[Photo News] North Korea celebrates 70th anniversary

North Korea on Sunday staged a military parade to mark the 70th anniversary of the country’s foundation.The parade was attended by North Korean leader Kim Jong-un and Chinese President Xi Jinping’s special envoy Li Zhanshu. It reportedly started around 10 a.m. and finished before noon. North Korean soldiers march with a float showing late North Korean leader Kim Il Sung during a parade for the 70th anniversary of North Korea`s founding day in Pyongyang, North Korea, Sunday, Sept. 9, 2018. North

North KoreaSept. 9, 2018

[Photo News] Children enjoy eco-friendly activities at Eco-Expo Korea

Eco-Expo Korea 2018, hosted by the Ministry of Environment and organized by the Korean Environmental Industry and Technology Institute, opened at Coex in Seoul, Wednesday. The annual event, which started in 2005, puts together leading experts from environment-related industries to promote eco-friendly products and services.The exhibition presents a variety of activity-centered booths where children can engage in crafting eco-friendly sculptures, generating electricity by pedaling bicycles and pl

Social AffairsSept. 5, 2018

[Photo News] BTS fans take over airport as group leaves for LA

BTS was spotted at Incheon Airport on Wednesday evening as it embarked on its world tour. The seven members showed up in casual outfits, along with sunglasses, masks and caps to cover their faces.(Yonhap)(Yonhap)Fans had gathered at the airport since afternoon to get a glimpse of BTS, which was scheduled to depart in the evening. As BTS entered the airport, crowds of fans followed.  (Yonhap)The world tour will see the boy band perform across North America, Europe and Japan, covering 16 cities wi

PerformanceSept. 3, 2018

[Photo News] Early Halloween parade takes place in central Seoul

The first weekend of September in Seoul was greeted by an array of colors presented by the Halloween Party Parade. Featuring performers of Lotte World Adventure, the event was held in Gwanghwamun in central Seoul on Sunday. Participants clad in colorful Halloween costumes danced to music and waved at citizens and tourists. Photos by Yonhap Written by Kim Hye-soo

Social AffairsSept. 2, 2018

[Photo News] Heavy rain alerts for Gangwon and Gyeonggi Province

Heavy rainfall continued to pound the Korean Peninsula with greater concentration in the Gyeonggi and Gangwon provinces.The Korea Meteorological Association issued heavy rainfall warnings on Wednesday for the northern and central regions of Gangwon Province. Residents of Cheorwon were affected by the overnight downpour, which caused a number of problems such as flooded roads and soil erosion. The sudden downpour startled many Koreans, especially those who had been on the roads in their cars or b

Social AffairsAug. 29, 2018

[Photo News] Flash floods turn Daejeon into muddy river

Even though Typhoon Soulik exited the Korean Peninsula on Friday without causing major damage to the mainland, heavy rainfall wreaked havoc in parts of Daejeon on Tuesday.Residents of the central Korean city -- Yuseong-gu and Seo-gu, in particular -- were affected by the heavy downpour. The city had received 122 millimeters of rain as of 7 a.m. Tuesday, according to the Daejeon Korea Meteorological Administration.The regional weather agency issued a flash flood warning for the Gapcheon Basin as

Social AffairsAug. 28, 2018

[Photo News] A bitter farewell

The second round of family reunions, involving some 326 people, ended Sunday after a short three-day gathering at the North’s Mount Kumgang. On Sunday around 10 a.m., families separated by war poured into the Oekumgang Hotel’s banquet hall on the second floor to say goodbye.Tears spread throughout the room as participants hugged and held their relatives one last time.At the end of Sunday’s reunion, North Korean Ri Seung-yeol, 53, reportedly told his cousin Lee Young-ho, 50, to “look at the watch

North KoreaAug. 26, 2018

[Photo News] What to do before Typhoon Soulik hits

Typhoon Soulik tore along the west coast of Jeju Island on Thursday, leaving a woman in her 20s missing, a man injured, and 6,517 households without power as of 11 a.m. The powerful tropical storm, packing gusts of up to 240 kilometers per hour, is forecast to make landfall on the Korean Peninsula’s mainland just past midnight on Friday. Soulik is expected to pass through Boryeong, South Chungcheong Province, moving westward, and hit the capital city of Seoul around 7 a.m., the weather agency sa

Social AffairsAug. 23, 2018

[Photo News] Families bid tearful farewell after promising to see each other soon

Unlike the first two days, on Wednesday -- the last day of the inter-Korean reunion event -- was filled with tears of sadness rather than joy. Hundreds of South and North Korean families were seen exchanging last-minute hugs and caressing each other’s hands. During the lunch break, families took digital snaps of each other in a bid to remember and cherish the event. Some reportedly promised to see each other soon in the “near future,” exchanging phone numbers and addresses. Eighty-nine elderly S

North KoreaAug. 22, 2018

[Photo News] Families eat together for first time in history of family reunions

As the second day of family reunions began, five buses filled with North Koreans arrived in front of Oekumgang Hotel, where their relatives from South Korea are staying, at 9:55 a.m. Tuesday.Dressed in colorful “hanbok,” or Korean traditional dress, many North Korean women had to be helped by volunteers so as not to trip on the long hemlines.North Koreans were also seen carrying presents to give to their long-lost relatives, ranging from the North’s well-known “Kaesong Koryo insam,” or ginseng,

