NEW YORK (AP) ― Joey Chestnut scarfed down 62 hot dogs to win his fifth consecutive Fourth of July hot dog eating contest at Coney Island ― the equivalent of about 20,000 calories in 10 minutes. It wasn’t a personal best for the 27-year-old nicknamed Jaws, but it was enough to out-eat second-place finisher Patrick Bertoletti by nine wieners. Chestnut, of San Jose, Calif., won $10,000 and the covet

People July 5, 2011

Rwanda, a small country in Africa, came into the international spotlight because of a tragic genocide in the mid 1990s. More than 20 years later, the country is still calling for economic aid.But according to 30-year-old Jin Gu the country is taking steps for a better future.“It was impressive that Rwandans forgive each other for tomorrow and live in harmony. ‘Positive energy’ was overflowing anyw

People July 5, 2011

(Yonhap News) Volkswagen Korea, the local importer of German automaker Volkswagen AG, introduced the latest version of its Touareg crossover sport utility vehicle (SUV) in South Korea on Monday.   The mid-size model has a wider wheelbase compared to the older model but its weight has been brought down by a maximum 201 kilograms. It also comes with an eight-gear automatic transmission, a first for

Mobility July 4, 2011

(Yonhap News)A man reportedly died on Monday morning after sleeping with an electric fan running.The 59 years-old victim, only known by his surname Min, was found dead with the fan fixed directly at him.The police revealed that although Min used to suffer from relatively high blood pressure, it was not serious enough to require medication. They are still investigating the cause of death.Meanwhile,

Foreign Affairs July 4, 2011

Chinese tourists were stranded inside the restaurant near Han River which overflowed due to the seasonal heavy rain in South Korea. (Yonhap News)Amid seasonal rain in Seoul, some foreign tourist groups signed an agreement to be responsible for their own safety to have supper by the overflowing Han River.Due to heavy rain, which had lasted several days, the tourists ended up being stranded at the s

Travel July 4, 2011

    LOS ANGELES (AP) _ ``Transformers'' robots have lost some of their money-making power but delivered the biggest opening weekend domestically so far this year.   Distributor Paramount Pictures said Sunday that ``Transformers: Dark of the Moon'' took in $97.4 million domestically in its first weekend. That beat the $90.2 million debut of Disney's ``Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides.'' 

Film July 4, 2011

  South Korea will impose tougher penalties on pet abusers from next year in an effort to better protect animal rights, the government said Monday.   Under a revision to the animal protection law that passed the National Assembly last week, people who mistreat their pets may be sentenced to a jail term of up to one year or a maximum fine of 10 million won (US$9,400), according to the Ministry of F

Social Affairs July 4, 2011

South Korea’s military academy has appointed a female civilian as a professor for the first time in its history, an academy official said Saturday.The development comes as the male-dominated military is seeking to give more opportunities to women.Jung Sung-im, a former research fellow of Ewha Womans University, became the first woman and civilian professor to have a full-time teaching position at

People July 3, 2011

South Korean ship captain Seok Hae-kyun, who was rescued from Somali hijackers earlier this year, was picked as the recipient of an international maritime award in recognition of his bravery during the harrowing event, Seoul’s maritime affairs ministry said Sunday.The International Maritime Organization (IMO) has decided to give this year’s “Award for Exceptional Bravery at Sea” to Seok Hae-kyun,

People July 3, 2011

  Charlene Princess of Monaco is wiping a tear from her eye during the wedding service in the chapel of the Sainte Devote Church to Prince Albert II of Monaco (right) Saturday, 2011. (AP-Yonhap News)MONACO (AP) — Monaco’s Prince Albert II and Princess Charlene promised each other love and fidelity in an extravagant religious wedding Saturday attended by international celebrities and royalty, bring

People July 3, 2011

While a number of blogs and homepages are already offering a wide range of detailed information about Korea for visitors in English and other languages, the same segment is still in its infancy in the universe of mobile apps.But it’s too early to give up yet. Though the number of related apps for iPhone and iPad users is small, a dozen apps deserve attention. More importantly, the outlook appears

Technology July 1, 2011

A South Korean scientist has been named the new chief of the United Nation’s Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission (IOC), Seoul’s Maritime ministry said Thursday.Byun Sang-kyung, 61, was elected to head the Paris-based organization on Thursday (Paris time), becoming the first South Korean to take the top post of the U.N. commission that coordinates exchange of information and data between the

People June 30, 2011

Being a policeman calls for endless efforts, especially for women in Korea. The male-dominated organization selects only few policewomen every year, making competition intense.However, officer Shin Sang-hee, 27, passed the exam for the Gwangju Metropolitan Police Agency two years ago. With only one position allocated for women, she outperformed 538 competitors.“I was only lucky,” Shin said, blushi

People June 30, 2011

Popular smartphone game app Angry Birds is to be made into a movie, according to reports.Produced by Helsinki-based animation studio Rovio, the game has been downloaded 250 million times worldwide. Enjoyed by iPhone users, Angry Birds can also be seen on toys or even in cookbooks.David Maisel, who is former executive for Marvel Studio, is to participate in the new movie. Marvel Studio has produced

Film June 30, 2011