South Korea has designated a career diplomat with expertise on Asia as its new ambassador to Japan, a government source said Tuesday.Lee Joon-gyu, 62, is to replace Yoo Heung-soo, who offered to resign last month, according to the source who requested anonymity.Lee served as ambassador to India until last year. Lee Joon-gyu (Yonhap)His official inauguration will take some time since he has to receive so-called "agreement" from Tokyo, a diplomatic procedure that could take up to 40 days.Lee, who

Foreign Affairs May 24, 2016

Cymechs Inc., a producer of semiconductor robots, on Monday signed a memorandum of understanding with Singapore’s Creative Robots to jointly develop artificial intelligence robots.Cymech CEO Bae Do-in said the two companies’ collaborative project, the revamped educational robot “Alpha,” will have more than 200 facial expressions, unlike its prototype that only transmitted information through a rectangular black-and-white display panel.  Cymech CEO Bae Do-in (Cymech Website)Bae stressed the new A

Technology May 17, 2016

The famous cliff from 2014 hit-TV drama “My Love from the Star” has been temporarily closed to the public over safety concerns since April 22.  　According to the Incheon Metropolitan City, the cliff in Songdo was graded worrisome D and E in its latest safety examination. A scene from 'My Love from the Star' (SBS)Experts have reportedly warned that the cliff face was unstable and could result in deadly rock falls due to having been previously used as a quarry up to 1994. However, the city is know

May 13, 2016

Convenience store chain CU has launched rice specifically designed to go with cup noodle products, Tuesday.  Priced at 700 won (60 cents), this 125-gram rice is called “ra-mal-bap,” short for “ramenae-marameokgi joeun-bap” which literally translates to “rice that is good to put in ramen.”Ra-mal-bap (CU)It is common among Koreans to add rice to instant ramen for more filling portions. Unlike the past instant-cooked rice products, ra-mal-bap is a basic white rice shaped into a ball that is conveni

Food May 12, 2016

Cosmojin Tour, specializing in catering to foreign tourists, announced Wednesday that majority of its clients picked jjimjilbang as their most exotic experience in Korea. Jjimjilbang is a type of an indoor leisure complex that combines sauna, karaoke and restaurant.  Even the U.S. ambassador to Korea, Mark Lippert, tried jjimjilbang while meeting with university students.According to Cosmojin Tour, it surveyed 926 tourists who visited Korea in March and April for their most memorable experience.

Travel May 11, 2016

The city of Gyeongju will provide massive discounts for tourists during the four-day weekend that starts from Thursday. The iconic town in north Gyeongsang Province, is a popular travel destination, boasting well-preserved national treasures and historic sites.  (Korea Tourism Organization)On May 5, which is Children’s Day, Gyeongju’s Yangdong Folk Village, which dates back to the Joseon Dynasty, will offer free entry to children and a 15 percent discounted entry price for family members. Shilla

Travel May 4, 2016

Following the unexpected rain Tuesday, powerful gusts are sweeping across Korea due to a sudden low pressure in the East Sea. The Korea Meteorological Administration issued nationwide strong wind alerts from 4 a.m. Wednesday to 21 cities in Korea.  (Yonhap)The average wind velocity reached maximum 30 meter-per-second in some areas of the country, felling utility poles.From North Gyeongsang Province, more than 20 cases of wind-damages were reported including farmland and roof destructions. A numb

Social Affairs May 4, 2016

A public official of the Seoul city government took his life in a motel room by intentional carbon monoxide poisoning, Monday. The police said the 39-year-old surnamed Park had worked as a 7th grade civil servant for two months, before breaking into tears in front of his mother complaining of his work being “too tough” and disappearing shortly after. His mother reported him as missing to the police, who tracked the location of Park’s cell phone and found his body at a motel located in Jegi-dong,

Social Affairs May 3, 2016

A U.S. airman rescued six people including three children from a burning building in Osan, Gyeonggi Province, Saturday, by rallying the public to hold up a blanket for the trapped occupants to jump onto. (Facebook capture)Master Sgt. Daniel Raimondo, upon seeing the burning building outside Osan Airbase, urged the people on the street to help hold a blanket while convincing the three mothers to throw their babies and then themselves from the fourth floor window.A video of the rescue was posted o

Social Affairs May 3, 2016