One suspect from a Tajik duo, who allegedly robbed a money exchange store in Pyeongtaek, Gyeonggi Province, in late August, was arrested in Tajikistan after nearly a month on the run, South Korean police revealed Tuesday. According to Pyeongtaek Police, the 34-year-old male suspect, whose name was withheld, was arrested in his home country by local authorities on Sept. 25. He was accused of stealing 85 million won ($62,800) in US and Korean bills from the exchange store at around noon on Aug. 30

Social Affairs Oct. 17, 2023

PARIS -- Pulling an all-nighter to make gimbap and kimchi pancakes was the highlight of the year for four members of “Bulkkot,” a club of students enrolled in the Korean Studies department of the National Institute for Oriental Languages and Civilizations, also known as Inalco in Paris. Meaning “flame” in Korea, the recently-established students’ association has just five members now, but its passion easily surpasses that of much bigger organizations. The group pull

Hashtag Korea Oct. 16, 2023

PARIS -- Professors speaking only Korean during lectures, notices on bulletin boards with the schedule of upcoming Korean language proficiency tests and celebrating the end of the academic term with rolls of gimbap. This is daily life for students majoring in Korean studies in Paris. The Korea Herald visited two universities in Paris reputed for offering credible and rounded Korean studies programs -- Paris Cite University and the National Institute for Oriental Languages and Civilizations, al

Hashtag Korea Oct. 16, 2023

South Korean breakdance competitors are eyeing the top stop for the Asian Games' first-ever breakdancing competitions, the preliminary round of which kicked off Friday. Two male and two female dancers Kim Heon-woo, Kim Hong-yul, Jeon Ji-ye and Kwon Seong-hui will represent Korea at the dance battle at the 19th Asian Games in Hangzhou, China. They are stars in the breakdancing world, better known by their stage names -- Wing, Hong 10, Freshbella and Starry, respectively. Two golds are up for

Performance Oct. 6, 2023

Zena Chung, chair of the Indo-Korea Business Culture Center, participated in a tree planting event in India in line with the 154th anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi's birth earlier this week. Chung was invited to the event by India’s Gandhi Mandela Foundation, a non-profit organization that promotes the values and ideals of Gandhi and South Africa's former President Nelson Mandela. The event was held at Sri Venkateswara College within the Delhi University campus in New Delhi on Monda

People Oct. 6, 2023

Indo-Korea Business Culture Center Chairman Zena Chung participated in a tree planting event in India in line with the 154th anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi's birth earlier this week. Chung was invited to the event by India’s Gandhi Mandela Foundation, a non-profit organization that promotes the values and ideals of Gandhi and South Africa's former President Nelson Mandela. The event was held at Sri Venkateswara College within the Delhi University campus in New Delhi on Monday. Chu

People Oct. 5, 2023

When the grip of summer loosens and the air turns cooler, Koreans pay particular attention to the price trends of two specific fruits -- apples and pears. At their freshest and most flavorful during this time, the two fruits are the quintessential autumn fruits in South Korea, but there are a few other reasons why people are particularly sensitive to their prices. A time-honored tradition during Chuseok, one of the two biggest traditional holidays here, is to prepare a table full of food offerin

Market Sept. 24, 2023

Find the answer at the bottom. Young Koreans are quick to recognize and respond to new trends. Although this trait has some merits, it also has downsides. Coupled with materialism, peer pressure and showy consumption, many feel they need to possess certain trendy items, like sneakers, backpacks or high-end puffer jackets made by expensive brands, in order to “blend in” with their friends. This phenomenon gave rise to the widely used slang term, “deunggol beureikeo (등골 브레이

Hashtag Korea Sept. 13, 2023

Pollalla Store, located on a quiet street in Seoul’s youthful and artsy neighborhood of Hongdae, is a hidden hunting ground for “Y2K” culture fans. The underground venue is filled with one-of-a-kind vintage items from the late 1990s and early 2000s, including first generation K-pop star merchandise. Hyun Tae-jun, the store’s 57-year-old owner, spoke of a distinct shift toward a younger demographic among his customers. A couple of years ago, his customer base used to consi

Culture Sept. 12, 2023

A 4-year-old boy found last week near the lifeless body of a woman at a home in Jeonju, North Jeolla Province, was not registered in official documents, sparking further concerns over loopholes in the nation’s birth registration system. According to the Jeonbuk Provincial Police Agency on Monday, the child, whose name was withheld, was found lying unconscious at around 9:55 a.m. on Friday in a low-rise apartment unit in Jeonju. Near him was the body of a 41-year-old woman thought to be his

Social Affairs Sept. 11, 2023

When “The First Slam Dunk,” a Japanese animated film, opened in local theaters on Jan. 4 of this year, the response was unexpected -- it was a smash hit. Moviegoers in their 30s and 40s flocked to watch the big-screen sequel to the 1990s TV series “Slam Dunk,” which aired on local TV from 1998 to 1999. “It was one of our joys (as teens) to finish school, run home, eat dinner and rush to the television to watch ‘Slam Dunk,’” Oh Jang-ho, a 37-year-ol

Culture Sept. 6, 2023

In a bid to tackle a dwindling youth population, South Korea’s southeastern province of North Gyeongsang is trying a new strategy: inviting Asian teens to enroll at its high schools as a means to cultivate potential future residents. North Gyeongsang Province is currently in the process of selecting 72 teens from six different countries in Asia for admissions to schools within the province for the upcoming school year thatstarts in March 2024. Eligible countries are Vietnam, Thailand, Ind

Social Affairs Aug. 31, 2023

South Korean organizations are attempting to bring back “pure Korean,” or “soonwoorimal” -- purely Korean words or Hangeul terms not based on Hanja (Chinese characters) or other languages. Pure Korean has been swiftly forgotten due to the rise of the internet, which has led to faster adoption of slang and abbreviations and accelerated the erosion of the Korean language, several experts claim. Against this tide, a local civic group that has been promoting the Korean langua

Hashtag Korea Aug. 27, 2023

The concrete roof of a supermarket parking lot partially collapsed in Songdo, Incheon, though no casualties were reported, officials said Thursday. The roof of the underground parking lot at Homeplus’ Songdo branch collapsed at around 8:30 p.m. on Wednesday, Incheon city government officials and the local discount retail chain said. There were no casualties reported as of Thursday, but some have claimed property damage involving their vehicles parked near the damaged site at the time of th

Social Affairs Aug. 24, 2023

Foreigners seeking to make real estate investments in South Korea are now obligated to hire a local entrusted manager if they don’t have a permanent residential address here, officials said Tuesday. Foreign investors who have resided in Korea for more than 90 days -- considered long-term residents -- must also submit detailed documents backing up their home address here. The latest changes in the nation’s real estate laws are part of the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport

Market Aug. 22, 2023