, seven years later

Seven years ago, more than 300 lives were lost as the Sewol ferry sank deep into the sea. Most were teenagers attending high school. Seven years after the disaster, the nation still mourns that day as if it were yesterday. People all over the nation observed a moment of silence to remember the victims. At a memorial space in Gwanghwamun Square, a citizen can be seen paying his respects.  The bereaved families grieve their loss as they throw flowers into the sea at a ceremony commemorating

Social AffairsApril 17, 2021

[Photo News] Late NK founder’s birth anniversary

A nighttime outdoor ball of North Korean students and youths takes place in Pyongyang on Thursday, in celebration of the birth anniversary of the late North Korea founder Kim Il-sung, in this photo released by the Korean Central News Agency. Fireworks light up the sky over Pyongyang on Thursday, in celebration of the birth anniversary of the late North Korea founder Kim Il-sung, in this photo released by the Korean Central News Agency.  An outdoor ball of North Korean students and youths

North KoreaApril 16, 2021

[Photo News] The morning after

With the by-elections in Seoul and Busan over, workers get busy cleaning up the remains of the election campaigns.  Thousands of campaign banners and posters were installed throughout both cities during the campaign. After the results are announced, public workers get ready to take them down, signaling an end to the by-elections. Two public servants are hard at work removing campaign banners on the streets near Jamsilsaenae Station and Ihwa-dong in Seoul for disposal. By Gha Hee-sun (li

Social AffairsApril 10, 2021

[Photo News] Baby Humboldt penguin goes for a checkup

A Humboldt penguin chick stares at other marine animals in the hallway on the way to a wellness check at Lotte World Aquarium in southeastern Seoul. Visitors take pictures of the Humboldt penguin chick with aquarium staff on the way to a checkup. A member of the aquarium staff weighs the chick, and a veterinarian performs a physical examination. (Photos: Yonhap) By Yoon Chae-won　(choenayoon@heraldcorp.com)

CultureApril 10, 2021

[Photo News] Korea sets yet another world record in perovskite solar cell

A researcher from the Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology holds out a perovskite solar cell, which it says boasts the world’s highest efficiency rate, Tuesday.  Co-developed by UNIST, the Korea Institute of Energy Research and Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Lausanne, the next-generation solar cell can convert solar energy into usable energy at a rate of 25.6 percent.  The previous record holder was the Korea Research Institute of Chemical Technology, whi

IndustryApril 6, 2021

[Photo News] Music for everyone

S-Oil CEO Hussain A. Al-Qahtani (left) delivers 100 million won ($89,129) to Heart-to-Heart Foundation Chairman Oh Ji-chul at S-Oil’s headquarters in Mapo-gu, Seoul, Tuesday.  The money will be used to support the foundation’s orchestra, made up of youngsters with developmental disabilities. (S-Oil) (khnews@heraldcorp.com)

IndustryApril 6, 2021

[Photo News] Early voting turnout for by-elections

Early voting for next week’s by-elections finished Saturday with a turnout of 20.54 percent, the highest in South Korea’s by-election history, according to election authorities. During the two-day advance voting period that ended at 6 p.m. on the day, 2.49 million of the total 12.16 million eligible voters cast their ballots, according to the National Election Commission. The previous record high of 19.40 percent was posted in the Oct. 29 by-elections in 2014. (Yonhap)  Presi

PoliticsApril 4, 2021

[Photo News] HANBOK AT WORK

Employees of the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism wear hanbok to work Wednesday. To promote wearing Korean traditional attire, the Culture Ministry has assigned the last Wednesday of each month as “A Good Day to Wear Hanbok.” (Culture Ministry) By Song Seung-hyun (ssh@heraldcorp.com)

CultureMarch 31, 2021

[Photo News] Seoul turns gray in yellow dust storm

A yellow dust warning was issued for Seoul on Monday. Warnings are issued when average fine dust concentrations are forecast to stay above 800 micrograms per cubic meter for two hours or longer. From the bridge Banpodaegyo, Gangnam District appears in a gray haze of fine dust.  A street full of cherry blossoms in Yeouido is coated with a cloud of fine dust.  (Photos: Yonhap) By Yoon Chae-won (choenayoon@heraldcorp.com)

Social AffairsMarch 29, 2021