North KoreaAug. 21, 2018

[Photo News] War-separated families meet in rare, emotional reunion

South Koreans left for North Korea Monday to take part in reunions with their North Korean family members from a hotel in Sokcho, in South Korea’s Gangwon Province. Around 89 South Korean survivors, mostly in their 70s and older, got the chance to meet around 180 of their long-lost relatives living in the North at Mount Kumgang.  A man selected as a participant for a reunion shows pictures of his deceased mother and little brothers living in North Korea, at a hotel used as a waiting place in Sok

North KoreaAug. 20, 2018

[Photo News] 89 elderly South Koreans await reunion with North Korean families

The first group of elderly South Koreans selected to reunite with their relatives in North Korea this week -- the first such group in almost three years -- gathered in Sokcho, Gangwon Province, Sunday, to prepare for their journey across the DMZ.The 89 South Koreans will meet family members they had been separated from by the Korean War from Monday to Wednesday.According to South Korea’s Ministry of Unification, they will be briefed on reunion procedures and protocols Sunday before heading to th

North KoreaAug. 19, 2018

[Photo News] Samsung unveils QLED TV experience zones

QLED TV ZONE -- The newly furbished QLED TV Zone at Samsung Digital Plaza in Yongin, Gyeonggi Province, is displayed Sunday. Samsung Electronics has installed the QLED TV experience space at some 300 Samsung Digital Plaza locations nationwide to showcase the premium TVs’ superior display quality as well as unique features such as the “magic screen” and “magic cable.” (Samsung Electronics)

TechnologyAug. 19, 2018

[Photo News] Koreans pay tribute to freedom fighters on 73rd anniversary of Liberation Day

Celebrated in both North and South Korea, Wednesday marks the 73rd anniversary of Liberation Day or “Gwangbokjeol.” Citizens pay tribute to those who fought for Korea’s independence from Japanese colonial rule. South Korean flags, or Taegeukgi, wave proudly across the country, in front of public buildings, hotels and streetlights. Despite the lingering heatwave, many citizens were spotted on the streets carrying mini flags. The government recommended a few places to visit on the meaningful day:

Social AffairsAug. 15, 2018

[Photo News] Sejong City to launch IoT-powered public bike system

IOT-POWERED BIKES -- A fleet of public bikes powered by internet of things technology are parked at a docking station in Sejong City on Monday. The GPS-equipped bikes, which will officially be available for use from Wednesday, can be unlocked and returned at any of the city’s 400 bike docking stations by using a smartphone app. (Yonhap)

TechnologyAug. 13, 2018

[Photo News] Busan opens lighthouse photo contest

Around 100 lighthouses are built along the eastern coastline of Busan, allowing fishermen to take off to sea at night. Gijang-gun’s beautiful lighthouses play a vital role in keeping the southern port city bustling with tourists. Each lighthouse boasts its own structural design, shaped like a baby’s bottle, baseball or World Cup trophy. Organized by the Busan Metropolitan Government and the city’s tourism organization, an open studio event will start next Monday and end on Sept. 5. The 80 teams

TravelAug. 13, 2018

[Photo News] Striking portraits of North Korean women

Photos showing North Korean women and the various roles they take up in the northern half of the peninsula were released online by Agence France-Presse Friday. AFP has its own webpage called Faces of North Korea where it updates photos taken by photographer Ed Jones who captures life inside Pyongyang. (AFP)Instructor Kim Ju-yang, 20, holds a North Korean-made assault rifle at the Meari shooting range in Pyongyang on July 29. At the Meari shooting range, customers can try out a number of North Ko

North KoreaAug. 10, 2018

[Photo News] Building Hope

BUILDING HOPE -- South Korea’s leading tobacco maker KT&G’s overseas volunteer team comprising 54 university students and employees pose for a photo after completing the 10-day construction of a community center and sports facilities at a village in Cikarang, Indonesia. KT&G has sent 41 volunteer teams since 2005 as part of the company’s corporate outreach. (KT&G)

IndustryAug. 9, 2018

[Photo News] Cities hold squid festivals to beat scorching heat

As Korea experiences one of the hottest summers in its history, different cities have held squid festivals to fight the scorching heat. At the festivals, visitors can jump into the water and catch fresh squid with their bare hands. Many people flocked to beaches in Gangwon Province and Ulleungdo to cool off and enjoy the rare experience. At the blow of the whistle, children and adults dive into the water to catch as many squids as they can. Those in luck also catch massive amberjack fish. Photos

TravelAug. 7, 2018

[Photo News] Heavy rain wreaks havoc in Gangwon Province

Monday’s unexpected downpour hit Gangneung, Gangwon Province, with more than 250 millimeters of rain, wreaking havoc in the region. The heavy rain left commuters stranded on the streets, cars submerged in water and roads waterlogged. Local business owners were also affected by the rain as they had to close for the day. KTX bullet train passengers reportedly experienced difficulties, as they were stuck at the station due to a halt in operations Monday morning. The eastern province received the se

Social AffairsAug. 6, 2018