LONDON (AFP) ― Britain’s Prince Philip received a new royal title from his wife Queen Elizabeth II as a gift on his 90th birthday Friday, as the outspoken consort said he would finally scale back his workload. The queen made him Lord High Admiral ― the titular head of the British Royal Navy and an office until now held by her ― partly in recognition of the promising seafaring career Philip gave ...

Ahn Chul-soo Seoul National University nominated Professor Ahn Chul-soo to head its Graduate School of Convergence Science and Technology as of June 10. Ahn will be serving the position for two years. Formerly from KAIST, he joined the department of Digital Contents Convergence at SNU GSCST this month. (koreacolin@gmail.com)

Indonesia is more than just a honeymoon destination Bali, beautiful island of Indonesia filled with luxury resorts and hotels, has been grabbing the attention of Korean tourists, particularly after Korea’s hugely famous celebrity couple Jang Dong-gun and Ko So-young chose Bali for their honeymoon last year. However, the South Asian country has a lot more to offer, a tourism official said. “Not...

Lee stresses efforts to recover Korean artifacts kept by foreign countries Korea celebrated the return of nearly 300 copies of its ancient royal documents that were looted by French troops 145 years ago with welcome ceremonies and performances in Seoul and Ganghwa Island on Saturday. The ceremonies came after the final batch of 297 volumes of Uigwe arrived in Seoul from Paris late last month. T...

Gyeongju in North Gyeongsang Province was the center of politics, economy and culture in the ancient Silla Kingdom (B.C. 57-A.D. 935) for 992 years. The Wolseong Palace, the seat of Silla, was also called Banwolseong Palace, as the palace was shaped in banwol, or a crescent. Around the Wolseong district, the most eye-catching relic is Cheomseongdae, or Cheomseong Observatory, the oldest astronom...

Cherishing Indonesian paradise on a mid-range budget Lush, vibrant Bali has been a destination for environmentally conscious travelers for years, but as more “eco” options spring up, it’s harder to distinguish genuine environmentalism from “greenwashers” cashing in on a trend, especially when it comes to mid-range comfort. So, start by skipping well-trodden Kuta, which has long catered to forei...

Dreaming of ideal unification The 21st Century’s Dream of Korea: Great Advancement and Peaceful Unification By Park Se-il (Hansun Foundation) Park Se-il, professor of law and economics in the Graduate School of International Studies at Seoul National University, has published a collection of newspaper columns that he wrote over the last 10 years. Park, who is the founder and chairman of the ...

Kyujanggak By Kyujanggak Institute for Korean Studies (AcaNet, 30,000 won) Founded in 1776 during the reign of King Jeongjo, the Kyujanggak served as the Joseon Dynasty’s royal library. It housed countless royal books and documents that are now considered priceless Korean historical records. The Kyujanggak Institute for Korean Studies of Seoul National University ― where the library is now lo...

The last scene of Oscar Hijuelos’ new memoir, “Thoughts Without Cigarettes” (Gotham Books, $27.50), is a moment of contact with a ghost -- that of his father, Pascual. “I remember when that moment came to me,” says Hijuelos. “It was a mystical reaching of a different dimension. I don’t know what happens when you die, but there is a mystical presence in our lives that extends to people who are no...