Stroll among traditional houses, soak in hot springs and drink sakeTAKAYAMA ― It was 8 a.m. on Saturday, and the Incheon International Airport was packed with people heading out for a weekend getaway or an early summer vacation. But our queue ― we were headed to Takayama in Gifu Prefecture, Japan ― was noticeably short, and it took only 10 minutes to complete check in. The tour guide said the numb

Travel July 1, 2011

Korea’s Kim Mi-kyung (right) competes against Farida Azizova of Azerbaijan in the women’s under-67 kg final of the WTF World Qualification Tournament for the 2012 London Olympics in Baku, Azerbaijan on Thursday.  (WTF)South Korea secured two spots in taekwondo for the 2012 London Olympics on the opening day of the World Taekwondo Federation qualification tournament in Baku, Azerbaijan, Thursday.In

More Sports July 1, 2011

Top golfers from Korea and Japan will face each other at the Korea-Japan Million Yard Cup, which tees off on Friday at Jeongsan Golf Club, in Gimhae, South Gyeongsang Province.The three-day competition is the third occasion in which Korea’s top male golfers team up to play against Japan. In its inaugural competition in 2004, Korea beat Japan, but in their last clash in 2010, they lost to the Japan

More Sports June 30, 2011

The plan to launch a new professional baseball team in South Korea has been boosted after the Changwon City Council passed a bill Tuesday to build a new baseball stadium in Changwon, South Gyeongsang Province.NCsoft, an online game developer, signed a memorandum of understanding with Changwon City at the end of 2010 to set up a new professional baseball team in Changwon, some 400 kilometers southe

More Sports June 29, 2011

Manager Hong indicates big changes ahead of final qualifying for OlympicsThe Korean Under 23 team manager Hong Myung-bo has addressed his worries over the team, after his side drew with Jordan 1-1 in the second round of Asian qualifying on Thursday. Having won its first leg of the play-off 3-1, Korea advanced to the final round of Asian qualifier for the 2012 London Olympics.The 42-year-old manage

More Sports June 24, 2011

SOAS attracts students with broad exchange programsLONDON ― Majoring in Korean might sound a little intimidating to most Europeans, but Kevin Fry, a senior at the School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London, was up to the challenge.“I tried to learn Chinese, but didn’t find it particularly enjoyable. So I started to learn Korean, and initially got interested in it,” he said. Kevin

Culture June 20, 2011

Free University educates German experts in Korean social sciencesBERLIN ― After speaking with Hannes Mosler for five minutes, one might wonder whether he is German or Korean.Although he has no Korean background, Mosler not only speaks flawless Korean, but also perfectly understands its culture and customs. “I first got interested in Korea in 1994, when I visited the country during my backpacking t

Culture June 20, 2011

 South Korean swimming star Park Tae-hwan notched up three victories at the Santa Clara Grand Prix, winning the men’s 200 m freestyle on Sunday.Park finished first in the 200 m freestyle at the Santa Clara Swim Club in California with a season best record of 1 minute 45.92 seconds. Earlier at the competition, the 21-year-old won the 100 m freestyle in 48.92 sec, ahead of 14-time Olympic gold medal

More Sports June 19, 2011

Film festival and K-pop contest attract young peopleLONDON ― What’s the first place that comes to mind when one thinks of London? Perhaps Big Ben, the River Thames, the London Eye or St. Paul’s Cathedral. But now the Korean Culture Center in London is hoping to be included on the list of the city’s top visitor attractions. Located just next to Trafalgar Square, overlooking the National Gallery, th

Culture June 16, 2011

K-pop charms Paris, but more support needed for Korean cultureCultural center takes lead in promoting hansik, Korean artsPARIS ― This is a fast-paced city where new trends come and go in the blink of an eye. The fashion capital of the world is also a city that welcomes new ideas and artists from across the globe.And, now it seems that the Korean Wave, or hallyu, has captivated the French capital:

Culture June 13, 2011

Twenty-four years ago, tens of thousands of college students protested in Seoul, calling for democracy. But thousands of students gathered Friday at Chonggye Square, calling for the government to cut their tuition fees.“Half-price tuition, half-price,” shouted the crowd sitting on the ground, holding a candle in each hand. Student protesters shout slogans, calling for the government to cut their t

Social Affairs June 10, 2011

Guus HiddinkFormer South Korean national football coach Guus Hiddink arrived in Seoul on Friday for a five-day visit. The Dutchman, who successfully guided the Taeguk Warriors into the semifinals of the 2002 World Cup, came to attend the opening of “Hiddink Dream Field,” a futsal field in the southeastern city of Ulsan on June 14. During his five-day trip, Hiddink will meet Chung Mong-joon, honora

Soccer June 10, 2011