Latvia has asked South Korea to join a global coalition to supply Ukraine with thousands of drones, according to officials in Seoul on Thursday, as military drones are becoming increasingly critical in its ongoing war against Russia. The invitation was made during a bilateral meeting between the visiting Latvian Foreign Minister Baiba Braze and her South Korean counterpart Cho Tae-yul, held Monday in Seoul. “I have invited the Republic of Korea to join the Drone Coalition established by

Foreign Affairs Sept. 12, 2024

From rare minerals and smart city projects to cultural collaborations, South Korea and Mongolia have ample avenues to build mutually beneficial partnerships, leaders of the two countries stressed at a recent forum in Ulaanbaatar. At the Korea-Mongolia Vision Forum, held at the Novotel in the Mongolian capital on Aug. 27, 26 speakers from politics, business, civil society and academia engaged with an audience of about 250, exploring ways to enhance bilateral cooperation and promote private-sector

Industry Sept. 1, 2024

Cucumbers are having a moment in Korea. As one of the most representative vegetables of summer here, cucumbers usually star in summer dishes like cold noodles and soups as a garnish. But this season, they're more than just supporting players — cucumbers have taken center stage. On social media, cucumber gimbap is all the rage, thanks to TV celebrity Choi Hwa-jung. On her YouTube channel, Choi, 63, introduced the dish as an “easy to make, yet surprisingly delicious” dish

Food July 25, 2024

In a typical, fully-equipped Korean kitchen, you'll find a bottle of honey-like syrup called maesil cheong. This versatile syrup made from the fermentation of maesil, Korean green plums, serves as both a sweetener in various Korean dishes and a home remedy for an upset stomach or indigestion. June is the peak harvest season for maesil, which means it’s time for Kwon Sun-ja to prepare for her annual tradition of making the green plum syrup. "Early summer is when I make maesil ch

Food June 14, 2024

Importing nearly all the oil and gas it consumes, South Korea has long desired its own fuel wells. Yet, a discovery of one with massive deposits within its territory seemed almost too good to be true. On Monday, President Yoon Suk Yeol reignited the country’s fading dreams of becoming an oil-producing nation with a surprise announcement that there could be a significant fossil fuel field off the coast of Pohang, North Gyeongsang Province. The promise is a reserve of 14 billion barrels of o

Politics June 3, 2024

In South Korea’s relatively short history of democracy, no single political force has ever attained a two-thirds majority in the National Assembly. The number is critical, because a group controlling 200 of the unicameral Assembly’s 300 seats can override any presidential veto, rewrite the Constitution, and even impeach the president, although the last two require confirmation via a referendum and the Constitutional Court, respectively. Exit polls, conducted by the nation’s t

Politics April 10, 2024

Before Donald Trump popularized the term “fake news,” a recurring April Fool’s Day hoax had already made the concept familiar to many Koreans. This joke -- coming back almost every April 1, yet still managing to deceive some -- happens to feature a group of American tourists on a tour of the scenic area of Seoraksan in Gangwon Province. A version of the fabricated news article, easily found with a basic search, has the title "11 American tourists booked for toppling Seor

Hashtag Korea March 27, 2024

For those who have visited Han River, taken one of its cruises or simply marveled at the vast waters flowing through parts of Seoul’s ultramodern cityscape, it might be difficult to picture that just half a century ago, it used to be the epicenter of winter sports in South Korea. In the 1960s, '70s and earlier, winter would transform the Han into a frozen expanse crossable on foot or via cow-pulled carts, also creating a playground for children to sled and skate and nurturing a season

Hashtag Korea Feb. 6, 2024

It is the pulsating heart of everything – from business and fashion trends to education and culture. Seoul's dynamic energy is infectious, drawing people from all corners of the country and beyond. Yet, the city is also a place where life is often consumed like a commodity, where the pace of life operates in overdrive. We asked nine people whose lives have intersected with the city what Seoul meant to them. A family’s ticket to wealth Kim Hee-yong’s move to Seoul 1 1/2

Hashtag Korea Jan. 2, 2024

It is no longer news that South Korea has a high suicide rate. With 25.2 deaths per 100,000 people in 2022, the country topped the 38-member Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development in terms of suicide rates. This rate is more than double that of the OECD average of around 10-11 deaths per 100,000. But under the headline numbers, when, where and how do most suicide attempts occur here? A recently released set of data encompassing crucial information from first response records t

Social Affairs Dec. 26, 2023

Sodium nitrite, commonly found in sausages and other processed meats as a preservative, has recently been added to the list of “suicide hazardous materials” in South Korea as the country seeks to address increasing instances in which this food additive was used for self-harm. According to the Ministry of Health and Welfare, the listing blocks the online sale and distribution of the white powdery substance, which can be lethal in doses as small as 4 to 6 grams, for suicide purposes. A

Social Affairs Dec. 24, 2023

SAO PAULO -- Separated by oceans and a 12-hour time difference, Seoul and Sao Paulo lack direct flight connections and speak distinct languages. Yet, in this metropolis of over 11 million, the largest in the southern hemisphere, K-dramas are finding their way into ordinary Brazilian homes, and K-pop acts are captivating youth, gradually making the language spoken in the distant Asian nation more familiar to the local population. The University of Sao Paulo stands tall amid this newfound inter

Hashtag Korea Nov. 20, 2023

BRASILIA, Brazil -- On the opposite side of the world from South Korea, a group of high school girls dream of someday visiting the country. The northeast Asian nation seems far removed from these girls’ disciplined lives at their Christian boarding school, yet it is made familiar through weekly Korean language classes, Taekwondo practice and TV viewing sessions where all 850 students simultaneously watch K-dramas like "Extraordinary Attorney Woo." “Every day, I study Kore

Hello Hangeul Nov. 12, 2023

On a gentle hill nestled between two wooded areas in Sosa-gu, Bucheon, Gyeonggi Province, lies a long-neglected training compound for farmers. Occupying nearly 66,000 square meters of land, the compound’s dormitory building, silo for livestock feed storage, pigpen, chicken coup and conference hall, among other facilities, remain tucked out of sight of the surrounding community. The compound's history is unknown even to many of its most immediate neighbors, despite its presence here fo

Social Affairs Nov. 7, 2023

In the United States, Trader Joe's frozen packaged gimbap is making a splash, fueling more interest in Korean cuisine. On its home turf in South Korea, the idea of freezing seaweed rice rolls seems far from appetizing, as gimbap is readily available in convenience stores, street food stalls and anywhere there is demand for on-the-go meals. To many Koreans, the rice roll wrapped in a thin layer of seaweed with pickled radish and a variety of ingredients inside is synonymous with picnics.

Hashtag Korea Sept. 20, 2023